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Campbell versus ranked teams

Coincidentally, I was talking about this with my dad this weekend. He still is a staunch McCarney supporter, but also understands that MC is taking us to places we have never been (topic of the thread). I gently reminded him that when you don't have any history worth remembering (or worthy of remembering), it is pretty easy to rewrite it.

I offer up K State as an example. Look at their history pre Vampire. They had a pretty good run around the turn of the century (the 20th century) and then 50 years of a .400 ceiling (at best, which interestingly enough, they never hit). Place that record next to Iowa State's. Similar stretch around the turn of the century. The difference is our ceiling was a little higher (.400 was fairly attainable with a few .500 teams sprinkled in). Bottom line is our histories weren't great and those that are old enough to remember hang on to "the good times" (like my dad and McCarney).

I happen to believe that our football team (and their success / record) is a direct reflection of the University's commitment to the athletic department and the sport. Which is why I think what we are seeing, on a bigger scale, is a shift from "Iowa State the stepping stone", to "Iowa State the destination". Think about it, if you have "everything you need", why would you go anywhere else? MC is doing some heavy lifting, but he hasn't done all of it. McCarney, Rhoads, and dare I say, Chizik, all played a part in this, and I think without them, we don't have a Matt Campbell coaching us right now. Keep him happy and he will be our Vampire. Here is my hot take. If MC stays, University Blvd. will eventually be called Matt Campbell Way. The best part is, if I am correct, it will have been one hell of a ride to get there and I can't wait to bear witness to it.

Go Cyclones!
 
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kirk89gt said:
Coincidentally, I was talking about this with my dad this weekend. He still is a staunch McCarney supporter, but also understands that MC is taking us to places we have never been (topic of the thread). I gently reminded him that when you don't have any history worth remembering (or worthy of remembering), it is pretty easy to rewrite it.

I offer up K State as an example. Look at their history pre Vampire. They had a pretty good run around the turn of the century (the 20th century) and then 50 years of a .400 ceiling (at best, which interestingly enough, they never hit). Place that record next to Iowa State's. Similar stretch around the turn of the century. The difference is our ceiling was a little higher (.400 was fairly attainable with a few .500 teams sprinkled in). Bottom line is our histories weren't great and those that are old enough to remember hang on to "the good times" (like my dad and McCarney).

I happen to believe that our football team (and their success / record) is a direct reflection of the University's commitment to the athletic department and the sport. Which is why I think what we are seeing, on a bigger scale, is a shift from "Iowa State the stepping stone", to "Iowa State the destination". Think about it, if you have "everything you need", why would you go anywhere else? MC is doing some heavy lifting, but he hasn't done all of it. McCarney, Rhoads, and dare I say, Chizik, all played a part in this, and I think without them, we don't have a Matt Campbell coaching us right now. Keep him happy and he will be our Vampire. Here is my hot take. If MC stays, University Blvd. will eventually be called Matt Campbell Way. The best part is, if I am correct, it will have been one hell of a ride to get there and I can't wait to bear witness to it.

Go Cyclones!
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Agree that a lot of people are owed a piece of the success, with MC and JP being the big two, probably with Mac up there as well.

But as you said, there's a lot more to it. The 80s and 90s had periods of incompetence from the AD position and anti-athletics views from the President's Office. ISU hasn't suffered from either in a long time, which helps.

It's also important to note that in recent years the "have-nots" like ISU benefited tremendously from the huge TV dollars. Everybody benefited, but the marginal utility of going from dirt poor to rich (like ISU did) is much greater than going from rich to even richer (like the blue-bloods did). You have to have the right people in place to capitalize on it, which ISU does, but all the ingredients needed for ISU to make a big jump have been in place.
 
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I think the original athletics attitude shift may have started with Gene Smith (I think that was his name?). I think he's currently the AD of Ohio State.

ISU just seems to have always been a place where amazing coaches and staff go to get their feet wet and then move on. Now it is starting to feel like a good place to stay.
 
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A real conference championship (not a tie for the North Division) will really cement MC as the GOAT of ISU football coaches. I don't think ISU has ever won a conference championship outright. And those 1911 and 1912 teams were in the Missouri Valley, I think.
 
quasistellar said:
I think the original athletics attitude shift may have started with Gene Smith (I think that was his name?). I think he's currently the AD of Ohio State.

ISU just seems to have always been a place where amazing coaches and staff go to get their feet wet and then move on. Now it is starting to feel like a good place to stay.
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I think Smith did some pretty good things with what he had in terms of resources, which wasn't a whole lot. Hired McCarney, Floyd, Eustachey and Fennelly, so tough to argue with that. I don't know what Jischke was like as a president in terms of athletics, but there wasn't the big TV money to boost a football program.

From what I have heard, Eaton (president before Jischke) had an adversarial relationship with athletics. But then again, we was at the helm during the Criner violations, so maybe that was a big reason.

One other factor is conference stability. It looked like we had some momentum under Rhoads when the Big 12 realignment debacle hit. How much that fed into Rhoads' struggles the last half of his time here I'm not sure, but it certainly didn't help and he never recovered. Personally I don't think he would've succeeded long-term anyway, but the conference mess probably contributed to his drop-off.
 
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CysRage said:
He's more giddy about Oklahoma and Texas playoff chances spiraling down the toilet than ISU's performance.
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12 data points wasn't enough when the Big 12 could get screwed, needed to be 13 that year.

This year 9 data points will be AMAZING and 11 data points will be considered a negative.

Committee exists for only one reason, to prop up Big Ten. SEC doesn't need the help.
 
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AuH2O said:
Agree that a lot of people are owed a piece of the success, with MC and JP being the big two, probably with Mac up there as well.

But as you said, there's a lot more to it. The 80s and 90s had periods of incompetence from the AD position and anti-athletics views from the President's Office. ISU hasn't suffered from either in a long time, which helps.

It's also important to note that in recent years the "have-nots" like ISU benefited tremendously from the huge TV dollars. Everybody benefited, but the marginal utility of going from dirt poor to rich (like ISU did) is much greater than going from rich to even richer (like the blue-bloods did). You have to have the right people in place to capitalize on it, which ISU does, but all the ingredients needed for ISU to make a big jump have been in place.
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The only thing Iowa State Football lacks is 300 3-Star or better players a year in the State of Iowa to choose from. The loyal fan base is certainly a plus, as well as the small town atmosphere for the right coach. Go Cyclones!
 
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