What a difference a year can make.

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Mississippi Clone

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Aug 6, 2016
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The guy that stayed with Steve Prohm at the expense of his own ambitions: ISU LEGEND.
I don't remember defending Steve Prohm, glad he is gone, and TJ has been great. I was just really emphasizing how good it is to watch good Cyclone basketball. Wish i could be in Hilton on Thursday, hope the students have something good planned for the JBo intro.
 

NoCreativity

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Nov 12, 2015
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The best part about TJ is we now have a sample size that he can actually coach. We know he will get players here, but I was worried about his in-game coaching and x's and o's. It's nice to have someone in the coaches box with some intensity instead of putting on chapstick the entire game.
 

oldman

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Nov 5, 2009
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I totally agree that Prohm needed to be moved on. But before this past dismal season, his record was 95-73 overall, with two Big 12 Tourney Championships and a Sweet 16. Not too shabby really, and he obviously could recruit -- Tyrese and THT as examples.

As far as the hiring of TJ, I'm pretty sure the process took more than two days -- that had been in the works probably halfway thru the season IMO.
 

Lafaester54

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Mar 18, 2011
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The best part about TJ is we now have a sample size that he can actually coach. We know he will get players here, but I was worried about his in-game coaching and x's and o's. It's nice to have someone in the coaches box with some intensity instead of putting on chapstick the entire game.
There will certainly be some ups and downs this season and in the future but it’s night and day form the Prohm era. I think we (me) deluded ourselves regarding Prohm’s coaching, he was in “over his head” as they say. TJ is in control and the future looks bright.
 

Sigmapolis

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The best part about TJ is we now have a sample size that he can actually coach. We know he will get players here, but I was worried about his in-game coaching and x's and o's. It's nice to have someone in the coaches box with some intensity instead of putting on chapstick the entire game.

I come to bury TJ, not to praise him.

All kidding aside...

I don't know if we know how good of an Xs and Os and game planner is TJ at this point. South Dakota State and UNLV with TJ at the helm certainly wasn't this intense or successful at the defensive end.

That being said, TJ deserves all the credit in the world for putting together an excellent staff, particularly Kyle Green. I have no doubt that is the source of the intensity and the discipline for defense. This team looks like those UNI/Jacobson teams at their best -- to the point they defeated senior Georges Niang!

I see some parallels with Campbell here. Campbell has a larger staff and a larger program to run, but he very much imbibes the "big picture" CEO about his job. I think TJ is doing a similar thing in trusting a talented staff to do its job, and the Heacock/Green defensive coordinator is the source of so much success.

Fault Prohm all you want, but one of his primary faults was a weak staff and weak hires after TJ and Berry left. Maybe Prohm is still here if he hired Kyle Green (who would bring AJ along with him), which might have fixed the problem the last two years -- no PG after Tyrese, and absolutely zero ***** given on defense.

But the past is the past. I'm happy with where we are now and trust the TJ/Green administration.
 

WhoISthis

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Oct 6, 2010
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The best part about TJ is we now have a sample size that he can actually coach. We know he will get players here, but I was worried about his in-game coaching and x's and o's. It's nice to have someone in the coaches box with some intensity instead of putting on chapstick the entire game.
8 games. There’s a lot of end of Prohm trauma built into your reaction. That train wreck has all excited for competency. Steve in 2015 (or TJ had he been hired) started off with much higher scrutiny.

Speaking of improvements. Getting Green was huge. Still can’t believe Steve wouldn’t make that change. I’m sure TJ spent time thinking why his UNLV team didn’t play well last year, and improved himself, but a good staff goes a long ways.
 
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Cyinthenorth

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Curious why you and others weren't a fan of the "way the TJ thing happened". JP had his man and knew he was a perfect fit from TJ's last tenure at ISU. It happened kind of similar to how the Hoiberg hiring happened. If Jamie was just hiring a friend, TJ would have had the job when Prohm got it. TJ was probably unqualified for the job back then, but has grown since. I'm sure there will eventually be a losing streak this season, but this team and coach have already exceeded all reasonable expectations.
I'll speak up to this. I was one of the not-super-thrilled-about-TJ crowd. I'm gladly eating crow right now, just like the rest of us, but my issue was more or less TJ's resume than it was anything else. I didn't have an issue with him being a friend of Pollard's or a buddy of CW's or anything like that. I did not think Pollard was taking the easy way out of the hiring process by taking a flier on a low-rent guy that he was familiar with in the midst of a global pandemic to pinch pennies for the athletic department, none of that.

My issue was entirely that TJ's resume, his body of work so to speak, was pretty meh coming in. He assistant coached for a guy out in Washington that ultimately was fired. He inherited a good basketball team at South Dakota State and had minor success there, nothing eye popping though. He then took the UNLV job which was a natural step up from SD St., and more of a project. He got a flier in year 1, but in my mind that team did not appear to be heading in the right direction when he left. The move to a Big 12 program like Iowa State seemed premature to me at the time. His lack of success, and really even experience had me really concerned for ISU in both the short and long term. Coming off the Prohm tenure, the basketball program could not afford to withstand another dud coach. We would be relegated to TCU, Nebraska, or Washington State levels of prestige. Dead basketball programs essentially. That has always been my fear with TJ. But to his credit, he came in with a plan and has proven me and a lot of people wrong. I hope he continues to do so.
 

Cyinthenorth

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I'd love to know what's going through Prohm's mind right now. After watching this rapid turnaround, he's probably contemplating selling insurance rather than coaching.
I feel bad for Steve. A good guy, just not a good basketball coach. He has a place in the sport I think, just not the man in charge.
 

Cyinthenorth

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LMAO. Not there quite yet. Although he will need to do better than pass on guys in favor of keeping Johnson, Hinson, and Foster. That won't cut it.
I don't fault the man for it, but having the Hawkins kid that was lighting it up against the other night would be GREAT for this team...and could have been ours. It was a missed opportunity, but I respect TJ for letting the incumbents who said they wanted to stay at the time, stay.
 
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Cyinthenorth

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The best part about TJ is we now have a sample size that he can actually coach. We know he will get players here, but I was worried about his in-game coaching and x's and o's. It's nice to have someone in the coaches box with some intensity instead of putting on chapstick the entire game.
Chugging Aquafina is way more intimidating than lathering on chapstick.
 

CyLyte2

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Dec 3, 2020
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Every bit of Prohm’s “success” at Iowa State was due to Fred Hoiberg. Steve Prohm SUCKED and we have no idea what his first two teams COULD have accomplished with a real coach.
 

BigBake

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Mar 17, 2006
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I'll speak up to this. I was one of the not-super-thrilled-about-TJ crowd. I'm gladly eating crow right now, just like the rest of us, but my issue was more or less TJ's resume than it was anything else. I didn't have an issue with him being a friend of Pollard's or a buddy of CW's or anything like that. I did not think Pollard was taking the easy way out of the hiring process by taking a flier on a low-rent guy that he was familiar with in the midst of a global pandemic to pinch pennies for the athletic department, none of that.

My issue was entirely that TJ's resume, his body of work so to speak, was pretty meh coming in. He assistant coached for a guy out in Washington that ultimately was fired. He inherited a good basketball team at South Dakota State and had minor success there, nothing eye popping though. He then took the UNLV job which was a natural step up from SD St., and more of a project. He got a flier in year 1, but in my mind that team did not appear to be heading in the right direction when he left. The move to a Big 12 program like Iowa State seemed premature to me at the time. His lack of success, and really even experience had me really concerned for ISU in both the short and long term. Coming off the Prohm tenure, the basketball program could not afford to withstand another dud coach. We would be relegated to TCU, Nebraska, or Washington State levels of prestige. Dead basketball programs essentially. That has always been my fear with TJ. But to his credit, he came in with a plan and has proven me and a lot of people wrong. I hope he continues to do so.

Same, but I'm extremely happy to have been wrong.

Apparently we can't say that though without some on this board jumping up and down and pointing fingers like 10 year olds.
 

Cyinthenorth

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Same, but I'm extremely happy to have been wrong.

Apparently we can't say that though without some on this board jumping up and down and pointing fingers like 10 year olds.
Some people have a need to be right and need to point out when others are wrong and say I told you so. Must be a miserable existence!
 

cyclone87

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Apr 6, 2011
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Who cares if you were right or wrong. Can’t we all just be happy for ISU bball and the start we’ve had so far. I have an opinion on it too, I’m just happy for the energy around the program now and watching good bball with guys that are bought in. The past is the past.
 
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Gunnerclone

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Who cares if you were right or wrong. Can’t we all just be happy for ISU bball and the start we’ve had so far. I have an opinion on it too, I’m just happy for the energy around the program now and watching good bball with guys that are bought in. The past is the past.

If no one takes any medicine then we won’t improve as a message board community. They will just do it again next time.
 
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