What would it take?

  • After Iowa State won the Big 12, a Cyclone made a wonderful offer to We Will that now increases our match. Now all gifts up to $400,000 between now and the Final 4 will be matched. Please consider giving at We Will Collective.
    This notice can be dismissed using the upper right corner X button.

What needs to happen to save GMac's job?

  • Nothing. His job should be safe.

    Votes: 49 23.8%
  • Beat KSU (Top 25 team on the road)

    Votes: 3 1.5%
  • Win game in Big XII Tournament (likely Texas)

    Votes: 11 5.3%
  • Make Big XII Tournament Semifinals

    Votes: 21 10.2%
  • Be invited to the NIT

    Votes: 11 5.3%
  • Deep NIT run

    Votes: 9 4.4%
  • Win Big XII Tournament (lose 1st round NCAA's)

    Votes: 33 16.0%
  • Win a game in the NCAA Tournament

    Votes: 8 3.9%
  • Make Sweet 16

    Votes: 4 1.9%
  • Make Final Four

    Votes: 2 1.0%
  • Win the whole ******* thing

    Votes: 9 4.4%
  • Nothing. He should be fired regardless.

    Votes: 44 21.4%
  • Other (please specify)

    Votes: 2 1.0%

  • Total voters
    206

superfan

Well-Known Member
Oct 8, 2006
2,886
159
63
39
League City, TX
"Well then, I guess there's only one thing left to do [...] Win the whole ******* thing."
-Jake Taylor, Major League, 1989

With all the talk, rumors, and speculation about GMac's (pending?) firing, I was wondering about something today during my run. If he and the team truly "know it's over" at the end of the season, there is a possibility (albeit improbable) that the team gets a "Win one for the Gipper" attitude and goes on a hot streak (much like what happened with DMac against Mizzou in 2006). As a result, there could be an (even bigger) argument among the fans...was it a fluke or did the team really turn a corner?

So, my question to you, CycloneFanatics, is a hypothetical one:

Put aside speculation, and let's assume that at this moment, Greg McDermott will indeed be terminated at the end of the season. With two (guaranteed) games to go, what, in your opinion, would the MBB team have to do from this point forward to save GMac's job?

Poll will be posted momentarily. Each option builds on the last, and yes, I realize most (all?) of these are unrealistic.
 
Last edited:

Iastfan112

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Apr 14, 2006
3,888
1,156
113
Realistically I think Mac is around next season. If I had my druthers his job would be safe(for now) as long as we make a postseason tournament.
 

BigBake

Well-Known Member
Mar 17, 2006
6,761
617
113
48
U'dale
pulling a rabbit out of a hat and making NCAA tourney by winning big 12 tourney would buy him at least a couple years if I'm AD.

Not real worried that it will happen though.
 

Stingray

Member
Dec 26, 2008
53
0
6
Ames, IA
He needs to give us something to believe in for next year. It will take more than 1 Big 12 tourney win to convince me. IMO he needs to win 3 more games this year to generate some momentum for next years ticket sales. I do not see this team winning another game though. Hope I am wrong.:sad:
 

Drive4cy

Well-Known Member
Nov 17, 2006
5,541
168
63
972
He's probably doomed, regardless of what happens. I think we all know in our hearts that our season will end next Wednesday. Unless we take the 6 seed to OT, then maybe early Thursday morning.

I would really love to see us get a win down in KC but considering we might have Texas waiting for us doesn't make me too optimistic. Anyone but them and I think we could get a win. Lord knows we're due.
 

cyclones500

Well-Known Member
Jan 29, 2010
35,698
23,169
113
Michigan
basslakebeacon.com
You're right about the improbability, but I love this poll, because I've been thinking about this very thing for the last month or so.

I think Pollard has made up his mind one way or the other. I voted Sweet 16, and even that is a fleeting notion

The unlikely scenario that gets ISU an automatic bid would result in a 12 or 13 seed. So an S-16 means they probably beat at least 3, maybe 4 Big 12 tournament teams, then knocked off a 4/5, at worst, in Round 1.

If Pollard figured the financial difficulty prevented him from canning the coach, this would be a dream scenario — he could say, "It took a while, but it's going to pay off, and this is a reason to get excited for the future" (never mind that, if this bizarro-world thing took place, Brackins & Gilstrap would for sure be gone).

An unlikely run like that would be fun for me, as a longtime ISU fan. The realistic side of me says, "Will I have to wade through another 4 years of mediocrity for a something like this, and then only because of a miracle finish?"

It's a fun thought experiment, but considering ISU has won exactly 2 Big 12 tournament games in the last decade, under 3 coaches (including a loss as a 1 seed) ... I honestly couldn't change my mind at this point for any reason.
 

mcblogerson

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2009
2,231
848
113
Ohio
I felt at the beginning of the year we needed to at least make the NIT, or land Harrison Barnes. Our record is too bad to make the NIT, and I wouldn't expect that we'll win one game in the Big12 tourney, let alone win it all.

I thought he was a good hire at the time, but 4 years in, you can't have that much "bad luck". He brought in some pretty talented players but I think the problem is he's not good at the actual coaching part.
 

kg-cyclone

Well-Known Member
Oct 30, 2006
4,113
164
63
IMO, we need to stay the course and keep working towards getting better.
 

Toasted40

Member
Feb 23, 2010
335
21
18
48
IMO, we need to stay the course and keep working towards getting better.


See this is where I am confused. What exactly IS the course?

I mean we have seen so many reaches in recruiting, and we have seen those players leave, either by choice or Greg running them off. Then there are others that can play, and just leave. There is no foundation here, no stability.

Now, the program is in so unstable, after four years, that we are now going juco crazy, that seems pretty damn desperate to me. So where does it get better?

I am asking questions. I am fairly certain that Greg will be back on the sidelines next year as the head coach at Iowa State. You can see that fewer and fewer people are even taking the time to complain about not being able to get a shot off in the last 17 seconds of the game Wednesday. It will be worse next year.

The good will, patience is gone. He has to win. Do you guarantee that we will win next year?
 

kg-cyclone

Well-Known Member
Oct 30, 2006
4,113
164
63
See this is where I am confused. What exactly IS the course?

I mean we have seen so many reaches in recruiting, and we have seen those players leave, either by choice or Greg running them off. Then there are others that can play, and just leave. There is no foundation here, no stability.

Now, the program is in so unstable, after four years, that we are now going juco crazy, that seems pretty damn desperate to me. So where does it get better?

I am asking questions. I am fairly certain that Greg will be back on the sidelines next year as the head coach at Iowa State. You can see that fewer and fewer people are even taking the time to complain about not being able to get a shot off in the last 17 seconds of the game Wednesday. It will be worse next year.

The good will, patience is gone. He has to win. Do you guarantee that we will win next year?

I won't and can't guarantee anything...Unstable???....huh, no.
 

larrysarmy

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
2,371
1,017
113
Ankeny
See this is where I am confused. What exactly IS the course?

I mean we have seen so many reaches in recruiting, and we have seen those players leave, either by choice or Greg running them off. Then there are others that can play, and just leave. There is no foundation here, no stability.

Now, the program is in so unstable, after four years, that we are now going juco crazy, that seems pretty damn desperate to me. So where does it get better?

I am asking questions. I am fairly certain that Greg will be back on the sidelines next year as the head coach at Iowa State. You can see that fewer and fewer people are even taking the time to complain about not being able to get a shot off in the last 17 seconds of the game Wednesday. It will be worse next year.

The good will, patience is gone. He has to win. Do you guarantee that we will win next year?


Would it be a stretch to say that we will be a better team - w/o CB? Or is he a sacred cow that can't be talked about.
 

Toasted40

Member
Feb 23, 2010
335
21
18
48
I won't and can't guarantee anything...Unstable???....huh, no.


Then why all of the jucos the last two years? Where is the "program building" in bringing in over half your class in juco's the other half are projects or red-shirt candidates.

People on here have tried to blame the assistants who recruit as the problem (not me), but if this is what the "plan" is, then maybe they are right.

I said something about how Mac's recruiting at UNI made sense. David Gruber became Eric Coleman who would have become Jordan Egelseder. Matt Schniderman became Grant Stout who became Adam Koch.

Why haven't we seen that here? What is the plan? Point to one thing in this program that you can see as a positive going forward.

I would appreciate real answers, I think many others feel the same way. Greg hasn't given voice to that yet. "Trust me" is not a strategy.
 

kg-cyclone

Well-Known Member
Oct 30, 2006
4,113
164
63
Then why all of the jucos the last two years? Where is the "program building" in bringing in over half your class in juco's the other half are projects or red-shirt candidates.

People on here have tried to blame the assistants who recruit as the problem (not me), but if this is what the "plan" is, then maybe they are right.

I said something about how Mac's recruiting at UNI made sense. David Gruber became Eric Coleman who would have become Jordan Egelseder. Matt Schniderman became Grant Stout who became Adam Koch.

Why haven't we seen that here? What is the plan? Point to one thing in this program that you can see as a positive going forward.

I would appreciate real answers, I think many others feel the same way. Greg hasn't given voice to that yet. "Trust me" is not a strategy.

Vanderbeken
Phillips - Too good not to take
Gilstrap - Clearly had a hole to fill and was worth the chance.
Dendy

Recruits
Wilkins (3 years)
Clyburn

Your big argument is 4 guys in two years(to date)? Taking the best talent available...nothing more to it.
 

Toasted40

Member
Feb 23, 2010
335
21
18
48
Would it be a stretch to say that we will be a better team - w/o CB? Or is he a sacred cow that can't be talked about.

Four years of losing basketball means noone is sacred.

I will start with the obvious question. Where do the points come from? This team has a hard time scoring as it is.

And this was the case against every good team we played when we had a full compliment of players.
 

kg-cyclone

Well-Known Member
Oct 30, 2006
4,113
164
63
This program is absolutely unstable. If it were stable, we wouldn't have to worry about players who aren't going to the NBA coming back for next season.

No...The program wasn't stable when Mac took the job and some people want to revert back after getting some stability. Just doesn't make sense.
 

Toasted40

Member
Feb 23, 2010
335
21
18
48
Vanderbeken
Phillips - Too good not to take
Gilstrap - Clearly had a hole to fill and was worth the chance.
Dendy

Recruits
Wilkins (3 years)
Clyburn

Your big argument is 4 guys in two years(to date)? Taking the best talent available...nothing more to it.

No, my big argument is that this program is in 11th place in the Big 12 in the fourth year that Greg has been here. Your plea is to stay the course. Why is that a good idea?

I appreciate that you are trying to answer the details. I am sure that is easier. With Wilkins that is five in two years. Colvin is a back up who gets minutes, but other than Wesley Johnson, freshmen haven't exactly thrived in Mac's system here.
 

Toasted40

Member
Feb 23, 2010
335
21
18
48
No...The program wasn't stable when Mac took the job and some people want to revert back after getting some stability. Just doesn't make sense.


And I will ask again, HOW is the program stable?

I'm sure it is more stable than when Mac came in and everybody left. But that trend has continued each of the years that he has been here.

But that to me doesn't mean that it's stable. And with the lack of success, where is the hope?
 
  • Like
Reactions: dtclones

kg-cyclone

Well-Known Member
Oct 30, 2006
4,113
164
63
No, my big argument is that this program is in 11th place in the Big 12 in the fourth year that Greg has been here. Your plea is to stay the course. Why is that a good idea?

Because if we don't...set your clocks back four years.

I appreciate that you are trying to answer the details. I am sure that is easier. With Wilkins that is five in two years. Colvin is a back up who gets minutes, but other than Wesley Johnson, freshmen haven't exactly thrived in Mac's system here.

Wilkins is very talented 3 year Juco...I can live with 5.

Very few "freshman" thrive in any system.