Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

[JimmyJack]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

Whats interesting in the article is the mention by Nagy that McDermott will not be scheduling us in the future. Way back in the days of Jim Thorson, Nagy and McDermott where both very young opposing assistants, Nagy at SDSU and McDermott at UND. So they have been battling each other in terms of coaching for a long time.
Greg McDermott is a classy guy, and a great coach, I hope the Cyclones don't give up on him.

Does anybody else find McDermott's rise in the coaching ranks curious? He was a good D2 coach at Wayne State. Had one average year at NDSU. Then suddenly he was hired at UNI. No MVC championships later (granted, he had three straight first round losses in the NCAA tourney) he's Iowa State's coach. Big-time coaching makes so little sense. One or two good years at a mid-major and suddenly somebody's a hot property. Mediocrity with a good year or two thrown in, and you're a millionaire. Then everyone's surprised when you don't win right away at the next level.

I guess the message is that good coaches are hard to find. I think (much of the discussion here notwithstanding) we have a good one. Why would anybody want to give up a proven commodity for some flavor of the week who might turn out to be a disaster?

[joeboo22]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

Does anybody else find McDermott's rise in the coaching ranks curious? He was a good D2 coach at Wayne State. Had one average year at NDSU. Then suddenly he was hired at UNI. No MVC championships later (granted, he had three straight first round losses in the NCAA tourney) he's Iowa State's coach. Big-time coaching makes so little sense. One or two good years at a mid-major and suddenly somebody's a hot property. Mediocrity with a good year or two thrown in, and you're a millionaire. Then everyone's surprised when you don't win right away at the next level.

I guess the message is that good coaches are hard to find. I think (much of the discussion here notwithstanding) we have a good one. Why would anybody want to give up a proven commodity for some flavor of the week who might turn out to be a disaster?

I think they wanted a "clean" guy.... There was reports that they were on the direction that would of lead to the NCAA taking a strong look at the program and most people know that when the NCAA looks they find things.... Its odd though because they had Tim Floyd who was great there, then they had Larry Eustachy who led them to 2 straight No. 2 seeds, then he went to a bunch of college parties, made out with college chicks and got fired, the program looked bad and the NCAA was atleast rumored to be on the way to look into the program, so the ISU's AD department thought better get a clean guy..... The Big 12 also when it comes to basketball likes it "clean".... They didn't like Bob Huggins at K-State much either....

[Nidaros]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

Does anybody else find McDermott's rise in the coaching ranks curious? He was a good D2 coach at Wayne State. Had one average year at NDSU. Then suddenly he was hired at UNI. No MVC championships later (granted, he had three straight first round losses in the NCAA tourney) he's Iowa State's coach. Big-time coaching makes so little sense. One or two good years at a mid-major and suddenly somebody's a hot property. Mediocrity with a good year or two thrown in, and you're a millionaire. Then everyone's surprised when you don't win right away at the next level.

I guess the message is that good coaches are hard to find. I think (much of the discussion here notwithstanding) we have a good one. Why would anybody want to give up a proven commodity for some flavor of the week who might turn out to be a disaster?

McDermott turned things around at Wayne State. They were a horrible program before he got there and I recall at least one Regional tourney being held there. The facility at Wayne was and is still is a horrible facility for basketball, as its a performing arts and athletic building combination put up new in the 1970's. Also Jacobsen who is now the head at UNI was one of McDermott's players he coached at UND and he took Jacobsen with him to Wayne as an assistant. Jacobsen followed McDermott from Wayne to UNI. I believe McDermott's success at UNI is what got him the ISU job. In my opinion, Ron Glass at UND was not that great of a coach, but with Greg McDermott as an assitant UND was contending in the NCC and made it to the elite eight a couple of years. The funny part is Jacobsen hired Glass for an assitant at UNI. Kind of a wierd game of musical chairs.

McDermott's coaching career is probably half and half between D2 and D1, but obviously his knowledge of the game and how he comes across to his players is probably pretty good. I think Nagy and McDermott are both good coaching minds that are hard to find. McDermott may have gotten a few more breaks in terms of career ladder, but I would never say McDermott is head and shoulders about Nagy as a coach as we found out last night. McDermott just got a few more breaks and was probably in the right place at the right time.

I would hope this ISU game puts an end to some of this criticism of Coach Nagy. Right now any thought of coaching change at SDSU would be a disaster. We probably dont have the funds to make a bump in salary attractive to better name coaches, and even if we had, they would probably be starting over with the program, which would be another set back.

BTW, I believe McDermott was one of the finalists at SDSU when Coach Nagy replaced Soderberg.
Not that it tells us much, its just the choice our Admin made at the time.

[filbert]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

It was fun down here in Kansas City listening to the afternoon sports show (810 WHB) discussing yesterday's meltdown of Big 12 North teams . . . Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa State all lose on the same day. Colorado almost gets beat.

They totally dissed SDSU (of course). Dang, it was fun to hear!

(Snookums wouldn't let me call in to Represent . . . )

[thebluehatman]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

No I was not. In fact I was out of state at the time. How did Arlington-Howard match come out? I know this is thread drift, but just curious as I have not followed any high school games this year.

The girls game was a blow out Arlington 57-37. Arlington's got some good girls and I think Lanny Gross, their 5'11" freshman has a lot of raw potential.

The boys game was won by Howard 65-62. If not for a poor 2nd quarter Arlington would have won. It doesn't get any easier with Castlewood in the boys Entringer Classic Saturday.

[cydave]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

Does anybody else find McDermott's rise in the coaching ranks curious? He was a good D2 coach at Wayne State. Had one average year at NDSU. Then suddenly he was hired at UNI. No MVC championships later (granted, he had three straight first round losses in the NCAA tourney) he's Iowa State's coach. Big-time coaching makes so little sense. One or two good years at a mid-major and suddenly somebody's a hot property. Mediocrity with a good year or two thrown in, and you're a millionaire. Then everyone's surprised when you don't win right away at the next level.

I guess the message is that good coaches are hard to find. I think (much of the discussion here notwithstanding) we have a good one. Why would anybody want to give up a proven commodity for some flavor of the week who might turn out to be a disaster?

One of the reasons he got hired at ISU was b/c we had a coach on the downfall, Wayne Morgan, who was not liked by some people and supposedly had some recruiting violations??? Not sure about that, but anyways, Mac had just taken UNI to 3 straight NCAA's and was an Iowa native. We needed a new coach and he happened to be one of the best candidates available at the time. If ISU didn't take Mac, I can almost promise you that Iowa would have grabbed him. Either way, he's now finding out how much bigger of step it is playing in the Big 12 than the MVC. He needs to turn this program around and have us in the NCAA's by next year, or his seat will be very, very hot, IMO.

[zooropa]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

Either way, he's now finding out how much bigger of step it is playing in the Big 12 than the MVC.

Meh. You guys are not having much success with coaches in revenue sports these days.

I don't see how Rhoads is that much of an improvement over Chizik....

[JackFan96]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

I listened to the game on Sirius Satellite Radio. How great is that. A huge win for the program. Nagy and company can downlpay it, but it was big, big, big. We needed it and it was overdue. The ISU radio gang was complimentary of the Jacks...said they played better ball and wanted it more. You could, though, sense there was some discouragement in their voices. They didn't see this one coming. Neither did I, though. Nice win, guys. More free throw makes would have made it easier, but we'll take it. Hopefully, it's a springboard for future success and a confidence-builder heading into conference play.

[filbert]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

I admit I had the weekend going the other way--Jacks winning a close one at UNI and then getting whupped upside the head in Ames.

I'll take it, though!

[cydave]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

Meh. You guys are not having much success with coaches in revenue sports these days.

I don't see how Rhoads is that much of an improvement over Chizik....

Well, the reason I said that he is having more trouble than normal (or so it seems) winning at ISU is b/c our previous bball coach had us in the NIT his first year and the 2nd round of the NCAA tourny the next. Mac has yet to see either, and its his 3rd year.

Rhoads is an improvement in that he has Iowa roots and would most likely be here for awhile, even if he wins games and gets us to a bowl, he won't be bolting for a more prestigious job. And from what it seems, he is so much more enthusiastic about this job than Chizik was. Plus, I think Rhoads is a man of his word and loyal to his players. Unlike Chizik.
Tubberville also offered Rhoads the DC job at Auburn in 2002, but he declined. Which was then given to chizik. So, really it shows me that Rhoads won't bolt for better jobs and is possibly a better coach than chizik. Of course, 5-19 isn't hard to beat.

[SturgisJeff]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

From Iowa State thread Priceless;


Oregon Beavers never frightened me...

But Jackrabbits do...

Cause they're faaassssst!

(cue laughter from Bob and Tom regulars...)

[zooropa]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

Well, the reason I said that he is having more trouble than normal (or so it seems) winning at ISU is b/c our previous bball coach had us in the NIT his first year and the 2nd round of the NCAA tourny the next. Mac has yet to see either, and its his 3rd year.

Rhoads is an improvement in that he has Iowa roots and would most likely be here for awhile, even if he wins games and gets us to a bowl, he won't be bolting for a more prestigious job. And from what it seems, he is so much more enthusiastic about this job than Chizik was. Plus, I think Rhoads is a man of his word and loyal to his players. Unlike Chizik.
Tubberville also offered Rhoads the DC job at Auburn in 2002, but he declined. Which was then given to chizik. So, really it shows me that Rhoads won't bolt for better jobs and is possibly a better coach than chizik. Of course, 5-19 isn't hard to beat.

I guess the hire local thing seems a little odd to me, for a BCS school. And the timing is incredibly suspect.

Not to play armchair administrator, but you guys took less than two months to replace your last AD, about a week to replace Wayne Morgan, and about a week to replace Gene Chizik.

That doesn't speak well of your president or your AD. You can't possibly do a decent job evaluating your applicant pool in that short of a time frame.

[NorCalJack]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

That doesn't speak well of your president or your AD. You can't possibly do a decent job evaluating your applicant pool in that short of a time frame.

Well in defense of ISU Football. It is the recruiting season and if you don't have a coach at this time of year, you may have to write off this year's recruits.

[zooropa]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

Well in defense of ISU Football. It is the recruiting season and if you don't have a coach at this time of year, you may have to write off this year's recruits.

So do what SDSU did with their baseball program. Name an interim coach.

[cydave]

Re: Iowa State Cyclones - Game Thread

I guess the hire local thing seems a little odd to me, for a BCS school. And the timing is incredibly suspect.

Not to play armchair administrator, but you guys took less than two months to replace your last AD, about a week to replace Wayne Morgan, and about a week to replace Gene Chizik.

That doesn't speak well of your president or your AD. You can't possibly do a decent job evaluating your applicant pool in that short of a time frame.

A local hire odd, with ISU ties?? How's that odd for a BCS school? Most coaches at larger schools have ties to that school. You just don't hear about it much, bc its not a big deal to them. The reason it needs to be a big deal to us, should have been seen with chizik. He left to a program where he had been before and had ties to, he had nothing at ISU, nothing. He didn't want to be there at all. You can count on Rhoads staying around and building this progam back to where it was and not bolting at his first chance.

At these levels, you can't waiste time looking for a new coach. Especially, at a time like this, right at the end of the semester and going home for break. Your players are coachless, your recruits have no idea whats going on, and they might start changing their minds. Recruits will start looking someplace else, current players will consider leaving. You need to get a coach in there to calm the players down and let them know whats going on. You need a HC in there to contact recruits and let them know whats going on. It sucks now tho, because its the recruiting "dead period" so Rhoads can't really do much but hire a staff.

How is that a poor job by our president by our AD and president? They busted their tails to find a coach that would fit ISU. I know that Jamie spent the last 5 week or so on the University jet flying all over the country interviewing candidates. Its not like we took the first guy and gave him the job. They both worked tirelessly to find us a new coach, in anything, they should be given a pat on the back.

With how competitive it is these days in the coaching business, you don't get much time to grab a good HC. Usually, you find somebody and give them an offer and tell them they need to give you an answer within 1 day or so, so they if deny it, you can move on and find another coach. If you spend your time wasting on 1 candidate, the other possible coaches will get hired from under you. It's a speedy, yet precise search process.. and anything less will result in failure or getting a HC from a second hand store.