What's The problem with Colvin?

[delt4cy]

Colvin has great potential and I hope he sticks around. We would not be better off without him. He is a true freshman that can play meaningful minutes and not be a liability on defense. He has a remarkable court sense and just needs the game to slow down a bit and that will only happen with time. (In a year or two he could* be special)

As just someone who sits in the stands and watches, I am 100x more comfortable when Colvin has the ball than Christopherson, Staiger, or Buckley. If he leaves, that could be crippling to our guard play down the road in the instance we lose out on Randle and Staten goes elsewhere. As for Buckley, to me he just doesn't look fluid and in enough control to be a Big 12 guard at this point. (granted he hasn't been given much of a chance, but when he has been in I haven't been overly impressed)

If it's a Colvin headcase issue, then I hope he gets some good advice and decides to stick it out because there will undoubtably be brighter days ahead.

 

[jsb]

No Cory was Gmacs first recruit. Also there is always an excuse why our best players are leaving. At some point it has to not be the players.

Actually, Cory committed to Iowa State under Wayne. I believe he signed under Wayne. After McDermott was hired, he decided to stay.

 

[IcSyU]

No way. Christopherson can do everything Lucca can (maybe a slight drop off in shooting), but he can dribble, pass and defend better. Lucca should not be starting.

Again, who gives a **** if Dorr, Palu, Boozer, Buckley, and Pomlee start? Who plays the most minutes is what counts.

Christopherson is NOT a better passer than Lucca. Ball handling and defender, yes, passer and shooter, no. Until we have a team willing to play team D, defense doesn't matter.

 

[DMCYFAN]

I'm starting to wonder what type of recruiting method McDermott is using. Is he going out and promising 30 minutes of playing time per game to everybody just to get them to come here. We have had a number of guys who have transferred within the first year - Vette, Brister, Mann, Eikmeier among others - plus Colvin and Dendy who don't seem too happy right now. There seems to be a big disconnect between what the players are expecting and reality.

Look at your list who have transferred within the first year... Not big 12 players. Guys who left b/c they knew they wouldn't play and we had better uses for the scholly...

 

[khess83]

I thought it was the players up until this one.
Wes Johnson, Colvin, Mike Taylor/Cory McCintosh. At some point it quits becomming the player and it becomes the coach.

Not sure I agree with you here. Unfrotunately, the college basketball culture is terribly flawed. The terrible regulation that players have to attend college for atleast one year is killing the game. The majority of players are just eyeing the larger prize. Most think that they will be the next Durant/Oden/Beasley etc. This creates the attitude that "I deserve playing time right away". If they don't get it, they act out and if your team is lucky they transfer. This problem is not isolated to ISU, or any other program.

I don't see the culture changing in the near future either. Until the NBA changes its rules, or Coaches take a stand that they won't take players that exhibit this attitude nothing will change. You can't blame the coaches for trying to make it work with players like this. Their livelyhood and success depends on it, so they have to take those chances and hope not to get burned. Unfortunately, Mac has been burned time after time.

 

[ISUChippewa]

Wes Johnson, Colvin, Mike Taylor/Cory McCintosh. At some point it quits becomming the player and it becomes the coach.

To be fair, McD said later that McIntosh transferred because he and Taylor didn't get along at all. Obviously McIntosh transferred before Taylor was (rightfully) thrown off the team.

I really hope those same lack of chemistry issues don't kill this year's team. Until we tangible facts instead of rumor and speculation, I'm not going to jump to any conclusions.

 

[Stormin]

I've heard that repeatedly the last few years, whenever anyone leaves. Unfortunately its not true. Just take a look at our record. Attrition has killed our basketball program. Gmac's inability to keep his recruits in his program has been our downfall.

If it happens, it happens. Probably won't be a huge effect this year, but we would be losing our future point guard, and a talented one.

The attrition problem started with Eustachy. Brandon Hawkins and Shane Power are examples.

 

[CloneIce]

No way. Christopherson can do everything Lucca can (maybe a slight drop off in shooting), but he can dribble, pass and defend better. Lucca should not be starting.

SC is alright. But he gets overrated... seriously, take a look at his numbers when he plays against decent competition. Not pretty. He is a more athletic Petey. With his size it will always be tought for him to defend Big 12 guards, but he does have some quick hands and plays hard.

 

[CloneIce]

Look at your list who have transferred within the first year... Not big 12 players. Guys who left b/c they knew they wouldn't play and we had better uses for the scholly...

The problem then is that our coach recruited these guys in the first place. Why are we constantly recruiting guys who can't play at this level who then transfer after a year?

 

[CloneIce]

The attrition problem started with Eustachy. Brandon Hawkins and Shane Power are examples.

Yes, it got bad the last couple of Eustachy years. Then it took a brief hiatus under Wayne (he lost a couple to grades and/or other issues like George and Faulkner... which killed his 3rd year when we had 0 big men return from the previous year. Of course Morgan isn't allowed excuses like our current coach).

Then it became a bigger issue than ever in Gmac's 1st years. Its crippling to the progrm, we need to retain the talented players we get here like Colvin.

 

[Tre4ISU]

Not sure I agree with you here. Unfrotunately, the college basketball culture is terribly flawed. The terrible regulation that players have to attend college for atleast one year is killing the game. The majority of players are just eyeing the larger prize. Most think that they will be the next Durant/Oden/Beasley etc. This creates the attitude that "I deserve playing time right away". If they don't get it, they act out and if your team is lucky they transfer. This problem is not isolated to ISU, or any other program.

I don't see the culture changing in the near future either. Until the NBA changes its rules, or Coaches take a stand that they won't take players that exhibit this attitude nothing will change. You can't blame the coaches for trying to make it work with players like this. Their livelyhood and success depends on it, so they have to take those chances and hope not to get burned. Unfortunately, Mac has been burned time after time.

/\ Heres a guy that get's it. There are a ton of attitude problems in the NCAA. The NBA needs to either have no rule or it needs to be like football. One year is BS. No one gets anything out of one year. They pass six credits their first semester then don't even hoave to show up the second. It's bull. I know we don't have any players that would have gone pro out of high school but I think there is a trickle down effect. THe attitudes of the great falls down to the good and now they think they are entitled. Pert of this is AAU and the amount of love they get there. Some of it is high school coaches babying them because they are their meal ticket. Wes Johnson was like this and COlvin is like this it seems. Other than those two, watch important guys have we lost? Taylor had to be booted, there was no other option. I don't leave Mac free of blame but I can certainly see the other side.

 

[CycloneErik]

/\ Heres a guy that get's it. There are a ton of attitude problems in the NCAA. The NBA needs to either have no rule or it needs to be like football. One year is BS. No one gets anything out of one year. They pass six credits their first semester then don't even hoave to show up the second. It's bull. I know we don't have any players that would have gone pro out of high school but I think there is a trickle down effect. THe attitudes of the great falls down to the good and now they think they are entitled. Pert of this is AAU and the amount of love they get there. Some of it is high school coaches babying them because they are their meal ticket. Wes Johnson was like this and COlvin is like this it seems. Other than those two, watch important guys have we lost? Taylor had to be booted, there was no other option. I don't leave Mac free of blame but I can certainly see the other side.

Great, balanced post. I hate the one-year rule. It's a sham.

It's not the whole problem, but it doesn't help.

At some point, what helps kids see the reality that most of them (i.e. 99%) are not LeBron coming out of high school?

I guess the same question posed differently: What would convince these kids that 105 of them (made up #, doesn't include seniors or international players) can't come out in a given year and all expect to be first-round draft picks? It's egos run amok.

 

[Knownothing]

No Cory Mac was Gmacs first ever recruit. That is a fact.

 

[GeronimusClone]

Look at your list who have transferred within the first year... Not big 12 players. Guys who left b/c they knew they wouldn't play and we had better uses for the scholly...

Why did we waste the time and money in the first place then? That should tell us something about our coaching and recruiting problems.

 

[GeronimusClone]

Great, balanced post. I hate the one-year rule. It's a sham.

It's not the whole problem, but it doesn't help.

At some point, what helps kids see the reality that most of them (i.e. 99%) are not LeBron coming out of high school?

I guess the same question posed differently: What would convince these kids that 105 of them (made up #, doesn't include seniors or international players) can't come out in a given year and all expect to be first-round draft picks? It's egos run amok.

I don't really think we've had any players that the one-year rule effects.

 

[IcSyU]

Why did we waste the time and money in the first place then? That should tell us something about our coaching and recruiting problems.

Because we didn't have a full recruiting season and had to throw something together...

 

[CycloneErik]

I don't really think we've had any players that the one-year rule effects.

It hasn't affected any of our guys. I was agreeing with him about the trickling-down idea, because most of these kids seem to come into college thinking that they're way more than they are (yet).

 

[GeronimusClone]

It hasn't affected any of our guys. I was agreeing with him about the trickling-down idea, because most of these kids seem to come into college thinking that they're way more than they are (yet).

I think that's a generational thing. Kids nowadays (when did I turn into my old man?) have a real sense of entitlement and that they are "owed" things. This isn't limited to college athletes.

 

[CycloneErik]

I think that's a generational thing. Kids nowadays (when did I turn into my old man?) have a real sense of entitlement and that they are "owed" things. This isn't limited to college athletes.

Good point. I'm getting old, too, and it surprises me. I even have gray hair to boot (but some of it's been there since I was 20 or 22).

This entitlement crap stinks. I do not like it at all.

One of my favorite stories in recent years was Billy Donovan locking the Gators out of the practice facility until they earned it back. Of course, they aren't back to their championship level, but I loved the idea.

 

[khess83]

I don't really think we've had any players that the one-year rule effects.

I would agree we don't have any players that would have left in one year. But these kids think of college as a requirement and don't put their heart in it. if they don't get their way, they feel cheated and become liabilities on the team. Even if there are better players in front of them, they can't understand why they are not the center of attention like they had been before.



The players attitudes are definitely different today than even 5 years ago. Every kid with talent thinks he will be the next Lebron James, and the truth is that none of them stand a chance.