4-8 Chris Williams Blog

[ChrisMWilliams]

Random Notes

I don’t have much analysis on last night’s championship game but I do have one classic error to point out. Did anybody else catch ESPN’s pre game show?

If you didn’t, check this out.

Awful Announcing: Reliving Shelley Smith's Report Before Last Night's Game

Priceless.

Did anybody else find Roy Williams was sitting in the front row wearing a KU shirt annoying? I’m sorry. I don’t like to be that annoying guy who gets way too worked up about trivial things, but if I was a front-runner North Carolina fan (they are all over the place) that wouldn’t sit well with me.

Williams is a class guy. He wasn’t trying to be malicious but he shouldn’t have done that. Williams gets paid $1.8 million a year plus incentives by North Carolina, not Kansas. He left Kansas. Point - Show up in a powder-blue polo and root for Kansas Roy. If you want to wear KU gear or even a Jayhawk sticker, fine do it at home but not on national television.

QUARTERBACKS


I saw in today’s Omaha World Herald another story about this “quarterback controversy†brewing in Ames. I still think this is a non-story and it’s getting blown way out of proportion. Unless Arnaud completely tanks and Bates came out of nowhere this spring (which numerous people have told me is not the case), this is Austen’s job to lose. Having said that, I’m all for letting Bates take snaps every now and then. That could be deadly. Bates is an awesome athlete and has the potential to be the most explosive player on Iowa State’s roster.

QUESTION FOR THE FANATICS

I’m a curious guy. What are your expectations for this football season? How many games do you feel is realistic? I work around all sorts of Nebraska fans and sometimes I just want to slap them in the face and scream WAKE UP! A good portion of those people actually are talking BCS for the Huskers next season. It’s the same stuff we heard when Frank Solich was fired and the savior of Nebraska football Bill Callahan was hired.

So be realistic. What do you think the Clones can do in 2008?

OTHER NOTES

• Today the Kansas City Royals will host the New York Yankees in their home opener. New York’s payroll in 2008 is just over $209 million. Kansas City’s is just over $58 million. My Pick – With Brian Bannister on the hill, I’ll take the Royals by three runs.

This makes me laugh.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un_PjRXV5l8]YouTube - Tom Mabe funny phone call[/ame]

 

[wheels686]

I don't mind Roy Williams wearing a Kansas Shirt, he was there for 15 years and has said he would never play Kansas unless it was in the tournament. He seems genuine about his whole experience there. I do miss the Roy Willams, Tim Floyd battles we used to have with them every year though.

Hey Chris, got any updates for basketball recruiting?

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

Not right now...dead period during the Final 4 so things have been pretty quiet for the last week. Things should pick up starting this weekend though.

 

[keepngoal]

Great links.....
Roy it was in bad taste
Go Royals (can't stand MLB, but for the Royals)
another prediction thread... cool. (4 wins acceptable, 5 wins expected, 6 or more I will dance in the streets more or less clothed)

-keep.

 

[CYdTracked]

Chris, my realistic expectation for the football team this fall is 4 to 5 wins. Some people here might think that is a pessimistic prediction but I do think we still have a lot of work to do on the defensive side of the ball and you are throwing some inexpirienced players into the fire at some key positions on both sides, especially the crucial QB spot. I'm glad Arnaud got the snaps he did last season but he's still a first year starter and with that comes some added pressure and expectations to deal with too so I expect some good games but also some poor ones from him as he learns what it is going to take to compete as the every game starter.

 

[CyinCo]

The youtube video at the end is HILARIOUS. Man, I wish I was good enought at improv to come up with stuff like that.

Chris, my REALISTIC wins for 2008 are 6. Optimistically, I think ISU could even do better than that. In the end, I'd really like to see a bowl game no matter what. I'd even take the blue turf again as long as we went somewhere as it would build more hope and momentum for a realtively young team.

 

[kentkel]

I believe that 6 wins are realistic:
SDS, Kent State, Iowa, UNLV, Neb, Baylor OR Colorado OR Kansas State

I will be ecstatic if we get 7 or more. I think the last game - Kansas State - could be especially interesting if both teams are at the 6 win total & needing one more for an almost guaranteed bowl bid.

 

[SSSSState]

Roy Williams should do whatever he wants. He has many great relationships with people still at Kansas and he was supporting them more than anything.

 

[JonDMiller]

"""I saw in today’s Omaha World Herald another story about this “quarterback controversy” brewing in Ames. I still think this is a non-story and it’s getting blown way out of proportion. Unless Arnaud completely tanks and Bates came out of nowhere this spring (which numerous people have told me is not the case), this is Austen’s job to lose. Having said that, I’m all for letting Bates take snaps every now and then. That could be deadly. Bates is an awesome athlete and has the potential to be the most explosive player on Iowa State’s roster."""

I think there is a brewing controversy, but not in who will win the job. Austen is going to be the QB. The controversy is how will that sit with Bates, and will he want to go elsewhere, because they are both soph's to be. If he would leave, ISU is one injury away from a nightmare.

 

[Cydkar]

Roy Williams - Bad form buddy. Bad form. That screamed "Look at me!"

 

[JonDMiller]

Shelly Smith should be real pissed off at the editing person. That was not a live shot. It should have been edited. Starting over on stand ups happens all the time. You just dont see those.

 

[HandSanitizer]

I agree about Bates being a good athlete, but they need to use him more creatively than putting him in to run each time. He must have had -57 yards on 5 carries last year.


as far as wins....6-7 would be nice. really hoping for 7 to get us in a bowl

 

[pulse]

I totally agree on Arnaud. He's the QB. Its great that Bates is pushing him, but Arnaud will be the starter. Which is perfectly fine, you have to have a good backup. The starter is one play away from going down. We need depth at QB and we're developing it which is fantastic. Arnaud was hurt last year and he wasn't even the starter so Bates playing QB is a good thing.

Roy Boy is such a weenie. He's sucking up to KU, but like you said his very large paycheck is coming from UNC which got BEAT by KU. Not cool at all. KU isn't even his alma mater, UNC is!

 

[Tornado man]

Gee, I gathered that the popular opinion here was that Chizik needs to "get his own players" in the program to lay a foundation. Well, Arnaud is a Mac recruit. ??????

 

[bmuff]

I have a feeling that the competition will be "too close to call" by the end of Spring. That will allow for honest hard competition through the summer and into the fall. I'm betting that they do not name a starter until a couple of weeks before the first game...even though Arnaud will have it basically wrapped up well before then.

As for this season's results, I am expecting 5-7, but 6-6 and a minor bowl would be a nice surprise.

 

[cyismydog]

Not right now...dead period during the Final 4 so things have been pretty quiet for the last week. Things should pick up starting this weekend though.

Chris, who do the coaches believe we have the best shot at for '09? (Besides Thames)

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

Shelly Smith should be real pissed off at the editing person. That was not a live shot. It should have been edited. Starting over on stand ups happens all the time. You just dont see those.

Agreed...but that still doesn't explain why she freaked out in between shots...that's why you're always taught in J-school just to stop and start over again. You never know when somebody else is going to drop the ball.

 

[cycloneryan]

5-6 wins are realistic, 7 wins possible, 8 wins would be a dream season, more than 8 would be too much for me to handle

 

[erikbj]

I think both need to play - maybe it's not 50/50, but Bates needs to be on the field as long as he is productive. if bates leads them to a couple 3 and outs, then Arnaud sees all the reps adn Bates is catching passes.

I think 6 wins is realistic, it depends on teh Defense. I think the Offense will be ok, the O-line should be the best since 2002 which should result in a better running game. If the Defense shows up early this season and they start off 4-0, confidence will take them to 6 wins possibly more.

 

[d4cy]

I think that we'll get 6 wins, but its just so hard to predict. I think we *should* win all non-conference games. I really expect to beat Iowa this year, and see no reason why we shouldn't, despite playing in Iowa City. As far as conference goes, I think we can beat Nebraska at home --we witnessed how first season's under new coaching regimes can go. Nebraska, undoubtedly has more talent than we do, but I still think they'll go through their growing pains. Also, I think we can get K-State OR Baylor for away conference games. Who would have thought that our toughest conference games will likely be Kansas and Missourri. crazy.

What do you think Chris???