RobHowe
Administrator
Fran McCaffery Matching Dr. Tom's 13-Year Iowa Run
Hawkeye Head Basketball Coach Set to Tie Program's All-Time Next Season
www.si.com
Fran McCaffery Matching Mr. Davis's 13-Year Iowa Run
- Thread starter RobHowe
- Start date
www.si.com
Casey388
Well-Known Member
How has it been that long? I started following Iowa basketball towards the end of Coach Tom's tenure and it seemed like he had been here for a lifetime. Wonder how the tenure of our football, women's basketball and men's basketball coaches add up compared to the rest of the country. Has to be towards the top, maybe a few basketball schools with long-tenured basketball coaches might pad the stats. Looking at you Syracuse.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
Three things here.
Aaron White was the key to those early Iowa teams bringing respectability back to the program and attracting other recruits. He was an inside/outside matchup nightmare. He had a knack of getting to the line. He was second in all time scoring when he left (since supplanted to third by Garza)
While understanding that head coaches are paid well and nationally famous, they and their families are still human beings. Wives and kids have to find new schools, make new friends, find new doctors, etc. One of the things that attracted Vivian Stringer to Iowa was knowing that her severely disabled daughter Nina would get expert care at the UIHC. (Patrick would get top notch care in that same hospital when he had HIS health crisis in 2014). And they were head coaches. For assistant coaches trying to work up the ladder, their paths are frequently even more nomadic.
Did Marit ever play basketball, even in high school? You never heard of her there or in the AAU circuit or anywhere else.
Aaron White was the key to those early Iowa teams bringing respectability back to the program and attracting other recruits. He was an inside/outside matchup nightmare. He had a knack of getting to the line. He was second in all time scoring when he left (since supplanted to third by Garza)
While understanding that head coaches are paid well and nationally famous, they and their families are still human beings. Wives and kids have to find new schools, make new friends, find new doctors, etc. One of the things that attracted Vivian Stringer to Iowa was knowing that her severely disabled daughter Nina would get expert care at the UIHC. (Patrick would get top notch care in that same hospital when he had HIS health crisis in 2014). And they were head coaches. For assistant coaches trying to work up the ladder, their paths are frequently even more nomadic.
Did Marit ever play basketball, even in high school? You never heard of her there or in the AAU circuit or anywhere else.
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BigD
Well-Known Member
Great article to read and learn more about Fran’s family and what was going on behind the scenes with his young children.
The thing I really appreciate was Fran’s recognition of his players and giving the credit of his success to his players. That’s not a common attribute among Big Time coaches.
Hopefully moving forward we will see Fran break the ice, start getting to sweet sixteens and maybe even more……….. god willing.
I am also happy for Fran and his family that Patrick has done so well with his bout with cancer. I’ve spent to much time in the children’s hospital in Iowa City and Blanks Children’s Hospital in Des Moines with one of my sons.
Life and work are very tough, but the worry over children who are dealing with life threatening conditions takes it to a whole different level.
The thing I really appreciate was Fran’s recognition of his players and giving the credit of his success to his players. That’s not a common attribute among Big Time coaches.
Hopefully moving forward we will see Fran break the ice, start getting to sweet sixteens and maybe even more……….. god willing.
I am also happy for Fran and his family that Patrick has done so well with his bout with cancer. I’ve spent to much time in the children’s hospital in Iowa City and Blanks Children’s Hospital in Des Moines with one of my sons.
Life and work are very tough, but the worry over children who are dealing with life threatening conditions takes it to a whole different level.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
There are enough threads discussing this subject to have to bring it up in this one.
But since you asked, Pete Carill was at Princeton 30 years and never made a Sweet Sixteen.
He did win an NIT however.
Chris Collins has been at Northwestern ten years and has never made one, but I expect him to be bounced soon if he doesn't improve the Cats. He hasn't built the equity Pat Fitzgerald has.
hawkinn3
Well-Known Member
Im surprised it’s not more than that.
