Howe: Hawkeye Turnaround Result of Hard Work

RobHowe

RobHowe

Administrator
Iowa's rebound from a tough '17-18 season isn't a result of a magic formula. The Hawkeyes simply went to work.

Lunchtime Reading.

Howe Column: LINK
 
Apparently they’ve been on here running the simulator and see a way. Beware Wisconsin. The guys are coming for you in Game 19.

We’ve clawed back from an 0-3 record in the Big Ten to get to this point, trying to get to the top four teams to get a double bye in the Big Ten Tournament. That’s our ultimate goal right now,” Bohannon said.
 
I would say they are right at where I thought they would be as far as how good of a team they are. They are ahead with their record tho because they have won more close games than I assumed they would.
 
RobHowe said:
Saying they are capable and saying they will are two different things. ;)

But you get partial credit for at least seeing the ceiling. :D
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Saying one didn't see it coming is implying they didn't believe it was a realistic possibility. I clearly stated I expected 10-12 wins and if things bounced their way maybe even 13-14. I disagree and feel I should get full credit. Maybe not an "A" but at least a "B"? ;)
 
Fair enough. You earned the B.

And if we were grading on a curve based on the preseason tone of this board, it would be an A. :)
 
Some of us thought last yr should have been what they were doing this year. Or at least closer to it than what they ended up as. With how last year going the way it did to me just put us in a all bets are off territory. I wouldn't have bet we'd be any where near that bad again. But I sure wouldn't have bet on this happening either. Somewhere in between which obviously there's some middle ground. The BIG being as good and deep as it is had me thinking we'd be a good team but our record may not reflect it.

Before this season I thought our record might be closer to what MN is and we'd be a bubble NCAA team. With a big chunk of fans all over Frans ass if we didn't make the dance... I'd have probably been on that bus too. I'm a big proponent of in todays college hoops environment I think getting in the dance should be an almost every year thing for Iowa. This years group has no excuses to get in. That said their above my expectations for sure with how it's all played out so far.
 
So it sounds like “da haters” have helped fuel this team’s success? ;)

Seriously though as I said yesterday it’s just interesting how much this current group of players concerns themselves with “outside noise.” Maybe it’s just a product of our society today, these kids grew up in the Lebron generation.

Like it wasn’t enough that they had matched the worst conference record in school history or that they were constantly getting run out of the gym on the road, it was the meanies on Twitter that motivated them to work hard?

Now things are going well and JBo is trolling NW bench players or Indiana on Twitter and Instagram. We still have another game with Indiana by the way.

Okay so I have a feeling I might take a beating for the above so id like to add if anyone has made it this far that it’s great the players worked their tails off and I am certainly enjoying this season. Winning cures all but again I just find this fascination with outside noise very interesting.
 
RobHowe said:
Fair enough. You earned the B.

And if we were grading on a curve based on the preseason tone of this board, it would be an A. :)
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Haha now that's the truth.

Hopefully they can stay the course and keep proving the negative Nancies wrong.
 
And to reference the entire article not just a small portion of it as I did above. I think most recognized some talent existed on this roster but after last years debacle were very uncertain it would come together.

You have to tip you caps to the players for working their butts off, they all have improved their games, and you also have to give some credit to Fran from making the right adjustments.
 
NikeHawk21 said:
So it sounds like “da haters” have helped fuel this team’s success? ;)

Seriously though as I said yesterday it’s just interesting how much this current group of players concerns themselves with “outside noise.” Maybe it’s just a product of our society today, these kids grew up in the Lebron generation.

Like it wasn’t enough that they had matched the worst conference record in school history or that they were constantly getting run out of the gym on the road, it was the meanies on Twitter that motivated them to work hard?

Now things are going well and JBo is trolling NW bench players or Indiana on Twitter and Instagram. We still have another game with Indiana by the way.

Okay so I have a feeling I might take a beating for the above so id like to add if anyone has made it this far that it’s great the players worked their tails off and I am certainly enjoying this season. Winning cures all but again I just find this fascination with outside noise very interesting.
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Players are more available than they've ever been due to social media. I'm sure the constant mean tweets and messages would get to anyone. Heck even when teams are winning they get them. I couldn't imagine playing on a Big Ten stage in this day and age.

NikeHawk21 said:
And to reference the entire article not just a small portion of it as I did above. I think most recognized some talent existed on this roster but after last years debacle were very uncertain it would come together.

You have to tip you caps to the players for working their butts off, they all have improved their games, and you also have to give some credit to Fran from making the right adjustments.
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Absolutely, heck of a job by everyone involved. They could have easily folded again at times this year (after both MSU games and @Purdue) but have continued to fight back. Kudos to them and here's to hoping they continue to play hard down the stretch!
 
I'm OK with the players using what they hear or see outside the locker room as motivation. It's fine if it's channeled in the right way.

As JG said, it's the world we live in. They see it. They hear it. It's unavoidable.
 
NikeHawk21 said:
And to reference the entire article not just a small portion of it as I did above. I think most recognized some talent existed on this roster but after last years debacle were very uncertain it would come together.

You have to tip you caps to the players for working their butts off, they all have improved their games, and you also have to give some credit to Fran from making the right adjustments.
Click to expand...

Okay, here is another assignment for you @RobHowe (or maybe @JG10Hawk , since Rob admitted on Twitter that he is a little mathed out after quantifying just how much the Hawks and Cyclones have improved this year):

What do the advanced #s say with regard to just where this turnaround came from? Who was using Joe W's minutes last year, and what did their productivity look like (Win shares, PER, etc.)? Who was using Connor's minutes? Which rotation guys have made big jumps, either in overall usage, or in efficiency? I am not sure what defensive metrics are available at the college level, but how do we explain their improvements from 240-something last year (abysmal) to 110-something this year (just regular bad) in team defensive efficiency?

My gut sense: Joe Wieskamp is light-years beyond whose ever minutes he assumed in terms of efficiency and PER (the direct Wieskamp effect). I also feel like Baer has reverted to sophomore form (except better) with a return to a consistent role that maximizes his strengths (the indirect Wieskamp effect). Baer is the kind of player who shines on a good team because he can excel without the ball (open 3s, cutting, O-Reb, attacking a scrambled defense); but if you stick him on a lousy team and expect him to soak up a ton of usage or create offense from nothing, his limitations stick out.

Of course beyond that it seems like everyone in the current rotation has improved from last year save Bohannon. And it's not like Bohannon has gotten worse, he is just assuming a different role and getting used to everything that entails. It seems like it is starting to come together for him, as well.

Okay, get to work.
 
JG10Hawk said:
Players are more available than they've ever been due to social media. I'm sure the constant mean tweets and messages would get to anyone. Heck even when teams are winning they get them. I couldn't imagine playing on a Big Ten stage in this day and age.



Absolutely, heck of a job by everyone involved. They could have easily folded again at times this year (after both MSU games and @Purdue) but have continued to fight back. Kudos to them and here's to hoping they continue to play hard down the stretch!
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RobHowe said:
I'm OK with the players using what they hear or see outside the locker room as motivation. It's fine if it's channeled in the right way.

As JG said, it's the world we live in. They see it. They hear it. It's unavoidable.
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If it channeled in the right way absolutely. Right now it’s going well and the players should be proud of the improvement they’ve made. I’m certainly enjoying the ride.

On the flip side. Is it possible that last years team got to caught up in the PTL highlight videos, the twitter press clippings, the drubbing of some crummy overseas teams, and then when they actually got punched in the mouth they didn’t know how to actually respond. Is it possible that they didn’t work on some of the little things because they thought they could get by on talent alone?

Who knows. I doubt we will ever know the true story on what happened to that team last year. They certainly had more talent then a 4 conference win team.

Again I just find it interesting. I have no clue how I would handle it if I were in their shoes. I don’t follow other college basketball teams as closely as Iowa but I certainly don’t see other teams mentioning outside noise as much as this group. As long as they win who cares I guess.
 
It would hard to quantify how much or how little other teams pay attention to things happening outside the locker room. I do believe that wondering what others think has become very regular in this world, including athletics. We have people "liking" post on here or Facebook or Twitter, etc.

It's been an issue for Kevin Durant. LeBron is active on social media. It's just the work in which we live.
 
CP87 said:
Okay, here is another assignment for you @RobHowe (or maybe @JG10Hawk , since Rob admitted on Twitter that he is a little mathed out after quantifying just how much the Hawks and Cyclones have improved this year):

What do the advanced #s say with regard to just where this turnaround came from? Who was using Joe W's minutes last year, and what did their productivity look like (Win shares, PER, etc.)? Who was using Connor's minutes? Which rotation guys have made big jumps, either in overall usage, or in efficiency? I am not sure what defensive metrics are available at the college level, but how do we explain their improvements from 240-something last year (abysmal) to 110-something this year (just regular bad) in team defensive efficiency?

My gut sense: Joe Wieskamp is light-years beyond whose ever minutes he assumed in terms of efficiency and PER (the direct Wieskamp effect). I also feel like Baer has reverted to sophomore form (except better) with a return to a consistent role that maximizes his strengths (the indirect Wieskamp effect). Baer is the kind of player who shines on a good team because he can excel without the ball (open 3s, cutting, O-Reb, attacking a scrambled defense); but if you stick him on a lousy team and expect him to soak up a ton of usage or create offense from nothing, his limitations stick out.

Of course beyond that it seems like everyone in the current rotation has improved from last year save Bohannon. And it's not like Bohannon has gotten worse, he is just assuming a different role and getting used to everything that entails. It seems like it is starting to come together for him, as well.

Okay, get to work.
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I agree with your take on Joe W. Dude has been amazing and his play has been a huge part of our turnaround and success. Baer on the other hand... I don't think he's played any better than last yr has he? Still makes a dumb turnover here and there. Isn't a volume scorer. How many games has he hit double digits? Not his role so much I know but he's streaky in that department. He misses way too many free throws for my liking he's borderline a liability there frankly. And even defensively he gambles and plays off who he's supposed to be on too much. Look I'm not trying to bash him at all I feel I'm being honest about his game. He also provides all the hustle and timely clutch plays he does too. No doubt. I think he's the ultimate 6th man/complimentary player. Every team wants one. But if you try and have him shoulder much more...
 
I love this team, but I'm sorry, I'm just not there....not yet anyway....not with 7 games still left in the season. Rutgers (twice) is no gimme; Maryland just blitzed Purdue; Indiana is due; at OSU, at Wisky, and at Nebraska is no walk in the park.

If we go 2-5 or 1-6, are we going to be talking about a turnaround or talking about another choke job?

Our defense still isn't to be trusted....not with giving up nearly 80 to NW or nearly 100 to Minnesota recently.

I'll believe a "turnaround" in the program has happened if we can finish strong/get to the weekend in the BTT/get to the 2nd weekend of the NCAAs.
 
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