Until Iowa can recruit competent guards and a"power forward/center"

[HawkeyeWalker]

We played lousy today, but Villanova was also great. However, it's not just about today.

We had two guys get red hot for about 3-4 weeks. Once teams decided to get somebody in their face...that anomalous run ended. The team you see down the stretch... with any club...is the real team. It was a team with 4 Senior and 1 Junior starters, 4 of which were Fran's recruits...that faded badly. (dare I point out that without Woody's putback, Friday was another major choke job) Not the best reflection on the coach.

That's all fine. But players getting hot (and it was more than a couple guys during the great stretch) makes coaches look good all around.

Again, Fran isn't an elite coach, but what he's done over the last 5-6 years doesn't get you fired, and might even get you promoted. That's all I'm saying

The next few years will be more telling if Fran has done the best he can. And at that time this debate can be had. But up to this point I'm not sure you could say he's not doing at the very least, an acceptable job.

 

[PCHawk]

If being in the top 30 or so in the entire nation at your job gets you fired, your boss has some crazy high expectations.

 

[PCHawk]

We've actually been around top 20-30 for 3 straight years after being the worst power 5 team for 3 straight years. What would you even say to someone if you were going to fire them for that? "When we hired you to bring us out of the cellar, we expected top 20 teams not top 30 teams. Don't let the door hit ya in the ***".

 

[ColumbusHawk]

That's all fine. But players getting hot (and it was more than a couple guys during the great stretch) makes coaches look good all around.

Again, Fran isn't an elite coach, but what he's done over the last 5-6 years doesn't get you fired, and might even get you promoted. That's all I'm saying

The next few years will be more telling if Fran has done the best he can. And at that time this debate can be had. But up to this point I'm not sure you could say he's not doing at the very least, an acceptable job.

Fran has done a very acceptable job. Considering what he inherited he has done a fantastic job. He didn't inherit Armstrong, Gamble, Horton, Jones, Lohaus, Lorenzen, Marble, Moe & Wright & go four & fourteen in his fourth season. Plus, the best player on that team was recruited by Raveling. You can't screw up a program better than Mr. Davis.

 

[HawkeyeWalker]

Fran has done a very acceptable job. Considering what he inherited he has done a fantastic job. He didn't inherit Armstrong, Gamble, Horton, Jones, Lohaus, Lorenzen, Marble, Moe & Wright & go four & fourteen in his fourth season. Plus, the best player on that team was recruited by Raveling. You can't screw up a program better than Mr. Davis.

I agree about Fran. But you're obsessive dislike for Mr. Davis is weird. Both are/were good coaches for Iowa.

 

[PCHawk]

I'm not convinced MuckCaff would know what to do with a solid 4 or 5.

He misused / destroyed Basabe. He taught Woody zero skills; he did nothing different in his offense from his first day as a freshman. Even as athletically challenged / unaggressive as Woody is, I think he would have at least been capable of a little drop-stop, baby-hook, especially as a frvcking lefty!!

He has yet to show any consistent competence in some sort of inside-out strategy. Look at 1st Indiana game. That game was there for the taking if they would have actually gone to Woodbury a bit more - disregarded. When was the last time he posted up Uthoff and tried to exploit the size advantage / mismatches? Rarely attempted. Sure, he had a few back-door dunks designed for White but I'll tell you, White's motor and aggressiveness drove those plays, not MuckCaff's clipboard.

Which is another point -- 3-M-t ... Motor, Motivation, Mental toughness. When was the last time you saw guys with those characteristics? White? Certainly Baer. Again, those aren't instilled by this coach; those are wired into those guys and they maintain them, DESPITE this coach and all the inherent obstacles his decisions and strategies and game perspective create for his teams.

So you believe the reason Woody couldn't take one step and toss up a hook shot after 4 years is because no one on the staff could teach him the proper technique? If Woody tried to take one step and shoot a baby hook, a 6 foot guard would come on help defense from the other side of the court and block it.

 

[ColumbusHawk]

I agree about Fran. But you're obsessive dislike for Mr. Davis is weird. Both are/were good coaches for Iowa.

But what did Mr. Davis win? At least Alford won something! Do you remember Ralph & Lute? If you do, you will realize what Davis did to destroy a program that was at the time Lute left was as good or better historically as Kansas. Hey, all I'm doing is educating people to the facts. Again, when Davis came to Iowa, an individual had to donate money to get split-season tickets.

 

[SteveGarvey]

Fran's at Mr. Davis level of basketball for Iowa. Give him some more time to get up to maybe Lute level.

 

[ColumbusHawk]

So you believe the reason Woody couldn't take one step and toss up a hook shot after 4 years is because no one on the staff could teach him the proper technique? If Woody tried to take one step and shoot a baby hook, a 6 foot guard would come on help defense from the other side of the court and block it.

Woody's biggest problem is that his hands have to be the smallest I've ever seen of a man his size. Heck, I was only 5-10 1/2 back just before the war with the eskimos, but I could grab the ball in one-hand go up above everybody & drop the ball in the basket. At one time I was interested in going to dental school but organic chemistry destroyed that dream. My mother used to tease me that I would have to specialize as a large-mouth dentist. Woody can't grab the ball in one-hand & drop the ball in the basket or dunk the ball. It just frustrates the hell out of me.

 

[ColumbusHawk]

So you believe the reason Woody couldn't take one step and toss up a hook shot after 4 years is because no one on the staff could teach him the proper technique? If Woody tried to take one step and shoot a baby hook, a 6 foot guard would come on help defense from the other side of the court and block it.

His hand are to small! He can't do it

 

[PCHawk]

But what did Mr. Davis win? At least Alford won something! Do you remember Ralph & Lute? If you do, you will realize what Davis did to destroy a program that was at the time Lute left was as good or better historically as Kansas. Hey, all I'm doing is educating people to the facts. Again, when Davis came to Iowa, an individual had to donate money to get split-season tickets.

That doesn't mean he destroyed the program. It just means he brought it down a notch. Them Alford brought it down 2 more notches. Then Lick destroyed the program.

Fran has gotten it back to the Davis notch with recruits he brought in with a destroyed program. Next year he has recruits he brought in with a good program. The question is, will we be better now, or was Fran the benifit of some timely good instate kids? I think we will be better.

 

[ryno]

I'm not convinced MuckCaff would know what to do with a solid 4 or 5.

He misused / destroyed Basabe. He taught Woody zero skills; he did nothing different in his offense from his first day as a freshman. Even as athletically challenged / unaggressive as Woody is, I think he would have at least been capable of a little drop-stop, baby-hook, especially as a frvcking lefty!!

He has yet to show any consistent competence in some sort of inside-out strategy. Look at 1st Indiana game. That game was there for the taking if they would have actually gone to Woodbury a bit more - disregarded. When was the last time he posted up Uthoff and tried to exploit the size advantage / mismatches? Rarely attempted. Sure, he had a few back-door dunks designed for White but I'll tell you, White's motor and aggressiveness drove those plays, not MuckCaff's clipboard.

Which is another point -- 3-M-t ... Motor, Motivation, Mental toughness. When was the last time you saw guys with those characteristics? White? Certainly Baer. Again, those aren't instilled by this coach; those are wired into those guys and they maintain them, DESPITE this coach and all the inherent obstacles his decisions and strategies and game perspective create for his teams.

I hate to agree, but I do completely. Not at all impressed with coaching. When did uthoff ever post up, despite routine 3-5 inch height advantage. Needs better athletes, but who doesn't? In game adjustments just not that good. Player development very spotty. All in all a successful year, just doesn't feel like it

 

[PCHawk]

I hate to agree, but I do completely. Not at all impressed with coaching. When did uthoff ever post up, despite routine 3-5 inch height advantage. Needs better athletes, but who doesn't? In game adjustments just not that good. Player development very spotty. All in all a successful year, just doesn't feel like it

Do people even watch games? Uthoff posts up all the time but rarely gets the ball thrown into him.