Lickliter finds a home with RedHawks

[Kinnickson]

That coach got a real steal if lick is what he says he is.

 

[pistons]

Never once in my life did I think I could play against a D1 player.

I could have guarded Little Lick all day long and twice on sunday.

We let a special ed kid play varsity

 

[tweeterhawk]

> We let a special ed kid play varsity

Please use a different metaphor, such as jr varsity or Catholic League. This crosses the line.

 

[WestCoastHawk]

For those of you that don't think Smith was gone then you just don't have a clue. I know Tyler Smith, I know his cousin. There is way more to the story on how he got to Iowa and why he left Iowa than most will ever know.

Care to enlighten us?

 

[HawkeyesWin]

That coach got a real steal if lick is what he says he is.

Perhaps they should sign Lick to a long term contract. After 5 years of transfers and losing the system will take hold and blow your mind.

 

[big10fan]

both lick and alford weren't ready for recruiting and coaching at the high major level, that's why i'm surprised they picked another mid major guy for the job. it worked out though.

if lick honestly thinks things were turning around, he's crazy. many rumors that there were even more transfers coming. and that larson kid is a dumpster fire, so how would that go down here combined with losing so much.

also, does anyone think marble would be this good under todd? or any other player for that matter? we wouldn't have aaron white, definitely wouldn't have woody or gesell coming in. we would still be bottom of the barrel with no end in sight.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Screw that!

Those of you that have insider info keep posting. This is called a forum not a classroom where you are expected to sit down and shut up. If you do not like what you are reading then don't read it. You tired of reading Lick threads then do not open them.

Never told anyone to shut up, never said I was tired of Lick threads. I AM tired of people tearing him down. We all know the "experiment" didn't work out. We get it.

As for "insider info", I LOVE reading it. Almost as good as "Weekly World News" and the "Bat Boy" chronicles. Almost as credible, too.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Normally I would agree with you, but I don't think this qualifies as one of those random "Tear Lick down because we scorred 80 points" type thread. There is news today and quotes about the possibility of his success at Dayton.

Granted there are some posts that are just a matter of going on record again as saying "I don't like the guy" and there is certainly the scent of rotting horse carcass in the air but there is some decent talk too.

I don't think anyone can for sure say that Todd wouldn't have turned the ship, but all indications were that it was a long shot and even if it were going to happen it was going to take a long time.

I think one thing that can be said for certain is that Iowa fans were not interested in watching slow, deliberate basketball and that the arena was going to continue to empty out. From just that you can deduce with certainty that it is harder to recruit to an empty arena, and revenues drop.

It is also un-arguable that he was losing transfers at a record pace and that by itself is an enormous warning flag.

Is it possible that he could have taken one of these unspetacular teams on an inspiring run and turned it around? It's plausable but I wouldn't bet my program on it.

Don't misunderstand, I agree it probably wasn't going to work out. And nobody cringed at "Hoosiers, Too" any more than I did.

My issue is people ragging on the guy two years later.

 

[tweeterhawk]

Don't misunderstand, I agree it probably wasn't going to work out. And nobody cringed at "Hoosiers, Too" any more than I did.

My issue is people ragging on the guy two years later.

The critical posts are re-appearing because of the cheap shots Lickliter's new boss took at Iowa basketball, as if to excuse the new hire's failure in his previous gig. Very unfair characterizations, not grounded in fact.

It was a big job but Lickliter had every chance to succeed here (fan base, resources, administration support, facilities ... and please stop with the practice facility argument) but he was not up to the task. As someone else posted, he was not a "builder," and really not much of a "caretaker" in the end. To be honest, he struck me as lazy and perhaps a bit depressed.

Fortunately, Fran appears to be well on his way to demolishing Cole's misguided assertions.

/This will be my last post in this thread./

 

[hawkeye12345]

If Lick was a good coach / recruiter he would have landed on his feet right after being canned by Iowa. He didn't, end of story. The same goes for the likes of Keno Davis (which most on this forum wanted).

Both of those coaches received the same award at programs their predecessors built and parlayed it into a big paycheck. They both failed miserably.

 

[DesMoinesHawki]

Lick was just not a good fit at Iowa. Day in and day out the peach basket basketball was not going to elevate Iowa to the next level. The one other thing Lick had working against him is his shyness. I met him at a Polk County I-Club event right after he was hired. He was asked to say a few words to kick start an event. He looked so uncomfortable and out of place. I think that was part of his problem at Iowa is that he never related to the fans as well. He never sold the program or what he was doing.

A stark contrast to Fran. You have to believe in what you are doing. Lick seemed like a nice enough guy. His style was just not a good fit in the Big 10. Yes, Wisky runs a similiar offense but even Coach Ryan's offesnse is more exciting than what Lick was doing...

No hard feelings. Looks like Lick has a good fit for him and I think he will experience more success at a mid-major...

 

[DodgerHawki]

Are you serious on the comment...

IOWA is no different from Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana or North Carolina. All small out of trendy states.

Of course Kansas had the original with Naismith and the Dean who left and then who Roy (for UNC) who also left and a Self.

How Kansas has survived and prospered is the first BIG question.. WILT anyone?

Adolf Rupp nuff said and thanks that Iowa hasn't sold old over the years with Joe B., Eddie s, pitty, billy g and the master coach Cal at "exploiting" amatuer-student-athletes,, is not that the model for the NCAA over the last few years...

one and done... yeah that's the ticket to college and higher education.

She's calling later about U of I, UNC and how they are no different.. no better and the fans are spoiled and have no clue

that Iowa is no different than Kansas, Kentucky, UNC, and Indiana? Yes, Kansas and Kentucky are not huge-population states but the basketball tradition at those schools dwarfs Iowa. That makes a difference in their ability to recruit the best talent.

Indiana is not a good comparison to Iowa. The amount of high school talent coming out of Indiana every year is far superior to that in Iowa. And I don't know why you are lumping in North Carolina in the small state category. North Carolina is the 10th most populated state in the country with nearly 10 million people. Iowa 3 million, so yes, there is a big difference.

 

[hawkfan33]

both lick and alford weren't ready for recruiting and coaching at the high major level, that's why i'm surprised they picked another mid major guy for the job. it worked out though.

if lick honestly thinks things were turning around, he's crazy. many rumors that there were even more transfers coming. and that larson kid is a dumpster fire, so how would that go down here combined with losing so much.

also, does anyone think marble would be this good under todd? or any other player for that matter? we wouldn't have aaron white, definitely wouldn't have woody or gesell coming in. we would still be bottom of the barrel with no end in sight.

Alford's first full class was a top ten class, how was he not ready for recruiting at this level?

 

[DodgerHawki]

Iowa's financial resources from football..

Agree on the instate talent but Iowa athletic department has more money than allot of successful basketball programs.

Bowlsby was just negligent in allocating the proper funds to stay competitive in the facilities department which is a killer.

You must have a practice facility to compete for recruits in the BIG, Iowa could of and should of had one along time ago.

help, but they guarantee nothing in regards to basketball. All they guarantee is that if Fran succeeds we'll have the money necessary to retain him. Many of the most successful basketball teams (Syracuse, Kentucky, Indiana, Kansas, Villanova, Georgetown, Duke) get bubkus from football revenue or don't even play FBS football.

The in-state talent is the biggest issue Iowa will always have to overcome, and it's a VERY big one to deal with. The number of schools that can go anywhere to get players is basically Duke, UNC and Kentucky and Kansas. That's it. Ohio State's roster is almost entirely Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. MSU's roster is entirely Michigan, Ohio, Indiana kids. Syracuse is the No. 1 team but its entire roster is East Coast. Good players (generally) want to go to schools that are winning and that are close to home.

The new practice facility helps, but all it does is put Iowa on a level playing field. Every other program that matters in the conference has had a practice facility for years. At least the facilities issue doesn't automatically disqualify Iowa with a recruit at this point.

Any successful basketball coach at Iowa will have to bring in good players from outside the state of Iowa (in addition to getting most of the best players from the state). Fran seems to have the background to pull this off. Getting Woodbury and Gessell were gigantic in Fran's rebuilding efforts. It may be overstating things, but getting those two made it possible that he very well could succeed at Iowa. Had he not gotten them, where else would he go to get Top 100-level players? They aren't lining up right now to sign with Iowa from out of state.

 

[BlackAndGold3]

i have a question. why in the hell are we still talking about the terrible lick days? shouldn't we be more excited about what iowa will be doing soon with fran rather than what that idiot brought to iowa or didnt bring!

 

[SpiderRico]

i have a question. why in the hell are we still talking about the terrible lick days? shouldn't we be more excited about what iowa will be doing soon with fran rather than what that idiot brought to iowa or didnt bring!

As has been mentioned a couple of times....Lick's current boss decided it was okay to spread lies via the newspaper about how Iowa treats it's basketball coaches....it's only natural to stick up for your school....