COLUMN: My perspective on Fred Hoiberg/Nebraska

[SpokaneCY]

He's just another in a long line of ex-ISU coaches that are working at their dream job o' the day.

I don't follow old coaches regardless of if I liked them or not.

I do think all this hoopla - there's more posts on an ex-ISU coach than on our current tournament team - is a tad disrespectful to this program, and this coaching staff who have done things the right way and are building the program for the long haul.

 

[mj4cy]

Honest question: is this really the best he can do? I really thought he'd do better in the job search (T Wolves, UCLA, etc.)

That was my thought as well. Seems like he could get a better basketball gig.

 

[SC Cy]

Honest question: is this really the best he can do? I really thought he'd do better in the job search (T Wolves, UCLA, etc.)

Yes, he can do better. Nebraska is the worst Power Five program in the country. This is a fact. So they have a shiny new arena...wow. My girlfriend has some Mary Kay for your future slab of bacon.

It's no joke, the man can have his pick of most of the jobs that come open in the next two years. If he's bored, take a studio job at CBS, TNT, or ESPN. You can't tell me they wouldn't want him until his job comes open.

I'm fired up.

 

[harimad]

Hate to disagree, but I have to. Maybe he was blind because he wasn't objective about it.

But anyone with half a brain knew what the ending was going to be in Chicago. That organization is a dumpster fire. It has always been a dumpster fire. It will always be a dumpster fire.

I get having a dream. And if his jump to the NBA had been to almost anything other than that dumpster fire organization, I would have applauded it.

But nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. I'm with SC Cy. Nebraska is a dumpster fire of a basketball school. If he wants to coach in front of a bunch of Creighton fans that are just biding their time until the spring football game, he's being stupid stupid stupid yet again..

 

[aeroclone]

Thank you.

I think people confuse my feelings on this as "I want Fred as ISU coach again". I don't. I want Prohm here for life.

This isn't TJ Otzelberger getting the Nebraska job as his "big break". Fred can have his pick of jobs. This is the Mayor, our ballboy, guard, and coach. This is The Mayor going to the enemy, going to the team and university that up and left the Big 12 and ISU, putting the entire future of the athletic department in harms way.

If he goes his reputation is tarnished for me. If he takes another job somewhere else they will have a new fan in me.

You just don't go to Iowa or Nebraska.

Well said. I hate Nebraska and will root against them in all sports. If he goes there, I would root for him to fail. At that point his status as The Mayor would be dead to me. He would still be a great former player and coach, but he would be just one among many. For his legacy as it stands today, you just can't go work for the enemy.

If he ended up somewhere like UCLA then more power to him. But a school with the history and proximity of NU is a no go.

 

[Gunnerclone]

I’ve never pictured Fred at a blue blood. He seems to like the challenge of lifting a program/team up rather than just breezing at a blue blood.

 

[jcyclonee]

Just because you gave your wife an honorary doctor of love degree doesn't mean she's a real doctor.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

This would be a great column for Husker fanatic or hoiberg fanatic!

This probably comes across more bitchy than I mean for it to.

But I swear we get more hoiberg is the best ever crap on here than is warranted. Or if we could awknowledge that the whole thing sort of sucks. Most importantly it sucks for our current coach who constantly gets treated like the ugly step kid around here.

The man's jersey is in the rafters of Hilton. We will always cover him. Just like we cover if Jeff Hornacek gets new jobs, is fired, etc.

Not sure if you actually read the piece (doesn't appear that you did) but the most important point I made in it is how well Iowa State is with Prohm right now.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

Honest question: is this really the best he can do? I really thought he'd do better in the job search (T Wolves, UCLA, etc.)

FWIW: I'm hearing he's way down on UCLA's list and that the Wolves are going to hire Saunders. This actually might be the best he can get right now.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

Just because you gave your wife an honorary doctor of love degree doesn't mean she's a real doctor.

That's pretty rude.

 

[bluestarcyclone]

Well said. I hate Nebraska and will root against them in all sports. If he goes there, I would root for him to fail. At that point his status as The Mayor would be dead to me. He would still be a great former player and coach, but he would be just one among many. For his legacy as it stands today, you just can't go work for the enemy.

If he ended up somewhere like UCLA then more power to him. But a school with the history and proximity of NU is a no go.

Same.

If he goes to nebraska, i hope he wins 2-3 games a year- the times he plays iowa.

He can do what he wants to do, its his life, but being associated with Nebraska is going to have consequences for most ISU fans. **** nebraska.

 

[jcyclonee]

That's pretty rude.

I apologize. Just trying to lighten the load a bit. We're all pretty worked up one way or the other about the Hoiberg thing and, maybe more importantly, about the timing of the Hoiberg thing.

 

[laminak]

Right. CW asked if there’s hostility in Manhattan towards Lon or in Stillwater towards Self.
Yes, they generally don’t wish well for them.

Moreover, those two are no longer really associated with KSU and Ok St. Which is the point CW failed to recognize. Fred is free to do whatever he likes, and if that includes coaching Nebraska, the fans are free to no longer view him the hometown hero (The Mayor) or hold him in the same esteem.

Another point...is Dan Gable associated with ISU or Iowa? Are ISU fans salty he coached there?

 

[jsb]

The man's jersey is in the rafters of Hilton. We will always cover him. Just like we cover if Jeff Hornacek gets new jobs, is fired, etc.

Not sure if you actually read the piece (doesn't appear that you did) but the most important point I made in it is how well Iowa State is with Prohm right now.

I read it. I look forward to your column on hornaceks next career move. I don’t remember anything about him and the suns or knicks.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

I read it. I look forward to your column on hornaceks next career move. I don’t remember anything about him and the suns or knicks.

We covered it.

 

[jsb]

We covered it.

My apologies.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

I apologize. Just trying to lighten the load a bit. We're all pretty worked up one way or the other about the Hoiberg thing and, maybe more importantly, about the timing of the Hoiberg thing.

I get it.

Trust me. If I could pick 5 schools for Fred to never coach at, Nebraska would be one of them.

Hence why I wrote at the end that you won't see me prancing around in Nebraska gear. But I'm not going to hate on the guy for working either.

 

[Gunnerclone]

FWIW: I'm hearing he's way down on UCLA's list and that the Wolves are going to hire Saunders. This actually might be the best he can get right now.

Do most ISU fans over sell Fred’s value? Seems like the common thought among the oh so wise cf poster brigade is he would just be options 1 and 1a at schools like KU or MSU and I just don’t see it.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

Do most ISU fans over sell Fred’s value? Seems like the common thought among the oh so wise cf poster brigade is he would just be options 1 and 1a at schools like KU or MSU and I just don’t see it.

Yes, I think we do.

As I mentioned in the column, we view him as this icon, which he is in our circle. Nationally, he's a guy who had a good run at Iowa State and failed in the NBA.

I'm telling you, let's say if Self leaves KU, Fred could not get that job.

 

[SC Cy]

But I'm not going to hate on the guy for working either.

I just don't like the way this is worded. You make it sound like he got fired from his $40k job and is now working at Starbuck's to pay the bills.