Mr. Davis

[Fryowa]

Go to a game sometime and look at Section NN, Row 25, Seat 13. If you see me sitting on my hands, snap a photo. Thanks.

My wrestling seats aren't far from there. I'm down closer, but more in the corner.

Which is actually a bonus because there's no basket in the way for wrestling.

 

[ssckelley]

IMO the whole reason Iowa presses like they do is because they can't rebound. You need to force the turnovers before the shots start going up.

Really it was only 12 TO's, because ISU let the shot clock expire without taking a shot under no pressure at the end of the game.

If you're a team that relies on the press to win games... 12 TO isn't going to get it done. That's not nearly enough.

Fran has always ran some form of a press but this is the first time he's had players that could run it effectively. That press gave you guys fits, especially in the first half as there were some adjustments made in the 2nd. I don't think Iowa has to rely on a press to win, not shooting 20% would help.

Your clowns have a good defense as well, I was impressed.

 

[Hawkfnntn]

Weren't you the one bitching about the defense last night? You do realize that the Clowns only shot 32% from 3, right? The problem wasn't the defense, the problem was every time the Clowns missed a 3 they got their own rebound. The rebounding SUCKED, the defense was really good and they forced 13 turnovers.

That's exactly it. We didn't give up a shit ton of open looks. They just got 2nd 3rd and 4th chances almost every possession that they didn't hit their 1st shot on. Honestly rebounding better would cure a whole lot of our ills.

We shot terrible too. Credit to ISU for some of that. That environment was nuts and the kind that most programs dream about having so good for them. We missed some in the paint bunnies too. JT both Murrays, PM. Just way too many makeable good looks we blew. Had making those mattered? Maybe not. But most certainly it wouldn't with the rebounding discrepancy being how it was.

 

[BryceC]

It matters less and less these days since RPI isn't one of the deciding factors for the committee. Either they are Q1/2/3/4 - the severity of how bad they are is all the same if we are suppose to believe that NET Rankings are what they use now.

Well, sort of. I actually think the Q1/2 wins and things like that only matter if they want to bump some team up or down. Since they've had NET, your overall net rating ties pretty dang close to the seed you get. And your overall rating will be effected by the number of really, really bad teams you play. You still want to avoid the 300+ teams if you can.

 

[BigD]

I'll give the douchey looking guy credit, it took him one recruiting season to bring in a true freshmen point guard who is head and shoulders above any point guard Fran has found. And I hope Joe T proves me wrong, but I won't be holding my breathe.

It’s too late. True talented point guards most of the time are easy to identify by the en dog their sophomore year. As a Junior and Senior everything should flow like a well oiled machines. Last night he looked like a freshmen again. That shouldn’t be happening as a Junior. He does have quickness. That All American Junior College transfer had a lot of speed and quickness too. How did that work out for us? Lack of self disciplinary control for both players.

 

[ajdwhs87]

Not going to happen. I’ve been an Iowa fan for over fifty years. I totally get what you are saying.You want the team you cheer for to be more successful and occasionally great. That’s just not Iowa and likely not ever going to be. If it happens it will be a fluke.

The general fan base doesn’t demand it. Cub fans know how this goes. Decade after decade they filled wrigley field. It’s a beautiful ball park to go out and enjoy on a warm summer day with your family and have a hot dog. If the cubs won on that day all the much better, but not required.

If you want a team that is going to be playing for titles every few years then chose a program that does that.

This is how it works. Let’s say in football you chose Alabama to follow. You find their forums and sign up on that chat board. You start to follow the football team. You don’t know any of the players at all but as you get on the chat room and follow the sport web pages you start to familiarize yourself with them. You learn about the freshmen players coming in. By the time those freshmen are juniors you start to know them as players and maybe some of their personal history. Your team is in the conference championship game almost every year. If they win you know they will likely play in the four team playoff title. Eventually you start to identity with the team.

You’ve still kept an eye on your old school and wished them the best. However you start to realize how much fun it is to be cheering to win the big game EVERY year while your old team gets its seven or eight wins and goes to the Outback Bowl which no one in the college football world really gives a shit about.

As the years roll by you start to follow your old team less and less until you don’t really know the players. Occasionally you come across them on the TV and see their rabid fans cheering wildly for their 7-4 team. During the least ten years your new team has played for seven conference titles and been to the four team playoff several times.

As you look at those fans of your old team you will wonder what the hell is with those people, even though you were caught up in it once yourself.

Now here the problem with all of this. Often times people grow up watching a team with their family and friends. It becomes a family activity. The moments of just going and enjoying being with family and/or friends is Priceless really.

So that is the challenge of walking away from an affiliation backed with memories with loved ones and just starting over with a strange team. It doesn’t mean you can’t slowly build memories and associations with a new team or get involved with others things with your family and friends. Community projects helping others.

Your just going to frustrate yourself wanting your team to play for national Titles in football or basketball when it likely hasn’t happened in your lifetime. It’s unlikely it will ever happen in your life time as an Iowa fan.

So if it is that important to you then do as I suggested. Pick out a prominent team that plays for all the marbles on a occasional basis and still follow Iowa.

I understand how you feel, but the simple fact is that it’s not expected at Iowa or demanded at Iowa by the fan base. Everyone is just enjoying the games and having a hotdog. That’s no knock on them as they are building memories with family and friends.

But Iowa State Can make 3 sweet sixteens since 2000 and 4 conference tourney championships and we have 0 sweet sixteens and 2 conference tourney titles(none since 2006)?

Not gonna be Duke or Gonzaga but can't we demand to match the Clowns.

 

[HuckFinn]

HA! Now I know where to spy on you!

Damn, those are some awesome seats!

Awesome seat because I purchased it during the Alfraud and Lackluster years. So, there is that…

 

[dahlhawk]

Name some alternative coaches that are available and have a P6 resume of a bunch of success.

Because if you don’t, all you’re doing is taking a wild ass guess as to whether it’ll be an improvement or not.

It’s like buying and replacing random parts on your car and hoping it will fix whatever the problem is just by dumb luck.

That's exactly how I "fix" my cars. Sometimes it even works, but most of the time I end up taking to a mechanic and spending twice as much. I agree that getting rid of Mr. Davis was stupid. I was against it. If Iowa were to change coaches it would need to be a hire that made sense and was a real upgrade. No search committee, no bidding, the deal would need to be stuck before Fran was let go. I don't see any options out there begging for the Iowa job.

 

[dahlhawk]

I

It’s too late. True talented point guards most of the time are easy to identify by the en dog their sophomore year. As a Junior and Senior everything should flow like a well oiled machines. Last night he looked like a freshmen again. That shouldn’t be happening as a Junior. He does have quickness. That All American Junior College transfer had a lot of speed and quickness too. How did that work out for us? Lack of self disciplinary control for both players.

I haven't been a fan of JT for a while now, no secret, there is just no flow to the offense when he is on the floor. He does not play great defense, often being out of position. Joe is not a natural ball handler or has good vision. Perkins and Ulis both have passed him in my estimation. Both guys look to pass and can drive to the hole. Perkins should have his or JBo's spot by now.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Was Mr. Davis a better coach than Fran? Don't know. Was Mr. Davis a better recuiter/evaluator of future talent? It appears so. Just overall, I think Fran has really whiffed on a legitmate point guard. I like Joe T. he hustles, can play some D, but if you look at his ability to hit shots, drive and score and be a game changer it ain't happening. Looking ahead this season, we will be lucky to win 4 or 5 Big Ten games. We should beat Nebbie and Northwestern, but after that it could be brutal.

Joe T changed the Virginia game. Like won it.

Our problem isn't the point, or the backup point. Our problem is we are getting clobbered on the boards. And I don't want to hear how there were a lot of long rebounds in the Illinois game. Those are 50/50 balls.

Twelve days ago I said we would miss Nunge more than anyone besides Luka. I also said we could play out of our minds at Purdue and still lose, then be flatter the next two games. I just hope that Iowa State didn't stumble across the key to stopping Keegan. Or we are in trouble.

 

[Northside Hawk]

It will be interesting to see how many more years Fran can stretch the rebuilding job he did in his first few years (along with NCAA tournament appearances afterwards) without any Big Ten Title or NCAA tournament run that goes to the Sweet 16 or longer.

I agree, Mr. Davis is a very good man and still a damn shame how that was handled with him. I don't know how the hell you run off a coach like that?

Bowlsby loved himself some Steve Alford.

And probably some donars as well.

 

[ssckelley]

Awesome seat because I purchased it during the Alfraud and Lackluster years. So, there is that…

Next time I go I’ll look for you. Last game I went my tickets were row 28 in section M but I didn’t use them. Sat in the front row of the student section since they didn’t bother showing up.

I’m sure you’ve seen my son by now.

 

[Northside Hawk]

Well, technically he is a Doctor, just not a medical one. "Mr. Davis" will always be associated with the better years of Iowa basketball....not the best but better years.

I supposed if you stretched enough you could consider Gene Simmons a doctor.

He may not have a PHD, may not have a high school diploma.. but he knows how to make Benjamin's and bed lassies.

 

[1980HAWKFAN]

Joe T changed the Virginia game. Like won it.

Our problem isn't the point, or the backup point. Our problem is we are getting clobbered on the boards. And I don't want to hear how there were a lot of long rebounds in the Illinois game. Those are 50/50 balls.

Twelve days ago I said we would miss Nunge more than anyone besides Luka. I also said we could play out of our minds at Purdue and still lose, then be flatter the next two games. I just hope that Iowa State didn't stumble across the key to stopping Keegan. Or we are in trouble.

I'm not sure what game you watched last night, but Joe T looked a lot like Curly Neal. He was able to dribble around all over the court but went nowhere. Sure he's gonna have a good game here and there but he's not a game changer. We need a point guard who can score, slash, and control tempo and it ain't Joe T. That being said, I like Joe T. he seems like a great guy, works hard. I'm just calling it as I see it. What's his career high in scoring with the Hawks? Can't be much.

 

[HuckFinn]

The point guard that would satisfy HN posters is out there, I am sure. But after we sign him, the critics will re-emerge with a vengeance. After all, our last point guard is the record holder for the BT Conference, all time, in three point baskets. But of course, the posters decided he could not play defense, so he was no good. Now we have two point guards who play great D, drive to the basket with incredible speed, but don’t score enough to gain the praise of the almighty HN posters. Who would have guessed?

 

[dahlhawk]

Joe T changed the Virginia game. Like won it.

Our problem isn't the point, or the backup point. Our problem is we are getting clobbered on the boards. And I don't want to hear how there were a lot of long rebounds in the Illinois game. Those are 50/50 balls.

Twelve days ago I said we would miss Nunge more than anyone besides Luka. I also said we could play out of our minds at Purdue and still lose, then be flatter the next two games. I just hope that Iowa State didn't stumble across the key to stopping Keegan. Or we are in trouble.

I do believe the rebounding and guard play are related, when teams penetrate and guys have to help defense they get out of rebounding position. We are undersized in the guard court and don’t have the size or strength to block out. Iowa needs to crash the boards with everyone, forget about guys cheating out to the 3 point line or starting the break. Both Murray’s in there is a start.

 

[dahlhawk]

The point guard that would satisfy HN posters is out there, I am sure. But after we sign him, the critics will re-emerge with a vengeance. After all, our last point guard is the record holder for the BT Conference, all time, in three point baskets. But of course, the posters decided he could not play defense, so he was no good. Now we have two point guards who play great D, drive to the basket with incredible speed, but don’t score enough to gain the praise of the almighty HN posters. Who would have guessed?

I don’t get your post are you advocating JBo to be the PG, or are you saying JT and Ulis are equal in talent? What does being a great 3 point shooter have to do with being a great point guard? Driving to the basket at incredible speed is important but doing it under control and having a plan is more important. The most important thing to me about a good point guard is he makes everyone on the team better and they play under control. Outside the Virginia game I haven’t seen it from Joe.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

I don’t get your post are you advocating JBo to be the PG, or are you saying JT and Ulis are equal in talent? What does being a great 3 point shooter have to do with being a great point guard? Driving to the basket at incredible speed is important but doing it under control and having a plan is more important. The most important thing to me about a good point guard is he makes everyone on the team better and they play under control. Outside the Virginia game I haven’t seen it from Joe.

And also guards that can hit a clutch shot....and well can just plain shoot the ball from anywhere on the court. Can finish a shot when driving to the basket. Our guys might be able to do that 2 times out of 10 against real competition most nights.

 

[BigD]

But Iowa State Can make 3 sweet sixteens since 2000 and 4 conference tourney championships and we have 0 sweet sixteens and 2 conference tourney titles(none since 2006)?

Not gonna be Duke or Gonzaga but can't we demand to match the Clowns.

I know you are just stating this in response to me because by now everyone knows how I feel about this. We are both on the same page. The we can’t people are the same people Hayden Fran talked about when he got here. Loser mindset. What kind of people have a loser mindset? I’ve tried to avoid going here because if I just come out and say it, it will only piss off the we can’t people that are out here.

I Have said it on here more than once. I’d rather go down swinging instead of conceding and just giving up.

It’s no big secrete that the majority of our society is more than happy to settle for status quo. It’s called a comfort zone. Comfort zone are comfortable. They require little effort. Better just being average than take any chances that could cause disruption and mess with our comfort zones.

It took Michigan a while to get their mojo back, after wandering in the wilderness for several years. If they had just settled they would not have their mojo back right now. Nebraska may never get their mojo back but I will give them credit for trying and not giving up.

 

[hawkinn3]

Can we try cheating? Other programs do it and nothing seems to happen to them.