"Scrappy"? "Gritty"? Psssh....

wundergrape

wundergrape

Well-Known Member
We've had some decent teams in my day...but since 87, it was always because we played out of our minds with emotion and heart; outplaying conference foes out of sheer will only to be outclassed in rounds one or two of the NCAA.

This team has that rare gift - pure, composed talent - that has only been inherent in a half dozen or so Hawkeye squads ever - '44, '56, '68, '70, '79, '87.

This team is an entirely different animal than we're used to. I've loved other Iowa teams - '93, '95, '98, '02, '06 - but this is the first one that can go toe to toe with anyone. Great feeling.
 
Completely the way I feel except I was born in '86. I'm starting to wonder if I've ever seen an Iowa team that's this good (I'm still fearful of a collapse because that's what I've been conditioned to expect from Iowa sports, especially basketball)
 
bcl20 said:
Completely the way I feel except I was born in '86. I'm starting to wonder if I've ever seen an Iowa team that's this good (I'm still fearful of a collapse because that's what I've been conditioned to expect from Iowa sports, especially basketball)
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This is pretty much true for me, too. I was born in 1990, so I've not seen a whole lot of good Iowa basketball. Alford has been the one to set the bar in my time. But I do know this team is better than any team Alford had, without question.
 
tm3308 said:
This is pretty much true for me, too. I was born in 1990, so I've not seen a whole lot of good Iowa basketball. Alford has been the one to set the bar in my time. But I do know this team is better than any team Alford had, without question.
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I wouldn't say "without question". A healthy team in 2001 or 2002 was pretty good. 2006 team had some players. But this is easily the most "complete" team since the end of the Tom Davis Era. Like 1987, this team has great depth, but an injury can still upset the balance more than one would think.
 
hawkeyebob62 said:
I wouldn't say "without question". A healthy team in 2001 or 2002 was pretty good. 2006 team had some players. But this is easily the most "complete" team since the end of the Tom Davis Era. Like 1987, this team has great depth, but an injury can still upset the balance more than one would think.
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I'll leave 2001-02 open for debate, but 2005-06 wasn't this good. That team had three really good players, but we've got a couple players that are just as good (or better) and have WAY more depth this year. The B1G wasn't as good as it is now, and that team threw up some serious clunkers during the regular season (losses to Northwestern, ISU, UNI, Minnesota and an absolute ****-stomping at the hands of MSU; not to mention the obvious).
 
tm3308 said:
I'll leave 2001-02 open for debate, but 2005-06 wasn't this good. That team had three really good players, but we've got a couple players that are just as good (or better) and have WAY more depth this year.
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Completely agree this year's team is better than those others, but those teams were decent teams.
 
tm3308 said:
They were definitely good. Just not this good.
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No doubt. This team is as good as any I have witnessed, including 1980 and 1987. Not saying they will get to Elite 8 or Final 4, but right now we have the depth of 1987 and Marble/Gesell/Oglesby/Clemmons as "composite" equals Ronnie Lester of (pre-injury) 1980.

The 1987 team had a sick-sick-sick rebounding margin, though. Like plus-14 or 16 at one point.

The real key going forward may just be Woodbury. If he can get the full amount of "confidence" (his missed "dunk" today is reminiscent of a Lohaus "oops" in 1983--see Don Criqui "White Man's Disease", probably find on Google) on the offensive end, this team could make a DEEP run.
 
hawkeyebob62 said:
No doubt. This team is as good as any I have witnessed, including 1980 and 1987. Not saying they will get to Elite 8 or Final 4, but right now we have the depth of 1987 and Marble/Gesell/Oglesby/Clemmons as "composite" equals Ronnie Lester of (pre-injury) 1980.

The 1987 team had a sick-sick-sick rebounding margin, though. Like plus-14 or 16 at one point.

The real key going forward may just be Woodbury. If he can get the full amount of "confidence" (his missed "dunk" today is reminiscent of a Lohaus "oops" in 1983--see Don Criqui "White Man's Disease", probably find on Google) on the offensive end, this team could make a DEEP run.
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I think Iowa will be fine if Woodbury just keeps doing what he's doing (or was doing before the failed dunk, anyway; we can use less of that). Oglesby is the guy I think that is the difference between this team being good and being great. If he's hitting anywhere near the level he is right now for the rest of the season, it's not just our transition game that will scare teams. Our half-court game will be nasty, too.
 
tm3308 said:
I think Iowa will be fine if Woodbury just keeps doing what he's doing (or was doing before the failed dunk, anyway; we can use less of that). Oglesby is the guy I think that is the difference between this team being good and being great. If he's hitting anywhere near the level he is right now for the rest of the season, it's not just our transition game that will scare teams. Our half-court game will be nasty, too.
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Absolutely. But IF Woody can take real pressure off White, Basabe and McCabe? Yikes!

Even so, White and Basabe already do their share of keeping teams from "cheating" to the backcourt personnel, anyway.
 
hawkeyebob62 said:
No doubt. This team is as good as any I have witnessed, including 1980 and 1987. Not saying they will get to Elite 8 or Final 4, but right now we have the depth of 1987 and Marble/Gesell/Oglesby/Clemmons as "composite" equals Ronnie Lester of (pre-injury) 1980.

QUOTE]

OK, I will bite. A healthy Ronnie Lester on this team and last year's team (since you mentioned players on last years team) and they would have been in the NCAAs last year. They would not have probably lost a game this year and been ranked top 5. Lester would be slicing up these defenses. Nova put some extra pressure on the hawks in the 2nd half this year which resulted in turnovers but Lester would have beaten that pressure to set up layups.

Hawkbob62, I think you watched Lester play, and even though I like gesell and marble, I dont think they could consistently weave their way through a whole team, consistently, whenever they want to.

Both Marble and Gesell can beat one guy and get to the rim when they see and opening but Lester could just plain eat people up.
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Yeah... Lester, Carfino, BJ, Woolridge were all better PG's. Any of those four on this team and I agree, we'd be undefeated.
 
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Ronnie Lester was a tremendous point guard, couldn't be guarded. Magic Johnson made comments to the same. BJ and Woolridge were good, but no comparison to Ronnie.
 
I'm trying to dig in my memory banks, but if I recall, I thought Carfino did a good job managing the point, wasn't a big scorer, but didn't have to with the team he was on... I don't recall hearing much on the negative about him, but then again that was before the social media thingy... LOL
 
Putmeincoach said:
Ronnie Lester was a tremendous point guard, couldn't be guarded. Magic Johnson made comments to the same. BJ and Woolridge were good, but no comparison to Ronnie.
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I would definitely agree... was in Jr. High when they made the final four. The other two weren't in the same league, but were better then what we have now. Not saying the MG is bad, he just has some work to do to get their level... btw... I think he will, but not there yet.
 
The only caveat I would have to this thread is regarding the 92-93 Iowa team. Between 86-87 and today's team, that team probably stands out as the best Iowa team in since 86-87 and before this year. It had everything you could want on a team.....it was the best defensive team under Mr. Davis, it could score inside with Earl and Street and could score outside with Val Barnes, it was a great rebounding team with 2 guys averaging over 9 rebounds a game. Had Street not passed, I'm convinced this was a Final Four team.
 
SpiderRico said:
The only caveat I would have to this thread is regarding the 92-93 Iowa team. Between 86-87 and today's team, that team probably stands out as the best Iowa team in since 86-87 and before this year. It had everything you could want on a team.....it was the best defensive team under Mr. Davis, it could score inside with Earl and Street and could score outside with Val Barnes, it was a great rebounding team with 2 guys averaging over 9 rebounds a game. Had Street not passed, I'm convinced this was a Final Four team.
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Agreed. If that 1992-93 team had remained intact, I'm thinking they would have been probably a top 2 seed.. Without Street they ended up a 4.. They took Duke down to the wire in Cameron, and beat an ISU team with Hoiberg, etc. by nearly 30, and beat the Fab 5 even without Street.

That 1992-93 team was pretty darn good. Best team since 1987 IMO, certainly before this year.
 
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