Story: Iowa Basketball Active in Transfer Portal

RobHowe said:
Some of the donors with deep pockets don't see eye to eye with Fran for reasons you may not think about. If I were him or the Swarm looking for hoops support, I'd reach out to the Krauses. Maybe he has.
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Rob, you can't toss that tantalizing nugget out without a bit more detail...
 
Chickenlounge said:
Who's that obnoxious guy that sits courtside across from the bench? Maybe he could move a couple rows back and pony up his savings for some NIL deals...
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Brent Feller. Total sociopath. Has donated millions.

Met him once at Carver during a wrestling dual in the event room named after him. I had no business being there with those rich folk but I know the Iowa coaches pretty well from back in the 80s, and chatting before the dual they told me and another mutual friend to go down there during intermission and hang out if we wanted. It's where all the rich pricks go at halftime of basketball games and wrestling intermission if you notice all those people from the stands going in the tunnel. Really weird and awkward to begin with hanging out with people who have 3 plus figures more net worth than me, but Feller is a whole new level of weird. He struck me as a John DuPont type without the hallucinations and murder. I was naive and had no idea the crowd I was walking into...not my kinda place.

He's the one who got into a beef with Dave Revsine (Big Ten announcer) about him standing and blocking the view of the TV crew. Feller basically took the Leona Helmsley route and told him that he pays so much money that it doesn't matter what the little people think and how Revsine wouldn't understand the fandom of people like him (Feller).

Absolute shitbird, that guy.
 
So, I guess here are some of my questions. I have donated to the Swarm. When I did, I was not asked where I wanted my donation allocated. I assume that my donation was going into an overall pot that is being used to help Iowa athletics. Like, when Elite Casino donated 500k a few months back... does that 500k go to Football or like, did they say, hey we want 200k to football, 200k to basketball, 100k to women's basketball?

I guess what I am asking is, when you donate to the swarm, who decides how that money is spent?

How can Fran control that? Does Fran control that? He doesn't work for our collective. I get that it's his program and raising funds is part of his gig, but like, what control does Fran have?

Is it possible that the reason we have "little league" money compared to the SEC be because it's being mismanaged? Maybe mismanaged is too strong of a word, but is it possible that the collective puts a higher weight and concentration on Football vs basketball? I feel like that might be the case here If it all goes into a pot and it's all distributed towards football and very little is being marked for hoops....

I feel like and I'm in the frame of mind reading through the tea leaves that Fran's more likely getting the short end of the stick from our NIL vs. not being a big enough booster or ambassador for Iowa basketball. I don't think that bodes well for the next coach we try to hire and if I were Fran, I'd be doing whatever I could to get the f out of Iowa City.
 
InGoodCo said:
So, I guess here are some of my questions. I have donated to the Swarm. When I did, I was not asked where I wanted my donation allocated. I assume that my donation was going into an overall pot that is being used to help Iowa athletics. Like, when Elite Casino donated 500k a few months back... does that 500k go to Football or like, did they say, hey we want 200k to football, 200k to basketball, 100k to women's basketball?

I guess what I am asking is, when you donate to the swarm, who decides how that money is spent?

How can Fran control that? Does Fran control that? He doesn't work for our collective. I get that it's his program and raising funds is part of his gig, but like, what control does Fran have?

Is it possible that the reason we have "little league" money compared to the SEC be because it's being mismanaged? Maybe mismanaged is too strong of a word, but is it possible that the collective puts a higher weight and concentration on Football vs basketball? I feel like that might be the case here If it all goes into a pot and it's all distributed towards football and very little is being marked for hoops....

I feel like and I'm in the frame of mind reading through the tea leaves that Fran's more likely getting the short end of the stick from our NIL vs. not being a big enough booster or ambassador for Iowa basketball. I don't think that bodes well for the next coach we try to hire and if I were Fran, I'd be doing whatever I could to get the f out of Iowa City.
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I don't know the answers, but I do think the Big East now has a huge advantage in basketball since they don't need to compete with their football team for roster dollars.

If it's not already, I think it'll quickly become the top conference. It's absolutely loaded top to bottom with potential final four type programs.

Crazy how Creighton was in the MVC not that long ago, and now might be a top 10 job. And I'm assuming St. John's wins a national title in the next few years.
 
SwirlinLingerie said:
I don't know the answers, but I do think the Big East now has a huge advantage in basketball since they don't need to compete with their football team for roster dollars.

If it's not already, I think it'll quickly become the top conference. It's absolutely loaded top to bottom with potential final four type programs.

Crazy how Creighton was in the MVC not that long ago, and now might be a top 10 job. And I'm assuming St. John's wins a national title in the next few years.
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See, and I kind of expected the exact opposite. I assumed the Big East would struggle to keep up with the B1G and the SEC because they DON'T have football revenue and that these schools collectives would not completely ignore the hoops program. I figured schools like Creighton, Uconn, etc. would get crushed by schools with the all mighty football dough rolling in, but at least in Iowa's case, that doesn't appear to be what is unfolding.

I am guessing a nice chunk of our NIL goes to Caitlin Clark as well. Which, she's worth every penny, but I just have a hard time blaming Fran because I don't know how this works and how he can control any of it. IMO, just by reading what you hear online.... it sounds like the Swarm isn't giving Iowa enough support and there's no reason for that. There is no reason that the B1G would have 'little league" money for hoops vs. an SEC team unless the collective isn't making sure they are competitive in basketball NIL recruiting. I don't know how that falls on Fran, and I don't think he likely has a lot of say, but I'd love for it to be explained to me better.
 
Fryowa said:
Brent Feller. Total sociopath. Has donated millions.

Met him once at Carver during a wrestling dual in the event room named after him. I had no business being there with those rich folk but I know the Iowa coaches pretty well from back in the 80s, and chatting before the dual they told me and another mutual friend to go down there during intermission and hang out if we wanted. It's where all the rich pricks go at halftime of basketball games and wrestling intermission if you notice all those people from the stands going in the tunnel. Really weird and awkward to begin with hanging out with people who have 3 plus figures more net worth than me, but Feller is a whole new level of weird. He struck me as a John DuPont type without the hallucinations and murder. I was naive and had no idea the crowd I was walking into...not my kinda place.

He's the one who got into a beef with Dave Revsine (Big Ten announcer) about him standing and blocking the view of the TV crew. Feller basically took the Leona Helmsley route and told him that he pays so much money that it doesn't matter what the little people think and how Revsine wouldn't understand the fandom of people like him (Feller).

Absolute shitbird, that guy.
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One of these nights Dr Feller is going to get T'd. Then he can deal with the wrath of Fran.
 
RobHowe said:
Some of the donors with deep pockets don't see eye to eye with Fran for reasons you may not think about. If I were him or the Swarm looking for hoops support, I'd reach out to the Krauses. Maybe he has.
Click to expand...
Rob, considering the job Fran has done, the players he's produced and the unheralded (first coach in school history to have his team NCAA eligible 5 years in a row) results..... his involvement in the community, the roots they've laid over the last plus decade, his work and donation to the hospital and cancer research and his kids being model athletes, pillar's in the community and the Iowa brand.

I would take a guess that Iowa likely has as many wins in the B1G the last decade or so then all of maybe 4 or 5 programs. I would also think that besides Izzo and Painter, Fran has the most wins of any coach in the B1G current day.


all that said... and with what you dropped here, how do you think that sits with Fran?





​

 
InGoodCo said:
So, I guess here are some of my questions. I have donated to the Swarm. When I did, I was not asked where I wanted my donation allocated. I assume that my donation was going into an overall pot that is being used to help Iowa athletics. Like, when Elite Casino donated 500k a few months back... does that 500k go to Football or like, did they say, hey we want 200k to football, 200k to basketball, 100k to women's basketball?

I guess what I am asking is, when you donate to the swarm, who decides how that money is spent?

How can Fran control that? Does Fran control that? He doesn't work for our collective. I get that it's his program and raising funds is part of his gig, but like, what control does Fran have?

Is it possible that the reason we have "little league" money compared to the SEC be because it's being mismanaged? Maybe mismanaged is too strong of a word, but is it possible that the collective puts a higher weight and concentration on Football vs basketball? I feel like that might be the case here If it all goes into a pot and it's all distributed towards football and very little is being marked for hoops....

I feel like and I'm in the frame of mind reading through the tea leaves that Fran's more likely getting the short end of the stick from our NIL vs. not being a big enough booster or ambassador for Iowa basketball. I don't think that bodes well for the next coach we try to hire and if I were Fran, I'd be doing whatever I could to get the f out of Iowa City.
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I get it that there are two different funding mechanisms/goals. NIL is completely different from Barta generating revenue for the athletic department. I think you know that but I don't think Fran would have any say with the NIL $$.
 
MelroseHawkins said:
I get it that there are two different funding mechanisms/goals. NIL is completely different from Barta generating revenue for the athletic department. I think you know that but I don't think Fran would have any say with the NIL $$.
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Exactly, so I am trying to find where this is a Fran issue. It's an Iowa issue.
 
InGoodCo said:
So, I guess here are some of my questions. I have donated to the Swarm. When I did, I was not asked where I wanted my donation allocated. I assume that my donation was going into an overall pot that is being used to help Iowa athletics. Like, when Elite Casino donated 500k a few months back... does that 500k go to Football or like, did they say, hey we want 200k to football, 200k to basketball, 100k to women's basketball?

I guess what I am asking is, when you donate to the swarm, who decides how that money is spent?

How can Fran control that? Does Fran control that? He doesn't work for our collective. I get that it's his program and raising funds is part of his gig, but like, what control does Fran have?

Is it possible that the reason we have "little league" money compared to the SEC be because it's being mismanaged? Maybe mismanaged is too strong of a word, but is it possible that the collective puts a higher weight and concentration on Football vs basketball? I feel like that might be the case here If it all goes into a pot and it's all distributed towards football and very little is being marked for hoops....

I feel like and I'm in the frame of mind reading through the tea leaves that Fran's more likely getting the short end of the stick from our NIL vs. not being a big enough booster or ambassador for Iowa basketball. I don't think that bodes well for the next coach we try to hire and if I were Fran, I'd be doing whatever I could to get the f out of Iowa City.
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If the total sum is paltry, in comparison, we can only pay so much no matter which sport

I believe the Football program brings in more revenue, much more than the Mens' Basketball Team

The Womens' basketball team is a money-maker and they played to almost full houses all season
and elevated Womens' Basketball to very high levels during The Dance, and will continue to bring
folk to fill the seats next season

Lotta high rollers have graduated from Iowa and it appears that they must step up rather than
purchasing another Maserati, Ferrari, or Tesla for the children

Let them eat Cake, or drive a Honda

Seems as though we will need Cash to put a better team on the floor

Of course, we also have the Florida Atlantics, San Diego States, and Creightons on fire in the Dance
Not certain they have the cash coming in like the Duke, Kansas, and North Carolina, etc
 
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thedukeofearl said:
Perhaps we can afford this Cat from France who is the projected Number One Pick in the NBA Draft

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Interesting enough, I don’t think international players can collect NIL at this point. I am sure the wheels are moving to make that happen but as of now nah. It’s a little trickie with education visa’s and sponsorships and if they’re eligible for hire in the US.
 
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