Becky Hammon as coach?

Fryowa said:
She's also a Russian citizen which I didn't know until yesterday. Definite hard pass. She didn't make the US national team so she went and got Russian citizenship to play for them instead. There are some things you just don't compromise on and becoming a citizen of a kommie country that represents everything this country was created to oppose--even if it's just as a technicality to play basketball--is one of them.

EFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF no for me.

That's a bridge too far in my opinion, and before the flaming begins there is no possible way I could give a shit less if anyone else thinks it's no big deal. It's a me thing and if you think it's a non-factor more power to you. I'm not here to change anyone's mind.
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Hey, not here to flame. I feel like we are all sitting bedside during Hawkeye Nation's dying moments, so why don't the 13 of us still here enjoy each other's company?

I mostly thought that it was a fun hypothetical convo.

I get your Russian citizenship stance, too. But let me ask you something. You say that's a deal breaker for you, but I seem to recall your arguments that there wasn't any difference in the two political parties in the last presidential election, and thus why you weren't going to vote. I'm not flaming - I'm honestly trying to understand the perspective. Because when it comes to policy stances towards Russia, in the last presidential election, there were enormous differences between the platforms of the two parties. Which we are seeing playing out now. If that issue is so important to you, it's hard for me to understand how that didn't result in a vote last November.

I know this is a bit of a tangent to Becky Hammon, but who knows if HN is even around tomorrow. May as well chat while the line is still open. All good, too - these kind of decent discussions can be tough to find these days.
 
Fryowa said:
BJ Armstrong is an agent for Wasserman in charge of their basketball division and has been there since '06. He's got big time F you money and a steady big paycheck. Ain't no way he's coming to Iowa to work in the front office.
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Yeah, it'd have be like a $20M, 5 year contract and mostly he'd have to be super excited to do it. It's not a realistic idea. At the same time, like you said, he has big time money already and maybe that'd be a dream job to him.
 
SwirlinLingerie said:
Hey, not here to flame. I feel like we are all sitting bedside during Hawkeye Nation's dying moments, so why don't the 13 of us still here enjoy each other's company?

I mostly thought that it was a fun hypothetical convo.

I get your Russian citizenship stance, too. But let me ask you something. You say that's a deal breaker for you, but I seem to recall your arguments that there wasn't any difference in the two political parties in the last presidential election, and thus why you weren't going to vote. I'm not flaming - I'm honestly trying to understand the perspective. Because when it comes to policy stances towards Russia, in the last presidential election, there were enormous differences between the platforms of the two parties. Which we are seeing playing out now. If that issue is so important to you, it's hard for me to understand how that didn't result in a vote last November.

I know this is a bit of a tangent to Becky Hammon, but who knows if HN is even around tomorrow. May as well chat while the line is still open. All good, too - these kind of decent discussions can be tough to find these days.
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I wasn’t flaming. I said in my post I’m not concerned with how other people view it, I just would never root for a team with a Russian coach wearing the Tigerhawk. Like I said it’s a me thing.
 
SwirlinLingerie said:
You say that's a deal breaker for you, but I seem to recall your arguments that there wasn't any difference in the two political parties
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Looking at what Russia has done since the USSR became a thing and what it's doing now, it’s not a political thing. It's way beyond that. Again, if you think it's something you can look past that's totally cool. I'm just saying I can't/
 
SwirlinLingerie said:
Yeah, it'd have be like a $20M, 5 year contract and mostly he'd have to be super excited to do it. It's not a realistic idea. At the same time, like you said, he has big time money already and maybe that'd be a dream job to him.
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I firmly believe that until Iowa gets a whole bunch more NIL money it's not going to matter who the coach is. Iowa's donors have thus far spoken that football is the priority. To be honest, I don't think there's enough in the donor pool to be competitive in both. Yes, there is probably enough money in the alumni pool, but the only money that counts is what donors have given and plan to give. I don't see that changing, and if there's only enough money for one sport to be nationally competitive...my vote goes to football.

Pretty reliable sources have said Iowa's player salary as a team is around an 1/8th of the top Big Ten teams...I don't see even a quadrupling of the current allotment happening anytime soon even with a remodeled arena and new coach. To think Iowa is going to commit to hiring a grand slam coach, remodel CHA, and then donors are all of a sudden going to turn on the faucet is a pipe dream IMO.
 
Fryowa said:
BJ Armstrong is an agent for Wasserman in charge of their basketball division and has been there since '06. He's got big time F you money and a steady big paycheck. Ain't no way he's coming to Iowa to work in the front office.
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You're no fun!

Everyone has a price. Also, once you make F you money, sometimes it is not even about getting more loot, it is about power and your ability to wield it (see Musk, Elon). Being the savior of Iowa BB has to mean something.
 
CP87 said:
You're no fun!

Everyone has a price. Also, once you make F you money, sometimes it is not even about getting more loot, it is about power and your ability to wield it (see Musk, Elon). Being the savior of Iowa BB has to mean something.
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Walk away from your business that you're likely a partner in after 19 years, as well as the clients making you a millionaire to try and play Bad News Bears at a relatively podunkish basketball team? I wouldn't. But that's me. BJ Armstrong ain't me.
 
Fryowa said:
Walk away from your business that you're likely a partner in after 19 years, as well as the clients making you a millionaire to try and play Bad News Bears at a relatively podunkish basketball team? I wouldn't. But that's me. BJ Armstrong ain't me.
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Boo, you are not becoming any more fun...you probably need some psychedelics to loosen you up.
 
CP87 said:
Boo, you are not becoming any more fun...you probably need some psychedelics to loosen you up.
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I don't even like getting lightheaded standing up, lol. I don't think I'd like psychadelics. My own non-hallucinogenic thoughts are scary enough...

Although I will say oxycodone was fun that one month back in 2012.
 
Fryowa said:
I firmly believe that until Iowa gets a whole bunch more NIL money it's not going to matter who the coach is. Iowa's donors have thus far spoken that football is the priority. To be honest, I don't think there's enough in the donor pool to be competitive in both. Yes, there is probably enough money in the alumni pool, but the only money that counts is what donors have given and plan to give. I don't see that changing, and if there's only enough money for one sport to be nationally competitive...my vote goes to football.

Pretty reliable sources have said Iowa's player salary as a team is around an 1/8th of the top Big Ten teams...I don't see even a quadrupling of the current allotment happening anytime soon even with a remodeled arena and new coach. To think Iowa is going to commit to hiring a grand slam coach, remodel CHA, and then donors are all of a sudden going to turn on the faucet is a pipe dream IMO.
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That's my point with BJ. Not that I'm considering it a likely scenario - but can you imagine a better CEO/GM in terms of soliciting funds for Iowa's basketball payroll? Iowa is supposedly in the $1.5M range. BJ could exceed that in a week with a handful of phone calls and quick trips to take the right people out for dinner.
 
Fryowa said:
I don't even like getting lightheaded standing up, lol. I don't think I'd like psychadelics. My own non-hallucinogenic thoughts are scary enough...

Although I will say oxycodone was fun that one month back in 2012.
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I am also scared of any mind-altering substances, never drank or used tobacco in my life. I wouldn't have the courage to try them, but when you hear about how prevalent they are among CEOs (especially in tech), it makes you think. Comedian Neal Brennan also talks (sincerely) about how he was a devout atheist until he tried psychedelics, and how he believes in God. That has to be some powerful shit.
 
SwirlinLingerie said:
That's my point with BJ. Not that I'm considering it a likely scenario - but can you imagine a better CEO/GM in terms of soliciting funds for Iowa's basketball payroll? Iowa is supposedly in the $1.5M range. BJ could exceed that in a week with a handful of phone calls and quick trips to take the right people out for dinner.
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Basically, you are starting an improv scene, and you are looking for people to "yes, and" these ideas for entertainment and enlightenment. And @Fryowa is coming in here like Michael Scott, pulling out his finger guns (the right, but boring, answer), trying to shut the whole scene down.

No bad ideas in a brainstorm, guys. How do we get BJ here to save Iowa hoops?

I actually liked the original thought about Hammon.
 
Then there is Lickliter. What an effing mess that was. So sometimes the brain trust at the University of Iowa shouldn't always be trusted. Those talking about it being about NIL MONEY are correct. SEMI pro baby, pay to play.
 
CP87 said:
Basically, you are starting an improv scene, and you are looking for people to "yes, and" these ideas for entertainment and enlightenment. And @Fryowa is coming in here like Michael Scott, pulling out his finger guns (the right, but boring, answer), trying to shut the whole scene down.

No bad ideas in a brainstorm, guys. How do we get BJ here to save Iowa hoops?

I actually liked the original thought about Hammon.
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Only sort of. My point is why does Iowa need to follow the model everyone else does? Use a search firm, hire a mid-major coach who got his team to the sweet 16 that month, hope you can compete against the teams who ultimately hire away that level of coach (if they turn out to be successful) and have more resources?

That's a losing game.

Why not look for market inefficiencies? Coaches who are undervalued for various reasons by the market. Or GMs who may be able to more greatly impact the payroll and ultimately the roster and thus win total than any head coach.

Iowa is in a perfect position to roll the dice. A football team that brings in a ton of revenue, a massive TV contract from the Big Ten TV deal, and an apathetic fan base with low expectations.

Let's try fucking something else for once. Or just keep Fran, who I think has done a nice job with limited resources and plays a fun style.
 
guffus said:
If you are going to hire a women as a gimmick, just go ahead and hire Caitlin Clark as coach. She ain't doing nothing in the WNBA off-season anyway. Conner can help her as an assistant.
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Love it Fire Fran and hire his kid as an assistant. BF wishes he woulda had that sort of deal still
 
I love this discussion. Fun ideas. Makes me excited about Iowa MBB moving forward if Beth were to think outside the box and swing big. That doesn't happen very often. People are too afraid to fail to try something totally new. Money Ball and Billy Bean embody that concept.

For me, I am 50. I have had a good career and set myself up for a comfortable retirement in 10 years if I plug away and bill those hours. But, if someone were to come to me right now and offer me something fun, exciting and that I would be 100% passionate about, I would take a 70% pay cut and dial back my retirement goals. Money is important to most people, me included, but you do hit a point where purpose beyond money starts to take priority. Maybe that would draw a guy like Armstrong back to his roots. To do something grandiose with his final act of his career.
 
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