99topdawg
Well-Known Member
I found this article and really don't remember this being the sentiment, so I was kind of shocked to read it.
McCaffery Hire is another Yawner
McCaffery Hire is another Yawner
Article from when Fran was Hired
- Thread starter 99topdawg
- Start date
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
That guy hit it right on the head. NOT!! Boy, he was way off.
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
I have to admit, at the time, that I was a little concerned about hiring a lifetime mid-major guy, another Dana Altman.. But Altman is having success at Oregon, and Fran at Iowa. So just because they've been at a lower level for a while doesn't guarantee it won't translate, it seems.
Another thing about Fran is that he had taken 3 different programs to the NCAA's before us, and seemed like he was dominating the league at Siena those last few years. So he could build programs and was taking it to the rest of the conference.
In Alford's case, we got a guy that was finishing 2nd-3rd in the MVC, and his team got hot for two games and broke into the Sweet 16 one year and became flavor of the week. But it's not like he was dominating that league, first place every year.
As for Lick - I remember people saying that we hired the wrong Butler coach. In retrospect, it should've been Brad Stevens..
Another thing about Fran is that he had taken 3 different programs to the NCAA's before us, and seemed like he was dominating the league at Siena those last few years. So he could build programs and was taking it to the rest of the conference.
In Alford's case, we got a guy that was finishing 2nd-3rd in the MVC, and his team got hot for two games and broke into the Sweet 16 one year and became flavor of the week. But it's not like he was dominating that league, first place every year.
As for Lick - I remember people saying that we hired the wrong Butler coach. In retrospect, it should've been Brad Stevens..
mopkins
King Kong
^^ Imagine if Iowa had hired brad stevens instead of Lick....wow. Obviously he'd still probably take the first NBA gig he could but that woulda been interesting
I remember when Fran first got hired. He wasn't the darling hire that year, he actually was the 2 years prior. When Fran was announced, his team just lost their opening round NCAA game to Purdue, but they didn't get crushed. The year before that they were an 8/9 seed and beat Ohio State in the first round and then hung with 1 seed Louisville. The year before that they were like a 13 seed and beat 4 seed...I think villanova or vandy or something like that.
I just remember thinking "Thank God" they hired a guy who liked to run and gun, go uptempo, and didn't go recruiting after the nonathletic white kids like Lickliter did. Even if Fran's Iowa teams didn't work out, at least they would be FUN TO WATCH. That's where I was at with Iowa basketball at the time. The Lickliter era was not only awful in the win column, it was hard to watch. Even when they would knock off Michigan State it would be a boring f'ing game to watch.
Every year people talk about "is this as high as Fran can take us?" and every year he proves them wrong. Now we know Fran can at least take us to #3 in the rankings and a potential 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. That aint bad fellas
I remember when Fran first got hired. He wasn't the darling hire that year, he actually was the 2 years prior. When Fran was announced, his team just lost their opening round NCAA game to Purdue, but they didn't get crushed. The year before that they were an 8/9 seed and beat Ohio State in the first round and then hung with 1 seed Louisville. The year before that they were like a 13 seed and beat 4 seed...I think villanova or vandy or something like that.
I just remember thinking "Thank God" they hired a guy who liked to run and gun, go uptempo, and didn't go recruiting after the nonathletic white kids like Lickliter did. Even if Fran's Iowa teams didn't work out, at least they would be FUN TO WATCH. That's where I was at with Iowa basketball at the time. The Lickliter era was not only awful in the win column, it was hard to watch. Even when they would knock off Michigan State it would be a boring f'ing game to watch.
Every year people talk about "is this as high as Fran can take us?" and every year he proves them wrong. Now we know Fran can at least take us to #3 in the rankings and a potential 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. That aint bad fellas
ColumbusHawk
Well-Known Member
How about Lute Olson? Do you realize the uproar today if a young Lute Olson was hired. Lute's experience was thirteen years in high school, four years junior college (Long Beach City College), & one year at Long Beach State. The resumes of Alford, Lickliter & McCaffery at the time of hiring were far better than Lute's. None of the three will have anything close to Lute's final resume.
That's what I took away from it mostly too. But thankfully it's wrong he's got 2 of them penciled in to be Hawks if the future keeps rolling the way it is. Pretty much the only thing he got right about that whole article was his assessment of Lick and Alford.
eveningnewsteam
Well-Known Member
Good call Don.
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
Forget the projection of whether or not Fran would be successful. Doxie's take on his personality and makeup at the time was way off....NOTHING like Lickliter.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
I remember not being particularly excited about the hire. I thought he would do well if he could bring some East coast recruits in every year.
That never happened really but it hasn't mattered. He's doing a wonderful job and I don't think we'll mind his kids suiting up.
That never happened really but it hasn't mattered. He's doing a wonderful job and I don't think we'll mind his kids suiting up.
IndianaHawk
Well-Known Member
He did bring Basabe with him.
BrueCrew3
Well-Known Member
Fran wasn't the sexy pick. IIRC Bruce Pearl and Scot Drew were the names everyone were throwing out. It seems to me there was another name with Iowa ties .. an assistant coach .. that was also being mentioned, but I can't remember who it was. (Gary Close?)
Suffice to say, Fran has done a good job so far. The next few years will be telling.
GO HAWKS!!!
Suffice to say, Fran has done a good job so far. The next few years will be telling.
GO HAWKS!!!
99topdawg
Well-Known Member
I think it was Steve Forbes you are thinking of. He was a hot name around these parts.
BrueCrew3
Well-Known Member
THANK YOU!!!
THAT was the name I couldn't come up with. IIRC, a LOT of people were pining for Forbes. He had ties to Iowa and there was a lot of talk that he would be a good fit.
GO HAWKS!!!
