People forget

**Clones85'** · 03-08-2010, 03:23 PM

Attempt #2. Got permission from the big dog himself

I was on the fence about whether Mac should stay or not. He is staying so let's get behind him and the team. Complaining right now does nothing good.

Let's take a look back at something all of you know, but yet forget when talking about how Mac hasn't been able to get it done in 4 years at ISU.

In Mac's 2nd year at Iowa State we had....

Wesley Johnson coming back for his second year after a fantastic freshmen season
Michael Taylor coming back for his senior season after a nice first season
Jiri and Rahshon playing their senior seasons
A 5 star commit in Craig Brackins coming in
A nice looking shooting guard with size in Lucca Staiger
2 of the best walk ons in Iowa State history to help out in practice
Really is the makings of a team that is going to the NCAA tournament. We had athletes, we had 3 NBA talents, and we had seniors.

So what happens?

Taylor gets the boot before the season
Lucca gets ruled inelgible by a BS rule
Wesley Johnson gets hurt, misses a lot of games, and plays the rest of the year at 50% best
Jiri and Rahshon were banged up for most of the season
We are forced to start those 2 walk ons who when brought in were thought of us nothing but practice players....really good practice players
And Brister becoming a daddy early in the season (who knows if that hurt)

Which one of those things was GMAC's fault? Any of it? I don't think so.

So when fans complain about 4 years of bad basketball, they need to take a step back and remember the first 2 years. Hardly Greg's fault. The last 2 years? Sure it is his fault Some bad luck (injuries), some bad decisions (certain recruits), and some blame that Greg just needs to take (not keeping WJ or Lucca in town) all lead up to what has been a very poor last 2 years.

This year was obviously the most disappointing. I expected to go to the tournament as I am sure most of you did as well. Personally I didn't think we were that far off from being decent. Just never figured out how to win until it was to late. Here is to hoping the players and coaches have figured it out and we can be better next year

**Cloned4Life** · 03-08-2010, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by Clones85'

Attempt #2. Got permission from the big dog himself

I was on the fence about whether Mac should stay or not. He is staying so let's get behind him and the team. Complaining right now does nothing good.

Let's take a look back at something all of you know, but yet forget when talking about how Mac hasn't been able to get it done in 4 years at ISU.

In Mac's 2nd year at Iowa State we had....

Wesley Johnson coming back for his second year after a fantastic freshmen season
Michael Taylor coming back for his senior season after a nice first season
Jiri and Rahshon playing their senior seasons
A 5 star commit in Craig Brackins coming in
A nice looking shooting guard with size in Lucca Staiger
2 of the best walk ons in Iowa State history to help out in practice
Really is the makings of a team that is going to the NCAA tournament. We had athletes, we had 3 NBA talents, and we had seniors.

So what happens?

Taylor gets the boot before the season
Lucca gets ruled inelgible by a BS rule
Wesley Johnson gets hurt, misses a lot of games, and plays the rest of the year at 50% best
Jiri and Rahshon were banged up for most of the season
We are forced to start those 2 walk ons who when brought in were thought of us nothing but practice players....really good practice players
And Brister becoming a daddy early in the season (who knows if that hurt)

Which one of those things was GMAC's fault? Any of it? I don't think so.

So when fans complain about 4 years of bad basketball, they need to take a step back and remember the first 2 years. Hardly Greg's fault. The last 2 years? Sure it is his fault Some bad luck (injuries), some bad decisions (certain recruits), and some blame that Greg just needs to take (not keeping WJ or Lucca in town) all lead up to what has been a very poor last 2 years.

This year was obviously the most disappointing. I expected to go to the tournament as I am sure most of you did as well. Personally I didn't think we were that far off from being decent. Just never figured out how to win until it was to late. Here is to hoping the players and coaches have figured it out and we can be better next year

Yeah year 2 sucked. Just a lot of crappy things happened. I was really, really, REALLY excited for that season...then Taylor gets the boot, then everything else happens...rest is history...o well.

**Clones85'** · 03-08-2010, 03:34 PM

So in Mac's 1st year we overachieved. 6-10 in conference with barely any returning players

Year 2 was one bad event after the other

Year 3 was a bad year that we knew would be bad once Wesley transferred. Greg knew then that he had to step up recruiting and change who he went after

Year 4. High expectations, terrible results. Injuries and transfers hurt, but this one goes back to Greg.

I keep hearing fans saying 4-12 in the conference is terrible after your 4th year in the conference. Anybody know what Orr's, Floyds, and LE's records were their 4th year? Sure Floyd and LE had success prior to that, but I think Mac would have too in his second year if it wasn't for the bad events that took place

**ChrisMWilliams** · 03-08-2010, 03:34 PM

Great post 85. Mad props to you on that one.

**weR138** · 03-08-2010, 03:35 PM

Sun shines...people forget...

**wxman1** · 03-08-2010, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Clones85'

So in Mac's 1st year we overachieved. 6-10 in conference with barely any returning players

Year 2 was one bad event after the other

Year 3 was a bad year that we knew would be bad once Wesley transferred. Greg knew then that he had to step up recruiting and change who he went after

Year 4. High expectations, terrible results. Injuries and transfers hurt, but this one goes back to Greg.

I keep hearing fans saying 4-12 in the conference is terrible after your 4th year in the conference. Anybody know what Orr's, Floyds, and LE's records were their 4th year? Sure Floyd and LE had success prior to that, but I think Mac would have two in his second year if it wasn't for the bad events that took place

Perfectly said!

**chuckd4735** · 03-08-2010, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by Clones85'

So in Mac's 1st year we overachieved. 6-10 in conference with barely any returning players

Year 2 was one bad event after the other

Year 3 was a bad year that we knew would be bad once Wesley transferred. Greg knew then that he had to step up recruiting and change who he went after

Year 4. High expectations, terrible results. Injuries and transfers hurt, but this one goes back to Greg.

I keep hearing fans saying 4-12 in the conference is terrible after your 4th year in the conference. Anybody know what Orr's, Floyds, and LE's records were their 4th year? Sure Floyd and LE had success prior to that, but I think Mac would have two in his second year if it wasn't for the bad events that took place

Year 3 would have been better if WJ stayed, but not much better. We still lacked solid play for the guard positions, and that is what has killed us since Taylor played...

**CycloneWarning** · 03-08-2010, 03:38 PM

Year 2 was really a missed opportunity. Ton of talent coming back or coming in.

Jiri
Rashon
Wes
Craig
Taylor

That is an NCAA quality team. Once Taylor was kicked off, we had no quality experience at the guard.

Was it stupidity or bad luck that GMac did not recruit a JC guard, particularly knowing that Taylor already had two bonehead strikes and all he had was young pups on the roster? You make the call.

But I will grant you that his second year could have been special if Taylor was not booted and Wes would not have been injured, and some success might have also kept Wes here. It could have all taken off then and today would be a different program.

But why look back at year 2, we are told constantly the program was left in a complete mess despite the facts.

**Cyched** · 03-08-2010, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by Clones85'

This year was obviously the most disappointing. I expected to go to the tournament as I am sure most of you did as well. Personally I didn't think we were that far off from being decent. Just never figured out how to win until it was to late. Here is to hoping the players and coaches have figured it out and we can be better next year

Good point. We had all the makings to be a decent team. If it weren't for a matter of points we'd be dancing or at the very least in the NIT. We just couldn't get over the hump until Saturday. I think that win will be key in not only the way Mac coaches from here on out, but the way players like DG and Ham will step up and lead next season. Barring any defections(knock on wood) we could be looking at a decent team next season(hopefully).

**joefrog** · 03-08-2010, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by weR138

Sun shines...people forget...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek0IGMX4XWA]YouTube - The Who - Eminence Front, Seattle 1982[/ame]

Seems nothing is ever Greg's fault. For some reason I think $800,000 would mean some accountability, but I guess not.

Keep on trucking Greg. We got your back.

**weR138** · 03-08-2010, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by joefrog

YouTube - The Who - Eminence Front, Seattle 1982

Seems nothing is ever Greg's fault. For some reason I think $800,000 would mean some accountability, but I guess not.

Keep on trucking Greg. We got your back.

It's a put-on...

**weR138** · 03-08-2010, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by joefrog

Seems nothing is ever Greg's fault. For some reason I think $800,000 would mean some accountability, but I guess not.

Keep on trucking Greg. We got your back.

It's a put-on...

**Clones85'** · 03-08-2010, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by chuckd4735

Year 3 would have been better if WJ stayed, but not much better. We still lacked solid play for the guard positions, and that is what has killed us since Taylor played...

Wouldn't have been much better? You can't honestly believe that a top 5 pick in the NBA draft wouldn't have helped us that much

**Clones85'** · 03-08-2010, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by joefrog

YouTube - The Who - Eminence Front, Seattle 1982

Seems nothing is ever Greg's fault. For some reason I think $800,000 would mean some accountability, but I guess not.

Keep on trucking Greg. We got your back.

Who said it is not Greg's fault? I didn't. I said the last 2 years were Greg's fault. His 3rd year he recruited poor talent and this year was just a bad year. But I think he did a fine job the first 2 years considering everything that happened that wasn't his fault.

You can see things neutral you know. You don't have to be completely for Greg, or completely against him. You can just see things for how they are

**chuckd4735** · 03-08-2010, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by Clones85'

Wouldn't have been much better? You can't honestly believe that a top 5 pick in the NBA draft wouldn't have helped us that much

Again, we would have been better, but not much. WJ is a forward. We have 2 potential NBA draft pick forwards on the team this year. How did we do?

Without a guard to distribute the ball to your forward, you cant expect amazing results.