What is more important for the Iowa Program this year...a Big Ten Title...or a Final Four (or better)?

HaydenHawk56

HaydenHawk56

Well-Known Member
Obviously we want both. Obviously. I think no one would argue a National Title Tops them all. But if you had to choose one. Iowa's last Big Ten Title 1979. Or even look at it this way.....no Big Ten Title, but Iowa makes the sweet 16 or elite 8. Are you satisfied with that?
 
HaydenHawk56 said:
Obviously we want both. Obviously. I think no one would argue a National Title Tops them all. But if you had to choose one. Iowa's last Big Ten Title 1979. Or even look at it this way.....no Big Ten Title, but Iowa makes the sweet 16 or elite 8. Are you satisfied with that?
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I would say if we make only make the final four I would be very satisfied. A Big Ten championship would be great but a final four would just be too exciting.
 
VTHawk said:
I would say if we make only make the final four I would be very satisfied. A Big Ten championship would be great but a final four would just be too exciting.
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I agree, I mean both would be cloud 9. I probably should have asked the question a bit differently. Would a sweet 16 or elite 8 without a Big Ten Title be a bit of a disappointment....with this team?
 
I guess I would take the Elite Eight. Not winning the Big Ten Championship would be like whatever no big deal. Losing early in the NCAA tournament is always a huge disappointment more so with a team with high expectations.
 
chucktownhawk said:
I'd love to see a deep run. I don't wanna see an Iowa/UNLV type of meltdown, especially if we win the B1G
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Yeah I don't think any Hawkeye fan wants to see the UNLV meltdown game from '87. That game is still scorched in my mind. Probably will be forever. Unless we win a championship or make the final four.
 
It's a really good question, very hard to answer. We're all desperate to make a splash nationally, I know that. Not only has Iowa basketball hit some really low points over the past couple decades, but this team in particular has been very endearing I think. They've been a lot of fun to watch them mature and develop.

My inclination is, if I had to go with one or the other, I'd go for the deep tourney run. Nationally, I'm not sure anyone really takes note of who wins their conference, but everyone takes note of who is in the final four. Likewise, no one looks at the final four teams and talks down on one of the teams for not having won their conference.

That said...with it being such a long drought since the Hawks won the Big Ten...man, it would be nice to have that monkey off our back. But that is more like a treat for the fan base. In the wider picture, it's all about the tourney.
 
Depending on where we finish in the polls having a B1G title never hurts the seeding. So I'll go with the B1G title and a deep run in the tourney.
 
Right now...i'd like to see us beat Purdue. For christ's sake...baby steps people. Purdue has taken our lollipop and our guys have simply whined and cried the last four games. They abused us and we put up no resistance whatsoever. I want to wipe that smug look off Painter's face. He's owned us.
 
05-06 team finished in a tie for 2nd, won the Big Ten tourney, but the shot from the corner by Northwestern St. tainted that whole season. Arguably, one of the best seasons of Iowa basketball in the last 20 years blends in with all the rest because of that early exit.

It is my long winded way of saying a deep tourney run. Gotta get out of the first weekend.
 
99topdawg said:
To me it would be a Final Four. I think it's a bigger deal. In 20 years, I'll remember the year we went to the Final Four. Not sure I can say the same for a conference title.
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I'll bet there aren't five people on this board who remember where we finished in the conference when we went to the Final Four in 1980.

Here's the answer-we tied for fourth in a ten team conference.

If we win the regular season B1G or the conference tournament, then crash and burn in the first round to some mid major directional school, this board will be napalm.
 
Final Four, no question. I was living in Minnesota when Lute took Iowa to the Final Four. Gopher fans were seething with jealousy.
 
With this team, I say both are important. This may be our best chance at both in a long time. We have the parts. We just need to shore a couple things up.

A B1G title and an early exit would be disappointing, Finishing 3rd or 4th in the B1G would be disappointing, but made less so by a deep run.

I want championships.
 
Literally NO ONE remembers conference championships other than the fans of that particular team.

Everyone remembers tourney runs.

You think recruits are gonna give two shits if Iowa placed 4th in the Big Ten if they make a Final Four or dare I say it Finals run with Garza bringing all the national attention?

You guys wanting the B1G title above all else are out of your damn minds.
 
Fryowa said:
Literally NO ONE remembers conference championships other than the fans of that particular team.

Everyone remembers tourney runs.

You think recruits are gonna give two shits if Iowa placed 4th in the Big Ten if they make a Final Four or dare I say it Finals run with Garza bringing all the national attention?

You guys wanting the B1G title above all else are out of your damn minds.
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I think Fryowa nailed it. While conference championships are huge (and very important) a Final Four brings in the recruits that would make future conference championships a possibility. I think you want as much national attention as possible and a Final Four team gives you that national exposure versus regional exposure.
 
I would say Final Four or better trumps Big Ten Title. Would be talked about forever.
An Elite 8 without a Big Ten Title will still be talked about for years/decades.....if Iowa does not to stay at this level.

Personally, I would be disappointed if this team was a Sweet 16, but had no Big Ten title to go with it (regular season in particular). Very borderline with an Elite 8 without a regular season Big Ten title...if only if this has been our best chance in decades.
 
Fryowa said:
Literally NO ONE remembers conference championships other than the fans of that particular team.

Everyone remembers tourney runs.

You think recruits are gonna give two shits if Iowa placed 4th in the Big Ten if they make a Final Four or dare I say it Finals run with Garza bringing all the national attention?

You guys wanting the B1G title above all else are out of your damn minds.
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I agree. Elite 8 or final four. This team has the pieces
 
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