By the time you read this editorial, Craig Brackins could be eligible for the NBA Draft.

If he does decide to leave the ISU men’s basketball team after his sophomore season, it would cap off a year-long run of big names leaving the athletics department.

It all started last May, when Wesley Johnson unexpectedly left the men’s basketball team, leaving those surrounding the program scratching their heads. It was the second straight year that coach Greg McDermott lost his best player following the season.

Then, after a 2-10 season and 5-19 tenure as a Cyclone, football coach Gene Chizik unexpectedly left for Auburn. This one was especially tough to swallow for Cyclone fans. After seemingly getting a hot coach, we were left feeling like a second fiddle.

But what would cause arguably the greatest athlete in ISU history leave the wrestling team? It’s hard to say that Iowa State is second fiddle to anybody in wrestling—except maybe that team in Eastern Iowa. Even so, “There’s no better job than Iowa State,” former coach Bobby Douglas said last week.

But wave bye-bye to Cael Sanderson. Undefeated in his career as a Cyclone, we thought he was a lifer. It’s still unclear exactly why he left. He even seemed a little unsure of his decision while talking to reporters about his decision last Friday.  “It feels like it’s the right thing to do, but only time will tell,” he said.

Jamie Pollard is not talking, and declined an interview with the Daily until after the coaching search is completed.

 But he has some questions to answer to Cyclone fans. Prominent among them is ‘Where does the athletics department go from here?’

Before you read too much into this as a bashing of Pollard, we’d like to point out that we think he is doing a good job as Iowa State’s athletics director. He’s thinking big picture. He understands that it is going to take fan support and, more specifically, money and donors to allow the Cyclones to compete with the Oklahoma’s and Texas’ of the Big 12. And he’s taking steps to make that happen.

Now he must rejuvenate the fan base.Cyclone fans are a strong, supportive and dedicated group. They stand by their teams through thick and thin. But that doesn’t always make the money thick, especially in these economic times.

Sanderson, Chizik, Johnson and maybe even Brackins can jump off the ISU train. But the fans must stay on to keep the train going full steam ahead.