Official Announcement of TJ as the New Iowa State Mens BBall Coach

[allfourcy]

The video Jamie posted announcing TJ made it pretty clear that he was the only serious candidate IMO.

Ok. Just guess my take was different. Its not like he can 'leak' any of those names or the behind-the-scenes process when we still had our coach. He clearly pointed out that consideration of 'possible' candidates, and communications were happening for some time due to the apparent and needed upcoming change. I guess you either believe him that TJ was the best 'fit' or you don't. I choose to believe him. If that's blind loyalty on my part, then so be it. (Admittedly, I really wanted Fred but NEVER thought it would happen.)
With transfers already flying around fast and furious, it was imperative to give our new coach as much time as possible.

 

[ISUChippewa]

I heard through a VERY Reliable source that we ALMOST got Coach K to come and right the ship....

Afterall, we are ALL experts with sources... lol

Your source is actually right. We almost did Coach K....40 years ago or so when Johnny Orr was hired.

 

[Lexclone]

Cronyism is the practice of partiality in awarding jobs and other advantages to friends or trusted colleagues

Yeah, but how else could he hire someone who really fits the culture or really wants to be at Iowa State?

 

[ForbinsAscynt]

They just talked about this on the CF stream.
First call is Rasir Bolton, second call is Xavier Foster, and third is Tyrese Hunter.

Hunter is more important to the future than Foster but for the sake of this conversation order doesn’t matter. Hope we can retain both

 

[AgronoCy]

Anybody else find the line from Pollard about how on any given night 150 D1 teams can lose and it’s impossible for everybody to win a little strange?

No just a good reminder to unreasonable people that college athletics are a zero-sum game.

 

[clonedude]

I will definitely support and root for TJ...... but he was probably my 5th choice.

 

[ca4cy]

Haven't read the whole thread, and didn't get through the "speculation" thread. Have contract particulars been announced?

I'm somewhere between good and excited with this hire. We need talent and I'm confident TJ will bring it here. He seems great at building and maintaining relationships. I'm nervous about how he will stack up against the coaching talent in this league, but short of bringing in Beilein or Altman (we weren't going to pay that kind of money, period), there wasn't anybody even being mentioned that would have stepped in and be immediately ranked in the top 1/2 or probably even 2/3 of coaches in this conference right now. Everyone else, TJ included, was probably going to start out 10th. TJ will have his opportunity to work his way up.

Optics would have been better if he had a better record at UNLV, but I'm going to hold this season against him. He had a young team, and even the bluebloods struggled with young rosters this year. And as for the speed with which this whole thing went down, I think it would have been worse for us if it was an extended "search" with multiple rumors and news leaking out about guys turning us down. I really DGAF what any national media (Pat Forde etc) has to say about this hire. They seldom mention us unless they're dogging us, so I don't need them to chime in now.

I'm ready to get on board. We've got nowhere to go but up and I'm fully behind this staff and pulling like hell for them to succeed.

 

[allfourcy]

I thought the whole presser was odd. Never seen an AD go to those lengths to explain his hiring decision to the fan base. However, I get why he felt that he needed to do i.

Reading this board the past few weeks is indication enough that your last sentence is spot on.

 

[ISUChippewa]

Huh. I'm sure that's a total coincidence

 

[Gunnerclone]

I thought the whole presser was odd. Never seen an AD go to those lengths to explain his hiring decision to the fan base. However, I get why he felt that he needed to do i.

It’s obvious that JP reads CF. Everyone wanted an in depth look at the process.

 

[brianhos]

Shoulda just kept him last time.

 

[Tpups21]

Huh. I'm sure that's a total coincidence

Was thinking the same thing. I bet Lutz ends up back in Ames.

 

[Dandy]

I heard through a VERY Reliable source that we ALMOST got Coach K to come and right the ship....

Afterall, we are ALL experts with sources... lol

In 2021? No... In 1980? Almost.

 

[cyclonedave25]

If TJ can keep Hunter and Foster and maybe get Kaluma to tag along, thats a solid foundation to start. 3, 4 stars with potential.

 

[clonehenge]

Yeah, that was weird.

Otherwise though, to be honest, I like both videos that he put out this week; they were amateur-ish enough to the point where I felt they were really honest. They weren't slickly produced, and I thought some of his at time halting speech, accidentally calling San Diego State South Dakota State really lent a touch of authenticity to them that I found refreshing.

Not trying to disagree or argue with you at all but I felt the total opposite about both videos...I felt like Pollard was acting like a used car salesman (especially in the last one) trying to sell us on the idea of TJ and make excuses as to why he was the best choice.

Just goes to show how people can see things differently...

 

[LLCoolCY]

Well not to read into the timing but....

 

[ribsnwhiskey]

Shoulda just kept him last time.

Sounds like that was the plan but President Flyboy said no.

 

[ISUChippewa]

Not trying to disagree or argue with you at all but I felt the total opposite about both videos...I felt like Pollard was acting like a used car salesman (especially in the last one) trying to sell us on the idea of TJ and make excuses as to why he was the best choice.

Just goes to show how people can see things differently...

Fair enough. I also think he was definitely doing his best to sell us on the hire.

My "authenticity" comment just means that I feel the verbal flubs, etc., makes the videos feel much more natural to me; they didn't take the time to edit out those flubs or make his speech flow together more without the at times awkward pauses. I found those technical parts of it refreshing.

 

[farm85]

 

[LLCoolCY]

I will definitely support and root for TJ...... but he was probably my 5th choice.

I get that but 1-4 may not have been realistic options either, and there were many that were worse in my mind.
Personally if it wasn't and established big name TJ has a better chance of succeeding at ISU than the other Mid Majored rumored as options.