Tale of two coaches

tweeterhawk

tweeterhawk

Well-Known Member
Four years ago the two major basketball programs in Iowa (sorry, UNI) hired new head coaches. One came in focused on rebuilding his program largely with four-year recruits, plugging holes as needed with JUCOs and transfers.

The other went after the best players available, whether four-year recruit, JUCO or transfer. Several of his players, in fact, did not fit in or were dismissed by other colleges. No matter; Father Hoiberg never met a bad boy and welcomed all with an approach derided by opponents and rival fans.

The results after four years:

Fran McCaffery - 74-62 (.544), 30-42 (.417) in league play. Has yet to appear in NCAA tournament with Iowa. Played in NIT at end of years 2 and 3, runner- up in 2013; after starting season 16-4, team slipped badly at end of year 4, going 1-6 over its final seven games and losing in the first round of the B1G tournament to a lower seeded Northwestern team it had defeated twice in the regular season. Fans question his substitution patterns and whether there is team chemistry, especially as the going got tougher in the conference. Team squarely on bubble for Selection Sunday.

Fred Hoiberg - 86-46 (.652), 37-33 (.529) league. Made it to third round of NCAA tournament in years 2 and 3. Won first game of conference tournament in year 4. Currently ranked 16th with 24-7 record, likely 3 or 4 seed on Selection Sunday. Fans squarely behind coach and team, bleed cardinal and gold.

I truly hate to say this, but Jamie Pollard, you made the better deal.
 
Pollard has been successful with 1 of his coaching hires.

Chizik- Fail
Rhoads- Fail
Whoever the wrestling coach is that has run that program into the ground- Fail
 
clicheusername3 said:
I'd rather do it the right way.
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While I agree with this thought based on eliminating the "character flaws" and individuals with troubled pasts, I agree completely with going the juco route and see nothing wrong with it. I've never hidden the fact that I'm a die hard juco fan and have seen a great bit of talent come and go that route that could of/have made an impact at the division 1 level. I truly feel its an untapped resource and the gap in talent levels between the top juco players in the nation and the Division 1 level isn't as gapped as many believe.
 
kicker22 said:
While I agree with this thought based on eliminating the "character flaws" and individuals with troubled pasts, I agree completely with going the juco route and see nothing wrong with it. I've never hidden the fact that I'm a die hard juco fan and have seen a great bit of talent come and go that route that could of/have made an impact at the division 1 level. I truly feel its an untapped resource and the gap in talent levels between the top juco players in the nation and the Division 1 level isn't as gapped as many believe.
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I think he was being sarcastic, but maybe I am wrong.
 
images


Clown Mole?

The query must be made.
 
Hoiberg took that basket case Royce White and made him a first round draft pick.

El Mayor has the touch with the nutjobs, a skill he prolly picked up in the NBA
 
fsanford said:
I think he was being sarcastic, but maybe I am wrong.
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Agreed with the sarcasm, but I truely think that where Hoiberg is commonly criticized for going the juco route I think it is very beneficial to their success adn an untapped resource. That said, I think there's a fine line between most juco prospects and some of the "questionable decision" and past history's of some of the guys Fred has offered. But overall I think he's on to something and there should be more recruiting at the juco level.
 
ThunderHawk said:
Hoiberg took that basket case Royce White and made him a bust of a first round draft pick.

El Mayor has the touch with the nutjobs, a skill he prolly picked up in the NBA
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FIFY

Edit: Not sure knowing what NBA GMs know now that he'd be a first round draft pick, or even drafted, if they could have a do over.
 
ISU is VERY fortunate to have a coach that grew up a Clown fans in Lames of all places. I am sure he loves it there and I can't imagine what job it would take for him to ever leave. He has done a fantastic job of making teams out of the nut cases (with talent) he has brought in. The have the edge over us in BB now and Idon't know if we ever will overtake them.
 
kicker22 said:
FIFY

Edit: Not sure knowing what NBA GMs know now that he'd be a first round draft pick, or even drafted, if they could have a do over.
Click to expand...

The point. You're missing it.

Royce was a nutcase when he showed up in L'Ames. El Mayor reigned that nutcasery in through some ungodly feat long enough to get that freak to perform at an elite level. Royce's reversion to his mean after leaving El Mayor's graces reveals something about both of them. El Mayor must be some kind of master psychologist, or he was shoveling drugs into Royce's Gatorade.

NO NBA GM would draft that head case knowing now what they should have seen then.
 
All sarcasm aside, watch Hoiberg (if you can stomach watching the clowns) on the sideline during a game. Dude is a pro...cool, collected, intense but with his sh!t totally together even in the highest stakes situations. Looks like he's been there before.

I don't recall ever seeing him freak out, nor do I ever recall him sporting a Lickliteresque disinterested derpface.

Those guys on that team have complete faith in their leader. They have totally bought in and it shows.

And it sucks because it's ISUck we're talking about.
 
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