McCafferys and Coaches Vs Cancer Story

[NorthKCHawk]

I think he took Sienna deep into the tourney which was the impetus for Iowa hiring him with the hope he could do the same at Iowa. He also took NC Greenville, I think, to the dance. But, it was Sienna's run in the tourney that opened up people's eyes, to be fair.

I think Iowa looked at it as a way to move on from Alfraud and get this new up & coming coach. Just didn't work out like they thought.

I don't need to look this up because I know Fran did not ever make it to the Sweet 16 in his career. So, he did not take Sienna "deep into the tourney." But, he was a winner at every place he coached, and took 3 teams to the tourney before Iowa hired him. Hiring Fran was a great move by Iowa and I actually would not change a thing. Yes, he stayed a bit too long, but I don't think Beth could have hired Ben directly from DII, so if having Fran a year or two too long meant the timing was right to land Ben, well, I am all good with how it worked out. There were some great parts of Fran's tenure for sure.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

I don't need to look this up because I know Fran did not ever make it to the Sweet 16 in his career. So, he did not take Sienna "deep into the tourney." But, he was a winner at every place he coached, and took 3 teams to the tourney before Iowa hired him. Hiring Fran was a great move by Iowa and I actually would not change a thing. Yes, he stayed a bit too long, but I don't think Beth could have hired Ben directly from DII, so if having Fran a year or two too long meant the timing was right to land Ben, well, I am all good with how it worked out. There were some great parts of Fran's tenure for sure.

Yes, it wasn't a deep 16 or 8 run, but the point is it was Sienna & he was an up-and-coming coach. He prob won one game in the tourney with Sienna. Yes, not deep run. I misspoke there. But, he got Sienna to round 32 in back-to-back years, I think 2008 & 2009.

Sometimes, you are just too literal.

 

[Zstatman]

I have a friend that used to work in the athletic department, now retired, who was just a normal working guy who likes to tell this story.

He and his collogues were having a working lunch meeting and ordered several pizzas. The meeting was not basketball related. In the middle of the meeting, Fran and CMac walked in, took the pizza box on top of the pile, turned around and walked out of the room and never said a word to anybody. They all just looked at each other.

It's the kind of story that sticks with you.

You have to remember; Fran is a born and bred Philly guy, a different breed of cat.......

 

[thedukeofearl]

I have a friend that used to work in the athletic department, now retired, who was just a normal working guy who likes to tell this story.

He and his collogues were having a working lunch meeting and ordered several pizzas. The meeting was not basketball related. In the middle of the meeting, Fran and CMac walked in, took the pizza box on top of the pile, turned around and walked out of the room and never said a word to anybody. They all just looked at each other.

It's the kind of story that sticks with you.

You have to remember; Fran is a born and bred Philly guy, a different breed of cat.......

Hey, I was born and bred in Philly

Damn

 

[Gander Hawk]

Yeah the story of it all did mostly come out at the time. Keith himself like you said just didn't really make it into more of a thing. Andy talked about Keiths wife Jenny and how at the time she was beyond livid and how couldn't she be? You could tell Andy was told to bite his tongue back then and that he wished he coudla let his two cents fly. They are all better people then me cause I'd have gone scorched earth on Fran and Barta (he enabled Fran way too much) if I was either Keith or his wife.

One thing I do wish is that the rest of the media woulda stood up for Keith more... They coulda done some kind of protest of sorts or I don't know. Just something that woulda brought it to everyones attention more that Fran did what he did to one of their own. It seems like Keith is pretty universally liked and respected in the industry. Woulda been nice to see Fran be called out for it way more then he was at the time.

Unfortunately if you want to maintain access you have to eat @#@# sometimes. Just the like the White House press corps doesn't stand up to all the demeaning comments the POTUS has made to media members.

 

[Gander Hawk]

Exactly. All of it put together just adds up to that Fran didn't want to be at Iowa. He and his wife just didn't like it or fit in. He knows Xs and Os and can develop players at the offensive end as well as anyone. I don't think I've heard players or former players say anything bad about him. If you're in his circle you're in. But the media and fans he wanted at arms length. Hell that wasn't long enough he wanted next to nothing to do with them if he had his way.

Barta enabled his and his wifes behavior to get to an untenable level. Just a complete failure by all and it's embarrassing frankly. We as fans deserve better. The media didn't deserve to be treated that way and we all know Dolph and Bobby Hanson didn't.

Odd since his brother is/was a sports writer.

 

[Grady]

Did she provide any details on the Carver renovation?

Nope.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Unfortunately if you want to maintain access you have to eat @#@# sometimes. Just the like the White House press corps doesn't stand up to all the demeaning comments the POTUS has made to media members.

Totally get it... In this case it was obvious that the 'access' they were getting was mostly total shit anyway. Being scared to lose it shouldn't have been a thing. What's Fran gonna do literally blacklist all local Iowa media? How's he gonna explain that away? Well KM reported on my extension that I didn't want to have out there even though I work for a public university and it's public information... Fran painted himself into that corner.

The media shedding light onto what a total all around ass clown Fran was to me woulda been news. It doesn't sit well with me when I heard Scott say how he didn't think fans would've wanted to know. I like Scott I think he's legit and genuine I just disagree with that mindset is all. When you look around at how society is I think Iowa fans woulda ate that up. KM, Dolph, Hansen, all didn't didn't deserve what all Fran and Marge put them through. Not to mention Barta and how he just sat back and let it all happen not giving two shits how it made the program look.

It really woulda been better had all of this been reported on at the time more. Because now it totally has that feeling of kicking a dead horse. Don't get me wrong I'm ok with the kicking when the horse in this case totally deserves it. But that being what it is tends to have folks taking this all in with some skepticism. Had this been brought out at the time accurately then that alleviates all that.

 

[Grady]

That's an awesome tid bit I can't wait to hear more about... That's cool you got to go I bet that was fun getting to talk to them all.

Yeah, it was. I don't know why, but this was the first time I attended a local IClub event -- I guess other times it just didn't fit my schedule. I heard at the Carroll event a few nights before they had 400 show up and had to turn down another 150-200.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

I think he took Sienna deep into the tourney which was the impetus for Iowa hiring him with the hope he could do the same at Iowa. He also took NC Greenville, I think, to the dance. But, it was Sienna's run in the tourney that opened up people's eyes, to be fair.

I think Iowa looked at it as a way to move on from Alfraud and get this new up & coming coach. Just didn't work out like they thought.

Deep into the tourney? Fran has never won more than one game in the NCAA touney with Sienna or any other team.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Yeah another story Scott told was how at the Hawk Talk radio shows she would get to yelling at Dolph to where the management had to step in and babysit... Like my god if she can't control herself don't go and stay home. She had zero reason to be at either those events or press conferences. Fran didn't wear the pants enough in that family to tell her step back.

I agreed with what Scott said how pretty much right after the MG/Woodbury era Fran knew he didn't fit in at Iowa and didn't want to be there. But he didn't have anywhere else better he could go. He felt trapped in that their was nowhere to go but down financially and everything else. He won just enough that Barta and Iowa wouldn't fire him so he just kept sticking around

I believe this. It just always felt like Fran resisted becoming a full Iowan. He didn't seem to embrace the community, the culture, the support, the positivity. He kept his job longer than he would have on the East Coast because of that culture. He made a lot of money because of that culture. Even though he was here for 17 years, it always felt like he was renting. Too bad. If he had a better personality and wasn't such a dickfer, he might still be coaching here.

Juxtapose that with Tom Davis, who was not from here, but stayed. Or KF. He was an East Coast guy, but I am pretty sure he would identify himself as an Iowan now.

The old saying holds. If you take your shoes off and stay awhile, this place can grow on you.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

I believe this. It just always felt like Fran resisted becoming a full Iowan. He didn't seem to embrace the community, the culture, the support, the positivity. He kept his job longer than he would have on the East Coast because of that culture. He made a lot of money because of that culture. Even though he was here for 17 years, it always felt like he was renting. Too bad. If he had a better personality and wasn't such a dickfer, he might still be coaching here.

Juxtapose that with Tom Davis, who was not from here, but stayed. Or KF. He was an East Coast guy, but I am pretty sure he would identify himself as an Iowan now.

The old saying holds. If you take your shoes off and stay awhile, this place can grow on you.

Between him and his families complete defiance to do all that we Iowans overlooked it. I'd seen someone say that we fans really gave him too much credit for building the program back from the Lick yrs. I partially agree with that. He did deserve the full credit for that and what that meant. Cause we were in the toilet there's no sugar coating that and getting out of it isn't exactly an easy thing to do once you're there. Fran did that the right way he wasn't cheating with recruiting or anything. So that is what it is.

But as the yrs went on and on and he couldn't get over the hump in the tourny and the fan base started dwindling and then all the 2018 stuff I don't think what he did getting us out of the basement shoulda been a stay at Iowa forever card. Complacency is lazy and that's where the program got to. Fran wasn't going to shake up the staff and hire a defensive focused coach to help on that side. Recruiting was what it was he liked the kind of guys we went for.

It'd be really interesting to know more about what Bartas mindset was. I'm thinking that towards the end of his tenure he was just lazy. He had a good idea of his days being numbered and he didn't want to rock the boat. He had those lawsuits and other self imposed messes to deal with he didn't want to have to deal with another one. So long as the $ was flowing in the school as a whole and thanks to football all was good there. So I think he didn't want to mess with anything more negative as firing Fran woulda been. He left all that for the next AD.

So to that end with how things have played out we sorta owe Barta a thanks cause Beth has been a shot of fresh air and has been pushing all the right buttons. Would Iowa be in as good of a place as they are now had changes been made yrs ago? Impossible to know obviously but that's the game of what ifs we all wonder

 

[HuckFinn]

I don't need to look this up because I know Fran did not ever make it to the Sweet 16 in his career. So, he did not take Sienna "deep into the tourney." But, he was a winner at every place he coached, and took 3 teams to the tourney before Iowa hired him. Hiring Fran was a great move by Iowa and I actually would not change a thing. Yes, he stayed a bit too long, but I don't think Beth could have hired Ben directly from DII, so if having Fran a year or two too long meant the timing was right to land Ben, well, I am all good with how it worked out. There were some great parts of Fran's tenure for sure.

Sound logic. Had not thought about the timing for landing Ben. All is well.

 

[BuiltLikeWilt]

I have a friend that used to work in the athletic department, now retired, who was just a normal working guy who likes to tell this story.

He and his collogues were having a working lunch meeting and ordered several pizzas. The meeting was not basketball related. In the middle of the meeting, Fran and CMac walked in, took the pizza box on top of the pile, turned around and walked out of the room and never said a word to anybody. They all just looked at each other.

It's the kind of story that sticks with you.

You have to remember; Fran is a born and bred Philly guy, a different breed of cat.......

like little Nicky !!

 

[CP87]

I believe this. It just always felt like Fran resisted becoming a full Iowan. He didn't seem to embrace the community, the culture, the support, the positivity. He kept his job longer than he would have on the East Coast because of that culture. He made a lot of money because of that culture. Even though he was here for 17 years, it always felt like he was renting. Too bad. If he had a better personality and wasn't such a dickfer, he might still be coaching here.

Juxtapose that with Tom Davis, who was not from here, but stayed. Or KF. He was an East Coast guy, but I am pretty sure he would identify himself as an Iowan now.

The old saying holds. If you take your shoes off and stay awhile, this place can grow on you.

What's a dickfer?

 

[thedukeofearl]

What's a dickfer?

- What's a dickfer? - To pee with.

 

[guffus]

Sound logic. Had not thought about the timing for landing Ben. All is well.

Well, if Fran had left a year earlier, Iowa most likely would have got Darian Devries as the new coach. Not exactly the worse outcome in the world. I would say its too early to make that call who got the better coach, Iowa or Indiana, but I would say Iowa has the early lead.

 

[CP87]

View attachment 12204

- What's a dickfer? - To pee with.

classic

 

[NCHawker]

I think he took Sienna deep into the tourney which was the impetus for Iowa hiring him with the hope he could do the same at Iowa. He also took NC Greenville, I think, to the dance. But, it was Sienna's run in the tourney that opened up people's eyes, to be fair.

I think Iowa looked at it as a way to move on from Alfraud and get this new up & coming coach. Just didn't work out like they thought.

UNC Greensboro

 

[guffus]

I looked it up. Fran had a 2-3 record in the NCAA tourney while at Siena.

2008: #13 seed
Defeated #4 seed Vanderbilt in first round;
Lost to #12 seed Villanova in the Second Round

2009: #9 seed
Defeated #8 Ohio State in the first round;
Lost to #1 seed Louisville in the Second Round

2010: #13 seed
Lost to #4 seed Purdue in the first round

Fran was 0-1 in the NCAA tourney at UNC-Greensboro.

2001: #16 seed
Lost to #1seed Arizona in the first round.

So I guess you could say prior to Iowa, Fran never made to the sweet 16 but did get a couple of wins in the NCAA tourney as an underdog.