Who will be next years lightning rod?

[InGoodCo]

They talked about this on the On Iowa pod. Every season Iowa fans make 1 player the lightning rod and single them out, sometimes fairly, sometimes unfairly. But they're the problem and as fans, they know their basketball and as fans, they know what is gonna work on the hardwood. It typically can be Iowa's best player but not always. This year was Cook. (we'll be better without him right? He turns it over and plays ole D, he aint no NBA playa) Last year was Jordan. (hopefully we can find a true PG) Year before that it was Jok (we'll be better he doesn't play D). Year before it was Woodbury (he pokes eyes and can't dunk,total liability on O).

I'm gonna go with Connor - who kind of caught it this year as well, but he's ripe for it. His play didn't help as he was pretty bad stat wise as well. He won't be nearly Iowa's best player tho, so maybe not the biggest scapegoat. But I imagine he will get minutes because it's his 3rd year in the program and he's earned them, but fans will be very peed that he's getting more minutes than Joe T and that Fran is too dumb to play his star and just wants to play his kid.

I feel like there's no way of that not happening - when you bring your kid in to play for you, there's no way to escape that. Fair or not, it's the bed Fran's made.

 

[PCHawk]

I'm not sure I agree that Cook was the lightning rod this year. All year people said he wasn't an NBA player, but other than that, he hasn't really caught much flack at all until the last few weeks where he played really bad. Connor, Dailey, and Bohannon got it all year. Hell Moss had it worse than Cook probably. Next year will be Connor and Bohannon tho.

 

[RobHowe]

I'm not sure I agree that Cook was the lightning rod this year. All year people said he wasn't an NBA player, but other than that, he hasn't really caught much flack at all until the last few weeks where he played really bad. Connor, Dailey, and Bohannon got it all year. Hell Moss had it worse than Cook probably. Next year will be Connor and Bohannon tho.

I disagree. Cook was by far the lightning rod this year and I don't think there was close second. I'm taking into account my radio hits, social media and conversations with fans, too, though.

 

[WindsorHawk]

I think it will be a 3 way tie the next 3 years.

C Mac...no good
P Mac...too skinny
F Mac...can’t coach or control his temper and will show his sons favoritism

 

[PCHawk]

I disagree. Cook was by far the lightning rod this year and I don't think there was close second. I'm taking into account my radio hits, social media and conversations with fans, too, though.

You clearly have more access than me so it's hard to argue with you, but are you sure this isnt a case of only remembering the last few weeks? Cook was pretty good for most of the year. People on here talked about him not having a jumper and not being an NBA player, but I don't remember him getting torn up as an overall player until the last few weeks. Guys like Bohannon, Woody, and Oglesby got it hard all year. I wouldn't compare Cook to them at all. Cook was more like Uthoff his senior year where his play fell off st the end so then they started calling him soft.

 

[InGoodCo]

I disagree. Cook was by far the lightning rod this year and I don't think there was close second. I'm taking into account my radio hits, social media and conversations with fans, too, though.

agree, that's how it felt to me. "HE THINKS HE'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE NBA???? LOL" etc - all season. Now it's the, "hey, we'll be better if he's gone" take.

 

[PCHawk]

agree, that's how it felt to me. "HE THINKS HE'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE NBA???? LOL" etc - all season. Now it's the, "hey, we'll be better if he's gone" take.

I get the NBA part, but of course that was going to get said. NBA players are the best of the best. Cook is a pretty darn good player, but even when he's playing his best he's probably not very close to being an NBA guy. When a guy is clearly a 2nd team conference caliber guy talks about being an NBA guy, it's going to get talked about even after his normal "pretty good" games. If there was no NBA talk and he just went out and played like Marble, White, Uthoff, and Jok, there would have been almost no negative talk about him until the end of the season where he fell apart.

 

[PCHawk]

I guess to sum up my thoughts, he mostly got ripped on for his NBA talk, not his play.

 

[InGoodCo]

I guess to sum up my thoughts, he mostly got ripped on for his NBA talk, not his play.

yup, but he was this years "guy" - Jordan had a pretty good year, so he didn't lead the charge, but it was still sorta there. It's hard to trash talk a guy who shoots like that tho, so it softened. Kriener didn't get the minutes. I suppose if Joe W doesn't take a step forward and has a sophomore slump, he could be the guy too.

 

[phdsvp]

Yeah, if you have to pick a player. But the Fran and Gary Show have to be tied for first every preseason.

 

[#1DieHardHawk]

This is not unique to Iowa fans. Every fanbase in every sport does it.

There's always one or two players that drive fans nuts due to lack of talent and/or consistency, and, thusly, bear the brunt of the criticism after losses.

 

[Motigerhawk]

If Cook was used correctly and harnessed, he would have averaged a double double. He has not been coached. And he has plateaued, Its too bad for TC.

 

[NikeHawk21]

This is not unique to Iowa fans. Every fanbase in every sport does it.

There's always one or two players that drive fans nuts due to lack of talent and/or consistency, and, thusly, bear the brunt of the criticism after losses.

I was watching the Wisconsin tournament game with Badger fans and they were saying they were so excited for Happ to be done. Walking turnover who can’t make a layup and doesn’t play defense they said. This is arguably one of the best players in the history of their program.

 

[InGoodCo]

This is not unique to Iowa fans. Every fanbase in every sport does it.

There's always one or two players that drive fans nuts due to lack of talent and/or consistency, and, thusly, bear the brunt of the criticism after losses.

absolutely, nothing unique to Iowa fans. In a lot of cases that same guy that gets it from the fans, other teams fans think that player is good tho, or they would happily take them off our hands. Vice versa for us.

 

[InGoodCo]

If Cook was used correctly and harnessed, he would have averaged a double double. He has not been coached. And he has plateaued, Its too bad for TC.

The dumb coaches do come in first every year, despite them developing talent consistently. Who ever said it on here, they are correct, Fran is # 1 every season and IMO, he should be.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

I disagree. Cook was by far the lightning rod this year and I don't think there was close second. I'm taking into account my radio hits, social media and conversations with fans, too, though.

Cook self-selected.

 

[revkev73]

Some official, MF cheater

 

[revkev73]

I was watching the Wisconsin tournament game with Badger fans and they were saying they were so excited for Happ to be done. Walking turnover who can’t make a layup and doesn’t play defense they said. This is arguably one of the best players in the history of their program.

I heard those exact comments last night from two big Badger fans.

 

[RobHowe]

Cook self-selected.

Not sure what you mean.

 

[hawkdrummer1]

Not sure what you mean.

Brought it on himself...to some degree. He was nowhere near NBA ready last year (and probably isn't now), so going to the NBA eval drew plenty of snickers...along with expectations he'd play at that kind of level this year.