The Fran Conundrum

[InGoodCo]

This blows my mind to hear someone question if he's had enough time.

He's had plenty of time, and had success and turned it around. There's no excuse in year 8 for it being enough time. Also, there is no argument that Fran has already turned the program around. The problem has been keeping it there and recognizing this is his first "bad" season since he turned around the program. What has Iowa had the last 4 seasons that this team doesn't? One senior that was a hit on recruiting. Marble, White, Uthoff, Jok. This senior and junior classes were misses. He brought both of them in with no NCAA appearances and a play in game to recruit to. His under class players, the freshman and sophomores, are starting and playing over the Jr and Sr classes because they are far more talented and came to Iowa when we had more to sell.

This is all on Fran and now he has to deal with it or he'll be gone, but I think instead of using where the program was when Lick tanked it, it's a better exercise to look at how we got here. You've said it a lot 56 - he missed on his first PG offers, went to back up plans or took the best players available (Nunge and Garza) instead of signing a top flight PG and now here we are.

 

[PCHawk]

He's had plenty of time, and had success and turned it around. There's no excuse in year 8 for it being enough time. Also, there is no argument that Fran has already turned the program around. The problem has been keeping it there and recognizing this is his first "bad" season since he turned around the program. What has Iowa had the last 4 seasons that this team doesn't? One senior that was a hit on recruiting. Marble, White, Uthoff, Jok. This senior and junior classes were misses. He brought both of them in with no NCAA appearances and a play in game to recruit to. His under class players, the freshman and sophomores, are starting and playing over the Jr and Sr classes because they are far more talented and came to Iowa when we had more to sell.

This is all on Fran and now he has to deal with it or he'll be gone, but I think instead of using where the program was when Lick tanked it, it's a better exercise to look at how we got here. You've said it a lot 56 - he missed on his first PG offers, went to back up plans or took the best players available (Nunge and Garza) instead of signing a top flight PG and now here we are.

Well technically, if the junior and senior classes suck because of how bad the program was when he signed it, then that still has to do with Lick. Still tho, he should have done better in those classes and that's more of an argument against why we haven't peaked under Fran than why we suck absolute balls.

 

[Robowe]

To me it is not surprising. Folks talk about Fran not knowing how to use timeouts to stop the run by the other team. At this point, he needs a timeout for the whole program. The system, the head coach and the assistants, and the players need an overhaul or even an adjustment. However, I don't think Fran believes that, so I am not sure we will see changes (this season). The interesting part is if Iowa finished last (or close to last), will changes to the system, coaching staff, or players occur.

 

[BigD]

Sort of. Personally I think BJ Armstrong and Ronnie Lester were the best guards to ever play at Iowa. I'm sure I might get an argument from some of the old dudes from the Ralph Miller days though. I would love to see Iowa come up with another BJ Armstrong. I just think a good solid senior PG with some leadership ability could make a huge difference in this team. Wouldn't take a BJ Armstrong in my opinion. Fran needs to find that guy soon.

I agree about Ronnie and BJ being the best guards up to this point. I started to follow after Freddy Brown played. I heard he was one heck of a shooter from long range but I never heard much about him other than that. He did play professional basketball.

 

[Robowe]

I agree about Ronnie and BJ being the best guards up to this point. I started to follow after Freddy Brown played. I heard he was one heck of a shooter from long range but I never heard much about him other than that. He did play professional basketball.

Downtown Freddie Brown. Watch this clip from the NBA where he gets 34 points in the last 3 quarters (15-21 from the field). Listen to the crowd ooh and ah at his shots (it's a road game). I am not sure how many of these shots even hit rim. The last one is over Kareem!

 

[BigD]

Downtown Freddie Brown. Watch this clip from the NBA where he gets 34 points in the last 3 quarters (15-21 from the field). Listen to the crowd ooh and ah at his shots (it's a road game). I am not sure how many of these shots even hit rim. The last one is over Kareem!

Thanks for posting. The guy could definitely shoot it thus the nick name Down Town.

 

[Knight78]

There is no way he will end up top 30 because he committed to Iowa. The top 30 is reserved for guys who commit to blue bloods. And in my mind there's a difference between not firing your coach because his son is really good and coming in, and hiring someone else to bring in their son. Although I would be all for that too. Talent wins games.

So if the top thirty recruits are limited to the blue bloods then Oregon (#4, #20), Vanderbilt (#7, #13), Mississippi State (#15), Wake Forest (#28) and Arizona State (#30) are all blue blood programs? I intentionally left out Syracuse (#10), LSU (#16), Maryland (#22) and Illinois (#25) as they could be call potential blue bloods and were at one time. And those numbers do not include the nine 2018 recruits who have not yet committed.

Check for yourself: https://247sports.com/Season/2018-Basketball/Recruits

 

[Knight78]

Damn. The excuses are bleeding into recruiting.

So Weiskamp not playing on Friday and not accumulating more stats because he was sick with the flu (still is from what I have heard) is an excuse.

 

[Knight78]

So, the reports of him being cancer free were bullshit?

He has been cancer free since being diagnosed in his 8th grade year. That's three years. To be completely cancer free all experts will agree that at least 5 years is the minimum. He likely is still on a few prescriptions and has altered his diet - my brother in law still struggles with the aftereffects of cancer diagnosed in 1999.

 

[PCHawk]

So if the top thirty recruits are limited to the blue bloods then Oregon (#4, #20), Vanderbilt (#7, #13), Mississippi State (#15), Wake Forest (#28) and Arizona State (#30) are all blue blood programs? I intentionally left out Syracuse (#10), LSU (#16), Maryland (#22) and Illinois (#25) as they could be call potential blue bloods and were at one time. And those numbers do not include the nine 2018 recruits who have not yet committed.

Check for yourself: https://247sports.com/Season/2018-Basketball/Recruits

I simplified my post in an attempt to not make a 5 paragraph explanation of my point. Point is, if a top 100 guy commits to Kentucky, he will move up. If a top 100 guy commits to Iowa, he will move down. There are obvious exceptions to every rule. It doesn't mean the premise isn't accurate.

 

[thedukeofearl]

I simplified my post in an attempt to not make a 5 paragraph explanation of my point. Point is, if a top 100 guy commits to Kentucky, he will move up. If a top 100 guy commits to Iowa, he will move down. There are obvious exceptions to every rule. It doesn't mean the premise isn't accurate.

This has been observed

 

[DBQHAWK85]

He's had plenty of time, and had success and turned it around. There's no excuse in year 8 for it being enough time. Also, there is no argument that Fran has already turned the program around. The problem has been keeping it there and recognizing this is his first "bad" season since he turned around the program. What has Iowa had the last 4 seasons that this team doesn't? One senior that was a hit on recruiting. Marble, White, Uthoff, Jok. This senior and junior classes were misses. He brought both of them in with no NCAA appearances and a play in game to recruit to. His under class players, the freshman and sophomores, are starting and playing over the Jr and Sr classes because they are far more talented and came to Iowa when we had more to sell.

This is all on Fran and now he has to deal with it or he'll be gone, but I think instead of using where the program was when Lick tanked it, it's a better exercise to look at how we got here. You've said it a lot 56 - he missed on his first PG offers, went to back up plans or took the best players available (Nunge and Garza) instead of signing a top flight PG and now here we are.

Hands down my biggest knock on Fran... Scholarship management !!!

He has created a total mess of a roster!

AND the future doesn't look much better even though we will be getting much better players. Fran will still have a very unbalanced team. These kids deserve a true PG and a True 3 !!!

 

[dwghawk]

This blows my mind to hear someone question if he's had enough time.

This blows my mind to hear someone question if he's had enough time.

Well, how much time would you give him? What is so mind blowing about that question?

 

[PCHawk]

Well, how much time would you give him? What is so mind blowing about that question?

How much time to do what? He's already turned the program around. Now he's having a down year AFTER he turned us around. Pretty much all programs have down years.

 

[HawkGold]

How much time to do what? He's already turned the program around. Now he's having a down year AFTER he turned us around. Pretty much all programs have down years.

The year isn't over. Winning one or two games in conference is not common. When it happens the end results are not good. We have to see how this plays out. Winning 3 or 4 is much different than 0, 1, or 2 the rest of the way.

The latter is not simply having a bad year.

 

[PCHawk]

The year isn't over. Winning one or two games in conference is not common. When it happens the end results are not good. We have to see how this plays out. Winning 3 or 4 is much different than 0, 1, or 2 the rest of the way.

The latter is not simply having a bad year.

I agree. I love Fran more than most, but less that 4 or 5 wins means the next year will suck too 95% of the time. The bar can't be that low.

 

[Joshbrown]

The year isn't over. Winning one or two games in conference is not common. When it happens the end results are not good. We have to see how this plays out. Winning 3 or 4 is much different than 0, 1, or 2 the rest of the way.

The latter is not simply having a bad year.

Winning 3 games in your 9th year isn't failure? That's dumb.

 

[HawkGold]

Winning 3 games in your 9th year isn't failure? That's dumb.

It can happen. They aren't going to let him go if he wins 3 of the next 11 games. They just aren't going to do it.

But, you can call it dumb.

 

[dwghawk]

How much time to do what? He's already turned the program around. Now he's having a down year AFTER he turned us around. Pretty much all programs have down years.

I pretty much agree with this. A lot of people don't though. I do know switching coaches every 3 or 4 years for another hot mid major coach that will magically fix everything in 3 years is a pipe dream.

 

[Knight78]

How much time to do what? He's already turned the program around. Now he's having a down year AFTER he turned us around. Pretty much all programs have down years.

Correct. Even John Wooden had down years in his 5th and 6th years. In his 3rd and 4th years he won the Pacific Coast Conference. In his 5th and 6th years he finished in the middle of the pack in that conference. For those who are curious, he began his historic run of National Championships in his 16th season at UCLA.