I need to give a shout out where a shout out is due. I have ripped on my bosses sense of direction (a blind shipwrecked mouse with a broken compass would find his way home faster) but when it comes to breaking news JW is second to none. The past week has been one of the best hands-on learning experiences of my life. It all started Sunday when Creighton started to court Greg McDermott to Omaha. It is then that JW, in the words of Omaha based band 311, said "you've got to trust your instincts". (he more acted, than actually said it but you get the point)Following your instincts can mean following up on a piece of information that seems less believable than Barry Bonds biceps, or running into a road closed sign and deciding a bum country road would be a good detour. All that and much more happened in the 3 day span that saw McDermott leave and native son Fred Hoiberg return. JW along with Dave Z were on top of it all from start to finish. As Dave Z said to me before the Hoiberg press conference. One of the fastest ways to succeed is to surround yourself with good people. I'm fortunate enough to work with two of the best. Alright, enough of the sappy stuff.
Make no mistake about it, this has been a great week for Cyclones athletics. Only time will tell if Hoiberg can turn around his beloved program and in the process help Hilton magic reappear. In the present though, it's a win-win for everybody involved. Instead of having a black cloud hanging over his head, McDermott gets a fresh start in a league where he has a proven track record. Meanwhile, ISU ends it's third men's basketball coaching search in five years with a ton of momentum and one happy fanbase. Even the doubters will give him time because he's one of them. Has been since the day he could walk. A risk indeed, but Jamie Pollard decided to trust his instincts in hopes that you can go home again, and in this case bring ISU back to prominence in the Big 12.
