The general fan base doesn’t demand it.

blubberhawk said:
Well, at least we are not finishing last every year. Fran has us right there in the lower middle every year. According to FryIowa and his ass kissing buddies, all should be happy.

The hated Steve Alford has just about as many NCAA tourney wins as Fran in half the years.
Alford = 13-6 in BIG tourney games and 2 titles.
Fran = 5-10 in BIG tourney games with not even one good run in the tourney.
Their overall winning % is very close.
Northwestern's previous coach is the only coach with a worse winning % than Fran in BIG tourney games.
All is well. Fran is signed through 2028 so the good times should just keep on coming.
Click to expand...
Just a tad different taking over a program after Tom Davis left versus taking it over after the shit mess Alford and Lickliter created.

Fryowa has friends????
 
blubberhawk said:
Well, at least we are not finishing last every year. Fran has us right there in the lower middle every year. According to FryIowa and his ass kissing buddies, all should be happy.

The hated Steve Alford has just about as many NCAA tourney wins as Fran in half the years.
Alford = 13-6 in BIG tourney games and 2 titles.
Fran = 5-10 in BIG tourney games with not even one good run in the tourney.
Their overall winning % is very close.
Northwestern's previous coach is the only coach with a worse winning % than Fran in BIG tourney games.
All is well. Fran is signed through 2028 so the good times should just keep on coming.
Click to expand...
Lower middle? We finish in the top half almost every year.

How many NCAA Tournament wins does Alford have?

Winning % is pretty skewed because of Fran's first 2 years.
 
RankPlayerPointsSeasons
1Luka Garza2,306[3]2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
2Roy Marble2,1161985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89
3Aaron White1,8592011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15
4Acie Earl1,7791989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93
5Greg Stokes1,7681981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85
6B. J. Armstrong1,7051985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89
7Roy Devyn Marble1,6942010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14
8Ronnie Lester1,6751976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
9Jordan Bohannon1,638[4]2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
10Matt Gatens1,6352008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12

I'm not a Fran apologist but do you realize he has coached 5 of the top 10 career scorers at Iowa. I know he inherited Gatens.

Fran- Big Ten Record minus first 2 years- 91-79
(103-103 overall)

Not too far off from the so called "greats"

Ralph Miller 54-30
Lute Olson 91-71
George Raveling 26-28
Tom Davis 125-105
Steve Alford 61-67
Lick- 15-39
 
OlRustyBoy said:
RankPlayerPointsSeasons
1Luka Garza2,306[3]2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
2Roy Marble2,1161985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89
3Aaron White1,8592011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15
4Acie Earl1,7791989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93
5Greg Stokes1,7681981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85
6B. J. Armstrong1,7051985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89
7Roy Devyn Marble1,6942010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14
8Ronnie Lester1,6751976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
9Jordan Bohannon1,638[4]2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
10Matt Gatens1,6352008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12

I'm not a Fran apologist but do you realize he has coached 5 of the top 10 career scorers at Iowa. I know he inherited Gatens.

Fran- Big Ten Record minus first 2 years- 91-79
(103-103 overall)

Not too far off from the so called "greats"

Ralph Miller 54-30
Lute Olson 91-71
George Raveling 26-28
Tom Davis 125-105
Steve Alford 61-67
Lick- 15-39
Click to expand...
Anyone want to do the math on Davis without the first 2 years?
 
OlRustyBoy said:
RankPlayerPointsSeasons
1Luka Garza2,306[3]2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
2Roy Marble2,1161985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89
3Aaron White1,8592011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15
4Acie Earl1,7791989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93
5Greg Stokes1,7681981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85
6B. J. Armstrong1,7051985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89
7Roy Devyn Marble1,6942010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14
8Ronnie Lester1,6751976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
9Jordan Bohannon1,638[4]2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21
10Matt Gatens1,6352008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12

I'm not a Fran apologist but do you realize he has coached 5 of the top 10 career scorers at Iowa. I know he inherited Gatens.

Fran- Big Ten Record minus first 2 years- 91-79
(103-103 overall)

Not too far off from the so called "greats"

Ralph Miller 54-30
Lute Olson 91-71
George Raveling 26-28
Tom Davis 125-105
Steve Alford 61-67
Lick- 15-39
Click to expand...
Good stuff. Thanks!
 
PCHawk said:
Anyone want to do the math on Davis without the first 2 years?
Click to expand...
Davis was 99-95 and only one other sweet 16, his last year.

Outside of the Final 4 appearance Lute was just ok. But a Final 4 is huge!!
1974–75IowaLute Olson10–167–117th
1975–76IowaLute Olson19–109–95th
1976–77IowaLute Olson20–712–64th
1977–78IowaLute Olson12–155–138th
1978–79IowaLute Olson20–813–5T-1stNCAA First Round
1979–80IowaLute Olson23–1010–84thNCAA Final Four
1980–81IowaLute Olson21–713–54thNCAA First Round
1981–82IowaLute Olson21–812–62ndNCAA Second Round
1982–83IowaLute Olson21–1010–8T-2ndNCAA Sweet Sixteen
Total167–91 (.651)91–71 (.562)
 
OlRustyBoy said:
Davis was 99-95 and only one other sweet 16, his last year.

Outside of the Final 4 appearance Lute was just ok. But a Final 4 is huge!!
1974–75IowaLute Olson10–167–117th
1975–76IowaLute Olson19–109–95th
1976–77IowaLute Olson20–712–64th
1977–78IowaLute Olson12–155–138th
1978–79IowaLute Olson20–813–5T-1stNCAA First Round
1979–80IowaLute Olson23–1010–84thNCAA Final Four
1980–81IowaLute Olson21–713–54thNCAA First Round
1981–82IowaLute Olson21–812–62ndNCAA Second Round
1982–83IowaLute Olson21–1010–8T-2ndNCAA Sweet Sixteen
Total167–91 (.651)91–71 (.562)
Click to expand...

Could you imagine had there been a forum like this back in 1978 after Luke's 12-15 season? People like the OP on here would have been calling for his head!
 
blubberhawk said:
Well, at least we are not finishing last every year. Fran has us right there in the lower middle every year. According to FryIowa and his ass kissing buddies, all should be happy.

The hated Steve Alford has just about as many NCAA tourney wins as Fran in half the years.
Alford = 13-6 in BIG tourney games and 2 titles.
Fran = 5-10 in BIG tourney games with not even one good run in the tourney.
Their overall winning % is very close.
Northwestern's previous coach is the only coach with a worse winning % than Fran in BIG tourney games.
All is well. Fran is signed through 2028 so the good times should just keep on coming.
Click to expand...
You do remember why we had to get rid of Alford, right? Or are you one of those who is willing to look the other way when ...... well, if you don't remember this comment is wasted.
 
Iowa fans are Cubs fans. Wait til next year is the motto. Yet next year never comes. Loyal and drunk pays the way for Iowa athletics.
 
OlRustyBoy said:
Davis was 99-95 and only one other sweet 16, his last year.

Outside of the Final 4 appearance Lute was just ok. But a Final 4 is huge!!
1974–75IowaLute Olson10–167–117th
1975–76IowaLute Olson19–109–95th
1976–77IowaLute Olson20–712–64th
1977–78IowaLute Olson12–155–138th
1978–79IowaLute Olson20–813–5T-1stNCAA First Round
1979–80IowaLute Olson23–1010–84thNCAA Final Four
1980–81IowaLute Olson21–713–54thNCAA First Round
1981–82IowaLute Olson21–812–62ndNCAA Second Round
1982–83IowaLute Olson21–1010–8T-2ndNCAA Sweet Sixteen
Total167–91 (.651)91–71 (.562)
Click to expand...
Thanks. So Fran's record is better after 2 years. Seems like when fans talk about the comparison, all they care about is that Davis inherited a better team and he won one round of 32 game with his own players.
 
Motigerhawk said:
Iowa fans are Cubs fans. Wait til next year is the motto. Yet next year never comes. Loyal and drunk pays the way for Iowa athletics.
Click to expand...
Some people see it like the fans are holding the program back from being great and some see it like the fans are the main thing keeping the program from being terrible.
 
It's silly even discussing this since there isn't a damn thing Barta is going to do with Fran right now anyway.
 
blubberhawk said:
Well, at least we are not finishing last every year. Fran has us right there in the lower middle every year. According to FryIowa and his ass kissing buddies, all should be happy.

The hated Steve Alford has just about as many NCAA tourney wins as Fran in half the years.
Alford = 13-6 in BIG tourney games and 2 titles.
Fran = 5-10 in BIG tourney games with not even one good run in the tourney.
Their overall winning % is very close.
Northwestern's previous coach is the only coach with a worse winning % than Fran in BIG tourney games.
All is well. Fran is signed through 2028 so the good times should just keep on coming.
Click to expand...
You're not seriously suggesting that Alford shouldn't have been let go are you? I'm no Fran fan, but any comparison to him and Alford is an apples to oranges comparison.

I think its more than safe to say that Alford's departure wasn't based on wins and loses so I don't see how you can even compare their results. As I said I'm not a Fran guy, but if given the choice between the two of them I'd take Fran 100% of the time and it's not even close.
 
ssckelley said:
It's silly even discussing this since there isn't a damn thing Barta is going to do with Fran right now anyway.
Click to expand...
Nor should he right? When Fran does something to warrant being fired, I will be all in favor for it but it's hard (and kind of pointless like you said) to talk about firing a guy at Iowa that is getting to the dance regularly, bringing in exciting players and regularly placing in the top half of the conference.
 
InGoodCo said:
Nor should he right? When Fran does something to warrant being fired, I will be all in favor for it but it's hard (and kind of pointless like you said) to talk about firing a guy at Iowa that is getting to the dance regularly, bringing in exciting players and regularly placing in the top half of the conference.
Click to expand...
Has there been anything in my posts to suggest I support firing Fran?
 
Fran should not be fired. I want more too, and I am just as frustrated with the Sweet 16 drought and lack of tournament results as anybody, but the guy is getting us to the big dance pretty regularly and the teams are competitive enough to the point where we care enough to be vocal about it. Things could be a whole lot worse.

Fran has us back to at least where Mr. Davis had us. I'm a big Tom Davis fan but let's be honest - his tenure was made to look a whole lot better by what he inherited from his predecessors. After those first few years, I'd say his tenure looked pretty much like Fran. At the time, I was happy when Iowa made a change, but in retrospect, Davis shouldn't have been let go, either. He was in the dance 3 of his last 4 years and a Sweet 16.

Alford won ONE NCAA tournament game in 8 years. In just 3 appearances. Woo. The two BTT titles were nice, but it was otherwise pretty uninspired basketball marred with scandal. Going 16-13 and losing in the NIT first round.. Meh. I can't believe some people pine for those days...

Don't even get me started on Lickliter.

Yes, maybe the next coach could be the next Ralph Miller or Lute, but I see no reason to run off a guy that's done pretty well and no real indication that things are about to go off a cliff and into the abyss.
 
Last edited:
1977Hawkeye said:
Fran should not be fired. I want more too, and I am just as frustrated with the Sweet 16 drought and lack of tournament results as anybody, but the guy is getting us to the big dance pretty regularly and the teams are competitive enough to the point where we care enough to be vocal about it. Things could be a whole lot worse.

Fran has us back to at least where Mr. Davis had us. I'm a big Tom Davis guy buy let's be honest - his tenure was made to look a whole lot better by what he inherited from his predecessors. After those first few years, I'd say his tenure looked pretty much like Fran. At the time, I was happy when Iowa made a change, but in retrospect, Davis shouldn't have been let go, either. He was in the dance 3 of his last 4 years and a Sweet 16.

Alford won ONE NCAA tournament game in 8 years. In just 3 appearances. Woo. The two BTT titles were nice, but it was otherwise pretty uninspired basketball marred with scandal. Going 16-13 and losing in the NIT first round.. Meh. I can't believe some people pine for those days...

Don't even get me started on Lickliter.

Yes, maybe the next coach could be the next Ralph Miller or Lute, but I see no reason to run off a guy that's done pretty well and no real evidence that things are about to go off a cliff and into the abyss.
Click to expand...
Very well said. I think Fran is more or less Mr. Davis light...similar but missing the Big Accomplishments that Mr. Davis had (Elite 8, Sweet 16s).
I still say Fran's biggest accomplishment at Iowa is lifting the program out of the grave that Alford killed and Licklighter buried.

Can't fire the guy/should not fire the guy at this time......

But, if Fran walked tomorrow, I would not lose sleep over it. I don't like him like I did Mr. Davis, but he is serviceable. But, I also think we have seen our peak with him (unfortunately hope I'm wrong) and I wonder how long will the general public will ride this train....especially if sub Mr. Davis levels would become more frequent?
 
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