Emotional Fran

[LetsGoHawks83]

Rick Barnes? Was at Texas for 17 years. Lasted 8 years after the 2007 season there and was fired in 2015 after failing to make Sweet 16 for seventh straight season.

Is currently at Tennessee who is good this year. He's been a head coach since 1987. Made 1 Final Four and No NCAA Championships. 827 career wins.

Sounds like a lot of things that Fran hasn't done and will never do.

We have high character guys in the program. No problem with that.

But Fran has had way more than enough time to get the right players and game plan... Yet, he can't bring in someone to fix his defense and rebounding.... Where we get killed all the time?

We've seen the ceiling and it's a handful of first round NCAA wins.... And one B1G tournament run that soured in less than a week with an NCAA flame out.

I hate hoping for losses, but Iowa Athletics has proven over and over again that they are perfectly happy with mediocrity... Thats why fans are ok with stacking losses

 

[hawksense]

You're not going to control what fans say, regardless of their behavior. Not condoning the behavior, but fans will be fans.

Fans will be fans. And just like in Roman times, it’s thumbs up or thumbs down. Ride the wave when it’s thumbs up. Watch your back as the thumb turns.

 

[Rambler Hawk]

Anyone seen the movie Hoosiers? Fran is about to do that in real life.

Make a NIT title run?🤪

 

[Rambler Hawk]

Sounds like a lot of things that Fran hasn't done and will never do.

We have high character guys in the program. No problem with that.

But Fran has had way more than enough time to get the right players and game plan... Yet, he can't bring in someone to fix his defense and rebounding.... Where we get killed all the time?

We've seen the ceiling and it's a handful of first round NCAA wins.... And one B1G tournament run that soured in less than a week with an NCAA flame out.

I hate hoping for losses, but Iowa Athletics has proven over and over again that they are perfectly happy with mediocrity... Thats why fans are ok with stacking losses

Agreed - I am hopeful that the new (Sheriff) AD in town can change the narrative for Iowa basketball though. Our program sadly is the Polaroid/Sears of college basketball. Beth made a needed change in Football which irked The Captain, but it was the right move. I am hoping she can make a bigger change in Basketball…😎

 

[hawkfan2024]

Anyone seen the movie Hoosiers? Fran is about to do that in real life.

"Margaret, we did it! Our Hawkeyes, our Big Ten Tournament champions! I want to celebrate, let's drive back to your farm and do it on that old woman's bed..."

 

[Hawksfor3]

Fans will be fans. And just like in Roman times, it’s thumbs up or thumbs down. Ride the wave when it’s thumbs up. Watch your back as the thumb turns.

Remember recently, when certain players in the W were crying and carrying on about fan abuse? Certain fans are complete assholes for sure and should not be putting stuff out there like they do. But, they are fans, nonetheless and passionate as well. This likely will not change. If players and coaches want to remain on social, then they had better suck it up.

 

[eyesofhawk]

Maybe, and I'm just spitballin' here, maybe if Fran taught and demanded defense and rebounding and won a few more games, the scrutiny wouldn't be as intense or, if it was, it would find more positives than negatives. But that's probably just me.

Yeah that's pretty common sense.

Just as I would think it would be common sense for fans to always be of support

 

[eyesofhawk]

If those are two lottery picks, and I know everyone says they are, I wonder why they aren't better at college basketball.

Team game.

Poor defensive team.

And yes, they're lottos

 

[TailgateTom]

I'll ask again, what battle does the fan face?

The answer has already been expressed in this thread, so you should be able to figure it out

Having a coach who wasted a lotto pick, NPOTY, and a 1st round pick who also refuses to coach defense. He also hasn't done anything in the tournament in 15 years. Do I really need to go on?

 

[eyesofhawk]

Having a coach who wasted a lotto pick, NPOTY, and a 1st round pick who also refuses to coach defense. He also hasn't done anything in the tournament in 15 years. Do I really need to go on?

Nevermind

 

[joelbc1]

Make a NIT title run?🤪

UIowa has such a rich BB history of conference titles and deep NCAA tourney runs… I can see how Fran has been such a disappointment to Iowa fans…

 

[iahawks10]

Can you think of a team with player of the year candidates who had more disappointing tournaments

2020 - canceled but I doubt Dayton was going anywhere
2022 - Kentucky lost first round to 15 seed St Pete
2023 - Purdue lost to 16 seed Fairleigh Dickenson

Not sure if your post was sarcasm or silly, but two out of the last three years were much more disappointing than losing to Oregon in the second round after getting a first round bye.

These are Naismith winners, not just candidates.

 

[iahawks10]

What happened to the coach there?

Ahhhhh, he’s coaching the #5 Tennessee Volunteers now.

 

[gojojo]

You don't think the guys in that locker room hear the negativity?

You don't think the chances of them playing optimally are better without all the negative stress in the environment?

Why spread and multiply negativity?

Both Fran and Payton alluded to the scrutiny (Fran was holding back tears, for those that missed it).

Support these Hawks!

The Ferentz, “No Social Media” policy was for the best.

 

[Ronman]

Maybe give McCaffery and the team a little credit for winning a road game while severely short-handed. Yeah, Rutgers has been a disappointment, but that doesn't mean that they aren't a dangerous team. They beat UCLA and Illinois, something we've yet to do.

 

[Ronman]

As much as it sucks to hope for Ls it is for the betterment of the future of the program. We need to lose and get embarrassed a couple of times unfortunately. Hopefully give Beth no choice

This just might be the worst post of the year! Congratulations, I guess.

 

[Old Uncle Teddy]

This just might be the worst post of the year! Congratulations, I guess.

Right On!

 

[BrunoMars420]

This just might be the worst post of the year! Congratulations, I guess.

As a true and real fan I understand what is needed. Everyone voted to want it burn for a reason.

Let the Ls stack up and let it burn until they #FireFran

 

[eyesofhawk]

As a true and real fan I understand what is needed. Everyone voted to want it burn for a reason.

Let the Ls stack up and let it burn until they #FireFran

As short-sighted, immature, and destructive as it gets

 

[bbwretler]

You’re worried about recruiting while being on the bubble of the big ten tourney? Lol

A real fan would understand the situation and want to get Fran out ASAP. Being in a horrible situation like we are, it makes sense that everyone would want us to tank to #FireFran. This happens in all pro sports and college sports are now basically pro leagues.

so you hate Fran so much that you want Hawks to lose and look as bad as possible…including for potential recruits, next year and years to come…..that only makes sense to you as most “real” fans want Hawks to play well and win. you don’t seem to care much for the players as well, wanting and wishing them to play poorly and look bad doing it. I would have no time for a fan wishing that when I played.

 

[BrunoMars420]

As short-sighted, immature, and destructive as it gets

Fran is about to be in the NIT or probably get overlooked for the NIT 2 years in a row. You think me hoping for us to lose is short sighted or destructive? Lol

Fran is already doing my bidding with another NIT season in the bag (hopefully we don’t even get invited) and destroying Iowa bball with 2 pathetic seasons in a row. A bubble team for the big ten tourney LOL!!!

If you like this short sighted and destructive era of Fran, have at it. But as a real fan, I prefer us to make this 2nd straight pathetic season even worse to leave no doubts for Beth.

 

[BrunoMars420]

so you hate Fran so much that you want Hawks to lose and look as bad as possible…including for potential recruits, next year and years to come…..that only makes sense to you as most “real” fans want Hawks to play well and win. you don’t seem to care much for the players as well, wanting and wishing them to play poorly and look bad doing it. I would have no time for a fan wishing that when I played.

I don’t think recruits in basketball care that much as you guys think. It is 2025, not 1985. Years to come hahaha. Where do you idiots come up with this stuff?

History shows we need to hit the lowest of lows for change at Iowa. But like I said, with how bad Fran has taken this program we should be giddy that he keeps ruining the basketball team because that means change is on the horizon!

 

[iahawks10]

Fran is about to be in the NIT or probably get overlooked for the NIT 2 years in a row. You think me hoping for us to lose is short sighted or destructive? Lol

Fran is already doing my bidding with another NIT season in the bag (hopefully we don’t even get invited) and destroying Iowa bball with 2 pathetic seasons in a row. A bubble team for the big ten tourney LOL!!!

If you like this short sighted and destructive era of Fran, have at it. But as a real fan, I prefer us to make this 2nd straight pathetic season even worse to leave no doubts for Beth.

The College Basketball Crown (CBC) tournament in Las Vegas would be next tournament after the NCAA Tournament.

The CBC will take the two highest ranked schools from the B1G, Big 12, and Big East. that don’t make the NCAA Tournament. Then a committee will fill in the other 10 spots who are not automatic qualifiers.

After that, the NIT will take will take two automatic qualifiers from the ACC and SEC. Then it will take one team from the nations other top 12 conferences (one B1G team) as an automatic qualifier. Then fill in the other 16 at large teams.

 

[Tommyhawk56]

I remember Olson burning rubber as he left town.. not because the fan base wanted him to leave but rather he felt suffocated… he couldn’t move from so much fan attention.. zero social media at that time.. my point ..good or bad the Iowa job has always been a fishbowl here in the state… Good or bad it comes with the job.. As for me I have always tried to support the program with positivity… in my living room I cus at stupid plays…,mistakes made by college kids , jr high kids know to do better …but it’s my living room ..only my wife hears my negativity… which is where it should stay…eventually the Hawks will get a new coach and whether he’s successful or not he will receive over the top fan reaction here in the state it comes with the Iowa job..

 

[bbwretler]

I don’t think recruits in basketball care that much as you guys think. It is 2025, not 1985. Years to come hahaha. Where do you idiots come up with this stuff?

History shows we need to hit the lowest of lows for change at Iowa. But like I said, with how bad Fran has taken this program we should be giddy that he keeps ruining the basketball team because that means change is on the horizon!

someone’s an idiot who obviously never played at least not competitively.

 

[eyesofhawk]

Maybe just maybe Fran is thinking of his star guard Josh Dix and his family. He's been through the trials of cancer himself and knows the emotions and fears.

Quite probably is part of it.

Fran definitely used the word, "scrutiny", in the interview though

 

[stanzithemanzi12]

They could lose out and Fran will be back. He’s not going to be fired.

Pffff

 

[ClarindaA's]

2020 - canceled but I doubt Dayton was going anywhere
2022 - Kentucky lost first round to 15 seed St Pete
2023 - Purdue lost to 16 seed Fairleigh Dickenson

Not sure if your post was sarcasm or silly, but two out of the last three years were much more disappointing than losing to Oregon in the second round after getting a first round bye.

These are Naismith winners, not just candidates.

Note really sarcasm. The guy had Luka, Weezy, the Murray’s and JBo…could make the second weekend

 

[IChawkeye45]

2020 - canceled but I doubt Dayton was going anywhere
2022 - Kentucky lost first round to 15 seed St Pete
2023 - Purdue lost to 16 seed Fairleigh Dickenson

Not sure if your post was sarcasm or silly, but two out of the last three years were much more disappointing than losing to Oregon in the second round after getting a first round bye.

These are Naismith winners, not just candidates.

Except Kentucky has how many sweet sixteen and national titles the last 26 years?!?
And Purdue went to a final four the year after getting beat first round.

 

[CookyMonster]

Frans done. Pretty dumb to be wishing for losses at this point.

 

[iahawks10]

Except Kentucky has how many sweet sixteen and national titles the last 26 years?!?
And Purdue went to a final four the year after getting beat first round.

Which makes it that much worse for them. A Blue Blood and a top B1G team for 15-20 years. The question was…. “Can you think of a team with player of the year candidates who had more disappointing tournaments”?

Yeah, twice in the past three years. Kentucky and Purdue with much better overall talent than Wieskamp, the freshmen Murray’s, and JBo. If that’s a serious question, that’s comical at best. These stellar programs lost in the first round to a 15 seed and a 16 seed, with the Naismith POY.