Saw Michael Wilbon while talking about Nebraska and Miles locking his players out of the locker room take another shot at Fran. Is there more of a beef there then we know? He talks so glowingly about Bobby Knight yet he thinks Fran is the biggest bully in college basketball. It's like he knows nothing about Fran and how he coaches other then 2 or 3 cut ups of his intensity shining through. He slammed his chair down once and got him self kicked out ounce. Big deal. He's coached a heck of alot of other games then those where he's not been anything close to being a "bully" Are any of you out there that are on twitter able to tweet at him to maybe challenge him to actually do some homework on Fran or even get to know him as opposed to taking these cheap shots at him? Those types of things don't help with recruiting. Wilbon seems to want to lump him with the Rutgers coach that got himself fired for going nuts during practices a few yrs ago for crying out loud. I probably shouldn't care what Wilbon says so much and if I didn't think what he's saying had a negative impact on program I wouldn't. But if there was anyway of getting to him to let him know Fran isn't who he's trying to paint him as that'd be great.
Another jab at Fran
- Thread starter Hawkfnntn
- Start date
HawkeyeMike23
Banned
Wilbon has Chris Collins **** so far down his throat I'm surprised he can even talk.
hawkeye4life68
Banned
I wouldn't get your undies in a bundle over this. How often are Iowa sports discussed on the national sports shows like PTI? I say bad press is good press. Wilbon clearly has some beef with Fran but BFD. Fran's got enough of a reputation out in the bball community that none of this is gonna stick or be taken seriously.
If we can get into the tourney and make any kind of a run the spin will turn and Iowa can get some national exposure for this program for the first time in a long time.
If we can get into the tourney and make any kind of a run the spin will turn and Iowa can get some national exposure for this program for the first time in a long time.
tweeterhawk
Well-Known Member
Haters gonna hate. <insert Freddie Mercury stage strut here> National sports guys are paid to be outrageous, not necessarily accurate and certainly not fair, so take anything Wilbon or Jockitch or anyone else says with the seriousness it deserves (nothing) and move on.
Face it, Fran did some unprofessional things with the chair slam, running into the referee and being kicked out of a couple games. He seems to have really toned it down this year. Could be he is on a tighter leash with Barta and the conference, could be a realization that being a little less abusive to officials and even his own players would earn him more in the long run, could be his son's cancer and the outpouring of support from not only Iowa fans but the coaching community has him re-focused. Likely a combination of the above.
As a result, I think Fran is turning into a better coach. Hopefully that will translate into more wins, recruiting better players to Iowa City and success for the program.
Face it, Fran did some unprofessional things with the chair slam, running into the referee and being kicked out of a couple games. He seems to have really toned it down this year. Could be he is on a tighter leash with Barta and the conference, could be a realization that being a little less abusive to officials and even his own players would earn him more in the long run, could be his son's cancer and the outpouring of support from not only Iowa fans but the coaching community has him re-focused. Likely a combination of the above.
As a result, I think Fran is turning into a better coach. Hopefully that will translate into more wins, recruiting better players to Iowa City and success for the program.
Benddontbreak
Well-Known Member
Didn’t Fran take a subtle jab at the PTI guys last week?
Very funny.
mopkins
King Kong
Yeah I don't really care what he said I was just completely surprised by it. It was like Wilbon intentionally went out of his way to take a cheap shot at Fran for no reason. The story was about Tim Miles and Nebraska.
Then it was funny because about 10 minutes later he called Bobby Knight one of the greatest coaches ever
Then it was funny because about 10 minutes later he called Bobby Knight one of the greatest coaches ever
Michael Wilbon attended northwestern university from 1976-1980. Take a quick look at the scores of the football contests between our two schools during his time at jNW.
After looking, take a moment to laugh hysterically at how Hayden Fry made his life a living hell for one saturday a year while he was in college (and for like 15 straight years after).
Then there's the small matter of Fran taking iowa from where jNW is, to where we are now (granted, not a giant leap -- but jNW hasn't made those baby steps EVER).
Still wonder why he has a haaaaaaahhhhd on for our school, athletic department, coaches, players, cheerleaders, mascot and the dude who watches football games from way up on those construction beams?
I get it completely. And it's hilarious.
He's projecting his anger at the future beat down the kitties will take at CHA and just having to be a Northwestern fan. It's understandable.
I didn't see PTI and don't know what Wilban said about Fran. Not sure what Fran did Sunday at Nebraska to set him off but he should read what the press has to say about Fran and the Iowa basketball program.
http://www.omaha.com/huskers/shatel...cle_a25e4faf-93fe-5a0f-bc44-3ac2aa6141ff.html
http://www.omaha.com/huskers/shatel...cle_a25e4faf-93fe-5a0f-bc44-3ac2aa6141ff.html
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
Meh, win and it matters not. I like Bobby Knight a lot as well, dudes a legend. That said, he was light years more "bully" than Fran will ever be. He won....a lot.
Wilbon...meh.
Wilbon...meh.
RocknRollface
Well-Known Member
Bob Knight is one of the greatest coaches ever, it's not really a matter of opinion.
He is just a friend of Dakich. Bullies have a tendency to stick together when they can find some enjoyment off of someone else. ******** tend to stick together.
WindsorHawk
Well-Known Member
I sure hope so.
ColumbusHawk
Well-Known Member
Fry didn't come to Iowa until 1979, so Hayden was the coach for one game. Know your facts.
well, that actually is a huge burn on me ... which i will accept.
Regardless, Wilbon's time at jNW was in the early stages of a 20+ year domination of his team by the university he seems to obsessively take jabs at.
But yeah. I did overplay my hand (not sure why I thought Hayden got there in 76-77 ... maybe because I'm an idiot and I was an infant at the tiem).
