Is it any better....

S

SteveGarvey

Well-Known Member
losing 90-71 than it was losing 60-41 during the Lick era? People complained about how boring the basketball was during the Lick era but was it really any funner watching that performance last night?

I mean, Lick's teams were offensively challenged but this team is defensively challenged and it sucks either way losing by 19.

Not that I'm bailing on Fran by any measure but was just wondering what other people thought. I guess it's probably a bit easier to correct defense than offense but still.
 


SteveGarvey said:
losing 90-71 than it was losing 60-41 during the Lick era? People complained about how boring the basketball was during the Lick era but was it really any funner watching that performance last night?

I mean, Lick's teams were offensively challenged but this team is defensively challenged and it sucks either way losing by 19.

Not that I'm bailing on Fran by any measure but was just wondering what other people thought. I guess it's probably a bit easier to correct defense than offense but still.
Click to expand...

This team does not have all the pieces to run the way Fran wants it too. When he gets them over the next couple of years it will be just fine.

Licks teams were offensively and DEFENSIVELY challenged too. Teams scored 20-30 less points against us last year because they got 15 less possessions against us because we wasted 34 seconds on offense then threw up crap

So, to answer your question it is better at least to me.
 


For me, yes. Lick was boring in every way. However, that said if Fran has a similar 3-year beginning to his Iowa career as Lick (in terms of wins/losses/attrition) then he will suffer the same fate.
 


Had a bit of a Lick flashback last night when Stoermer came out and played better than just about everyone but Cartright. I thought........why the helll isn't this kid playing more?

After reading the Franscript from the game last night, I know why. He has been injured.

I guess that is the difference. Fran addressed it and had high praise for Jordan. I will take that every day of the week over Lick and his "iron curtain".
 


Losing whether it's by 1 or 100 isn't better.

With that said, what do you want Fran to do at this point? The team has very little talent and that's not Frans fault. He's trying to showcase what a Fran coached ball team will look like to prospective recruits and unfortunately that means throwing the players to the wolves at times.

It didn't help to lose Cully early in the season albeit I felt that Cartwright was a better player all along.

It hasn't helped that we start off with about as tough of a conference schedule as we can either.
 


Add in the fact that Cole really wasn't playing due to injury until the Fall, Gatens was hurt to start the season, May is injured, Marble is playing the 1 when he should be playing the 2 or even the 3.

I just don't think any coach could come in and do a better job with the hand that has been dealt. Recruiting is going to be the key. I certainly hope that Fran heads to the JUCO ranks and picks up two big men and another PG. With Gatens, May, Marble, McCabe and Basabe we can certainly hold our own at the 2 & 3 positions....we need a true PF who can rebound and defend and a pure C that can score inside. Add in depth at PG and we will be competing for the tourny.
 


Watching Lickliter's teams get blown out was boring and painful. Watching Fran's team get blown out may not be boring, but it is still painful. So IMO, it's really not much better, if any.

Fran will still need to win games for him to be embraced by the fans. If he doesn't win, I guarantee you that most will want him gone regardless of our style of play.

It all comes down to winning more than anything else. I suspect Lickliter would have been embraced by the fan base if we would have at least been winning.
 


1977. I don't disagree with your assertion that Lick would have been embraced had his teams won games but the fact remains his style wasn't going to win - ever - and it was painfully obvious to almost every fan. You can't simply assume that something would happen.
 


It's pretty much the same thing. No defense or athletic talent. Lick just took the slow down method to try and not get embarassed. Fran is taking a more uptempo approach to not getting embarassed. In the end you still jsut end up getting embarassed.
 




Fran might have a more exciting style and might be a better x's and o's coach than Lick but it comes down to 1 thing. JIMMY'S AND JOE'S.

If he isn't able to land some much better talent he/we will suffer the same fate as the previous coach.

Time will tell.
 


I didn't buy the high scoring and uptempo offense as an excitement factor before the season and I don't buy it now.

Winning excites me.
 


It's much better for two reasons off the top of my head:

1) Even though the team is still losing, the players no longer look like they are going to perform an exodus after the season. This team is challenged talent-wise and depth-wise, for sure, but it seems like the players are more engaged with the coaches and vice versa.

2) Fran is trying to really bring the fanbase back and try to engage former players in a way that Lick never did. Lick always seemed removed from both.
 
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