Question for Barta

H

Hawkfnntn

Well-Known Member
If this team doesn't make the NCAA tourney are you going to fire Fran?
I would like this to be asked to him point blank by someone in the media next chance they get...
I'd be nice to have a point blank question brought to him so fans know where he's at. I mean if a team that runs the table in the non conference for the first time in forever can't make the dance... I know the league is tough. But if we can't even put up a fight against a middle of the road Purdue team.... Yes Garza didn't play and yes we are down Pemsl too. But can any of us sit here and say they'd have made a difference last night? I don't think they'd have made that big of one... Things are going to get a little hot around Fran and Barta's collars if last night was a sign of things to come..
 
From ESPN with regards to how hot the coaches hot seat is:

Cooling off

i
Fran McCaffery, Iowa: It was unlikely the Hawkeyes would ever part ways with McCaffery after this season, given the contract extension he quietly signed at the start of last season that kept him in Iowa City until 2024 -- and boosted his buyout to $9 million if the school fires him before next summer. Either way, Iowa is 11-2 to start the season, with both losses coming to Big Ten foes. They won the 2K Classic back in November and also beat in-state rival Iowa State.
 
My question is, if Fran gets fired, does Connor leave, or stay at Iowa and just play baseball. I can't believe he could go somewhere else and play both, AND he's already used his redshirt.

More than likely, though, barring a huge tank job, we'll never find out...
 
I don't think just missing the tournament is enough to fire Fran. I think Iowa will have to be really bad in the Big Ten for Fran to be on the hot seat, like a 14-20 loss Big Ten season. Even if Iowa goes 7-13 in conference that's 18 wins and should get Iowa into the NIT, finish 6-14 or worse and it becomes a little more dicey.
 
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Yeah I'm sure we are stuck with him win lose or draw due to that. I just don't understand why we'd give a coach a contract that makes him un fireable. What's Fran done to deserve that? Sure he brought us out of the hole Licklighter dug and that is something. I don't think getting to the NCAA tourney in year 8 or 9 whatever it is for him now is asking too much. It should be our goal every year with no 'rebuilding' being necessary.
 
99topdawg said:
From ESPN with regards to how hot the coaches hot seat is:

Cooling off

i
Fran McCaffery, Iowa: It was unlikely the Hawkeyes would ever part ways with McCaffery after this season, given the contract extension he quietly signed at the start of last season that kept him in Iowa City until 2024 -- and boosted his buyout to $9 million if the school fires him before next summer. Either way, Iowa is 11-2 to start the season, with both losses coming to Big Ten foes. They won the 2K Classic back in November and also beat in-state rival Iowa State.
Click to expand...
Shows how little effort ESPN puts into understanding and reporting a situation.
 
ssckelley said:
I don't think just missing the tournament is enough to fire Fran. I think Iowa will have to be really bad in the Big Ten for Fran to be on the hot seat, like a 14-20 loss Big Ten season. Even if Iowa goest 7-13 in conference that's 18 wins and should get Iowa into the NIT, finish 6-14 or worse and it becomes a little more dicey.
Click to expand...
I think 7-13 is best care scenario.
 
lightning1 said:
I think 7-13 is best care scenario.
Click to expand...

It sucks that I cannot disagree with you. I'm hopeful they can rebound Sunday against Nebraska, maybe that will restore a little of my confidence. But the Big Ten is up this year, I don't see anybody being an easy win. Illinois is going to play us tough no matter what their record is, maybe Rutgers and Penn State?
 
Hawkfnntn said:
Yeah I'm sure we are stuck with him win lose or draw due to that. I just don't understand why we'd give a coach a contract that makes him un fireable. What's Fran done to deserve that? Sure he brought us out of the hole Licklighter dug and that is something. I don't think getting to the NCAA tourney in year 8 or 9 whatever it is for him now is asking too much. It should be our goal every year with no 'rebuilding' being necessary.
Click to expand...

Are we really out of that hole? Not trying to be that guy, but on the whole, I'm not that convinced that overall we're head and shoulders better than we were when Lick was here. Sure we've had some good years and the style of play is more fun to watch, but I continually find myself being just as frustrated watching now as I did back then.
 
kicker22 said:
Are we really out of that hole? Not trying to be that guy, but on the whole, I'm not that convinced that overall we're head and shoulders better than we were when Lick was here. Sure we've had some good years and the style of play is more fun to watch, but I continually find myself being just as frustrated watching now as I did back then.
Click to expand...
Well we sure aren't where we should or want to be that's a given. As far as between then and now. I'd take now. The fan base was beyond apathetic the last 2 yrs of Lick... I mean the stands were pretty bare. No energy at all. Even Barta had to do something and fire him. I see what you mean by being frustrated in a similar way now. But we were fortunate to get out of that hole as smoothly as we did if you think about it. Some programs when they dip that low are stuck there for a long time having to make multiple coaching hires. So if one were to want to say Barta got something half right he (being Fran) did get us out of that hole in a reasonable time frame.

But that doesn't change or excuse where we are now...
 
99topdawg said:
My question is, if Fran gets fired, does Connor leave, or stay at Iowa and just play baseball. I can't believe he could go somewhere else and play both, AND he's already used his redshirt.

More than likely, though, barring a huge tank job, we'll never find out...
Click to expand...

Pretty sure he would transfer. Break-ups are usually never good and can be quite awkward. Secondary to this I don't see him staying. The kids seem pretty tight with their parents as well.
 
skinnykilmer17 said:
Does next year's roster make you any more confident?
Click to expand...


I'm tired of saying that every year. This is not a roster problem as he should have a much better team than he does with this current roster. This is systemic coaching problems getting the players to perform, in particular, play defense.
 
Hawkfnntn said:
Well we sure aren't where we should or want to be that's a given. As far as between then and now. I'd take now. The fan base was beyond apathetic the last 2 yrs of Lick... I mean the stands were pretty bare. No energy at all. Even Barta had to do something and fire him. I see what you mean by being frustrated in a similar way now. But we were fortunate to get out of that hole as smoothly as we did if you think about it. Some programs when they dip that low are stuck there for a long time having to make multiple coaching hires. So if one were to want to say Barta got something half right he (being Fran) did get us out of that hole in a reasonable time frame.

But that doesn't change or excuse where we are now...
Click to expand...

Agree in theory, but IMO getting out of one hole, but seeing them in another hole shortly down the road means its time to move on. I said it last year and stand by the fact that I see the state of the program going in the same direction as it did during the Lick era.

I see it as only being a matter of time before our non-conference play begins to mirror what we've done in conference play. The weak nonconference schedule has managed to mask things a bit. While I try to remain optimistic and continue to support the program I simply don't see anything jumping out at me making me think that Fran will turn things around. While I'm thrilled that we went undefeated in non-conference slate, and realize how tough our conference is, I simply don't see the progression or changes going forward that make me think we're going to be in the top half of the conference any time soon. Would love to eat crow.
 
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