It's just the nature of fandom and who people are. Before the year, if you discussed even making the tournament, you were put in the corner. How could you possibly believe that? How dumb can someone be to think that? I'll admit, that doubt came into my head. Was I just cheering blindly for Fran, or did I really believe in him and what he was doing? I started to think I was a blind homer. The posters on here, got to me. I started listening. I was 1 foot in 1 foot out guy. But I said, I'll give Fran 1 year to turn it around. He deserved that IMO. He had built enough good will with me...which was why I found it so disheartening that fans turned on Fran the first chance they got.
A lot of us fought for Fran last season because many people thought that last year was an outlier on a fairly solid resume that Fran had built taking over for a program that had tanked. It hadn't been great, but it had been taking steps. Some argued that his recruiting had actually gotten better. At least on paper. I definitely subscribed to that. I made a $50 bet with Lightning1 on Iowa making the tournament this summer. I felt pretty comfortable with Iowa having a bounce back season. Everyone called me crazy and to be honest, there were tons of points along the way I was starting to agree with them.
But make no doubt, now Iowa is 16-3 and those same posters who said Iowa wouldn't make the dance are now moving the target. Now, the bar is beating top 10 teams and pretty soon it's going to be "Does Fran need to make a sweet 16 this year to not be fired"?
That's how it works... or at least how it works here. Always has. The minute they lose their next game it will open the door for criticism and that's fine by me..... that's what we do.