Going forward from UNI

[rochclone]

Obviously like everyone else I am extremely disappointed in the effort and performance of our collective basketball team. Quite frankly UNI "outworked" our Cyclones last night and that is always disappointing. More so when you consider that our current team is made up of a large number of upperclassmen. I can understand a young team getting "outworked" by less talented but savy veterans. However our team is not young.

In McDermott's post-game press conference he indicated that this team hasn't learned how to win yet and that he will need to take "more control" in late game situations. In my mind that is a direct "call-out" of Diante Garrett. I have always been and will continue to be a Diante proponent. His outside shot is extremely suspect but he can get to the rim against any opponent. Finishing sometimes is a different story. However, Diant bails this team out alot in the last ten seconds of the shot clock. But Diante's pass/shot selection in the last five minutes against both UNI/Northwestern has been subpar. You know that Lucca is a shooter and will shoot the ball the minute he catches it. You know that Dendy is inexperienced in late-game situations. Don't put the ball in their hands until you have placed them in a situation to be successful. As an All-American you know that Craig Brackins wants his touches. Get him some easy touches. Break your man down and get him an easy layup when his defender rotates to help. "Doing more" to help your team as a point guard does not mean jacking up a 18 foot shot just because your our open.

That being said Diante is one of the top 20 point guards in the country when his head is on straight. He is the equivalent of Byron Eaton. When Eaton was going well and distributing the ball the Cowboys were damn tough. When he was in foul trouble or chucking up 20 foot jumpers they were very average. Diante holds the key to this season and he did an incredible job in the Drake and St. Louis game of running the team. However in the Northwestern and UNI game he settled way too many times. It is a difficult role because Diante is a scorer and wants to be a scorer but he has to sacrifice for the good of the team. If Diante averages 8-10 points a game this year and has 7-8 assists a game then we will go to the NCAA tournament. If Diante averages 14 shots a game...well we won't even sniff the NIT and he will have a new coach as a Senior.

Brackins, Lucca and Gilstrap need to understand what their roles are and value each and every possession. If you want to go to the NCAA tournament and that is the reason everyone came back then you have value possessions and take good quality shots.

The California game will tell us alot. I think this a difficult game to win however I think a road trip is what this team needs. The UNI game hurt the fans alot but I guarantee you it hurt CB, DG, Lucca and MG even more. Let's hope we can find some leadership and toughness before we hit Berkley.

 

[ISUFan22]

Too many of the same types of excuses in post-game...moving forward will be tough until WE get tough.

I've posted this in a couple threads...

UNI is stronger than us, I get that. However, we are far more athletic and while I did expect UNI to rebound well, giving them 15 offensive rebounds was pathetic. We gave them way too many 2nd and 3rd chances (and once or twice, a 4th chance). Can't do that and expect to win.

I'm tired of our team playing against decent teams and letting them dictate everything about the game. I felt that UNI would slow us down some, but I didn't think we'd allow it, again. I'm livid at the fact that we routinely allow and seem completely ok with opposing teams treat us like their game tempo prison *****. Best and most accurate analogy I could come up with, sorry.

I'm exasperatedly upset/disappointed with our entire team, from Greg down to every single player. The talent is absolutely there to win this game and play in the NCAA tournament...we are simply not playing like it. I'm sick of the damn excuses, would someone on the team/staff just get mad and demand this won't be tolerated anymore?

Way too many in the postgame interviews said the "right" things, but not a one showed me any emotion after the game. I don't need anyone to go Dennis Green on us, but at least make it sound like you feel you should have won that game and allowed UNI to *****-slap you on your home court!

 

[Stewo]

Anyone remember when Sutton was still coaching at OSU when they had that deep run in the tourney? Remember what he was doing with his players to get them over the fear of taking a charge? For those of you that don't, he would put them in football pads and have them charge each other like they would come game time. That was a group of tough young men that weren't afraid to be strong, tough and do what it takes to win.

 

[bufante]

I've moved on.
I'm not as much of a McD hater as some on here.
I think things will get better and I think 8 games into a 30 something game season isn't the end of the world.
I have to wait for the end of the season before I'm asking for someone's job.

 

[GeronimusClone]

I've moved on.
I'm not as much of a McD hater as some on here.
I think things will get better and I think 8 games into a 30 something game season isn't the end of the world.
I have to wait for the end of the season before I'm asking for someone's job.

Can't wait to see you post that again next year and the year after, and so on.
It's like the people telling me that the Iowa football team is really good. Don't try and tell me to not believe what my perfectly good pair of eyes can see in front of me. For Iowa - a team not good enough for a BCS game. For McD - a guy not equipped with the skills to coach at this level. I don't need 30 games to see that. I didn't need the entire season of Iowa football to know they aren't a top ten team.

 

[Wesley]

Playoffs? What playoffs?

Exactly.

 

[bwboehm]

Players take on the persona of their coach. Currently, we lack sustained intensity, a "killer" drive to finish games, and toughness that was stated above. You can't get up by seven points and keep allowing teams back into the game. We have to learn to finish these games or we are in for another long season.

 

[jaretac]

I've said it before, this team has talent to compete with anyone, what it lacks is the cohesiveness that we have seen with other McDermott teams. Until this team learns how to play as a team, we are going to lose allot more games.

This team reminds me allot of the teams we had just before McDermott. Talent, but no effective use of it.

 

[Cyclone1985]

I'm tired of our team playing against decent teams and letting them dictate everything about the game. I felt that UNI would slow us down some, but I didn't think we'd allow it, again. I'm livid at the fact that we routinely allow and seem completely ok with opposing teams treat us like their game tempo prison *****. Best and most accurate analogy I could come up with, sorry.

Should have done some sort of press. Force them to run, take some quick shots, get a few steals, and in turn play OUR game. Egelseder sure as heck doesnt want to have to run anymore than he needs to.

 

[bufante]

Can't wait to see you post that again next year and the year after, and so on.
It's like the people telling me that the Iowa football team is really good. Don't try and tell me to not believe what my perfectly good pair of eyes can see in front of me. For Iowa - a team not good enough for a BCS game. For McD - a guy not equipped with the skills to coach at this level. I don't need 30 games to see that. I didn't need the entire season of Iowa football to know they aren't a top ten team.

I'm not trying to tell you anything, trust me.
I just see it different. And I hope I don't have to post this next year, but who knows.

 

[CloneIce]

This team reminds me allot of the teams we had just before McDermott. Talent, but no effective use of it.

One major difference: those teams before Mcdermott won these type of non-confrence games (as well as way more Big 12 conference games and way more games against good teams). They were just plain better teams.

 

[2forISU]

The only teams we will be favored against in the big 12 is:
TT. & Neb.

Hard to move on...

 

[BryceC]

Before Friday of last week I said the next two weeks would tell us a lot about this team. So far what it's said is not to our liking but we can start getting people believing with a victory at Cal. They can definitely be had. Let's do it gents.

 

[REDRAIN]

There is a lot of talk about us finding our "identity" but first, GMac must figure out his identity. He has to figure out if he is "ALL-IN" with the running game, or a half court offense, and a defensive philosophy. Once he can settle on the scheme, our guys can take on this identity with some confidence. Until this happens, there will be no consistency and GMac will continue to look like the coach in the movie Waterboy that curls up in his office when faced with adversity.

That said, we only have 2 losses, none of them a bad loss in the eyes of the tourney and plenty of opportunities to write our own story. If Alford can beat Cal, so can we!

 

[WalkingCY]

Here's what you need to do GMac:

1. Go bolistic on our squad and make them hungry as hell for the game against Cal on Saturday night.

2. Show some ******* passion on the sidelines.....like "this is life or death" facials, yell at your bench when they aren't even in the game..... enthusiastically congratulate someone better when they come out after nice hustle...

3. Get a freaking Technical foul and go ape when needed. If we are getting screwed, let them have it for once. (the refs.)

4. Have the players eat glass all night.....stress that we NEED offensive Rebs, D-Rebs.....tenasity in this part of the game.

5. Look like you enjoy this challenge. Just get excited. Look crazy some times......get your team motivated...DURING the game.

6. PRESS. Double team/halfcourt trap.....ANYTHING different once in a while. Most like the tough-"man-up" man to man D.....but change up once in a while to get something going offensively.

7. Expect to win. Live it, believe it.....teach it.


or...you'll be gone. Believe that.

 

[ISUFan22]

Before Friday of last week I said the next two weeks would tell us a lot about this team. So far what it's said is not to our liking but we can start getting people believing with a victory at Cal. They can definitely be had. Let's do it gents.

The upside is, Cal plays "our" style of ball. I put that in quotes because we have not owned it yet, really just starting to play it this year and only executing it against below average competition. The opportunity will certainly be there to run.

The concern is, we have not yet owned this style of play and not everyone we face this year will run. Some will try to stop us from running. And IMO, even teams that run, watching the tape from our last 3 games - should want to slow the tempo because it so far has given us fits.

In order to be successful this year, we have to stop bending over and taking whatever the opposition dictates and do some dictating of our own.

 

[jhill]

The upside is, Cal plays "our" style of ball. I put that in quotes because we have not owned it yet, really just starting to play it this year and only executing it against below average competition. The opportunity will certainly be there to run.

The concern is, we have not yet owned this style of play and not everyone we face this year will run. Some will try to stop us from running. And IMO, even teams that run, watching the tape from our last 3 games - should want to slow the tempo because it so far has given us fits.

In order to be successful this year, we have to stop bending over and taking whatever the opposition dictates and do some dictating of our own.

Couldn't agree more. And get tougher. Somebody drives the lane, Hamilton needs to send a message and put him on his butt. Brackins needs to occasionally just lower his shoulder and drive to the basket...if you get a charge, make the defender feel it. This, like the last couple of years, appears to be a team filled with nice guys. They need some bad ***** like Jared Homan, Curtis Stinson, Jackson Vroman that aren't afraid of inflicting a little pain on the opponent. Gilstrap appears to have it in him, maybe Dendy too. And Colvin might have it. The rest of the guys don't seem to.

 

[kansascy]

Here's what you need to do GMac:


5. Look like you enjoy this challenge. Just get excited. Look crazy some times......get your team motivated...DURING the game.

When I read this I thought of Jesse Smith and the intensity you can see in his eyes in every picture of him. We need a Photoshop expert to put JeSmith and McD together.

 

[bufante]

Couldn't agree more. And get tougher. Somebody drives the lane, Hamilton needs to send a message and put him on his butt. Brackins needs to occasionally just lower his shoulder and drive to the basket...if you get a charge, make the defender feel it. This, like the last couple of years, appears to be a team filled with nice guys. They need some bad ***** like Jared Homan, Curtis Stinson, Jackson Vroman that aren't afraid of inflicting a little pain on the opponent. Gilstrap appears to have it in him, maybe Dendy too. And Colvin might have it. The rest of the guys don't seem to.

Very good point. It would be nice to see McD get ****** off and tossed or a T or something.

I used to love that about Floyd and Eustachy, they had no problem lighting a fire at the best times.

 

[Clones21]

Here's what you need to do GMac:

1. Go bolistic on our squad and make them hungry as hell for the game against Cal on Saturday night.

2. Show some ******* passion on the sidelines.....like "this is life or death" facials, yell at your bench when they aren't even in the game..... enthusiastically congratulate someone better when they come out after nice hustle...

3. Get a freaking Technical foul and go ape when needed. If we are getting screwed, let them have it for once. (the refs.)

4. Have the players eat glass all night.....stress that we NEED offensive Rebs, D-Rebs.....tenasity in this part of the game.

5. Look like you enjoy this challenge. Just get excited. Look crazy some times......get your team motivated...DURING the game.

6. PRESS. Double team/halfcourt trap.....ANYTHING different once in a while. Most like the tough-"man-up" man to man D.....but change up once in a while to get something going offensively.

7. Expect to win. Live it, believe it.....teach it.


or...you'll be gone. Believe that.

Post of the year and probably of the future.:notworthy: