Lucca not freed

Thank goodness those, "free Lucca," chants aren't getting old. Looks like we're going to be hearing them for the rest of the season. Iowa State officials confirmed today that the freshman guard would have to sit out the entire 2007-08 season for his participation on a team in Germany. Throughout the ordeal, Staiger has told me on several occasions that he was not paid for his services. Now that he's out for the entire season, he's got to be looking to next season, and for many fans, those expectations are pretty high. His senior year, Staiger averaged 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. That stat that I look at is how many fans have rallied behind the freshman. How many kids have come up to him during games asking for autographs? How many posts by angry fans have been made fighting for him to get back on the court? Those are the expectations he'll have to live up to and if he doesn't, he may hear different chants next year.