For me, it absolutely changes.
I don't blame him for going to the pro's, don't I don't think he owed it to us to stay. I also don't blame fans for being upset, and don't think we owe him a thing either. I'm not one of those "We were so fortunate to have Freddy while he was here" people. It was a reciprocal relationship. Ames has shown Hoiberg nothing but love, they gave him a great atmosphere to grow up in, he gave us his great college years, Ames gave him an opportunity to coach a B12 team with no prior experience, and he pulled our team out of the gutter. We both benefited, Iowa State was willing to pay him lots of money and give him endless support but he decided it was time to move on. With it he'll leave behind the university money, and my support.
We don't owe him any more well wishes or support any more than he owes us to stay. If he wants to chase his dream of coaching in the NBA that's fine. I for one am a Cyclone fan first, and a Hoiberg fan second. I had hoped he'd stay here and build something special. Instead he's opting to leave a team of returning players with potential to be one of the best Cyclone teams ever. As a fan of the team, it leaves us in a lurch.
I hope Cyclone fans pick themselves up by the boot straps and get over the begging for Hoiberg to stay quickly. We gave him all of the support, love, and opportunities that a fan base can possibly give a single person. This move makes it clear, Iowa State is not his dream. I've been rooting for Hoiberg since I was a little kid. If he doesn't want to be here, so be it. This is a reciprocal relationship after all, if he doesn't want to be here I don't want him to be here. If he doesn't want to put energy into growing our program I don't feel compelled to put energy into rooting him on in his endeavors. If Iowa State isn't his dream, him coaching here isn't my dream. If Fred is approaching this like a business, then I have no problem approaching it as such as well.
I'll remember watching Hoiberg, Meyer, Meachum and crew fondly as a kid. I'll remember the few good seasons he gave us as a coach with a smile. But I'm not going to refer to him as the mayor anymore. He'll go down in my book as a great player, but a coach of unrealized potential. One who built a team that could have been great, but never lived up to that label. A coach who could have built something special, but left for greener pastures. He can have historic success in the NBA or wash out overnight, I couldn't care either way. The only program I care about going forward is the Cyclones.
