By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com Publisher
Who do I want to be Iowa State’s next head basketball coach? That is a loaded question right there.
The more I think about this, the more I echo what John Walters told me on KXNO yesterday afternoon. I’m not hung up on style of play right now. I want two things with Iowa State’s next head basketball coach. I want a guy who wins and I want a man who isn’t a jerk.
Style of play isn’t that big of a deal to me. I just want what is best for Iowa State University and all of you Fanatics. That’s a winner. Because if he wins, you’ll like him. It doesn’t matter what the style of play is. If he loses, you won’t like him. Just ask our former coach who is in Omaha today about that. That’s the way that it goes.
I will say this regarding style of play though. It makes recruiting a heck of a lot easier if you play up-tempo basketball. Does Mike Anderson ever have any problems getting kids to play at Missouri? Exactly.
Just ask Chris Colvin about the style of play factor. According to his exit interview with reporters, that’s the reason he left Iowa State.
– So today’s hot topic is former Texas A&M and Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie.
I’ll start off by saying that I know nothing about Billy GIllispie, the human being. I’ve read the headlines about his issues with alcohol. But maybe he’s a changed man? If that were the case, it’d be a great hire. He is one of the only guys on the list that I posted earlier who I think could get Iowa State back to winning again in a fairly short period of time.
Putting the alcohol stuff aside, I have one question that keeps popping into my head when thinking about a potential Gillispie hire.
Why didn’t he get the Houston job when it was open earlier this year? Was it the off the court baggage? He seemed like a natural fit there. Why did Houston hold off on a resume like that? I have no idea.
– I do not believe that Larry Eustachy, Tim Floyd, Fred Hoiberg or Jeff Hornacek will be a player in this coaching search at all.
Had Eustachy been setting the world on fire at Southern Miss for the past few years, then we could talk. But he really hasn’t been that good. That’s my holdup. Forget his off the court history. This has nothing to do with that.
I’ve been told that Floyd isn’t interested.
Hoiberg has never really coached before and Hornacek lacks experience as well.
Sure…They would all be great stories. I just don’t see it happening.
– Steve Forbes reminds me of Iowa State’s possible basketball version of Paul Rhaods. He’s a passionate Iowa native who wants to come home. But he is a Hawkeye. Does that matter to you?
– Maybe I’m crazy, but my ears really perked up when John Walters mentioned Fran Frachilla yesterday on KXNO. I’m not saying that I want the ESPN commentator to be Iowa State’s next coach; it’s just an interesting thought. I said this about Steve Lavin a little more than a month ago and I believe it also applies to Frachilla. I really think that there is some value in him being on ESPN for so long. Recruits know who he is. They watch him every Monday. He’s supposedly taken a liking to Ames and Hilton Coliseum in the past. Still, I think there are better guys out there for this job.
– I’ve seen some Fanatics toss Murray State’s Billy Kennedy out there a few times. Kennedy has 12 years of head coaching experience at Centenary, Southeastern Louisiana and Murray State. He’s been to two NCAA Tournaments, including an appearance last year. This name doesn’t excite me. Kennedy doesn’t have hardly any Big 12 experience at all. He’s been an assistant coach in the ACC, PAC 10, MVC and one year in the Big 12, 1990 at Texas A&M. He coaches a fun style of play; I’ll give him that. But again, that’s not the be all end all for me in this thing.
More coaches contacting Thompson
It looks like Bobby La Gesse of the Ames Tribune talked with Gary Thompson earlier today. According to THIS REPORT, Thompson has received calls from 15 different coaches as of now.
Amazing.
