Perspective on the team and our fanbase

[WastedTalent]

That’s not really true, but if we’re being honest, is that not part of the frustration?

What else is needed to finish better for this staff to finish better than 4th/5th? Other top team(s) suffer injuries more impactful than ours. Several impartial analysts make comments that our roster is equitable to any in the conference. We have several upperclassmen playing major roles, plus what should be a deep bench. We’ve at least split with what many believe are the competition for the conference race. But we’ve lost three home games, two to mid-pack teams.

That is part of the frustration. I wouldn't be nearly as frustrated if the losses to TCU and Baylor came when Iowa St was .500 in the conference. However, they're not .500 because they've played very well on other nights, and had some great wins on the road.

The reason analyst say Iowa St has as much talent as anyone is because they just had a great win on the road, or against a top 25 opponent. However, they don't have the consistent talent it takes to win a conference championship. It's just not there.

 

[WastedTalent]

Look at the conference OOC win percentage and that includes some pretty darn good wins and other losses against top teams that were so very close to Ws. I don't see the conference as down.

It's completely opinion, so not going to argue. We may just have different opinions of strength. Many of those wins are comparable to how Iowa St has played all season. Capable of beating really good teams, and laying eggs in other games. Except for KU, they own quite a few of those really good OOC wins, however they have been no where near the same team in conference.

 

[spitfyr36]

I'm certainly not upset about the record, I think if you swap tcu/kstate/Baylor home losses for 3 road wins and the conversation on this board is completely different.
The lack of toughness/consistency is real, its just baffling how different this team plays from one game to the next.
Theres still plenty of opportunities for this team to be great, it's also very easy to get swept up in the what could have been.

 

[JP4CY]

I'm certainly not upset about the record, I think if you swap tcu/kstate/Baylor home losses for 3 road wins and the conversation on this board is completely different.
The lack of toughness/consistency is real, its just baffling how different this team plays from one game to the next.
Theres still plenty of opportunities for this team to be great, it's also very easy to get swept up in the what could have been.

That's really fair.

 

[WastedTalent]

One thing I am thankful for is that I haven't seen any of the "there's something going on behind the scenes with the chemistry of the team."

I haven't read every post, especially after losses, but I think the Prohm bashing has taken the place of this narrative that we saw under Fred.

 

[NickTheGreat]

You know that scene in Varsity Blues where they stay out all night drinking in the strip club and get their teeth kicked in that night? This team has had a few of those this season.

Maybe that's because there's not a Melvin Ejim to chuck a ball at some of these guys heads?

 

[Remo Gaggi]

Hey, there's always football season to look forward to. Remember, it wasn't that long ago when the reverse was true, when we all were looking forward to basketball season in October. Every program moves up and down like the stock market. These players will become more consistent as they mature.

 

[Macloney]

This is a good team, a top 25 good team.

Prohm is a good coach, a consistent top 25 program coach.

This team is young and has the talent to beat anyone on any given night. They also have the ability to lose to almost anyone on any given night.

I do question people's fandom though when they call OUR team's players "pussies" in the post game thread.

We ride or die with the Clones in our house and I am fortunate enough to have a wife who brings the perspective that we are Cyclones, good or bad, win or lose and that these are 18-22 year old kids who are giving everything they have every night to a group of fans who need to check their expectations at the door and cheer them on.

 

[Gunnerclone]

You know that scene in Varsity Blues where they stay out all night drinking in the strip club and get their teeth kicked in that night? This team has had a few of those this season.

Maybe that's because there's not a Melvin Ejim to chuck a ball at some of these guys heads?

How many conference regular season titles did Mel’s teams win? How many head scratchers did his teams have?

I’ve said this before; We have loyal fans not smart fans.

 

[Freebird]

I'm certainly not upset about the record, I think if you swap tcu/kstate/Baylor home losses for 3 road wins and the conversation on this board is completely different.
The lack of toughness/consistency is real, its just baffling how different this team plays from one game to the next.
Theres still plenty of opportunities for this team to be great, it's also very easy to get swept up in the what could have been.

In my opinion, you are 100% spot on.

 

[HFCS]

I'm not melting down so much as I'm just letting go. The ups and downs of looking like a Final Four contender then looking like a team that gets destroyed at home immediately afterward have actually made me LESS stressed out at this point.

 

[megamanxzero35]

How many conference regular season titles did Mel’s teams win? How many head scratchers did his teams have?

I’ve said this before; We have loyal fans not smart fans.

Yes. Past teams had these same baffling losses. They were just on the road to bottom half Big 12 teams or Drake. This year we are winning on the road the best we probably ever have but we are dropping some head scratching home games. Baffling just like losing the awful Texas Tech 5-6 years ago. Just a different kind.

 

[jsb]

How many conference regular season titles did Mel’s teams win? How many head scratchers did his teams have?

I’ve said this before; We have loyal fans not smart fans.

You’d think that before prohm can we had won many conference titles and gone far in the NCAA. The results are very similar. They were good enough for us to love one coach but call for the other ones head.

 

[Cycsk]

My main frustration was with the fans. I'll get the situation a little wrong but you get the idea. Baylor was up 2 with the ball and there was 2:00 remaining in the game. The crowd was stone silent. It was really odd. I miss the days where the crowd would give the players something to feed off of. The students would be so loud that Jake Sullivan would pound his hands on the court.

I know the response I'll get, "It was loud at times" or "Give them something to cheer for". I guess it's the chicken or the egg argument.

I also find it odd when fans criticize the players/coach then take serious offense when the silent crowd gets criticized. So. Many. Arms. Crossed.

Is this true? I wasn't there, but it seems hard to imagine.

 

[Cycsk]

Baylor has won 8 of the last 10 against us. That tells me that Scott Drew has some "secret sauce!" He was practically giggly on the post-game interview with ESPN with Stan Van Gundy, but didn't really say anything substantive. Tried to deflect everything to the impact of Van Gundy's visit to practice. He seems to know that if he pushes and pushes his players for offensive rebounds, he can beat us.

 

[randomfan44]

Yes, TCU and Baylor are legitimate big underdog losses, but there is no way if that KSU game was handicapped right now it would be a 10+ point spread. They are in the drivers seat for the conference championship. Heck if Weber had come forward and said that Wade would play instead of his continual cat and mouse game about injuries it might have not been on that day either.

This team suffers from a lack of toughness and a lack of vocal player leadership which I think go hand in hand. If there was ever a time for a players only meeting this is it. Who on the team is ready to take on that role and call one? I have my hopes set on Shayok.

Kansas State was 1-2 in Big 12 play when they came to Ames so yeah, a double digit line wasnt unreasonable.

Iowa State is just young and didnt play hard enough lastnight. Numerous plays where guys didnt close out on shooters or hustle on defense. And on offense, ISU forces up a ton of rushed shots, both from deep and at the rim. Lots of out of control drives that were basically turnovers.

And the benefit of playing with a bunch of little guys us that you risk getting crushed on the boards and Baylor took advantage.

They dont need to have a meeting; they need to play defense as aggressively as possible on a larger % of possessions and they need to get better, higher percentage looks even if it takes a few more seconds and passes..

 

[WastedTalent]

Baylor has won 8 of the last 10 against us. That tells me that Scott Drew has some "secret sauce!" He was practically giggly on the post-game interview with ESPN with Stan Van Gundy, but didn't really say anything substantive. Tried to deflect everything to the impact of Van Gundy's visit to practice. He seems to know that if he pushes and pushes his players for offensive rebounds, he can beat us.

I mean, it's not rocket science. It's just that Drew has the personnel, and the style to do this. A team like KU could not do this to Iowa St because they lack the size and mentality. WVU can on a normal year, however they're very depleted this season.

 

[VeloClone]

Kansas State was 1-2 in Big 12 play when they came to Ames so yeah, a double digit line wasnt unreasonable.

Iowa State is just young and didnt play hard enough lastnight. Numerous plays where guys didnt close out on shooters or hustle on defense. And on offense, ISU forces up a ton of rushed shots, both from deep and at the rim. Lots of out of control drives that were basically turnovers.

And the benefit of playing with a bunch of little guys us that you risk getting crushed on the boards and Baylor took advantage.

They dont need to have a meeting; they need to play defense as aggressively as possible on a larger % of possessions and they need to get better, higher percentage looks even if it takes a few more seconds and passes..

According to the coaches this has been the plan from the start. If they can't get the players to get on board perhaps it is time for the players to see if they can hold each other accountable.

As far as your assessment on what went wrong last night, I'm pretty sure you are saying all of the same stuff I have said in other threads here today.

Oh, and by the way it has been posted that the closing line of two of those three supposedly double digit lines were actually below 10, including KSU I believe.

 

[CyHans]

Crowd was great last night. Players had a great crowd supporting them and they didn’t take advantage.

That's good to know. I wasn't there but on TV it didn't appear that way.

 

[DeereClone]

You know that scene in Varsity Blues where they stay out all night drinking in the strip club and get their teeth kicked in that night? This team has had a few of those this season.

Maybe that's because there's not a Melvin Ejim to chuck a ball at some of these guys heads?

This team is on pace to go 12-6, which would tie Ejim's best year, and beat his other 3 years.