I am as disappointed by losses as much as the next guy, but I feel like we should pump the brakes on "the sky is falling" narratives on the Men's team. Could they be doing better? Absolutely, but I feel like the articles by Lane Mills on here are pretty doom and gloom. I guess you just have to be negative as hell when things are not going well, and then be everything is great and rosey when we are winning. I have been in the "There will be ups and downs in a season" camp and have only been watching the Hawks with interest for 40 years, and have never seen anything but that. I feel like this is a step up a level for a lot of these kids, there will be a learning curve to that, and several of these guys have only played together for a few months, and cohesiveness doesn't hit all at once. If this is still how we are playing in a few weeks, I will be disappointed, but I feel like we have a chance to iron some stuff out and go on a roll. That's why I watch, to see what happens, not to feel like I know it all beforehand. Sorry for the rant but there it is.
I may be the only one here who feels this way...
- Thread starter in8hawk
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HawkPowerlifter
Well-Known Member
I think there is plenty of room for optimism for Ben and the team. His first year. Big 10 is legit one of the toughest conferences and first year with a team that had most of it's core gutted. You give him another year and I think you will see a much more competitive team.
What I do like is this team hustles and plays defense. The have the ability to come back and have played most of their games close. I hate losses as much as the next person. However, I am giving Ben some grace and room to grow.
HawkIowa44
Well-Known Member
Ben and the men's basketball team will be fine, but it's going to take a couple years to build it into a top tier program. Now if we could only do something with Carver.... wishing for a replacement isn't probably in the cards for the near future.
MisterLucky
Well-Known Member
Carver is just a building. Are there more ideal arena in the B1G? Sure, but this is the one Iowa plays in and it is just another building. I have watched games there where you think the roof is going to be blown off Carver, so it can be a very tough place to play. Ask some of the opposing players who have played Iowa in the past 20-40 years. The real wild card is the crowd (or lack of one). If Iowa fans show up like they have in the past, most of the bitching about the building Iowa plays in will be moot and the program will thrive.
Fryowa
Administrator
That's the part of the problem that could be solved with a new arena or a major overhaul, though. It'd bring people in the seats.
CHA was good in its day, but it's extremely outdated comparatively and it couldn't be in a worse location for getting in and out. I don't want to have to take a shuttle before and after a game, I don't want to sit in a traffic jam for 45 mins afterwards, and I don't want to have to walk up 30 rows of stairs to wait in line for 15 minutes to take a leak. Add to that a Tuesday night and 19 degrees outside and I don't blame people for not showing up. With 4k 65" TVs being $300 and your fridge/bathroom 20' away, what is there about it to draw you away from the couch vs. an arena like what nebraska has in Pinnacle Bank or Creighton in Omaha? Equal drive distance I'd rather go to both of those over CHA any day of the week which is sad.
IMO those aren't huge asks. Put a new, smaller arena out where the XC course is and develop retail, food/drink, and hotels around it. Big parking lot. WAY more than enough room and access to 2 main roads in and out.
ChosenChildren
Well-Known Member
Iowa basketball needs a new arena desperately. Something that seats about 10,000, modern, intimate, fan-friendly. Carver absolutely sucks and there is no parking.
Regarding this year's team, making any type of post-season tournament would be a great achievement; if they make the NCAA tournament, Ben should get coach of the year.
This team is playing elite Big Ten teams with very average talent. Stirtz is a nice little player but a horrible defender and rebounder and wears down. He shouldn't be playing 38 minutes a game. How about 25 to 30?
Regarding this year's team, making any type of post-season tournament would be a great achievement; if they make the NCAA tournament, Ben should get coach of the year.
This team is playing elite Big Ten teams with very average talent. Stirtz is a nice little player but a horrible defender and rebounder and wears down. He shouldn't be playing 38 minutes a game. How about 25 to 30?
I guess I didn't look close enough. Lane Mills is a kid with no connection to Iowa writing "all or nothing" articles to get clicks. If I was a Kentucky fan like him, I would probably have a different outlook, but good lord. If you don't do awesome all game, you struggled mightily despite having a chance to win against a ranked team, even with a horribly slow start. This is the crap I get frustrated with the kids I talk to today. "If you aren't the best, then you are the worst and shouldn't even be trying." It is the Ricky Bobby philosophy clarified.
BigD
Well-Known Member
Where yah been hanging out lately? You don't seem to post as often as you used to.
I do believe that Ben will need time to get the type of recruits he feels will make Iowa fans proud of their team. I have no doubt about his ability to coach. It is crazy the way players can just walk away from basketball programs. This put's coaches in a terrible position and not one that I envy.
trj
Well-Known Member
Noooo.
This team will make the tournament, may even win a game or two. You are looking at this if it was 1996, and not 2026.
SwirlinLingerie
Well-Known Member
I listened to Goetz on a podcast recently. She said something along the lines of $60-65M is needed for renovations at Carver, and they'll start in on some of them once they raise $40M or so.
Sadly, none of the items she mentioned were very exciting. A lot of it was to simply maintain a now 45 year old facility. There were other tweaks (more suites, larger/more food stations to accommodate more options, etc.), but I don't anything that sounded like it would impact the game day environment all that much for the average fan.
Easy for me to say, but I wouldn't spend another dime on that place. If nothing else, take a year off from it. Generate additional demand by playing in the 6,000 seat arena in Coralville. Play a few games in Cedar Rapids, a couple in Des Moines. Maybe barnstorm to one other smallish arena in the state.
The crowds would be super intense. Can you imagine the atmosphere? Get people thinking about what else might be possible. If the year goes well, roll out the blueprint for a new home arena and fund raise off the buzz. I'm sure this isn't realistic, but I'm having fun here.
Sadly, none of the items she mentioned were very exciting. A lot of it was to simply maintain a now 45 year old facility. There were other tweaks (more suites, larger/more food stations to accommodate more options, etc.), but I don't anything that sounded like it would impact the game day environment all that much for the average fan.
Easy for me to say, but I wouldn't spend another dime on that place. If nothing else, take a year off from it. Generate additional demand by playing in the 6,000 seat arena in Coralville. Play a few games in Cedar Rapids, a couple in Des Moines. Maybe barnstorm to one other smallish arena in the state.
The crowds would be super intense. Can you imagine the atmosphere? Get people thinking about what else might be possible. If the year goes well, roll out the blueprint for a new home arena and fund raise off the buzz. I'm sure this isn't realistic, but I'm having fun here.
HawkIowa44
Well-Known Member
I’m here all the time, but sometimes I just like to read the postings. It’s too early in the BC era to really rant and/or rave about the future. It’s been a refreshing start.
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thedukeofearl
Well-Known Member
Be wild to get the crowd that attended Caitlin's Jersey Ceremony
USC was flabbergasted, what a beautiful word: Flabbergast
Seth53
Well-Known Member
Agree 100%
What do you do with CHA after?
Westernhawk
Well-Known Member
For some reason, Carver rocks when the WBB team is playing. While I agree Carver is dated and less than ideal, it is after all just a building. The people need to cheer.
Fryowa
Administrator
Let wrestling have it. We suck now but it’s still the Mecca of wrestling.
HawkIowa44
Well-Known Member
Yes, people need to cheer, but the current set-up of the arena doesn’t help. It sucks climbing out of the bowl from further down, lines are always long and it’s hard to get out of there. Keep Carver for wrestling and move into something new.
Seth53
Well-Known Member
Sounds as if we're going to placate the BB crowd with a better situation, but the WR crowd gets stuck with all the CHA issues?
Guess the WR crowd is tougher
During the Illinois game as Iowa was making their comeback, there were times watching on TV it looked like most of the crowd was on their feet, cheering loudly, and getting into it. You know who wasn't? The people with the best seats in the house -- middle of the floor, first 10-15 rows. People dressed in black & gold, literally just sitting there, some with their arms folded, silent, as fans all around the arena are on their feet yelling their lungs out, doing everything they can to will the team to victory. WTF are those silent people even there? They look miserable.
