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Coach Mac

I believe Mac's program did go downhill and the ship was sinking fast. Look at the facts.
-losing record to all big 12 teams over the past four years
-bottom of big 12 recruiting the last three years
-last place in big 12 this season
-terrible record in close and OT games
-could easily have gone winless this season
If you look at the posters, press guide etc. Mac had his picture plastered all over the cover. He was first out of the tunnel, which I found strange and he had become a big self promoter.
His wife rode the bus to the stadium at away games, whick I didn't think much of. (She got out crying at the CU game, a great way to fire up the team) and Mac didn't seem to recognize good coaching talent.
He had some very good asst. coaches along the way, but apparently that was by accident or he would have recognized how weak Barney C was.
And to top it off, apparently, no one wants him.
I'm sure he was a great guy and he did improve the program, but his best days at ISU were over. I hope he lands a good job, but I'm also glad for a new start.
 
ketelmeister said:
His wife rode the bus to the stadium at away games, whick I didn't think much of. (She got out crying at the CU game, a great way to fire up the team)
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As stated in the past, let's leave Mac's wife out of it. She made no game day decisions nor any personal decisions. Fire away at Mac, but leave his family out of it.
 
CJohn, my point was not to take a shot at Mac's wife. From what I've heard she is very well like by all, had players over for dinner etc. The decision on her riding the bus was made by the head coach and that is what I was questioning. I was there when the players got off at the CU game, and the ensuing scene was a downer for everyone, players included. As a Coach, that is a decision that he made and I felt it is the wrong one.
 
ketelmeister said:
CJohn, my point was not to take a shot at Mac's wife. From what I've heard she is very well like by all, had players over for dinner etc. The decision on her riding the bus was made by the head coach and that is what I was questioning. I was there when the players got off at the CU game, and the ensuing scene was a downer for everyone, players included. As a Coach, that is a decision that he made and I felt it is the wrong one.
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I do understand exactly where you are going. I mainly wanted to stop any disparaging comments about his wife before they got started.
 
Ed said:
So what? I did not say ISU NEVER beat a top 20 team. The fact is in the history of ISU FB ver FEW times have we beat a top twenty team. Sure we beat a couple in the 70s. We had a couple of good coaches in Majors and Bruce, they left and ISU football became the worst in the NCAA. Mac was hired and got us out of that hole. If you cannot see that you don't know anything about football. Mac took ISU FB at least to the same level as Majors and Bruce, but was not able to keep the mometum going. We slide back this year and a change was made. That doesn't mean Mac was a bad coach, he just was good enough to get ISU to a level we have NEVER been able to reach. Hopefully GC will, but if he does he will be the FIRST coach in ISU history to get us to that level.
Meanwhile Mac is a talented coach and will end up with a good job somewhere - and deservedly so.
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If you are saying that Mac took the program to the level that Earle Bruce had it before he left for tosu, then that tells me to not even try to argue with you because it wouldn't be fair.
 
cloneatlaw said:
Alaska --
You're right. Iowa State was good in the 70's. But remember the late 80's / early 90's? We were pathetic, and the losing streak to Iowa was pretty embarassing. People who think that MAC did so little have unreasonably high expectations. I don't think that anybody is arguing that the guy should win coach of the century, but people should at least admit that he took us from consistently bad to consistently mediocre, which is a sign of at least a bit of coaching ability.
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What expectations did he have here??? He had a free ride until we finally hired an AD.

I will state again, the university spent more money in the last 12 years than it had in the history of the program. So improvement was bound to happen. However, how many come from behind losses did Dan McCarney have, more than 20. He had loyalty to bad assistants. He only fired Fine to save his own ***. 2-50 against top 25 teams, I'm sorry by accident he should have won 5-6 games.

And lastly, look where the program is TODAY. Last place recruiting classes, AFTER he turned the program around are you kidding???

He never got another sniff from a bigtime program, so began the spin. That kept his job 4 years longer than he should have had it.
 
darts180 said:
What expectations did he have here??? He had a free ride until we finally hired an AD.

I will state again, the university spent more money in the last 12 years than it had in the history of the program. So improvement was bound to happen. However, how many come from behind losses did Dan McCarney have, more than 20. He had loyalty to bad assistants. He only fired Fine to save his own ***. 2-50 against top 25 teams, I'm sorry by accident he should have won 5-6 games.

And lastly, look where the program is TODAY. Last place recruiting classes, AFTER he turned the program around are you kidding???

He never got another sniff from a bigtime program, so began the spin. That kept his job 4 years longer than he should have had it.
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Well Jeff you're consistent. You're all beating a dead horse. Let it go....
 
Bobber said:
Well Jeff you're consistent. You're all beating a dead horse. Let it go....
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It isn't even about Mac, it is about the fact that in my opinion, Earle Bruce's teams his last three years would have kicked any of Mac's "bowl" teams behinds. We had three consecutive top 20 finishes, and the program was continuing to develop under Earle.

At the same time, there was another opinion that Mac's tenure was the best ever at Iowa State, that he took us to a level that we had never been to before.

I was more than happy to debate Ed, but then I was told that I didn't know anything about football. So, while I admit that I was wrong to dredge up the past, I wanted to revisit some relevant pieces of information to show just what Dan's tenure was.
 
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darts180 said:
It isn't even about Mac, it is about the fact that in my opinion, Earle Bruce's teams his last three years would have kicked any of Mac's "bowl" teams behinds. We had three consecutive top 20 finishes, and the program was continuing to develop under Earle.

At the same time, there was another opinion that Mac's tenure was the best ever at Iowa State, that he took us to a level that we had never been to before.

I was more than happy to debate Ed, but then I was told that I didn't know anything about football. So, while I admit that I was wrong to dredge up the past, I wanted to revisit some relevant pieces of information to show just what Dan's tenure was.
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Well you do know a thing or two about football and anybody who would argue otherwise is a fool....

Earl Bruce vs. Coach Mac. That would be an interesting matchup. I can't say I know enough about the Bruce teams to venture a good guess as to who would win.
 
Bobber said:
Earl Bruce vs. Coach Mac. That would be an interesting matchup. I can't say I know enough about the Bruce teams to venture a good guess as to who would win.
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Interesting in what way? The only interest would be to see how badly McCarney would be out-coached by Earle Bruce!
 
I Also Cheer For Two Teams. ISU and whoever the Squawkeyes are playing. I would think that most "Die Hard Clone Fans", would also be cheering for two teams most of the time.

Just my opinion though.

Hey Guys have a Safe and Fun New Years Holiday!:sweet:
 
Mac bashers,
Get over yourself. Mac is gone. Consitently running the man down only belittles yourself. Mac ia a good person and a good coach and I wish him nothing but the best.
 
I agree...leave Mac alone. He gave us some great years. Now it's time fore even better years!
 
Mac improved our program but had taken us as far as he could. That being said, quit tearing the guy down and move on. Mac was an okay coach and a class act. But it was time for him and ISU to part. I hope he finds some success elsewhere.
 
cyclone#1 said:
Interesting in what way? The only interest would be to see how badly McCarney would be out-coached by Earle Bruce!
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The knock against Earle Bruce was that he was too conservative. Earle was getting some doggone good players by the end of his run here. Terriffic pipeline to Ohio, Chicago, Florida and Texas. Redshirted the entire freshman class his last year at ISU. Duncan had a cupboard that was full and p*ssed it down his leg.
 
Stormin-

You'll get no argument from me...my point is that it is ludicrous to compare Bruce to McCarney...because Bruce was so far superior to McCarney.
 
Johnny Majors, Earle Bruce and Dan McCarney all did a good job for the Cyclones. If we wouldn't have had other coaches in between, ISU would be a consistant national power by now. That day is coming soon!
 
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