Top "What could have Been" if
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What if Jerome Harper would have got his grades and could compete. Would have have gone pro and not been in prison for Murder? Would have have made the difference that year?
We collected a lot of excellent what if's, but not a lot of guess with the "what could have/would have been."
Take the 2004 MIssouri game. (please!
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Assuming all other details remain intact in CFB that season, pretend ISU beats Missouri. So we go to title game, probably get handled convincing by OU, but even, we probably go to Houston Bowl (the slot CU got) and face UTEP, instead of Independence Bowl. If we beat UTEP, it's 8-4 season instead of 7-5.
This also means the phantom FG "miss" vs. Alabama doesn't occur.
Take the 2004 MIssouri game. (please!
)Assuming all other details remain intact in CFB that season, pretend ISU beats Missouri. So we go to title game, probably get handled convincing by OU, but even, we probably go to Houston Bowl (the slot CU got) and face UTEP, instead of Independence Bowl. If we beat UTEP, it's 8-4 season instead of 7-5.
This also means the phantom FG "miss" vs. Alabama doesn't occur.
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I think Orr described Culbertson as "the first real blue-chipper we've gotten," leading up to JC's first season. I might be confusing that with a different player, though.
Either way, suppose Culbertson situation works and he plays 4 years and plays to expectations. At very least, he's on the roster for the 84-85 and 85-86 teams, perhaps helps to improve ISU's overall records and tournament seeding each year.
So in 85-86, maybe Iowa State gets a 5 seed instead of a 7. We don't face Michigan in round 2, so that memory is eliminated. It also swings ISU to a different tournament site for first weekend instead of playing in Minneapolis (where fan presence may have been a boost).
We avoid 5-12 upset and advance past first round, then meet either Georgetown, Illinois or UNLV in round 2.
I think you're right. Culbertson, IIRC, was about 6-9 and 250. In a game vs KU, he was just killing it. Strong guy, but I don't know whatever happened to him. I think he was in ames for just one year, maybe less.
What could have been in the 2000 WBB Sweet 16 in Kansas City: with just seconds left on the clock and ISU clinging to a one point lead, Penn State misses a lay-up and Megan Taylor gets the rebound. PSU point guard, Helen Darling, rips the ball out of Megan's arms and scores right under the basket. The inbound play for ISU goes nowhere as time expires and Penn State moves on to the Elite 8. What could have been? Penn State played top seed Louisiana Tech for a trip to the Final Four and destroyed them. I think Tech lost by nearly 20. Could ISU have played them the same way? Would Tech have still had such an off game? Maybe. But it could have very well sent Iowa State WBB to its first Final Four appearance, if given the chance.
I've already mentioned it but if Dan Gable comes to ISU as HC we would own all the hardware that UI won under him. To me this is the closest "would have been".
I can’t find much in the where-is-he-now department beyond about ’87 or ’88. Sports historians on CF could fill in some blanks, perhaps?
Chicago Tribune: NIU player cleared in shooting
UPI story about Culbertson’s suspension in 1984 --- not sure if this was directly linked the case? (I’m guessing it was)
Great info. I now remember he transferred to NIU, but had forgot about the shooting. Talented guy.
At minimum, it would've spared us years having to see the coach-hoisting clip.
I agree, with you, a loss in the next round was probably imminent, considering the late-season downward curve and apparent behind-scenes implosion.
There have been countless times in the tournament when high seeds muddled their way through or barely survived in first round, then picked up momentum to advance at least to seed expectation. I'm not sure 2000-01 ISU team would've regained its January/February mojo.
I don't remember that year the way you do, apparently. I am talking about the "train incident" year, the year Meyer, Hoiberg, & co. were juniors. We were underperforming that year even before the train incident. For example, we got beat easily at home by a not-all-that-good Oklahoma team with Meyer playing.
The following year, with an excellent defense-minded coach to teach that team how to play defense, we kicked ass. We marched into Iowa City and easily pulled out a win there, something Orr's teams had a little bit of trouble doing. I am not sure the train incident ultimately led to Orr retiring, but if he hadn't retired, I don't see Hoiberg learning the defense skills he needed in the NBA, and which he has taught to his own players as a coach. I also don't see us getting the team we had in 1999-2001 which had conference championships and almost a national championship.
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