Its 5 months

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Ian Pike Hammer

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since March Madness and we are still talking about Iowa mens bball. I think this is telling.
What does it tell you?
 
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I don't know, but Phil is giving me a winter prediction:
It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life. No, wait that was the Lickliter years.

A couple of our players got drafted which has kept interest up along with a 30 something year old clown sneak attack on an ice-throwing 6th year senior looking to make some college green in his final go around (unless a medical hardship happens leading to a 7th year making Van Wilder proud).
 
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Fran has built this team into a winner. He plays a compelling style of ball and he himself is, well, compelling. Frankly, I missed his blow-ups last year.

I do not believe we are rebuilding this year. I believe we are reloading. This team has more than enough talent to make the tourney and the team is almost all sophomores and juniors (and one tri-senior).

He is one elite 8 run away from being every bit the equal of Mr. Davis. I believe he will get it in the next 3 years.
 
Fran has built this team into a winner. He plays a compelling style of ball and he himself is, well, compelling. Frankly, I missed his blow-ups last year.

I do not believe we are rebuilding this year. I believe we are reloading. This team has more than enough talent to make the tourney and the team is almost all sophomores and juniors (and one tri-senior).

He is one elite 8 run away from being every bit the equal of Mr. Davis. I believe he will get it in the next 3 years.
The guy needs to make a sweet 16 first....which ya has to happen on the way to an Elite 8. Best team and best college player he couldn't get out of the 2nd round. Hope your right.
 
Well the draft didn't happen until last week and we had two worthy draftable players.

In a normal year the draft is held at least a month sooner.
 
It’s ok to be optimistic cause that’s what fans do. However, and there is always a however, you lost three top players and so there are a lot of questions to comes. Hopefully the answers will be pleasing. Would not be surprised if by the end of this upcoming season we will all be grateful the season is over. We may see a lot of great player development this upcoming season, but I am excited for the season after this upcoming one. The young guys will be fun to watch this year but I am cautiously optimistic about results, but optimistic about development for the season following.
 
since March Madness and we are still talking about Iowa mens bball. I think this is telling.
What does it tell you?
That there's things to talk about. It'll be interesting how they look next yr. Such a mix of newer inexperienced guys taking on larger roles. Looks like many have us towards the bottom 3rd of the league due to that. Losing Garza and JW is a hell of a thing.

I'll tell you what if Fran has this team 6th or better I think that'd be one hell of a job by him again. I'd be scared to ask for a whole lot better then that knowing what some of the other schools are going to have. But that said I think we'll be dang good and have some pieces to make other teams really struggle with matching up with us. One of em being the lefty Murray bro. I'm excited to see him out there more. I mean imagine having 2 guys like Keagan with similar abilities. Not to put too much pressure on him but just saying hey what if right?...
 
Sports rarely go as planned, that's what makes it great. I think the Iowa basketball program is as healthy as it's been in decades, but that's just my view. I am excited for this year and I like the make up of the roster. It's a ton of unknown but I am excited as hell to see it. Fran's only not placed in the top half 3 times in 11 seasons and 2 of those were his first... so my expectation is somewhere in the middle but probably upper half
 
Sports rarely go as planned, that's what makes it great. I think the Iowa basketball program is as healthy as it's been in decades, but that's just my view. I am excited for this year and I like the make up of the roster. It's a ton of unknown but I am excited as hell to see it. Fran's only not placed in the top half 3 times in 11 seasons and 2 of those were his first... so my expectation is somewhere in the middle but probably upper half
Keegan Murray is going to be the next Luka Garza (in terms of effectiveness). Book it.
 
Sports rarely go as planned, that's what makes it great. I think the Iowa basketball program is as healthy as it's been in decades, but that's just my view. I am excited for this year and I like the make up of the roster. It's a ton of unknown but I am excited as hell to see it. Fran's only not placed in the top half 3 times in 11 seasons and 2 of those were his first... so my expectation is somewhere in the middle but probably upper half
You know it reminds me of the 1991 team. There were exhilarating highs (buzzer beating wins over Temple, ISU and Indiana) and crushing lows (late season home losses to Wisconsin, Purdue and Illinois and the requisite screw job at Wiliams Arena that Davis coached teams always seemed to receive)

It was a typical Davis team (second tier in the league, second round exit) but a wild roller coaster ride. Davis won at Mackey Arena, Indiana's Assembly hall and the Breslin Center in the same year and I don't know if any other Iowa team since Ralph Miller has accomplished that. Rodell Davis came off three years of knee problems to be my favorite player on that team. James Winters wasn't far behind. Val Barnes was steady. James Moses expanded his game. Troy Skinner protected the ball. Acie Earl grew up. Kevin Smith was earning high praise from Dick Vitale in a pulsating regular season finale win over Ohio State that probably sealed an NCAA bid for Iowa. Chris Street started slow, then got better the second time around the league.

And that brings up another point. 1991 was one of the last year's the B1G played a full double round robin conference slate. Peen State joined the league a couple years later and it started skewing the league schedule. Back when everyone played each other twice it was a true gauntlet and much more fun to watch and easy to follow.

Lots of new faces this year and it will be exhilarating, if occasionally nerve racking, to watch them learn and grow.
 
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