First Place

[madguy30]

Well, to be fair it is only one poster that I've seen bringing that up.

But yes, it is pure silliness. And I hate silly.

There's silly and then there's freaking bonkers.

 

[madguy30]

You summarized it well.

The line of thinking in recent pages about this (mainly by 1 person) is that simply because the "caliber/talent" of HS recruits is climbing, it automatically suggests those guys are likely to be more self-centered, lazy or poor fit for the system. But we have to assume those things are baked into the recruiting process ... only difference is some might have higher upside & impact, (collectively, if not individually).

Repeating but all these recruits have to do is watch a replay of ISU last year or this year, decide they don't want to do that, and go somewhere else.

 

[CycloneErik]

To get back on track, we're solidly in first place with wins over Texas and Kansas State, with a 2nd year coach bringing us out of his predecessor's back-to-back 20 loss seasons, with a roster that was (for the most Kool-Aidy of us like me) supposed to be able to grind its way into or near the big tournament.

This stuff's amazing. I'm not doing the "TJ is the GOAT" thing yet, but he's making a run at it.
Heck, there's a very solid chance he becomes the first Cyclone coach ever to take us to two Sweet 16s, and in his 1st 2 years to boot.

Yeah, I don't have any worries about this guy. He's earned not just the benefit of the doubt, but the absence of doubt.

 

[bawbie]

Texas beat Gonzaga and Kansas has the Duke win would be my guess why we are still behind them.

kenpom doesn't take Ws/Ls into account at all. It's entirely metric based. Our 59th ranked offense is still holding us back, KU and UT are both top 30 in offense and defense

 

[bawbie]

It's premature, but would like to point out Fardaws Aimaq and Pop Isaacs were both out yesterday vs. WVU.

I believe Aimaq is out for the season, and Isaacs missed a couple games before we played them (as did Batcho)

 

[Cyclones8824]

I believe Aimaq is out for the season, and Isaacs missed a couple games before we played them (as did Batcho)

He played their next 3 games after us and was out Vs WVU

 

[CySmurf]

Repeating but all these recruits have to do is watch a replay of ISU last year or this year, decide they don't want to do that, and go somewhere else.

A quality, no nonsense man in charge can negate a lot of that type of attitude from a player.
I remember Tinsley first coming here and talking about how "he didn't come here to run track"...LE nipped that in the bud for sure.

 

[CychiatricWard]

I get people are nervous about things being good and what things will look like in the future, but it’s just manufactured fear. I get other coaches haven’t worked out, players haven’t met expectations, but what TJ has seemed to have brought so far is just different. It feels so organic and real. The man just oozes the right type of confidence and guys will want to play for that and with those types of players. I, for one, and not concerned about how he will manage players and rosters going forward.

 

[cyIclSoneU]

To get back on track, we're solidly in first place with wins over Texas and Kansas State, with a 2nd year coach bringing us out of his predecessor's back-to-back 20 loss seasons, with a roster that was (for the most Kool-Aidy of us like me) supposed to be able to grind its way into or near the big tournament.

This stuff's amazing. I'm not doing the "TJ is the GOAT" thing yet, but he's making a run at it.
Heck, there's a very solid chance he becomes the first Cyclone coach ever to take us to two Sweet 16s, and in his 1st 2 years to boot.

Yeah, I don't have any worries about this guy. He's earned not just the benefit of the doubt, but the absence of doubt.

Wow, it’s humbling to realize we have never had a coach who has taken us to multiple Sweet 16s. Fred and Prohm both had multiple teams that could’ve (should’ve) and fell short. Not to mention Floyd or Eustachy.

 

[dirtyninety]

I get people are nervous about things being good and what things will look like in the future, but it’s just manufactured fear. I get other coaches haven’t worked out, players haven’t met expectations, but what TJ has seemed to have brought so far is just different. It feels so organic and real. The man just oozes the right type of confidence and guys will want to play for that and with those types of players. I, for one, and not concerned about how he will manage players and rosters going forward.

Nothing personal, but please change your avatar.....it reminds me of too many people I have to endure and suffer in my real-world life. Thanks in advance. Sincerely, Dirty

 

[CychiatricWard]

Nothing personal, but please change your avatar.....it reminds me of too many people I have to endure and suffer in my real-world life. Thanks in advance. Sincerely, Dirty

You know who that is don’t you?

 

[dirtyninety]

You know who that is don’t you?

I don't know how to enlarge avatars where I can see them clearly....if it is a celebrity I guess not. It looks like some of the office workers in the cubicles around the corner from me. Captain Kangaroo with longer hair?

 

[madguy30]

I guess it's one of those 'watch highlights from a recent game and love life' kind of seasons.

 

[CychiatricWard]

I don't know how to enlarge avatars where I can see them clearly....if it is a celebrity I guess not. It looks like some of the office workers in the cubicles around the corner from me. Captain Kangaroo with longer hair?

It’s Ongo Gabolgian, Danny Devito in always sunny…

 

[CycloneErik]

Wow, it’s humbling to realize we have never had a coach who has taken us to multiple Sweet 16s. Fred and Prohm both had multiple teams that could’ve (should’ve) and fell short. Not to mention Floyd or Eustachy.

Fred had a team that went twice, but he was in Chicago during that second trip. that's the closest anyone's been.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

Fred had a team that went twice, but he was in Chicago during that second trip. that's the closest anyone's been.

Talking about Burton's year?

 

[AuH2O]

Because we have seen it before with our own eyes in the McDermott era. He had been winning at a clip that UNI hadn't seen before with a rag tag group buying in to his system. They went to the dance and knocked off some good teams. Then he came to ISU and signed some great recruits and we were all jacked thinking about what he was going to do now that he had all this additional talent. Then the wheels fell off, and the narrative has always been he couldn't get the buy in and manage the egos of those higher ranked recruits.

Otz is at the point of making that same transition. I'm hopeful we have some upper class players to set the tone, that we are recruiting guys that also fit for chaacter, and that TJ has the tools to put it together. But some people here already want to back up the Brinks truck on TJs front lawn while measuring the rafters at Hilton for all the new banners. I'm just saying we should wait to see a little more as we move into next season before doing anything drastic. Seen too many coaches here start hot and then struggle to sustain it after we get locked in to bigger contracts. McDermoot, Prohm, CPR over on the football side. We need to reward success, but we need to be smart about it.

Well, if it doesn’t work out next year, TJ can go back to recruiting rag tag transfers. It’s got ISU leading the best conference in the country. Not a bad fallback option.