Team still has a "losers mentality"

Keep in mind Iowa only lost ONE player from a team that has lost 20 games in back-to-back seasons. So that leaves a lot of players who haven't ever experienced a winning culture around this program. They have a "losing mentality" because that's all they have known. This is the biggest challenge for Fran. Once Lickliter's guys are gone, then that should improve. The fact still remains this team would find it tough to compete in some mid-major conferences because of both this mentality and lack of talent. Iowa still only has talent really that is of mid-major grade. That changes next season when we should start seeing a different mindset and caliber of athlete. I'm not sure why so many were expecting so much from this team because I didn't, I kept in mind what I just stated above. I have a different attitude toward Fran and basketball because the guy is only in year 2 of a historical mess he's trying to clean up and change an entire mindset of both fans and players. Kirk on the other hand is a 13 year veteran and more is expected out his teams because he's done it and should maintain it. Kirk has less excuses for failure because of his success in the past. You know he can, so more is expected of him.

Count me in with Bus as I can't believe I agree with you. Anyone who wants to hate on Fran right now is an idiot. Cole needs to fly back from Iceland and sneak into GO's jersey. I am sure no one would notice.
 
Count me in with Bus as I can't believe I agree with you. Anyone who wants to hate on Fran right now is an idiot. Cole needs to fly back from Iceland and sneak into GO's jersey. I am sure no one would notice.

It's hard to believe just how undervalued he was by Hawkeye fans. Even by me, and I gave him tons of credit for his leadership. It's becoming clear that it was nearly impossible to pay Cole his due last year. Still one of my favorite Hawks of all-time.
 
Count me in with Bus as I can't believe I agree with you. Anyone who wants to hate on Fran right now is an idiot. Cole needs to fly back from Iceland and sneak into GO's jersey. I am sure no one would notice.
It's hard to believe just how undervalued he was by Hawkeye fans. Even by me, and I gave him tons of credit for his leadership. It's becoming clear that it was nearly impossible to pay Cole his due last year. Still one of my favorite Hawks of all-time.

Good Lord we are gonna sound like butt buddies if we keep agreeing like this. Gatens is a take over the game kind of leader which apperently no one responds to.

Cole was a box some one out and follow my hard work leader. I am so upset, embarassed and ashamed at this team but that also applies to JC who is one of my favorite Hawks of all time. It just proves he was the glue.
 
Many of us told you this was coming. But people were saying that players who hadn't contributed for three years were all of a sudden going to turn into players.

Seriously, this team needs almost a complete turnover. And no, Basabe is an not all-conference type player.

People thought that after Gatens and May made the all-Frosh team as well.
 
Good Lord we are gonna sound like butt buddies if we keep agreeing like this. Gatens is a take over the game kind of leader which apperently no one responds to.

Cole was a box some one out and follow my hard work leader. I am so upset, embarassed and ashamed at this team but that also applies to JC who is one of my favorite Hawks of all time. It just proves he was the glue.

Sounds to me like you think we are missing Cole's leadership. How could he have a winners mentality?? Did he even play for the hawks when they had a winning record?
 
Sounds to me like you think we are missing Cole's leadership. How could he have a winners mentality?? Did he even play for the hawks when they had a winning record?

Obviously there are going to be some exceptions....Cole was a great leader in spite of playing for nothing but crappy teams. This year's team needs someone to step up in a similar way and at this point I dont see anyone who will/can fill that role
 
Obviously there are going to be some exceptions....Cole was a great leader in spite of playing for nothing but crappy teams. This year's team needs someone to step up in a similar way and at this point I dont see anyone who will/can fill that role

Gatens has the right mentality, but for whatever reason he just doesn't seem to have the same kind of connection with the other players that Cole had.

Matt is the more intense competitor (not to say Cole wasn't intense), and Cole seemed maybe a little more emotional/energetic. Both certainly have a lot of positive benefits, but this team definitely appears to need more of that energy, which Cole delivered night in, night out last year.
 
Gatens has the right mentality, but for whatever reason he just doesn't seem to have the same kind of connection with the other players that Cole had.

Matt is the more intense competitor (not to say Cole wasn't intense), and Cole seemed maybe a little more emotional/energetic. Both certainly have a lot of positive benefits, but this team definitely appears to need more of that energy, which Cole delivered night in, night out last year.

Great post... I'm not sure any of us know the entire scenario without being in the locker room or at practice or with the players day in and day out but I agree the players seemed to respond better to Cole.

I think Gatens knows he should be the leader and almost forces himself into this role. I'm not sure why it doesn't work, but it doesn't. I would use the example tonight after Gatens hit a couple of free throws and were starting to put together a little run and he was trying to get the team fired up and extended a hand to Basabe for a high five and Basabe didn't even acknowledge him. Gatens had to go up to him a 2nd time and say something.
 
Great post... I'm not sure any of us know the entire scenario without being in the locker room or at practice or with the players day in and day out but I agree the players seemed to respond better to Cole.

I think Gatens knows he should be the leader and almost forces himself into this role. I'm not sure why it doesn't work, but it doesn't. I would use the example tonight after Gatens hit a couple of free throws and were starting to put together a little run and he was trying to get the team fired up and extended a hand to Basabe for a high five and Basabe didn't even acknowledge him. Gatens had to go up to him a 2nd time and say something.

How is that not being a leader? To me that is being a leader. He called him out and said get back here and slap my f*cking hand. He could have just let it go. I've noticed Basabe isn't slapping anyone's hand on free throws either.
 
How is that not being a leader? To me that is being a leader. He called him out and said get back here and slap my f*cking hand. He could have just let it go. I've noticed Basabe isn't slapping anyone's hand on free throws either.

I think Gatens is trying his hardest to be a leader, but my question is are the other players responding to his leadership?
 
I think Gatens is trying his hardest to be a leader, but my question is are the other players responding to his leadership?

I agree with you I'm just saying in that specific situation. He tries to be. He and Cartwright both need to be.
 
I think Gatens is trying his hardest to be a leader, but my question is are the other players responding to his leadership?

He definitely does all the right things, just like in the situation with Basabe tonight. You don't just let that kind of thing slide, you get in their face and tell them to pick it up. From the outside looking in, Gatens is a pretty prototypical leader.

But for whatever reason, guys (or at least Basabe) don't seem to be responding to him. It's a real head-scratcher.
 
Missing Cole is not the reason that we are bad. We were bad last year. This team lacks talent and athleticism, pure and simple.
 
This team has a losers athleticism. They were the least athletic team in the B1G last year. They added two marginal (at best) athletes and a raw big man.

How were they still not going to be the least athletic team in the conference?
 
It took Hayden Fry until his third year to produce a winner.
It took Lute Olsen three years to produce a decent product.
It took KF until his third year to be competitive.

See the pattern????
 
Agree with others that until McCaffrey flushes guys he was stuck with out, expectations can't be too high. Gatens, May, McCabe, Ogelsby and Archie do not scream big ten talent or fit into his style of play. 1-2 of these guys ok, but 5, no way. Have to suck it up this season and take more lumps. We aren't 1-2 players away, we are 1-2 recruiting classes away.

I did pay attention to Basabe at the line and per jba's post, he does not slap hands with teammates. Gatens extended his and Basabe ignored him until Gatens stuck it in his face basically. Basabe appears to be sulking.
 
It took Hayden Fry until his third year to produce a winner.
It took Lute Olsen three years to produce a decent product.
It took KF until his third year to be competitive.

See the pattern????

I'll give you Olsen comparison but Football and basketball=Pineapples and oranges...it takes one or two bball players to make a program.
 
This team has a losers athleticism.


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really hard for me to admit this but Fran does not have a lot of talent to work with, I drank the Kool-aid and thought we could go 16-14 and maybe 6-10 in the big ten, doesn't look good without a center, and Cartwright and Baasbe struggling, I just thought we would be more improved than last yr

I still think Fran is the right coach and I love his honesty I just wish his team played better defense and rebounded better.
 
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