From 1st place with 6 games to go

[lightning1]

with a front loaded schedule and we end up 6-8th place because we lose 5 of the last 6 games???? I think serious discussions should begin about finding a new Head Coach. If we had a young team, I could understand. But a SR loaded team shouldn't collapse like this. If we rebound and close out the rest of the season strong, forget that I mentioned this. If we lose out and have an early BIG tourny exit, I'm officially done with the Fran experiment.

 

[sioux34]

Be careful what you wish for, things could be much worse. Look both at Iowa's recent history and what is correctly going on at Minny and Illinois.

 

[PCHawk]

Like I said in another thread, they better have a really good plan in place. Fran has us going to a 3rd strait tournament with recruits he got why we were in the cellar. The recuits coming in now seem to be better.

With Mr. Davis, he was slowly going the wrong direction, recruiting was down, and we had a "fool proof" plan in place. I just don't think you can get rid of a guy who made 3 tournaments in a row, is picking up momentum in recruiting, and isn't going in the wrong direction with winning. Just because he can't seem to keep us in the top 5 or 10.

 

[1hawkeye1]

Fire the coach!!! Harumph, harumph.........................

 

[PCHawk]

Be careful what you wish for, things could be much worse. Look both at Iowa's recent history and what is correctly going on at Minny and Illinois.

Things have actually been really good. It's just been 2 6 game stretches that have been brutally painful to watch. But those stretches took is from top 10 to top 30. That isn't great, but the odds of finding a long term solution that will be a guaranteed improvement aren't great either.

 

[InGoodCo]

Fran's more likely to get a raise than run.

 

[ibahawkeye]

We went from just begging to get into the tournament and now we're there... we're ready to fire the coach?

No thanks.

I will say that Fran seemed really dejected in the post game interview which along with Uthoff's interview is concerning. Even if we implode this year... we had to be a top 10 team to implode which I never dreamed we would be so Fran still has my approval which matters none.

 

[Clark]

The late game choke jobs have been a pattern but I blame a lot of that on this senior class. If it's close late you can count on Gesell to get blocked (or just put up a dumb shot), Uthoff to disappear, and Woodbury to foul someone.

 

[lightning1]

I looked at the whole picture and the thing that really hit home was the fact that we have a SR loaded team. This isn't supposed to happen to a team with as much experience as we have.
If this is going to happen this year, what can we honestly expect next year? Or the year after?

 

[Thawki]

I looked at the whole picture and the thing that really hit home was the fact that we have a SR loaded team. This isn't supposed to happen to a team with as much experience as we have.
If this is going to happen this year, what can we honestly expect next year? Or the year after?

So we went from what we had with Lick to this, and you are done with "the Fran experiment," if I understand you correctly?
You are done with the "Experiment" that took us from one of the worst Power 5 programs in the country over a three year Lic stretch to going to three straight NCAA Tournaments?

If I had told you at the start of the year that if we won our last two games we could tie (if Maryland were to beat Indiana in the last game of the season for each) for the best conference regular season record, would you have taken that? However unlikely that might be at this time, that is where we are. Problems like this, for a program where we were and where we are now, are not fireable offenses but things coaches need to improve upon. Anyone that makes the comments you made about wanting another coach at this point is not really very knowledgable about things. And you don't get off the hook by posting this but telling us to forget it if we finish strong in the last two game, or however you said it. It is still idiotic commentary.

Re-think your comments after you see the last two words of this post: Li'l Lick.

 

[lightning1]

So we went from what we had with Lick to this, and you are done with "the Fran experiment," if I understand you correctly?
You are done with the "Experiment" that took us from one of the worst Power 5 programs in the country over a three year Lic stretch to going to three straight NCAA Tournaments?

If I had told you at the start of the year that if we won our last two games we could tie (if Maryland were to beat Indiana in the last game of the season for each) for the best conference regular season record, would you have taken that? However unlikely that might be at this time, that is where we are. Problems like this, for a program where we were and where we are now, are not fireable offenses but things coaches need to improve upon. Anyone that makes the comments you made about wanting another coach at this point is not really very knowledgable about things. And you don't get off the hook by posting this but telling us to forget it if we finish strong in the last two game, or however you said it. It is still idiotic commentary.

Re-think your comments after you see the last two words of this post: Li'l Lick.

1). My OP clearly states that if they pull it together, disregard the post.
2). I'm not looking backwards. I'm looking forward. And what I see doesn't lead me to believe we will make 4 straight NCAA bids.
3). It's precisely my "knowledge" about basketball that allows me to see where this is headed. It allowed me to see where the Lickliter experiment was headed after season 2.
4). Some people fold when the pressure is turned up. Where do you think this team and coach are right now? 10-2 in conf play, top 5 in the nation and in the lead for the first BIG title since 1979. At this point, they should change the names on their jersey's to "Coleman". As in "they have folded up faster than a Coleman tent".

 

[kicker22]

We constantly blame Fran for the decent from being on top of the conference, but we also tend to forget this is also the same team that lost an exhibition game to Augustana. I think fair based on what we've seen this year its safe to say we shouldn't be that shocked to see us slip down a notch as the conference schedule played out.

Is it fair to say this team choked at the finish line or is it fair to say they exceeded expectations based on the general consensus going into the season. Just my opinion, but I'm still not sure how to view this season as whole.

 

[lightning1]

We constantly blame Fran for the decent from being on top of the conference, but we also tend to forget this is also the same team that lost an exhibition game to Augustana. I think fair based on what we've seen this year its safe to say we shouldn't be that shocked to see us slip down a notch as the conference schedule played out.

Is it fair to say this team choked at the finish line or is it fair to say they exceeded expectations based on the general consensus going into the season. Just my opinion, but I'm still not sure how to view this season as whole.

There really is nobody else to blame. These are his recruits. He decides who plays and who doesn't. He's the head coach. No injuries. Plenty of depth and experience. It's his job to get his players to understand that a BIG title is within their reach. A #1 seed is within their reach. He needs to know how to get them to loosen their sphincters and have fun.

 

[PCHawk]

There really is nobody else to blame. These are his recruits. He decides who plays and who doesn't. He's the head coach. No injuries. Plenty of depth and experience. It's his job to get his players to understand that a BIG title is within their reach. A #1 seed is within their reach. He needs to know how to get them to loosen their sphincters and have fun.

But Fran is the reason we were in position for a number 1 seed. Our first ever number 1 seed. If we're going to replace him, Barta better be damn sure he finds a guy who can get us into the top 10 twice in 3 years AND not collapse. Good luck Gary.

 

[PCHawk]

I looked at the whole picture and the thing that really hit home was the fact that we have a SR loaded team. This isn't supposed to happen to a team with as much experience as we have.
If this is going to happen this year, what can we honestly expect next year? Or the year after?

The problem with their experience is they're extremely experienced in losing close games. Next year, we're a good 6 wins worse than this year, roster wise. Maybe next team will actually win some close games to help bridge the gap in loses. If they do we can still sneak into the tournament.

 

[SheagleHawk]

The problem with their experience is they're extremely experienced in losing close games. Next year, we're a good 6 wins worse than this year, roster wise. Maybe next team will actually win some close games to help bridge the gap in loses. If they do we can still sneak into the tournament.

Who knows; we'll be young but more athletic than this year. If a couple guys can take a step forward we could be just as good record wise. New additions plus red shirts. Ready for the Gesell era at pg to end. Will be fun to see how they all meld.

 

[PCHawk]

Who knows; we'll be young but more athletic than this year. If a couple guys can take a step forward we could be just as good record wise. New additions plus red shirts. Ready for the Gesell era at pg to end. Will be fun to see how they all meld.

It is very possible. They won't have as high a ceiling. But that doesn't really matter since this team didn't come that close to theirs.

 

[lightning1]

But Fran is the reason we were in position for a number 1 seed. Our first ever number 1 seed. If we're going to replace him, Barta better be damn sure he finds a guy who can get us into the top 10 twice in 3 years AND not collapse. Good luck Gary.

If that's your goal then you got exactly what you want. That's not my goal. If you can't win a BIG Title in 7 seasons, get on down the road. I'll keep hiring different coaches until I find THAT guy.

 

[lightning1]

The problem with their experience is they're extremely experienced in losing close games. Next year, we're a good 6 wins worse than this year, roster wise. Maybe next team will actually win some close games to help bridge the gap in loses. If they do we can still sneak into the tournament.

Then they can ride the bench while I get the younger guys experience. Fran can ride the bench too, if he hasn't figured out how to coach these guys or if he doesn't know what buttons to push.
Excuses are for losers.

 

[PCHawk]

If that's your goal then you got exactly what you want. That's not my goal. If you can't win a BIG Title in 7 seasons, get on down the road. I'll keep hiring different coaches until I find THAT guy.

You mean until you drive the program completely into the ground. Because that's exactly what you would do if you keep firing good coaches.