I'm not worried.....

[Rawkhawk73]

We knew nights like the last two were going to happen.....it sucks, but we knew what was coming.

Now, if we get to the end of the year and they're still happening, then I'll start to get a little worried.

I liken it to Ferentz's first year. We were trying to run an offense with 250lb tackles....that just ain't going to cut it. That Ferentz team got buried by Nebraska and Michigan State that year as well.....in the case of MSU, I literally believe they could have hung 100 points on us that day. But as the season wore on, you could see the effort, the hustle, and everything you'd hope to see from a 1-10 team.

No different here. We're trying to run a system with young players who have never played this way at the college level. Most of them are young and have nowhere near the body type or experience level needed to consistently compete in the Big 10. We've been blown out in a couple games and been competitive in games we had no business being competitive in. This stuff just takes time. All I ask for is by the end of the year for the team to be competitive on a regular basis and show heart and determination. Fran is a great coach and a heckuva smart guy. I have no doubts that he'll get this thing turned. It won't be very fun in the meantime, but we'll get there.

 

[clicheusername3]

We knew nights like the last two were going to happen.....it sucks, but we knew what was coming.

Now, if we get to the end of the year and they're still happening, then I'll start to get a little worried.

I liken it to Ferentz's first year. We were trying to run an offense with 250lb tackles....that just ain't going to cut it. That Ferentz team got buried by Nebraska and Michigan State that year as well.....in the case of MSU, I literally believe they could have hung 100 points on us that day. But as the season wore on, you could see the effort, the hustle, and everything you'd hope to see from a 1-10 team.

No different here. We're trying to run a system with young players who have never played this way at the college level. Most of them are young and have nowhere near the body type or experience level needed to consistently compete in the Big 10. We've been blown out in a couple games and been competitive in games we had no business being competitive in. This stuff just takes time. All I ask for is by the end of the year for the team to be competitive on a regular basis and show heart and determination. Fran is a great coach and a heckuva smart guy. I have no doubts that he'll get this thing turned. It won't be very fun in the meantime, but we'll get there.

Yet even with this knowledge we still let it happen. It's obvious by the amount of time this comment gets thrown around that this si the lowest point in Iowa BBball history and complete apathy has set in with the fan base and if last night was any indication it will set in with the team before long as well.

If no one expects better then why would the team have any reason to strive for better.

 

[Rawkhawk73]

Yet even with this knowledge we still let it happen. It's obvious by the amount of time this comment gets thrown around that this si the lowest point in Iowa BBball history and complete apathy has set in with the fan base and if last night was any indication it will set in with the team before long as well.

If no one expects better then why would the team have any reason to strive for better.

I disagree. Expecting something to happen is not apathy.....it's reality. As much as you might want that square peg to go in that round hole, it ain't happening. As I said, it's no different than Ferentz's first year and trying to run an offense when your offensive line average 250 lbs. As hard as you try, it ain't gonna work. But it got better the 2nd year. Even better the 3rd year and by the 4th year was cooking right along.

I just don't understand all the hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth when we're only 16 games into the 1st year.

 

[HawkI101]

Yet even with this knowledge we still let it happen. It's obvious by the amount of time this comment gets thrown around that this si the lowest point in Iowa BBball history and complete apathy has set in with the fan base and if last night was any indication it will set in with the team before long as well.

If no one expects better then why would the team have any reason to strive for better.

Is this implying that we can stop it from happening?? We can't stop us from getting beat until we have better players, which will take a couple years for Fran to get.

I don't think we will see major improvement until May's senior season. Next year will only be slightly better.

 

[big10fan]

Is this implying that we can stop it from happening?? We can't stop us from getting beat until we have better players, which will take a couple years for Fran to get.

I don't think we will see major improvement until May's senior season. Next year will only be slightly better.

i agree. all i want out of this year is to see the kids giving it their best and not giving up. we're not going to get better till we fill out the roster with better talent and more experience. i had zero expectations win total wise.

 

[clicheusername3]

i agree. all i want out of this year is to see the kids giving it their best and not giving up. we're not going to get better till we fill out the roster with better talent and more experience. i had zero expectations win total wise.

This about sums it up for me. You might as well go cheer on your local YMCA pickup game where they don't keep score and theres no records. Zero expectations usually leads to one thing=zero results.

 

[Rawkhawk73]

This about sums it up for me. You might as well go cheer on your local YMCA pickup game where they don't keep score and theres no records. Zero expectations usually leads to one thing=zero results.

Fan expectation has ZERO effect on the results on the court/field. I guarantee you this coaching staff and this players have high expectations....every program does. But don't try to find a correlation between fan expecation and program results because one doesn't exist.

 

[HawkI101]

Fan expectation has ZERO effect on the results on the court/field. I guarantee you this coaching staff and this players have high expectations....every program does. But don't try to find a correlation between fan expecation and program results because one doesn't exist.

Agree. Outsider's expectations for what I do at work have absolutely zero correlation to what I do at work. Same goes for fans. Did our HIGH expectations help the football team, no, they had nothing to do with the football season.

My, or your, expectations don't make the players work harder or get better. Their own, and their coach's, expectations do that.

 

[ForeverHawk]

This about sums it up for me. You might as well go cheer on your local YMCA pickup game where they don't keep score and theres no records. Zero expectations usually leads to one thing=zero results.

I'm sorry, but that's just stupid!

 

[Benddontbreak]

Fan expectation has ZERO effect on the results on the court/field. I guarantee you this coaching staff and this players have high expectations....every program does. But don't try to find a correlation between fan expecation and program results because one doesn't exist.

+1

 

[bcl20]

I don't think anything that happens this year is going to have any bearing on the future. It was obvious that this team would be bad and no matter what happen it would still come down to if Fran can recruit or not.

Even if the rest of the season consists of blowouts I see no reason not to think there isn't hope for the future. Now if we go into next year knowing we will have the same type of player in future recruiting classes then there is a problem.

 

[tm3308]

This about sums it up for me. You might as well go cheer on your local YMCA pickup game where they don't keep score and theres no records. Zero expectations usually leads to one thing=zero results.

This is how Al Davis ran the Raiders into the ground. Expecting results when the pieces necessary to obtain those results just aren't there is stupid. You have to set realistic expectations as a fan. Honestly, there are a couple people who sound on the brink of starting the FireFran Campaign.

It's going to take time, and patience. Otherwise, you can just go and root for Kansas, or Duke. You know, teams that have the horses to win RIGHT NOW. It's not that people have ZERO expectations. We have REALISTIC expectations. We expect to see improvement by the end of the year, giving us something to continue to build on for next year. They're low expectations, but expecting more at this point is ludicrous. That's a testament to how low the program has sunk the past several years, but not like having realistic expectations is going to keep the program that low.

The football team had realistic expectations for going to the Rose Bowl. Look at how upset everybody over that. Now imagine fans getting just as worked up for the basketball team failing to meet expectations that they never had any hope of reaching. How stupid does that sound?

 

[sportstalent]

Iowa doesn't have a lot of things right now and while they have gotten blown out in the last two games, it hasn't been the norm. Now, the expectations of the fans doesn't matter what happens on the court or field, but there is pressure of expectation witin the locker room and media can affect a team.
It isn't like Iowa was rated or anything to start this season and there is a new coach in place. I can understand not wanting to go to games and watch the last few years, but if I were remotely close to the IC area, I would be at all kinds of games and try and get season tickets, good things are going to happen, but reality tells me significant improvement is only a recruiting class away. It could turn as early as next year, give Iowa some depth and be injury free with four new players, it could happen sooner rather than later, no matter how it looks this year. Iowa will have a completely different team any year after this year. Fran will have one losing season only as he gets recruits in and the Big Ten losing a lot of upperclassmen after this season. The only thing that blowouts could do is set a poor mentality and that takes time to overcome, but a weak non-conference schedule and depth will help change that early next year. Fans, even if there are blowouts, go watch this team, Iowa couldn't score with teams before, but now we simply can't defend and it is up to staff to figure that one out. People say that the other teams continue to bring in top talent and Iowa doesn't and that is a fair statement, but not all the other teams do, they build team chemistry. Outside of OSU/MSU/Purdue/Illinois the rest of the league doesn't get a ton of Top 100 talent, so the opportunity to move up to the top half is as close as one quality recruiting class. Iowa has pieces, just not a full allotment of pieces, we have injuries and freshman that under normal circumstances, not Basabe, would redshirt. Iowa is a team that would not be two games under .500 if they would just defend the 3-pt shot, giving up 10 or more in games is just not going to win, that is the one thing I want to see this team correct by the end of the season. Iowa is a program that in a year's time will not be two games under .500 and people here will be wondering if we have a shot at the NIT or possibly NCAA, not likely the NCAA due to non-conference schedule, but it certainly won't be the doom and gloom that there is today.

 

[bcl20]

Spaces man.

 

[ibahawkeye]

I'm not worried... it's too early to tell. He inherited Lick's roster.
I'm not sold... it's too early to tell. He hasn't recruited his own guys.

Seems like this is just a case of people wanting to get their opinion out there so they can be the ones who can say I told you so.

 

[Gohawks123]

Iowa is a program that in a year's time will not be two games under .500 and people here will be wondering if we have a shot at the NIT or possibly NCAA, not likely the NCAA due to non-conference schedule, but it certainly won't be the doom and gloom that there is today.

That's a bold bold prediction based off what I see on the court from this team and the players we have returning/entering the program next year. I don't think its reasonable to think this team is going to jump from ~10 wins this year to 18-19 wins (that's how many we will need to make the NIT) next year.

We lose Cole and currently have no one to replace him at our already embarrassingly thin positions of PF and C.

We add a couple of nice recruits in Oglesby and White who will be solid contributors down the road....but its tough to expect much from them next year.

Unless we land an absolute stud big man late (there's not much out there) I can't see this team being much better than this year. The guys we have on the team right now simply aren't talented enough to consistently compete over an 18 game Big Ten schedule, and in my opinion they aren't going to suddenly improve enough to do that over the course of the next year. It's the sad truth that some of the board don't want to hear, but these guys just aren't talented enough to be winning consistently in the Big Ten.

 

[sportstalent]

That's a bold bold prediction based off what I see on the court from this team and the players we have returning/entering the program next year. I don't think its reasonable to think this team is going to jump from ~10 wins this year to 18-19 wins (that's how many we will need to make the NIT) next year.

We lose Cole and currently have no one to replace him at our already embarrassingly thin positions of PF and C.

We add a couple of nice recruits in Oglesby and White who will be solid contributors down the road....but its tough to expect much from them next year.

Unless we land an absolute stud big man late (there's not much out there) I can't see this team being much better than this year. The guys we have on the team right now simply aren't talented enough to consistently compete over an 18 game Big Ten schedule, and in my opinion they aren't going to suddenly improve enough to do that over the course of the next year. It's the sad truth that some of the board don't want to hear, but these guys just aren't talented enough to be winning consistently in the Big Ten.

We will see and I could easily be wrong, but what I see on the court for Iowa is a team that plays hard and has zero depth.
I don't think 18 or 19 wins gets you to the NIT, that gets you to the NCAA in a good league with a mediocre conference record, especially with the change to the 68 team format, more bubble teams will be in.
Jarryd Cole is my favorite Hawk, but lets be realisitc, had Iowa's big men, including Cole been able to make a layup in some games this year, Iowa would be above .500 today. Cole plays hard and works hard, but his loss isn't going to be as significant as say, Payne's injury.

My prediction for this season was 14 wins with a reach at winning 4 in the Big Ten, that doesn't look attainable right now, but we haven't played PSU/Indiana/Michigan yet. You can't predict major injuries to two starters and another injury to a third starter, it definitely doesn't help your growth as a team, this season.

The thing this team needs is depth at least one scorer on the bench, now Iowa should have 4 starters back into next season. Iowa has two scholarhips open and Olesani/Katenda look to fill one, I hope Katenda, he is in the mold of Basabe. The other could go to Stokes, he went to the same high school as Iowa assistant Andrew Francis, I like our odds.
As for a "stud" big man, don't you think Basabe is going to be our "stud" next season, he is a freshman and I like his chances to become the best player on Iowa's roster next season.
Depth with Marble/Oglesby/McCabe/(Katenda/Olesani)/(Stokes) gives Iowa depth and some potential scoring options.

I did not say they would be in the postseason next year, but with a non-conference schedule similar to this year, added depth and more experience Iowa will have a good non-conference record and give the fans some hope in year two. The Big Ten will not be a good either, there are going to be huge graduations this year. Iowa may be one of the more experienced teams heading in. You don't like our talent, but that is okay, how much did they get out of the last three years? Year one under Fran and the new style giving the better teams more possessions, I like what I see instead of the slow down and still getting blown out.

Also, this isn't a bold prediction, it would be if I am spouting they are going to go to the NIT/NCAA, I said they wouldn't be 2 games under .500 at this same point next season, give us three wins of the multiple games we have lost leads in and we aren't now, it is a process. A foundation is being laid and there are times Iowa is going to look absolutely bad, that happens when you have zero depth and little scoring from an already thin bench. It just takes the right recruiting class and if Iowa can secure Katenda/Stokes to go with who they have, then that might be the infusion of talent/athleticism Iowa needs to win those games that Iowa blew and maybe knock off an Illinois or OSU...time will tell, we can have this converstation again in 12 months.

 

[Gohawks123]

We will see and I could easily be wrong, but what I see on the court for Iowa is a team that plays hard and has zero depth.
I don't think 18 or 19 wins gets you to the NIT, that gets you to the NCAA in a good league with a mediocre conference record, especially with the change to the 68 team format, more bubble teams will be in.
Jarryd Cole is my favorite Hawk, but lets be realisitc, had Iowa's big men, including Cole been able to make a layup in some games this year, Iowa would be above .500 today. Cole plays hard and works hard, but his loss isn't going to be as significant as say, Payne's injury.

Teams that made the NIT last year

Illinois - 18 wins
Cincy - 18 wins
VA TEch - 23 wins
UCONN - 17 wins
ASU - 22 wins
Mississippi - 21 wins
Memphis -23 wins
Seton Hall - 19 wins
Texas Tech - 17 wins
Miss St - 23 wins
South Florida - 20 wins
North Carolina - 16 wins
NC State - 19 wins

Iowa will need to win AT LEAST 18 to make it...especially with our soft non-conference schedule.

 

[Gohawks123]

My prediction for this season was 14 wins with a reach at winning 4 in the Big Ten, that doesn't look attainable right now, but we haven't played PSU/Indiana/Michigan yet. You can't predict major injuries to two starters and another injury to a third starter, it definitely doesn't help your growth as a team, this season.

Every team has injuries and you should make your season predictions knowing this. I predicted 10 wins for us. I would have made it 12-13 if we were deeper in some areas. Since odds are someone will get injured I knocked 2-3 wins off my prediction.