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Emoni Bates, come on Fran

Fran hasn’t signed an “impact” transfer since Bassbe and cartwright. 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Uh, Uthoff counts as an impact transfer.

Basabe was never a transfer, he was just let out of his LOI with Sienna, and Cartwright was a Juco transfer so not really a transfer in the traditional sense when people talk about transfers.
 
That's Lickliter talk. McC WINS with integrity.
Wins in the regular season*

Contrary to what people may think, I’m not a Fran hater. I simply just wish he would partake in the same processes that all major blue bloods and coaches are doing. That’s all. You cannot argue that he has been extremely cautious and picky when it comes to the portal. Why? It’s not like we’ve had a situation backfire and prove to us it’s not worth it. I want talent and playmakers. I personally don’t care about “integrity”. Kansas was found guilty of cheating in a federal court & they were still given a trophy. We simply need to start playing the same game others are, or it’ll be the same rinse-and-repeat results come March.
 
Wins in the regular season*

Contrary to what people may think, I’m not a Fran hater. I simply just wish he would partake in the same processes that all major blue bloods and coaches are doing. That’s all. You cannot argue that he has been extremely cautious and picky when it comes to the portal. Why? It’s not like we’ve had a situation backfire and prove to us it’s not worth it. I want talent and playmakers. I personally don’t care about “integrity”. Kansas was found guilty of cheating in a federal court & they were still given a trophy. We simply need to start playing the same game others are, or it’ll be the same rinse-and-repeat results come March.
According to all reports he is. Do you have information that he hasn't?
 
Fran has to use the portal or fall behind. Truth!
Your truth. Or your opinion.

Quality bodies is the key. Whether through recruiting or transfer.

The portal is not the end all, be all. It can help, though. I’m not against it. Some think it’s the ONLY way. It’s not. In my opinion. Truth.
 
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According to all reports he is. Do you have information that he hasn't?
From all reports I’ve seen, he’s been in contact with 2 transfers in the portal, one of which would be a downgrade from Joey T.
Do you have information that suggest otherwise??
 
Recruiting the portal is pretty much the same as HS recruiting. Identify a player that can help you now or in the future and go after them. But the player still has to WANT to come to Iowa. You don't just get to pick 'em.

I have NO idea how Fran recruits, how he picks players, how hard he works to get them to come to the Hawks. It's easy to say the results haven't been glorious, but I don't know how anyone, without evidence, can say he doesn't try.
 
Recruiting the portal is pretty much the same as HS recruiting. Identify a player that can help you now or in the future and go after them. But the player still has to WANT to come to Iowa. You don't just get to pick 'em.

I have NO idea how Fran recruits, how he picks players, how hard he works to get them to come to the Hawks. It's easy to say the results haven't been glorious, but I don't know how anyone, without evidence, can say he doesn't try.
Yeah, I don’t think you can accuse Fran of not trying to land top talent. That was the perception around Dr. Tom in his latter years, but I have yet to see credible evidence that is the case with Fran.

If anything, there might be a case to be made that Fran tries too hard to land blue chip, 5 and high 4 star players, which may or may not result in him losing out on a lot of top 150 caliber players he would have had a more realistic shot at.
 
Yeah, I don’t think you can accuse Fran of not trying to land top talent. That was the perception around Dr. Tom in his latter years, but I have yet to see credible evidence that is the case with Fran.

If anything, there might be a case to be made that Fran tries too hard to land blue chip, 5 and high 4 star players, which may or may not result in him losing out on a lot of top 150 caliber players he would have had a more realistic shot at.

I agree. The criticism of Fran by some on this board is schizophrenic. He is ripped when he recruits high major talent that does not commit to Iowa and he is ripped for Iowa not being connected to every name in the portal.

Fans do not worry about team chemistry until it starts affecting wins and losses. Fran cannot wait until that happens to think about the chemistry of the team. He looks for players that he feels fit his system, want to come to Iowa and will contribute to the team in a positive way. Even Izzo was lauding Fran’s coaching job this year at keeping the team together and playing well down the stretch. This is a testament to those players that Fran has recruited.
 
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I think a lot of posters on this board are expecting to see regular articles that read something like this:

Iowa Men's Basketball Head Coach Fran McCaffery Reaches out to "XYZ".

"XYZ" was a 5 star recruit coming out of high school and played one season for Top Program™ before entering his name into the transfer portal earlier this week. Reports indicate Fran reached out to XYZ Thursday morning, saying he feels the portal bound star could make an immediate impact for the Iowa Hawkeyes this coming season.

XYZ confirmed they are not interested.
 
I think a lot of posters on this board are expecting to see regular articles that read something like this:

Iowa Men's Basketball Head Coach Fran McCaffery Reaches out to "XYZ".

"XYZ" was a 5 star recruit coming out of high school and played one season for Top Program™ before entering his name into the transfer portal earlier this week. Reports indicate Fran reached out to XYZ Thursday morning, saying he feels the portal bound star could make an immediate impact for the Iowa Hawkeyes this coming season.

XYZ confirmed they are not interested.

I believe you are right, but what good would it do Fran to let it get out that he had been looking to bring in other players who turned him down? At some point, we have to trust that the coach is doing everything he thinks needs to be done to win games.
 
Fran, and a good portion of iowa fans, are okay with losing as long as we lose with integrity! His refusal to even speak with the top portal transfers is hilarious.
So do you just go from the football board to the basketball board bitching about anything to do with Iowa athletics in general, the coaches or what exactly? Here's a run down on THIS years losing there all conference guy. Despite being picked to finish 9 or 10 in the league this year, losing TWO time conference player, AND NPOTY, and another 3 year starter to the NBA, and two other would be starters to transfer, Iowa finished the BIG winning 12 of 14 games, (so much for the Feb fade), Played their asses off and won the BIG tourney as the first five seed ever and winning four games in four days. They won the most games in school history I believe at 26 as well. Yes, I know they play more games now, BUT for the record playing more games doesn't mean you get more wins, now does it? For the record, NO ONE here is okay with the way we played against Richmond, but its ridiculous to say we're OK with losing or to somehow associate this as a "losing season" in any way what so ever....
 
I agree. The criticism of Fran by some on this board is schizophrenic. He is ripped when he recruits high major talent that does not commit to Iowa and he is ripped for Iowa not being connected to every name in the portal.

Fans do not worry about team chemistry until it starts affecting wins and losses. Fran cannot wait until that happens to think about the chemistry of the team. He looks for players that he feels fit his system, want to come to Iowa and will contribute to the team in a positive way. Even Izzo was lauding Fran’s coaching job this year at keeping the team together and playing well down the stretch. This is a testament to those players that Fran has recruited.
People who spend so much time on here and the football board bitching about all the players we don't sign have no concept of team building or chemistry. Its as obvious as the nose on your face that this is the way Iowa DOES win 8-10 games a year in football especially. Consistency, development and hard work. I'd bet there are VERY few 17-18 yr old kids that you could throw a huge bag of cash down in front of and there going to come to Iowa, and buy into the team first, hard work mantra that is Iowa football. There are very few kids like AJ Epenesa who are raised the way he was, and appreciate the grind, and sacrifice it takes.
 
Wins in the regular season*

Contrary to what people may think, I’m not a Fran hater. I simply just wish he would partake in the same processes that all major blue bloods and coaches are doing. That’s all. You cannot argue that he has been extremely cautious and picky when it comes to the portal. Why? It’s not like we’ve had a situation backfire and prove to us it’s not worth it. I want talent and playmakers. I personally don’t care about “integrity”. Kansas was found guilty of cheating in a federal court & they were still given a trophy. We simply need to start playing the same game others are, or it’ll be the same rinse-and-repeat results come March.
Seriously? You don't care about integrity?

I don't understand how it could be so important for a "fan" to support a winning team that following the rules doesn't matter.

But, you're right in at least one regard. It doesn't seem to matter to a lot of fans.
 
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Fran said that he needs a front court guy from the portal.

Fran doesn't want players to leave Iowa if he brings additional guys from the portal. Fran said getting guards from the portal creates a logjam and it sends a message that you don't have any confidence in the guards you have. This explains why Fran isn't pursuing Nijel Pack and other guards.

Listen approximately 1 hour 32 minutes into the video.

 
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Seriously? You don't care about integrity?

I don't understand how it could be so important for a "fan" to support a winning team that following the rules doesn't matter.

But, you're right in at least one regard. It doesn't seem to matter to a lot of fans.
I've heard some speculation over the years that some of the recruits from the 1986-87 were maybe not obtained within the bounds of the rulebook... I don't know if that's true or not.

If that IS true... My answer is: Nope, don't care.
 
I've heard some speculation over the years that some of the recruits from the 1986-87 were maybe not obtained within the bounds of the rulebook... I don't know if that's true or not.

If that IS true... My answer is: Nope, don't care.
Raveling cheated.
 
Yeah, I don’t think you can accuse Fran of not trying to land top talent. That was the perception around Dr. Tom in his latter years, but I have yet to see credible evidence that is the case with Fran.

If anything, there might be a case to be made that Fran tries too hard to land blue chip, 5 and high 4 star players, which may or may not result in him losing out on a lot of top 150 caliber players he would have had a more realistic shot at.


Fran tries too hard to land 5 and 4 stars where he loses out on players? Actually, no one knows how much time Fran and his staff spend on any prospect.

What we do know? Fran invested a TON of time in the 2022 PG he wanted, Dasonte Bowen, a 3 STAR, and landed him.

Fran made 27 offers for the 2022 Class. He landed two 3 stars, Dasonte Bowen and Josh Dix. Contrary to what you wrote, I don't think Frank "lost out" by landing Josh and Dasonte because we was trying too hard to land 5 and 4 star prospects.

And there was only 1 Five Star (Kyle Filipowski) who Fran offered in the 2022 Class and Fran got Kyle to officially visit. So, again, contrary to what you wrote, I would not call this "trying too hard where he lost out on other prospects."

The breakdown of the 27 offers for the 2022 Class:
1 Five Star (Kyle Filipowski, who visited Iowa)
20 Four Stars
6 Three Stars (Dix and Bowen committed)


Fran has made 23 offers for the 2023 Class. He has already landed one 3 star, Owen Freeman and likely will land a 4 star, Pryce Sandfort. Again, contrary to what you wrote, I don't think Fran has "lost out" so far with the 2023 class.

And of the 4 Five Stars Fran has offered for 2023, how can you say he has tried "too hard?" Omaha Bilew was instate, so offering him made sense but there is no longer any buzz with him. 2 other 5 stars have already committed to other schools (so obviously Fran has moved on). And the other 5 Star, Matas Buzelis? He is from Brewster Academy, the same HS as Dasonte Bowen, so it makes sense to invest some time in him. How much time? Fans can only speculate.


The breakdown of the 23 offers for the 2023 Class:
4 Five Star (Omaha Bilew, an Iowa kid, is one of them)
13 Four Stars (Pryce Sandfort)
1 Three Star (Owen Freeman has committed)
5 UNRATED
 
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