If we miss the dance this year.....

[trj]

At the end of the day a team is what it's record says it is. Lasts years team was a fringe NCAA team, that went 2-9 in games decided by 2 possessions or less. It was NOT a top 10 team, it was a fringe NCAA team, cause you look at the entire body of work, not just 1/2 or 2/3 or 9/10, but the ENTIRE body of work. Fran has had 1 team that was a surefire lock for the NCAA tourney in 5 years now, and that almost slipped away. I'm sorry, but that simply isn't getting it done. 5 years is all the time a football coach should get, a BB coach should get 3 years is all. It is sooooo much easier to turn around a BB program than it is a football program, as you only need a player or 2 to do so.

I actually kind of felt this way after year 3 to be honest, that was a team that was good enough to be a NCAA team, but they didn't get it done. I was patient, cause I realize year 4, he had a pretty loaded team, but they really let last year slip away. Yet I totally understand that as well, with what Fran was going through with his son. Now in year 5, once again, this is a team that could/should make the tourney. If he once again doesn't make it, in my mind that is 2 teams (this years and '12-'13 NIT team) that should have made it, but didn't, and the '13-'14 team underachieved big time with the finish they had.

I get that not many agree with me on this. I had actually not even wanted to go here and actually say anything.....then I figured why not? I'm not a negative guy, I realize we have a ton of time left this year, and I'm not convince this isn't a NCAA team, but I'm also not convinced it is. The goal is the NCAA tourney, and it is about results.....I'm out of "Almosts" come year 5. No more "almost" getting to the NCAA. No more "almost" getting a top recruit. In year 5 the almosts should be a think of the past, and it should be about results. For me as a fan, if we aren't a NCAA team at the end of this year, I have no faith that Fran can get it done in years 6 and beyond.

So you want to start over AGAIN? You do realize Iowa isn't a top 30 job and hasn't
been so in 15 years? I believe all of Coach K pups have jobs.

Normally, I would agree 3 years is all it should take, but given where the program is at the best play is that FM gets it going by year 6 or 7. You could hire Phil Jackson and it would take at least a couple of years to get going.

 

[hawkforlife9]

Given where we started with Linkletter... I think 8 or 9 years makes sense. And, doing it the right way adds a few years.

 

[1hawkeye1]

I have no problem with the job Fran is doing. His seat ain't "hot"

 

[trj]

Given where we started with Linkletter... I think 8 or 9 years makes sense. And, doing it the right way adds a few years.

Congratulations, your AD caught lightning in a bottle.

 

[99topdawg]

I think it's university policy that you're not allowed to be on the hot seat until after your kids are done playing.

 

[Sparky]

This is a pointless thread. This situation is the same as Kirk's. As long as there's a winning record and butts in the seats Fran isn't going anywhere.

 

[clicheusername3]

Question for anyone. If Iowa misses the tourney again this year and BJ Armstrong said he would be willing to become the head coach, would you fire Fran and hire BJ?

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Barring scandal, there is zero chance Fran gets fired after this season, no matter what happens. ZERO. I think the chances are almost as low that Fran gets fired after the 2015-16 season, too. I'm OK with that.

IMO, he has a couple more years after this one, minimum. IMO, Fran's seat is still ice cold, and it would take a while for it to warm up, like a cold car seat on a January day..

 

[ibahawkeye]

Look I'm just one guy and my opinion matters little but here's where I'm at:

Fran has certainly improved this program from when he took over. Although I probably wouldn't have given him his first extension prior to making a tourney appearance or the 2nd one, he's done well enough to earn some time.

With that said... the play in game was good enough for me to give 1 extension. The play in game does not qualify as a true NCAA appearance and thus I don't think a 2nd was deserved.

The improvement the program has seen and the increase in ticket sales is enough that the seat is no where near hot after this year.

However... if we aren't dancing next year, I'm out, give me a change. Between Woody, Mike and Uthoff, we'll have 3 guys with a ton of game experience and throw in Jok who I believe will be starting soon, we'll have 4 guys. I think NCAA tourney should be expected.

So I fully expect us to be in next year but if we're not that's 6 years with 1 play in game and that's not enough for me personally.

The issue is we already gave the 2nd contract extension so it probably still wouldn't happen but as I stated earlier, I didn't agree with the extension at that time.

 

[Jjgoiowa11]

Cuz orange bowls and
licklitterd

 

[trj]

Question for anyone. If Iowa misses the tourney again this year and BJ Armstrong said he would be willing to become the head coach, would you fire Fran and hire BJ?

You masquerade as a "neutral observer" pretty well. To answer your question: fire FM tommorrow? No. 2 or 3 years down the road if it looks like it isn't going to work with FM, then yes.

The gamble worked for you guys in Ames, maybe it could work in Iowa City as well.

 

[JHHawk]

I would hope that if we miss the tourney this year, Fran would make a change on his staff to bolster recruiting, a la, SA getting Noodles.

If we miss then next two years, definitely staff shakeup time to bolster recruiting.

It is all about recruiting...it is what sustains a coach and fan base thru lean years.
With the McCaff bros. coming, Fran has an ace in the hole. If he can add some other top 100 guys to his sons and Pemsl...Fran's seat remains cool. Recruiting is hope, and he has to give fans hope in the lean years.

 

[djwoody98]

Fran will be fine. Gary Barta shouldn't be.

 

[Hawk4Fan]

Oh for god's sake. Are we really talking about Fran being on the hot seat. Sometimes I wonder why in the world I read this shite.

Lets see, can't coach, can't recruit at all, yeah he SHOULD be on hot seat...

 

[trj]

Lets see, can't coach, can't recruit at all, yeah he SHOULD be on hot seat...

Fire FM, who you bringing in?

 

[SnapBack2]

Fire FM, who you bringing in?

exactly

 

[deanvogs]

I'm glad you're talking about it because it makes for good discussion. I get the "you are what your record says" mentality, and it's a good one for a team to have. But the truth is there is a lot more to it than that.

The thing is, it's going to be hard for anyone to stand out in this conference the way it is right now. It seems like there are going to be about 10 teams that are about the exact same and it will be an extremely fine line on who makes the tournament.

If we get a new coach, the best we are going to do is be in that same group but maybe sneak in and maybe not (which is exactly where we are now). Maybe the new coach gets us in a little more often. Maybe the new coach burys us. To me right now the possible small impovement (and that's all that can possibly happen right now baring a miracle hire) isn't worth the possibility of a disasterous hire.

If anything Fran has underachieved the last 2 years. Last years team was way better than a play in team, yet that is where they ended up at. The team 2 years ago was a NCAA team, but they only made the NIT. I'm sorry, but the last 2 years are what they are, and it is underachieving. If we have another year of no NCAA appearance, then that is 3 years in a row of underachieving. Keep in mind this is all predicated on the fact that we are assuming we miss the dance, as the title of the thread says.

 

[deanvogs]

So you want to start over AGAIN? You do realize Iowa isn't a top 30 job and hasn't
been so in 15 years? I believe all of Coach K pups have jobs.

Normally, I would agree 3 years is all it should take, but given where the program is at the best play is that FM gets it going by year 6 or 7. You could hire Phil Jackson and it would take at least a couple of years to get going.

I don't want to start over again at all. I hope Fran makes the NCAA, and then I won't have a problem at all. Yet if he doesn't make it (which was the purpose of this thread) then I'd say Iowa should move on. That would be 1 NCAA tourney in 5 years, and 3 years in a row of underachieving. The '12-'13 team was a NCAA team, but only made the NIT. Last years team should have been a 4-6 seed, but ended up in the play in game. This years team should be a NCAA team as well, and if they fall short yet once again, you have to start facing the facts at some point then.

 

[jo12208]

I am hopeful to make the tournament this year and next also. If we fail this year and next year then Fran's seat will definately be on the hot side especially given that next year will be his best recruited class along with Uthoff on the transfer. Next year is a MUST for Fran.

This is only his 5th year. Give him time to get his system and players in place. Lick left us in a very bad situation. Turn arounds take more time. Nobody can do it in a couple of years.

 

[greenrocket]

This is only his 5th year. Give him time to get his system and players in place. Lick left us in a very bad situation. Turn arounds take more time. Nobody can do it in a couple of years.

Trolololol