When was I or were you this down on Hawk bball?

U

uihawk82

Well-Known Member
Maybe discouraged is a better word than down. For me and most of you it was probably Lick's last two years which was a no-watch boor show. Alford's crap in his last year with a top team was bad. I cant believe how little interest I have for anything Iowa Bball right now or even during the Big 10 season last year.

Never was down with Miller, Lute, Davis, even Raveling because he had really good athletes. But the color was off the rose somewhat on Raveling and Alford because they were not very good in-game coaches. Hell I can never even remember the coach that followed Miller, yes one of his best players, James Speed, had an awful outcome but those were bad years.

There seems to be a trend that not long after the disinterest starts the clock starts ticking on the current coach as they seem to get fired or leave. Are we trending that way? I really hope not because Fran has shown he can get the hawks way up in the polls. To me he just needs that really good true point guard, quit blowing his stack, coach some defense and get back to top 15 level.
 
Lick years were absolutely brutal. I thought early that he might be a solid if not flashy coach. But something was terribly wrong with his player interactions. I think at Butler, where he was successful, there were two circumstances that made him that way...first, he had a great assistant coach, whose success became obvious after Lick left Butler; second, Lick made the "Butler Way" a calling card for his recruits, and it worked. Players thought they were privileged to play for Butler. Obviously, did not work at Iowa.
 
Lick actually taught better fundamentals. Didn't have players. His biggest downfall was playing his own son. Good thing that's over....

If Lick succeeded in anything he did give us a mentality of the Butler way. We're not that good, but

Before that most of us still thought Iowa was a top 25 program.

Some of the current players need some of the son's moves to the hoop. At least he got there.

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one really bad season doesn't have me there, 2 in a row and I might get there. Let's say this summer Cook comes back, DJ signs and I think Iowa mo will shift back considerably. I mean, I won't forget this past season, but that would help. If those things don't happen, then I am in a wait and see mode.
 
InGoodCo said:
one really bad season doesn't have me there, 2 in a row and I might get there. Let's say this summer Cook comes back, DJ signs and I think Iowa mo will shift back considerably. I mean, I won't forget this past season, but that would help. If those things don't happen, then I am in a wait and see mode.
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In case anyone was wondering how Gary Barta is looking at the issue... :rolleyes:
 
Ree4 said:
I may be the only person who is optimistic about the future of Iowa Basketball
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You're not, but last season has made it extremely difficult to look at it differently for most. It's almost like last season was the 3rd straight year of below .500 ball for Iowa in the Big Ten instead of it's first in 6.
 
SteveGarvey1 said:
No you are not. Well, I'm cautiously optimistic.

Cook leaves, Fran whiffs on Carton and Terry then I'll have to revisit that.
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I'll second that with the caveat that I'd be happy with Locure. I can see why people wouldn't be optimistic, but this should only be a real discussion after next year if we whiff on everyone and we also miss the tournament.
 
InGoodCo said:
You're not, but last season has made it extremely difficult to look at it differently for most. It's almost like last season was the 3rd straight year of below .500 ball for Iowa in the Big Ten instead of it's first in 6.
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I think most rational fans consider the NCAA tourney as a very important metric of success if not the most important. Iowa has missed that tourney 5 out of Fran's 8 seasons at Iowa, including the last 2.
 
tksirius said:
I think most rational fans consider the NCAA tourney as a very important metric of success if not the most important. Iowa has missed that tourney 5 out of Fran's 8 seasons at Iowa, including the last 2.
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I totally agree. from the late 1950's to Lute in 1981 or so the hawks were in 3 final fours and had two other teams a few baskets away from being there, if Miller has a little luck the hawks could have had 5 final fours in 13 years.

Now go from that and Lute and Mr. Davis were in the tourney a high % of the time. It has been a lot less favorable since Davis left under Alford, Lick and Fran. So I agree we are on a downhill slide in tourney appearances, Big titles, etc and it needs to be turned around because at one time the hawks were a name in college Bball on the national scene.
 
HuckFinn said:
Lick years were absolutely brutal. I thought early that he might be a solid if not flashy coach. But something was terribly wrong with his player interactions. I think at Butler, where he was successful, there were two circumstances that made him that way...first, he had a great assistant coach, whose success became obvious after Lick left Butler; second, Lick made the "Butler Way" a calling card for his recruits, and it worked. Players thought they were privileged to play for Butler. Obviously, did not work at Iowa.
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Who knew at the time that Lick's assistant would be coaching the Celtics for the NBA World Championship.....

:cool:
 
I still pay attention, if his kids turn out like everyone on here wants and Fran lands both of Foster and Carton or equivalent. I would be happy.
 
InGoodCo said:
one really bad season doesn't have me there, 2 in a row and I might get there. Let's say this summer Cook comes back, DJ signs and I think Iowa mo will shift back considerably. I mean, I won't forget this past season, but that would help. If those things don't happen, then I am in a wait and see mode.
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It's been nothing but mediocre and bad seasons for the past 20+ years. Since Gutless Gary has been here, we've had 8 seasons of 14 or more losses. All but 1 season saw double digit losses (which was Alfraud's 2nd to last season/Gutless Gary's first year at the helm). That's 12 of 13 seasons with double digit losses each season. That's awful.
 
lightning1 said:
It's been nothing but mediocre and bad seasons for the past 20+ years. Since Gutless Gary has been here, we've had 8 seasons of 14 or more losses. All but 1 season saw double digit losses (which was Alfraud's 2nd to last season/Gutless Gary's first year at the helm). That's 12 of 13 seasons with double digit losses each season. That's awful.
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man you set me straight bra.... I sit around and wait for you to come dump all over someone else's opinion. Bet you're a hit at parties. I don't disagree with anything you said, but iowa won 18 or more games the previous 6 seasons before last. 1 season doesn't get me there. Is that ok with you or should I say gutless a bunch?
 
InGoodCo said:
man you set me straight bra.... I sit around and wait for you to come dump all over someone else's opinion. Bet you're a hit at parties. I don't disagree with anything you said, but iowa won 18 or more games the previous 6 seasons before last. 1 season doesn't get me there. Is that ok with you or should I say gutless a bunch?
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18 wins is also followed by 12+ losses. 18 wins doesn't = a good season. Not in my opinion. You and I have very different ideas of what it means to compete in sports. 18 wins is perfectly acceptable to you. 1 conference title every century is a reasonable expectation for you. I don't subscribe to idea that those achievements are acceptable.
You can say gutless how many times it suits you. It suits me to include it each and every time I discuss Gary Barta. That's what the man is. Gutless. He thinks 18 win seasons are acceptable too.
 
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