Indiana post game celebration

If Fran can restore this program to 80% of what it used to be, he will be a saint in my book.

What's funny is if Fran to have a similar resume to what Alford had when he was here (sans a major rape scandal) Fran would probably be worshiped as a basketball coach and Alford was pretty much run out of town. I understand why that would happen I just find it a little amusing.
 
What's funny is if Fran to have a similar resume to what Alford had when he was here (sans a major rape scandal) Fran would probably be worshiped as a basketball coach and Alford was pretty much run out of town. I understand why that would happen I just find it a little amusing.

I was never a fan of Alford. Ever. It had nothing to do with wins and losses. It had everything to do with him.

I never thought for one second he was here because he wanted to be here. He was here because he wanted to prove he could be a coach in the B10 so that Indiana would hire him. I also hated his stupid hair.

With Fran I really get the vibe that he wants to be here and if things on the court work out would be here for a good while. Again not having anything to do with wins or losses. Just the vibe I get from him as a person. Also his hair is not offensive to me.

Long story short is that Alford made me fall out of love with Iowa basketball. Fran is starting to make me fall back in love with it.
 
What's funny is if Fran to have a similar resume to what Alford had when he was here (sans a major rape scandal) Fran would probably be worshiped as a basketball coach and Alford was pretty much run out of town. I understand why that would happen I just find it a little amusing.

I don't think it had (or will have) as much to do with W-L records as it will with perception. A part of the fan base -- myself included -- remembered Alford as a pretty d*mn good guard playing against the Hawks and had a difficult time suddenly seeing him take over from Mr. Davis (another strike, not of Alford's making) and believing he really wanted to be Iowa's basketball coach. There was always a feeling he would bolt to Indiana as soon as that job came open.

He always seemed aloof, as if we were somehow blessed to have him as Iowa's coach, and never seemed to connect with the fans. That lack of trust combined with his ego created difficulty when he had to deal not once, but twice, with Pierre Pierce and also ran into other local issues.

In less than a year, Fran has done more to connect with the Iowa fan base than Alford ever did, it appears. His passion and emotion, and obvious ability to connect with this players, are needed and welcome. They will be key aspects of any success he has here.
 

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