Players of the Iowa State men’s basketball team seem to be getting a lot of attention lately.

Could it be their quick moves on the hardwood of Hilton Coliseum or their fast breaks to the basket?

No.

Could it be the effectiveness of “Hilton Magic” in helping the team end with a winning season?

No.

Players of the ISU men’s basketball team haven’t been receiving a lot of attention for what they do on the court but for their actions off the court. Recently, it seems one cannot pick up a newspaper without reading a headline stating that a Cyclone player has quit, is academically ineligible or was arrested for hitting a Hardee’s employee.

What happened to all the aspirations of having a winning season with a new coach and a new young team?

Whether the team wins is not as important as having a team.

There probably are many factors contributing to the problems many of the players are having; however, the fact that there is a problem cannot be overlooked.

The team needs help.

There is no way you can have a winning team when most of your players have to take leaves of absence to make appearances in court.

Recruitment efforts need to be re-evaluated. When recruiting, the ISU Athletic Department and college athletic departments around the nation need to look for more than just the player who can score the most points.

They need to consider whether the player will adapt well to the college’s environment and whether he or she wants to obtain a higher education.

Since student athletes devote numerous hours to practicing, training and competing, there needs to be a family network established.

For players to play like a team, there has to be that family network.

As in most families, there are usually strong leaders to guide the members.

In those families, we call those people parents. In teams, we call those people coaches.

Parents know when their children are acting out or on the brink of disaster.

Parents know when their children are not comfortable in their environments.

It doesn’t matter what the reason is for the downward spiral of the Cyclone men’s basketball team; it is noticeable.

And until the team and its players are given more support, players will continue to appear on the front pages of newspapers.

The question is, will it be for their on-court or off-court performances?