storminspank
Justin VanLaere
That's all I have to say.
Loss sucked, but this program is in great hands.
Loss sucked, but this program is in great hands.
Heading in the right direction...
- Thread starter storminspank
- Start date
oifdeserthawk
Well-Known Member
Nobody could describe this squad better than you just did sir. Feels IDENTICAL to Kirk's first year. Watching the OT I told my dad Iowa WILL be a tourney team next year....no doubt in my mind. Great to be ****** (in a weird way) after a loss...
tm3308
Well-Known Member
I don't know if I'll go that far. I've got the expectation for being next year's Penn State, and maybe get an NIT bid. Then Year 3 is when we take the next step and get back to the Big Dance.
I just hope that in 15 years (and beyond), everybody remembers Gatens and Cole. A few more names will be added to this list eventually (Cartwright, Brommer IMO). But Gatens and Cole really kind of personify what this team is all about. They've stuck it out, through thick and thin, to bring this program back to where it once was. Neither one will actually get to see it come to fruition on their watch, and they know it. But they have been the rocks that this program needed, and have stayed to lay the foundation for the future anyway. They will never go down as being among the best players in Hawkeye history, but they might go down as two of the most important players in school history, and certainly two of the best Hawkeyes.
Seriously, I never got to see him play, but Cole in particular plays with the same kind of heart and determination that Chris Street did (or at least that's how I imagine it). Just going off of what Mr. Davis said about Chris after his death, Cole really does seem to represent all that's good about being a Hawkeye. Gatens does as well, but I don't know if anyone has been that kind of player moreso than Jarryd Cole.
These two really deserve to be remembered. They've been the leaders that the team needs. Cole's contributions don't always show up in the box score, but he really is the heart and soul of this team. And when this program gets back to where it once was (or higher), I want Gatens and Cole to be the first honorary captains (or the basketball equivalent). Because there aren't two players that I'm more thankful of than them.
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I wouldn't compare this to KF 's first year. That would mean Iowa BBall would suck again next year. It seems more like KF's second year when you saw things actually getting better. Also some of his players started making their mark. The key thing that makes me excited about this team is that the leadership has already changed to Fran's guys. This will help with recruiting the kinds of players Iowa needs.
Hawke
Well-Known Member
I wasn't implying that I think Fran's 2nd year will play out just as Kirk's 2nd year did. What I said was that in Kirk's 1st year the feeling was that the program was in good hands and that the same feeling exists for the basketball program in Fran's 1st year.
I agree that Fran's guys are stepping up and that bodes well for future recruiting. It also shows that Fran can get the type of players that he needs for his style to work.
tm3308
Well-Known Member
Honestly, May, Cole, and Gatens might be the only guys that I don't consider "Fran's guys". Lickliter did NOTHING with Brommer and Archie, and Fran has turned both of them into contributors (Brommer actually a pretty solid contributor, unthinkable a year ago). McCabe and Marble never played for Lick.
As for the other 3, they've been adapting. And I think there's still potential for May next year. Gatens is what he is as a player, and that's not an insult in any way. Cartwright and Basabe have been leading in on-court production. Gatens and Cole have been the leaders in the intangible sense (which is just as important). And for players who were "Lick's guys", that's been crucial.
Section136
Well-Known Member
I got to thinking last night after the game about how much of a storybook ending it would be for Gatens to play in the NCAA tourney next year. It is a very real possibility with how much the Big 10 is going to lose after this year and how much we have coming back. (I think Jon said that we would have 3 of the top 12 scorers in the conference coming back as of right now).
Could you imagine the Hawks picking up a win on Friday afternoon next year in the NCAA tourney then battling on Sunday for a trip to the Sweet 16? I may be getting a little ahead of myself but I do not think that we are that far away.
The only thing that sucks is that Cole will not be along for the ride. He frustrates the heck out of me sometimes when he is out of control but he is 100% Hawkeye and will be missed next year going after those loose balls, taking charges and coming up with huge second chance put backs.
Could you imagine the Hawks picking up a win on Friday afternoon next year in the NCAA tourney then battling on Sunday for a trip to the Sweet 16? I may be getting a little ahead of myself but I do not think that we are that far away.
The only thing that sucks is that Cole will not be along for the ride. He frustrates the heck out of me sometimes when he is out of control but he is 100% Hawkeye and will be missed next year going after those loose balls, taking charges and coming up with huge second chance put backs.
BLKNGOLD48
Well-Known Member
I never got that feeling with Lick and his brand of ball. Now Fran, that is a different story.
SirJamaLot
Well-Known Member
Agreed! I wish they could turn this around quicker, but it is going to take time, I wonder if paige has watched Cartwright's development? Fran knows how to develop players, this would have been the perfect offense for him, oh well go be a role player for Roy Williams, and be ready for Ol' Roy to bring in a new superstar point guard every year to compete with, ask Larry Drew Jr.
HawkeyeMike23
Banned
People who say they could tell Iowa's program was going in the right direction during Kirk's first season are using a little revisionist's history. Ending the season on a 10 game losing streak, and giving up 40 or more points in three of our last four games wasn't a whole lot of progress. That team was bad from begining of the year to the end. I think this feels like Kirk's second season when you could actually start to see the results on the field.
Section136
Well-Known Member
Correct. I think KF's 2nd season is what this season feels like. It is also a shorter rebuilding project on the basketball court than it is on the football field.
