MONDAY MUSINGS: The Portal, softball and big bats

MONDAY MUSINGS:

- The NCAA transfer portal
- Former Cyclones in new spots
- Softball on a tear
- The Yankees big bats & more from @cfchangs9

CF Notable Posts: Q1 2025

Quarterly roundup of amusing (and sometimes insightful) comments I encountered on Cyclone Fanatic, January-March 2025. If anyone recalls a nugget I missed, please add to thread.

Key:
Bold is thread title (or summary of it)
*** indicates break in narrative flow.

Some entries have been edited for clarity, brevity, spelling and all that.

In case you missed it: Notable Posts: Q4 2024

Due to volume of material, I'll do this in two posts. I had to make some difficult decisions for cuts, too.

PART 1 of 2

Random Thoughts in the Year 2525

@JP4CY: Looking forward to football today. Gonna wash all the bedding and get a bunch of laundry done.
@ImJustKCClone: I have this mental image of you washing your bedding only once a year.

***2024-25 Men’s College Basketball Thread***
@Malone: Trevin Knell for BYU is 26! years old.
@isucyfan: There's no way he's 4.0329146e+26 years old.
***
@CychiatricWard: (re KSU) “Octagon of Room” … a lot of empty seats.
***
@PizzaTheHutt: Kansas looks like a car with four wheels, but one of the wheels is a cube.

(Resurrected thread) Official announcement of TJ as Iowa State men’s basketball coach
@CtownCyclone: Real question is, when do we burn our tickets? It's cold outside, need to burn them to heat the house.
@VeloClone: Since Jamie went to virtual tickets for so many of our programs, burning my tickets has gotten really expensive, since I am replacing my phone after each holocaust.
@coolerifyoudid: Might I recommend a burner phone?

2024-25 MBB Computer Projection Thread
@Sigmapolis: Almost comical how many Q1A games we have comin' up.
@ClubCy: Exactly, and I can’t wait to see the meltdown if we happen to drop a couple.
@NENick: Oh, I can wait.

***2024-25 CFB Playoff/Bowl Games Thread***
@GTO: When does the Orange Bowl mascot go inside a fake, giant juicer, so the players can drink him?

Cards
@CyCrazy: Euchre is the game that always leads to fights, usually because my wife is my partner.
@stormchaser2014: I know people that take the game so seriously that stealing their trick is worse than sleeping with their wife.

***Official #9 Kansas vs. #2 Iowa State game day thread***
@CoachHines3: Ol’ Doc Sadler is a senior advisor for KU. Saw him and TJ embrace after the game.
@CloneLawman: Any tongue?

What is it with the refs?
@dafarmer: My.
@nfrine: Enough said.

Hilton urinals
(Nominated by @CycloneRulzzz)
@CycloneDaddy: Who the hell is looking at strangers’ d*cks while p*ssing?
@bos: Exactly. Just stick to people you know.

AI in Gmail
@Cyclonepride: Gemini AI just appeared recently appeared on Gmail, and now it's populating into email responses, despite turning off the smart features … Any ideas to get rid of it?
@coolerifyoudid: Ask Gemini AI for help on how to get rid of itself, and watch an existential crisis unfold in real time.

Weird Geography Facts
@danvillecyclone: Did you know if you search “weird geography facts” on Google, this thread is 3rd on the search list? Obviously, I’m not on here enough.
@Cyclones_R_GR8: Much like the rest of us, when Google wants to know something, it checks CF first.
***
@CoachHines3: Half past a monkey’s a** is a quarter to his balls.
@CySmurf: Good Lord, you’re not in middle school anymore.
CoachHines3: Maybe I am.
@MeanDean: That's why his mom gets so much action. She's still pretty young.

***Official #2 Iowa State vs. West Virginia game day thread***
@exCYtable: Is this court slick? Why does it seem like everyone is slipping a little?
@JM4CY: Moonshine.
***
@ClonerJams: Minus-3 in turnovers and shooting the 3 like Phillip Seymour Hoffman in “Along Came Polly.”

***Official UCF vs. #3 Iowa State game day thread***
@Malone: Jess Settles turning into a goddamn national treasure.
@Dgilbertson: How fake is that hair? Kid was bald in ‘88.

***Official #3 Iowa State vs. Arizona State game day thread***
@Clonehomer: Forks down!

Memorial Union Zodiac: To walk Around or Step It Through
@RagingCloner: I went on a tour during HS, had no idea what i was doing. just strolled right over that hallowed ground.
@acoustimac: And you still graduated?
RagingCloner: High school? Yes.

ISU baseball team
(link posted by @Messi): Bill introduced in Iowa House requiring Iowa State and UNI to bring back varsity baseball.
@coolerifyoudid: Up next: A bill requiring Iowa to bring back varsity basketball.

***Official Kansas State vs. #3 Iowa State game(day) thread***
(After the debacle … various, disconnected comments)
@Stumbles (after the game): Just got home from work and I don't even want a beer.
@clonedude: TJ should accuse KSU of cheating after the game!
@awd4cy: But at least we win KC, right? All that matters to the casuals.
@cytor: ISU indeed has qualified for the Big 12 tournament in KC.

Today’s loss is due to GameDay
(The “math conversation.”)
@harimad: It’s almost as if we’re missing an integral player.
@Cyched: Maybe a derivative player could help.
harimad: I'll just take a functional player at this point.
@stormchaser2014: I think we've reached our limit on those.

11-Win Poster
—> This made me chuckle, I call it the “grab-bag” post. :)
@Drew0311: Ill check and see how many I grabbed. I grabbed some really quick for my nephews. If I only grabbed two I won't have an extra, but if I grabbed three, I’ll send you the third one.

Kickin’ It: Reflecting on the 2024-25 season

Grant Mahoney and Jeff Woody look back at all the major sports from the 2024-25 season and how they can get better for next season through the portal and development of each program. Presented by Kelderman Manufacturing.


***2025 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament***

Starting up Wednesday and Thursday with the First Four games.

DATETIME (CT)MATCHUP/ANNOUNCERSSITENETWORK
Wed, Mar 196 p.m.No. 11 Princeton vs. No. 11 Iowa State
Pam Ward, Stephanie White
Notre DameESPNU
8 p.m.No. 16 Southern U vs. No. 16 UC San Diego
Eric Frede, Christy Winters-Scott, Holly Rowe
UCLAESPNU
Thu, Mar 206 p.m.No. 11 Washington vs. No. 11 Columbia
Angel Gray, Aja Ellison
North CarolinaESPN2
8 p.m.No. 16 William & Mary vs. No. 16 High Point
Tiffany Greene, Steffi Sorensen
TexasESPN2
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Should coaches work out or just coach?

This has been a debate back and forth lately with some of my buddies. If you look at that ISU room, I would argue this coaching staff is one of the best from the accomplishment side of things. I also know that St. John will get some live go's in but I do not think Metcalf does a whole lot of live go's. I am not saying that is a bad thing, but the debate was coming from some Okie State buddies. DT requires ALL coaches go lives, and work out with the wrestlers. If I were a coach, and I had that kind of staff and wins between them, I would want them wrestling a lot with my guys. Now, one might say "what is considered a fair amount of wrestling with staff" and I really don't know the answer. I wanted to get a discussion going on what we think here at Iowa State. In a perfect world, I would want a smaller coach, a mid weight coach, an upper weight coach, all so they could go with the wrestlers. Then have a HC, the brains behind the staff. RTC coaches obviously help, and I know DC is in there rolling around and working with a lot of the kids for extra work.

Basement Sump Pump install recommendation

Long story short, my dog chewed all of the wiring on the sump pump including the battery but it was probably time to replace that anyway. Basically all needs replaced.

Anybody get this done? I could probably do it but the downside for me doing it wrong is pretty catastrophic so I'm willing to just pony up the cash. I got a bid on it but I thought it was outlandishly high, I didn't know if my expectations were out of whack or what but if anybody has a recommendation on a guy I'll probably go with that.

BACON'S BACK: On Iowa State's deep and healthier linebackers room

Send over your questions for mailbag & podcast

HEY EVERYONE

I am catching up on some post-NCAA items. When I got home, some family stuff came up, so I got a bit derailed.

I’m working on a takeaways/mailbag-style piece and would love to include any questions you’ve got! I already plan to cover general/future lineups and transfer portal, so if there’s anything outside of those topics you’re curious about, feel free to send it my way. It doesn't have to be specific to NCAA's. It can truly be about everything and anything! Nothing is off the table. Its the offseason!

Ben and I will also be recording once he’s back from his honeymoon, so even if you don’t have a specific question, let me know if there’s a topic you’d like us to cover on the pod!

Appreciate all of you!

Team Needs….

Busy watching the Duke vs SC Elite 8 game. What blows me away is the speed on both teams from 1-5 and some of the roster depth on these teams.

After watching the Twister Sisters live and on the tube it got me thinking deeply with most of the team sticking around; what does the team need? So here are a few thoughts:

1. Another PF from the transfer portal. We have 3 centers and way too many guards to count. We need another player that can shoot inside, outside, play down low and have some speed. Someone that can both compliment Addy and spell her when she gets in foul trouble.

2. Getting more guards to handle the rock and move the ball around.

3. An updated offense and players that don’t telegraph every single pass. I think of how many games players would stare at Audi in the post waiting to pass to her without looking around.

4. Speed and endurance from the of season program. Time to take the weights off when on the court. We looked so tired by the end of the season.

5. Less feat of shooting g or driving the lane. Emily did that from time to time. Addy does it at times. We need more.

6. An updated offense that is not stare down Audi, or did I already say that? More passes and movement.

7. Finding a better more aggressive defense.

Is that to much to ask?

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