No, the students don't generally even come to games so there are no plans to give them premium seating. If they ever decide to populate their section then something may happen down the road.
Fran Talks Rebuilding with ESPN
- Thread starter therealforeverhawk
- Start date
No, the students don't generally even come to games so there are no plans to give them premium seating. If they ever decide to populate their section then something may happen down the road.
HawKCP
Well-Known Member
Great article...I was an Alford fan...and wasn't happy when he left...and again I wasn't happy when we abandoned ship with Lickliter for exactly the reason that this article underscores...
"The backward fall was enough to turn Todd Lickliter from national coach of the year and hotshot mid-major coach (a la McCaffery) into unemployed in just three seasons."
It just made our program look like a joke in the eyes of many on the national scene.
The fact that he had a friend and confidant call him and literally ask him if he's crazy for taking this job shows what the Iowa job had become. Luckily McCaffery seems like exactly the right guy for the Iowa job and he was able to see through the behavior of this fan base recently and see that this could be a great place to be if he can win.
I was one of those who was very excited about Alford and not so much about Ferentz when they both came in...I'm probably one of a handful of Hawkeye fans willing to admit that...but I have the feeling that Fran could be the Kirk Ferentz type that this basketball program so desperately needs. Let's just hope that fans don't overreact if he hasn't completely turned it around in the next 2-3 years.
"The backward fall was enough to turn Todd Lickliter from national coach of the year and hotshot mid-major coach (a la McCaffery) into unemployed in just three seasons."
It just made our program look like a joke in the eyes of many on the national scene.
The fact that he had a friend and confidant call him and literally ask him if he's crazy for taking this job shows what the Iowa job had become. Luckily McCaffery seems like exactly the right guy for the Iowa job and he was able to see through the behavior of this fan base recently and see that this could be a great place to be if he can win.
I was one of those who was very excited about Alford and not so much about Ferentz when they both came in...I'm probably one of a handful of Hawkeye fans willing to admit that...but I have the feeling that Fran could be the Kirk Ferentz type that this basketball program so desperately needs. Let's just hope that fans don't overreact if he hasn't completely turned it around in the next 2-3 years.
imissbradbanks
Well-Known Member
"I know how to do this; I know how much work it takes,'' said McCaffery, a master program rebuilder. "This is different than rebuilding in the SoCon or the MAAC in that we're playing Ohio State and Michigan State twice a year, but the basic rules still apply. We have the resources. We have the tradition. We have the fan base. If you have that, it can happen.''
tubahawk
Well-Known Member
I agree with these equations. I also like what I am seeing so far.
The reality, however, is fans will go with any equation (Ego + Whatever) as long as it = wins. The real issue with Lickliter and Alford wasn't their Stubborness or Arrogance it was their W/L record.
The same will go for McCaffery. His swagger is, at present, seen as an asset. If the wins don't materialize, that swagger will turn into a liability.
HawKCP
Well-Known Member
I have mixed feelings on this...because most students are your prototypical fair-weather fans and I don't care for fair-weather fans.
At the same time...when you can have a full and raucous student section...your chances of winning increase fairly significantly. It also brings an environment to the arena that attracts fans/players/excitement, etc.
And...it's not like non-student fans have proved their overwhelming loyalty to this program over the last few years so why should we be placing this at the feet of students when not only do they have to endure the losing...but they have to do it from behind the basket while the rest of the stadium is empty. No matter what the small section of students that are located on the side of the court will always be there.
Would they continue to fill it if you made that section bigger? That's a tough question...coming from someone who sat there every game during the ('06??) season in which the Hawks went undefeated at home...that season was the best Hawkeye experience I've ever had and that includes many football wins. I think it'd be filled without question and it would lead to more butts in the remaining seats in Carver.
I have also sat in the student section that is located behind the basket...except for the tiny section that is on the court...it is very difficult to get into the game too much from that section.
In my humble opinion...the basketball program would benefit greatly from expanding the amount of student seating on the side of the court...there has never been a better time to do that...but it'd be a risk that someone would have to be willing to sign off on...and my experience with the people in positions of authority regarding these decisions is that they tend to be very risk averse.
Long term the most important thing for Iowa basketball is to do their best to create an environment where they get consistent sellouts and have a top tier environment in Carver Hawkeye (a la Hilton Magic)...rather than doing what they're currently doing in football which is try to squeeze every penny out during the good times and hope and pray that fan stick around during the down years.
I agree. As long as the players and recruits buy in..thats really what is important. I really have never given a darn about a coach's style, as long as he wins,and is a competent teacher and strategist of the game of basketball.
If SA had come from UConn instead of IU...I think fans would have thought his brashness was just east coast bravado,and been fine with it.
But that old IU stink was too much for some fans,I guess.
The guy is a winner. Half of winning is believing you can. He isn't afraid to ask the prettiest girl at the dance, to dance. He is going after players that lick had no confidence in getting. His style does remind of Ralph Miller. Can't wait to start the new era.
I am anxious to see his bench demeaner. My guess is he won't sit crouched over with his head buried in his hands when things aren't going well. And I suspect that when players come out of the game they will get a pat and a "nice job" from Coach when they deserve it. That will be a heckuva change.
hawkdrummer1
Well-Known Member
That's one of the things people are really gonna like about Fran. After he was hired, all kinds of pics popped up with him hugging his players, connecting with them, and they look very real.
And plenty has been said about how he blends his nuclear family with his basketball family. He really cares about his guys and they're gonna love playing for him.
DodgerHawki
Well-Known Member
Not sure what behavior....
of the fans has been so outrageous in recent years. When you have year after year of disappointment, over time the fan base erodes. The only time in the last decade-plus where Iowa had any expectations and then delivered was 2005-06 season.
That's one time, ONCE, since 1999 that Iowa came into a season with any sort of expectations whatsoever and then delivered, and even that ended in hearbreak with a 3-14 loss to Northwestern State. Alford's second season there was some expectations but no one had yet seen Reggie Evans play. Of course, being Iowa, we were leading the Big 10 at the halfway mark, then our best player gets hurt, season goes into a tailspin before the 4 in 4 days at the Big 10 tournament. Expectations then in 2001-02 with disastrous results, absolute cratering of that year.
Then whatever level Alford had the program at was driven into the abyss with the Lickliter years. Complete and utter inability to make a connection with players on the roster, leading to the best players leaving after each of his 3 seasons. I don't think you could find a comparable situation to that, anywhere, ever. After 2007-08, well at least we have a senior guard who can play in the Big 10 and anchor things next year. Boom Freeman's gone. After 2008-09, "well, at least we have 2 more years of Kelly running things and Peterson made a huge jump from his freshman to sophomore seasons, wow it will be good to have a veteran backcourt for the next two years." Boom, they are gone. Then Fuller blossoms, and he was ready to move on to bigger and better.
Point is how were the fans supposed to get excited about anything the last few years? Improvement is impossible when your best returning players just leave. That's why this season will likely again be a very painful one for Iowa. Basabe has the athletic ability to be a quality Big 10 player, but there will be nights (this year) where he can't do much against players just as athletic who are 2-3 inches taller. We need him to stick around to reap the benefits of the improvement he will show in years 2-3.
The Iowa fans have been fed a huge crap sandwich for going on 12 years. Cost of a ticket has almost double in that time. Iowa basketball gave the casual fan a reason to look elsewhere for entertainment. It will take some success to get them back.
of the fans has been so outrageous in recent years. When you have year after year of disappointment, over time the fan base erodes. The only time in the last decade-plus where Iowa had any expectations and then delivered was 2005-06 season.
That's one time, ONCE, since 1999 that Iowa came into a season with any sort of expectations whatsoever and then delivered, and even that ended in hearbreak with a 3-14 loss to Northwestern State. Alford's second season there was some expectations but no one had yet seen Reggie Evans play. Of course, being Iowa, we were leading the Big 10 at the halfway mark, then our best player gets hurt, season goes into a tailspin before the 4 in 4 days at the Big 10 tournament. Expectations then in 2001-02 with disastrous results, absolute cratering of that year.
Then whatever level Alford had the program at was driven into the abyss with the Lickliter years. Complete and utter inability to make a connection with players on the roster, leading to the best players leaving after each of his 3 seasons. I don't think you could find a comparable situation to that, anywhere, ever. After 2007-08, well at least we have a senior guard who can play in the Big 10 and anchor things next year. Boom Freeman's gone. After 2008-09, "well, at least we have 2 more years of Kelly running things and Peterson made a huge jump from his freshman to sophomore seasons, wow it will be good to have a veteran backcourt for the next two years." Boom, they are gone. Then Fuller blossoms, and he was ready to move on to bigger and better.
Point is how were the fans supposed to get excited about anything the last few years? Improvement is impossible when your best returning players just leave. That's why this season will likely again be a very painful one for Iowa. Basabe has the athletic ability to be a quality Big 10 player, but there will be nights (this year) where he can't do much against players just as athletic who are 2-3 inches taller. We need him to stick around to reap the benefits of the improvement he will show in years 2-3.
The Iowa fans have been fed a huge crap sandwich for going on 12 years. Cost of a ticket has almost double in that time. Iowa basketball gave the casual fan a reason to look elsewhere for entertainment. It will take some success to get them back.
trj
Well-Known Member
Other than a few moments here and there the last 10 years has killed some of the enthusiasm I had for Iowa bball. Once I see consistent progress being made I will be back on board......Otherwise I am in wait and see mode.....All this talk about confidence and swagger mean nothing to me now.
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
"You might beat us, but we're going to attack you,'' McCaffery said of his philosophy."
YES!!
"We have the resources. We have the tradition. We have the fan base. If you have that, it can happen.''
And if it happens, well, who's crazy now?"
I like his personality & vision.
On a side note, I don't know who she is but that Dana O'niel is one hot woman.
YES!!
"We have the resources. We have the tradition. We have the fan base. If you have that, it can happen.''
And if it happens, well, who's crazy now?"
I like his personality & vision.
On a side note, I don't know who she is but that Dana O'niel is one hot woman.
From 2005-2007 Iowa did go 44-5 at home in CHA...was it as good as expected? No,but for that stretch of years, home fans could come to the arena expecting a win,and got a win at almost a 90% clip.
But with the lick hire, it went from ok(9-7 and a tie for 4th in the league in 2007) to a fricking disaster. Losing Tyler Smith,Tony Freeman,Jake Kelly,Jeff Peterson and Aaron Fuller after lick arrived says it all.
But with the lick hire, it went from ok(9-7 and a tie for 4th in the league in 2007) to a fricking disaster. Losing Tyler Smith,Tony Freeman,Jake Kelly,Jeff Peterson and Aaron Fuller after lick arrived says it all.
