This program is kind of a disaster....

A lot of people have lost perspective. After last year most said if our defense improved to below average we would make the NCAA this year. And that was generally the primary goal for most. Both things happened.

If people want/expect Sweet 16 next year so be it. That’s what I expect. And if that doesn’t happen I will be disappointed.

But my number 1 goal for this year was to see Iowa’s name in the NCAA field on Selection Sunday. Of course once we get there I want more. But I won’t be crushed if that’s all we get. Most of this roster will be back and they need to experience the NCAA environment.
 
We legitimately might not make the NCAA tournament based on how we're playing. We haven't even shown up the past two games. Horrible defense, laughably bad shooting, no semblance of an offense, stupid turnovers galore, etc. The Wisconsin game was the make-or-break for me. Play Wisconsin tight on the road after a remarkably bad performance against a pathetic Rutgers team and I'd have some hope. Instead they decided to come out and not even try. It was pathetic and inexcusable.
 
I wouldn't say it's a 'disaster' But it's sure not where any of us want it or think it should be at this point. There's other programs and a lot of them that wish they had 21 wins on their resume at this point. I'd save the word disaster for what all went down during the Licklighter era. I mean that's a disaster. This sucks don't get me wrong. It feels like Linus pulling the football from Charlie Brown again in that for a big chunk of the year it felt like we might have a really great season on our hands. Yet somehow here we are at the end of it and there's not hardly one person with a positive thing to say about where we are or what's going on.. It's tough believe almost...
 
I’ve been a Fran supporter since the beginning but I’m afraid this is all we will ever get from his teams. We have reached peak Fran. Why should we expect any more after 9 years? He refuses to make necessary adjustments or wholesale changes to his system. His teams don’t play complimentary basketball. You can’t play uptempo with quick shots if you can’t get back and play defense. You can’t trap if you give up as many dunks as you create TOs. You can’t play zone unless you get almost every defensive board. His zone defense forces outside shots only to give up offensive boards and layups (except of course when it’s an open 3 a HS kid can make). It isn’t going to get any better without a drastic change and I’m afraid he’s too stubborn to make that change. He needs a defensive coordinator from outside and then needs to completely give up control coaching defense. Anything short of that and we all get to look forward to another Franuary next year (that’s when you stop playing competitive basketball the first week of February).
 
We went from winning 4 games in the B1G last year to at least 10 this year.

A lot can happen over the offseason. I’m not sure what will happen but who knows. It’s possible we are actually a better team next year.
 
FirstDownHawkeyes said:
I’ve been a Fran supporter since the beginning but I’m afraid this is all we will ever get from his teams. We have reached peak Fran. Why should we expect any more after 9 years? He refuses to make necessary adjustments or wholesale changes to his system. His teams don’t play complimentary basketball. You can’t play uptempo with quick shots if you can’t get back and play defense. You can’t trap if you give up as many dunks as you create TOs. You can’t play zone unless you get almost every defensive board. His zone defense forces outside shots only to give up offensive boards and layups (except of course when it’s an open 3 a HS kid can make). It isn’t going to get any better without a drastic change and I’m afraid he’s too stubborn to make that change. He needs a defensive coordinator from outside and then needs to completely give up control coaching defense. Anything short of that and we all get to look forward to another Franuary next year (that’s when you stop playing competitive basketball the first week of February).
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I hope defense is THE emphasis again this offseason. We improved 200? spots. Another 50 would be great.
 
PCHawk said:
But its only been perceived that way for a week. It's been perceived as pretty darn good for the entire year before this last week.
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So what changed in the last few weeks? We haven't won a game convincingly since early February. I get being beat up late in the season, but why are we just uninterested as the season goes into February?
 
FirstDownHawkeyes said:
I’ve been a Fran supporter since the beginning but I’m afraid this is all we will ever get from his teams. We have reached peak Fran. Why should we expect any more after 9 years? He refuses to make necessary adjustments or wholesale changes to his system. His teams don’t play complimentary basketball. You can’t play uptempo with quick shots if you can’t get back and play defense. You can’t trap if you give up as many dunks as you create TOs. You can’t play zone unless you get almost every defensive board. His zone defense forces outside shots only to give up offensive boards and layups (except of course when it’s an open 3 a HS kid can make). It isn’t going to get any better without a drastic change and I’m afraid he’s too stubborn to make that change. He needs a defensive coordinator from outside and then needs to completely give up control coaching defense. Anything short of that and we all get to look forward to another Franuary next year (that’s when you stop playing competitive basketball the first week of February).
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100% agree, the coaches that get to the dance and sustain success can adjust. After 9 years you can't blame anyone but the coach for the program and where it is in terms of system, and recruiting.
 
Hawkeye1992 said:
100% agree, the coaches that get to the dance and sustain success can adjust. After 9 years you can't blame anyone but the coach for the program and where it is in terms of system, and recruiting.
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In fairness he made at least one adjustment. They worked extensively on defense this offseason and improved from horrendous to below average.
 
WindsorHawk said:
A lot of people have lost perspective. After last year most said if our defense improved to below average we would make the NCAA this year. And that was generally the primary goal for most. Both things happened.

If people want/expect Sweet 16 next year so be it. That’s what I expect. And if that doesn’t happen I will be disappointed.

But my number 1 goal for this year was to see Iowa’s name in the NCAA field on Selection Sunday. Of course once we get there I want more. But I won’t be crushed if that’s all we get. Most of this roster will be back and they need to experience the NCAA environment.
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I have decided to step back from the ledge.....

0


The past three games were horrible for certain, culminating in a total embarrassment at Kohl last night. however, we still have a chance of finishing 11-9 in conference and came within one lucky rebound from beating Maryland. After the Monster rebound by Bruno, the referees made certain that we would lose the game when Jordan and Moss were fouled on the last Hawk shot attempts. Moss was smashed to the floor with time remaining on the clock as the game ended. Most obvious foul ignored by the MFing zebras.....

If we lose Sunday and I am not confident we will win, we will have a 10-10 season in the Big Ten Conference. This cannot be overlooked and ignored, and cannot be considered anything other than a successful season before the Post Season Tournaments. We Will be in the Dance and Will not be subjected to the Play-In Games.....



following that game we ran into three buzzsaws in a row at Ohio State and Wisconsin and against Rutgers at Carver. The entire season should not be judged by that three-game sequence. Losing to the Terps was no disgrace and we played them to the last play.....

Whether or not we win at Nebraska Sunday, we will finish in Sixth place in the BIG, which is an accomplishment this season, especially following last season when we won 4 games in conference. Maryland is stomping the living shite out of the Gophers tonight and they will finish beneath the Hawks, win or lose Sunday.....

We have a better record than Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State and the remainder of the lower tier of teams. This is not too shabby, despite the three-game nightmare we have just experienced which has put Hawk loyalty to the test in large fashion.....

It is probably not correct to blame the losses on Cook and Connor. The TEAM is not playing well and are completely off balance. We are totally out of sync in every aspect and I personally do not believe this will continue.....
 
WindsorHawk said:
I hope defense is THE emphasis again this offseason. We improved 200? spots. Another 50 would be great.
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Wisky started winning big in Bball when they went to suffocating, practically illegally mugging, defense. They got away with it for years and won big. The hawks could really help themselves by continuing to improve on defense and the defensive glass.
 
There's been talk of Iowa sliding completely out of the NCAA'S if we lose out. If that happens I wonder if Fran would have the guts to do what C Vivian Stringer did in 1985, which was say no to an NIT invitation. She said, and I'm paraphrasing, that Iowa was going to the NCAA'S, simple as that. And we weren't going to depend on anyone else losing to get the invitation. We're not here to be handed seconds. We're going to take the firsts.

The Iowa women were NCAA regulars for the entire next decade through the end of Stringer's tenure as a Hawk.
 
WindsorHawk said:
And the recruiting is improving. Wieskamp is the best player on the team. Patrick is highly regarded. Hopefully the upgrade in talent leads to more postseason success.
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When a true freshman is the best player on the team and a former walk on is one of the top players it is pretty telling.
 
I don't see it as a disaster. I see a successful program here at Iowa. There's nothing wrong with the program here. You're not being realistic, maybe more of ridiculous crazed ideas. This tells me you need to smoke more pot.
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I think one of the problems with our players is that they have to play twice as hard to keep up with the pack. By the time we near the finish line they are worn out.
 
atomicblue224 said:
I don't see it as a disaster. I see a successful program here at Iowa. There's nothing wrong with the program here. You're not being realistic, maybe more of ridiculous crazed ideas. This tells me you need to smoke more pot.
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Some posters have noted that a couple of our players already look stoned on the floor. I think it came up after the Rutgers game.
 
I don't think the program is a disaster (Lickliter,& Schultz).
I don't think it is a success (Miller & Olson).
It is sort of like treading water - just enough wins to not be fired.
And if - after 9 years - it is still treading water, it is time for a change.
I would like the program to aspire to something higher than this.
 
SCHawkeye2 said:
I don't think the program is a disaster (Lickliter,& Schultz).
I don't think it is a success (Miller & Olson).
It is sort of like treading water - just enough wins to not be fired.
And if - after 9 years - it is still treading water, it is time for a change.
I would like the program to aspire to something higher than this.
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But we get to hear our name mentioned on Selection Sunday!
 
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