The truth is Woodbury has the ability to be the Blake Larson of Iowa basketball. No...not productivity wise. But rather he has the chance to be that first huge instate commitment that propels momentum into the program. Those of you who were around for Larson's announcement remember the buzz and momentum that his commitment created for the Iowa football program in a time of rebuilding and frustration. The excitement that Larson's signing created is something that is undervalued when people talk about the Ferentz era.
Sure, injuries and poor footwork kept Larson from making an impact. But on a larger scale, his commitment had a larger effect on the program than his play ever could have done. I foresee the same thing with Woodbury. Except I see him making a huge impact on the court as well. And yes, I expect him to be a Hawk.
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The truth is Woodbury has the ability to be the Blake Larson of Iowa basketball. No...not productivity wise. But rather he has the chance to be that first huge instate commitment that propels momentum into the program. Those of you who were around for Larson's announcement remember the buzz and momentum that his commitment created for the Iowa football program in a time of rebuilding and frustration. The excitement that Larson's signing created is something that is undervalued when people talk about the Ferentz era.
Sure, injuries and poor footwork kept Larson from making an impact. But on a larger scale, his commitment had a larger effect on the program than his play ever could have done. I foresee the same thing with Woodbury. Except I see him making a huge impact on the court as well. And yes, I expect him to be a Hawk.
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Burky - great perspective! I hadn't thought of Larson in those terms, but it make a lot of sense. I talked to one of the coaches about Larson, both before he was signed and after he graduated. They weren't sold on him when they recruited him, but because of all the publicity, they couldn't afford to not take him. If he had gone somewhere else and "blown up" they would have been run out of town. But as you point out he paid dividends in a lot of other areas.