Are you kidding me? Now they decide to show up? This is like the bride and groom showing up late for their own wedding reception, hours after all the guests gave up and went home. This is like when everyone leaves the game early because their team is getting blown out, only to find out when they get to the car that there was a miraculous comeback. This is like your high school kid getting F’s on all his math tests over the course of a semester, and then acing the final exam. This is the kind of stuff that makes you throw your hands up in the air and say, “I give up.”
The Iowa State Cyclones just defeated #5 Kansas State. On the road. In overtime. Why am I not jumping up and down for joy? Because this was exactly the kind of win that should have locked up an NCAA Tournament birth, or a top 25 ranking, or a top 3 finish in the Big 12, something BIG! But instead, it means nothing. NOTHING! Three months ago, if you would have told me that Iowa State was going to finish their regular season by knocking off the #5 team in the country on the road, what would I have thought? I would have thought that ISU was finishing off a magnificent season, maybe contending for a Big 12 championship, certainly ranked in the top 25, maybe the top 15. It would have been the magical ending to a magical season--three months ago. Now, I’m just flat out mad. Mad that this win means nothing. Mad that this team didn’t live up to expectations all year long. Mad that I was so excited for this season, only to be frustrated for most of it, only to finally see they really did have the talent to knock off a top 10 team…on the road no less. But don’t be mistaken—the Cyclones did everything they could to screw this one up too. Diante Garrett’s foul on a three point attempt with ten seconds left and the Clones leading by four was priceless. That’s what we have come to expect from our Cyclones this year. And normally, that bonehead move would have been the difference between a victory and a loss.
Congratulations to Coach McDermott for finally getting a win against a top 25 team. Congrats to Craig Brackins and company for shocking the basketball world tonight. Congratulations for beating the dirtiest program in college hoops since Jerry Tarkanian and UNLV. Only question is—“What took you so long?” The only thing that can nullify this victory is an improbable, miraculous run through the Big 12 Tournament to somehow make the field of 64. Shame on you if you fool me once. Shame on me if you fool me twice.
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