Calling all Maniacs!!!!!

[JCPanthers]

I would like to remind the Maniac's and all Panther Fans about the comments made by ISU coach Wayne Morgan last week about possibly dropping UNI and Drake for better ESPN type teams that would give his team better exposure!!

http://www.panthermania.net/articles/2004/11/25/news/mensbball/doc41a55b351a53d950456519.txt

"We've talked to ESPN. They've tried to do some things to get us bigger games" - Wayne Morgan

Who the hell does he think he is? This isn't Duke we're talking about, it's a mid level Big Twelve Team!!

Looking at their Schedule, some of the teams they play Northern Colorado, Wagner, Howard, Tennessee St, Bucknell....I mean you are talking some real powerhouses here. I can see why they want to drop UNI and Drake.

I just hope the Maniacs come up with some creative ways to show Morgan that he should keep his mouth shut!!

[GonzoCat]

I think we are taking the same approach. That is why UNI scheduled a higher quality team like Cincinnati. If we can get more of those we can drop our lower quality intrastate rivals like ISU and UI. As the only NCAA representative from the state we can't be playing all these NIT caliber teams.

[AmesPanther]

Not to be the bad guy, but I hope the Maniacs have better things to cheer about than this.

All the teams you listed are one season home only games. UNI and Drake have multi-year Home/Away deals. The teams besides UNI and Drake with Home/Away deals are Virgina, Iowa, Xavier, and San Diego St.

The way all the schools in Iowa play each other in home/away series is actually pretty unique. The meaning of the games is probably lost on people from outside the state. Morgan and most of the ISU team isn't from Iowa and might not feel that attachment.

Anyway the more important part is that I think the Maniacs will have a lot to cheer for and if they have to revert to yelling at Morgan for some implied comments then I think UNI will be in trouble.

[Marc Wigim]

Virgina

I'm unaware of this team. Are they a Catholic school? Just kidding, just trying to bust your chops. I probably deserve a good beating.

There is a problem presented to the Maniacs: Iowa State is a little bit higher-class than Iowa. How do you heckle them? I look forward to them meeting the challenge, as usual.

[AmesPanther]

I'm unaware of this team. Are they a Catholic school? Just kidding, just trying to bust your chops. I probably deserve a good beating.

I probably should fix it, but it is pretty funny this way. I could leave out another letter and make it even funnier.

[Maniac4]

Morgan

I dont think it's that bad to bust on Morgan a little bit about some implied comments he made about our school. If anything, it'll motivate our team some seeing as the the leader of Iowa State doesn't think our program is quality enough to be on the Cyclone schedule. I just say get on him a little bit before the game then get on the Cyclones about the game while the game was going. There's nothing like a little pre-game heckling.

[JCPanthers]

Not to be the bad guy, but I hope the Maniacs have better things to cheer about than this.

All the teams you listed are one season home only games. UNI and Drake have multi-year Home/Away deals. The teams besides UNI and Drake with Home/Away deals are Virgina, Iowa, Xavier, and San Diego St.

The way all the schools in Iowa play each other in home/away series is actually pretty unique. The meaning of the games is probably lost on people from outside the state. Morgan and most of the ISU team isn't from Iowa and might not feel that attachment.

Anyway the more important part is that I think the Maniacs will have a lot to cheer for and if they have to revert to yelling at Morgan for some implied comments then I think UNI will be in trouble.

The Maniacs WILL have better things to cheer about than this....I was just hoping for a little jab here and there for Coach Morgan's comments that implied that our program wasn't in the same class as Iowa State's.

Johnny Orr even commented this summer about the success of UNI's Basketball program and how it was a huge mistake for Gene Smith to back out of playing UNI those two seasons in the mid 90's. It's better competition than alot of ISU's non-conference schedule and it's great for the state of Iowa. As a coach, you just need to use better judgement when talking to the media so crap like this doesn't find it's way to message boards and locker room walls!!

[Panther AC]

Missing the point

I think most of the replies to this thread are missing the point. If you read the article that appeared on Panther Mania and in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, ISU would be happy to have a home game each year with UNI, but they don't want to play every other year in Cedar Falls. That's the real travesty and what everyone should be upset about. It's fair game for the Maniacs since Morgan launched the first verbal blow.

[Panthers to the Bone]

That's exactly the point AC. It's not that ISU wants to drop the series, it's that they want the series to continue in Hilton. They want to pad their schedule with home games. I look forward to seeing the Maniacs go nuts on the Cyclones. Remember, last year, if it wasn't for Morgan's spineless stance on Vroman's DUI/marijuana possession, UNI would have kicked Iowa State last year in Hilton.

Guys, this is UNI's first real shot at winning the state championship (outside of maybe last year). There is more than enough motivation. If the Maniacs can get in the heads of the Clones, and UNI can play their game and hit shots, this is setting up to be a great game (and it doesn't have to be close for it to be a great game for the Panthers !

[AmesPanther]

PTTB, if you thought Morgan was spineless with letting Vroman off with a few games I'd hate to hear what you think of Alford letting PP off with redshirting a year and not sitting out any games.

I don't think anyone here wanted to beat ISU without Vroman. Like it or not he is part of that team if he sits for a couple of games or half the season. He was a senior on his way to the pros and Morgan was in his first year. Vroman was going to play at some point in the season no matter what. I was at that game, the teams were so close the home team was going to win; move it to UNI's home court and ISU loses.

I also think P AC is right; Morgan would probably be fine with a home series. Like I said earlier Morgan isn't from Iowa and most of the team isn't either. They aren't motivated by the fact it's an Iowa thing. Morgan probably just sees it as a potential loss early in the season. If you are going to have a home/away where there is a good chance to lose you might as well get it on ESPN and lose to a team like Duke.

[Panthers to the Bone]

Ames-

My problem with the Vroman thing is that his two off-court issues in the summer b/t his junior/senior year should have been worth more than 2 exhibition and 1 gimme game. Sure us Panther fans could say that we wanted to beat ISU without any excuses. But there shouldn't be excuses about a suspension. A coaching staff brings in players who have to abide by rules. Some teams take higher risk players, who might be better, but have more off-court problems. Some take less caliber players who don't get into run-ins off the court. Both are recruited for the same reason....to play the game.

If player A has off the court problems that should result in suspensions, then so be it (that's part of the game). Why should we as Panther fans feel that we wanted Vroman playing last year when he broke the rules, when our guys play by the rules? Just b/c he is their best player doesn't mean that he should get a break. Just b/c ISU doesn't have a set system for suspensions in regards to off the court issues, doesn't mean that they shouldn't suspend a player for more games than "just until we need him". With realistically a 1 game suspension for a DUI AND possession of marijuana charge, I think he deserves more than 1 regular season game. Shoot, when Woodley got his DUI a couple years ago, he got suspended for at least 2 games, and that was just one incident.

My issue is that Morgan was spineless for not suspending Vroman for more games than that. As for Alford, I thought that Pierce should have lost a year of eligibility (if not transferred). But, Alford stuck with Pierre (which I wouldn't have had that much of a problem with if PP was suspended for 1 year, not redshirted) instead of being more harsh. These are just my opinions, but the fact that I called Morgan spineless was b/c he suspended Vroman for less than he should have been. And had Vroman not played, UNI would have won.

[UNIpanther99]

Guys, this is UNI's first real shot at winning the state championship (outside of maybe last year).


Actually UNI did win the state championship my junior year (97-98). They beat Iowa in the Dome and the Clones in Hilton... also swept Drake that year. It was Eldon Miller's last season. Darian DeVries (now a Creighton assistant coach) was one of our best players that year... it was a fun December, but unfortuantely the Panthers had a rough conference season after that.

[AmesPanther]

PTTB, what was the appropriate suspension that would have been fair in this case?

I agree that Vroman got off light. I also think there have been much bigger travesties of justice in the state. I think PP should sit out this season until Big 10 play starts. But if Iowa beats UNI and ISU this year then that’s it, they won the state title, there’s no but PP wasn’t punished enough so Iowa isn’t the real winner.

If UNI beats ISU without Vroman than that’s exactly what they would have done. They’d be better than a team minus their best player.

For both Iowa and ISU the coach decide these things the school only has rules about grades. Vroman got caught in never never land. Who’s rules did he break? Larry’s rules or Morgans. Neither was his coach at the time. Morgan got the job and gave Vroman a 3 game suspension and told him anything happens and he is out. You don’t have to like it, but UNI did have to play the team ISU put on the court that day.

That’s why I’ve said for years UNI, Drake, ISU, and Iowa all need to have the same rules. The board of regents should come up with a set of rules that all state schools follow and everyone knows up front. It would settle everything and take a lot of pressure off coaches to enforce rules and win to keep their jobs.

I remember last year when UNI beat Iowa I heard more about what the Maniacs yelled and had for signs than I did about UNI winning. No thanks not again. If UNI beats ISU that’s all we should hear about, not some controversy about calling a coach out for what he implied.

[panther2317]

Maniacs....

I hope everyone is out there trying to get all Maniacs to attend this game. I hope all Maniacs are trying to recruit more students to come to the game and have a ball! Get a many people as you can to the Dome on Wednesday night!

Also, remember that the team will feed off of your emotion and cheering. Even if it gets tough, keep it up. Get loud and proud Panther fans!

Woo-hoo! It's almost gameday! Have fun everyone!

[JCPanthers]

It's not that ISU wants to drop the series, it's that they want the series to continue in Hilton.

I really think that Morgan would rather drop UNI & Drake altogether. The home/home option is more of a consolation.