Until now, I’ve been at the front of the line of those who’ve felt that the Cyclone faithful—or not-so-faithful--should be embarrassed because there hasn’t been a sellout at Hilton Coliseum all season.

Now I’m changing my mind.

After watching what happened in Wednesday night’s 88-73 loss to Texas Tech and after hearing Iowa State guard Jake Sullivan rip his teammates afterward, I think the fans are smarter than I give them credit for.

"If you want to put your head down, go home," Sullivan said in a message to the other Cyclones. "If you don’t think we can go to Kansas and play (on Sunday), then don’t get on the plane."

Sullivan went on to say that he doesn’t think there are enough players on Iowa State’s team who have enthusiasm for basketball.

Obviously, the fans are thinking the same thing. That’s why lots of them are avoiding Hilton Coliseum these days and nights.

Some would say it’s embarrassing that only 11.039—more than 3,000 below capacity at the 14,092-seat arena--showed up to watch legendary coach Bobby Knight win his 801^st game.

Some say it’s embarrassing that only 11,039 bothered coming to support an Iowa State team that, a few weeks ago, was wondering which NCAA Regional it would be assigned to in March.

"If we keep doing (what we did against Texas Tech), it’s going to be a long last seven games and a quick end to the season in the Big 12 tournament," Sullivan admitted.

The 3,053 people who stayed away were just a little smarter than the 11,039 who showed up.

After the game, Knight put an arm around Sullivan, who had just scored 29 points—21 of them on three-point missiles that were launched from Lincoln Way.

"What did Knight say to you?" I asked.

"He said I could play for him any day," Sullivan said.

The way he gushed, it almost seemed that Jake wished he were playing for The General now.

"As a player, that’s the greatest compliment you can get," he said. "I think about the game a lot—the judgements he makes, the things he does. That’s why he has 801 wins. In my opinion, he might be the greatest coach who has ever lived."

Minutes earlier, Knight had said of Sullivan in a session with reporters that was filled with the usual amounts of General-type profanity: "I love Sullivan. He just plays his ass off. He competes."

The next time Sullivan—and, hopefully, some of his teammates--need to play their asses off is Sunday at Kansas, a team that walloped them, 83-54, in the Big 12 opener Jan. 6 at Hilton Coliseum.

But don’t expect any miracles.

If Iowa State brings the same game to Allen Fieldhouse that it brought to Hilton in the last half Wednesday, it’s going to be a very ugly afternoon.

"I really like Vroman," Knight said. "They’ve done a good job with him as a low post player. He’s very active, has long arms and uses his body well."

As for his team’s NCAA chances, Knight said, "I’m not on the tournament committee, but I probably should be."

Asked if he was on his way to a second 800 victories, he said, "That’s a tad out of reach. You writers must have been born with numbers taped to your ass or something."

When I asked if he noticed any changes at Hilton Coliseum, Knight said, "This is a great facility. When I first came here, I think it was pretty new.

"Who was that coach when I first came out here?"

"Johnny…." I said.

"Oh, yeah, Johnny Orr," Knight said. "Hell, that’s a name out of the past. I’m glad you reminded me who used to coach here."

Then Knight, making sure the microphone was close, said, "I hope you’re watching, you son-of-a-bitch!"

Knowing his press conference was being carried live on ESPN News, Knight meant that last comment for Orr, who spends his winters in Florida and his summers in Des Moines.

"Now he’s in Florida, where his wife does all the work," Knight said of Orr and his wife, Romie. "I was really glad they moved to Florida because his wife got out of cutting grass and shoveling snow."

Knight also said he recalls the "He-e-e-r-e’s Johnny!" song the band used to play when Orr came onto the floor at Hilton Coliseum before games.

"I hoped those bastards could play, ‘There Goes Johnny,’ too," he said.