Jon's new article

[NikeHawk21]

I'm not saying your wrong, I am saying you aint got a f'in clue and either do I. 3.5 months ago you wouldn't find a person who thought Iowa wasn't going to make the tournament on this board. A lot can happen in an off season. To answer your questions. And these are just my counter opinion. I am not saying it's right or wrong. Just my opinion. You can be a fan however you want to fan.

Is Fran going to suddenly learn how to manage rotations and subbing? Maybe? But he'll probably always play more then Iowa fans want him to. He suddenly forgot how to manage his rotations right?

Is Fran going to start using timeouts to stop runs? I think over the 2nd half of the season this year, he's used his time outs better. It hasn't really produced any results, but he's called timeouts earlier in runs. It hasn't helped.

Is Fran going to stop playing bigs at the 3? Nunge could develop into a 3, he's not there now, but he could. So, no, I doubt that. But I also think Joe W is gonna be a 3, so I think that spot will be better next season.

Are our guards going to drastically improve? Yes? Connor, Jordan and Moss another year older and mature. I don't see how you think they drastically will get worse next year.

Is our defense going to drastically improve? Biggest question mark I have. If it doesn't - all bets are off. It DID NOT improve from last year. It got worse. It's a big job for the entire program.

Are we going to stop turning the ball over? Turnovers are a trait of a young team. Iowa is a young team. I'm not saying that maturity cures everything, it doesn't. But gun to the head, do we have a lot less turnovers next season yes or no? I would say yes.

First off not everyone on this board thought we were a tournament team before the season. Many did but some also saw the lack of quality guard play.

Have crazier turn arounds happened. absolutely? So there is a chance that Iowa turns it around next year? Sure.

The question is what is that chance? With all of the deficiencies we have, many of us think it’s very slim. In essence you are banking on a minor miracle occurring and saying it’s enough to keep Fran around.

To me Fran hasn’t earned that. He knows the nature of the beast in this profession. Last year was his free pass year, heck I would have given him this year if this team competed, improved and was somewhere near the bubble. But to completely lose your team to the point where many on the outside think that players aren’t even trying. To finish in the bottom of a weak league with a relatively easy schedule. No that’s it, that’s the end of the line.

 

[SheagleHawk]

He's landed an impact transfer before.

Uthoff doesn't count. And for the love of God don't say Cartwright. That alone tells how you howbad recruiting has been at guard when Cartwright is touted as an impact player or anything above avg.

 

[kicker22]

Here's my thought on that. Before this year, I thought Fran was pretty much Tom Davis once they both got their own recruits. So if you fire a Davis/Fran coach in hopes for a Lute coach, you have to actually get extremely lucky to find that Lute coach. Then if he bolts again, you have to get lucky again to find a Davis/Fran coach and end up where you were before you took that risk in the first place. That means you have two chances to get unlucky with a hire, and one chance to get really lucky with a hire. I just don't know if risk/reward is there. Again, this was all under the assumption that Fran had us back to the Davis years, which is exactly what it looked like for the last 4 or 5 years before this one.

I can understand it being a matter of perception. I just happen to be of the camp where if it doesn't appear that things are moving forward then it's time to cut losses. Definitely see the risk/reward when it comes to hiring/firing and I definitely think anything's possible with Barta, but unfortunately I think the program is in bad shape and think its time for change.

 

[Joshbrown]

Here's my thought on that. Before this year, I thought Fran was pretty much Tom Davis once they both got their own recruits. So if you fire a Davis/Fran coach in hopes for a Lute coach, you have to actually get extremely lucky to find that Lute coach. Then if he bolts again, you have to get lucky again to find a Davis/Fran coach and end up where you were before you took that risk in the first place. That means you have two chances to get unlucky with a hire, and one chance to get really lucky with a hire. I just don't know if risk/reward is there. Again, this was all under the assumption that Fran had us back to the Davis years, which is exactly what it looked like for the last 4 or 5 years before this one.

The fact that you think success is based on luck explains the flaw in your logic. You think Henry Ford and Steve Jobs owed their success to luck? For every story you give me on how someone became a giant thru luck, I'll give you a thousand stories on how they got there with unrelenting drive.

 

[bogeyman]

TRUE STORY:
Back in the 90s I'm reading one of those "Athlon" type of pre-season publications devoted to the Big Ten.
In the article on the Hawkeyes they mentioned how Iowa was 17th all-time in ncaa visits.
Not saying we were a blue blood. But we were at least in a position to shoot for that. It seems with each successive year of Iowa bball/fball we (not you or I obviously) lower our expectations another notch. That's a choice, and it's the wrong one imo.

I wonder where we are now in total NCAA visits? Those days seem long forever ago.
We just rarely seem to ever play our best in big games during Fran's tenure either. We also have seen the collapses. I have to wonder if his personality and outbursts don't make us play tight when the spotlight is on.

 

[kicker22]

I think in the argument of risk/reward we not only have to analyze the risk/reward of finding another coach, but also have assess the risk/reward of keeping things the way they currently are and the state of the program now versus where it might be a year from now. My opinion is its still worth cutting your losses and taking a chance at finding another coach to point us in the right direction now, because its going to get harder and harder to find a coach to right the ship if the program continues to tank.

 

[InGoodCo]

Uthoff doesn't count. And for the love of God don't say Cartwright. That alone tells how you howbad recruiting has been at guard when Cartwright is touted as an impact player or anything above avg.

Why doesn't Uthoff count? I am curious. He transferred. He made an impact. If you wanna say he doesn't count as a graduate senior transfer, then I full agree.

 

[BlacknGold19]

Lol. C’mon man. I’ve been cheering the Hawks on my whole life. I’ve watched us play in one sweet 16 game in all my years and I’m 36. Things aren’t going to change as much as you or I want it to. It’s reality.

Then why even fucking play? For the fun of it? This ain’t fun, slick.

What a shit attitude. I hope you didn’t pass that garbage onto your kids.

Don’t talk about my children and the type of father I am because you disagree with my opinion. Douchebag

 

[Hawkfnntn]

imo Iowa was on par with Mich State when Izzo was hired as HC. Mich State joined the blue blood crowd and we went in the opposite direction. Proving it can be done. Wanting it is the first step.

My memory is a tad fuzzy on that time period. They seem to have always had our # during my lifetime. Beating them the next game up there after Street died was such a big deal. How long after that was it Heathecoat retired? We didn't go in the complete opposite direction Davis had some good years (not great obviously) mixed in there

 

[Hawk5656]

Why doesn't Uthoff count? I am curious. He transferred. He made an impact. If you wanna say he doesn't count as a graduate senior transfer, then I full agree.

Because Fran wasn't even allowed to recruit Uthoff.

 

[PCHawk]

And when Iowa was at that level Iowa wanted better. Too many of our fans are like a young guy who asks out a pretty girl. She says "no", so their logic circuits tell them the solution to the pain of rejection is to never again ask out a pretty girl.

If a guy has trouble landing pretty girls, then finally lands one, she's bad shit crazy.

 

[BlacknGold19]

Iowa Basketball is never going to be a perennial Final Four program. You can all keep wasting your energy and time hoping for it someday. There’s a chance we might have a year, maybe two, when we make a deep run. But it’s never gonna change. You can tell me my attitude is wrong and I should expect more. What am I going to do about it? What are you going to do to make the program all of a sudden a Michigan State? Nothing. It’s out of all of our control. Quit caring so much

 

[InGoodCo]

Don’t talk about my children and the type of father I am because you disagree with my opinion. Douchebag

Fryowa gets personal and has radical takes and then turns it on you and calls you dramatic and over the top. I don't think he actually meant for it to personally attack your kids and he's harmless. Can't comment on the douchebag account.

 

[Joshbrown]

My memory is a tad fuzzy on that time period. They seem to have always had our # during my lifetime. Beating them the next game up there after Street died was such a big deal. How long after that was it Heathecoat retired? We didn't go in the complete opposite direction Davis had some good years (not great obviously) mixed in there

Izzo comes on in 95 I believe. If you compare Iowa in 95 with MSU those are pretty much equals historically. Was Jud better than Davis? Yes. But the programs themselves were regarded in the same vein.

 

[lightning1]

I get what you are saying, but the team finished 6th last year with good play at SG and tons of youth. They magically lowered their skill level by 50%. So it does work like that. And you also don't know who might leave and who might come in. I keep asking everyone the same question. On Fran's best teams so far at Iowa, what did they have? Stand out upperclassmen that developed into All B1G performers. But it took them until they were seniors to get there. What's missing from this team? I believe that the sophomore class has 2 potential future All B1G performers in Jbo and Cook and I believe that the freshman class has 2 All B1G performers in Garza and Nunge.

That's my opinion. I certainly get your opinion. I just disagree with it.

Actually, it doesn't work like what either of you are suggesting. Our players get better/worse according to development, graduation, new recruits, etc. Other teams in the conference do as well. I actually expected the BIG conference to be better as a whole this year. And I expected a similar record/result for Iowa, as we had last year, due to the Conference improving.
The conference is worse this year than last, as a whole. We are far worse as a team.
Looking ahead to next year, I have to believe the conference will be better from top to bottom. Which means that we will have to improve that much more, to finish in the top 5, to secure an NCAA tournament bid.
I don't see that happening. With a healthy Connor and the addition of JW, things should be better. I'm not sure it's gonna be 9 conference wins better. This team's defense isn't capable of that kind of improvement. And Connor/JW won't change the defense that much.

 

[SheagleHawk]

Why doesn't Uthoff count? I am curious. He transferred. He made an impact. If you wanna say he doesn't count as a graduate senior transfer, then I full agree.

Bc he didn't come here bc of Fran. He didn't want to be at WI anymore, and wanted be near home. More fell into Fran's lap as opposed to Fran beating the streets and pulling in someone of Uthoff's talent that had zero connections to Iowa.

 

[InGoodCo]

Actually, it doesn't work like what either of you are suggesting. Our players get better/worse according to development, graduation, new recruits, etc. Other teams in the conference do as well. I actually expected the BIG conference to be better as a whole this year. And I expected a similar record/result for Iowa, as we had last year, due to the Conference improving.
The conference is worse this year than last, as a whole. We are far worse as a team.
Looking ahead to next year, I have to believe the conference will be better from top to bottom. Which means that we will have to improve that much more, to finish in the top 5, to secure an NCAA tournament bid.
I don't see that happening. With a healthy Connor and the addition of JW, things should be better. I'm not sure it's gonna be 9 conference wins better. This team's defense isn't capable of that kind of improvement. And Connor/JW won't change the defense that much.

Fair take.

 

[InGoodCo]

Bc he didn't come here bc of Fran. He didn't want to be at WI anymore, and wanted be near home. More fell into Fran's lap as opposed to Fran beating the streets and pulling in someone of Uthoff's talent that had zero connections to Iowa.

So every kid that transfers to be closer to home doesn't count, which is a HUGE #. Gotcha. ISU was in a much better place then Iowa at the time. Why didn't he go play for Fred?

 

[BlacknGold19]

I haven’t seen one person that expects Iowa to be Duke, but there is no reason they can’t be Purdue or even Wichita State. Good coaches win wherever they are. Fran is an average coach at best. His best years were average. You and Jon are happy with average.

I try to teach my kids every day that failing something is not as bad as not trying. I want them to push themselves to be better and understand that it isn’t always easy. Some Iowa fans like you and Jon would just rather eat the same breakfast every day, drive your dodge stratus, and root for an Iowa team that is content with average or below because it’s easy.

Fans like me that cheer for them every night, look forward all week to when they play their next game, go to games and stand and cheer despite who is sitting behind me. Someone that yells at the TV when things are going wrong and puts my heart into it. That’s the type of fan I am. I wish we’d be good every year just like you. But I realize the chances of it happening are slim to none

 

[Hawk5656]

So every kid that transfers to be closer to home doesn't count, which is a HUGE #. Gotcha. ISU was in a much better place then Iowa at the time. Why didn't he go play for Fred?

Fran couldn't even have a conversation with Uthoff when he decided to transfer. If you can't talk to a recruit how can you say you landed them?