Think First Before Criticizing McCaffery

[HawkPrdatr40]

In four years, an NCAA play in game is where we're at - and as a fan, I'm not satisfied with that. That doesn't mean I think Fran can't or won't do better in the coming years, but to me, the rebuild is not complete. Not by half.

Very well said.

I will add that Fran has shown that he can turn programs around and get to the NCAA Tournament. What he hasn't proven is can he take it to the next level and compete for Sweet 16's, Elite 8's, Final 4's and Championships. If that doesn't happen that is where Fran will eventually lose the support.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Yeah a couple of years ago, I think I mentioned that...would coincide when Matt "Lightning Rod" Gatens was a Senior. Maybe it is something of a coincidence, maybe.

I don't know. I went back and looked, and Iowa was 4-3 in games decided by 5 points or less that year. I know I looked this up a few weeks back for the last two season (2012-13 & 2013-14) and the records in games decided by 5 or less was something to the tune of 2-7 or 3-7 the last couple years.

If there's one thing I couldn't call this year's team, though, it's inexperienced. We just graduated 3 seniors who got a lot of playing time, as well as a couple Juniors (White & Oglesby) who got a lot of playing time. So I don't blame lack of experience for the bad record in close games.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Very well said.

I will add that Fran has shown that he can turn programs around and get to the NCAA Tournament. What he hasn't proven is can he take it to the next level and compete for Sweet 16's, Elite 8's, Final 4's and Championships. If that doesn't happen that is where Fran will eventually lose the support.

And I should clarify, when I say "I'm not satisfied", that doesn't mean I want Fran replaced. It just means that if that's the farthest Fran gets us, then I won't be satisfied with that. I support him, and at this point, think he's the right guy for the job. I want to see him get at least a few more years, no matter what, barring scandal.

 

[sportstalent]

I don't know. I went back and looked, and Iowa was 4-3 in games decided by 5 points or less that year. I know I looked this up a few weeks back for the last two season (2012-13 & 2013-14) and the records in games decided by 5 or less was something to the tune of 2-7 or 3-7 the last couple years.

If there's one thing I couldn't call this year's team, though, it's inexperienced. We just graduated 3 seniors who got a lot of playing time, as well as a couple Juniors (White & Oglesby) who got a lot of playing time.

My point with Gatens being mentioned is simply this, people thought Iowa would be so much better off without him and he is exactly the kind of player Iowa misses. He played hard all the time and wanted to win, no matter what his numbers were, he was an actual leader.
I remember when Iowa won at Wisconsin that year and he had 5 pts. I think, but had 11 rebounds and 4 or 5 assists, plus he played defense the whole damn game. As much as my opinion of May came back to how I felt about him as a freshman, he wasn't the scorer Gatens was and Iowa needed that last season.
What Iowa needs is a guy that wants the ball in his hands and if he makes a mistake, he moves on to play defense, if he makes a defensive mistake, he goes and hits a 3.
Yeah, it comes down to two things...talent and mental toughness. Iowa doesn't have enough of either at this point to move beyond the Round of 32.

 

[Clark]

I don't know. I went back and looked, and Iowa was 4-3 in games decided by 5 points or less that year. I know I looked this up a few weeks back for the last two season (2012-13 & 2013-14) and the records in games decided by 5 or less was something to the tune of 2-7 or 3-7 the last couple years.

If there's one thing I couldn't call this year's team, though, it's inexperienced. We just graduated 3 seniors who got a lot of playing time, as well as a couple Juniors (White & Oglesby) who got a lot of playing time. So I don't blame lack of experience for the bad record in close games.

and that doesn't include games where Iowa was within a possession with a minute or two left and ended up losing by more than five due to fouling to prolong the game.

It will take years for me to forget that he actually drew up a play that had Zack McCabe as the primary option on a last possession play.

 

[clicheusername3]

Completely agree. I think some people are pulling their heads out of the sand and realizing we still very much need an upgrade in talent. I see some pieces coming together in Uhl, Dickerson, Hutton, and hopefully Atwood. These are the players Iowa needs to land on a yearly basis to stay a foot with the Wisconsins, MSU's and Michigans. If not, we'll be relegated to the middle of the conference for some time.

Not even close to being good enough to keep up with those 3 programs. Those players keep you on the same foot as Illinois and Minny on a mediocre year for recruiting at those schools.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

My point with Gatens being mentioned is simply this, people thought Iowa would be so much better off without him and he is exactly the kind of player Iowa misses. He played hard all the time and wanted to win, no matter what his numbers were, he was an actual leader.
I remember when Iowa won at Wisconsin that year and he had 5 pts. I think, but had 11 rebounds and 4 or 5 assists, plus he played defense the whole damn game. As much as my opinion of May came back to how I felt about him as a freshman, he wasn't the scorer Gatens was and Iowa needed that last season.
What Iowa needs is a guy that wants the ball in his hands and if he makes a mistake, he moves on to play defense, if he makes a defensive mistake, he goes and hits a 3.
Yeah, it comes down to two things...talent and mental toughness. Iowa doesn't have enough of either at this point to move beyond the Round of 32.

I agree. I'm not sure where people think that we'd be better off without a player like Gatens, and I sure never felt that way. As for playing defense the whole game - that is a key. We all know about Iowa's problem on D the last 7-8 games of the season, but if I remember right, those close games Iowa lost this year (maybe last year too?) Iowa seemed to have an awful lot of trouble coming up with stops the last few minutes of those games. You can do it for 35 minutes, and that's all fine and dandy, but if you stop playing D for the last 5, it'll come back and bite you. Hmm.. I'd have to go back and look at some play-by-play in those games, but maybe we're on to something here.

 

[Clark]

My point with Gatens being mentioned is simply this, people thought Iowa would be so much better off without him and he is exactly the kind of player Iowa misses. He played hard all the time and wanted to win, no matter what his numbers were, he was an actual leader.
I remember when Iowa won at Wisconsin that year and he had 5 pts. I think, but had 11 rebounds and 4 or 5 assists, plus he played defense the whole damn game. As much as my opinion of May came back to how I felt about him as a freshman, he wasn't the scorer Gatens was and Iowa needed that last season.
What Iowa needs is a guy that wants the ball in his hands and if he makes a mistake, he moves on to play defense, if he makes a defensive mistake, he goes and hits a 3.
Yeah, it comes down to two things...talent and mental toughness. Iowa doesn't have enough of either at this point to move beyond the Round of 32.

Move beyond it? I'd just like to see them reach it.

 

[LG210]

I didn't like the season ended, but I am happy with the direction in which the program is headed.

 

[hawkforlife9]

He's golden!!!

 

[lightning1]

Next season should be interesting. There is no reason for Iowa not to make the NCAA tournament, from here on out. Wisconsin and Iowa State are doing it. I don't want excuses. I want results. Ferentz won a BIG title in year 4. Fran finished 6th in year 4. As far as I'm concerned, he has 2 more seasons to get a top 3 finish in the BIG conference regular season. That's giving him 6 seasons to accomplish that meager task. I am not now, nor will I ever be satisfied with a mediocre program. I don't care if we have to hire and fire one coach/AD after another to get it right. I'm not financially supporting mediocre. I'll leave that to the fine folks that make the excuses.

 

[HawkIPA]

I will stand by that it was the worst Power Six conference job at the time Fran took over.

The rest of your post was very good. This part is insane though. Worse than Northwestern? TCU? Rutgers? VA Tech? Boston College? Half the SEC?

At least Iowa had a fanbase that used to be passionate about basketball when Fran arrived. They just needed a reason to come back to Carver. The programs I listed dont have any basketball support.

 

[sportstalent]

The rest of your post was very good. This part is insane though. Worse than Northwestern? TCU? Rutgers? VA Tech? Boston College? Half the SEC?

At least Iowa had a fanbase that used to be passionate about basketball when Fran arrived. They just needed a oreason to come back to Carver. The programs I listed dont have any basketball support.

I love you man...the point is those other schools the status of those programs is the standard at Iowa it is not. It not the standard to have an empty Carver and want coaches fired...is that simple enough for you?

There are too many reasons for me to explain as I have multiple times. If you think Iowa is beyond that period you are wrong, it will continue to haunt them one or two more years...look at the roster.

Oh yeah, what was so wrong with my observation? Enlighten me if you will.

 

[PCHawk]

I love how for 2/3 of the season we were fighting for a conference championship and a really good seed but it all fell apart so people question our talent. We didn't get exposed. Something changed. I don't know what it was but it wasn't our talent.

 

[ibahawkeye]

I love how for 2/3 of the season we were fighting for a conference championship and a really good seed but it all fell apart so people question our talent. We didn't get exposed. Something changed. I don't know what it was but it wasn't our talent.

My theory... A team that was executing early in the year overcame some of it's talent issues but after teams had iowa scouted and forced team into a half court, the team's lack of talent came through.

Look... In my opinon Dev had a solid Sr. campaign but there was never a solid 2nd and 3rd contributor. Other teams have better 2nd and 3rd options.

We still have tweeters on this roster and don't have quality at the 3-4 spots.

 

[jo12208]

I love you man...the point is those other schools the status of those programs is the standard at Iowa it is not. It not the standard to have an empty Carver and want coaches fired...is that simple enough for you?

There are too many reasons for me to explain as I have multiple times. If you think Iowa is beyond that period you are wrong, it will continue to haunt them one or two more years...look at the roster.

Oh yeah, what was so wrong with my observation? Enlighten me if you will.

He just did enlighten you.

 

[imported_ankle23]

My theory... A team that was executing early in the year overcame some of it's talent issues but after teams had iowa scouted and forced team into a half court, the team's lack of talent came through.

Look... In my opinon Dev had a solid Sr. campaign but there was never a solid 2nd and 3rd contributor. Other teams have better 2nd and 3rd options.

We still have tweeters on this roster and don't have quality at the 3-4 spots.

agreed.

 

[tksirius]

The old "It's better than Lick" argument. Way to set the bar high.

Like

 

[tksirius]

Jettison "play-in game" from your vocabulary. We made the tourney. Period. End of story.

eh, not really.

 

[SonofaSailor]

Just so I get this straight:

It's perfectly reasonable to criticize Kirk Ferentz who has won 2 conference championships and a BCS game and has had his team ranked in the final top 10 more times than Hayden Fry.

But Franny Mac, whose biggest accomplishment as the Iowa head coach is making the play-in game, shouldn't be criticized?

His recruiting is pretty lackluster but he has proven to be able to get something out of the kids he brings in. His biggest problem is that his teams continue to lose close games. The sample size is getting large enough that it's starting to look like a coaching issue and not just a run of bad luck.

Good point.