Let's end some myths

[CycloneWarning]

I'd really like to hear a Morgan lover's response to the job situation. Why hasn't he gotten another job? If Pollard was such an idiot for firing him, why hasn't someone else snatched him up?

For the record, I'm not a Morgan hater.....but I do think its a legit question.

LOL, yea, you guys are really interested in thoughtful discussion while you throw around terms like "hater" and "lover".

I don't recall anyone ever saying WM was a great coach. In fact, he was fired twice. For those that wonder why he isn't coaching, probably should ask him.

All I know are the facts of the situation:

- He was fired twice from HC jobs.
- He has a child with special needs.
- He is a lot older than you might think.
- He was probably set for life with his contract/buyout.

Maybe he simply didn't pursue other jobs.

In the end, wtf does it really matter? Guy was an assistant coach that landed a great job in a difficult mess. He did the best he could (which wasn't too shabby) and got canned when the new hotshot came to town.

Now, despite giving what he could to ISU to the best of his ability, instead of getting any respect as someone that probably loved ISU, he is routinely trashed by a bunch of immature posters that have no agenda other than to perversely think trashing the prior coach or the history of our program somehow excuses the current lack of results.

And as I noted, it is not as if other BCS programs are beating down our door to hire our CURRENT coach, so what does that prove?

 

[JHudd]

Has our graduation rate increased under Gmac? I understand the APR data is delayed by several years, but just asking.
For example, will Gilstrap graduate? Did Lucca? Will Brackins? Dendy? Garrett?

The numbers are not delayed several years, they are taken into account with the three preceeding years to make the number, it is a four year rolling average. Losing players hurts but losing players that were not up to date with their studies is even worse. I believe we had a lot of both going on before, now we are just dealing with players only getting 1 of 2 points instead of 0 of 2. 1 of 2 by a few players is managable within the numbers but 0 of 2 is not. That is why the type of player that had to be recruited the last few years is important.

I listed the data in another thread yesterday about this subject, it is all out there on the NCAA website.

 

[jumbopackage]

I get so tired of these DirecTV vs Dish threads.

 

[CloneIce]

It worked well when you have a big that is fast enough to rotate in the paint. When you don't, 2005-2006 happens, and Maric scores 40 in your house.

I don't think the defense we ran mattered that season.... I think our bigs would have been just as bad defensively in man or any other defense we attempted to run. We didn't have a big that could guard their own Johnson that season. We had 0 returning big men, and the ones we recruited could not guard or rebound at the level needed in their 1st year in the program (though Hubalek and Taggart would go on to have good careers).

 

[nickwc]

Uhhh, apparently you missed 2005. We won almost solely because of our excellent trapping zone defense. It was a thing of beauty that season.

only because of the defense intensity that homan brought to the table. I realize homan didn't have much to do with the trapping, but homan brought the defense intensity that wayne couldn't get the other guys to do.

How did that same team do defensively w/o homan the very next year?

 

[CloneIce]

Wayne is not a terrible coach. Terrible coaches do not win conference championships, which Wayne did.

However, I never thought Wayne was capable of winning a Big 12 title or as good of a coach as Floyd or Eustachy. Eustachy and Floyd definitely spoiled me.

 

[mwitt]

I don't think the defense we ran mattered that season.... I think our bigs would have been just as bad defensively in man or any other defense we attempted to run. We didn't have a big that could guard their own Johnson that season. We had 0 returning big men, and the ones we recruited could not guard or rebound at the level needed in their 1st year in the program (though Hubalek and Taggart would go on to have good careers).

We had to have given up the most uncontested layups of any team in the country that year.

 

[CYdTracked]

myth: wayne's zone defense tried to guard the 3 point shooters.

LOL! Basketball Videos - Wayne Morgan: Mastering the 2-3 Zone Defense That is the one thing I do not miss are other teams going off for easy 3 point baskets and layups because our trapping 2-3 zone always left someone wide open!

 

[CloneIce]

only because of the defense intensity that homan brought to the table. I realize homan didn't have much to do with the trapping, but homan brought the defense intensity that wayne couldn't get the other guys to do.

How did that same team do defensively w/o homan the very next year?

I can't answer that question because we did not have the same team back the next year without Homan. You are forgetting his running mate inside, who was awesome as well

Damion Staple played 30+ mins a game that year and was just as good of a defender as Homan. Staple was perfect for that defense, big, quick, and tough.

So we didn't replace just Homan, we replaced two great interior defensive players and replaced them with two terrible interior defenders, Hubalek and Taggart (terrible in their 1st season, they both improved and had good careers.)

 

[Melvin]

I could never understand why Morgan was let go. It made no sense to me.

I still like Pollard, he has done a bunch for ISU, but I think Morgan got the short end of the stick.

 

[nickwc]

Taggart didn't get any better at defense while he was at memphis.

 

[mwitt]

So we didn't replace just Homan, we replaced two great interior defensive players and replaced them with two terrible interior defenders, Hubalek and Taggart (terrible in their 1st season, they both improved and had good careers.)

And Marsden.

 

[mikeiastat]

Morgan wasn't a great coach but he was a decent one. His teams performed well in good games against tough teams.

For reference - Morgan's teams beat at least 2 ranked teams at Hilton each of his 3 years. He also beat #2 KU and #20 Texas on the road in 2005.

Yes he did, he also had some complete duds. He was inconsistant as hell and that shows poor coaching. If you wanna talk about how good we were because of the ouliers of who we beat then Lets talk about how bad we were with the outliers of who we routinly lost to as well.

We had 04-05's losses at Xavier and at a pretty bad MO. Not bad for the road, but then thow in another loss at kst, and 2 more at home to Colorado and a horrible Nebraska team. Once again, at home. If your going to take the peaks as a measure don't be suprised when someone looks at the valleys. We wern't a better over all team than those teams we beat any more than we were a worse team than colorado, but inconsistancy is more the problem than anything.

 

[Cyrocks]

Now, despite giving what he could to ISU to the best of his ability, instead of getting any respect as someone that probably loved ISU, he is routinely trashed by a bunch of immature posters that have no agenda other than to perversely think trashing the prior coach or the history of our program somehow excuses the current lack of results.

Why do I find this statement of yours supporting Morgan extremely ironic considering what you post about McDermott?

I say McDermott loves Iowa State, that he is doing the best he can to the best of his ability. Doesn't seem to me you give him much respect for that -- or does only giving respect means a person needs to win games?

Unfortunately McDermott hasn't had much success. I hope that changes next year. If not, then it will be time for Greg McDermott to go find his fame and fortune elsewhere, and I will be the first one to wish him success.

 

[nickwc]

it just seems to me how many people forgot how unpredictable he was. Give wayne credit for wins at #2 KU, but forget how many terrible home losses we had at home, when his team just wouldn't show up. That nebraska game at home still haunts me. Stinson was like 3-27 all while maric had like 40 something. No adjustmants made at all it was maric vs jiri down low, and we got punished. Coach did nothign different the whole game.

 

[CYdTracked]

Wayne is not a terrible coach. Terrible coaches do not win conference championships, which Wayne did.

However, I never thought Wayne was capable of winning a Big 12 title or as good of a coach as Floyd or Eustachy. Eustachy and Floyd definitely spoiled me.

Wayne nor GMac have won conference titles at ISU so this arguement doesn't hold much water. Wayne has 1 NCAA and 2 NIT appearances while GMAC has 3 NCAA appearances and a MVC tournament championship on his resume. Sick of arguing resumes because if you look at career records Greg is 280-194 (.591) while Wayne is 146-123 (.543) so even that isn't even something Wayne supporters can use in their defense.

 

[mikeiastat]

Wayne is not a terrible coach. Terrible coaches do not win conference championships, which Wayne did.

QUOTE]

Not exactly true. If you can recruit 5 Marcus Fizers you don't have to coach a lick and you'll do pretty darn well in the conference. I think that it was somewhere inbetween, but His gameday adjustments and coaching were non existant. How else could a Neb team exploit us so easily in 04 and teams like baylor in o5 do the same.

 

[mapnerd]

What team is WM coaching for now?

 

[Palmer]

both are inadequate Big12 coaches...why argue about it.

 

[mwitt]

That nebraska game at home still haunts me. Stinson was like 3-27 all while maric had like 40 something. No adjustmants made at all it was maric vs jiri down low, and we got punished. Coach did nothign different the whole game.

Exactly. That Nebraska game is what cemented the decision for me. Losing to the EA Sports All Stars that year wasn't much fun, either.