Blum: Past and present

[CycloneGB]

Lots of fans got big heads after a few big upsets by Rhoads and this program. Remember that they were just that, upsets.. We are still a bottom of the pack Big 12 team, but the fact that we got those upsets showed that it was possible at Iowa State. Prior to those wins, we never knocked off the big boys, but Rhoads proved it was possible.

All of a sudden people got to thinking this was the norm for some reason. All of a sudden we were going to be this 8-10 win team in year 5 because it was "the magic year" and "Rhoads finally has his guys" and we've beaten these ranked teams consistently.

At ISU, it will never be easy. Period. The Baylor loss was awful, but those types of losses used to be the norm, and now they have been few and far between in the Rhoads area. Hell, the fact that we are mad about it should show you exactly where we are compared to about 10-12 years ago.

People expected too much, too quickly, for a team that has been a perennial door mat. It just don't happen like that.

 

[Wesley]

I'm gonna be honest, I cannot really stomach the articles you and Williams have been putting out lately. Maybe as pro-ISU commentators its your job to pull punches and polish turds. Maybe you like the coaches and don't want to write critical things about them. Maybe you're worried that you'll lose access to the team (which I'm sure is important to the business of the site).

That said, I don't think you're doing ISU football any favors by drinking Kool aid and propagating an "in Rhoads we trust" echo chamber. You two are beginning to remind me of Iraqi press minister from the second Gulf war: declaring victories while US troops are marching into Bagdad.

As Chizbang found out, he did not win with his two fishing buddies. When he went Tiger, he had a great OC and won the NC and wrote a best seller. Then he was back to his fishing buddies again. Now he is a commentator.

The point is for the talent we have/will recruit, we need a Fred Hoiberg type OC.

 

[rjkbroker]

in any private business.....Mess would be fired already.....we will see at year end ---this is what they pay Rhoads to do....make tough decisions....even though this is an easy decision. One way fast to bring yourself down is too much loyalty to someone that is not doing the job....it could not be more obvious that the offensive coordinator is a joke.

 

[Luth4Cy]

This is a problem given that they keep score in these games.

You get my point though. People tend to always look at the last game and ignore the big picture.

 

[Wesley]

You get my point though. People tend to always look at the last game and ignore the big picture.

The big picture is 1-5 with the two Okies still to play and several road games.

 

[isucyfan]

I'm gonna be honest, I cannot really stomach the articles you and Williams have been putting out lately. Maybe as pro-ISU commentators its your job to pull punches and polish turds. Maybe you like the coaches and don't want to write critical things about them. Maybe you're worried that you'll lose access to the team (which I'm sure is important to the business of the site).

That said, I don't think you're doing ISU football any favors by drinking Kool aid and propagating an "in Rhoads we trust" echo chamber. You two are beginning to remind me of Iraqi press minister from the second Gulf war: declaring victories while US troops are marching into Bagdad.

I think you should cancel your CycloneFanatic subscription and ask for all of your money back.

I enjoy the articles immensely.

 

[Clonefan94]

Lots of fans got big heads after a few big upsets by Rhoads and this program. Remember that they were just that, upsets.. We are still a bottom of the pack Big 12 team, but the fact that we got those upsets showed that it was possible at Iowa State. Prior to those wins, we never knocked off the big boys, but Rhoads proved it was possible.

All of a sudden people got to thinking this was the norm for some reason. All of a sudden we were going to be this 8-10 win team in year 5 because it was "the magic year" and "Rhoads finally has his guys" and we've beaten these ranked teams consistently.

At ISU, it will never be easy. Period. The Baylor loss was awful, but those types of losses used to be the norm, and now they have been few and far between in the Rhoads area. Hell, the fact that we are mad about it should show you exactly where we are compared to about 10-12 years ago.

People expected too much, too quickly, for a team that has been a perennial door mat. It just don't happen like that.

I don't agree with this at all. Especially the "Lots of fans" idea. I think a lot of fans were expecting, based on what Rhoads' teams have done in the past, to be competitive. I do believe most ISU fans are expecting 8 wins eventually, but I don't know too many who thought it was going to happen this year. I really believe most fans look at this as a building process. We were just hoping that the days of losing to UNI and getting blown out by 60+ points at home were gone.

I know a lot of people here keep referencing the 80s and 90s, I was a fan as a kid, graduated from ISU in '94 and I've seen a lot happen as well. To say this season isn't as bad as any of those is a bit of a stretch at this point. Based on what I have seen so far, we still could have a couple big blowouts coming our way this year. There is nothing I have seen from the play on the field that makes me think things will improve. We are going to have to run into the right team on the wrong day for them to be able to win another game this year. When you add that up to losing to UNI and the Baylor blowout, we really aren't too far from those days in the 80s and 90s. It's certainly not as bad yet, but these magic, "Wait til next year" scenarios that keep getting thrown around for the offensive line and just the offense in general are getting pretty pathetic.

And then, I guess my final thing is a question, Why can't ISU fans expect more? I am pretty sick of people always telling me that, "Eh this is what you get." I don't believe it, but if that attitude is still here, then I don't want any part of it. It wasn't that long ago that I was being told it was all about support, the fans had to do their part, give their money. Well the fans stepped up. And i don't believe that they all think we should be getting at least 8 wins a year, if they are thinking that, well, I can't blame them, because that is the piece of the pie they were sold.

I still believe fans would have accepted a 2-10 season this year pretty easily. Two teams you had to beat were UNI and Tulsa. After that, all they really had to do was look like they belonged on the field. We haven't even gotten that.

 

[Land Grant]

Reasonable people can disagree. Good writers welcome all sorts of responses if offered without malice. And just because something is free doesn't set it beyond criticism. (Plus I'm sure the site counts my traffic in their business reports).

I think you should cancel your CycloneFanatic subscription and ask for all of your money back.

I enjoy the articles immensely.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

Reasonable people can disagree. Good writers welcome all sorts of responses if offered without malice. And just because something is free doesn't set it beyond criticism. (Plus I'm sure the site counts my traffic in their business reports).

Don't worry about it. People tell me I suck all of the time. I'm used to it. Thanks for all of the lucrative traffic.

 

[Wesley]

Don't worry about it. People tell me I suck all of the time. I'm used to it. Thanks for all of the lucrative traffic.

CW, you are having a much better year than the football team.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

CW, you are having a much better year than the football team.

Ha. Thanks pal.

In all seriousness, Land Grant is right. We aren't above criticism. It's part of the deal. You don't get into this line of work without expecting it.

 

[brentblum]

Reasonable people can disagree. Good writers welcome all sorts of responses if offered without malice. And just because something is free doesn't set it beyond criticism. (Plus I'm sure the site counts my traffic in their business reports).

Thanks for your input. Criticize away. An Iowa State professor once told me, "People prefer to read the negative." That is not my style. Being angry never really appealed to me as a writer; if that means I am "pulling punches" as you say, then so be it.

 

[Land Grant]

Don't worry about it. People tell me I suck all of the time. I'm used to it. Thanks for all of the lucrative traffic.

So you find nothing of substance in my criticism? (which it should be noted was not directed at your skill or talent, but rather the content of your arguments). Fair enough.

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

So you find nothing of substance in my criticism? (which it should be noted was not directed at your skill or talent, but rather the content of your arguments). Fair enough.

I didn't say that at all. You were commenting on how it is fair to criticize us, and I agreed 100 percent. It happens all of the time. I respect and take it into account, but am not going to lose any sleep over it. If I worried about every little thing that somebody doesn't like that I write, I would live a miserable life.

 

[LutherBlue]

I know a lot of people here keep referencing the 80s and 90s, I was a fan as a kid, graduated from ISU in '94 and I've seen a lot happen as well. To say this season isn't as bad as any of those is a bit of a stretch at this point. Based on what I have seen so far, we still could have a couple big blowouts coming our way this year. There is nothing I have seen from the play on the field that makes me think things will improve. We are going to have to run into the right team on the wrong day for them to be able to win another game this year. When you add that up to losing to UNI and the Baylor blowout, we really aren't too far from those days in the 80s and 90s. It's certainly not as bad yet, but these magic, "Wait til next year" scenarios that keep getting thrown around for the offensive line and just the offense in general are getting pretty pathetic.

We are of similar vintage and I completely agree with you.

 

[NATEizKING]

The biggest improvement we can make for next year is to stay healthy.

 

[rholtgraves]

That was a such a horrible piece. There was no substance. Just blind optimism.

 

[Rabbuk]

That was a such a horrible piece. There was no substance. Just blind optimism.

Is this an analogy for the program as a whole?

 

[Bigman38]

JFC some of you guys are wound tight. I count 4 sentences in that entire article that I would describe as optimistic.

CW & Blum - Thanks for the articles, the amount of content you guys are able to put out on a free site is greatly appreciated. Keep it up.

 

[Wesley]

The o-line is bad but I'm still of the opinion the d-line is somewhat solid, we just haven't seen it for the last couple weeks due to the quality of the opponent.

How bad is the oline?
The line is so bad that .......NASCAR has found a new race track to the qb.

How bad is the OC?
The OC is so bad that ...the Kardashians could call the plays.