This is why I think Lick is gone

[BSpringsteen]

I believe that Barta wants to keep Lick for another year.

I also believe that Barta is going to have a very stern conversation with Lick that says three things.

1. You have to go .500 in the Big 10 next year. Going .500 overall with a weak non conference record is not going to cut it.

2. From April through October you are going to hit the road and hear every fan yell at you and reassure them that you are the guy. You are going to go out and get people excited about Iowa Basketball again, because 5,000 people in the arena is also not going to cut it next year.

3. You are going to shake up your staff and hire a first class recruiter.

From there Lick is going to have to make a judgement. The ultimatum has been made.

I believe Lick can be a great coach.

I know that Lick is a horrendous CEO of the Iowa BBall program.

You have to be great at both, and if anything the CEO is more important because talent can mask poor coaching.

So Lick has to ask, do I want to spend the next 6 months being yelled at? Do I want to have to fire someone? Because do I want to risk being fired after next year if this team isn't able to make a +5 game swing?

He can resign after this year, call it health and resurface quietly at a mid major where the alumni base is not nearly as demanding.

If he stays and he gets canned after next year, he might be finished coaching for good, at least at the Division 1 level.

He looks miserable, his body language says it all. I don't think he has an understanding of what it takes to be a CEO of a program with a nationwide alumni base. I think he is smart enough to see that the writing is on the wall and bolt.

I also want to point out that putting ultimatums on coaches is beyond stupid. Either they are the coach next year or they are not. But I believe that Barta is about to do it to his second Bball coach.

 

[DaHawk56]

If Lick doesn't believe that he can turn things around in the next 2 years with the players he has on the roster now and coming in next year, then I could see him saving face by resigning due to health issues and resurfacing somewhere in a year or two.

However, I don't think that is the case. I think Lick realizes that this young group of guys are improving quickly and with a little help depth-wise next year, Iowa should improve significantly next year and should be in the NCAA tourney in March of 2012.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

I think Lick realizes that this young group of guys are improving quickly

I honestly am not sure how Lickliter or anybody else can seriously believe that based on what we've seen the past few weeks.

 

[JHHawk]

I like our players but I think ''improving quickly'' is a bit of an overstatement after a week where they have had the biggest losses to Wisky and minny in the history of the program. Everyone was healthy for those games, the frosh had 30 games under their belts, and they still got hammered. I think it is more accurate to say there has been improvement in certain players, ie. Fuller, and incremental improvement in some others..May,Payne...but honestly Gatens and Cole,while solid, have not improved a bunch thru this year...they are what they are already..good but not great players.
Cougill has regessed lately,Devan is a senior, lil lick is a walkon...Brommer has improved but is coming from way back to start with.

Personally, I hope that Lick does cite health reasons,takes a reasonable buyout and walks away to re-charge and emerge at a school that is a better fit for him. He is in his mid-50's so he could take a smaller job, have a nice run,and ease into a wealthy retirement now. Iowa needs a rocket boosting jolt of energy...likely from a young coach who can sell the program to recruits,fans...and especially the students.
I think if you cannot sell the students at a Big Ten university, you have no chance really...they are the extra juice that makes a home court tough to play on and you absolutely have to win at home...a lot...Iowa was 44-5 at home the last three years of SA...we need to get back to that level at home,minimum,lick or no lick.