This is likely the right attitude...
I have no predictions other than this is a building process and it could be ugly before it gets better.
Right now our fan base needs to forget about the past and embrace our new coach and program direction. How can Fran recruit the players he needs going forward if there is a lack of support for the program in general?
I attended the game this past Sunday and the arena was half full (which was better than last year). It was disappointing to me one that the arena was half full and that a portion of the fans left with 5 minutes left in the game just to avoid post-game traffic.
I might be the only one that really enjoyed the game against SDSU and Fran's style of play. Yes I want to win but I respect the process and the tough work that is required to revitalize this program. There we stretches in the game that were really sloppy but there were stretches of fun, frenetic basketball. Despite a half full arena there were moments that many of us were on our feet and screaming. That was awesome and it can be that way again on a regular basis.
The kids played hard and I think there is a coach and players to rally around here.
Ask yourself this question.... What can I do to support this program? If you are too stuborn or ignorant to attend a game in support of the team then by all means try spreading positive encouragement to anyone you know that cares about Iowa basketball. Encourage them to encourage others and not get down by what does not go right. Creating a positive buzz is how we all can help Fran fill the roster with the players that are needed to play his system. It will work if we can get the players(we have some already) but it will never work if this fan base continues with this I won't support the program until it shows me something attitude.
Who is going to be a leader in our fan base?
this group is so far away from being really good that steps can only be measured incrementally. Yes, Iowa will get better at running the offense, knowing what to do, etc., but in the end that won't count for a whole lot in terms of wins this year. If we get breaks in close games I could see Iowa winning 12 games or even approaching 15. If we get injuries or academic casualties, that number moves lower in a hurry. The injury to Gatens already arguably cost Iowa one win. Louisiana-Monroe comes in with a a perimeter player who will be better than anyone we have (Fred Brown, former K-State guard) and if he is making shots we'll be strapped to beat them.
We could not defend SDSU on the perimeter. If we played them again, we'd have trouble defending them on the perimeter. And if we can't guard SDSU on the perimeter, wait until we face some teams that have some Big 10-caliber athletes. What does Iowa do to stop Michigan State, Illinois, OSU, Purdue, heck most any team in the Big 10, from getting any shot they want? Answer is not a whole lot.
The benefit of this year is the playing time that guys like Basabe, McCabe, Marble, and to some extent Payne and May, are getting. Then have them ALL return, add to them some more players and see if we can build on what was done this year. Lickliter never could get the program off the ground when the leading returning players were fleeing each year. The first year for McCaffery will be a success if all the key contributors from this season return for 2011-2012.
If I'm Fran, I'm looking high and wide yet in the 2011 class for an athletic big guy and I'll take a dynamic ball-handling guard if I can find one, either in JUCO or high school. I know Payne is just a sophomore and Cartwright is a junior, but this style demands guards who are better with the ball than what was shown against SDSU. If I'm a dynamic ball-handling guard, I can see some very good possibilities playing in Fran's system (Marcus Paige, your table is waiting). May, Marble, Basabe all can run the floor and finish, McCabe can shoot it (as can Oglesby and Aaron White). Need a maestro to bring it all together.
