So you have 6 really good programs right now that are trying to win it every year and 7 other programs saying "why not us". I don't think it's as easy as you think it is.
The fact of the matter is....
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So you have 6 really good programs right now that are trying to win it every year and 7 other programs saying "why not us". I don't think it's as easy as you think it is.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
Half of the conference has managed to get there in the past 10 years. It can't be that hard. You just need an AD that has that expectation when he hires a coach. See Barry Alvarez - Bo Ryan.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
Every team "challenges" for the BIG title at the start of every season. It doesn't take 7 years to win a conference title. Anyone can make the NIT in year 7. We've seen Fran's mountain (rd 2 blow out) and now we are back in the valley with an NIT bid (maybe).
SteveGarvey1
Well-Known Member
Because that would require actually having perspective and that's a quality many on this board have no interest in acquiring.
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
Exactly. A fantastic point for all of the "we shouldn't be at this point in year 7" people. If Kentucky loses a first round NIT game after the years you just mentioned, then I don't get those who think Iowa should never have a down year. Not that this program should ever be compared to UK, anyway.
What I'd realistically (key word - REALISTICALLY) like to see out of this program: Make the NCAA tournament most years, and have a year where they challenge for the Big 10 regular season title and make the Sweet 16 maybe 2-4+ times a decade. Actually WIN the Big 10 at least once per decade and hit the Elite 8 or better. Seems like a fairly realistic bar to set, as far as I'm concerned. Ambitious, yes, but if Wisconsin can do it...
Would be nice to see the Hawks make the Final Four again someday. Easier said than done on that, but again, if the VCU's, Butlers and George Masons of the world can do it, then I think Iowa could do it again someday, too.
BrueCrew3
Well-Known Member
Next level = Battling for top tier in the B1G most years (if not every year), consistent Dancer, realistic chances at 4 or 5 star recruits.
Is Iowa there yet? Almost. This year is a speed bump and I'm OK with that because Iowa is starting a lot of underclassmen with a lot of upside. Add what is coming in and this is a team poised to move up.
Just my $.02 .. ..
GO HAWKS!!!
Is Iowa there yet? Almost. This year is a speed bump and I'm OK with that because Iowa is starting a lot of underclassmen with a lot of upside. Add what is coming in and this is a team poised to move up.
Just my $.02 .. ..
GO HAWKS!!!
I completely agree with those expectations. The one thing I'll add is in my opinion, you don't fire a coach who comes close to those. Right now, I think we are in a position where we will make the NCAA in 6 out of 7 years. He has also competed for the conference title at least once so far. We were in it pretty late Marble's senior year too but I'm not sure it was late enough to count as a second.
If we compete for championships two years straight two years from now, I'll be happy with Fran even if he falls just short of winning one.
As far as the tournament goes, I'm more concerned with seeds we get more than how far we make it. The tournament is a crap shoot so I don't put a lot of stock in a coaches performance based on how we do in it. I don't blame Fran for our 3 straight first round losses in the Big 10 tournament any more than I credit Alford for his runs in the tournament. Or blame him for the loss as a 3 seed for that matter.
Alvarez either is exceptional at spotting a good coach or he got lucky with Ryan. Either way, hiring a diamond in the rough, future hall of fame coach had nothing to do with expectations. It's not like he went out and hired Izzo or coach K.
Now of he had fired a bunch of average to slightly above average coaches before finding Ryan, then it would have been about expectations. That was about skill as an evaluator or random luck.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
Everything Alvarez does revolves around winning! He won't tolerate excuses. He never has. If I told you some of the things he did as the football coach at Mason City, you'd probably call me a liar.
It's a simple matter of having the expectations that you CAN win a conference title here or at Wisconsin and then finding the right guy to do the job.
You need look no further than Wisconsin to see the truth in that. Dog shit program in football and basketball before Alvarez went to Madison. Now look at them. He turned that football program around as HC and kept them there, while elevating the basketball program as AD.
The rest of your excuses are just that. Excuses. Keep your excuses to yourself when you comment to me. I got no time for them.
trj
Well-Known Member
Alvarez didn't hire Dick Bennent, but it all started with him. Yoder had some decent teams. Stu Jackson wasn't there long, but the program never really took a step back when he was there. Bennent established the current culture of Wisky basketball and Ryan boosted it to another level.
I agree. The football team has 11 or 12 Big championships in 115 years or about one every 10 years. The basketball team hasnt won an outright regular season title since the 1970 team I think. I think they shared one title under Lute around 1982. Alford was close but I dont think he tied for a title. Mr. Davis close once or twice.
And I think since 1970 there is more blue blood in football to go against than in basketball. So it is way past time this program produced a winner.
And as the recent thread said we need a top flight point guard like a BJ, Oliver, or a Woolridge. A top flight pt guard can get dunks for big men and set up shooters for wide open shots and drives.
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trj
Well-Known Member
So basically, another fire Fran thread.
Yep. You know how it works. You will have extremes on both sides and the answer is somewhere in the middle.
thedukeofearl
Well-Known Member
I've been waiting ever since 1979 for another BigTen conference men's basketball championship.....
That is approximately 38 years......
Been a while, but I must agree, no Big title this season and Fran Must be relieved of duty.....
Championships haven't been all that frequent for the Hawks, having won conference championships in: 1923, 1926, 1945, 1955, 1956, 1968, 1970, 1979.....
If you do the math, that is three conference championships in approximately 60 years. So yes, I do understand your valid reasoning. Fran MUST GO.....
Perfect.....
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ShockHawk22
Well-Known Member
If you can't figure out how to use the reply button, you shouldn't start threads. Especially dumb ones.
HawkPrdatr40
Well-Known Member
And this post proves your nothing but a TROLL.. All you do is whine and complain! Furthermore it isn't just us fans talking about the potential with this team..
STLhawkeye20
Well-Known Member
The grass is always greener. What if we lose in the Elite 8 next year? Will you be complaining that Fran will never take us to the Final Four? Winning in the Big Ten (and the Dance) is hard man. There are lots of good programs that are trying just as hard as Iowa to compete. Making the Dance three years in a row is pretty solid. What more can you ask for? Sure, there have been some late season debacles, B1G Tourney uber failures, and limited success in the Dance, but I'm happy with where we're at. Now is not the time to hop off the train when the future looks bright with these kids. If this class (Williams, Bohannon, Pemsl, Cook, etc.) doesn't work out, then you might have an argument. Come back then.
What are you even talking about with excuses? I didn't even give an excuse. I simply pointed out that you make no sense saying Wisconsin is where they are at because they have high expectations. Say they are where they are because they have an AD that is really good at hiring the right coaches and then you will make some sense. I've got no time for someone who is stupid enough to say the reason Wisconsin is winning is because they have an AD that doesn't tolerate excuses when he hasn't even had to fire a head coach in basketball or football yet.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
If you do the math??? Lol. Better check your math on "28 years".I've been waiting ever since 1979 for another BigTen conference men's basketball championship.....
That is approximately 28 years......
Been a while, but I must agree, no Big title this season and Fran Must be relieved of duty.....
Championships haven't been all that frequent for the Hawks, having won conference championships in: 1923, 1926, 1945, 1955, 1956, 1968, 1970, 1979.....
If you do the math, that is three conference championships in approximately 60 years. So yes, I do understand your valid reasoning. Fran MUST GO.....
Perfect.....
lightning1
Well-Known Member
You don't even recognize the excuses you post. Not surprised. Again, spare me the excuses and give me a coach that wins a BIG title.
