The August sun isn’t the only heat beating down on Dan McCarney’s back. We all know what must happen for Mr. Eternal Optimism to keep his job. Just Win Baby! Actually, it should be Just-Win-Enough-To-Make-It-To-a-Bowl-Game, Baby! Fans, boosters and an Athletic Director to be named later are all looking for one thing: mediocrity. But there is a thin line between good mediocrity and bad mediocrity. Bad mediocrity, (see a 5-6 season) could mean the band plays “Happy Trails to Dan.” Good mediocrity, (see a 6-5 season) means a better chance for the players to throw on the pads over Christmas. There is good reason to believe these Cyclones could play in a bowl game as hallowed as the galleryfurniture.com Bowl. Twenty-three seniors that are ravenous for success is one reason to believe. And among those seniors, a leader at quarterback in Sage Rosenfels. Seventeen returners with starting experience is another reason to keep hope. As is the fact that the defense has added depth across the board. But what comes with this optimism? An understanding that there is significantly less for McCarney to hide behind if the wins don’t come. he “X” factors of the team will decide the fate of the 2000 football campaign and McCarney’s future. Among the questionables: Will the offensive line stay healthy? Can the defensive line find the opposing quarterback? Last year, some quarterbacks had enough time to sing the entire score from the “H. M. S. Pinafore” while scanning for an open receiver. Another question mark on defense is whether they can fend off a last-minute comeback from a top-25 team? McCarney sees this last question as a bright spot of last season, citing that the ability to compete with K-State showed signs of improvement. Many fans saw K-State, Texas and Colorado as choke jobs. If this were to happen this fall, will the AD align him or herself with the McCarney’s of the world or the skeptic fans of the world? Can you blame the fans for wanting success? The joke about the only bowl the Cyclones make is the toilet bowl was old before Jim Walden was in Ames. They have endured Nebraska lighting up 77 points on us, and a 13 year dominance from the Hawks. “We have stants all we can stants,” and you know what, “we can’t stants no more.” McCarney knows this. He knows that Iowa State is one of the dreaded eight teams who haven’t been in a post-season game in the last 20 years. Mounting on that frustration are the accomplishments of last year’s athletics in other sports. A wrestling team that saw many individual wrestlers winning or finishing high in their weight class at the NCAA’s. A men’s basketball team that made it to the Elite Eight. A women’s basketball team that made it to the Sweet Sixteen. And a women’s gymnastics team that had a strong showing at the NCAA Gymnastic Tournament. All of this success did wonders for ISU Athletics. But football is the mother of college sports, and the cash cow as well. Football, in some circles, is seen as the catalyst for success in other sports. One of Gene Smith’s hopes when taking the ISU job seven years ago was to fill the football stadium on Saturdays. He’s done a commendable job. He’s had help though. Fans have seen two Davis brothers, and this year will get to see Ennis Haywood develop into his own. Reggie Hayward could see the type of break-out year on the defensive line that Marcus Fizer saw at forward last year. The fans and McCarney are in agreement. They want more from this fall. If the Cyclones play at the level McCarney believes they are capable of, it will be a good year. He told the Des Moines Register, “All that other stuff, I think, is going to take care of itself, I really do.” The bar has been set at mediocre. Anything above keeps everybody happy. Anything below means the university has one more vacancy to fill. .