This is funny. I made a response regarding close loses and how perhaps it should be a new column since we don't have ties anymore. Anything less than a 10-point defeat counts as a close lose in the new column (W-L-CL)
So, for this season Iowa State is: 3-0-4<<<<<<Yes that looks better, doesn't it make us feel better?
Here is the original thread, scroll down to the video in the thread and you will see a very pretty bar chart where another member graphically displayed how Campbell is the best coach for Iowa State in the 21st century because he doesn't have any blow out loses:
ISU keeps it close but loses and adds to the close game L stat.
cyclonefanatic.com
You will see the video is from the Iowa State-Oklahoma game in 1984. I consider that the ultimate defining close lose, where under the lights at Jack Trice in the first night game Iowa State only lost to then national powerhouse Oklahoma by a score of 12-10. I remember Cyclone fans in the mid 80s saying how amazing it was we almost defeated Oklahoma.
The very next year in 1985 we almost defeated national powerhouse football program Drake at Jack Trice in another close lose, 20-17. Drake didn't even field a football team the following year and dropped to Division III status the year after that.
I really liked the mentality of Matt Campbell in 2017. The comment that bulls--t programs care about 6-6 was remarkable. I thought he was pretty clear that the objective was the W-L column at the end of the season.
When you win games, you don't quantify if it was a close win or not. The game is won or lost depending on which team makes more plays in all phases of the game. The game is a blow out when one team makes few to no mistakes and seizes 75 percent or more of the opportunities. Every single play, every down and every moment is crucial. I can't stand it when announcers say only a certain third down or key play is crucial because it is late in the 4th quarter in a close score game. All the plays that led up to that moment are just as important.
The prevailing attitude seems to be that either we have someone who keeps us in close games or we will have someone where we have a lot of blow out losses. The reality is that if that is what we think, than that is exactly what we will get. Almost good enough becomes good enough. The irony is you end up getting exactly what you sought to avoid in the first place.
I'll leave you with some examples of the close loss/it is good enough culture and results:
1.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donnie_Duncan
2.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Prohm
Finally, the example that it can be done at Iowa State and consistently:
1.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earle_Bruce
This is not a post to insult the OP, the coaches or players. I will never call anyone out because I know they are giving their best and I think all of us here care a lot about Iowa State. Games are won or lost because you have a good game plan and you make the plays needed to win. This is just a simple summary on the reality of achievement motivation. It all starts with a vision of what is acceptable.
