As far as I am concerned, Fran should have never been let go…

[83Hawk]

I would argue that there is a difference between a calculated risk and flat out winging it. You can usually improve your chances of making a great hire for example, by making the job more attractive.

I see no significant attempt(s) to make the Iowa job a better job, so I would argue that we are flat out winging it.

It is still possible that the Drake coach will turn out to be the hire and that he will be great ... otherwise, if I see us looking to a third or fourth or fifth choice, then we will be operating clearly on the fly.

......................................................

In any case, I am tired of saying the same things over and over ... so I am done with this topic until there is a coach in place.

Good luck to Miss Goetz.

You have no clue if Iowa is trying to make the job better or not. And I seriously doubt they are “winging it”. Good grief. Indiana overpays for DeVries and now some Hawk fans are in full panic mode. Including some who were clamoring for Fran to be fired and now think he should have been retained.

Unbelievable.

MODS: I respectfully request that the restriction that my posts be reviewed by a moderator before being seen by others be removed. Thank you!

 

[RocknRollface]

I would argue that there is a difference between a calculated risk and flat out winging it. You can usually improve your chances of making a great hire for example, by making the job more attractive.

I see no significant attempt(s) to make the Iowa job a better job, so I would argue that we are flat out winging it.

It is still possible that the Drake coach will turn out to be the hire and that he will be great ... otherwise, if I see us looking to a third or fourth or fifth choice, then we will be operating clearly on the fly.

......................................................

In any case, I am tired of saying the same things over and over ... so I am done with this topic until there is a coach in place.

Good luck to Miss Goetz.

I think it's clear there were no attempts to improve the Iowa job from this AD because she decided early on that she wanted to go in a different direction.

The Fans had given up on Fran, it was the right call regardless of how anything else shakes out.

In other words she didn't want to keep Fran so why give him resources to help him win ultimately making her task harder.

There's no way she's planning to just stand pat with current NIL for the new coach, no chance. It may not be able to be increased by a significant amount but it's going to increase.

 

[Titus Andronicus]

I think it's clear there were no attempts to improve the Iowa job from this AD because she decided early on that she wanted to go in a different direction.

The Fans had given up on Fran, it was the right call regardless of how anything else shakes out.

In other words, she didn't want to keep Fran so why give him resources to help him win ultimately making her task harder.

There's no way she's planning to just stand pat with current NIL for the new coach, no chance. It may not be able to be increased by a significant amount but it's going to increase.

So, you shortchange your own coach hoping he will retire? Losing huge amounts of ticket revenue along the way?

I think what you are saying is true. However, that does not make it a cool thing to do and I still do not like how this has played out.

 

[RocknRollface]

So, you shortchange your own coach hoping he will retire? Losing huge amounts of ticket revenue along the way?

I think what you are saying is true. However, that does not make it a cool thing to do and I still do not like how this has played out.

I understand the thought process though. Helping Fram works against the ultimate goal of replacing him.

If you give Fran more NIL he likely spends it on keeping the current players so that's not going to improve much anyway.

A change needed to happen and this was a tactic that was probably necessary.

 

[Dubuquefan]

You are oblivious to the ineptitude FM was providing. Mediocre coach with no defense nor rebounding.

 

[HawkLogic]

Can you read critically?

Obviously not.

You started the season ragging on Fran, said the product wasn't watchable. Fran gets fired. Then when expected things happen like losing the entire roster you want him back? Dix and Freeman were gone regardless of Fran status. You just need to relax and let the process play out---keep working out and developing that big frame and cut look you bragged about in past.

For all we know, Beth told Fran he needed to get off his ass and go out and raise some NIL, bring back attendance, and take at $1 million dollar Paycut. The Paycut money would go back into the NIL and Fran said FU....Fran has plenty of time to adapt to the portal and then NIL and now he's out of a job and talking about getting a coaching job some place where he develops players and doesn't have to go out to Portal and re-stock every year.... Fran was washed up with old man disease. Need some new blood and different leadership...let the process play out.

 

[1inamillion]

You started the season ragging on Fran, said the product wasn't watchable. Fran gets fired. Then when expected things happen like losing the entire roster you want him back? Dix and Freeman were gone regardless of Fran status. You just need to relax and let the process play out---keep working out and developing that big frame and cut look you bragged about in past.

For all we know, Beth told Fran he needed to get off his ass and go out and raise some NIL, bring back attendance, and take at $1 million dollar Paycut. The Paycut money would go back into the NIL and Fran said FU....Fran has plenty of time to adapt to the portal and then NIL and now he's out of a job and talking about getting a coaching job some place where he develops players and doesn't have to go out to Portal and re-stock every year.... Fran was washed up with old man disease. Need some new blood and different leadership...let the process play out.

ragnar started this thread tongue in cheek.. HIS CLAIMS HAVE VALIDITY. IF FRAN HAD NOTHING COMING BACK AND HAD NOT HAD A 4 STAR WITH OTHER GOOD RECRUITS WITH SPURLING ON THE STAFF, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LET GO . I THINK THE TIMING WAS STUPID. BUT BUT BUT NO SWEET 16. Good grief, people here sadly will get to endure some very tough mbb years. I hope im wrong.

 

[83Hawk]

Good grief, people here sadly will get to endure some very tough mbb years. I hope im wrong.

If McCollum is hired, you will be.

 

[coorsoriginal02]

Good grief, people here sadly will get to endure some very tough mbb years. I hope im wrong.

Fran and Iowa won the conference tournament three years ago. This was THEE biggest accomplishment of his tenure, was it not?

There's little difference between you're so called "tough years" and what Fran has provided over the past 15 seasons.

Finishing in the top-half of the conference is not that cool and is not memorable. At all. Nobody gives a sh*t about average performance.

 

[KinnickCrawler]

I understand this sentiment, especially as seemingly good candidates come off the board as we sit on the sidelines without a dance partner, but there's two key stats that I keep coming back to...

1. Fran is the longest-tenured Big Ten coach in history to never make a Sweet 16.

2. Fran’s biggest accomplishment at Iowa was winning the Big Ten Tournament. Iowa State won five conference tournaments during Fran’s tenure at Iowa (with three different coaches).

 

[Hawk_4shur]

…if the university isn’t willing to pony up the dough to build a successful basketball program.

Yes, I know, I know. I am on record for wanting Fran gone. That really hasn’t changed. But the whole premise behind wanting Fran gone is with the expectation the university is going to invest more financial resources in basketball. That includes finding more creative ways to generate better NIL funding. Since that doesn’t seem to be the case, what was the point of letting Fran go? No one is going to do more with less the way Fran has. It’s just not going to happen.

Beth has egg on her face over this one. Presumably, she had at least an inkling to start the year that she might fire Fran. That should have given her ample time to figure out the financial side of things and how much NIL the university could commit to in order to attract a coach capable of doing better. That clearly doesn’t seem to be the case. In short, Beth should have known better before firing Fran.

Thus, my expectation is for the next coach to do a little worse than Fran. That’s what Iowa is signing up for by not committing to more financial support of the basketball program. So, get ready for the next coach to continue the tradition of pounding the pavement outside of Panera Bread and the Pottery Barn for the next crop of Hawkeyes. And while the defense and rebounding might improve, the offense is going to look Todd Lickliter-esque on steroids.

Iowa just parted ways with the best coach they’re going to get under these circumstances. Just stupid.

Might as well shut the program down.

I disagree with most everything you said.

We don't know the behind the scenes investment in Iowa basketball discussions, or how hard they are working to promote NIL. There's talk of improvements to Carver. We don't know what compensation they are willing to pay the next coach. The "egg on Beth's face" is simply speculation on your part. We have absolutely no idea what she has been up to. But that's not the point I'm going to try to make.

I completely disagree that "no one is going to do more with less than Fran". We all know Fran coaches 1/3 of the game - offense. Little or no attention to defense and rebounding. Most coaches teach all 3. Fran was phoning it in this year. He didn't even get worked up this season until the last game - probably to avoid a post-game interview on the court.

I have no reason to think BG isn't going to hire a hungry coach that will be a tireless worker with players, a tireless recruiter (even with limited NIL funds) and a much better public image than Fran.

The next coach may not be successful. But the coach for the 24/25 season was awful. It was past time for a change.

 

[Fan In Black]

Iowa will never finish middle of conference, squeak into the tourney, and lose first round ever again. this sucks.

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

ragnar started this thread tongue in cheek.. HIS CLAIMS HAVE VALIDITY. IF FRAN HAD NOTHING COMING BACK AND HAD NOT HAD A 4 STAR WITH OTHER GOOD RECRUITS WITH SPURLING ON THE STAFF, HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LET GO . I THINK THE TIMING WAS STUPID. BUT BUT BUT NO SWEET 16. Good grief, people here sadly will get to endure some very tough mbb years. I hope im wrong.

That empty CHA said it all. Already enduring terrible bball. Drake’s team is more athletic and plays better on both ends of the court than Iowa ever has under Fran. Give me a break. Stay in your basement, afraid to come out in the real world.

 

[PersianHawk]

…if the university isn’t willing to pony up the dough to build a successful basketball program.

Yes, I know, I know. I am on record for wanting Fran gone. That really hasn’t changed. But the whole premise behind wanting Fran gone is with the expectation the university is going to invest more financial resources in basketball. That includes finding more creative ways to generate better NIL funding. Since that doesn’t seem to be the case, what was the point of letting Fran go? No one is going to do more with less the way Fran has. It’s just not going to happen.

Beth has egg on her face over this one. Presumably, she had at least an inkling to start the year that she might fire Fran. That should have given her ample time to figure out the financial side of things and how much NIL the university could commit to in order to attract a coach capable of doing better. That clearly doesn’t seem to be the case. In short, Beth should have known better before firing Fran.

Thus, my expectation is for the next coach to do a little worse than Fran. That’s what Iowa is signing up for by not committing to more financial support of the basketball program. So, get ready for the next coach to continue the tradition of pounding the pavement outside of Panera Bread and the Pottery Barn for the next crop of Hawkeyes. And while the defense and rebounding might improve, the offense is going to look Todd Lickliter-esque on steroids.

Iowa just parted ways with the best coach they’re going to get under these circumstances. Just stupid.

Might as well shut the program down.

Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that we won’t turn into the next Minnesota or Villanova.

 

[TheRealHerky]

No Iowa coach put more players in the NBA than Fran, yet never reached the Sweet 16 and never won an outright league title.

 

[OutbackBowl2017]

No Iowa coach put more players in the NBA than Fran, yet never reached the Sweet 16 and never won an outright league title.

You could put KF’s name in that scenario too with regards to the NFl, winning an outright B1G title, or making the play offs.

 

[PersianHawk]

I feel like some people on this board are very young and new to basketball. Many were naming only Fran’s era players as their favorite Hawkeyes on another thread. Those folks seem to be too excited about the coaching change. They should know that 30 to 40 % of coaches are fired or forced to resign in the first 3 years on their tenure. 50 to 60% in 5 years. That number goes higher in the Power 5 programs. The average tenure of a power 5 coach before firing is 3.5 years. I hope the next coach is successful. But if the NIL situation doesn’t improve drastically, I doubt he can outperform Fran!