The Iowa Basketball Dillema

[briankaldenberg]

I feel Iowa Basketball will always have a problem balancing expectations vs. keeping a coach.

If we have a basketball coach that comes in here and in year 3 we're making the tourney, followed by maybe a Sweet 16 in year 4 and an Elite 8 within 6 years... I seriously doubt that coach will be around. He'll leave just like Lute Olsen did. Iowa isn't going to pony up huge cash to keep a coach from leaving. They will for football, but not basketball. Basketball is not our #1 priority. Football is.

Tom Davis was a perfect fit for Iowa and an absolute cash cow of a basketball coach. Consistent success and he made the tournament 9 of 13 years. He never lost a first round game. But Tom Davis wasn't good enough anymore and he was run out of town.

Iowa Basketball can't have it's cake and eat it to. We can shoot for home runs, but that coach isn't going to stay in my opinion once he starts hitting home runs. Or we can go for another Tom Davis. With the drought we've been on I'd love a Tom Davis type coach. One sweet 16 every 5 years is good enough for me. 3 - 4 Tourney appearances every 5 years is good enough for me.

If we get back to that, Iowa Basketball as far as I'm concerned would be having its cake and eating it too.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

Lute Coached at Iowa for 9 years and Ralph Miller for 6 years. Both left for the Pac 10. Where Lute coached at Arizona for 24 years then retired and Ralph coached at Oregon State for 19 years then retired..

You make a great point Brian.

Based on what I'm reading on Fran McCaffrey it seems we might have found a coach that if he can make it work will be here for the long haul.

 

[Hawkeyes1982x]

We haven't had that huge success in the modern era to make the Elite 8 or anything, so how can you say that we wont pony up huge cash to keep a coach? I say it'd be worth the investment just like it is with Ferentz.

 

[kgoblee]

I feel Iowa Basketball will always have a problem balancing expectations vs. keeping a coach.

If we have a basketball coach that comes in here and in year 3 we're making the tourney, followed by maybe a Sweet 16 in year 4 and an Elite 8 within 6 years... I seriously doubt that coach will be around. He'll leave just like Lute Olsen did. Iowa isn't going to pony up huge cash to keep a coach from leaving. They will for football, but not basketball. Basketball is not our #1 priority. Football is.

Tom Davis was a perfect fit for Iowa and an absolute cash cow of a basketball coach. Consistent success and he made the tournament 9 of 13 years. He never lost a first round game. But Tom Davis wasn't good enough anymore and he was run out of town.

Duh,,,, thats why you should hire someone that wants the job ala Forbes? or someone with Iowa ties.
Iowa Basketball can't have it's cake and eat it to. We can shoot for home runs, but that coach isn't going to stay in my opinion once he starts hitting home runs. Or we can go for another Tom Davis. With the drought we've been on I'd love a Tom Davis type coach. One sweet 16 every 5 years is good enough for me. 3 - 4 Tourney appearances every 5 years is good enough for me.

If we get back to that, Iowa Basketball as far as I'm concerned would be having its cake and eating it too.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

We haven't had that huge success in the modern era to make the Elite 8 or anything, so how can you say that we wont pony up huge cash to keep a coach? I say it'd be worth the investment just like it is with Ferentz.

+1. It would be nice to have the opportunity to find out.

 

[spudhawk]

I think that the Athletic departments being self sufficeint and the average person understanding that could become a big deal. Then it won't matter how much Iowa pays Ferentz or a basketball coach because event though they haven't used tax dollars for a few years the average person doesn't know that. UNI and ISU being put on notice and being in the news could help Iowa who is much better off financially.