P. Hardy- Hawks give plenty of reasons for leaving
- Thread starter HawkPrdatr40
- Start date
HawkFantastic
Banned
What's the motivation or purpose of writing this article? I ask because there's nothing noteworthy or newsworthy written. Out of all the players that have left he's really only has quotes from one. If you're going to write this article then do the leg work and get quotes from at least two others.
Right now anything coming from Tucker would sound like sour grapes. He of two alcohol related suspensions with academic troubles sandwiched in between.
As for Gary Barta, he would have been better off saying nothing. Even though he said he wasn't making excuses that's exactly what he was doing.
Right now anything coming from Tucker would sound like sour grapes. He of two alcohol related suspensions with academic troubles sandwiched in between.
As for Gary Barta, he would have been better off saying nothing. Even though he said he wasn't making excuses that's exactly what he was doing.
HawkIreign
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure you would want to honest comments from some of the guys that left.
HawkIreign
Well-Known Member
As for Barta I wish people would start making him more accountable and putting more pressure on him for whats been going on with the basketball program.
olivecourt
Well-Known Member
do we give barta any credit for the wrestling team's success? not asking to be a smart aleck, just curious what the general perception is out there.
i'd say the good for barta includes parting ways with zalesky and bringing in brands, (edit: duh--bowlsby fired zalesky in pretty much his last act as AD) sticking with bluder through some difficulties, getting the carver renovation started, and revitalizing some of the non-revenue sports (women's volleyball, for one, used to be the laughingstock of the big ten and is now out of the basement).
men's basketball is terrible, yes. what other clear blunders do you see?
the football program doesn't have much to do with barta, although he did get the outdoor practice facility renovated and it is pretty awesome.
i'd say the good for barta includes parting ways with zalesky and bringing in brands, (edit: duh--bowlsby fired zalesky in pretty much his last act as AD) sticking with bluder through some difficulties, getting the carver renovation started, and revitalizing some of the non-revenue sports (women's volleyball, for one, used to be the laughingstock of the big ten and is now out of the basement).
men's basketball is terrible, yes. what other clear blunders do you see?
the football program doesn't have much to do with barta, although he did get the outdoor practice facility renovated and it is pretty awesome.
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HawkIreign
Well-Known Member
tweeterhawk
Well-Known Member
I was hoping for much more out of this article than Harty delivered. Hardly surprising.
I would like someone to press all of these transferring players to find out just exactly what the h*ll went on to cause them to sour on Iowa and Lickliter. Some of it is PT, or lack thereof, and that's understandable. But based on the number of defections and the quality of some of the players who have left there's obviously something wrong.
What are practices like under Lickliter and this staff? What's the interaction between coaches and players between practices and games? What is it like being in the locker room before games or afterwards, or even on the bench? What are the dynamics?
The Iowa fan base is longing for some explanation of what's going on in what was once a storied program. We won't get it from current players but it sure would be nice to get some candid thoughts from past players in the current regime.
HawkeyeRyno
Banned
You are right, Barta should be a candidate for A.D. of the Year based on this information. Didn't see it until you pointed this out. Thank you!
HawkIreign
Well-Known Member
So Barta has done little besides destroy a basketball team and let a great football coach maintain. I can't speak on the wrestling thing because I pay little to no attention. Same with girls basketball. Maybe we should fire both Lickliter and Barta and let Dan Gable take over for both of them.
olivecourt
Well-Known Member
i fixed my earlier post, which completely flubbed the timing on the zalesky/brands transition.
hawkeyeryno, i'm just asking an honest question and trying to look at the big picture. to me, that more interesting than just reading the same "barta/lickliter sucks... no he doesn't!" threads over and over again. i don't think barta is the AD of the year and never said so. i'm just pointing out the concrete positive things he's done and asking if anyone has non-basketball complaints.
the men's basketball program is a huge deal, but it is not the entire athletic program. if you want to assess the AD's performance you have to look at the complete picture... whether or not you want it to happen, barta is not going to get fired just because of the men's basketball team if the president and board of regents are happy with the rest of the program. i'm not saying that's the way it should be, but it is the way it is.
i honestly don't know how to assess barta... with the exception of basketball, we probably only hear about the good things. the improvement in facilities was long needed and very encouraging. however, i don't know if all of the carver renovation money has been raised yet and can't find a solid answer anywhere. the non-revenue sports don't have as big an impact on the bottom line, but they have had much more success, and that is also under barta's watch. the clarity on handling athlete's legal troubles is also a welcome change.
i really am interesting in hearing other people's thoughts on barta from a big picture perspective.
HawkeyeShane
Well-Known Member
What I find weird is that Hawk fans are ready to give Barta the heave ho because of the men's basketball program, but Cyclone fans still seem to love 'em a big ol' glass of Jamie Poll-Aid when he's looking down the barrel of hiring 2 coaches per sport during his tenure...and no, I'm not judging our fanbase, I love the passion even when I don't agree with everyone...I'm questioning THEIRS as they just sit there and take it over and over and over again...
olivecourt
Well-Known Member
the pollard stuff is why i don't get worked up about what ADs say to the press etc. i think the cyclone fans love pollard's bravado and pr skills, plus the billboard stunts, etc. but all that yapping has yielded... not much. i will admit that it looks like he made a great hire with rhodes-- second time's a charm, i guess.
HawkeyeShane
Well-Known Member
I just find it odd that most ADs and GMs don't usually get a chance to make more than one "second hire" let alone 3 of them, but in Ames...they keep on'a eatin' it up! Snake oil must taste pretty darn good...
HawkPrdatr40
Well-Known Member
HawkFantastic
Banned
I was just getting ready to post that.
I give Barta credit for his handling of Steve Alford and forcing his hand.
I can't blame Lick for all the players leaving nor can I put complete blame on him for this malaise that is Iowa Basketball. However, he was hired to deliver a winning product. And right now we ain't winnin'.
I know I'm sounding like a broken record, but Lick can not afford any more defections for any reason. Due to extenuating circumstances Tucker leaving is not a bad thing. However, Gary Barta needs to make it very, very clear to Lickliter that if one more player leaves this offseason that he (Lickliter) may as well head out the door with that player.
FreddyBrown
Moderator
The ICPC is doing a series of "state of the program" articles. You should be thankful anyone in the media cares enough to make the effort.
However, I didn't see a lot of new content in the transfers piece. The Palmer interview was interesting. Beyond that, not so much. But I'm sure it would have been difficult to get the kids who've left on the record. Why would they want to get into it?
jparmley3
Well-Known Member
Lick is not to blame for the issues?
Actually, he can, and should be, blamed for the defections. He is definitely to blame for the state of the union as it pertains to Hawkeye basketball.
Barta has a quote in another article that says something like, "at the end of the year, we will sit down and talk about the good and bad. There is plenty to talk about with both" (I paraphrased).
Hey Gary Barta: exactly what constitutes "plenty" in your mind? Because, it does not take a genius to figure out there is not much good happening for Iowa men's basketball right now.
When the best topic about being at home games is whether or not it's $1 hot dog night, there is a problem.
When Barta hired Lickliter he was the reigning national coach of the year. How is that a bad hire? I think anyone would have made that decison. I think the defections are a combination of some special circumstances and Lickliters desire to only have certain kinds of players. He might be a little stubborn and not willing to adjust his coaching to fit the players, but most coaches do the same thing. Tom Davis was fortunate because Raveling gave him some awesome players who also happened to be a good fit for Mr. Davis's style of play. I mean really, Lickliter was starting from scratch and he's had some bad breaks. You can't compare the first 3 years of one coach with the first 3 years of another coach, situations are all different. If we aren't really good in Gatens senior year, than thats a problem, but I'm willing to wait rather than start over with a new coach who also needs 3 or 4 years, a new coach is not going to help us in the near future.
