Pollard Addresses MBB
- Thread starter Bricky
- Start date
Like I mentioned before, I'm 24, and I'll agree with most of your post. The only thing I think you are missing is the fact that just because ISU gives these players a scholarship, does not mean they should blindly follow their leaders (in this case GM). Without the players, there would be no game played, and no revenue taken in by the athletic department.
You mention your office setting as a comparison. If you mistreat an employee, severely underpay them, or don't give them enough responsibilities for what they are capable of, then surely you would understand them leaving for another company, wouldn't you?
I think to many of these kids (whether we like it or not), college is just a proving ground for their future employment in the NBA. If they are in a system where their skills aren't showcased, or they are forced to play with injuries (supposedly the Wesley Johnson case), they could miss that shot. I've heard of many people taking a new job just because they didn't get along with their boss, so why should college bball players be immune to that? I understand you should try to work through your differences, but sometimes, there is no way to compromise on them
In a corporate environment, the employee is just as valuable to the organization as the organization's paycheck money is to the employee. If you are comparing MBB to that, then I think you need to see it the other way as well.
What a worthless letter. Seriously, 2/3's of it was commenting on a "generation of kids". I can see adding 1 sentence regarding the epidemic, but he basically just ranted about something that he and his coaches have no way to control.
Secondly, I can't believe that he threw BF into the discussion, as even though he's had some transfers lately, his results speak louder than words.
It came off as defensive, pointless and small minded, IMO.
Secondly, I can't believe that he threw BF into the discussion, as even though he's had some transfers lately, his results speak louder than words.
It came off as defensive, pointless and small minded, IMO.
Man...I would hate to be a D1 BCS bball coach. The level of Drama is unreal.
I think JP comments are spot on and I applaud the way he said it...takes some to say it, IMO. However, MAC still needs to adjust and PRODUCE results.
I do applaud JP for sticking with MAC, because if it works out...he will be a trend setter, culture changer. Most BCS conference have been fired by this point...there is no waiting game.
It's a big risk by JP, but the payout could be big.
What I am wondering is....where's the middle ground? If Mac can't relate to players (communicating constructive criticism vs personal attacks) and we fire him for a "Player friendly coach" how long before the "inmates running the joint" type arguments arise? Where more than likely...transfers will still occur.
There has to be a middle ground of Player accountability and not running at the first sign of adversity, or if ISU is apparent that it won't be a ticket to the league. But that's why MAC gets a million to figure that out. I don't envy that position...
I think JP comments are spot on and I applaud the way he said it...takes some to say it, IMO. However, MAC still needs to adjust and PRODUCE results.
I do applaud JP for sticking with MAC, because if it works out...he will be a trend setter, culture changer. Most BCS conference have been fired by this point...there is no waiting game.
It's a big risk by JP, but the payout could be big.
What I am wondering is....where's the middle ground? If Mac can't relate to players (communicating constructive criticism vs personal attacks) and we fire him for a "Player friendly coach" how long before the "inmates running the joint" type arguments arise? Where more than likely...transfers will still occur.
There has to be a middle ground of Player accountability and not running at the first sign of adversity, or if ISU is apparent that it won't be a ticket to the league. But that's why MAC gets a million to figure that out. I don't envy that position...
We give these kids a free education, the chance to play bball at the highest level in college....but don't expect them to follow the coach hired to RUN the program? What kind of country do we live in??????
Kids today much like the rest of society want instant gratification. We have been spoiled as a culture with nearly every purchase that we make. People in my neihborhood have riding lawn mowers for a .10 acre lot with a house. People now have places to clean their cars for them, they have maids, nannies to take care of their kids, everything. Our entire culture has become lazy, incompetent and we all including myself have a sense of entitlement that is beyond what my grandparents would ever think that it could have been.
Are kids these days spoiled (especially Div-1 atheletes)? Yes. Are they different at ISU then @ Mizzou, Kansas, Texas, Florida (other than winning games) NO. Coaches at other universities have been able to manage these same kids and succeed despite the kids ego's. Coach Mac has NOT.
I understand that we are at a point where JP feels that we cannot make a change, I don't like it but I can understand. My point is don't make exuses and try to push the blame onto the kids or show the problems that others are having. Own up to the fact that there is a problem here ( which I beleive that he did) and then LEAVE IT ALONE.
For all of you who want a public appology from Mac and JP everytime something goes wrong, think about what you are asking for. There has been little postive news around ISU MBB, so the statements will likely just bring more negativity to an already floundering program.
Why ask for a kick in the sack when you have already been beaten within an inch of your life.
Our MBB program is in a horrible spot. JP feels that if he makes a change now it will not be the right change given all of the circumstances. We as fans are unhappy with the product but if we make a change and still see no progress we will still be unhappy. I say let a sleeping dog lie and take the beating that we are going to take until JP sees a financial benefit in making a change to the program.
END OF RANT
Are kids these days spoiled (especially Div-1 atheletes)? Yes. Are they different at ISU then @ Mizzou, Kansas, Texas, Florida (other than winning games) NO. Coaches at other universities have been able to manage these same kids and succeed despite the kids ego's. Coach Mac has NOT.
I understand that we are at a point where JP feels that we cannot make a change, I don't like it but I can understand. My point is don't make exuses and try to push the blame onto the kids or show the problems that others are having. Own up to the fact that there is a problem here ( which I beleive that he did) and then LEAVE IT ALONE.
For all of you who want a public appology from Mac and JP everytime something goes wrong, think about what you are asking for. There has been little postive news around ISU MBB, so the statements will likely just bring more negativity to an already floundering program.
Why ask for a kick in the sack when you have already been beaten within an inch of your life.
Our MBB program is in a horrible spot. JP feels that if he makes a change now it will not be the right change given all of the circumstances. We as fans are unhappy with the product but if we make a change and still see no progress we will still be unhappy. I say let a sleeping dog lie and take the beating that we are going to take until JP sees a financial benefit in making a change to the program.
END OF RANT
Perhaps you missed the rest of that post.. I said that they should be expected to follow, but at the same time, this isn't boot camp, and they are just as valuable to the program as the program is to them, so I can completely understand if there is a certain point where the relationship with the coach and the program is at a point where it's unfix-able and they feel like they need to try something new.
Because that situation needs to be dealt with as well, and also proves that wins and losses aren't necessarily the problem here. Additionally, if the recent trend in WBB continues, BF's not going to be having successful seasons for very long either.
To me, the letter did not point a finger at BF at all. The letter was addressing the transfer problem. To leave out WBB would have been ignoring part of the problem.
I do applaud JP for sticking with MAC, because if it works out...he will be a trend setter, culture changer. Most BCS conference have been fired by this point...there is no waiting game.
It's a big risk by JP, but the payout could be big.
So in your mind, when is enough enough? Where does sticking with Mac end when he doesn't produce results?
I was ready to be able to at least support lukewarmly for next season, even after Brackins and Gilstrap left because I liked what I saw in beating Kansas State on the road at the end of the season. But all these transfers (again) have set me off in a big way.
Greg McDermott has not gotten the job done to an acceptable level in his four years here. There is NO indication that he will suddenly and magically turn it around in his fifth.
It's a big risk by JP, but the payout could be big.
So in your mind, when is enough enough? Where does sticking with Mac end when he doesn't produce results?
I was ready to be able to at least support lukewarmly for next season, even after Brackins and Gilstrap left because I liked what I saw in beating Kansas State on the road at the end of the season. But all these transfers (again) have set me off in a big way.
Greg McDermott has not gotten the job done to an acceptable level in his four years here. There is NO indication that he will suddenly and magically turn it around in his fifth.
agreed, i also cannot believe how many parents of athletes are on chat room sites talking about their kids... my mom wouldnt have dared, or wanted to.. she come, supports, tells me when im an idiot. not pat me on the back... shoot if scored 50 in a game she wouldnt have patted me on the back... partents wussify kids, and its annoying.
Feel free to correct my numbers.......but there are 317 D-1 schools right? Times two would be 634...correct? So if there are 500 transfers from said schools over a two year period....that's less than 1 transfer per school....per year, correct? So what is this "transfer epidemic" that JP and his "peers" are puzzled by? And why should what happens ANYWHERE else dictate his decisions here?
Yes
Yes
and Yes
Bottom line, lame. Since kids today are not going to be changed by tomorrow, guess ISU better just find a way to compete in the real world. Other schools seem to be able to deal with kids and still field competitive teams. Wonder why we can't. Oh yea, that subject was not addressed in the letter.
The funniest thing is how many here are just swallowing this and agreeing that GMac is once again the victim. boo hoo.
Count me as another who agrees, and I'm 25. This generation is lazy as hell.
When I went into my performance eval last year, my manager tried to give me a pep talk before hand - apparently some new-hire flipped out on another manager the year before when he didn't get all "5"s (on a 1-5 scale). This is a true normalized scale, so to get A 5, much less SEVERAL 5's, you better have done something incredible like saved millions of dollars.
While I don't want this sent to the cave, I want to point out this:
"Reported" unemployment in America: ~10%
"True" unemployment in America: ~17%
Unemployment for 16-19 year olds: ~25-28% (from a TIME magazine article)
It's not a coincidence. I've heard stories of teenagers going in to a job interview, demanding weekends off and $10/hour, then being shocked when the manager gives it to someone older willing to bust his *** whenever he's called on for minimum wage because he has a family to feed.
</rant>
Turning to basketball, I wonder if this doesn't explain why this wasn't happening under GMac at UNI. Compare the type of players you get at each school. At a "BCS" type school, you get higher-quality players with bigger egos. At a MAC school, you're getting "good" players who usually have had to work harder and put in more effort to compete for their shot. They probably take criticism a little better since they're more used to it and know their coaches are trying to help.
If the NCAA doesn't want to handle this, maybe the solution is for Iowa State to redshirt everybody so they truly lose a year if they decide to go. Maybe it's to stop granting releases and transfers - tell the recruit, "if you're not happy here, that's your problem, because you're not leaving". Failing that, we could always have conditional releases so that the player can only transfer to D-3 East Butt**** State University.
Or maybe the solution is still to fire the head coach. I dunno - that's above my pay grade.
CycloneErik
Well-Known Member
What he's saying is that if the leaders are running a program that would hurt the players best interest or self-interest, that it helps the player to find a place/program that does showcase them during their brief window of playing opportunity.
Well your math is right but the GM/JP math equation is hey, we are crashing this into the goddamn mountain and we are not changing course and it isn't our fault for doing so.
This good insight should be factored into the next choice of coach. We may need a Rah-Rah, You Can Do It or Else coach type.
