Man this one hurt as I thought Iowa could go on a wild run but fat chance on that one and someone needs to take the hex off this team as they were good enough to beat anyone
Depression
- Thread starter JerseyCityHawki
- Start date
In the tournament? That’s hard to see, and I am anti-pessimism.
Apathy has set in for me. I just don't care anymore. Sure....I want them to win, but Fran fatigue finally got me. I can't wait until he's gone. I hope I'm still alive by then.
Iowa fans are Charlie Brown. NCAA Tourney is Lucy holding a football.
Every year.
Every year.
This team was not good enough to beat anyone. The games I have watched have quicker, stronger players that would have given the Hawks fits - like Auburn.
when you don’t play defense and live and die by three you are prone to bad loses
Fun fact:. 95 different teams have made the Sweet 16 since Iowa last did. Including powerhouses like Cornell and Dayton.
I actually love watching the basketball and football teams. You may call it apathy but the basketball team was fun to watch. Love up tempo. Not winning the big ten or national championship doesn’t change my love for the Hawks. I’m a Cardinal baseball fan. Imagine if I was a Cub fan. Now that would cause me to look for the razor blade kit. 😀
Is the tournament the true measure of a successful season? Painter usually has Purdue battling for the BIG regular season or winning it. They have not experienced much success in the NCAA. Their fans are getting worn out by it. The thing that sucks is the one and done nature of the tournament. I don't see them doing any better than Painter. I would like Fran to win a regular season BIG. To me that is the true measure of a successful season.
So much fun.
Honestly, I wouldn't feel much different about Fran if he had made a couple of S16's. It would have been fun for sure, but it would have been short-lived.
I'm ready for change, but I don't see it coming.
I was far more distraught the previous two years, having a 2 and a 5 seed (that was playing more like a 1 or 2 seed going into the tournament) being only able to win just 1 NCAA game between them.
I didn't feel this year's team had the same potential. Just awful defense and inconsistent shooting.
This year, apathy is closer to the truth.
I didn't feel this year's team had the same potential. Just awful defense and inconsistent shooting.
This year, apathy is closer to the truth.
Cubs fan here. Starting to wonder if the Hawks are cursed too, but hope it’s not for 108 years!
Lol @ putting Dayton on this list. Dayton has been to the sweet sixteen seven times, made the final four, and has a better all time winning percentage than we do.
Well cursed as we are ( Sox Fan since 1959), love the team, Hawks, Sox , Bears but always having issues with management,
I’m actually starting to believe that despite his mild-mannered demeanor, Tom Davis was secretly a wizard, and he put a curse on the Iowa basketball program when he was forced out.
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The Hawks beat Indiana and Maryland twice each….teams that have won and advanced in the tournament. Our guys just didn’t perform up to their capabilities…..why that happened is a whole other discussion.
Yes, but is it a Wilson ball that Lucy is holding?
Only played Maryland once, but I get your point. Certainly had they played their "best", they could have beaten Auburn and other tournament qualifiers.
I get that…..wanted them to win in the worst way….dropped some F bombs during the game. Hate that the season is over and they didn’t play up to their capabilities.
So I will be depressed about this for a while.
But, one of the things I love about college basketball is the growth, development, and change from year to year…..and this off season will be interesting.
I don’t expect we will be as good next year….but we’ll see what happens. Regardless, I will watch and cheer for the Hawks!
Yeah, I am starting to feel the same way in FB and BB. I just watched Iowa get beat and did not even swear or yell at the TV. Just knew it was over before it started. I was way more bummed by Spencer's loss in wrestling. But, I am excited about watching the women on Sunday.
The bold comment is my concern as well.
anyone who was shocked at the outcome of the game hasn't watched Iowa play a road game this year
That makes it worse!
Would you prefer I replace Dayton with Northern Iowa or Western Kentucky?
It makes it worse that a program that is better than ours in every way made a sweet sixteen more recently than we did? I don't get it.
It takes guard play and defense to win in the NCAA tourney, which Fran doesn’t have either and hasn’t for 13 years at Iowa minus a year or two with Bryce Cartwright.
It’s pretty sad watching all these mid major programs with outstanding athletes from the guard to wing positions that make what Iowa has, less than talented. Hell, Auburn said as much earlier in the week with not a lot of talent but can shoot the ball.
Fran says he will take a step back and evaluate the program. I hope he really does. He needs to start with his assistant coaches and what do they do? I don’t hear squat about Sherman Dillard regarding anything. Does he recruit well? Does he bring anything to practice on the offensive and defensive end of the court?
Matt Gatens is in his first year as an assistant so not sure his role. Courtney Eldridge is also new as an assistant and not sure his role. Fran needs to bring in a defensive specialist and a hell of a recruiter that can get some athletes at the guard position that can break down a D and distribute the rock. Need wings that can drive to create their own shot or go strong to the rim. He should be able to find those high three or low four star kids than the high four and five stars that leave him hanging then go play for a blue blood with the late offer.
I like Fran but he has got to change his strategy since it’s not working, along with the type of player he prefers. I know Barta isn’t going to force anything on him since he is probably a lame duck AD with his contract running out the summer of 24. Just really frustrated with iowa athletics - football, bball, and now wrestling and where they are. Barta had the chance to force these coaches to make changes to get better but has been a major disappointment with his lack of drive and commitment to reaching the next level with all three sports.
Me, I’m a fan but until iowa has an AD that forces these changes, I won’t buy tickets or donate till that happens. I’m not giving money to these guys that won’t make the changes on their own when paid millions of dollars to do so to reach that next level as the CEO of their programs.
It’s pretty sad watching all these mid major programs with outstanding athletes from the guard to wing positions that make what Iowa has, less than talented. Hell, Auburn said as much earlier in the week with not a lot of talent but can shoot the ball.
Fran says he will take a step back and evaluate the program. I hope he really does. He needs to start with his assistant coaches and what do they do? I don’t hear squat about Sherman Dillard regarding anything. Does he recruit well? Does he bring anything to practice on the offensive and defensive end of the court?
Matt Gatens is in his first year as an assistant so not sure his role. Courtney Eldridge is also new as an assistant and not sure his role. Fran needs to bring in a defensive specialist and a hell of a recruiter that can get some athletes at the guard position that can break down a D and distribute the rock. Need wings that can drive to create their own shot or go strong to the rim. He should be able to find those high three or low four star kids than the high four and five stars that leave him hanging then go play for a blue blood with the late offer.
I like Fran but he has got to change his strategy since it’s not working, along with the type of player he prefers. I know Barta isn’t going to force anything on him since he is probably a lame duck AD with his contract running out the summer of 24. Just really frustrated with iowa athletics - football, bball, and now wrestling and where they are. Barta had the chance to force these coaches to make changes to get better but has been a major disappointment with his lack of drive and commitment to reaching the next level with all three sports.
Me, I’m a fan but until iowa has an AD that forces these changes, I won’t buy tickets or donate till that happens. I’m not giving money to these guys that won’t make the changes on their own when paid millions of dollars to do so to reach that next level as the CEO of their programs.
As far as BB,it's very frustrating to see mid majors with better guards than Iowa.
Light years better than what iowa has had and has. I just don’t get it. 16 seeds with major upgrades at the position.
Some remarkable exciting games this year, but a team that cannot sustain a high level of play, is just not a great team. I don't think this year's team was as good as the prior couple of teams, mostly because of a lack of depth. I'm still grateful for the exciting wins and the play of our guys who will be moving on. I just wish we had not finished the season with a whimper.
Hard to understand why anyone would have thought Iowa was going to make a run given their most recent game failures in the BIG.
Because of their record against the top half of the B10?….listen, I’m not trying to start an argument….just saying that some people see things differently than others…. And, at least in basketball discussions, don’t see a need to condemn them.
The way this team has performed after the Indiana game is very perplexing.
My only explanation that makes sense is, bottom line, this flat out isn't a good shooting team. Streaky at best. And some chemistry issues we won't know about.
Also, I honestly think Fran should schedule more difficult road games pre-season. Double what is played now. Not against P5 conferences necessarily, but any lower level tournament - at least. Get us out of the familiar home / B1G away surroundings.
It's possible the mid-majors doing so well in March is partly due to playing away from home so much preseason. They are acclimated just a bit better to overcoming cold shooting starts, etc, in unfamiliar surroundings. So by March, that is ingrained - they are used to the pressure of losing one and being done, well before the NCAA tournament.
My only explanation that makes sense is, bottom line, this flat out isn't a good shooting team. Streaky at best. And some chemistry issues we won't know about.
Also, I honestly think Fran should schedule more difficult road games pre-season. Double what is played now. Not against P5 conferences necessarily, but any lower level tournament - at least. Get us out of the familiar home / B1G away surroundings.
It's possible the mid-majors doing so well in March is partly due to playing away from home so much preseason. They are acclimated just a bit better to overcoming cold shooting starts, etc, in unfamiliar surroundings. So by March, that is ingrained - they are used to the pressure of losing one and being done, well before the NCAA tournament.
