MONDAY MUSINGS: Hoops thoughts, football coaching changes, don't be a jackass

[Sigmapolis]

It was a toss up game. If they win, there may have been some people saying they were on the right track for NCAA but they would be mistaken. TCU was picked last for a reason. A win against a last place team doesn't change the direction of the season.

A road win in the Big 12 -- a hard fought one, at least on the court... I am aware the arena itself was a mausoleum -- would have been some sign of life.

I know, limited, but I am looking for any sign of life I can right now.

I am not unaware of the problems with the roster and program right now, but Prohm is going to get at least 1.5 seasons to work it out. Maybe more. I might as well be cheering for the home team if I am not leaving the metaphorical stadium.

We all know everybody overreacts to the last game, too.

 

[awd4cy]

Finally got in the top 25, head to Hilton South and Fred can't even get a win down there which bumps us to the 8/9 line. Don't even remind me of the loss to a pathetic 15-18 Oklahoma State squad in mid February either. Brutal coaching job that year

It was McDermotts fault. Had he bothered to recruit a true pg instead of hang around with one foot out the door, we would have been better than an 8 seed. Did I do that right?

 

[CyTwins]

Did I do that right?

Not really

 

[tim_redd]

Imagine where we would have been had TCU missed that banked three (ugh what an Iowa State moment that was) or TH hit the game-winner.

"Back on the right track."
"Huge win for the NCAA tournament."
"I believe in Haliburton and Conditt."
The haters (somewhat) chastised.

Amazing how such small things change everything about a narrative.

Imagine where we would have been if Shayok didn't completely go off in the final minutes against K-State last March.

 

[CyTwins]

Imagine where we would have been if Shayok didn't completely go off in the final minutes against K-State last March.

7 or 8 seed?

 

[Sigmapolis]

Imagine where we would have been if Shayok didn't completely go off in the final minutes against K-State last March.

Shayok was such a BA. Thank you for reminding me of that great memory.

Boom. "Got it!"

Notice Lard and THT are on the bench -- implying LW was on the court for the end of the game. Really mismanaging him playing him like that. /s

 

[Cyched]

Shayok was such a BA. Thank you for reminding me of that great memory.

Boom. "Got it!"

Really wish we had a Shayok on this team. An alpha who wants the ball at the end of the game and gets his shot.

 

[CyclonesMoney]

Where was my invite

You are more than welcome anytime you are in the area. Hit me up. This place is lit. You can’t get bored for sure.

 

[BCoffClone125]

Not speaking for the "camp," but summarizing for myself --

Prohm is not getting fired this year. Pollard's letter made that clear. Prohm is going to get (at least) next year. We might as well settle in and enjoy it.

Moving on from Prohm, either him leaving of his own accord or hiring a replacement, has a bevy of risks associated with it. You might hire a good coach, or you might hire a Greg McDermott (who was generally consider a good hire).

As much as you guys might not like it, success in basketball is not an Iowa State birthright. The McDermott tenure proves that. Hilton is a good home court but not a magical fortress that generates us wins for free. Prohm's bad 2018 team had three home wins over ranked foes; McD never had one. Zero. Blank. It was awful.

It could happen again.

So we have an uncertain future with the current regime, who at least proved they can do something and brought in talent in 2019, and an even wider cone of uncertainty if we move on from them (though not until at least March 2021).

We basically have to hope that Tyrese can be replaced, that Conditt and Bolton can play themselves into being stars, that it "clicks" for some of our young guards, and the recruiting class coming in has 2-3 immediate contributors in it. It could happen.

I do not particularly enjoy whining, so I am just going to ride with what we have. Pollard is the one ultimately making these calls, way above my pay grade, and his stance is clear. I am just a fan, so I am going to enjoy what is ultimately supposed to be fun.

Buckle in. This might take awhile.

This. You can’t have it both ways with JP. We can’t ask him to compete with other ADs who have much more money than we do, and then expect him to fire Prohm with plenty of $$$ still on his contract. JP has been able to get us to compete in the Big XII because he is very smart with stretching a dollar. The reality is, Prohm aint leaving after this year, so you can support him and hope the team improves or continue to ***** about him and his players. I’m taking the high road here.

 

[awd4cy]

Imagine where we would have been if Shayok didn't completely go off in the final minutes against K-State last March.

Exactly, or had Tech not shot 40% from the free throw line in Lubbock, or had Shayok not hit a ridiculous fade away contested 25 footer in Norman. We had plenty of luck on our side last year.

 

[awd4cy]

7 or 8 seed?

So why do you think this road TCU loss is so huge for us in the grand scheme?

 

[jsb]

Exactly, or had Tech not shot 40% from the free throw line in Lubbock, or had Shayok not hit a ridiculous fade away contested 25 footer in Norman. We had plenty of luck on our side last year.

If Wiggs hadn’t screwed up we would have beaten Kansas State at home.

 

[CyTwins]

So why do you think this road TCU loss is so huge for us in the grand scheme?

No but nobody really looks at the grand scheme of things and everyone lives in the now. If they don't bank in that 3 the narrative of our fan base is a lot different right now

 

[awd4cy]

If Wiggs hadn’t screwed up we would have beaten Kansas State at home.

Exactly. It went both ways last year.

 

[SpokaneCY]

So, you think he handled Wigginton's minutes appropriately?

What was required of Wiggs to play more minutes? Play defense? Go to class? Be a good teammate?

 

[isufbcurt]

Exactly, or had Tech not shot 40% from the free throw line in Lubbock, or had Shayok not hit a ridiculous fade away contested 25 footer in Norman. We had plenty of luck on our side last year.

Luck when we win, poor coaching when we lose.

It's luck when Shayok hits a fade away, but it's not lucky for an opposing player to hit a 30 foot banked in 3?

I'm getting twisted into a pretzel trying to follow all this analysis.

 

[jcyclonee]

This is why I compare Wigginton to THT for that last starting spot.

NWB and Shayok were fifth-years seniors, and Shayok was one of the best handful of players in the conference. Haliburton was too good to keep off the court and complemented all the other high-usage guys perfectly. So that leaves you with either Wigginton or Horton-Tucker for the last spot, and the numbers between the two are ambiguous. Neither makes an unassailable case over the other towards who should be starting.

I find poor "mismanaged" Lindell Wigginton being the hill people want to die on is strange. There are so many better arguments against Prohm if you want them.

Why is *that* one the one of interest?

I'm guessing it's the same people as the "Fred needs to play Edozie more" crowd.

 

[awd4cy]

Luck when we win, poor coaching when we lose.

It's luck when Shayok hits a fade away, but it's not luck when an opposing player hits a 30 foot banked in 3?

I'm getting twisted into a pretzel trying to follow all this analysis.

I’ve not touched that argument on the TCU shot. I thought there was a lot of bad luck with that.

 

[isufbcurt]

I’ve not touched that argument on the TCU shot. I thought there was a lot of bad luck with that.

But wait, most people were saying that shot was do to poor coaching, not a lucky shot.

 

[rochclone]

Honest question, do you think Johnny Orr was a good coach?

I’m not sure if he was a bad coach but I think Floyd, Eustachy and Hoiberg were better.