Iowa Basketball Needs to Start Healing

[JonDMiller]

Folks, I get that there were people that maybe wanted to see Iowa go after and hire that didn't get the job. And I understand a little venting.

But at some time soon, people need to rally around Fran McCaffery and the hire, otherwise one of the factors we will evaluate the next time around related to the Iowa job is that there is a poison factor in the fanbase that will make this job look unattractive.

He's not a household name; neither was Lute. Neither was Tom Davis, other than he run a funky system.

I don't think Gary Barta is stupid. He knows how important this hire was not only to the future of the program, but for his future, too; seldom does an Athletic Director get to make a third hire for a basketball job if the first two didn't work out. So Barta is all in on this guy, too.

Fran McCaffery wanted to be at Iowa, too...take that into account.

He will have a brand new practice and training facility in about 14 months, too...that will give him more bullets in his gun than the previous two coaches had...and that is not insignificant. This will help in recruiting, the biggest challenge he will have at Iowa.

He plays an exciting, up tempo style, and will press if need be to change the momentum and fortunes of the game...I like that.

I will write more on this later, but at some point in time very soon, and for no other reason that he is now the head coach at Iowa, people need to rally around him and give him a chance to do his job...otherwise you will need look no further than in the mirror for one of the reasons why the Iowa job isn't as attractive as it once was.

 

[WDMVike]

Here Here. We all had coaches we would have liked to have had, but we now have a coach and I am looking forward to watching Hawkeye Basketball next year.

GO HAWKS!!!

 

[DunderMifflinHk]

agree, here's to a new beginning!

 

[hawklock00]

*CHEERS*

 

[BSpringsteen]

Jon-

While I agree completely with your assessment, it is moot. People all had their favorites and a message board gives every person an equal voice.

If Fran wins, he'll quickly be revered. If he doesn't, someone else will do the next search.

 

[CHShawk]

We can only go up! Good luck to Coach McCaffery!

 

[mcamper]

I am on board with this new coach. Very excited to get back to Carver Hawkeye Arena and cheer for the Hawkeyes. I had a great time at Orange Bowl and now in the back of my mind, I am thinking of going to Big Ten Basketball Tournament supporting the Hawkeye basketball team, and maybe even getting back to the big dance in the future.

Meanwhile, I am rooting for Michigan State all the way in the Final Four. GO BIG TEN!

 

[poncho72]

Here Here. We all had coaches we would have liked to have had, but we now have a coach and I am looking forward to watching Hawkeye Basketball next year.

GO HAWKS!!!

+1 I've cooled off ( I wasn't exactly mad or anything, just kind of surprised when I first heard the news), I'm now 100% behind Coach Fran, I'm anxious to see the style of play and what we can do in the future.

 

[meaning]

For what it's worth, Siena fans appear to be pretty upset that the guy who saved their program is leaving.

In my opinion, that's a better judge of the quality of this hire than just comparing it to Iowa fans' expectations.

A good number of Siena fans believe McCaffrey will have Iowa turned around in short order ... and they should know more about this than me.

So, while he wasn't my first choice, he is THE choice. I'm prepared to give him time to see what he can do.

Because, really, it's either that or start watching what my wife likes on TV.

 

[PStop]

Jon said something in his post that most Iowa fans are overlooking at this point in time.

"Fran McCaffery wanted to be at Iowa."

We don't really know how many current head coaches in the country really want to be at Iowa. I can name a few current college second assistants that would want the job but they are not guys that are leading programs to the NCAA tourney on a regular basis. Ben Jacobsen jumped the gun and decided the grass wasn't greener. You think Brad Steven at Butler would leave to come to Iowa? Doubt it. How about Scott Drew? Not likely. Bruce Pearl probably wouldn't come for 3 times the salary that Todd Lickliter made.

My point is that in this instance there is something to be said for desire. McCaffery has family in the midwest, a strong coaching resume and a real desire to be the coach at the University of Iowa. He probably did a heck of a job interviewing with Barta and demonstrated an actionable plan to get Iowa basketball to the places Barta and we fans think they should be.

As of March 28th, 2010, Iowa basketball is a bottom tier Big Ten program with sub par practice facilities and a short term history of losing. Our grass isn't greener than a lot of places. I for one hope Fran McCaffery can turn things around and get Iowa basketball competing for championships.

 

[smhawk]

I am excited for the press conference tomorrow. Hopefully McCaffery can drop some words that gain Hawkeye support.

 

[GrandpaHawk]

I agree let the healing begin and let's put a product on the floor that we can be proud of.Go Hawks

 

[Hawke]

Support our coach and basketball team. Buy season tickets. Cheer loudly. Get on board or get the **** out of the way. If you aren't part of the solution you are part of the problem. GO HAWKS!!!

 

[CHawk75]

Go Hawks!!!

 

[BSpringsteen]

For what it's worth, Siena fans appear to be pretty upset that the guy who saved their program is leaving.

In my opinion, that's a better judge of the quality of this hire than just comparing it to Iowa fans' expectations.

A good number of Siena fans believe McCaffrey will have Iowa turned around in short order ... and they should know more about this than me.

So, while he wasn't my first choice, he is THE choice. I'm prepared to give him time to see what he can do.

Because, really, it's either that or start watching what my wife likes on TV.

nicely said

 

[bud2380]

I think most people will give this guy support, but I think most people are surprised that we fired a coach, paid him 2.4 million to leave and then hired a guy that few have ever heard of. It's just an underwhelming hire. That doesn't mean it won't work out, and I sure hope it does. I'm actually considering getting season tickets next year for the first time since 2002 when I was a student, so he definitely has my support. But I think at the same time, it's a dangerous hire for Barta.

 

[1MoreHawkeyeInTX]

Agree... well said.

 

[CRhawkeye4life]

I agree let the healing begin and let's put a product on the floor that we can be proud of.Go Hawks

I agree 100%

 

[papathawki]

Since Lick was fired I have read a lot and posted very little. I listened to lots of experts with lots of different opinions which is what one gets on a message board. I think folks have to realize that there are really Damn few experts on this subject. The time for conjecture is over. It's time to get behind OUR new coach knock off the negatives.

 

[wolfgang]

Recruiting and some buzz were at the top of my list. We failed on buzz but could still hit on recruiting depending on the assistants. I've decided to get season tix next year. Anyone else gonna purchase tix now that haven't or couldn't in the past.