I consider myself the eternal optimist on life in general, and also ISU athletics. However, I saw this quote on another matter, on another web site, and couldn't help but wonder if it applies to Cyclone basketball after 3 straight wins. "In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king." I will feel better about this team when they beat somebody that is not in the bottom 100. Purdue would fit that description, also Alabama and Mo. State.
Reality check
- Thread starter Oldgeezer
- Start date
Yes, it would be really nice to have at least one quality win before entering the Big XII season. But at least we're beating the bottom 100 teams better than we were earlier in the year. That's some kind of progress.
I would rate Texas Southern ahead of Bethune-Cookman. At least TS got beat by some decent teams--- UTEP, Kentucky, and Texas
Did you actually say Kentucky was a decent team???
Maybe in the past but this year's team is horrid!!
EDIT: Kentucky is 182 in the RPI compared to us at 111
Iowa 249, Drake 47, and UNI is 115
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Great quote, but a lot of people will over look a one eyed man because of his flaw, and then he will stab them when they least expect it.
I do not read into these wins, and realistically, do not expect an NCAA tourney birth, let alone a NIT birth.... I do however find the season a sucess if our players can handle the adversity they have been through and continue to improve, much like our football program did this year.
I think this adversity is the first the step back before the giant step forward.
That reminds me of the movie "Dirty Work"
"They say in the land of the blind, the man with one eye is king. Well in the land of the skunks, the man with half a nose is king!"
God I miss Chris Farley.
What are you saying???? You mean we aren't going to be National Champs???
What I take from our last two wins is we played like we were the better team, and hopefully this will transfer to some other games. Would love to replay the Drake and UNI game and see us play like a team with confidence. And hopefully, whoever shows up at Hilton our guys look at them as an inferior team.
What I take from our last two wins is we played like we were the better team, and hopefully this will transfer to some other games. Would love to replay the Drake and UNI game and see us play like a team with confidence. And hopefully, whoever shows up at Hilton our guys look at them as an inferior team.
Oh man, me too...... "That looks like the Siagon ***** that bit my nose off!!!!"
Farley :"Rolling Stones- Street Fightin' Man, G27"
Jukebox: "If you like Pina Coladas......"
maybe i was watching the wrong game...but i for one would definately not want to play drake again,one of the most frustrating games i can remember...that game was no fluke, they are clearly the better team:no:
Wait a minute! You say Kentucky isn't great? All that history, and didn't they hire a guy who many consider the best coach in the land? Maybe there is something to this theory of "coaches need time to get their own players in place."
Until they shoot like they did in the 1st half against us again (which they haven't), I can see how some people would like to see another matchup. I will, however, readily admit that they are a better team this year and especially at that time when they played us.
This is the same logic Hawk fans get in trouble for when talking about playing MSU at the Breslin.
"MSU hasn't shot like that since then, so I'd love a re-match."
The difference is they don't "readily admit that they are a better team this year and especially at that time when they played us." No team is ever better than the hawks:no:
I see...well if they shoot well above their season average every time they play there then I would see how it would be frustrating. The Drake game was particularly bad because the 3-pointers weren't just completely wide open looks and then to watch them not be able to hit the broad side of a barn in Iowa City made it worse.
It's true though :wink:
Anyways, back on topic, ISU is improving - as they should. The team is healthy, and the talent is starting to show through. Beating teams by 20+ points is different than last year for the most part, and is different than a lot of times this year.
I don't think I'd expect a win over UNI or Drake, but I don't think it would be a 35 point loss.
I think it's pretty hard to judge our improvement based on the last two opponents as has been said in this thread already. The next two will be good tests.
I don't feel too bad about this team. It's similar to how the football team was in the early season--there have been lots of changes, in this case in terms of players rather than system. And it takes time to build teamwork, chemistry and familiarity.
Look at the starters--the most settled from last season is Rahshon, and he's stepped up his game at times. His 'spectacular' seems more focused. Jiri is next for similarity to '06-'07, and he's put on twenty pounds. That's just not the same player--not to mention the time that he missed in the preseason due to injury. Then there is Wesley, who is not only adapting to the diametrically opposed position to where he was at as a freshman, but is seriously hampered by an injury, besides all of the time that he missed--which again, affected chemistry. I think that we'd all agree that we're seeing a shadow of the player that he should be. Then there is Corey, who is working to be a role player, and Thompson, who while around last season redshirting, has also put on twenty-odd pounds, and is struggling to adapt to it. The rest of the guys, including the other two starters and the rest of the depth, are all newcomers. With all of the injuries, it's simply going to take more time for everything to shake out, for everyone to settle into their intended roles and learn to trust one another. No wonder there were so many turnovers early in the season--nobody knew where anyone else was going to be.
Look at the starters--the most settled from last season is Rahshon, and he's stepped up his game at times. His 'spectacular' seems more focused. Jiri is next for similarity to '06-'07, and he's put on twenty pounds. That's just not the same player--not to mention the time that he missed in the preseason due to injury. Then there is Wesley, who is not only adapting to the diametrically opposed position to where he was at as a freshman, but is seriously hampered by an injury, besides all of the time that he missed--which again, affected chemistry. I think that we'd all agree that we're seeing a shadow of the player that he should be. Then there is Corey, who is working to be a role player, and Thompson, who while around last season redshirting, has also put on twenty-odd pounds, and is struggling to adapt to it. The rest of the guys, including the other two starters and the rest of the depth, are all newcomers. With all of the injuries, it's simply going to take more time for everything to shake out, for everyone to settle into their intended roles and learn to trust one another. No wonder there were so many turnovers early in the season--nobody knew where anyone else was going to be.
