Moody moved back to Texas

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CRAZYGREG

Well-Known Member
Feb 29, 2008
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Des Moines
Serious question... Has CBF ever really been known as a recruiter? I only became a fan around 2007/2008. I always thought that he found recruits that fit his system(not highly rated) and really got the most out of them.

The past couple of years we have been seeing recruits from the top 100 coming in. To me that would seem to indicate that recruiting is on an uptick.
 

acoustimac

Well-Known Member
Jan 8, 2009
6,939
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Lamoni, IA
It's interesting that so many find things to pick apart on this years team. We lost to KU. We lost in the first round again. But no one seems to understand the impact that injuries (lack of depth) had on the team. Even more, what was the effect of a senior guard who was poison at practice and in recruiting, was woefully inconsistent and constantly showed attitude during games, and always seemed to do things that were detrimental to the team? I've heard first hand horror stories and they all spell disaster for creating a successful team...especially when you have no other options (once Jadda went down).
 

CRAZYGREG

Well-Known Member
Feb 29, 2008
3,232
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Des Moines
It's interesting that so many find things to pick apart on this years team. We lost to KU. We lost in the first round again. But no one seems to understand the impact that injuries (lack of depth) had on the team. Even more, what was the effect of a senior guard who was poison at practice and in recruiting, was woefully inconsistent and constantly showed attitude during games, and always seemed to do things that were detrimental to the team? I've heard first hand horror stories and they all spell disaster for creating a successful team...especially when you have no other options (once Jadda went down).

Exactly - Who is to blame for lack of depth and having a player that was poison to a team though? CBF could have just gotten rid of her years ago but he chose not to. It almost feels like he put her and chances of winning above the team.
 

Tornado man

Well-Known Member
Sep 16, 2007
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Ames, IA
Even more, what was the effect of a senior guard who was poison at practice and in recruiting, was woefully inconsistent and constantly showed attitude during games, and always seemed to do things that were detrimental to the team? I've heard first hand horror stories and they all spell disaster for creating a successful team...especially when you have no other options (once Jadda went down).
Wow - please support these statements? It's so easy to throw out general and vague accusations without any evidence or supporting info. It's irresponsible to claim these things with no facts to back it up.
 

Tornado man

Well-Known Member
Sep 16, 2007
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Ames, IA
We are 18-18 in conference the last two years and have played really no one of note outside of conference other than Iowa. That's fairly average. Nothing to hang our head about but also nothing that merits fans or the department crowing about how great we are. Squeaking into the NCAA was better than being outside looking in but still nothing other than box checking stuff like "years out of years" or "years in a row". In hoops making the NCAA is a pass/fail but A's and B's require winning some of the those games. We have great fan support, great home atmosphere and a couple nice NCAA runs in our annual appearances but I am kinda past thinking we are more than that.
Agree with this general summary. The staff has been proud to say to recruits, and rightly so, that ISU women's basketball is a "top 25 program" along with being "the best program in Iowa." They can't say either one right now.
 

NWICY

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2012
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I don't know - I kind of agree that the results have not been there as of late. The wins against Texas came at a time where they were in a downwards spiral. The win against Baylor came after they just lost and were out of the #1 seed conversation, also they had already won the Big 12.

I really don't think that they were a tournament team this year. I really don't think they deserved to be in the tourney in 2012 and 2014 either. I think they just got the benefit of hosting those years. Both years saw first round exits on our home court too.

I'll agree w/Cydney on this. Our expectations are usually quite high for WBB. We remember the elite 8 runs and going past the 1st weekend. It is easy to get disappointed with what we call average years. This is going to be on ongoing problem in MBB also ( I hope). the last few years we have made the NCAA's but people who follow the team kind of knew they weren't good enough to go far. They weren't bad teams just not quite what people want.
The increasingly rough style of play has not been kind to ISU either.
Oh and good luck to Moody in the WNBA.
 

Sobchakcyclone

Well-Known Member
Feb 8, 2010
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Bowling Alley
Agree with this general summary. The staff has been proud to say to recruits, and rightly so, that ISU women's basketball is a "top 25 program" along with being "the best program in Iowa." They can't say either one right now.

I agree with Boxsters summary, also. Bluder will try to make hay out of this recent success, but she hasn't had a history of consistancy. This is a bit of a blip on the radar with them actually hosting, even with their terrible attendance. Women's basketball awards top teams with an easier path to post season success than the men's game, because they have to pay for it with attendance. Otherwise, it wouldn't happen IMO. That may change, but it's too pronounced, and affects recruiting fom a hype and visibility standpoint.

I would look at rankings over years, when referring to program strength. Bluder had these seniors for more than this year, and they didn't have this success. My frustration with our teams has been conference titles and finishes in conference tourneys. The conference schedule is tough, and the success of the league's teams on a national stage should reflect it more. If we want to be a player in getting "dominating" gals and mentioned on the national stage, we have to be more than the "little engine that could". It feels like we settle too much. Being the best program in Iowa isn't where it's at. Getting girls that fit a system, and trying to coach them up. How about getting the best available athlete, and working the system around that? That seems to be what Fred is doing to an extent. Just weird Friday thoughts.
 

NWICY

Well-Known Member
Sep 2, 2012
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With everyone Ia. is graduating they will fall back to mediocrity. I just hope we get back to being good instead of just good enough to slide into the NCAA's.
 

907CY

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jan 30, 2010
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Northern Polk County
After two good recruiting classes and different on court leadership maybe we will have a good year and go past the first round of the Big Dance. I think that the good players coming in has more to do with the staff and less to do with BF. It seems like we have the same discussion every year about this time. No rose colored glasses here but I really like the potential of next year's team.
 

cykadelic2

Well-Known Member
Jun 10, 2006
3,119
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It's interesting that so many find things to pick apart on this years team. We lost to KU. We lost in the first round again. But no one seems to understand the impact that injuries (lack of depth) had on the team. Even more, what was the effect of a senior guard who was poison at practice and in recruiting, was woefully inconsistent and constantly showed attitude during games, and always seemed to do things that were detrimental to the team? I've heard first hand horror stories and they all spell disaster for creating a successful team...especially when you have no other options (once Jadda went down).

Over dramatizing here.

The results with Moody, including this season, were far from disastrous. While she may had her share of issues, the negative impacts to the team are being blown out of proportion by many here.

The inability of the ISU WBB to compete for conference titles and make NCAA tourney runs has been primarily a function of recruiting and lack of roster depth in terms of B12 quality talent. It has not been due to Nikki Moody. This past season, Bill didn't have experienced post players and then one of the frosh counted on to provide post depth gets hurt (Ricketts). Prior to Moody's junior season with Pop, Prins and Hallie C, those teams sorely lacked experience in the guard court. All of those seasons, BF has played with only 6 or 7 B12 quality players in the rotation and the margin of error due to injuries or performance has been small. I think BF has coached the team up to close to their max performance levels in recent seasons with the talent/experience available but too many misses with recruiting has prevented those teams from competing for conference titles and making NCAA tourney runs.
 

ThatllDoCy

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2009
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Minneapolis, MN
www.katchllc.com
There are a lot of AD's that would happily take Bill Fennelly and the success he has had at ISU.

I can see not liking his demeanor as he is from the old school style of Coaching, but I completely disagree with the characterization of his tenure as not having real success. He has been successful, loyal, and a good ambassador for ISU.

It goes to show that no matter the amount of effort and success that Coaches have there will always be fans that have an axe to grind. I don't agree with everything Bill does, and sometimes I think his game planning is really nuts, but he takes accountability for himself and I don't begrudge him holding his players accountable.
 

BoxsterCy

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 14, 2009
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Minnesota
After two good recruiting classes and different on court leadership maybe we will have a good year and go past the first round of the Big Dance. I think that the good players coming in has more to do with the staff and less to do with BF. It seems like we have the same discussion every year about this time. No rose colored glasses here but I really like the potential of next year's team.

Absolutely. On paper it has the makings of a very good freshman class. With Jadda (hopefully all healed) and Claire (never got a chance to contribute) back we will have a complete team and with a lot of depth and some size. Again, it's an on paper sort of look and you always have the intangibles about team chemistry and individual player development and initiative but no reason not to like the composition of 2015-16 team.

Now we need some 2016 recruits to go with those two Minnesota gals committed for 2017. The gals are pretty highly regarded here in the land of lakes. Might have to go check the recruits groups here to see if mred has updates.
 
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kcdc4isu

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Dec 2, 2009
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west of dm east of cb
With Nikki being gone next year, I wonder who some on here will use as the scapegoat when we loose a game or two? I for one will miss the way she played the point this year. Had she been gone and things went the way they did there was no way we would have made the big dance and not even the NIT.
 

runbikeswim

Well-Known Member
Oct 23, 2014
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I wish this article wasn't even written. It does way more harm than good. Each should just be allowed to move on.

Ironic how Nikki was "cleared out," yet ISU WBB communications continues to plaster her success as ISU success all over its social media channels, PR outlets, and digital media assets.
 

BoxsterCy

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 14, 2009
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Minnesota
I wish this article wasn't even written. It does way more harm than good. Each should just be allowed to move on.

Ironic how Nikki was "cleared out," yet ISU WBB communications continues to plaster her success as ISU success all over its social media channels, PR outlets, and digital media assets.

Also interesting that she is on the expanded San Antonio roster with Poppens. Nine Big 12 alumni trying to make the final cut plus our old NCAA nemesis Jayne Appel. Must like Big 12 players down there in Texas.

http://www.wnba.com/stars/roster/
 

theshadow

Well-Known Member
Apr 19, 2006
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Ironic how Nikki was "cleared out," yet ISU WBB communications continues to plaster her success as ISU success all over its social media channels, PR outlets, and digital media assets.

Would you rather they had ignored her draft selection completely? She played at Iowa State and was drafted by the WNBA. That's how it will be counted by the WNBA, the Big 12, and ISU.

It would be similar to ignoring Jamaal Tinsley's draft selection, because he basically quit school after the season was over.
 

Wesley

Well-Known Member
Apr 12, 2006
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Omaha
With Nikki being gone next year, I wonder who some on here will use as the scapegoat when we loose a game or two? I for one will miss the way she played the point this year. Had she been gone and things went the way they did there was no way we would have made the big dance and not even the NIT.

You have to admit that Moody did see some ebbs and flows in her last season....