“College Sports are Pro Sports. The basketball people know Iowa isn’t overrun with Sugar Daddies splashing around serious NIL cash.”

[Franisdaman]

Mike Hlas of the Cedar Rapids Gazette has covered Iowa for a long time.

This is a good column.

Some excerpts:

The Hawkeyes haven’t gotten as much as a share of a 3-way Big Ten regular-season title since 1979 (46 years).

I’ve enjoyed covering and watching Hawkeye men’s basketball under McCaffery, even with the defensive lapses and collapses that have grown old.

I like the players McCaffery brought in, decent and smart people with personality and character and heart and skills. I like that he saw things in Luka Garza and the Murray brothers well before other college coaches and we here got to see what future NBA players look like. I like that I never had to write about anything resembling a scandal.

If Goetz goes with the status quo for another season, however, she’ll be rowing against the tide of popular opinion. She didn’t have to look far from her seat in Carver this winter to see no one in huge splotches of seats. Her business is as bottom-line as any.

Izzo’s right, though. If you’re going to be the Miami Marlins going against the Los Angeles Dodgers budget-wise, don’t expect future championship banners no matter who coaches your team.

The Full Story:

“Is Fran gone?” We’ll know soon, but winning big in men’s hoops involves more than coach

Whether Iowa Athletic Director keeps Fran McCaffery as the Hawkeyes’ coach or not, Tom Izzo is right when he says Iowa isn’t in the high end or even the middle of resources among Big Ten men’s basketball programs.

www.thegazette.com

 

[Hawkaholic18]

I'll still say this- if you don't play some defense don't expect wins. Word has been out for years- Iowa doesn't like to play defense, it is beyond embarrassing. He has had offensive talent- enough to generate some Sweet 16 runs. Also, he is not a PR coach and that's what you need in today's game. His record speaks for itself, let that sink in. NIL is 3 years old so don't blame that for the prior years.

 

[doughuddl2]

Mike Hlas of the Cedar Rapids Gazette has covered Iowa for a long time.

This is a good column.

Some excerpts:

The Hawkeyes haven’t gotten as much as a share of a 3-way Big Ten regular-season title since 1979 (46 years).

I’ve enjoyed covering and watching Hawkeye men’s basketball under McCaffery, even with the defensive lapses and collapses that have grown old.

I like the players McCaffery brought in, decent and smart people with personality and character and heart and skills. I like that he saw things in Luka Garza and the Murray brothers well before other college coaches and we here got to see what future NBA players look like. I like that I never had to write about anything resembling a scandal.

If Goetz goes with the status quo for another season, however, she’ll be rowing against the tide of popular opinion. She didn’t have to look far from her seat in Carver this winter to see no one in huge splotches of seats. Her business is as bottom-line as any.

Izzo’s right, though. If you’re going to be the Miami Marlins going against the Los Angeles Dodgers budget-wise, don’t expect future championship banners no matter who coaches your team.

The Full Story:

“Is Fran gone?” We’ll know soon, but winning big in men’s hoops involves more than coach

Whether Iowa Athletic Director keeps Fran McCaffery as the Hawkeyes’ coach or not, Tom Izzo is right when he says Iowa isn’t in the high end or even the middle of resources among Big Ten men’s basketball programs.

www.thegazette.com

Fran I've been told piles of money is coming from the rich posters on here if we just fire Fran. They promise.

 

[ichawk24]

Iowa is dead last in NIL because of the head coach. The head coach will be fired very soon.

I don't know why anyone thinks Fran is the man to lead us out of dead last in NIL. His 15 year tenure of suckitude is what put us there.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Mens D1 basketball and FBS football ARE pro sports.
That's why Iowa needs to play moneyball. It's a pathway for the small market teams with less financial backing to be a part of the mix, e.g. Iowa.
For men's bball "the mix" is the NCAA tourney.
The next coach needs to think like a GM and player personnel manager with payroll in mind. He needs to be pragmatic about cutting players that aren't panning out relatively quickly. He should be poaching the lower rated guys coming out of HS and blossomed in the horizon and summits of the minor leagues of NCAA ball. He should be looking anywhere and everywhere, like overseas and juco, for the bargains relative to his payroll.
Will the next coach be a sure fire winner and bring an NCAA title? Of course not. It would be idiotic to think that. But we know it isn't happening with Fran. And he's shown no ability to adapt or change. Not in playing style, personnel/roster management or the world of NIL.
It's long past time for a change.

 

[BlIIlken2]

The fact that we are going to blame teams lack of success because fans don’t want to spend their paychecks on buying high school players is mind bottling.

College sports are dead

 

[Dude McHawks]

Fran I've been told piles of money is coming from the rich posters on here if we just fire Fran. They promise.

Lol you think keeping a past peak 65 year old slightly above average head coach with a terrible post season record is going to bring all sorts of new money in instead? Iowa may be a tough job but we know what won't work too

 

[LetsGoHawks83]

The fact that we are going to blame teams lack of success because fans don’t want to spend their paychecks on buying high school players is mind bottling.

College sports are dead

It's a lame excuse. There are many quality coaches that would love to coach at this university where we supposedly don't have any NIL to offer.

I don't blame any potential donors for holding their money until that future coach is hired, because it feels like you're just lighting that NIL cash on fire with the current staff.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Any program go from crap to great since NIL started and kept the same coach?

My guess is no.

Fran isn’t going to inspire anybody to donate anything.

It’s over. Why coaching at Iowa equates to a lifetime contract is baffling.

 

[ozzie8]

It's a lame excuse. There are many quality coaches that would love to coach at this university where we supposedly don't have any NIL to offer.

I don't blame any potential donors for holding their money until that future coach is hired, because it feels like you're just lighting that NIL cash on fire with the current staff.

That’s why I like McCollum. Obviously hes an excellent coach, but he’s old enough to remember carver rocking for mens hoops and being the main show in this state during the winter. I think he’d view the Iowa job as a destination and not be looking elsewhere. Same with Devries.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

I'll still say this- if you don't play some defense don't expect wins. Word has been out for years- Iowa doesn't like to play defense, it is beyond embarrassing. He has had offensive talent- enough to generate some Sweet 16 runs. Also, he is not a PR coach and that's what you need in today's game. His record speaks for itself, let that sink in. NIL is 3 years old so don't blame that for the prior years.

I guess I missed those "Sweet 16 runs".

 

[Nagarunja]

How do we know we’re so low in NIL compared to others? Isn’t it all just speculation? I think these writers just make shit up for clicks.

 

[ichawk24]

Fran I've been told piles of money is coming from the rich posters on here if we just fire Fran. They promise.

No one has said that. Can you provide a quote?

Ah, you're attacking a straw man. Because you know you have no other defense of Fran's inept leadership.

Build a straw man, and attack it, because you have zero other logic. Congratulations.

 

[GeorgePeeples]

The fact that we are going to blame teams lack of success because fans don’t want to spend their paychecks on buying high school players is mind bottling.

College sports are dead

WOB.

Fans having our minds bottled.

 

[AmericaNeedsMe]

"The Hawkeyes haven’t gotten as much as a share of a 3-way Big Ten regular-season title since 1979 (46 years)."

Jeez.

That was: 9 presidents ago

Cassette tapes and the Sony Walkman were the height of personal music technology.

Phones were connected to a line in your home.

No one had a personal computer, and the Internet was still 16 years away.

 

[Madman_1]

WOB.

Fans having our minds bottled.

I think that was an iWOB*

* intentional Want of Bees

 

[HawkLogic]

Fran I've been told piles of money is coming from the rich posters on here if we just fire Fran. They promise.

Its pretty simple---get rid of Fran's $3.3 million annual haul and hire a mid major guy at a discount and with the salary savings, throw that into NIL. The next guy at worst goes 15 years without a Big title or an NCAA sweet16.

 

[43Beels]

I am inclined to believe if Fran had Raveling’s recruits he would have made several tourney runs. Just like Dr Tom did until Ravelings recruits were gone .

 

[doughuddl2]

No one has said that. Can you provide a quote?

Ah, you're attacking a straw man. Because you know you have no other defense of Fran's inept leadership.

Build a straw man, and attack it, because you have zero other logic. Congratulations.

No I'm not going back through all the BS posts to find these. Fran can probably remember one of them he debated this with.

Hawkeye fans are cheap and fair weather fans.

McCullom will be in the tournament. The portal opens the 24th and Iowa has no head coach. The best players go immediately.

 

[CyberJJ]

I am inclined to believe if Fran had Raveling’s recruits he would have made several tourney runs. Just like Dr Tom did until Ravelings recruits were gone .

I am no Tom apologist, but he did make a sweet 16 his last year without Raveling’s recruits

 

[Franisdaman]

Iowa is dead last in NIL because of the head coach. The head coach will be fired very soon.

I don't know why anyone thinks Fran is the man to lead us out of dead last in NIL. His 15 year tenure of suckitude is what put us there.

So, with a new head coach, according to you, we should rise dramatically in NIL.

Since you seem so sure about yourself, what's your guess? Will we go from 18th place in the B1G to at least 9th or 10th? Or better?

 

[Franisdaman]

Fran I've been told piles of money is coming from the rich posters on here if we just fire Fran. They promise.

The only piles those posters have to offer is piles of shit that that dump on here with their posts.

 

[doughuddl2]

The only piles those posters have to offer is piles of shit that that dump on here with their posts.

We don't even know how much $$$ Beth will fund the basketball program with or what she will be allowed to fund.

 

[Franisdaman]

The fact that we are going to blame teams lack of success because fans don’t want to spend their paychecks on buying high school players is mind bottling.

College sports are dead

If we had a sugar daddy like Michigan State and Iowa State do, we'd be ok.

Remember when payments that are being made now would result in the death penalty?

It's been reported that our new QB, Mark Gronowski, will be paid $1.3M for his services...I mean, for his "name, image and likeness."

 

[Franisdaman]

We don't even know how much $$$ Beth will fund the basketball program with or what she will be allowed to fund.

A renovation of Carver has been discussed for a few years now. But Beth is trying to get donors lined up to finance it.

Think about that: donor money going to renovate Carver might hurt Iowa MBB's NIL even more.

 

[Franisdaman]

Lol you think keeping a past peak 65 year old slightly above average head coach with a terrible post season record is going to bring all sorts of new money in instead? Iowa may be a tough job but we know what won't work too

So, you think Iowa might not be a tough job?

Pretty sure the Iowa job is ranked one of the worst not only in the B1G but in the entire Power 5 (SEC, B1G, ACC, Big 12, Big East).

 

[BirdistheWord]

It’s a false straw man. Very few fans expect “championship” banners. Wisconsin has done it without Duke type talent. I would like to be in the running for a Big Ten title once in a while.

As far as ncaa tourney, same applies. No one is expecting a NC. Final four? Maybe we could dream. I think sweet 16 and elite 8’s would be more realistic.

But 10-10 in the B1G and 7-10 seed occasionally in ncaa tourney is not enough.

 

[Franisdaman]

It's a lame excuse. There are many quality coaches that would love to coach at this university where we supposedly don't have any NIL to offer.

I don't blame any potential donors for holding their money until that future coach is hired, because it feels like you're just lighting that NIL cash on fire with the current staff.

If we get a new coach, that person will likely get:
$3M (or more) per year (what Fran is making)
5-7 year deal
LARGE BUY OUT if fired

I hope Beth gets the next head coach right; if not, it will be a costly error.

It's been widely reported that we are #18 out of 18 B1G teams when it comes to NIL payments being made. How much do you think that will improve with a new head coach? Do we suddenly rise to the upper half of the B1G?

 

[Franisdaman]

I guess I missed those "Sweet 16 runs".

Sweet 16s are very important to fans.

So, if the new head coach (assuming there is one) does not get Iowa to the Sweet 16 within 4 years, will it be time to fire that coach and move on to the next one?

 

[Franisdaman]

How do we know we’re so low in NIL compared to others? Isn’t it all just speculation? I think these writers just make shit up for clicks.

This is a good discussion. Iowa is #18 out of the 18 B1G teams when it comes to NIL. That has to change, no matter who the coach is.

 

[Franisdaman]

"Iowa is a tough sell."

I hope he's wrong.

 

[Franisdaman]

Its pretty simple---get rid of Fran's $3.3 million annual haul and hire a mid major guy at a discount and with the salary savings, throw that into NIL. The next guy at worst goes 15 years without a Big title or an NCAA sweet16.

Ummm, the Iowa athletic dept can't throw the "savings" into NIL to pay players.

It's very hard to get the death penalty now a days but with your "logic" you have come up with a way! Good job!

 

[CyberJJ]

If we had a sugar daddy like Michigan State and Iowa State do, we'd be ok.

Remember when payments that are being made now would result in the death penalty?

It's been reported that our new QB, Mark Gronowski, will be paid $1.3M for his services...I mean, for his "name, image and likeness."

I have read you posting the sugar daddy line before. Having a rich donor doesn’t necessarily mean they have more in NIL donations. Do you know what ISU’s NIL is? Not challenging, just asking for details or a link that provides them as I haven’t seen any.

 

[Franisdaman]

It’s a false straw man. Very few fans expect “championship” banners. Wisconsin has done it without Duke type talent. I would like to be in the running for a Big Ten title once in a while. As far as ncaa tourney, same applies. No one is expecting a NC. Final four? Maybe we could dream. I think sweet 16 and elite 8’s would be more realistic. But 10-10 in the B1G and 7-10 seed occasionally in ncaa tourney is not enough.

So, how many years do you give the new head coach (assuming there is one) to make a Sweet 16? 4 years? 5 years?

 

[HawkLogic]

So, you think Iowa might not be a tough job?

Pretty sure the Iowa job is ranked one of the worst not only in the B1G but in the entire Power 5 (SEC, B1G, ACC, Big 12, Big East).

Assuming the B1G revenue sharing for NIL goes into effect, that won't be true because Iowa is a Top 20 athletic department revenue school and in upper 1/2 of B1G.



We do have some people with money and they don't fell like giving it to Iowa Basketball. That is where program excitement and marketing skills by the head coach have an impact.


I gave $200 to Swarm last year and wanted them to resign Perkins. Turns out Perkins was worth $400K and Iowa was no where near competitive. Also, at the time you couldn't specify donation destination if u gave less than $1K so maybe some of it went to Caitlin. Maybe she'll be the next Iowa Billionaire---hopefully she doesn't marry CMAC.

WE have 1 billionaire in Iowa and he is an ISU fan.

As of current data, Iowa has one billionaire, Harry Stine, the owner of Stine Seed, according to Forbes.

Here's a more detailed look:

• Harry Stine: He is the richest person in Iowa and the state's only billionaire.
  
  
• Stine Seed: Stine owns a large private seed company, Stine Seed, which has 15,000 acres of farmland in Iowa.
  
  
• Forbes 400: Stine was ranked as the 76th richest person in the Forbes 400 list of the 400 richest Americans in 2023, with a net worth of $9.7 billion.
  
  
• Forbes Billionaires List: Stine is ranked as the 572nd richest individual in the world on Forbes' World Billionaires List.
  
  
• Location: Stine lives in Adel, Iowa, and drives to work in a Ford F-150 pickup.

 

[HawkLogic]

So, how many years do you give the new head coach (assuming there is one) to make a Sweet 16? 4 years? 5 years?

15 years.

 

[Franisdaman]

I have read you posting the sugar daddy line before. Having a rich donor doesn’t necessarily mean they have more in NIL donations. Do you know what ISU’s NIL is? Not challenging, just asking for details or a link that provides them as I haven’t seen any.

Mike Hlas used the "sugar daddy" term in describing Michigan State's NIL program (the owner of the Phoenix Suns played for Izzo).

Billionaire Mark Cuban is an Indiana grad.

Billionaire Phil Knight, the Nike founder, funds Oregon's NIL.

Billionaire Dennis Albaugh funds Iowa State's NIL.

NIL Collectives try to keep what they are paying private; the Tennessee QB's NIL number got leaked, however. So did Gronowski's $1.3M figure, as another example.

From one year ago:

 

[doughuddl2]

The fact that we are going to blame teams lack of success because fans don’t want to spend their paychecks on buying high school players is mind bottling.

College sports are dead

Pitino said he's not recruiting high players this year because high schoolers can't replace what they've lost.

The have nots schools will be the training grounds for the schools with the bank accounts. Yea it appears college sports is heading that way.

 

[Franisdaman]

Iowa State basketball has a billionaire sugar daddy at their disposal.

This was from his luxury suite at the Kentucky Derby in 2023.

 

[Garbanzo Joe]

The way that Fran wants to play is not aligned with winning basketball in the NIL era given the resources that Iowa has. Is there a future where Iowa MBB is really competitive in the NIL era? Don't know. In the end Iowa can try something different with a new head coach and it could fail or they can stay status quo with the same head coach and fail.