Pollard gets another chance

You wonder why Iowa State athletics director Jamie Pollard kept everyone in the know about this Gene Chizik-to-Auburn stuff? Maybe because he wanted so bad for it to actually happen.

If that's the case, Pollard got his wish Saturday when it was announced Chizik indeed was leaving ISU after two seasons to become Auburn's head coach. Man, you gotta wonder what Auburn's thought process is here.

Chizik did absolutely nothing in his two seasons in Ames, unless you think those five wins (against 19 losses) were impressive. He left the Cyclone program in worse shape than when he inherited it, if that's possible. His team this season didn't improve, evidenced by that 10-game losing streak that's still intact.

Pollard pulled out all the bells and whistles for Chizik's introductory press conference. He held it at Hilton Coliseum, with Chizik stepping out on a raised dais through a giant inflatable Cyclone helmet, with smoke pouring out of it. It was about a 9 on the hokey meter.

Turns out Pollard was blowing smoke up the skirts of Cyclone fans when he said Chizik was the guy who was going to brings ISU's football program to new heights. Picking the former Texas and Auburn defensive coordinator after firing Dan McCarney turned out to be a horrible decision.

Now Pollard gets another chance, whether he deserves it or not. My bet this hire will be Turner Gill. Cyclone fans have to hope their AD finally gets this one right.