All things considered, did we go from one end of the extreme with Lick to Fran?

HaydenHawk56

HaydenHawk56

Well-Known Member
I'm not going to question we upgraded overall talent because we did. I'm not going to question if Fran is a better coach than Lick because the results show it. But, arguably, we went from a complete bore to a thin skinned hot head.

But, maybe the lesson learned is you have to be competent in both offense and defense if you want to be a championship level team. You have to be able to make adjustments as the season goes on. And, incomplete recruiting is only going to get you so far.

IMHO, all roads circle back to the AD at Iowa at this point.
 
It's human nature to want to over compensate when things aren't going well. So you go from an older, humble, self-deprecating, "grandfatherly" type in Tom Davis to the young, energetic, bombastic, arrogant Steve Alford....then to the quiet, unassuming, completely devoid of personality Todd Lickliter to red-faced Fran.

But that's because we've got a dipshit for an AD who doesn't understand to stay away from the pendulum swing.
 
Iowa basketball is where it is because of FM's inability to recruit a true PG. I could probably overlook Fran's childish tirades if we had one.
 
I'm not a guy who gets hung up on a coach's sideline demeanor.

There was Dean Smith, calm as can be. Then there was Bob Knight. Both won at a high level.

I've seen both types of demeanors get criticized when the team is losing. See Fran and KF as examples of this.

Win, and all is good.

If I had to choose, give me a more calm and "professional" acting coach, but I really don't care that much either way. It's results that I care about.
 
1977Hawkeye said:
I'm not a guy who gets hung up on a coach's sideline demeanor.

There was Dean Smith, calm as can be. Then there was Bob Knight. Both won at a high level.

I've seen both types of demeanors get criticized when the team is losing. See Fran and KF as examples of this.

Win, and all is good.

If I had to choose, give me a more calm and "professional" acting coach, but I really don't care that much either way. It's results that I care about.
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True, winning does forgive things to a certain degree (and to big degree depending on things). Very good examples. I would personally take a middle personality (Mr. Davis, Ferentz).
 
HaydenHawk56 said:
True, winning does forgive things to a certain degree (and to big degree depending on things). Very good examples. I would personally take a middle personality (Mr. Davis, Ferentz).
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Agreed. KF is typically calm but I've seen him get fired up with the refs before.. So he CAN get animated. Ditto for Mr. Davis. Those two are about right IMO.
 
1977Hawkeye said:
I'm not a guy who gets hung up on a coach's sideline demeanor.

There was Dean Smith, calm as can be. Then there was Bob Knight. Both won at a high level.

I've seen both types of demeanors get criticized when the team is losing. See Fran and KF as examples of this.

Win, and all is good.

If I had to choose, give me a more calm and "professional" acting coach, but I really don't care that much either way. It's results that I care about.
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Agree completely (as long as not throwing chairs and that extreme).

But Iowans don’t have east coast in-your-face personality so especially if you’re not meeting expectations—
 
HaydenHawk56 said:
True, winning does forgive things to a certain degree (and to big degree depending on things). Very good examples. I would personally take a middle personality (Mr. Davis, Ferentz).
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The interesting thing about Mr. Davis is that before Street died, he was much more of a "wild man". Player interviews have said that he would curse like a sailor in practice and be on their ass constantly. After Street died, he was much more calm and more of a father figure to the players....even Mr. Davis admitted that he purposely did that as he realized that life was too short to be constantly angry....
 
HaydenHawk56 said:
Guessing:
He should have stayed at Butler....but he got a very nice 3 year deal at Iowa (and a buyout) and he is set for life. Not bad for being one of the worse coaches in Iowa History.
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Yup and at least one of his kids got to go to college for free for awhile... So yeah career wise he's wishing he'd stayed at Butler. But beyond that he's doing just fine if he didn't blow all his $
 
Iowa basketball hasn't been right since Bowlsby put Mr. Davis out to pasture. REDACTED was the wrong hire, Lick was absolutely the wrong hire. Fran was probably the wrong hire as well. He is an improvement over his two predecessors. But when you're comparing to a preening douche and personality lacking milquetoast, that isn't saying a whole lot.
 
eledmonster said:
Iowa basketball hasn't been right since Bowlsby put Mr. Davis out to pasture. REDACTED was the wrong hire, Lick was absolutely the wrong hire. Fran was probably the wrong hire as well. He is an improvement over his two predecessors. But when you're comparing to a preening douche and personality lacking milquetoast, that isn't saying a whole lot.
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Mr. Davis could coach his ass off, but preferred the links over recruiting (and we were never the same in recruiting once Pearl left).

Alford could bring in good recruits but couldn't coach himself out of a wet paper bag.

Todd could do neither.

Fran likes recruiting, but sucks at it. He can coach offense with the best in the country, but doesn't seem to understand even the most basic of defensive concepts (his teams give up baseline so many times that they HAVE TO be taught to give it up).

Why can't we get someone who is at least serviceable in both?!
 
Prediction...Someday when Fran is replaced that coach will also be the wrong guy. Then the next coach will be the wrong guy. The next AD will be an idiot. The majority of the players won’t be good enough every season under every coach.

Hell. Fran could make the Final 4 and posters will bitch because now we’re “stuck” with him.
 
WindsorHawk said:
Prediction...Someday when Fran is replaced that coach will also be the wrong guy. Then the next coach will be the wrong guy. The next AD will be an idiot. The majority of the players won’t be good enough every season under every coach.

Hell. Fran could make the Final 4 and posters will bitch because now we’re “stuck” with him.
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Not true.

The problem with Fran is that there is no real "capital" built up by him.

He hasn't won a regular season or conference title....hell, he hardly makes it past the first day.

He hasn't made a Sweet 16.

He hasn't landed McDonald's All American in recruiting.

Other than getting us back to, essentially, the Alford years, he hasn't accomplished much at all.

Until then, yeah, he's going to take some heat.
 
1hawkeye1 said:
Iowa basketball is where it is because of FM's inability to recruit a true PG. I could probably overlook Fran's childish tirades if we had one.
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I wonder what the narrative will be if Joe T comes in, is a "true" PG, can break down the defense and guard on the defensive end and struggles continue? What will be the go to theme then?
 
WindsorHawk said:
Prediction...Someday when Fran is replaced that coach will also be the wrong guy. Then the next coach will be the wrong guy. The next AD will be an idiot. The majority of the players won’t be good enough every season under every coach.

Hell. Fran could make the Final 4 and posters will bitch because now we’re “stuck” with him.
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BS.

Hire someone to get us to the tournament consistently, make a Sweet 16 or better here and there, and I'll be plenty satisfied. I'll wager most others would be, too. A Final Four? I wish.

There are those who will try to shout down those who think the program should be in a better place than it's been the past 20 years. Sorry, but posts like this come off as pretty bitchy, too.
 
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