Who Was Your Favorite Hawkeye that Things Didn't Work Out in Playing Time

IIRC the U of I had slightly higher academic standards than NCAA and Big Ten and several other Big 10 teams did one of which was of course jNW. Fry bumped heads with the UI Prez once in awhile about this but Thompson was a major major casualty of this. I do not think there was anything but this as people thought anyone thought he had scholastic problems. And of course he was declared ineligible right before the tournament which must have been a mid-semester check on grades.
Joey Range, excellent call.

No one has ever confirmed to me whether or not he was Parry's son (early 1980's Illinois guard). Joey was from Illinois and it's in the right age range so I've always assumed he was.

Then again I always assumed Florida's Chandler Parsons was Christian Laettner's kid. Eerie similarities and again, the right age range. Laettner may have had more one running around from his Duke years.
 
Well there is Connie Hawkins whose playing time never got started. He was at Iowa as a freshman when slightly implicated but not guilty in a point shaving scandal. But he was such a great bball player he was elected into the Naismith Hall of Fame.

My main point is that the hawks were just a couple of years from 2 NCAA Final Four appearances when Hawkins came to Iowa. If he could have been great at Iowa he would have been a JR or SR on the 1964 team was a very good team that was ranked at times, beat #1 UCLA in Chicago, and Hawkins could have made this team a championship level team. Maybe NCAA championship level.

College and investigation into point-shaving[edit]
During Hawkins' freshman year at Iowa, he was a victim of the hysteria surrounding a point-shaving scandal that had started in New York City. Hawkins' name surfaced in an interview conducted with an individual who was involved in the scandal. While some of the conspirators and characters involved were known to or knew Hawkins, none – including the New York attorney at the center of the scandal, Jack Molinas – had ever sought to involve Hawkins in the conspiracy. Hawkins had borrowed $200 from Molinas for school expenses, which his brother Fred repaid before the scandal broke in 1961.[2] The scandal became known as the 1961 college basketball gambling scandal.

Despite the fact that Hawkins could not have been involved in point-shaving (as a freshman, due to NCAA rules of the time, he was ineligible to participate in varsity-level athletics), he was kept from seeking legal counsel while being grilled by New York City detectives who were investigating the scandal.[3]

Expulsion from Iowa and ABL/Globetrotter/ABA years[edit]
As a result of the investigation, despite never being arrested or indicted, Hawkins was expelled from Iowa. He was effectively blackballed from the college ranks; no NCAA or NAIA school would offer him a scholarship. NBA commissioner J. Walter Kennedy let it be known that he would not approve any contract for Hawkins to play in the league. At the time, the NBA had a policy barring players who were even remotely involved with point-shaving scandals. As a result, when his class was eligible for the draft in 1964, no team selected him. He went undrafted in 1965 as well before being formally banned from the league in 1966.[2][4]

High school[edit]
Hawkins did not play much until his junior year at Boys High. Hawkins was All-City first team as a junior as Boys went undefeated and won New York's Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) title in 1959. During his senior year he averaged 25.5 points per game, including one game in which he scored 60, and Boys again went undefeated and won the 1960 PSAL title. Hawkins then signed a scholarship offer to play at the University of Iowa
 
Some good picks, Joey Range and Ray Thompson for sure.
For me though its Connie Hawkins, my dad use to take me to the old courts in the fieldhouse and armory and watch him scrimmage, I had never seen anything like him and as an 11 year old this left a lasting impression.
 
We finished 12-16, 4-14 in the B1G, in the 1989-90 season, which was quite a comedown for Mr. Davis in his fourth season. But look at what could have been

PG Brian Garner (academic casualty)
G Rodell Davis (two major knee injuries, only began contributing late in the season after two in a half years of recovery)
SF Ray Thompson (academic casualty, was averaging 19.5 ppg at the time of his departure)
PF Michael Ingram (destroyed his knee early in 1988-89 season in blowout win, part time starter in final season)
C Les Jepsen (did have solid senior season, Acie Earl backed him up)

You could have gone even more athletic and substituted Matt Bullard, who had knee issues of his own, or a young Acie Earl. James Moses and Wade Lookingbill, who were thrust into starting roles they weren't ready for, could have added depth to the rotation off the bench. You could have had yourself a hell of a team.

I hate to be the one to say this, but if you think Ingram and Garner would have been anything better than average players, and that is being generous, you really don’t know much about basketball.
 
Some good picks, Joey Range and Ray Thompson for sure.
For me though its Connie Hawkins, my dad use to take me to the old courts in the fieldhouse and armory and watch him scrimmage, I had never seen anything like him and as an 11 year old this left a lasting impression.

DING, DING, DING, DING, DING, DING DING!!!!!!! We have a winner!!!!!
 
I hate to be the one to say this, but if you think Ingram and Garner would have been anything better than average players, and that is being generous, you really don’t know much about basketball.
No you don't hate it. You've disliked my ass since I started posting on here.

A healthy Ingram would have been able to showcase his athletic ability in Mr. Davis's system and was certainly better than Jay Webb or Brig Tubbs or anyone else we had available that season at that position.

Garner, on athletic ability alone, would have been an upgrade over Troy Skinner, despite his many limitations.

I saw those teams play too.
 
No you don't hate it. You've disliked my ass since I started posting on here.

A healthy Ingram would have been able to showcase his athletic ability in Mr. Davis's system and was certainly better than Jay Webb or Brig Tubbs or anyone else we had available that season at that position.

Garner, on athletic ability alone, would have been an upgrade over Troy Skinner, despite his many limitations.

I saw those teams play too.

Agreed. Ingram had a big ten body - but hard to do a lot on one leg.

Garner was like Kevin Smith version 1 - Quick as hell, but raw offensively. I remember seeing Garner air ball a free throw. Not short, but wide right. Ugly. But he may have been able to develop into a more reliable PG option once he learned to play in control.

If I recall, Garner transferred to Oral Roberts along with Ray Thompson.
 
Agreed. Ingram had a big ten body - but hard to do a lot on one leg.

Garner was like Kevin Smith version 1 - Quick as hell, but raw offensively. I remember seeing Garner air ball a free throw. Not short, but wide right. Ugly. But he may have been able to develop into a more reliable PG option once he learned to play in control.

If I recall, Garner transferred to Oral Roberts along with Ray Thompson.
Ingram red shirted in his 1987-88 transfer year but frequently went up against Ed Horton in practice and Horton mentioned back then how much it helped improve his game.

Garner was the quickest Hawkeye I've ever seen with the ball, bar none and that includes Ronnie Lester. With no outside shooting threat whatsoever defenders still couldn't stay in front of him. But like a fastball pitcher with no curve or change up, Garner could never develop a speed other than full throttle. Defenders learned how to funnel him into trouble. Garner also tried too many passes with a Globetrotters degree of difficulty amd like you said was a poor free throw shooter. His prep career at Milwaukee Washington was nothing short of legendary.

Perhaps if Lester had chosen to play at a red line pace he would have been even quicker. But he wouldn't have had one tenth the college career he had either.
 
Rodell Davis. Two major knee injuries ruined his first two and a half years and he would have been valuable guarding NC State's Rodney Monroe after Ray Thompson was declared ineligible on the eve of the 1989 NCAA tournament.

He finally got some playing time late in his third season, which was pretty much a lost cause for Iowa, and quietly was the team's third leading scorer in conference play.

He fought back to be about seventy percent of what he could have been in his fourth year and was a steadying force on a team that played mostly sophomores and freshmen.

His final year was 1991-92 and as younger players like Val Barnes and Kevin Smith and James Winters came on he gradually slid farther and farther down the rotation. He was playing little by the end of the year. His knees were shot.

I have never seen another Iowa player with his skill set. Clay Hargrave comes closest to mind. At 6'3 he had a knack of scoring and rebounding inside and could guard the perimeter well. Knee brace and all he could also occasionally deliver a highlight reel dunk. A healthy Rodell Davis combined with an eligible Ray Thompson would have been a devistating double dose of athleticism on the wings for Mr. Davis.

In addition to being Big 10's second leading rebounder one season, Clay Hargrave was also one of the nicest guys you could ever meet.
 
Hands down for me was Ray Thompson. Completely changed the dynamic of the team and could have been a huge seller for upcoming recruits. The guy was an absolute stud in a very loaded conference. By him staying he could have changed the complexion of Iowa BBall for the next decade. He is the only guy I can think of that I remember as a sure fire NBA lottery pick.

can’t remember all of the issues revolving around his ineligibility but I remember it was BS

It wasn't BS. I remember asking a former honcho with UI Foundation WTH happened with Ray Thompson, His answer: "Ed Horton happened to Ray Thompson". Long and short of it was Ed could handle the high life, Ray couldn't.
 
Probably Tree Henry, maybe not that much as a Hawkeye, but being a true friend and being there for Kenny Arnold during his health problems.

As a prep at Elgin Larkin HS, Tree dominated, and damn near got that team "downstate" by himself. I was always kind of surprised Tree didn't have a big college career.
 
No you don't hate it. You've disliked my ass since I started posting on here.

A healthy Ingram would have been able to showcase his athletic ability in Mr. Davis's system and was certainly better than Jay Webb or Brig Tubbs or anyone else we had available that season at that position.

Garner, on athletic ability alone, would have been an upgrade over Troy Skinner, despite his many limitations.

I saw those teams play too.

Are you one of those people that imagines a slight or an insult where none exists? I don’t recall ever seeing your name before responding to this thread? For you to think I have disliked you since you first posted here is ludicrous.

As for Garner, I could be wrong. But I don’t think so. For Ingram and Garner, being better than Jay Webb/Brig Tubbs or Troy Skinner doesn’t mean they were anything above below average. As one poster pointed out, Garner couldn’t shoot or harness his speed, and evidently he thought he was a better passer than he was. Since Ingram wasn’t healthy, and apparently partied to much to contribute, I guess I don’t feel the need to debate how either of them would have changed the trajectory of Iowa basketball.

What were Garner’s stats at Oral Roberts? I can’t seem to find them. Ingram was never a factor for Iowa so I guess I don’t see any reason to discuss him as someone that might have made a difference in the season you referenced.
 
Are you one of those people that imagines a slight or an insult where none exists? I don’t recall ever seeing your name before responding to this thread? For you to think I have disliked you since you first posted here is ludicrous.

As for Garner, I could be wrong. But I don’t think so. For Ingram and Garner, being better than Jay Webb/Brig Tubbs or Troy Skinner doesn’t mean they were anything above below average. As one poster pointed out, Garner couldn’t shoot or harness his speed, and evidently he thought he was a better passer than he was. Since Ingram wasn’t healthy, and apparently partied to much to contribute, I guess I don’t feel the need to debate how either of them would have changed the trajectory of Iowa basketball.

What were Garner’s stats at Oral Roberts? I can’t seem to find them. Ingram was never a factor for Iowa so I guess I don’t see any reason to discuss him as someone that might have made a difference in the season you referenced.
I was the poster who pointed out Garner's deficiencies, twice in this thread alone. But had kept his head on straight he would have been a nice drive and dish compliment to a team that had Thompson and James Moses and would soon have Acie Earl and Chris Street. He also had the potential to be an outstanding defensive point guard.

I know all about Ingram's reputation for partying. I had him in a night class-when he showed up (a NIGHT CLASS!!). Partying and drug and alcohol use was rampant during that era and it also nearly swallowed up Acie Earl's Iowa career as well. Davis suspended him for six games shortly after Thompson and Garner were declared academically ineligible and Earl had several issues the next year as well (had to come off the bench for Temple, Iowa State, and the final three weeks of the season IIRC because he was late for practice or team meetings)

The real killer, of course, was losing Thompson. He was on track to be first or second team all B1G as a sophomore. Would have been one of Iowa's all time greats.

I'll talk that era of Iowa basketball with you or anyone else every time. You seem to know your stuff as well. Saying, or even implying, that I don't know much about that era of Iowa basketball stung because I cherish those days. I would love to have another era of Iowa basketball to cherish:)
 
DING, DING, DING, DING, DING, DING DING!!!!!!! We have a winner!!!!!

Agreed. I remember Connie Hawkins. I once watched him chase down a loose ball going out of bounds. Obvious the ball is moving away from him quickly, but he reached out with one hand and grabbed it like a baseball. No cupping or scooping...he grabbed it straight hand palm out. I've never seen anyone do that?

He was an athletic freak.
 
Agreed. I remember Connie Hawkins. I once watched him chase down a loose ball going out of bounds. Obvious the ball is moving away from him quickly, but he reached out with one hand and grabbed it like a baseball. No cupping or scooping...he grabbed it straight hand palm out. I've never seen anyone do that?

He was an athletic freak.
Connie Hawkins would have to be toward the top of this list too. He was Dr. J before there was a Dr. J.
 

Latest posts

Top