One of several things I would hope for next year (2023)

[HaydenHawk56]

I agree with a lot of what you said in your previous posts. But I don't agree with this at all. If Fran sneaks in as an 11 seed, wins against a 6 seed, then beats a 10 seed who upset a 2, there is no way that's a better coaching job than getting a 2 seed in the tourney based on a 31 game regular season. That would just mean they had a mediocre season end with one game going their way. One game doesn't make a season. At least not in the sense of a great coaching job.

I could buy that.....the thing is....Iowa never catches a break (one of those times where never is pretty much an absolute for Iowa and the NCAA tourney) and we will for sure get murdered by the 1 or 2 seed.....or Fran carves his name in Iowa lore by improbably knocking off a big boy.

 

[PCHawk]

I do think that the name on the front of the jersey can have a lot to do with instilling confidence (or lack there of) during big games. I think kids that play for a program that has faired well in recent big games can have a sense of comfort and confidence when the pressure is high. Just like kids at a program like Iowa can get nervous and flustered in big games because their school has had a run of losses in big games.

Kids at schools like Kentucky don't have to read about how this team might finally be the team who gets the monkey off their back all week leading up to the tournament. That extra pressure adds a huge weight to the fan base. I can't imagine what it does to the players. We just need to get one win to get rid of that pressure for good. It sucks balls that that win hasn't come yet.

 

[PCHawk]

I could buy that.....the thing is....Iowa never catches a break (one of those times where never is pretty much an absolute for Iowa and the NCAA tourney) and we will for sure get murdered by the 1 or 2 seed.....or Fran carves his name in Iowa lore by improbably knocking off a big boy.

It sure hasn't happened yet. At least in the NCAA tournament. We almost got a huge one against Tennessee. Other than that we haven't even been very close. We caught some breaks in the Big 10 tournament run last year. Before that we couldn't buy even a small break in that tournament. We've caught a lot of breaks in the last few years at the end of close regular season games. In the years before that we were horrendous in close games. The point is, luck can change, and you definitely need some in basketball. Our luck changed in close games. Our luck changed in the Big 10 tourney. Hopefully our luck changes soon in the NCAA tournament.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

It sure hasn't happened yet. At least in the NCAA tournament. We almost got a huge one against Tennessee. Other than that we haven't even been very close. We caught some breaks in the Big 10 tournament run last year. Before that we couldn't buy even a small break in that tournament. We've caught a lot of breaks in the last few years at the end of close regular season games. In the years before that we were horrendous in close games. The point is, luck can change, and you definitely need some in basketball. Our luck changed in close games. Our luck changed in the Big 10 tourney. Hopefully our luck changes soon in the NCAA tournament.

Hope you are right PC...sacrifice a chicken, goat, or something.

 

[PCHawk]

When Marble was a senior, we lost in OT to Tennessee. They almost went to the elite 8, losing a close game to a Michigan team we rolled earlier in the year. Who knows what would happen if we caught a break in that game.

When Uthoff was a senior, Hayes from Wisconsin and Yogi from Indiana made huge 3s in the last minute of the game. If those miss, we very well might win those games, share a Big 10 tittle, get a better seed, and go on a bog tournament run.

Covid played a big roll in Garzas junior and senior post seasons. One year he didn't even get to play. We both know what what happened with Oregon in the tourney. Their first round bye might not have mattered. But it sure didn't help.

Keegan was a top 5 NBA pick who very well might have been the best player in college last year. He was invisible in the tournament game. Turns out he got hurt during the game. That was brutal bad luck at a brutal time. That team was playing like a top 5 team. Capable of a final 4 run.

I understand the rebuttal to this post. Where the coach has to put the team in a position to overcome the bad luck. I'm just a firm believer that at a place like Iowa, you have to put your team in a position to win WITH some good luck. I think Fran has our teams in a position to win as long as we avoid bad luck.

I think other than striking gold with a Bo Ryan or Coach K type hire (one that's probably a native so he stays after success) putting together teams who will win if they avoid bad luck is the best we can hope for.

 

[PCHawk]

I also understand that Fran has had some luck with getting great players here too. Especially with Keegan. My rebuttal to that is all the elite programs have a legacy Keegan type player all the time. Is Fran lucky to get Keegan? Or is he unlucky he's not at a place that gets Keegans all the time?

 

[HaydenHawk56]

When Marble was a senior, we lost in OT to Tennessee. They almost went to the elite 8, losing a close game to a Michigan team we rolled earlier in the year. Who knows what would happen if we caught a break in that game.

When Uthoff was a senior, Hayes from Wisconsin and Yogi from Indiana made huge 3s in the last minute of the game. If those miss, we very well might win those games, share a Big 10 tittle, get a better seed, and go on a bog tournament run.

Covid played a big roll in Garzas junior and senior post seasons. One year he didn't even get to play. We both know what what happened with Oregon in the tourney. Their first round bye might not have mattered. But it sure didn't help.

Keegan was a top 5 NBA pick who very well might have been the best player in college last year. He was invisible in the tournament game. Turns out he got hurt during the game. That was brutal bad luck at a brutal time. That team was playing like a top 5 team. Capable of a final 4 run.

I understand the rebuttal to this post. Where the coach has to put the team in a position to overcome the bad luck. I'm just a firm believer that at a place like Iowa, you have to put your team in a position to win WITH some good luck. I think Fran has our teams in a position to win as long as we avoid bad luck.

I think other than striking gold with a Bo Ryan or Coach K type hire (one that's probably a native so he stays after success) putting together teams who will win if they avoid bad luck is the best we can hope for.

Iowa has to be one of the most unlucky teams ever when it comes to misfortune.

Other gems:
Lester's knee
Ray Thompson
Kingsbury passing out
Settles's back problems
Like you said, Oregon getting a covid pass and was a champion for a Major getting a 7 seed
Drawing Duke a million times
etc.

 

[PCHawk]

Iowa has to be one of the most unlucky teams ever when it comes to misfortune.

Other gems:
Lester's knee
Ray Thompson
Kingsbury passing out
Settles's back problems
Like you said, Oregon getting a covid pass and was a champion for a Major getting a 7 seed
Drawing Duke a million times
etc.

Street dying was a big one too. It does really seem like our luck is turning tho. A lot of that had to do with Bohannon tho. Hopefully it doesn't swing back now that he's gone.

 

[rschneider]

When Marble was a senior, we lost in OT to Tennessee. They almost went to the elite 8, losing a close game to a Michigan team we rolled earlier in the year. Who knows what would happen if we caught a break in that game.

When Uthoff was a senior, Hayes from Wisconsin and Yogi from Indiana made huge 3s in the last minute of the game. If those miss, we very well might win those games, share a Big 10 tittle, get a better seed, and go on a bog tournament run.

Covid played a big roll in Garzas junior and senior post seasons. One year he didn't even get to play. We both know what what happened with Oregon in the tourney. Their first round bye might not have mattered. But it sure didn't help.

Keegan was a top 5 NBA pick who very well might have been the best player in college last year. He was invisible in the tournament game. Turns out he got hurt during the game. That was brutal bad luck at a brutal time. That team was playing like a top 5 team. Capable of a final 4 run.

I understand the rebuttal to this post. Where the coach has to put the team in a position to overcome the bad luck. I'm just a firm believer that at a place like Iowa, you have to put your team in a position to win WITH some good luck. I think Fran has our teams in a position to win as long as we avoid bad luck.

I think other than striking gold with a Bo Ryan or Coach K type hire (one that's probably a native so he stays after success) putting together teams who will win if they avoid bad luck is the best we can hope for.

It is frustrating that Iowa can't get better recruits consistently. We all know by now that Fran would have a very competitive team with a highly rated roster.

 

[HawkGold]

I agree with a lot of what you said in your previous posts. But I don't agree with this at all. If Fran sneaks in as an 11 seed, wins against a 6 seed, then beats a 10 seed who upset a 2, there is no way that's a better coaching job than getting a 2 seed in the tourney based on a 31 game regular season. That would just mean they had a mediocre season end with one game going their way. One game doesn't make a season. At least not in the sense of a great coaching job.

to early to tell. Legit loss to TCU and everyone has one. EIU was bad...really bad and exposed a big lack of depth. Duke could have gone the other way with a full complement. Wisky, could have goin Hawks way missing players.

Too early to tell. Less room for error. D is a problem.

 

[BigD]

I agree with a lot of what you said in your previous posts. But I don't agree with this at all. If Fran sneaks in as an 11 seed, wins against a 6 seed, then beats a 10 seed who upset a 2, there is no way that's a better coaching job than getting a 2 seed in the tourney based on a 31 game regular season. That would just mean they had a mediocre season end with one game going their way. One game doesn't make a season. At least not in the sense of a great coaching job.

The NCAA is a season of its own. What I think is Fran’s strength is that he has analyzed the teams in the conference very well and knows their coaching philosophy and attacks their weaknesses. However playing against teams that he isn’t familiar with in the tourney means it’s more pure coaching and player talent ON BOTH ENDS of the floor and he is getting out coached in those situations.

Having said that I would rather have a sixth placed conference team that is ready to go as a middle seed than a second seed that shits the.bed every March. The goal for most teams should not just be to make the NCAA tourney but to do well there. Fran gets a “D” on this
aspect of his coaching career at Iowa. He has sucked the B1G one.

As I type this Nebraska is up 23-8 in the first half and as usual the guard play for Iowa is not making the grade for a big ten team (another one of Fran’s shitfest failures.)

The tourney is the crown jewel of the season and should be the highest goal to get there and do good. To give Fran a pass on this every year shouldn’t be acceptable.

If he doesn’t get past the second round within the next three seasons then it’s time for him to go.

 

[PCHawk]

The NCAA is a season of its own. What I think is Fran’s strength is that he has analyzed the teams in the conference very well and knows their coaching philosophy and attacks their weaknesses. However playing against teams that he isn’t familiar with in the tourney means it’s more pure coaching and player talent ON BOTH ENDS of the floor and he is getting out coached in those situations.

Having said that I would rather have a sixth placed conference team that is ready to go as a middle seed than a second seed that shits the.bed every March. The goal for most teams should not just be to make the NCAA tourney but to do well there. Fran gets a “D” on this
aspect of his coaching career at Iowa. He has sucked the B1G one.

As I type this Nebraska is up 23-8 in the first half and as usual the guard play for Iowa is not making the grade for a big ten team (another one of Fran’s shitfest failures.)

The tourney is the crown jewel of the season and should be the highest goal to get there and do good. To give Fran a pass on this every year shouldn’t be acceptable.

If he doesn’t get past the second round within the next three seasons then it’s time for him to go.

The problem with your first paragraph is you assume Fran can outcoach his conference peers because he is familiar with them, but his peers are familiar with him too. Yet he's not good enough to out coach the coaches he faces in the tournament. Some of which aren't even as good as the Big 10 coaches. That doesn't really make sense.

As an AD at Iowa, do you really fire a coach who gets to the tournament 7 out of 9 years? I can understand wanting to as a fan. But as an AD, that's a tough move to make.

 

[Iceman]

The problem with your first paragraph is you assume Fran can outcoach his conference peers because he is familiar with them, but his peers are familiar with him too. Yet he's not good enough to out coach the coaches he faces in the tournament. Some of which aren't even as good as the Big 10 coaches. That doesn't really make sense.

As an AD at Iowa, do you really fire a coach who gets to the tournament 7 out of 9 years? I can understand wanting to as a fan. But as an AD, that's a tough move to make.

I don't care who the coach is, if you shoot like we did tonight, no team will win. Connor, Patrick, Uhlis, Perkins, Bowen, and Sandfort combine for 4-40. Same 6 were 3-18 on threes

 

[Northside Hawk]

Street dying was a big one too. It does really seem like our luck is turning tho. A lot of that had to do with Bohannon tho. Hopefully it doesn't swing back now that he's gone.

We were a veteran team and arguably the best defensive team in the nation when the Street tragedy happened. That team had a Final Four look. Then we play Wake Forest in the second round and try to guard Rodney Rodgers with Wade Lookinfbill and James Winters, when it otherwise would have been Chris.

 

[BigD]

The problem with your first paragraph is you assume Fran can outcoach his conference peers because he is familiar with them, but his peers are familiar with him too. Yet he's not good enough to out coach the coaches he faces in the tournament. Some of which aren't even as good as the Big 10 coaches. That doesn't really make sense.

As an AD at Iowa, do you really fire a coach who gets to the tournament 7 out of 9 years? I can understand wanting to as a fan. But as an AD, that's a tough move to make.

It doesn’t make sense that he is getting out coached in the tournament.

Yes it would be easier to fire him if he wasn’t getting to the tournament that is for sure. At some point you have to draw lines in the sand. Tom Davis did much better in the tournament and he was let go. In hindsight that was a big mistake to let him go.

Do I want a Lickliter program again? Of course not, but thats no excuse however for accepting repeated tournament failures.

This year looks like it could be a really rough year . We desperately need a guard or two to step forward and lead this team. I don’t know who that would be at this point.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Iowa has to be one of the most unlucky teams ever when it comes to misfortune.

Other gems:
Lester's knee
Ray Thompson
Kingsbury passing out
Settles's back problems
Like you said, Oregon getting a covid pass and was a champion for a Major getting a 7 seed
Drawing Duke a million times
etc.

You have to remind my about Kingsbury passing out. What was that situation?

 

[HaydenHawk56]

You have to remind my about Kingsbury passing out. What was that situation?

Kingsbury had a bit of a drinking problem......got wasted and pissed in a hotel lobby or something like that.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Kingsbury had a bit of a drinking problem......got wasted and pissed in a hotel lobby or something like that.

I was kind of wondering if you were referencing his vice during college. Yea, I remember that but I thought maybe there was some passing out issue in a game or something.

I'd like to see a beer pong match between Kingsbury and Oglesby!

 

[HaydenHawk56]

I was kind of wondering if you were referencing his vice during college. Yea, I remember that but I thought maybe there was some passing out issue in a game or something.

I'd like to see a beer pong match between Kingsbury and Oglesby!

Ya, his troubled behavior pissed away his talent also on the court when he parted ways from the team.

I would take Kingsbury in beer pong.....Oglesby would brick those shots as well.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

Ya, his troubled behavior pissed away his talent also on the court when he parted ways from the team.

I would take Kingsbury in beer pong.....Oglesby would brick those shots as well.

Did Kingsbury leave the Iowa team early? I kind of remember something but not sure as all these years have gone by.

Kingsbury would step back to the wall and pong it from there just for the challenge, and prob make it.