FAB 5

I don't blame you at all. I have had this conversation with a few people and we go around in circles because there are quality players all around. Ive just come to the conclusion that the lineup will change depending on our opponents strengths. We have many players that can do different things, something we haven't had in a long while, and their strengths will allow us to switch the starting 5 up if needed.
If you change your starting lineup depending upon who you are playing you are adjusting to others and thinking from a position of weakness, I feel. Why not let people change to play you. Make what you have as a starting lineup something that requires someone else to get out of their comfort zone to defend. If you can do that then you are playing from a position of strength.
 
Man, how would you like to try to defend any of the lineups listed? Every player listed for the most part has the potential to score twenty or more points on any given night.


Ummm What? No.
 
I think the most average minutes we will see from any one player is probably going to be about 28. I don't think we'll see a single player avg more than 30 minutes for the season.

Therefore, I don't really care who starts because it's not like the starters are going to get 32-35 mins per game.

And everyone keeps talking about the possibilities on offense for this team and this group of players which is understandable given the fact we're all still scarred from the Lickliter years. But offense isn't an issue with us. It wasn't last year and it won't be as long as Fran is here. What concerns me and what I want to see is a HUGE leap in improvement on the defensive end. A stronger, more physical presence in the post. Staying in front of your man and stop playing ole defense in the guard court.

The bottom line is that we won't see a major improvement in the win column through improved offense.....it will be through improved defense.
 
Good point thawki. It would be an advantage to have opponents have to alter their starting 5 to play to our strengths. Honestly, over the course of the year I don't think there will be any complete lineup changes. They may switch a player in or out of the starters a few times over the progression of the year. It's nice to have the problem of more than 5 are capable to start.
 
If you change your starting lineup depending upon who you are playing you are adjusting to others and thinking from a position of weakness, I feel. Why not let people change to play you. Make what you have as a starting lineup something that requires someone else to get out of their comfort zone to defend. If you can do that then you are playing from a position of strength.

Fran is all about matchups.
 
Fran is all about matchups.
Not when it would mean changing the starting lineup on a game-by-game basis. The starting lineup might change once in a while, but he is not going to change it each game because of who we are playing.
 
Why does't anybody think Woodbury will start. Am I the only one who thinks Adam and Fran had an agreement of sorts. Woodbury will need every minute he can get before the conference starts. He is going to be essential when the Big Ten conference starts. I do realize that in Fran's system those who earn the privilege during practice will start. Woodbury is more than essential as far as the success of the team is concerned. Of course he is only one of the essential players we will need this season.....
 
Ummm What? No.

Oglesby, Marble, McCabe, White, and Basabe have all had multiple 20-point games in their careers. Gesell has the skill set of a scorer for sure. Nobody's saying any of these guys would average 20 (or even close), but Iowa has a lot of guys that can go off on any given night.

Let's just say that if the 2011-12 version could have defended...at all...that we wouldn't have an NCAA drought to be so concerned about this year. Iowa can already score with just about anybody.
 
Why does't anybody think Woodbury will start. Am I the only one who thinks Adam and Fran had an agreement of sorts. Woodbury will need every minute he can get before the conference starts. He is going to be essential when the Big Ten conference starts. I do realize that in Fran's system those who earn the privilege during practice will start. Woodbury is more than essential as far as the success of the team is concerned. Of course he is only one of the essential players we will need this season.....

What if Gabe shows better ability this fall and could be more essential to our success this season? Still start Adam just cuz he's Adam?

I say start whoever gives us the best chance win.
 
Whoever plays the best in practice will more than likely start. Gabe has certainly risen in stature, deservedly so, whlle Adam seems as though people really wouldn't care if he has chosen the tarheels. Some people seem to forget his national awards and ranking playing agaiinst the best preps in America in the AAU, and doing very well. How he performed in high school ala Rafe LaFrentz and in the Ptl learning the ropes from Jaryd Cole doesn't necessarity mean that his abilities and talent has fallen away. I have a feeling, just wild speculation that he will be an essential factor in the success of the team this coming season......
 
What if Gabe shows better ability this fall and could be more essential to our success this season? Still start Adam just cuz he's Adam?

I say start whoever gives us the best chance win.
Whoever plays the best in practice will more than likely start. Gabe has certainly risen in stature, deservedly so, whlle Adam seems as though people really wouldn't care if he had chosen the tarheels. Some people seem to forget his national awards and ranking playing agaiinst the best preps in America in the AAU, and doing very well. How he performed in high school ala Rafe LaFrentz and in the Ptl learning the ropes from Jaryd Cole doesn't necessarity mean that his abilities and talent have disappeared. I have a feeling, just wild speculation, that he will be an essential factor in the success of the team this coming season......

What if it strts raining hundred dollar bills and frogs gorw wings......

:)
 
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Whoever plays the best in practice will more than likely start. Gabe has certainly risen in stature, deservedly so, whlle Adam seems as though people really wouldn't care if he has chosen the tarheels. Some people seem to forget his national awards and ranking playing agaiinst the best preps in America in the AAU, and doing very well. How he performed in high school ala Rafe LaFrentz and in the Ptl learning the ropes from Jaryd Cole doesn't necessarity mean that his abilities and talent have disappeared. I have a feeling, just wild speculation, that he will be an essential factor in the success of the team this coming season......

What if it strts raining hundred dollar bills and frogs gorw wings......

:)

The worlds economy would get all sorts of screwed up and all you can eat wings would have an all new meaning.

:D
 
Whoever plays the best in practice will more than likely start. Gabe has certainly risen in stature, deservedly so, whlle Adam seems as though people really wouldn't care if he has chosen the tarheels. Some people seem to forget his national awards and ranking playing agaiinst the best preps in America in the AAU, and doing very well. How he performed in high school ala Rafe LaFrentz and in the Ptl learning the ropes from Jaryd Cole doesn't necessarity mean that his abilities and talent has fallen away. I have a feeling, just wild speculation that he will be an essential factor in the success of the team this coming season......

I'm with you, Jack. Everybody on here was stoked about Woodbury, and then after a couple guys pooh-poohed his upper body strength and he didn't drop 20/10 pg in the PTL, all of a sudden people started plugging McCabe, Basabe, and Olaseni in at C in their 'projected' lineups.

I think Woodbury will see as many minutes at center as anyone. Will he suddenly dominate as though he had just been experimenting with stuff during the PTL? Very likely not, but his size and athleticism alone should visibly make a difference in how Iowa's whole team moves and flows on both ends of the court.
 
Woody will play, and play quite a bit. I agree that he will get a significant amount minutes at the 5 spot. He should. I think the question is, do you give him the starting spot right away, or do you break him in? From a confidence stand point, does it make more sense to have him be the first 5 spot off the bench? Or do you have him start and then pull him if he isn't getting the job done?

I can see benefits from both angles. But I think letting him come off the bench, after getting a feel for the game, would help him the best.

However it shakes out, I think Fran will start his 5 best players. Unless it turns out to be too many player in one area.
 
That's the way I see it, Cover......

Adam is the goods and I have a feeling that people are missing his potential. I am certain that they will not score in the middle as eaaily as last season for many reasons, Adam being one of the main components......

He's another hard nosed Sioux City Lad like Wild Bull McCabe, might as well throw Mike G in there witht he tough Sioux City boys, living right next door and hanging with the Lads for years......

We have something special coming this season, by conference time we will have captured some well-deserved attention.....

:)
 
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PG-Gesell
SG-Oglesby
SF-Marble
PF-White
C-Olaseni

Two-Deep:
PG-Clemmons
SG-Ingram
SF-McCabe
PF-Basabe
C-Woodbury

More likely combinations in the 2nd unit will involve one or two starters on the floor in some combination at all times. I am not saying 40 minutes for any of the starters. McCabe I think will play the 3-4-5 spots at times and be the sixth man. Basabe will be strictly a power forward this season and he and Olaseni could play in combination to block a bunch of shots. White may play a little 3, but that spot should be Marble's all together. I can't figure out for the life of my why people have him at SG...Iowa needs another ball handler with him and Gesell.
Iowa has to put something of a traditional line-up on the floor to help ease some of the holes they have had in the last few seasons. Bringing guys like McCabe/Basabe off the bench is a good thing, White is better than both of them period. Iowa needs a real Center on the floor to not get destroyed on the boards night in and night out.

Here is the defensive stopper lineup: Clemmons, Ingram, Marble, Basabe and Olaseni, that is a pretty decent lineup with Marble and Basabe proven scorers.

Look Iowa has the ability to matchup to any team in the BIG this year, yeah Iowa will be relying on some freshman to do so, but those freshman aren't going to be asked to come in and be the stars of the team...big difference from the last few dreadful years. A traditional lineup will help Iowa improve defensively, having that big guy in the middle to take up space and contest shots will help the guards apply more pressure on the perimeter rather than having to sag and hope to get a rebound and leave 4 guys wide open to shoot uncontested shots.
 

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