Fran McCaffery appreciation thread.....

[Chishawk1425]

He is a good Coach, the program is in good shape and really we have a pretty darn high ceiling right now and if everyone returns next year, wowsers. I like who he has committed coming in next year as well. I think us Iowa fans truly don't appreciate what we have here with Fran and at times rightfully so over the course of the last decade with some fades, BTT pathetic losses etc. But I surely am glad he is our Coach and am pumped for what is coming....Go Hawks!

 

[HawkIDrummer]

Yep. 10 years in he's got his first great team

 

[meatloaf55]

I think he is an excellent coach. His issues are obviously he has a temper that can turn people off and his recruiting ability is average (perhaps due to negative recruiting about mad fran).
But I have never heard a player say anything bad about him and he certainly has unified teams that are behind him. I think without question he is an excellent coach and it seems like his longevity may be paying off

 

[General Tso]

Love the thread and overall agree, but I'll wait to the end of the yeat to crown this team Fran's GOAT. They do seem to have a different grit than previous teams.

 

[BeepBeepInMyJeep]

I think we have to accept what he is and where we are. I’d say that stable ground is when you make the tourney most of the time. The more you go, the more likely you’ll see a deep run. We still are waiting for a signature team of his era, which might be holding his legacy back. We need to see it all come together for a complete season and a high seed, and maybe a conf trophy or two.

 

[ChiHawk21]

Yep. 10 years in he's got his first great team

it’s Iowa for gods sake. And the program was a complete mess when Fran took over, and what he has done since is nothing short of impressive.

Let me guess, you’re also one of the idiots calling for Kirk’s head every other season?

 

[Chishawk1425]

Love the thread and overall agree, but I'll wait to the end of the yeat to crown this team Fran's GOAT. They do seem to have a different grit than previous teams.

Yep I'm not crowning anything just looking at roster make up, what is coming in etc and the ceiling of this team. Happy with what we got going. It is also a fun product to watch over the Wisconsin grab and mug 50 pts a game trash.

 

[Chishawk1425]

it’s Iowa for gods sake. And the program was a complete mess when Fran took over, and what he has done since is nothing short of impressive.

Let me guess, you’re also one of the idiots calling for Kirk’s head every other season?

Iowa was a bottom 10 in the country program in 2010 when he took over. Absolute shit show. He flipped that pretty quick, we've been close numerous times over the years since he started it from the ground up and now it seems like the personnel on this team has the mental make up along with the physical to succeed where prior Fran teams seemed mentally weak at times. Missed FT's killing us by our guards, turnovers at end of games by Guards....Ugh...Connor canning 4 FT's in a row last night was HUGE, past teams Guards would NOT do that and Iowa would have lost that type of game they won last night.

 

[dekhawk]

it’s Iowa for gods sake. And the program was a complete mess when Fran took over, and what he has done since is nothing short of impressive.

Let me guess, you’re also one of the idiots calling for Kirk’s head every other season?

Some of us remember the Olson, raveling and Davis years.

 

[BBHawk]

Some of us remember the Olson, raveling and Davis years.

...and forget the Alford and Lickliter years...

 

[Chishawk1425]

Some of us remember the Olson, raveling and Davis years.

This program was basically experiencing the NCAA version of the death penalty coming into 2010/his first year.

 

[BBHawk]

Yep. 10 years in he's got his first great team

After 10 years of steadily declining to the bottom. He had Iowa back in the discussion in 3 years, going 25 - 13 his 3rd year. There have been hiccups but for the most part he has built the program to where it was when Alford took over, except it has a much brighter future IMHO.

 

[iahawks10]

Some of us remember the Olson, raveling and Davis years.

I do miss finishing absolutely last in the B1G and getting beat at home in the opening round of the NIT. Fond, fond memories.

 

[dekhawk]

...and forget the Alford and Lickliter years...

So we should settle?

 

[dekhawk]

I do miss finishing absolutely last in the B1G and getting blown out at home in the opening round of the NIT. Fond, fond memories.

Perhaps the Davis ncaa tourneys with never a first round loss. Do those matter ?

 

[ChiHawk21]

So we should settle?

you’re right! Let’s fire him!! Let’s fire Kirk too! Blow it all up!!

Idiots...

 

[dekhawk]

you’re right! Let’s fire him!! Let’s fire Kirk too! Blow it all up!!

Idiots...

Didn’t say anything about firing him. I just believe Iowa b-ball can be much better, it has been.

 

[owenhawk]

Some of us remember the Olson, raveling and Davis years.

I grew up and fell in love with Iowa Basketball during the Davis years but Fran is going the sane thing as Davis. Davis’s first 3 years was done with all Raveling recruits. What Davis came into and what Fran came into couldn’t have been anymore extreme in difference.

 

[dekhawk]

I grew up and fell in love with Iowa Basketball during the Davis years but Fran is going the sane thing as Davis. Davis’s first 3 years was done with all Raveling recruits. What Davis came into and what Fran came into couldn’t have been anymore extreme in difference.

Ok. It’s year 10 of Fran. It would be nice to get back to having teams that we felt could truly make a final 4 run.

 

[Hawkatheart]

I loved Davis, but to prop him up like some sort of coaching genius is laughable. He lost 10 games with BJ and Roy as seniors??? Asking if you should settle? I would "settle" for a POY candidate and top 20 team every year. Sign me up.

 

[dekhawk]

I loved Davis, but to prop him up like some sort of coaching genius is laughable. He lost 10 games with BJ and Roy as seniors??? Asking if you should settle? I would "settle" for a POY candidate and top 20 team every year. Sign me up.

I would also love to have a POY and top 20 team every year. To be fair how many of those has Fran had in 10 years ?

 

[anon_gjzkhykcp9iuj]

Some of us remember the Olson, raveling and Davis years.

I remember them well. Lute was the first coach I remember. Raveling was the coach when I went to Iowa basketball camp. Davis was the coach in my teens and on.
All great times. And all 20-40 years in the past. Hell, my youngest wasn't even alive when Alford took over. He and folks up to 10 years older than him know NOTHING of those successes. They might as well not even exist they are so far in the past. I suggest looking at things from other's perspective, partly because it broadens your horizons, and also because your perspective is terrible.

 

[dekhawk]

I remember them well. Lute was the first coach I remember. Raveling was the coach when I went to Iowa basketball camp. Davis was the coach in my teens and on.
All great times. And all 20-40 years in the past. Hell, my youngest wasn't even alive when Alford took over. He and folks up to 10 years older than him know NOTHING of those successes. They might as well not even exist they are so far in the past. I suggest looking at things from other's perspective, partly because it broadens your horizons, and also because your perspective is terrible.

My perspective is terrible because I’ve seen the higher levels Iowa basketball has been able to achieve but should not want to get back to those levels? Makes sense

 

[iahawks10]

Perhaps the Davis ncaa tourneys with never a first round loss. Do those matter ?

They certainly should. Iowa should aspire to hire a coach who never loses in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

I guess you just remember the good in Good Ole Dr Tom.

 

[owenhawk]

I agree but post-Raveling recruits, how often has that seemed realistic?

Probably Brunner & Horner’s Senior year? This current team and might end up being as good as any other teams besides that one over the last 30 years.

Ok. It’s year 10 of Fran. It would be nice to get back to having teams that we felt could truly make a final 4 run.

 

[iahawks10]

I would also love to have a POY and top 20 team every year. To be fair how many of those has Fran had in 10 years ?

One less than Tom Davis in his last ten years and one less than Steve Alford in his time here.

 

[owenhawk]

I would also love to have a POY and top 20 team every year. To be fair how many of those has Fran had in 10 years ?

The same as Davis once he had to coach with his own recruits. I have very fond memories of Davis but history proved that without Raveling’s recruits, his program was not any better than Fran’s. The argument that Fran is a significant step down then what Davis did is not based in reality.

If Fran inherited a line-up where all 5 starters were NBA players and the bench included another NBA player and a couple more NBA draft picks, I’m guessing he would have a good chance to have made an Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen over 3 years. Also, let’s not forget that Davis coached one of the most epic meltdowns in their loss to UNLV to go to the Final Four with by far the most talented team I’ve ever seen Iowa have.

 

[33hawkfan]

Some of us remember the Olson, raveling and Davis years.

And we're right back to the Davis years pretty much. Outside of the team Davis inherited, this is where the program was under him. Make the NCAA's slightly more often than not, lose in the second round. This is where we are as a program again.

 

[dekhawk]

They certainly should. Iowa should aspire to hire a coach who never loses in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

I guess you just remember the good in Good Ole Dr Tom.

Mostly remember Lute , that was a great time. Can Iowa get back to that level ?

 

[dekhawk]

I agree but post-Raveling recruits, how often has that seemed realistic?

Probably Brunner & Horner’s Senior year? This current team and might end up being as good as any other teams besides that one over the last 30 years.

I hope so

 

[33hawkfan]

Iowa was a bottom 10 in the country program in 2010 when he took over. Absolute shit show. He flipped that pretty quick, we've been close numerous times over the years since he started it from the ground up and now it seems like the personnel on this team has the mental make up along with the physical to succeed where prior Fran teams seemed mentally weak at times. Missed FT's killing us by our guards, turnovers at end of games by Guards....Ugh...Connor canning 4 FT's in a row last night was HUGE, past teams Guards would NOT do that and Iowa would have lost that type of game they won last night.

Agree. I think if Mike Gesell turns into the player everyone, not just Iowa fans, expected him to be. Fran's legacy looks completely different. If Gesell progressed as expected and turned into a 14-16 ppg guy by the time he was an upperclassmen, Fran most likely has at least one deep tournament run on his resume. Iowa was this close to being an elite team with that group but just could never get over the hump.

 

[dekhawk]

The same as Davis once he had to coach with his own recruits. I have very fond memories of Davis but history proved that without Raveling’s recruits, his program was not any better than Fran’s. The argument that Fran is a significant step down then what Davis did is not based in reality.

If Fran inherited a line-up where all 5 starters were NBA players and the bench included another NBA player and a couple more NBA draft picks, I’m guessing he would have a good chance to have made an Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen over 3 years. Also, let’s not forget that Davis coached one of the most epic meltdowns in their loss to UNLV to go to the Final Four with by far the most talented team I’ve ever seen Iowa have.

That unlv loss was brutal. Win that and Iowa has 2 final four appearances in what 6/7 years. That would have done a lot for Iowa basketball tradition.

 

[owenhawk]

And we're right back to the Davis years pretty much. Outside of the team Davis inherited, this is where the program was under him. Make the NCAA's slightly more often than not, lose in the second round. This is where we are as a program again.

Exactly. Meanwhile, Fran is continually put down and held in low regard and talked about in negative terms while Dr. Tom is beloved and held in such high regard by the Iowa fans. This is where perspective is needed.

Dr. Tom inherited the lottery when he took over. Fran inherited a money pit. Since Fran has got his players into the program - and got rid of the stink of the Licklighter years - he has made the tourney 4 out of 6 years (with it looking like it will be 5 out of 7 and what looks to be a pretty strong team coming back next year).

 

[iahawks10]

Mostly remember Lute , that was a great time. Can Iowa get back to that level ?

Lute was a little before my time. I was three when he split for AZ. I grew up with Dr Tom and I liked Dr Tom. He was a good coach, not great, but good to very good. Many around here hold Dr Tom on a pedestal pretending he was better than he was. Acting like he was a great coach. He may have been a great man, that I don’t know. The sad truth was that Dr Tom peaked in his first three years at Iowa. He plateaued shortly after with a few valleys. That is about as close to the truth as I can be.

It’s ironic that many of the same people complaining that Dr Tom was unjustly let go are so quick to do the same with Fran after similar results. For those who don’t believe the results are quite similar are not being truth with themselves.

 

[H4wkfan4life]

Been a great season so far.
That said, I'll wait until march before he gets a pat on the back

 

[dekhawk]

Lute was a little before my time. I was three when he split for AZ. I grew up with Dr Tom and I liked Dr Tom. He was a good coach, not great, but good to very good. Many around here hold Dr Tom on a pedestal pretending he was better than he was. Acting like he was a great coach. He may have been a great man, that I don’t know. The sad truth was that Dr Tom peaked in his first three years at Iowa. He plateaued shortly after with a few valleys. That is about as close to the truth as I can be.

It’s ironic that many of the same people complaining that Dr Tom was unjustly let go are so quick to do the same with Fran after similar results. For those who don’t believe the results are quite similar are not being truth with themselves.

I agree that dr Tom basically retired from recruiting his last couple years , I was ready for a change. No matter what Tom inherited from raveling, he did get to one elite eight and two sweet sixteens.

 

[papahawk21]

Lute Olson (1974-1983):
167-91 (91-71)
6 20+ win seasons
5 NCAA Tournament Appearances
7 NCAA Tournament wins
1 Final Four

George Raveling (1983-1986):
55-38 (26-28)
2 20+ win seasons
2 NCAA Tournament Appearances
0 NCAA Tournament wins


Tom Davis (1986-1999):
270-139 (126-104)
10 20+ win seasons
9 NCAA Tournament Appearances
13 NCAA Tournament Wins
1 Elite 8 Finish
2 Sweet 16 Finishes

Steve Alford (1999-2007):
152-106 (61-67)
3 20+ win seasons
2 Big Ten Tournament Championships
3 NCAA Tournament Appearances
1 NCAA Tournament win


Todd Lickliter (2007-2010):
38-58 (15-39)
He was a complete and total disaster.


Fran McCaffery (2010-Present):
185-137 (82-89)
5 20+ win seasons
4 NCAA Tournament Appearances
3 NCAA Tournament wins



The rest of the 2019-2020 Season and the 2020-2021 Season for Fran will help us fill out our comparison.

 

[iahawks10]

I agree that dr Tom basically retired from recruiting his last couple years , I was ready for a change. No matter what Tom inherited from raveling, he did get to one elite eight and two sweet sixteens.

The most impressive IMO, was the Sweet Sixteen in his final season. One of the few times, Iowa overachieved.

Other than that, I’d be surprised if Lickliter wouldn’t of had two sweet sixteens and an elite 8 with that roster.

 

[Pepperman]

Exactly. Meanwhile, Fran is continually put down and held in low regard and talked about in negative terms while Dr. Tom is beloved and held in such high regard by the Iowa fans. This is where perspective is needed.

The difference is in their personality and demeanor. Fran is a lunatic at times, and outside of maybe wrestling, I've never seen that out of any Iowa coach. I don't like seeing it. Last night he was barely in control on his way to the locker room at halftime.

 

[HawkIDrummer]

After 10 years of steadily declining to the bottom. He had Iowa back in the discussion in 3 years, going 25 - 13 his 3rd year. There have been hiccups but for the most part he has built the program to where it was when Alford took over, except it has a much brighter future IMHO.

Huh?

Lick's 3 years were a disaster for sure. But in the 7 years prior we had a winning season every year, finished in the upper half of the conference half the time, made the NCAA tourney 3 of 7 years and won the Big Ten tourney twice. Alford's win % at IOWA is still > Fran's. Take out Fran's first year as a gimme and they're nearly identical.

I despise Alford as much as anybody and I like where Fran has the program now. But let's be honest about history.