.

[fsanford]

Having teenagers around the house, I have observed if there is any species that has big swings in focus, its them

If the focus times > the not focused times, it turns out pretty well overall.

Also I think you will find people who post on message boards tend to be a bit more competitive than your average fan of said team. It takes time and effort to debate fellow fans. So collectively folks on boards, probably have a harder time letting go of losses

Full disclosure I will yell at the tv during the game, like that will help, but I am a competitive guy. But I try to follow the approach of what players in sports must take, you have to let things go almost immediately, because your focus has to turn to the next team.


Sports message boards would be an interesting psychological study.

 

[throwittoblythe]

I agree with all the folks talking about perspective. In the grand scheme of the universe, this is a game and none of it matters...but then what's the point of having a CF fan site in the first place? To debate and vent about your favorite team.

Here's my issue...I want to get to a place where these types of games rarely happen. Every good team will always have a game where things go pear shaped. KU, Duke, Kentucky, etc...they almost never go undefeated into the tourney anyway. So, it happens to the best of them. That being said, it feels like we have multiple games every year (in football and basketball) when we get in our own way and lose a game we could have easily won.

I guess that's sports, but it feels like games like the TCU and KSU games are what separates ISU from making that final leap into the upper echelon.

 

[3TrueFans]

Sometimes, I think people need perspective. From losing my mom 3 years ago, to putting my favorite (and young, 4 year old) dog down due to kidney failure in September, the outcome of a basketball game just pales in comparison.

 

[jbindm]

I'm over it. There's another game on Saturday. And if we get a little help from TCU tonight and/or Texas tomorrow night, it'll be a huge opportunity.

 

[NATEizKING]

Ranked #21 in the country, NC State scored 24 points for an entire game at home. They went 9-54 (16.7%) from the field and 2-28 (7.1%) from 3. Sometimes you just chunk it, at least we didn't chunk it that bad.

They still received votes last week too.

 

[RoseClone]

I used to deal with this kind of stuff horribly. It would ruin my day and in turn I would ruin everyone else's around me as well as scare my dogs.

About 5 years ago I came to the realization of how stupid that was. I have so many more interests that bring me happiness that I have moved ISU athletics way down on my list of priorities. While I still try to catch games on TV if I can, it's not a "drop everything else" situation for me anymore. If I have my choice of riding my bike, entering a pool tournament, hanging with the grandkids or watching an ISU game, I don't choose the game.

In short, these losses (and a lot of things in life) roll off my back with a mere shake of the head these days and I'm in a way better place because it.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I know, I know. Just how I see it now. Believe me, there were times in the past where a loss was all consuming (which is stupid), but that time has passed.

 

[coolerifyoudid]

If we can bounce back with some road wins, we can balance out the loss (we can't erase it clearly). All home losses sting, but there is still room to recover. Unfortunately, we no longer hold our destiny in our hands and have to hope for some surprise losses from others.

 

[Cyched]

I remember having a similar “WTF???” reaction when Kane and Ejim’s team went to Morgantown and lost by 30. Hoping this was another anomaly type game

 

[MartyFine]

I mean honestly, look at this defensive effort...

 

[madguy30]

I'm going to guess 4-3 to finish (5-2 if we find a way to take down K State).

I'd love either if they happen.

Saturday will be telling.

Not saying it will define anything but if the team comes out and gets blasted the hole is that much deeper. Hopefully they're revived a bit and put together a really nice game.

 

[madguy30]

I mean honestly, look at this defensive effort...

One problem there is lack of communication from many players.

 

[Cydkar]

First, let me say that I am not comparing any fan's disappointments with the team. Obviously, the team and the coaches experience losses in a much more tangible way.

However, we've had two really tough losses at home this year. The KSU was one of the most visceral, anger inducing losses I've experienced as a fan in a long time. My wife went on a 10 minute rant when we got back to the car about it. Fans around me were absolutely pissed. TCU on Saturday was just such a gut punch. Totally dead crowd (and I don't blame us one bit), totally dead effort, in a game with basically a championship on the line. I brought a friend of mine who had never been to a college basketball game ever. That was his first experience. Imagine sucking on that one.

Sometimes as fans we let losses stick in our craw. I haven't been online since the game because I've just not wanted to think about it.

I'm asking that we don't let this get us down as fans. I popped on and looked at the NET rankings again this morning. We're still #16. Based on the first committee release of the rankings, we can expect the NET rankings to track very well with the seeds. This has been my expectation all year. We are still in a great position to get a top 4 seed and maybe be in DSM.

ISU has had a top 4 seed only 5 times in their history.

This is with Wigginton being hurt for a good part of the noncon. This is with Lard being both injured and suspended. This is with incorporating a lot of freshman and new players, at various points in the season, without really being able to let lineups gel.

I still think this team is a great team. I think this has been a remarkable turnaround (do we honestly forget about how bad last year was?) and I'm extremely proud of Prohm and the guys on the team. We are still in the midst of what I think is the greatest sustained era of great play in Cyclone basketball history.

Those home losses sucked balls. But let's not lose sight of what has been a tremendous season by any measure. Thanks to all of the coaches and players who have made it happen, and let's still finish the year strong!

(TLDR, I know.)

I'm pretty over it. Championship teams don't play like that at home so now it's about winning as many as possible to get a good seed and make a run in the tourney. If the team plays good it can be really good but it can also be pretty bad, apparently.

 

[Cydkar]

KSU loss was different. That was just a team that didn't close against another good team. This loss is just bad. Just a horrible defensive effort. That is likely from guys coming out thinking they could sleep walk to a win instead of having to show up and prove it.

They didn't seem to care so we decided to leave early. Granted, we were down 20 or so.

 

[chuckd4735]

KSU loss was different. That was just a team that didn't close against another good team. This loss is just bad. Just a horrible defensive effort. That is likely from guys coming out thinking they could sleep walk to a win instead of having to show up and prove it.

Agree. I said this in another thread, but prior to the KSU game, Prohm said in his pre-game interview he was nearly 100% sure that Wade wouldn't be playing, so I think the team was blindsided when he not only played, but started. Not an excuse, but it was probably a factor. Also, the students were gone for that game and it was a snowy day. Again, not excuses, but factors. Saturday was completely inexcusable.

 

[DurangoCy]

It's been two days and I'm still mad. Food doesn't taste the same, birds aren't singing , and it's a cold damp world.

...might be because I burnt my tongue on coffee this morning and there's a bit of a blizzard outside, but I think they're related to ISU forgetting how to play hoops on saturday.

 

[surly]

It was 9. It was a horrible loss where the team straight up got their asses kicked. Zero excuse for it. That said, to my original post, the season has been a rousing success and I don't want to linger on it.

Wowzer, that just does not reflect the difference in those two teams. I would have thought ISU -3 or so. TCU is favored to beat Ku tonight.

 

[FinalFourCy]

Here's my issue...I want to get to a place where these types of games rarely happen. Every good team will always have a game where things go pear shaped. KU, Duke, Kentucky, etc...they almost never go undefeated into the tourney anyway. So, it happens to the best of them. That being said, it feels like we have multiple games every year (in football and basketball) when we get in our own way and lose a game we could have easily won.

I guess that's sports, but it feels like games like the TCU and KSU games are what separates ISU from making that final leap into the upper echelon.

If you’re bringing football and seasons prior to 2015-16 into this, you’re getting carried away imo. Other than our disappointment, there’s really no commonality with football. Well, except that in both sports to take the next leap we’re generally competing with more established programs with better resources.

Plus, the mere fact that this loss is one of the worst in terms of let down says, no, we don’t have multiple of these games every year. They already do rarely happen (when we have a good team), we just remember them more.

Do they happen more to us than KU, Duke, Kentucky? Well, they ******* should, those are historically elite programs (and cheaters), that have a huge head start. But if we’re being honest, we don’t have more “get in our own way” losses, they just are more damaging because the blue bloods have less of the “outclassed” losses.

 

[throwittoblythe]

If you’re bringing football and seasons prior to 2015-16 into this, you’re getting carried away imo. Other than our disappointment, there’s really no commonality with football. Well, except that in both sports to take the next leap we’re generally competing with more established programs with better resources.

Plus, the mere fact that this loss is one of the worst in terms of let down says, no, we don’t have multiple of these games every year. They already do rarely happen (when we have a good team), we just remember them more.

Do they happen more to us than KU, Duke, Kentucky? Well, they ******* should, those are historically elite programs (and cheaters), that have a huge head start. But if we’re being honest, we don’t have more l “get in our own way” losses, they just are more damaging because the blue bloods have less of the “outclassed” losses.

Good points and I like your perspective. It sure feels like we've been on the cusp of something big a few times, and then trip up along the way. We have a chance to win the conference outright. It would be much more palatable if we had to beat KU or someone similar to win the conference and lose. Instead, we lose a game like this to a team we should have easily beaten. That's the part that's tough for me to swallow.

That being said, it all comes down to how you play in March and this team still has plenty of opportunity to do something special.

 

[Cardinal2001]

I hope they can, but I don't see TCU putting 2 games together back to back. Plus KU will remember how to defend a drive on the basket, even without Vick.