Question that I want answered immediately

BSpringsteen

BSpringsteen

Well-Known Member
I think we all believe that Lick is going to get next year still, right?

But, we all believe that there has to be DRAMATIC improvement next year for him to get year 5, right?

Is there anyway that this team can have dramatic improvement at least in wins and losses next year?

In other words, is it set up for him to fail?

If so, what are we waiting for?

I think he needs to go after this year, or get a contract extension after this year.

Because next year will be the same situation: fired or extended, and with the team that is coming back, I don't see dramatic wins and losses.

So wouldn't it just be better to make the decision now?
 
+1

We're not going to be significantly better next year and attendance is only going to get worse. Unless Barta is willing to wait another three years just to have a chance at mediocrity, he might as well pull the plug after this season. I'd really like Lick to succeed, but it just isn't going to happen. At least not in an acceptable time frame.
 
BSpringsteen said:
I think we all believe that Lick is going to get next year still, right? Yes

But, we all believe that there has to be DRAMATIC improvement next year for him to get year 5, right? Yes

Is there anyway that this team can have dramatic improvement at least in wins and losses next year? Yes

In other words, is it set up for him to fail? Yes and no. I think next year he will have some upperclassmen that have been in the system long enough that we should know if "the system" will work or not.

If so, what are we waiting for? I think that we need to wait, because if we fire him now, we are looking at 3 more years of rebuilding. If we give him next year, we could very well be back on track much sooner then if his system doesn't work and we start over again.

I think he needs to go after this year, or get a contract extension after this year.
That is your opinion, and it seems many share that opinion.

Because next year will be the same situation: fired or extended, and with the team that is coming back, I don't see dramatic wins and losses. Once again your opinion. I think we improve considerably next year, now if it is enough of an improvement to save his job is another story.

So wouldn't it just be better to make the decision now? I don't think so. The fastest way to improve the team is if Lick's system works. Next year in my mind if the key year. First of all we have good recruits coming in, and we would still have them, we get rid of Lick, and they could and probably would look elsewhere. If he can't get it done next year, a new coach would have a good nucleus to work with: SR (Gatens, Fuller) JR (Payne, May, Cougil) SO (Brust, McCabe, Larsen, & Marble)
Click to expand...
 
Absolutely no extension until he gets the team over .500. It would be completely stupid to give this guy an extension and have to keep him around because of it, if he never turns the corner.
 
I think it's funny that people on here consider message board conversation to be viable evidence to support that there is any reason to think the U of I is considering letting go of Lick. Maybe I missed something, and this is certainly possible, but who from the U has said anything about him needing to improve next year or be gone?

Just because a small minority of people who happen to visit the same message board agree doesn't make it a viable argument.
 
It isn't just a few people on the message boards. It's also the thousands of empty seats at Carver. The fans are showing what they think of this brand of basketball by staying home.
 
storminspank said:
Hard to argue with that.
Click to expand...


No kidding.. I will go to the game tonight and expect to have pretty darn good seats as always.

It is funny I think some people just don't really even think of Iowa basketball anymore. I remember going out to dinner the night Iowa played ISU. I was finishing my meal and paying around 7:05, so the game had just started. I heard a woman in the booth behind my girlfriend say to a group of people she was with, "Oh, the Iowa game is on, I used to follow the team somewhat but I cant remember the last time I watched a game"..... This was the night of Iowa vs. ISU and no one even seemed to look up and care that the game was on. I was in a hurry to get home and watch the game on my own TV, but it is amazing there was zero buzz in this bar/resturan that the game was even on.

It's just an odd feeling.... I don't hear much Iowa BB discussion anywhere.
 
And why would you despite a few brief moments of success Alford was a mild bust...although he's undefeated at UNM go figure...he finally got his recruiting right. UNM you owe us a debt of gratitude for helping him mature as a coach. As far as Lick goes you better be prepared to give him 2-3 more years because there's nothing resembling a team with a winning record in Iowa City right now. Let the Big Ten drubbing begin!
 
storminspank said:
Hard to argue with that.
Click to expand...

IDK, what that proves to me is Iowa basketball has fair weather fans and not much else. If you support a university then you support it, you don't just jump on when things are going good. When I can I still make it over to games. Am I going because I expect big things or Iowa to blow the doors off anyone, no. I go because I support Iowa when things are good and bad and because having people in the stands will only help the program get stronger. Not a lot of big time players grow up dreaming of playing in front of a half filled arena for a fan base that is placid at best.

I get what you are saying, but I think some people on here give themselves too much credit. I'll start listening when someone at the U is talking.

That's my take, nothing more.
 
Stormin-

I'd really like your take on my questions at the top... Jon, yours too.

I am not particularly in favor of one outcome or the other, but am I wrong in my logical jumps?
 
BSpringsteen said:
I think we all believe that Lick is going to get next year still, right?

But, we all believe that there has to be DRAMATIC improvement next year for him to get year 5, right?

Is there anyway that this team can have dramatic improvement at least in wins and losses next year?

In other words, is it set up for him to fail?

If so, what are we waiting for?

I think he needs to go after this year, or get a contract extension after this year.

Because next year will be the same situation: fired or extended, and with the team that is coming back, I don't see dramatic wins and losses.

So wouldn't it just be better to make the decision now?
Click to expand...

I think your on the right track, Boss. I am actually surprised that more people don't see it this way. As a general rule, I don't think 3 years is a long enough time to make a final judgment on a college hoops coach that took over a bad program. However, I do think 4 years is a large enough sample size to make that conclusion. And the reality is we already know this season is a lost one, and that there is realistically no chance at a good season next year (I hope no one is off their rocker enough to argue that we can be a tourney team in 2010-2011).

So as we sit here today, nearly halfway through Season 3, we already know the outcome of where we will be after Year 4 is over: 4 years without coming remotely close to a tournament bid and a Big Ten winning percentage of 25 or 30%. Why is that acceptable to the University, Barta, and the fan base? It would be one thing if we were poor record-wise this season, but you could see tangible signs of improvement and talent that could win down the road. Gatens is the only legitimate Big Ten player on this team. Every other player is a fringe Big Ten player at best. This talent can't win now and won't win ever without a lot of help.

I for one think this regime needs to be changed, and it needs to be changed at the end of this year. Lickliter is a good man, but has been a gross failure.
 
Attendance has been dropping for years due to a few factors. Brand of basketball has little to do with it, if "number of wins" is high...but it's not and there's no arguing that this team needs to show us something next season. I like what we saw tonight out of the guys, but next year's frosh class will not only have to add depth, but substance. I have hope that they will, but we won't know until this time next season, and if it's "second verse same as the first" it will be time for a change...and I've supported Lick in most of this mess.
 
I think next year is significant for a number of reasons, but you've hit on what I think is the biggest. Alford was continually given extensions in order to keep at least 4 years on his contract. The rationale was it was for "recruiting" purposes. Meaning it was supposed to demonstrate to the recruits the coach recruiting them was going to be there for their 4 years.

What does Barta do next year? IF you offer the extension with the results we've seen so far, the fan base is in an uproar. If you don't offer the extension, the argument is the program becomes less attractive to recruits.

Barta is in a tough spot next year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top