The future of Iowa BB

[hawkeye12345]

“Competitive to win the championship? I’m not saying that,â€￾ said longtime TV broadcaster Mac McCausland. “Competitive enough to challenge for an NCAA berth in the middle? I am saying that’s what’s on the horizon.â€￾

What he said.

 

[ShadasRevenge]

“Competitive to win the championship? I’m not saying that,â€￾ said longtime TV broadcaster Mac McCausland. “Competitive enough to challenge for an NCAA berth in the middle? I am saying that’s what’s on the horizon.â€￾

What he said.

What most of us having been saying most of the season.

 

[dncolo2]

I've come to the conclusion Iowa basketball will become about as relevant as Iowa men's tennis and track, women's rowing, etc.

What I mean is sure, people will care to some degree, but the standards will become so low that most, including the athletic department, will be content with just fielding a team and that we just convince ourselves we are doing as good as we can ever hope to do.

I can absolutely see Lickliter being here the full term of his contract and likely longer- considering the fact at some point they need to extend his contract for recruiting purposes. I think if Lickliter gets Iowa just one NIT bid in the seven years that will rank as acceptable.

The catch-22 here is as long as Iowa football remains very very strong, Iowa basketball matters less and less to all parties and that's how 9 win, 12 win, 16 win seasons in basketball become very acceptable.

 

[busabus114]

I've come to the conclusion Iowa basketball will become about as relevant as Iowa men's tennis and track, women's rowing, etc.

What I mean is sure, people will care to some degree, but the standards will become so low that most, including the athletic department, will be content with just fielding a team and that we just convince ourselves we are doing as good as we can ever hope to do.

I can absolutely see Lickliter being here the full term of his contract and likely longer- considering the fact at some point they need to extend his contract for recruiting purposes. I think if Lickliter gets Iowa just one NIT bid in the seven years that will rank as acceptable.

The catch-22 here is as long as Iowa football remains very very strong, Iowa basketball matters less and less to all parties and that's how 9 win, 12 win, 16 win seasons in basketball become very acceptable.

I doubt 9-12 win bball seasons will ever become acceptable. Your viewpoint is as negative as ive seen

 

[dncolo2]

I doubt 9-12 win bball seasons will ever become acceptable. Your viewpoint is as negative as ive seen

My post was my "realistic" belief. It's your problem if you want to see it as negative.

 

[ShadasRevenge]

My post was my "realistic" belief. It's your problem if you want to see it as negative.

You really think that?

 

[busabus114]

My post was my "realistic" belief. It's your problem if you want to see it as negative.

Your "realistic belief" is that Iowa bball will be on the same level as rowing and tennis? And that isnt negative?

 

[dncolo2]

I say ultimately on the same level as them as far as we field teams but there's a contentment with poor results. Yes I think that's a real possibility.

Iowa tennis has a coach whose been here around 25 years and I believe Iowa has never finished better than 4th in his entire career. Coach W has been at the helm for close to 15 years now in track and what's the best Iowa has ever finished there?

Those results are accepted and tolerated. Yes I can see the same thing happening in basketball here.

Is there more fan interest in basketball than those sports? Are the stakes higher in basketball? Yes and yes.

But I'm talking about what's considered acceptable performance -wise. I don't think Iowa has the bar placed high when it comes to expected performance with their basketball program.

You disagree with that? And if you do, what evidence do you have over the past 11 years?

 

[koolhandlick]

It seems that the Iowa baseball program has been near the bottom of the Big Ten for the last several years and A.D. Barta is letting this go on without making any coaching changes ect. It also seems painfully evident that he is going to take the same do nothing stance with the men's basketball program. You would think that an A.D. would only accept the failure of these programs for so long. It looks to me like the time has come.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

“Competitive to win the championship? I’m not saying that,” said longtime TV broadcaster Mac McCausland. “Competitive enough to challenge for an NCAA berth in the middle? I am saying that’s what’s on the horizon.”

What he said.

Heck anyone could say this. I'm mean really give me a break.


Right now saying it and doing it are very far apart...

 

[bud2380]

I say ultimately on the same level as them as far as we field teams but there's a contentment with poor results. Yes I think that's a real possibility.

Iowa tennis has a coach whose been here around 25 years and I believe Iowa has never finished better than 4th in his entire career. Coach W has been at the helm for close to 15 years now in track and what's the best Iowa has ever finished there?

Those results are accepted and tolerated. Yes I can see the same thing happening in basketball here.

Is there more fan interest in basketball than those sports? Are the stakes higher in basketball? Yes and yes.

But I'm talking about what's considered acceptable performance -wise. I don't think Iowa has the bar placed high when it comes to expected performance with their basketball program.

You disagree with that? And if you do, what evidence do you have over the past 11 years?

I disagree entirely with what you are saying. Do you seriously think basketball will be as unpopular as tennis??? If you think that, then you are delusional. People don't give a crap if we don't win in tennis. People care very much that we don't win in basketball. Your attitude is very much in line with much of America recently. That is, 'something happened lets make it be the best or worst thing ever'. Everything in this country is now over dramatized, which is exactly what your statements are. .500 or below records will never be acceptable as the norm, but certainly they can happen from time to time especially during a rebuilding process. You can't reasonably go from 10-20 to 20-10 in one year. Could happen, but probably won't. People need to realize this and unfortunately most don't.

 

[trj]

I've come to the conclusion Iowa basketball will become about as relevant as Iowa men's tennis and track, women's rowing, etc.

What I mean is sure, people will care to some degree, but the standards will become so low that most, including the athletic department, will be content with just fielding a team and that we just convince ourselves we are doing as good as we can ever hope to do.

I can absolutely see Lickliter being here the full term of his contract and likely longer- considering the fact at some point they need to extend his contract for recruiting purposes. I think if Lickliter gets Iowa just one NIT bid in the seven years that will rank as acceptable.

The catch-22 here is as long as Iowa football remains very very strong, Iowa basketball matters less and less to all parties and that's how 9 win, 12 win, 16 win seasons in basketball become very acceptable.

I have seen this theory and ones similiar to this being espoused a lot lately. If this is the case, then Barta is in over his head.

 

[seepig]

Well Barta is in over his head....he has less of a clue than Inspector Clousseau. Additionally, has anyone seen Alford's record at NM...are we missing him yet? I'm not there yet but getting close.

 

[Hawkize1]

You all know how long and bad this winter has been, weather wise, well I can tell you it would not have felt as long or as bad, if we had a decent basketball team to watch and help us all get through this winter. We need new leadership for this program. I need to feel some semblance of hope when we play other Big Ten teams, I don't right now. I've been a Hawkeye Fan all my life and I feel somehow cheated with this team and it's leadership.
The transfers, the problems with drinking, the mounting losses, (Iowa basketball will lose a school record amount of games this season) the dissapointing lack of a disernable offensive style. I hate seeing this like it is, and apathy is starting to creep in on me. I'm fighting it because I love the U of I and the memories I can take with me everyday are keeping me from being a total basket case.
Please don't put me through another year like this!
Lets call this experiment a failure, move on to a coach and system that can bring Iowa Basketball back to prominence.

 

[JonDMiller]

The problem we have is that I never thought it could get this bad...and it wasn't overnight...it has been a slow erosion...a slow erosion in the attendance column, which means a slow erosion of interest.

Sure, if they get back to winning and finishing in the upper half of the league, that will get some people back in the arena. But the balance of interest and passion has shifted to football...I think people will still watch Iowa basketball if it becomes relevant again, but that might just be on TV or at their sports bar.

The challenge will be to get people passionate enough to buy tickets again, and that is going to be a longer process, I am afraid...it will have to be accompanied by sustained success...and I am not sure that is visible on the immediate horizon.

 

[HeneryHawk]

It probably isnt visible in an alternate universe either.

 

[cibula11]

I've come to the conclusion Iowa basketball will become about as relevant as Iowa men's tennis and track, women's rowing, etc.

What I mean is sure, people will care to some degree, but the standards will become so low that most, including the athletic department, will be content with just fielding a team and that we just convince ourselves we are doing as good as we can ever hope to do.

I can absolutely see Lickliter being here the full term of his contract and likely longer- considering the fact at some point they need to extend his contract for recruiting purposes. I think if Lickliter gets Iowa just one NIT bid in the seven years that will rank as acceptable.

The catch-22 here is as long as Iowa football remains very very strong, Iowa basketball matters less and less to all parties and that's how 9 win, 12 win, 16 win seasons in basketball become very acceptable.

I don't seeing 9,12, or 16 win seasons EVER becoming acceptable. Easier to deal with, yes, but not acceptable.

 

[HawkeyeRyno]

I say ultimately on the same level as them as far as we field teams but there's a contentment with poor results. Yes I think that's a real possibility.

Iowa tennis has a coach whose been here around 25 years and I believe Iowa has never finished better than 4th in his entire career. Coach W has been at the helm for close to 15 years now in track and what's the best Iowa has ever finished there?

Those results are accepted and tolerated. Yes I can see the same thing happening in basketball here.

Is there more fan interest in basketball than those sports? Are the stakes higher in basketball? Yes and yes.

But I'm talking about what's considered acceptable performance -wise. I don't think Iowa has the bar placed high when it comes to expected performance with their basketball program.

You disagree with that? And if you do, what evidence do you have over the past 11 years?

I understand what dncolo2 is saying and am wondering if this is going to happen as well. I don't think he is saying basketball will be as "unpopular" as tennis anymore but apathy is becoming so great that if this goes on much longer it won't matter what changes are done or improvements because people will have "moved on" with other interests.

Iowa is more of an educational institution first than the likes of USC which is a athletic institution first. What is occurring at Iowa would absolutely not be acceptable at USC. As long as the football team continues their success and Iowa basketball fades further to irrelevantcy, I can see how this becomes reality. It would be a reality similar to that at Duke where basketball is king and football is an afterthought. Expecations and interest are so low for football that a coach can survive longer even with poor performance because their basketball program is so strong and supportive.

 

[busabus114]

The problem we have is that I never thought it could get this bad...and it wasn't overnight...it has been a slow erosion...a slow erosion in the attendance column, which means a slow erosion of interest.

Sure, if they get back to winning and finishing in the upper half of the league, that will get some people back in the arena. But the balance of interest and passion has shifted to football...I think people will still watch Iowa basketball if it becomes relevant again, but that might just be on TV or at their sports bar.

The challenge will be to get people passionate enough to buy tickets again, and that is going to be a longer process, I am afraid...it will have to be accompanied by sustained success...and I am not sure that is visible on the immediate horizon.

It isnt nearly this complicated imo - win, get into the top 25 and people will show up. Everyone talks about the erosion of the fan base and attendance problem and how it goes back several years to Alford. In his 2nd to last year every Big Ten game was sold out because we were good. If we win, i think the fans will come back instantly. The reason no one shows up now is because we arent relevant. Winter in Iowa sucks, it sucks bad. If Iowa bball is good people will love having something to follow and spend their money on

 

[bud2380]

Winning will solve the problems. It really will. In 2000 a lot of the fan base was wondering if Ferentz was the right choice. Kinnick was not close to selling out with the exception of the Iowa St game. We started winning and fans came back and Iowa football may be more popular than ever. Football has several built in advantages (all games on Saturdays, tailgating, and it's a full days worth of entertainment). So people don't mind driving 2,3, 4 hours to go to a football game. I'm sure very few people this year consistently drove more than 2 hours to come to any Iowa bball games. But, Iowa fans want a winner again in basketball badly. And once we start winning again, fans will show back up. I am sure of it. And yes, we will start winning again, I just don't know when.