Rate The Hire 1 to 10

[FreddyBrown]

Of course a fair "rating" would have to await not only the hiring of a staff and the beginnings of recruiting, but maybe three or four years down the road. But screw that! I want to talk about right now, post-PC, on a scale of one to ten.

If you had asked me first thing after I heard it yesterday morning I would have been much, much lower, but today I'm better educated and clearer-headed.

I'm going to say it's a 7.5.

For purposes of comparison I'd say Pearl, and only Pearl, would have been a 10. Lickliter came in as a 6 and left as a negative integer. Gregory would have been a 6.5 or a 7, but that was skewed to the high side by whipping Illanoy at home. Probably shouldn't get carried away over that, and hopefully we'll be doing the whipping ourselves on occasion in the next few years.

My 7.5 can go up to an 8 or 8.5 depending on staff composition.

I know it's a high number, but in terms of style of play, experience, rebuilding success, and all the intagibles, Fran looks like a very, very good hire. Your turn.

 

[EyeAmHawk]

Just looking at the title of this post before seeing your rating I was going to say a solid 7.5.. I really liked his confidence in the presser, though I do think he maybe had some coaching himself. It sure seems like he said all the things that Iowa fans were looking for..

 

[hawkeye2188]

Based off the presser alone id give him a solid 7.5 or 8.

 

[jesterapparel]

Sunday it was a 5.
Today it's a 7.
Hopefully a year from now it will be a 10.

 

[hawkifan89]

With his knowledge and plan of action...i would say....8.0
I feel really comfortable regarding how he's going to get excitement back in CHA. He has potential to increase his rating depending on his coaching staff which I feel like he has his ideas.

 

[iowahawkeyes89]

8 last night...8.5 with the presser...he NAILED that press conference.

 

[HawkeyeJim75]

7.5 for now could change also

 

[HawkDad]

7.0 for now... gotta show me something now to get it higher.

 

[berniend]

7.5 . Came across as being very genuine ; and even though he wasn't one of my top choices , I will be 100 % behind him . Go Hawks .

 

[storminspank]

Yesterday it was a 4, Today it's a 7.

 

[DuffMan]

The answer is 8, next issue.

 

[tweeterhawk]

7.5 sounds about right.

 

[JHHawk]

First reaction was a 4...I admit I was underwhelmed.
After considering his record, by last nite I was up to a 5.
Today,after his PC, I am at a 6.
Now, by the end of the week,with his staff hired, I could move that to a 7 or back down to a 5.
I am a tough grader,maybe,but I expected him to be polished,and say all the right things. His decisions the next few weeks will give a better read.

1. His assistants....if he does not have a guy on staff wired into the AAU scene right now, his grade will drop.
2. Handling of the player transition...this is delicate,but I am hoping if he assesses the personnel and really does see some guys who do not fit, he will find a way to ease them out without hard feelings..1 or 2 of them only however.
3. Who does he add to our roster by the April signing date only 2 weeks from now? That will move his grade also.

All the PR stuff is nice,but these are the real immediate issues that must be dealt with that will have far more impact on returning the roar to CHA next year.

I say until the end of April any fair-minded Hawk fan has to give him an ''Incomplete''...and then we can see where we are as summer approaches...and the 2011 recruits like Randle start committing...that is the next hurdle..get randle to sign for Iowa in November...tough task.

 

[TritonHawkeye]

Yesterday was not a good day for me. 24 hours ago, I would have given him a 5 based on the fact I had never heard of the guy.

Today after reading up on him, listening to the press conference. I am going to say...

9 desire
9 work ethic
9 coaching ability

The unknown is recruiting. If in the end that is a 9, we might very well have got the guy we have been searching 10 years for....

 

[TChawk]

1, i don't like it at all, the last 2 mid-major hires didn't work got to wonder what makes Barta thing the 3rd will...

 

[IATrainMaster101]

My criteria....(It's too early in the game to score 10 or 0)

1. Experience- Nice experience as a head coach and as an assistant at a BCS school 7.0
2. Track record- Won everywhere, turned each program around-hasn't done it at this level yet 6.5
3. Recruiting- too early to score.
4. Connect with the fan base- Early indications is this is going to be a big, big , big plus but i'll go 8.5 for now.
5. Excitment- Style of play seems to be what this fan base has been longing for and I love what I'm seeing. 9.0

7.5-8.0

Time will tell if he can consistently produce wins here but this is how I see things initially.

 

[FreddyBrown]

The answer is 8, next issue.

LOL, thank you Freddie-the-beatle Barnes!

 

[hawkeye2188]

1, i don't like it at all, the last 2 mid-major hires didn't work got to wonder what makes Barta thing the 3rd will...

3rd time is a charm. Maybe Gary holds that quote very close to heart. I think this will end up working out.

 

[burky247]

I would say 7 sounds about right. As others have said, that number could go either way depending on what assistants are hired.

 

[83Hawk]

Right now....6.

If he he has a solid staff of assistants it could go up to 7. Any further movement up or down will depend on the results on-court.