What did he write that was wrong?
We all have the right to be frustrated and I'm as guilty of that as anyone. But the season's over. This isn't some emotional night after a tough loss kind of moment anymore. This thread has a nasty vibe in the air and it reflects the stale feeling that many Iowa fans have towards the program.
Look at this year's Iowa team. Look at Iowa in the last 10+ years. Who's been our best player? Uthoff, Marble, Gatens, Jok? Let's not pretend like the bar is so high and almighty. How many of these guys are NBA players? The sad answer is none. I don't think we've produced a true NBA player (that played minutes) since Reggie Evans. Think about that.
I was sitting front row for Iowa @ Minnesota this year and watched Cook go into hero-mode at the end of the game and turned the ball over in catastrophic fashion. I feel everyone's pain and frustration with him. And the fact that he's leaving early, and he put us through this same process last off-season, it's annoying. But let's not pretend that he was a poor player.
Let's promptly quit with the talk of "we'll be better off without him next year". Are you kidding me? What team is better off without their best player? What team were you watching this year that was overloaded with talent and athleticism? It sure wasn't the Hawkeyes. We had one guy that stood out and looked the part. It was Tyler Cook. Fans are so critical of his lack of progression in jump shooting and other skills, like ball handling. The shooting is obviously an issue, but I saw a guy who massively progressed as a ball handler. He brought the ball up the floor +5 times per game, as a clear means of practicing the skill and getting comfortable with the ball in his hands. It was a risk with consequences, but clearly something he wanted to do to grow as a player. And he did.
Where's the passionate fan criticism of our 4 year "program" guys who never seem to put the time in and get in good shape? The guys who, year after year, don't seem to improve their athletic ability, agility, or strength - at all. How many big men have we had who just never improve? When was Adam Woodbury going to break out? When was Zach McCabe going to show up for the season in basketball shape? What about Aaron White hitting weight room and putting on 15lbs of muscle? It just never happened. But when it comes to a supremely talented guy like Tyler Cook, who has clearly committed himself to the game and program, we're all so critical.
Maybe I'm in the minority, but I think Tyler Cook is one of the greatest Hawkeyes to plan in this century.
