Cyclone Women Getting Lineup Shakeup

[mred]

I just do not understand how his coaching style is successful. I have never met a female who responds well to "tough love."

ISU has had players in the past who transferred away most likely because the style of coaching didn't work for them, and that's fine. Fennelly can be hard on his players but it works. He's not abusive. He's just tough.

He's especially notorious for being hard on his point guards. What has it bought us? Look at the players who have played point at ISU during his tenure: Frese, Wilson, Medders, Lacey.

[IcSyU]

Clarification... I am not saying BF is not a great coach. Results speak for themselves.

I just do not understand how his coaching style is successful. I have never met a female who responds well to "tough love."

Actually, you saying this reminds me of the speech last year after the Rutgers game when he tells them he's hard on them because he loves them like they were his own children. From knowing a few basketball players, he can be intense, but he has the respect of each and every player and he respects each and every player.

[Tornado man]

For the record, those of you who consider this whining: I really hope you never had a coach who was a hard ***. I had multiple coaches tell teams I was on either get it together or find another hobby. They didn't say it because they wanted us to leave, but they wanted us to get it together and start playing the way we could. Obviously things aren't always going to fall, but you can always judge effort, and our coaches didn't always think we gave it everything we had, just like I'm sure Coach doesn't think these girls are putting in the effort they should be, and I agree because they looked dead during the Iowa game.

Why go to the media about it? They're not on the team...

[jsb]

I kind of agree. I love Coach Fennelly and what he has built, but talk about throwing your players under the bus.
I'm waiting for him to announce that Iowa was better coached for that game than we were...

This is typical Bill. He is a lot like a fan in that sense. He doesn't put up with a lot and he is very hard on his players. That's the way he is and this isn't the first time these players have expirenced it. Bill is also very hard on himself. He'll blame himself when it is warrented.

[mred]

I don't really view it as throwing them under the bus. He's said Ezell and Lacey showed appropriate effort, and essentially said that Bolte, Ross, Anderson, Stuckey, Nisleit, Wieben, Mosman, Florzak, Williams, Arlen, and whoever else (those were the ones I remembered off the top of my head) I'm missing need to follow suit.

That's pretty much how I feel. Geno Auriemma is notorious for calling out individual players after losses, and he catches a lot of flak for that. Here, Bill isn't calling out individuals. He's just saying the team (with a few exceptions) isn't working with the effort necessary to win and something needs to change.

[Tornado man]

This is typical Bill. He is a lot like a fan in that sense. He doesn't put up with a lot and he is very hard on his players. That's the way he is and this isn't the first time these players have expirenced it. Bill is also very hard on himself. He'll blame himself when it is warrented.

Well said. I do love Bill Fennelly, and the type of players that he puts out is a testament to him. The closeness and comaraderie of the program has been built by him, and I doubt that any comments to the media bother the team in the least.

[mred]

And now when the going gets tough, he says they maybe need to look elsewhere.

I have to disagree with your interpretation. He said any player that wasn't willing to be accountable would see their playing time disappear and might want to consider going somewhere else. It's not like he said there are players who aren't playing well that really need to go. He's saying anyone can play poorly, but you have to be accountable for it and work to fix what's wrong. Otherwise, you won't play.

This isn't the first time he's said something like this and it won't be the last. To me it's not groundbreaking and it's not a surprise.

[mred]

Regardless of any disagreements, I think we can all agree that tonight's game will be interesting. :) It's on the Mediacom channel, so it's widely available for people like me who are in Iowa but can't be at the game.

[Ms3r4ISU]

Why go to the media about it? They're not on the team...

Does it say he went to the media? Usually college sports articles are written after games and weekly press/media conferences.

[Tornado man]

I have to disagree with your interpretation. He said any player that wasn't willing to be accountable would see their playing time disappear and might want to consider going somewhere else. It's not like he said there are players who aren't playing well that really need to go. He's saying anyone can play poorly, but you have to be accountable for it and work to fix what's wrong. Otherwise, you won't play.

What's most impressive is how they're held accountable from the academic standpoint. Not all of his players were necessarily top students in high school, but responded to his academic expectations at ISU.
I remember Lyndsey Medders, back when she played here, talking about student-athletes' grades. She said something to the effect of "athletes should get better grades, on the average, than regular students. We have so many resources available to us that regular students don't have. If a student-athlete is not successful in the classroom, it's their own fault."
That kind of thinking, and accountablitlity, comes from Bill Fennelly.

[twistedredbird]

Regardless of any disagreements, I think we can all agree that tonight's game will be interesting. :) It's on the Mediacom channel, so it's widely available for people like me who are in Iowa but can't be at the game.

Unfortunately for Drake, I am afraid they are going to fall victim to the emotions and energy of ISU after what has transpired. Home game after a long stretch after an embarrassing loss....

Kind of like Iowa. Home game against ISU after being embarrassed on the national stage by a couple teams. I never usually put much stock into in-state games as the emotions run terribly high and can go extreme negative or postive. The team clearly lacked on-court leadership at Iowa and you could see on many of their faces they didn't know what to do and there was some confidence issues. As BF said in his weekly press conference, the statistician that he is, there were 6 or 7 turnovers that occurred when an open shooter passed the ball. ISU fundamental #1, if you are open, shoot the ball. I think someone needs to step up and be the general for the team and also display some MOXY on the court - ala Wiggins, Bobbit, Medders, etc. I really think this team needs that vocal chest-bumping leader.

[twistedredbird]

[quote=mred;765843]Regardless of any disagreements, I think we can all agree that tonight's game will be interesting. :)

Unfortunately for Drake, I am afraid they are going to fall victim to the emotions and energy of ISU after what has transpired recently. Home game after a long away stretch after an embarrassing loss....

Kind of like Iowa. Home game against ISU after being embarrassed on the national stage by a couple teams. I never usually put much stock into in-state games anyway as the emotions run terribly high and can go extreme negative or postive.

The team clearly lacked on-court leadership at Iowa and you could see on many of their faces they didn't know what to do and there was some confidence issues. As BF said in his weekly press conference, the statistician that he is, there were 6 or 7 turnovers that occurred when an open shooter passed the ball. ISU fundamental #1, if you are open, shoot the ball. I think someone needs to step up and be the general for the team and also display some MOXY on the court - ala Wiggins, Bobbit, Medders, etc. I really think this team needs that vocal chest-bumping leader.

[benjay]

Clarification... I am not saying BF is not a great coach. Results speak for themselves.

I just do not understand how his coaching style is successful. I have never met a female who responds well to "tough love."

People respect honesty. I think he's giving them more credit than you do.

[mred]

ISU fundamental #1, if you are open, shoot the ball.

I believe Fennelly's exact verbage is "Shoot the ball before you turn it over." :)

[IcSyU]

Starting 5
Stuckey
Ezell
Lacey
Arlen
Anderson