Wishes

I'm a simple fan, and long time readers know that I have low expectations for ISU athletics. It's all about the dollars, and the smallest budget in a league can't be expected to challenge the big boys each and every year.

But here are my simple hopes for ISU football this fall:

1. Stop getting rolled. There were three games last year we all knew were essentially over at halftime, and at least the Utah game was entertaining for a quarter. Good programs don't multiple games by 20+, let alone 40+.

2. To achieve #1, the offense has to stop putting the defense in lousy situations. Make the other team earn their points by going 65+ yards each drive, not 40.

3. Somehow, some way, get a bowl bid. That will keep the program moving forward in everyone's eyes, and perceptions are reality.

4. Beat SUI. They are going to dump the ISU series the first chance they get- like when the Big Ten goes to a nine game conference schedule- so gets your licks in now while you can. It won't be around forever.

That's all. Now get busy.

Odd School Out

We Cyclones should do our best to become tight friends with Kansas State and Baylor, because when the next big shakeup comes ISU, KSU and BU are going to be without a chair when the music stops.

Follow this link to a proposed 16-team based SuperConference structure, then scroll down for a peek at who ISU will have to pick up scraps with. Roadies to East Carolina and Central Florida, anyone?

"Hilariously Crummy"

Student newspapers are always good for some bulletin board material.

Timing

Lest we forget, Cyclone football can't get relevant fast enough.

The next conference shake up won't be kind to Iowa State if 4-8 is still the norm. If we want to be invited to the future SuperLeague, 8-4 is the baseline.

Peter

Niners

CPR should be posting the number "9" on every surface a football player comes in contact with, as a reminder of what the football world thinks of them.

I'm sure sports psychologists would discourage that, preferring a more affirmational message like "1" everywhere.

But Iowa State needs to play every down with a gigantic chip on their shoulder to overcome the advantages on the other sideline. They need to go through the season seriously ticked off, because nobody is going to respect Iowa State until they beat people on a regular basis.

Might as well start now, Niners.

Peter

Quality Info Mixed With Humor

Clone Chronicles Nails It.

Comebacks

I forgot I saw this one in person.

Fine Nebraska Snark

Thanks for everything, Huskers.

Hopin'

Here's hoping THE Ohio State University doesn't come sniffing around CPR now that they have another coach resign in disgrace.

One poaching every hundred years, thanks.

Peter

Win-Win

I love to see Fred make scheduling moves like this.

A quality home-home each year, along with the SUI/UNI/Drake trifecta, helps build a quality noncon for the RPI. It's also nice to have a hint of how good the team is before league play starts.

I think ISU gets more out of this than Michigan. Recruiting exposure in Michigan helps ISU more than Iowa exposure helps UM. As a bonus, each team will view the games as winnable, which is nice.

Perhaps Fred can build a habit of road scheduling for seniors on the team like Duke does. So while Will Clyburn gets to play in front of his Detroit friends, and Korie and Chris get a return to the state of Michigan, we still need a game in Wisconsin for Scottie (Korie gets to play the hometown card on that one, too) and a trip to Georgia for Chris Allen. A home-home with Georgia tech would suit me.

Peter

Unthinkable

For a big chunk of my life, the idea that Iowa State was SUI's biggest rival was laughable. But now we are. Shocking.

The author gets in the usual "It's all about Iowa and Nebraska" dig, but rivalries have an ebb and flow. Ask SUI fan about Minnesota and Northwestern switching their roles. Beat good Mizzou teams a few times and it's on.

I'm just glad that Cyclone football has elevated itself to the point of being a threat in SUI fan's eyes. That's where you want to be.

Peter

Go Big

I echo the sentiments of CrossCyed that JP has pushed ISU athletics into new territory. He asked for input, and here's mine:

1. Become consistently relevant in football.
2. Achieve financial independence.

Since #2 is dependent on #1, it's all about football.

As we saw a year ago, football drives everything when it comes to the big picture. Win and you have options. Lose and you are at the mercy of others. While winning basketball is fun, and important to ISU fans, it will be immaterial the next time conferences start realigning. (Ask Kansas how much cache their hoops program has when push comes to shove.)

We're at an important turning point in athletics, and the only serious play is to go All In. There's no other guarantee it will work, either, but not going big has a definite path towards (continued) irrelevance.

Any other move will result in a lack of options down the line. Go Big, JP, Go Big.

Peter

$2

If you assume this new toy will last 10 seasons, at 6 home games per year, and 45,000 per game, about $2 of each ticket will fund it.

$5M/(10*6*45K)

Assuming they put something interesting on it, that's a pretty cheap cost on improving fan's impression of Trice.

Peter

Ramping Up

I agree with both Fred's strategy and the analysis of it: ISU hoops needs to get good fast to attract the top level talent to stay good. It's a chicken/egg situation, but one with precedent.

Back in the 90's both Tim and Larry used JUCOs to fill holes and help raise and maintain performance, which brought in solid HS talent. If you aren't winning, recruiting becomes a tougher sell.

This time next year we'll know if the Refugee Strategy has paid off.

Peter

Enthusiasm

I wish the Kool-Aid had the same effect on me as it does the Internet Poll Taking Population.

Not that I don't want success, I just have tempered expectations for the Smallest Football Budget in the Big 1210.

Peter

Non-Story Story

There are two ingredients for the "Bill to Wisconsin" Non-Story to emerge: Success and Status.

Bill definitely has the success. And Wisconsin views its coaching job as a step up, even though it hasn't been to the NCAA Tourney '02. This was probably a reporter or blogger putting his/her finger in the air and saying "Here's a list of coaches UW could probably poach from some school that's beneath us" and Bill was on the list.

Now, Wisconsin would be stupid not to call and gauge interest. And Bill would be stupid not to listen. UW is a better job for two reasons: he may be able to wrangle a bigger paycheck and its a much easier place to win because of the Big 10/11/12.

According to Real Time RPI, The Big 10 ended the year with 4 teams int he top 50. The Big 12 had 7, with 4 in the Top 25. While this may have been a down year for the B10, I suspect it was a typical year in the B12. Life would be easier in Madison.

But I suspect Bill is happy in Ames. Expectations are reasonable. Fan support is crazy. He may not be interested in another rebuild. Sometimes when things fit, you don't mess with it.

Peter

Sage

My late Grandpa Ed claimed that he made the first phone call to Danny Mac about Sage.

Don't know if that's true, but its a good story about a good kid.

Peter

Parting Gifts, The Sequel

A nice turnaround over a team that pasted Iowa State in Boulder, but more importantly firmly pushes the Buffs off the NCAA bubble.

The result is Saturday's Nebraska/Colorado game in Boulder is essentially a play-in game, in the sense that the winner still has a chance. The loser is done.

The CSJ staff notes that all three of Iowa State's conference wins came against teams currently sitting on the outside looking in.

Heh.

Peter

Good News

While this is good news, I hope we didn't get in a bidding war with Baylor for his services.

I want to win, but not that way.

Peter

Filthy

If you have the filthy skills needed to reverse a previous opponent by 50 points, you need to learn how to impose your will on the road.

Bill's team has put together a better season than I expected- but road losses to KU and CU are really going to hurt their seeding in the B12 and NCAA tourneys.

Peter