Are you willing to give FM credit?

[Motigerhawk]

When 68 teams qualify for the dance, 3 out of 6 years isnt good enough.
Im too lazy to look up the seeds we had in those 3 years, I do know one year we were a play in game.
But, I would hope we would be anywhere from a 5-8 seed every year. Maybe a year out of 4 as a 2 or 3 seed.
High expectations? I guess. But I want us to be successful.
Will Fran do this for us? His track record suggests he wont.
Do I want Barta hiring another coach? No.

 

[SheagleHawk]

Funny how a few of the pollyannas on here are so quick to shine Fran's pole over beating the worst WI team in 20 years. That same team who had 2 of their best players out from injury and playing a guard who basically had 1 arm. Iowa played better, but WI certainly helped out by missing an ungodly amount of lay ups. Fran gets no credit until we beat someone with a pulse, and addresses the recruiting failures he's 100% responsible for.

 

[kicker22]

I'm willing to give him credit for a much needed win, but that said I don't think it changes things. If the team responds and continues to play like that for the next few weeks then maybe, but at this point I see it as being too little too late. If it's inevitable that he's gone next year (as many believe) I simply don't see the logic in not cutting your losses sooner.

 

[mopkins]

This is where I am at as well. Fran shouldn't be killed for years 1 and 2. Year 3 is fair game, and he, like you said has made 3 NCAA tournaments in 6 years, and I'm sorry, but that is below the bar I feel we should set. Minimum should be 3 NCAA tournaments every 5 years in my mind. This is just what I think and I don't think that is too demanding even.

Id say 30 years of Iowa basketball history suggests Iowa SHOULD make the NCAA 3 out of every 5 years.

 

[83Hawk]

He doesn't get a pat on the back for 1 win any more than he should be excoriated for 1 loss. Let's see a few (a lot) more wins before we start erecting McCaffery statues.

 

[InGoodCo]

Funny how a few of the pollyannas on here are so quick to shine Fran's pole over beating the worst WI team in 20 years. That same team who had 2 of their best players out from injury and playing a guard who basically had 1 arm. Iowa played better, but WI certainly helped out by missing an ungodly amount of lay ups. Fran gets no credit until we beat someone with a pulse, and addresses the recruiting failures he's 100% responsible for.

are you even reading this thread? I think the overwhelming sentiment on this board is, nice win, no credit to Fran, you need to be better, we still suck

 

[sioux34]

It was nice to see that he hasn't lost the team but Wisconsin is really bad. I know they've had some key injuries but man how far have they fallen. I agree with Dean and you have to look big picture. 8 years with only 2 NCAA appearance with 2 NCAA wins is what Fran should be judged on.

I think we should all look at Wisconsin as a cautionary tale. You change coaches, and things are not guaranteed to get better, or even stay the same. We could easily hire the next Alford or lick if we fire Frank.

 

[mopkins]

The Big Ten is down this year, but it will be even worse next year. Purdue loses 4 of its top 5 players, Michigan State will likely lose Bridges, Ohio State loses 2 key guys and maybe Bates-Diop as well if he declares. It will be like Michigan State and then everyone else for the Big Ten next year. Fran will have every opportunity to do damage next year....course he did this year too.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I'm not calling for his head but I need to see more. Consistency.

Iowa has a chance to go on a nice run in the next so many games so if they keep winning and playing well, I'll give more credit. One has to wonder who much the shortened lineup helped last night.

 

[kicker22]

I think we should all look at Wisconsin as a cautionary tale. You change coaches, and things are not guaranteed to get better, or even stay the same. We could easily hire the next Alford or lick if we fire Frank.

But with that said, is Fran currently outperforming either Alford or Lick? I understand the argument, but based on the current state of the program and what we've seen this year we're on par with the former coaches. So if we got rid of Fran and brought someone else in to right the ship like Fran did, are we really that worse off?

 

[Ree4]

But with that said, is Fran currently outperforming either Alford or Lick? I understand the argument, but based on the current state of the program and what we've seen this year we're on par with the former coaches. So if we got rid of Fran and brought someone else in to right the ship like Fran did, are we really that worse off?

I feel optimistic in that we actually do have SOME talent unlike in Lick years, we just can't seem to get things to click - especially defensively. We know these kids (guys) can play well at times individually they just can't do it consistently as a team.

 

[MiniMoeHawk]

It’s too bad fran won’t cut down on the rotation unless players have concussions.

 

[kicker22]

I feel optimistic in that we actually do have SOME talent unlike in Lick years, we just can't seem to get things to click - especially defensively. We know these kids (guys) can play well at times individually they just can't do it consistently as a team.

But with no consistency what's the point if you don't know what you're going to get night in and night out. Take this season for instance a .500 season and 2-7 in conference play will never get you into the tournament. So if were not consistent enough with this group of players and coaches to even sniff the tournament at this point than I simply don't see any reason not to make drastic changes.

 

[trj]

I am not advocating for FM to be fired, but either this roster needs to be overhauled by running some guys off or some major player development needs to happen between now and November.

If anything it made me more depressed. That Wisconsin team has 3 conference wins and Iowa just now got its second.

 

[homes]

Yes, he gets credit, just like he gets a debit when they put in a terrible performance. At some point, the credit v. debit analysis will need to be done to determine his fate. I think he has enough credits to survive this year already. It wouldn't hurt to build more this year.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Cook would either start or play a ton on nearly every B1G team
Jordan would get 20+ min. playing SG on lots of B1G teams
Garza would get minutes, but he would eventually be a starter on most B1G teams
Baer would be a nice roll player off the bench for several B1G teams
Moss/Dailey would barely sniff the floor at most B1G schools.

Then we have Fran as the head man who thinks his team is 11 deep, when in reality is it about 4 quality players deep with a couple reserves.

Pretty fair assessment of them.

In regards to this game. I just think Wisconsin is in rougher shape then we are. And that's saying something. It's weird for Wisconsin to have no outside shooters but they obviously don't. Their big guy Happ should almost consider transferring unless they have obvious help on the way. He's a one man show there and it's not going to get any easier for him without help.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

With the dwindling support FM has on these boards, I'm wondering if any of those calling for his head is willing to give him credit for getting the team to give the inspired performance they did against WI.

I'm not one calling for his head, but I was impressed with the effort vs WI and think FM should receive at least a pat on the back for it. What say you?

Sure, good win.

That's 1

 

[PCHawk]

3 out of 6 years after you have had time to establish your program isn't good enough. Also if you are going to try to give Fran credit for "almost" making it, then you could also say he has only had 2 teams in 6 years that were SOLID NCAA teams. The rest of what he has put on the floor is basically NIT level.

My post wasn't meant to argue that it's good enough. Just that it's dumb to blindly look at something a committee gets to decide. The more I think about it tho, NCAA wins is a good barometer. 2 in 6 years isn't good for sure.

 

[sioux34]

But with that said, is Fran currently outperforming either Alford or Lick? I understand the argument, but based on the current state of the program and what we've seen this year we're on par with the former coaches. So if we got rid of Fran and brought someone else in to right the ship like Fran did, are we really that worse off?

I think we could be worse than Alf or Lick with a new coach. You just don't know. Is the Wisconsin coach going to figure things out? Or was last night the new reality for the Badgers? How did the previous coach at Illinois work out? Hiring a coach is far from an exact science.

 

[Joshbrown]

I think we could be worse than Alf or Lick with a new coach. You just don't know. Is the Wisconsin coach going to figure things out? Or was last night the new reality for the Badgers? How did the previous coach at Illinois work out? Hiring a coach is far from an exact science.

Yes that could happen.
But let's say your wife cheated on you. You could divorce her, or you could say to yourself, "If I divorce her I'm eventually gonna get remarried. And my next wife could cheat on me AND be lazy. So I'll stick with the cheater."
That's torturing logic and doesn't result in a happy marriage.