Is it all bad with Hubbard leaving?

C

CHShawk

Well-Known Member
IMO that bad long-term. Obviously, short-term (meaning this upcoming season) it hurts but let's be honest, good programs, or bad programs for that matter, don't typically rely on 26 y.o. JUCO recruits that have criminal records. And although we are all getting tired of throw-away years, for the most part Hawkeye fans were expecting an NIT, at best, type of season. This would be an improvement, but for all intents and purposes, it's still a throw-away year (NCAA or bust, right?). My larger point is there is a lot of talent in and around Iowa for '12 and this gives Fran another scholly to work with, if needed. Additionally, if Iowa needs to go the JUCO route again with the now open scholarship, there are usually players available of Hubbards caliber and without his age and past. I was excited as anyone over seeing a solid improvement from year one to year two in the Fran era and I still think it's going to happen.

With all this being said, I think the player development side might end up being a wash with Hubbard's departure. I think this hurts Marble's development as he will be the man to spot time for Cartright but it also opens up more valuable playing time to someone like Oglesby and possibly McCabe and White depending on what type of lineup Fran decides to play.
 
Apologies for starting another Hubbard thread btw... I didn't really look at the amount of Hubbard threads on the forum.
 
Yes it's all bad.
There already was an open scholarship that Fran tried to hand out and couldn't find any takers.
The starting 5 now includes 4 returners from a 20 loss team and a worse center.
This reflects terribly on the program and another bad season does nothing to help recruiting.
 
I think it's still not good, even long-term. No, good teams don't rely on 26-year-old JUCO's with criminal records. But we aren't a good team, and weren't going to be that good even with Hubbard. You have to start somewhere, and a team looking to rebuild can easily need to rely on a player such as Hubbard. This could set us back a couple years. Not saying it will, but it could.
 
Good post, CHShawk, one would imagine there are JC players out there just as Bryce was last year. In the long run it will give the new players additional time on the floor to develop, game time experience is invaluable. We will survive this backstabbing by Hubbard, no doubt. I think Devyn will be alright, he and others will be able to man the point in short spurts. Hubbard wasn't a true point to begin with. I believe we will continue to improve this season without Hubbard. We shall see.
 
I can understand the frustration after losing a potential stud starter like Hubbard. As an ISU football fan I know what it is like having the same starters return off of a team with a really bad record. You keep hoping that the returning players will have all changed their game dramatically and upgraded, but you know deep down its just the same guys who lost 20 games back to back years.

Hard to not like Fran. Hopefully recruiting picks up for him soon.
 
newtonavenue said:
Yes it's all bad.
There already was an open scholarship that Fran tried to hand out and couldn't find any takers.
The starting 5 now includes 4 returners from a 20 loss team and a worse center.
This reflects terribly on the program and another bad season does nothing to help recruiting.
Click to expand...


Exactly correct.
 
newtonavenue said:
Yes it's all bad.
There already was an open scholarship that Fran tried to hand out and couldn't find any takers.
The starting 5 now includes 4 returners from a 20 loss team and a worse center.
This reflects terribly on the program and another bad season does nothing to help recruiting.
Click to expand...

Excellent post. Look folks, we can't continue to suck and think we are going to somehow land better players.
 
When you get a big 'ole lemon, you slice and dice it just right it up and squeeze it hard and make some lemonade.

LOL about the posts.... we will be set back again for another year or two, we are really bad.

Yes it's all bad.

There already was an open scholarship that Fran tried to hand out and couldn't find any takers.
The starting 5 now includes 4 returners from a 20 loss team and a worse center.
This reflects terribly on the program and another bad season does nothing to help recruiting.

NOT and NO WAY.. it's all about doing it right and having opportunity...

I can't wait for IOWA 2011 and 2012 BB
 
I said when Fran was hired that based on data from the last ten years he had to put together a strong class by this coming November, or he would have to do something that no other coach has been able to accomplish and that is put together a strong recruiting class after not doing that in his first three classes.
 
hawkIhoops said:
Excellent post. Look folks, we can't continue to suck and think we are going to somehow land better players.
Click to expand...

But I'm saying Hubbard wasn't anything special. Probably a solid JUCO player but nothing to write home about. There are plenty of Hubbards out there without the age or baggage. I'm saying you can use this now open scholly to recruit a better player or if it doesn't work out, you just get another player of Hubbard's caliber. And besides, this team is going to keep improving with or without Hubbard. It's another throw-away year IMO with or without him. I really don't view an NIT or some other non-NCAA appearance as a successful season or something that would really impress a recruit. At this point it sounds like a broken record but the thing that Hawkeye fans need to ultimately look for out of this team is improvement.

As for the argument that Fran couldn't get a player for the other open scholly, keep in mind he did get off to a late start to try to recruit high-major caliber players. Obviously the jury is still out if getting on the recruiting trail earlier for 2012 will make a difference, but you have to keep this in mind. Ultimately, Fran needs to sell improvement, his style of play and of course the much needed facilities upgrade.

(And maybe give a player some money if he's competing against OSU or the SEC. :) )
 
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Lets start by blaming bowlsby for taking us to the next level. Rock bottom... Losing Hubbard hurts because it looks bad to future recruits. I hope Fran has a trick up his sleeve because I love him but this could be the start of a roller coaster effect that includes losing Woodbury and Gessell
 
CHShawk said:
But I'm saying Hubbard wasn't anything special. Probably a solid JUCO player but nothing to write home about. There are plenty of Hubbards out there without the age or baggage. I'm saying you can use this now open scholly to recruit a better player or if it doesn't work out, you just get another player of Hubbard's caliber.
Click to expand...


This is a mighty, mighty stupid post.

Hubbard is better than any wing Iowa is going to replace him with next year. Iowa just offered Kale Abrahamson, a spastic white guy that only goes one speed and shoots like a Northwestern male, or in other words, a girl. He puts the ball on his nipples and extends his arms from there.

If Fran could land players better than Hubbard but without the baggage, why didn't he?
 
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newtonavenue said:
Yes it's all bad.
There already was an open scholarship that Fran tried to hand out and couldn't find any takers.
The starting 5 now includes 4 returners from a 20 loss team and a worse center.
This reflects terribly on the program and another bad season does nothing to help recruiting.
Click to expand...

This states pretty succinctly my thoughts. Don't kid yourselves: this sets Fran (and Iowa) back a year or two, at the very least, and at a critical time in recruiting and player development. Not the end of the world, certainly, but it's the first real dent in Fran's armor.
 
Yes, it is all bad. People are reading too much into Marble's PTL performance right now thinking that he will cover this loss. This is a huge loss for a variety of reasons, the biggest being it makes Fran and the program look awful.
 
newtonavenue said:
Yes it's all bad.
The starting 5 now includes 4 returners from a 20 loss team and a worse center.
Click to expand...
Can't argue with you regarding the center position. But as Bobby Knight said (paraphrasing), "The best thing about freshmen is that they become sophomores". My wishful thinking is that you'll see significant improvement from last year's new players, particularly on the defensive end. It will be a stretch to make the NIT, but there will be improvement over last year.
 
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