What’s CF Think: Easier Wins or Conference Strength

[Jer]

I try to post a couple compelling questions each week so thought this week I’d stick to something I debate in my own mind…

This is a timely topic as it relates to realignment – and specifically to the Gonzaga topic.

With the Big 12 already being incredibly tough top-to-bottom, does adding another elite program excite you or cause you concern about making things that much more difficult? Would you rather have more “easier” wins in basketball or football… or have a stronger, deeper conference? Is there a point where you are satisfied with the strength and depth or are you all in for the best matchups possible?

What say CF?

 

[Gunnerclone]

I’m all about the tough matchups. Sucks for awhile but pays big dividends in the end. Anyone that’s played competitive sports at even the HS level knows this. “Learning how to win” is ******** hyperbole. “Not getting humiliated” is a much better performance driver.

 

[Jer]

Part of me loves the tough matchups and wants to see ISU always strive to get to the top… and part of me says “dude, I’m 40 and have suffered enough moral victories, just give me the damn wins”.

I would vote “fine balance”. I think you need a strong strength of schedule for various legitimate reasons (seeding, preparation for postseason, fan excitement, ticket sales, etc) but as a school with some disadvantages to the big boys, I think you also need enough probable wins to keep the floor high enough for those ebbs and flows we will always have.

I could make an argument that Big 12 football is at a pretty good mix for a school like ISU that has disadvantages but a ton of fan support and new facilities to be attractive to coaches and culture players. I think the new 4 coming in help further balance things out by being competitive schools – none will be easy wins by any stretch – but also not unbeatable.

Big 12 men’s basketball I think is at the point where I would struggle to want it to get any tougher. It’s already a bloodbath each year (increasingly so) and adding only strength creates the real likelihood of more in-season stretches of several losses in a row. Yes, it’s such a good conference that you can go 7-11 and still get into the dance, but to me that feels a bit like going bowling at 5-7 due to APR.

 

[ClonerJams]

Conference strength. Likely more $ if the Zags come, bigger margin for error when it comes to being selected for the dance, and iron sharpens iron (as we saw last year).

 

[Gunnerclone]

Conference strength. Likely more $ if the Zags come, bigger margin for error when it comes to being selected for the dance, and iron sharpens iron (as we saw last year).

Love this. Playing against the JV doesn’t make you actually better, it just makes you feel better.

 

[PickSix]

Conference strength all the way. The Big 12 has been scoffed at for the majority of my life (much of it self-inflicted). Because of that. I have a deep desire to just be known unequivocally as the best at something that matters to people. Adding Gonzaga will do that. The eyes of nation will be on this conference from January through March, and that possibility excites me.

 

[JP4CY]

I want tough schedules. I loved the Michigan home and home. I want Creighton home and home every year. I want to play Arkansas, Xavier more often.
If we add in Gonzaga, I'd love it.

 

[Jer]

Conference strength. Likely more $ if the Zags come, bigger margin for error when it comes to being selected for the dance, and iron sharpens iron (as we saw last year).

Here’s something to ponder… does iron really sharpen iron or does one iron tool strengthen at the expense of another?

 

[CyCrazy]

Conference strength all day long.

 

[LeaningCy]

Seems like I'm in the minority here but give me the wins. The Big 12 has been the toughest BB conference for quite some time. I'm not sure what that gets us aside from 1-2 more bubble teams, certainly not much in the way of media respect.

I'd double down on that for football. I'll take wins every day. We're not going to be a CFP contender, so let's enjoy our Saturdays and complain about lack of respect in the AP poll instead of ******** about our inept offense.

 

[CyCrazy]

Here’s something to ponder… does iron really sharpen iron or does one iron tool strengthen at the expense of another?

Well the B10 tourney record would not apply here. They think its a grind and can't make it passed the 2nd weekend. Its always boohooo the refs call a different game in the tourney.

 

[Nothingman]

I think at this point in time, strength of conference is extremely important for the Big 12. ISU is better off struggling to find wins in a great/best conference than they are getting easy wins in a lesser conference at this point. I still voted a fine balance but lean much more toward strength of conference.

 

[Shawker]

Basketball? Give me a fine balance or even tough matchups. There's enough other games to get the wins needed for postseason play.

Football? Give me the wins.

 

[NorthCyd]

This question would be easier if we knew where NIL and players getting payed was headed over the next couple of years. Obviously there is going to be a gulf between what ISU can provide players monetarily compared to other schools, but how wide that gulf is and what the floor for ISU is can change quite a bit based how this issue evolves over time.

 

[Jer]

This question would be easier if we knew where NIL and players getting payed was headed over the next couple of years. Obviously there is going to be a gulf between what ISU can provide players monetarily compared to other schools, but how wide that gulf is and what the floor for ISU is can change quite a bit based how this issue evolves over time.

I think that’s where my answer/perspective is greatly influenced by knowing some of the workings of NIL as it exists today. ISU has already suffered much, much more than known, and I think that’s going to persist for quite some time. And that scares me to thinking there has to be a point of diminished returns with only focusing on the toughest schedule possible. We’re then punching upward at an even greater angle.

 

[BryceC]

Depends on the sport. In football I want a ton of easy matchups for more wins.

In basketball I want the tougher conference.

 

[ISU85]

This year's FB team is an example for needing a balance. We really could have used a win over an awful KU team early in the year, and now we REALLY need a win over a mediocre WVU team this week. The grind of 5 losses in a row could turn into 9.

 

[madguy30]

Here’s something to ponder… does iron really sharpen iron or does one iron tool strengthen at the expense of another?

It can be both I think. ISU in last year's NCAA tourney didn't blink in the first two rounds. That was their comfort zone due to the 2-3 months before that and likely helped them at the end of those games.

KU though looked pretty great and I think upped their game due to a real grind of a conference season.

 

[madguy30]

This year's FB team is an example for needing a balance. We really could have used a win over an awful KU team early in the year, and now we REALLY need a win over a mediocre WVU team this week. The grind of 5 losses in a row could turn into 9.

The conference seems to be much better this year including KU but much of the losing is ongoing ISU problems.

 

[CoKane]

100% tough conference. We're recruitng at the level we are largely due to the fact that this is the best basketball conference and it isnt close.

Winning is fun, but winning in a good conference is better than winning in a **** conference.

At the end of the day, even with the NIL issues and all that, we still landed our best class ever. Our 2023 class and 2024 targets arent even options if we play in the American or Mountain West.

If our coaches are as good as we say they are(I think they are) then they'll keep us competitive. If not we'll have more options due to how good the league is