Win-Win-Win: Iowa State, McDermott, Creighton.

Cyclone fans aren't exactly celebrating, but I think most feel a sense of relief. For reasons McDermott supporters could never fully explain, Mac's four seasons in Iowa State just didn't work, and there was little reason to believe better days were ahead.

Some Cyclone fans feel jilted because McDermott broke up with Iowa State instead of the other way around. It's like a relationship you're in, you know it's not working, you're starting to not even like your girlfriend, but then she breaks up with you, and even though you wanted that to happen, it hurts. You feel cheated.

Iowa State is a better job than Creighton, even though Creighton is a great landing spot for a coach under fire. If McDermott were fully confident he'd get it done in Ames, I think he would have stayed. Mac never seemed to relate to Big 12 players. Most think they're NBA bound, even though most are not. In the MVC, it's a different mindset. For whatever reason, McDermott did not adjust, in the same way Rick Pitino, John Calipari and Tim Floyd flopped in the NBA despite being great college coaches.

McDermott is a nice man. He has a nice family. I believe he's sincere when he says he wants to coach his son, Doug, who Greg didn't think was a good fit for the Big 12. Like father, like son. This could work out better for nearly everyone: McDermott, his son, Iowa State, Jamie Pollard, Cyclone fans, Creighton, etc.

Who pulled a bigger Houdini: McDermott or Chizik? I'd say Chizik. He parlayed two horribly mismanaged seasons and 10 straight losses into a prime SEC gig. Still, four straight losing basketball seasons and 0 post-season wins into a 10 year contract at a good basketball school isn't bad either.

Pollard has now misfired on two big hires in four years, but he bounced back from the Chizik debacle by hiring a coach who actually wanted to be at Iowa State, Paul Rhoads. Pollard showed McDermott loyalty, some would say too much, and that should help sell the job to someone else. Pollard has been under a lot of pressure, and knows he needs to get this one right.

I feel for Nick Nurse and Jeff Grayer, especially Grayer. Nurse tells me he has several options, including a return to the Iowa Energy. Grayer has wanted to join the Cyclone coaching staff for years. Hopefully the next coach has room for a legend who really wants the job.