Okay, be honest. What was your initial reaction when CMC was hired?
- Thread starter tolfbfan
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I’m so cynical that I never bought that story. Especially the part about telling his wife.
It doesn’t really matter if it’s true or not. It’s a good story. Now I just hope he really does like it here.
The guy has 30 games of coaching excellence and you turn on him because of two games. That we won, nonetheless
How is @clonedude so measured and calm when it comes to coaching hire and politics but as soon as the team gets on the floor or field he loses all of his ****?
My take at the time was that he was a young up and coming coach who was likely to leave as soon as he had success or was offered another job (see chizik). So, honestly I was skeptical that we would see long term improvement bringing him in.
I live in Raleigh, NC and have watched duke go from a team that would win 1 game every 2 or 3 years to a consistent bowl team under Cutcliffe. They were favored against Miami a couple years ago... he also was in his mid 50's and had been fired from an SEC school during his career. That experience and where he was in his career allowed him to have perspective. Shortly after getting things turned around at Duke, he was offered the Tennessee job (a place he spent most of his career as an assistant). He turned it down in part because of the perspective he had and where he was in his career. So, my hope was that Iowa State would find a coach like that... not a young guy who would leave at the first chance he got.
I couldn't be happier I was wrong.
I don't know how long Campbell will be here. But it is clear he is committed to doing something special here and having an impact on the program. I hope he stays here for the next 25 years and is our version of "Snyder" or "Beamer"... But regardless Campbell has raised the standard, shown you can win here, and set ISU up for the future. Regardless of whether he is here for the next 3, 5, or 30 years.
Open minded. I probably wanted someone else but at that point I was beyond ready for anyone not named Paul Rhoads.
Didn't take long to get on board after watching him in his media appearances and the way he and his staff hit the recruiting trail. It was an immediate jolt of energy to a program badly in need of one.
Didn't take long to get on board after watching him in his media appearances and the way he and his staff hit the recruiting trail. It was an immediate jolt of energy to a program badly in need of one.
I see I didn't post in the original thread, so I really don't remember exactly what my reaction was. I would think it would have been favorable though, as I saw what Campbell was doing at Toledo. I do remember at some point thinking, "I hope this isn't a Chizik hire, a guy looking to just pad the resume for the next jump." After hearing him speak though, I was sold. He is either a great liar or he was genuinely happy to be here. I remember watching the Chizik intro and thinking, "This guy doesn't really look excited to be here." He was either overwhelmed by the support or was hoping he wouldn't have to lie to all these people to their faces about being excited to be here.
I think in general though, I was excited for anyone who was willing to come to ISU and try to make a difference. We were really in a tough spot at that point in football and I feel it was a major turning point for the program. A bad hire could have easily pushed us into what Kansas is dealing with. And with our history of losing, it could have easily been a death blow for the program. Whatever Campbell does now, I'm thrilled he was here. I really hope we don't have to deal with, "Campbell the next coach at X" next year, but even if he does leave, I feel he has the program on really solid ground. That isn't where Mac, Chiz and Rhoads had left us.
I think in general though, I was excited for anyone who was willing to come to ISU and try to make a difference. We were really in a tough spot at that point in football and I feel it was a major turning point for the program. A bad hire could have easily pushed us into what Kansas is dealing with. And with our history of losing, it could have easily been a death blow for the program. Whatever Campbell does now, I'm thrilled he was here. I really hope we don't have to deal with, "Campbell the next coach at X" next year, but even if he does leave, I feel he has the program on really solid ground. That isn't where Mac, Chiz and Rhoads had left us.
Agree. CMC was a young up and comer who had yet prove he could win in the Big12. The biggest draw for me was that he was bringing a mostly intact staff with him.
The talk at the time seemed to suggest it would be a head coach v. an assistant. Both Campbell and Fleck seemed like the hot guys, so I read up on both of them. Certainly can't say that I expected Campbell to be this good - he'd had nice success, including a win at a ranked ARK that year, but I didn't really know that much about him. Got worried when the Mizzou smoke screen was put out there. Funny to think about that now.
From what I'd read about Fleck, I was a big "NO!" in re: to him - while he had succees at WMU, he seemed very self-promoting, fake, used-car-salesy, and supposedly had an affair with a major booster's wife to top it off. To be clear, I have no idea if the last part is true; I'd assume not until proven otherwise. But, the rest of that list led to a big "NO!" from me. I live in the Twin Cities and every day am reminded how thankful I am that we did not hire him. He is exactly what I listed, and, he's chosen the rout of belittling his holdover players as a way to buy time (called his first year, "Year Zero", constantly talks about how young they are and how he needs more of his players in there...) vs. Campbell coming in and making no excuses. Not a surprise that Campbell's done better at the start. Fleck may still do well, but I never want to see him or listen to him. Think Tim Brewster or PT Barnum, or your least-favorite used-car salesman.
From what I'd read about Fleck, I was a big "NO!" in re: to him - while he had succees at WMU, he seemed very self-promoting, fake, used-car-salesy, and supposedly had an affair with a major booster's wife to top it off. To be clear, I have no idea if the last part is true; I'd assume not until proven otherwise. But, the rest of that list led to a big "NO!" from me. I live in the Twin Cities and every day am reminded how thankful I am that we did not hire him. He is exactly what I listed, and, he's chosen the rout of belittling his holdover players as a way to buy time (called his first year, "Year Zero", constantly talks about how young they are and how he needs more of his players in there...) vs. Campbell coming in and making no excuses. Not a surprise that Campbell's done better at the start. Fleck may still do well, but I never want to see him or listen to him. Think Tim Brewster or PT Barnum, or your least-favorite used-car salesman.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
This.
Otherwise, it was just "eh, maybe it works out."
Campbell proved to be a whole lot better than I was hoping. He's changing what I think the program can do.
I don't remember my feelings after the hire, but I do remember after he lost to UNI thinking that was about as quickly as I've ever seen the bloom fall off the rose. I was thinking at that point we were in for 3 years of struggling to be even mediocre and then on to another coaching search.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
I see that I went with these:
"Does that make Iowa our Souper Bowl?" and
"If D UP doesn't like Campbell, then I know he's a home run hire."
Wow, that dude was intensely fired up.
My reaction was that I thought this was a promising hire. And not for the reasons I'd thought so for the last half dozen or so football hirings.
But, the subject was never started by me, so it really didn't happen.
Ha
. I didn’t mean anything other than I sort of remembered what my initial thoughts were. I went back again and I said I liked the hire and he was my first choice. And I bashed leath. I stand by both comment. (Apparently I was a genius after the hire and stupid after year 1.)
Fleck looks like he is actually righting the ship a bit in MN. CMC is still a way better choice for ISU, but Fleck is a pretty good salesman. He had a pretty good recruiting class this year, and somehow they got to a bowl game this year. They somehow found a way to beat WI and Purdue, but get hammered by IL, so all over the place this year. Kind of like OSU.
