Why are people acting like we won last night?

[DesMoinesHawki]

People are excited about a close loss because in general, this just goes to show how far this program has sank and how low expectations some fans are setting ... It is what it is ... the Big 10 is not that great this year. We beat a very poor Indiana team and Ohio State is not the Ohio State team that had the Thad 5 ... Put Iowa on the court against a Kentucky ... a Texas ... A Kansas ... a Cincinatti ... and you won't be seeing too many close games ... We did hang with MSU and that was very unexpected ... But overall, some fans are just settling for mediocrity and that is exactly what Iowa basketball has become ...

 

[grasshawk]

Some people must live a sad life if they cant see how much this team has improved and cant be optmistic with what we have coming back next year and even the next year...This isnt college football there is no reason to get that upset

 

[IAJay]

Some people must live a sad life if they cant see how much this team has improved and cant be optmistic with what we have coming back next year and even the next year...This isnt college football there is no reason to get that upset

I am sorry that I am not really pumped up by a team who can't handle a trapping press. If OSU did that the entire game it would have been like the Minnesota and Purdue games. Why teams don't press the living hell out of this team for 40 minutes if beyond me. Every team in the conference besides maybe Northwestern is so much more athletic than our guards they could make a living on pressing them.

 

[AZmess]

It's basically Year 1 1/2 with the departures. Blame the coach, blame the players that left, blame fate, but that's the reality. Iowa is not in Year 3 from a logical standpoint.

No its Year 3 stormin. Being the coach, you get ALL that comes with it. Don't make excuses for the guy. He wouldn't want you to.
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xBustyBrunettex cam

 

[TecmoSuperHawk]

I am sorry that I am not really pumped up by a team who can't handle a trapping press. If OSU did that the entire game it would have been like the Minnesota and Purdue games. Why teams don't press the living hell out of this team for 40 minutes if beyond me. Every team in the conference besides maybe Northwestern is so much more athletic than our guards they could make a living on pressing them.

The reason is because few teams have the quality depth required to press the hell out of any team for 40 minutes. OSU used it when they needed it and it was effective. Nice coaching by Matta there.

 

[ForeverHawk]

Did I miss a bunch of TO's by Iowa because of OSU's press? It seemed to me that the majority of the somewhat reasonable low number of 10 TO's came in the half-court set???

 

[HawkeyeShane]

People are excited about a close loss because in general, this just goes to show how far this program has sank and how low expectations some fans are setting ... It is what it is ... the Big 10 is not that great this year. We beat a very poor Indiana team and Ohio State is not the Ohio State team that had the Thad 5 ... Put Iowa on the court against a Kentucky ... a Texas ... A Kansas ... a Cincinatti ... and you won't be seeing too many close games ... We did hang with MSU and that was very unexpected ... But overall, some fans are just settling for mediocrity and that is exactly what Iowa basketball has become ...

I don't know a single Hawk fan who's settling one bit for mediocrity...

Being happy about signs of improvement over a 5 game span.

Settling for 10-15 wins per year...

Yeah...it's not even close...

 

[HawkeyeShane]

I am sorry that I am not really pumped up by a team who can't handle a trapping press. If OSU did that the entire game it would have been like the Minnesota and Purdue games. Why teams don't press the living hell out of this team for 40 minutes if beyond me. Every team in the conference besides maybe Northwestern is so much more athletic than our guards they could make a living on pressing them.

If, if, if...If Ohio State could do that without being gassed, they'd do it...not to mention you can't be a team that doesn't press all the time, with a deep bench and just decide to "slap it on for 40".

 

[hogeye]

Absolutely. But as fans, it's not realistic to say it's Year 3 in terms of the program itself.

Yes it is. He's had 3 years to recruit and get guys in place in his system and you can blame the coach for much of this. This is a huge red flag, but let's keep the Hawkeye blinders on from the previous stint with Alford and give him far too long to succeed.

It's time to cut our losses.

 

[HawkeyeShane]

Yes it is. He's had 3 years to recruit and get guys in place in his system and you can blame the coach for much of this. This is a huge red flag, but let's keep the Hawkeye blinders on from the previous stint with Alford and give him far too long to succeed.

It's time to cut our losses.

No it's not...this team IS showing progress whether you like it or not...now if this season ends and more players leave, then you've got me in your corner, but if you cut him loose with a roster of guys who fit his style then lose the recruits who are signed for next year, you're going to screw the program for a few more years while the NEXT guy gets "his guys" in and Lickliter's guys graduate. Now, if there are a bunch of guys who leave after this season, it's a better situation to for the program because the next coach could start at "ground zero"...but that's still not a quick fix as there aren't too many upper tier, unsigned players out there to pick from.

 

[bcl20]

At this point of the season wins and losses are pretty much meaningless (I mean they aren't but we're most likely not going to any post season or any thing like that so they don't matter too much at this point). A close loss to a good team is a good thing as it shows signs of getting better.

Hopefully when wins/losses have more meaning we will be at a point to where we can attain wins.

 

[Iceberg]

We need to play a solid game today up at the whore. I think is we come out and lay a stink bomb like we have against Mich before (last 2 BT tourneys) then back to square one. I have really enjoyed watching this team the past few weeks, and I am excited for the future. All those who want to get rid of Lick now, need to quit watching Iowa Bball for a couple of years. Come back then, it'll be better.

 

[1977Hawkeye]

Yes it is. He's had 3 years to recruit and get guys in place in his system and you can blame the coach for much of this. This is a huge red flag, but let's keep the Hawkeye blinders on from the previous stint with Alford and give him far too long to succeed.

It's time to cut our losses.

I'm as unhappy with the past 2.5 years as anybody else. Everything that's happened in that time regarding the transfers and all, I have to hold Lickliter mostly accountable for. Year 1 is usually kind of a "free pass" year for any new coach, but in years 2 & 3, it's time to start building something, or at least taking the program in the right direction.

From a year-to-year perspective, that hasn't happened. But this year's team has gotten better as the season has progressed, and *IF* everyone sticks around for next year, and the incoming class pans out, I expect the team to be considerably better than next year. If that happens, then I'm ok with giving Lickliter a year 5.

Otherwise, if we have more transfers after this year, and/or next year's team doesn't show a considerable improvement in the W/L column, then I think it's time to cut our losses.

Provided the team doesn't completely tank the rest of this season and keeps playing competetive basketball they have been the past 4 games or so, then I think Lickliter should get another year at least.