BLUM: Paul Rhoads deserves another climb

[Section110]

Cyclone Fanatic certainly isn't going to publish an article calling for Rhoads to be fired. Especially not when Pollard just got behind him and it has become pretty clear he isn't going anywhere. That would be bad business. If you had to eat all of your meals at the same restaurant for the next year and you didn't really like it would you tell the chef he needs to be fired? Of course not. He or she could either stop feeding you or pee in your cheerios.

CyFan, as a site, has to get behind the program. I think that's just good business on their end. It's not going to be near as easy to pump the sunshine this offseason though. Considering that I think it was a well written piece. I just have doubts Chris would have posted the article if it was calling for Rhoads to be sacked.

 

[Tornado man]

Thanks for reading all. Reasonable people can come to different conclusions.

Indeed. Brent, you are very talented as a broadcaster; wish you had more of a role in play-by-play actually, especially in basketball.
But this column was very delicately written, and a little too lighthearted for me. Honest questions: do you buy football tickets? Do you have to donate $$$ to buy them? Do you belong to the Gridiron Club?
Because I pay for all three, and most people that I know who also do are a little more skeptical of the FB program.

 

[Luth4Cy]

I bet he wouldn't be even close if there were always 12 game seasons with 74 bowl slots to go along with it.

Giving Jim Walden 1 bowl game in 8 seasons, Criner 1 in 4, Duncan 1 in 4, Bruce 3 in 6, Majors 2 in 5, and Stapleton 5 in 10.

Even then CPR would have made a bowl in 50% of his seasons. A percentage equal to that of Bruce and Stapleton, and ahead of Majors.

 

[joefrog]

Earned it? Earned it? I wouldn't say earned it. So far, pocketed roughly, what, $9 million per bowl victory? $640,000 per conference victory?

With PR staying in place, what factors related to ISU football are going to drastically change enough to increase the win total next year? If anyone says injuries, you get to go ahead and not reply. Part of the game. Lack of depth and training falls squarely on the HC too.

McD 2. Pollard's boogaloo.

 

[Luth4Cy]

So we are climbing back to mediocrity? When I think of climbing the mountain, I think of winning the Big 12 or competing for a championship in November. Not going 6-6

Right, because we have won so many conference championships in our history.

 

[istater7]

Blum always seems to represent the rational side of the fanbase. Not saying his (or my) opinion is necessarily correct, but it's refreshing compared to some of what I read on here.

 

[dualthreat]

11+ wins- Great team
9-10 wins- Really good team
7-8 wins- Good team
5-6 wins- Average team
3-4 wins- Bad team
0-2 wins- Really bad team

Doesn't change if you're an Alabama or Iowa State fan. Just calling a spade a spade. I'm thrilled after a season like 2009. It showed me we were heading for bigger and better things. Win total wise, we've done nothing but go downhill since. That doesn't always mean firing the head coach, but our recruiting classes don't seem to me like we're going to turn the ship around. Even if we go 6-6 next year. Big deal. 2016 looks to be a down year from 2015.

 

[brentblum]

Indeed. Brent, you are very talented as a broadcaster; wish you had more of a role in play-by-play actually, especially in basketball.
But this column was very delicately written, and a little too lighthearted for me. Honest questions: do you buy football tickets? Do you have to donate $$$ to buy them? Do you belong to the Gridiron Club?
Because I pay for all three, and most people that I know who also do are a little more skeptical of the FB program.

I work during games in the radio booth, but I do purchase tickets for my wife. I totally understand the financial commitments people make and respect the hell out of those who do. It is not my place to tell people how they should spend their money. I understand those who are skeptical where the program is; they have every right to do so.

It is just my feeling Rhoads still can turn it around. If you don't agree and opt to not spend money anymore, I respect that as well.

 

[CTTB78]

I agree with Blum to an extent. However, as I read that I see "bad hire in Messingham" "failed pistol experiment with Klenaikis" "Recruiting misses leaving us bare for 2013". All those things have to fall back on the man making those decisions, right?

Hard to argue that nobody should have responsibility for the above. Seems like if you're asking for more time, second chances, you won't be all that bothered if we see more of the same.

 

[joefrog]

Giving Jim Walden 1 bowl game in 8 seasons, Criner 1 in 4, Duncan 1 in 4, Bruce 3 in 6, Majors 2 in 5, and Stapleton 5 in 10.

Even then CPR would have made a bowl in 50% of his seasons. A percentage equal to that of Bruce and Stapleton, and ahead of Majors.

How did those bowl game turn out? ISU made Rutgers and Tulsa look like world beaters. Many good ISU fans spent good time and money to travel and support the team, and they were woefully unprepared and unmotivated.

 

[norcalcy]

Slightly off topic, but it's kind of weird that there is actually another 2014 football game this weekend. With all the vote of confidence talk and post mortems on what happened, it feels like the season ended weeks ago (which it sort of did). I know expectations are very low for Saturday, but it would be nice if the team came out with a hair on fire attitude and made a game of it for at least a while. It would be good if they were prepared and interested when the ball is kicked. My view is the talent differential hasn't widened that much in the last 12 months since ISU came within a touchdown of TCU. If there is any way to go into the off season with a better feeling, it would start with a competitive game Saturday.

 

[joefrog]

I work during games in the radio booth, but I do purchase tickets for my wife. I totally understand the financial commitments people make and respect the hell out of those who do. It is not my place to tell people how they should spend their money. I understand those who are skeptical where the program is; they have every right to do so.

It is just my feeling Rhoads still can turn it around. If you don't agree and opt to not spend money anymore, I respect that as well.

And that right there is the problem. I wish PR was the guy, and I could continue to support him. I cannot. Examine the trends. In all honesty, the best move would have been to pull the trigger after KU debacle and give Mangino a tryout. That I would have supported and would continue to.

 

[Luth4Cy]

How did those bowl game turn out? ISU made Rutgers and Tulsa look like world beaters. Many good ISU fans spent good time and money to travel and support the team, and they were woefully unprepared and unmotivated.

Only McCarney has a better record in bowl games than Rhoads does of Iowa State coaches. Bruce and Majors both never won a bowl game. And if you spent time and money to travel to those games I respect your decision to do so. I also went down to Memphis and despite the game had a good time.

It's also relevant that I don't agree with Blum's opinion that we should keep CPR, I just think it's a fair position to take.

 

[SpokaneCY]

You have some extremely low standards.

Makes it easier to meet women?

 

[SpokaneCY]

If you are the CEO of a company, and you have to go in front of your Board of Directors and tell them you are operating at a massive loss, do you think you get to keep your job by saying "Listen, this isn't my fault. We have terrible management, we've lacked innovation and we keep hiring ineffective workers, but aside from that I've done a really good job"?

Too add to that, what is his business plan? We suck, and here's what we'll do to get better... Coaching changes? Recruiting philosophy? There needs to be something other than "I'll try harder"...

 

[Mtowncyclone13]

I've never made a comment on what I think ISU should do and I won't but I will add this:

In life I've learned it's far better to run towards something you want than away from something you don't want.

 

[Tornado man]

I work during games in the radio booth, but I do purchase tickets for my wife. I totally understand the financial commitments people make and respect the hell out of those who do. It is not my place to tell people how they should spend their money. I understand those who are skeptical where the program is; they have every right to do so.

It is just feeling Rhoads still can turn it around. my If you don't agree and opt to not spend money anymore, I respect that as well.

That's fine. If that's your genuine opinion, then it's just as good as anyone else's.
One more question: if your feeling instead was that Rhoads could not turn it around, would you still write a column about that on CF?

 

[brentblum]

That's fine. If that's your genuine opinion, then it's just as good as anyone else's.
One more question: if your feeling instead was that Rhoads could not turn it around, would you still write a column about that on CF?

Absolutely. Some may not believe that, but yes.

 

[isufbcurt]

How did those bowl game turn out? ISU made Rutgers and Tulsa look like world beaters. Many good ISU fans spent good time and money to travel and support the team, and they were woefully unprepared and unmotivated.

jmo but getting to a bowl game for ISU is a big deal and a win is icing on the cake, considering I don't even need all the fingers on one of my hands to count ISU's total bowl wins EVER. I will always spend my money to go watch our bowl games when we get to them whether we win or not.

 

[cycloneworld]

I bet he wouldn't be even close if there were always 12 game seasons with 74 bowl slots to go along with it.

Point taken. But any Power 5 team that won 6 games has gone to a bowl for the past 15 years.