Howe: Positive Attitude Admirable But Hawkeyes Now Need Results

[damnfinn]

I remember when Jok was a freshman and didn't play all season. He then scores 10 points in 16 minutes against Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament. I think the bench getting 56 minutes last night was a message...and this thought actually occurred to me while watching the game live. I could be wrong...certainly wouldn't be the first or last time.

I was thinking the same thing last night Windsor. I think Fran was sending a clear message to his starters.

 

[eveningnewsteam]

I was thinking the same thing last night Windsor. I think Fran was sending a clear message to his starters.

I think he's just trying to shake something loose and find something that works. Not sure if it was intentional of sending a message, I just think hes searching high and low to find anything to get this team on the right track again.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

I remember when Jok was a freshman and didn't play all season. He then scores 10 points in 16 minutes against Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament. I think the bench getting 56 minutes last night was a message...and this thought actually occurred to me while watching the game live. I could be wrong...certainly wouldn't be the first or last time.

too little too late... leaning heavily on the upperclassmen rather than leveraging young (all be it raw) talent. Sounds like something we've seen before... in the fall.

IMHO, you shouldn't wait til a guy has 10 perfect practices in a row before giving him some PT...if he's good.

 

[eveningnewsteam]

too little too late... leaning heavily on the upperclassmen rather than leveraging young (all be it raw) talent. Sounds like something we've seen before... in the fall.

IMHO, you shouldn't wait til a guy has 10 perfect practices in a row before giving him some PT...if he's good.

Or they found something just at the right time. I get conference titles are important, but give me a run in the NCAA tournament. If and a big IF, Iowa finally found something to give them a boost, it couldnt happen at a better time.

 

[WindsorHawk]

too little too late... leaning heavily on the upperclassmen rather than leveraging young (all be it raw) talent. Sounds like something we've seen before... in the fall.

IMHO, you shouldn't wait til a guy has 10 perfect practices in a row before giving him some PT...if he's good.

It could be that Ellingson is still practicing better than Williams but Fran decided someone else deserved a chance based on his game performances. We'll never know. But it's definitely not too late if it sets up a solid 9 player rotation for Michigan and the 2 upcoming tournaments.

 

[blkngldFRO]

My dad has always said this simple thing "you can lose with any 5 guys".

 

[WindsorHawk]

My dad has always said this simple thing "you can lose with any 5 guys".

Sounds like a practical/logical guy.

 

[SteveGarvey]

Fran deserves credit for drawing up those plays. He can't enter the game and make the shot for them.

I agree, he does deserve credit. But I don't know why in so many other similar situations in the past he didn't call timeouts to design plays. True, the shots didn't go in last night but they were two open looks which in my mind gave us a better chance to tie/win than just having Gesell drive into the land of the trees to throw up a shot and hope it goes in.

Hopefully, it was a big learning experience for Fran.

 

[Tiptontiger]

Nice way of saying "Talk is cheap." That's not a dig at you Rob but at the attitude of the players and the coach.

Fran should just admit that the players are not getting it done in crunch time and need to get some ice in their veins.

I am still hopeful for a strong finish as this team has showed in the recent past that it has the ability to beat anyone when playing at their full potential.

It's sort of like that old saying: "When all is said and done, more is said than done.."

 

[lightning1]

so just a thought, and to start I am NOT blaming officiating in general. Do you think the way they call the game at the start of the year compared to the way the call it at the end of the year effecting this team?

All and all they need to play through it and adjust to it, but they do call a tighter game in Dec and Jan then they do in march. It benefits teams like Michigan St. in the way they call the game towards the end of the year.

This is logic that I can get behind. Teams are playing more physical and our starters are wearing down towards the end of the season. The appropriate adjustment is to spread more minutes around to your bench in order to get your starters rested. Fran was doing the exact opposite. He's been playing the reserves less over the previous 4 or 5 games.

 

[BigD]

It's sort of like that old saying: "When all is said and done, more is said than done.."

Lol, so true, so true.

I enjoyed all the comments made by everyone. Due to my redicoulous work schedule I hit and run on the forum so if one of you responds to my comments I am not ignoring you just extremely busy and have very limited time to read What everyone is saying. I've always enjoyed reading the different insights fans have. Some times Inwill read something and think about and change my opinion based on someone else's post. Who says you can't teach an old dog a new trick. At age fifty-five you guys that are sixty and older are saying "who are you calling old?" You see it's all perspective.

 

[PCHawk]

Fran needs to admit he isn't getting it done either. Honestly this isn't something that just started happening with this team it's been an ongoing issue in close games since he arrived at Iowa.. It's doesn't hurt to use a timeout in close late game situations and draw up a ******* play that works and gives this team something positive to build on. Iowa lacks confidence!!

Come on man! He needs to draw up a play that works? That's a much better idea than him drawing up the plays that don't work.

 

[PCHawk]

I agree, he does deserve credit. But I don't know why in so many other similar situations in the past he didn't call timeouts to design plays. True, the shots didn't go in last night but they were two open looks which in my mind gave us a better chance to tie/win than just having Gesell drive into the land of the trees to throw up a shot and hope it goes in.

Hopefully, it was a big learning experience for Fran.

Fran is for sure calling out plays from the bench. That's just as good as calling timeout and telling them the play. In Fran's opinion it's better because he relays the exact same message to the team without giving the opposing coach time to relay a message to his team. I'm surprised more coaches don't do it that way because it makes a lot of sense.

I also highly doubt Fran is calling a play for Gesell to dribble around until he drives to the rim and gets blocked. It's more of the players poorly executing the play that Fran called out so Gesell has to improvise.

 

[PCHawk]

Yes we got a break at the end and yes Fran dialed up 2 good plays but look how it played out in order for it to play out that way. Please Tell me why I can't see more of that type of coaching against Wisconsin, Penn Stste and Ohio State. People need to stop focusing on the last few plays of a game and watch what is occuringin the last 4 minutes of these games. Iowa is a complete Train Wreck man!

I agree that it isn't about the last possession. It makes it sound like that's what you're talking about when you say to call a timeout and draw up a play. I assume now you must mean with a few minutes left to try to get a score and change momentum. I agree he should do that. I also think it won't work tho. Even if the play worked and they actually make the shot, they will just give it back on the next possession.

I'm sure you notice how easy the other team scores when they absolutely need a basket and we absolutely need a stop. A timeout might get us a basket on one possession with a few minutes left. But what do we do on the next one? And the next one? Until these players quit thinking uh oh during close games (it's not going to happen) Fran could use 30 timeouts and it won't matter.

 

[WindsorHawk]

Fran is for sure calling out plays from the bench. That's just as good as calling timeout and telling them the play. In Fran's opinion it's better because he relays the exact same message to the team without giving the opposing coach time to relay a message to his team. I'm surprised more coaches don't do it that way because it makes a lot of sense.

I also highly doubt Fran is calling a play for Gesell to dribble around until he drives to the rim and gets blocked. It's more of the players poorly executing the play that Fran called out so Gesell has to improvise.

I agree with you. Also, this team is better at running and executing out of bounds plays IMO. Gesell needs to drive down the lane with 12 seconds on the shot clock and throw it off someone's leg. Then we can play to our strengths and run an inbounds play on the baseline.

 

[PCHawk]

I agree with you. Also, this team is better at running and executing out of bounds plays IMO. Gesell needs to drive down the lane with 12 seconds on the shot clock and throw it off someone's leg. Then we can play to our strengths and run an inbounds play on the baseline.

That's a great idea but it would just hit the other player's leg then graze one of our players before it goes out. I've been talking so much about my opinion on it being the players, I haven't even mentioned how unlucky iowa basketball has been long before Fran came along. All big shots against us go in and we never make one. That's iowa basketball.

 

[WindsorHawk]

That's a great idea but it would just hit the other player's leg then graze one of our players before it goes out. I've been talking so much about my opinion on it being the players, I haven't even mentioned how unlucky iowa basketball has been long before Fran came along. All big shots against us go in and we never make one. That's iowa basketball.

The team with the best one on one break down player will usually fare pretty well in these situations...and that has been the other team in most cases. Penn State wasn't very good last year but Newbill could break you down if it was close at the end...so the team doesn't have to be great just hang around. I think we have some of those players now!

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Come on man! He needs to draw up a play that works? That's a much better idea than him drawing up the plays that don't work.

Those 2 last plays he drew up last game resulted in wide open looks. They were fantastic...except...the shots didn't go.

 

[Cardinals54]

That's a great idea but it would just hit the other player's leg then graze one of our players before it goes out. I've been talking so much about my opinion on it being the players, I haven't even mentioned how unlucky iowa basketball has been long before Fran came along. All big shots against us go in and we never make one. That's iowa basketball.

There's certainly a lot of truth to this lately. Seems like whenever any team has needed a basket...usually a three point basket...at or near the end of a game it has just been automatic lately that the opposing player will hit the shot, no matter who it is or what percent they're shooting on the season. It adds greatly to the frustration of the past several games (and I'll throw Iowa State in too). I can't explain it. The negative hardcores always blame our 'D' and will use the arguement that ALL d-1 players are great shooters and if you leave them alone blah, blah,... but one would / should expect that just by the law of averages they wouldn't continue to hit the shot again and again and again. Our excellent shooters do not seem to have the ability to hit every open shot when WE need it...I wonder why the opposing player seems to??

 

[MisterLucky]

so just a thought, and to start I am NOT blaming officiating in general. Do you think the way they call the game at the start of the year compared to the way the call it at the end of the year effecting this team?

All and all they need to play through it and adjust to it, but they do call a tighter game in Dec and Jan then they do in march. It benefits teams like Michigan St. in the way they call the game towards the end of the year.

Yes, Izzo finally got his way. The level of hand-checking and body bumping has slowly increased throughout the conference season. This has definitely affected less physical teams, like Iowa, and certain players, like Uthoff in particular.