I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

[Panther789]

This sucks, it really does, but I find little or no fault in what any of these 3 have done (or presumably done to this point).

1. Doug

I don't blame the kid for wanting to play for his father, a relatively successful Division I men's basketball coach. His mother will not have to choose between attending his game's or his father's. He won't have to compete against his father on a regular basis. His other family members can attend each and every one of his games as well as his father's. Its a unique opportunity that I think would be very hard to pass up.

I think all of this was trumped by the mess in Ames. Doug knew his dad was a lame duck in Ames, and the program in general was struggling. At that point, it made all the sense in the world to come to UNI. Circumstances have changed in a way that he couldn't have imagined at the time. He still gets to play for a great program, with tons of support, and he gets to play for his father.

2. Mac

I don't blame Mac for taking the ISU job. He got his shot, got paid well for it, and it didn't work out. CU isn't a bad consolation prize.

I certainly don't blame Mac for jumping ship at ISU this time to take a more stable position at CU. I don't blame him for wanting to coach his son, and for wanting Doug and his wife to share the experience at CU with him.

I don't blame him for not wanting to face his son 2-3 times a year if it can be avoided, and I don't blame him for wanting to see his son play for 4 years. I certainly don't think he is forcing his son to do anything here, something that some of you are implying.

I won't be cheering for him, and I don't expect you to either. But I have a hard time believing that this somehow makes him a bad person.

3. Jake

I'm assuming for the moment that Jake is supporting a decision to release Doug from his LOI without sitting out.

A commit comes to Jake, and says that he no longer wishes to play for UNI, but would rather play for his father. In this case, the circumstances are far different than they were when Doug signed his LOI. What is Jake supposed to do? Try to force the kid to stay at UNI? Attempt to hurt this kid's career by forcing him to sit a couple of years?

This is an extremely unique situation, and I think it would be misguided to say things like "Jake needs to make this decision as a basketball coach, and not as a friend" or "Jake has to do what's best for UNI." He is doing both.

There is zero doubt in my mind that Jake has and will continue to put UNI first. I think he is doing so in this case by recognizing that he wants players who can invest 100% of their heart in UNI, and by recognizing that this is an extremely unique situation that does not create a slippery slope.

Jake and UNI gain very little by trying to force this kid to sit out a couple of years, or by trying to force his hand to stay at UNI.

[UNIpanther99]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

I agree with pretty much everything you said, but I just want to make sure someone (Troy Dannen) is looking out for UNI's interests, will sit back, take his time, and make sure whatever happens is in the best interests of the University of Northern Iowa Athletic Department.

In the end, I think that will be a full release, but it needs to be given due diligence.

[06panther10]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

Its a messy situation, and it is absolutely a no-win situation for UNI.

[UNIChippewa]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

I think it is a very unique situation, no doubt about that. Jake is undoubtedly in a very hard place. I don't think he can or should force Doug McDermott to play for UNI if he knows that Doug really doesn't want to be here any longer.

To be honest though, I think it is bush league for Greg McDermott to but Jake in that type of situation, best friends or not. I think it is entirely appropriate for Doug McDermott to sit out the required two years before he can actually suit up for his dad.

What bothers me a lot is that this is a win-win-win situation for Creighton, Iowa State and Greg McDermott, but a big loss for a school that shouldn't be affected, Northern Iowa. We pay a penalty for doing nothing wrong other than being the school where a talented recruit originally signed with before his dad's employment status changed.

[panther84]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

This sucks, it really does, but I find little or no fault in what any of these 3 have done (or presumably done to this point).

1. Doug

I don't blame the kid for wanting to play for his father, a relatively successful Division I men's basketball coach. His mother will not have to choose between attending his game's or his father's. He won't have to compete against his father on a regular basis. His other family members can attend each and every one of his games as well as his father's. Its a unique opportunity that I think would be very hard to pass up.

I think all of this was trumped by the mess in Ames. Doug knew his dad was a lame duck in Ames, and the program in general was struggling. At that point, it made all the sense in the world to come to UNI. Circumstances have changed in a way that he couldn't have imagined at the time. He still gets to play for a great program, with tons of support, and he gets to play for his father.

2. Mac

I don't blame Mac for taking the ISU job. He got his shot, got paid well for it, and it didn't work out. CU isn't a bad consolation prize.

I certainly don't blame Mac for jumping ship at ISU this time to take a more stable position at CU. I don't blame him for wanting to coach his son, and for wanting Doug and his wife to share the experience at CU with him.

I don't blame him for not wanting to face his son 2-3 times a year if it can be avoided, and I don't blame him for wanting to see his son play for 4 years. I certainly don't think he is forcing his son to do anything here, something that some of you are implying.

I won't be cheering for him, and I don't expect you to either. But I have a hard time believing that this somehow makes him a bad person.

3. Jake

I'm assuming for the moment that Jake is supporting a decision to release Doug from his LOI without sitting out.

A commit comes to Jake, and says that he no longer wishes to play for UNI, but would rather play for his father. In this case, the circumstances are far different than they were when Doug signed his LOI. What is Jake supposed to do? Try to force the kid to stay at UNI? Attempt to hurt this kid's career by forcing him to sit a couple of years?

This is an extremely unique situation, and I think it would be misguided to say things like "Jake needs to make this decision as a basketball coach, and not as a friend" or "Jake has to do what's best for UNI." He is doing both.

There is zero doubt in my mind that Jake has and will continue to put UNI first. I think he is doing so in this case by recognizing that he wants players who can invest 100% of their heart in UNI, and by recognizing that this is an extremely unique situation that does not create a slippery slope.

Jake and UNI gain very little by trying to force this kid to sit out a couple of years, or by trying to force his hand to stay at UNI.

+1

Kaboom

[williebat]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

I guess I think it sucks that we are left minus one scholly player this late in the game.

And the coaches supposed best friend lured our player away to a rival conference school. LAME

Did Mac think his coaching days were over when he told doug to go to UNI. Did he assume he would not get another job after ISU?

Seems odd.

Mac would have ended up somewhere without doug in 1 or 2 years or was doug planning on leaving whenever dad got the new job?

The biggest oddity is why in the world would Creighton want Mac. I think they could have done much better.

As far as panther basketball goes I think we are still in a great position going forward. We do need a big however!

[Deke3]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

With every situation there is an opportunity. This is an opportunity for the UNI basketball program (even though it doesn't feel like it). Let Mac go...let Doug go.

[UnderParPanther]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

well, when Mac can bring in a top 150 recruit w/ him its pretty easy to see why they'd want him to come coach there.

IMO UNI needs to think things through w/ this release as whatever is done could come back to haunt UNI in future endeavors w/ other recruits. If we let Doug go w/o at least sitting 1 year, you now have to let anyone else that wants do that go w/ the same circumstance. While I don't think it could/would happen, a recruit could sign w/ UNI knowing that if he got what he thought was a better offer/wants to be closer to home/dad coaches a rival etc.. he could just request to be out of his LOI and play right away for any school, MVC included.

[BobCat]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

Well, a school won't sign a coach long term for one top 150 recruit, (which CU has had before, I think), but it's a nice bonus. <sigh>

Each year all across the NCAA field incoming players get let out of LOI's due to coaching or situation changes. It sucks for the rejected school, but it happens.

If the Mo Valley doesn't mandate the two year sit because he hasn't suited up yet (or for whatever reason) that's fine. As a hoops fan (and AHS alum) I'm interested in watching him develop but will still hope, as always, that UNI beats the Jays every game.

McDermott has been a solid coach over his career and runs a clean program in a business filled with Huggins, Floyd and Sampson types. (Plus he still is in good standing with Eldon Miller, whose opinions of coaches I respect).
I see no reason to trash him now.

[GonzoCat]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

What bothers me a lot is that this is a win-win-win situation for Creighton, Iowa State and Greg McDermott, but a big loss for a school that shouldn't be affected, Northern Iowa. We pay a penalty for doing nothing wrong other than being the school where a talented recruit originally signed with before his dad's employment status changed.

I think this is the crux of the issue that makes it hard for UNI fans to accept. We certainly didn't do anything wrong and yet we are the only ones paying a price for this coaching change that did not involve us. Although it remains to be seen if it is a win-win for Creighton. At a minimum they paid way more than market value for their new coach. Perhaps because it was a package deal. No wait, that would be wrong.

[run&blade]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

KXNO just said the UNI AD signed off on releasing him from his LOI.

It is over.

[Trapped in California]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

KXNO just said the UNI AD signed off on releasing him from his LOI.

It is over.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8lT1o0sDwI

[D Panther]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

I have no problem that Doug wants to play for his dad. The problem I have is why didn't Greg recruit him to ISU. Doug is certainly good enough to play Big 12 basketball. If Greg lost his job then Doug would still have an oppurtunity to transfer out. Heck Doug might have accually stayed around long than 2 years.

[Cat80]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

KXNO just said the UNI AD signed off on releasing him from his LOI.

It is over.

I would have liked UNI to say that there's a process and that process has to work itself out. It's April and there was no need to ask Mac how high? when he wanted UNI to jump to release Doug from his LOI. Make him wait for a week to 'let the process work itself out'. The end result wouldn't change, but why dance to Mac's tune? He's now two employers away from UNI.(notice I said UNI, i.e. UNI's athletic administration, not Jake.)

[UNI83]

Re: I agree with Doug, Mac, and Jake on all of this.

I would have liked UNI to say that there's a process and that process has to work itself out. It's April and there was no need to ask Mac how high? when he wanted UNI to jump to release Doug from his LOI. Make him wait for a week to 'let the process work itself out'. The end result wouldn't change, but why dance to Mac's tune? He's now two employers away from UNI.(notice I said UNI, i.e. UNI's athletic administration, not Jake.)

Apparently everytime Mac asks us a favor we are supposed to go "How high" because that is what people wearing the friend hat do.