So long as this clueless coach is at Iowa there is not going to be any special seasons. He stinks as a coach and there is no denying that at all. Every game Iowa is behind the 8 ball from minute one because they are going to be out coached no matter what. Add in the fact he is giving minutes to his KIDS that they don't deserve which is also hurtling Iowa as a team. Face it with Fran at Iowa there is Zero chance they do anything special like win the big or make any kind of a run in any tournament....looking at another 2 and done team that finishes middle of the pack in the BIG!!!!!
Fran
- Thread starter HawkGem10
- Start date
Well one thing is for sure - we’ve reached the point where the “super fans” will be super loud after wins and the “realists” will be equally vocal after losses.
bottom line in my opinion is this team is worthy of a top 20 ranking or so.
bottom line in my opinion is this team is worthy of a top 20 ranking or so.
It's the same as in football. Iowa has a coach that has built a program and a team that is "capable" of winning each game and fan expectations are adjusted accordingly.
So, when the team doesn't win each game, the fans turn on the very guy that put them in position to wins games in the first place.
So, when the team doesn't win each game, the fans turn on the very guy that put them in position to wins games in the first place.
Even if the Hawks are a lowly top 25 team, that means we are better than 300 other division 1 teams.
I’m happy For you if that’s all you want.
me, I’m different... I expect to occasionally contend for a B1G championship. You know, MAYBE when the team has the National player of the year, upperclassmen at other key positions, and some great young talent only asked to play their roles.
familiarity breeds contempt, we know Frans general philosophy and his seemingly aloof regard to defense and free throw shooting can drive a fan base insane.
Yes I got ‘aloof’ in a post , my day is complete.
We lose two games and some of you are ready to throw in the towel. Did I miss something? Can we no longer contend for a B1G Championship? This not not football where one or two losses eliminates you from contention. How about we not give up on this team and call for Fran to be fired when we have a top ten team? I know some of you want to get ahead of the curve and blast this team now. Let’s at least wait until we are out of contention before burning the place down.
so, my only response to this is twofold:
1) you’re mathematically correct
2) I’ve watched other B1G teams play, and it’s not going to be easy for a team that doesn’t play defense in this league
I am not giving any guarantees aand I’m not “done with this team” at all, but I think Fran sucks and I’ve said it for about 8 years now. At least he no longer embarrasses my University like he used to regularly do.
I thought you were going to point out how Kirk is elite on defense and terrible on offense. Iowa has a championship caliber defense in football and offense in basketball. Unfortunately the other side of the ball is so bad 1 west title is all either of them have to show for it the last decade. Id say Fran is more inept on D than Kirk is on O, but they are about equally as stubborn and nepotism is part of problem for both. Frustrating but could be a lot worse I guess....the phrase every Iowa fan lives byIt's the same as in football. Iowa has a coach that has built a program and a team that is "capable" of winning each game and fan expectations are adjusted accordingly.
So, when the team doesn't win each game, the fans turn on the very guy that put them in position to wins games in the first place.
I've said the same thing for just as long or longer. He has some fatal flaws that give him a very low ceiling.
-He's terrible about closing out close games. People would be amazed if they saw his record in games within 5 points in the last 5 minutes. It was even written about in a national publication last year.
-After failing to prevent the tying shot in regulation last night, he asks a weak ball-handler to drive the length of the floor and get off a good shot in 5 seconds. What has he learned in 50 years of immersion in the sport? Doing that would not result in a score if it were tried 99 more times. I guess we should call that an improvement because usually there is a TO that results in no shot at all.
-the reputation about a potent offense is mostly BS. We have some good shooters but mostly we score a lot of points because we have so many possessions. We have so many possessions because we allow quick and easy shots by opponents and quick shoot ourselves. We are a "fast offense"? Then where are all our fast break points? We run a well designed offense? Then why do we go on so many 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 minute spells without a single field goal or even good shot?
We will have some seasons when we will win more that the average number of games but the program fundamentals and decisions are not there to be consistent enough to win any tournament or even 3 consecutive games against good competition. How have we done in the B10 tourney?
This team is his high water mark and we are seeing what that looks like. My vote is to dump him as soon as possible if we have aspirations for more. And I do.
When contending for a Championship you can’t lose early to teams you should beat. Luka is going to get doubled and tripled every night until the others force defenses to come out and guard the other shooters. JBO is struggling so they won’t concentrate on him like prior years and he can’t penetrate. Connor isn’t a concern to score either. There alone free’s up 2 defenders. Fran bringing in 3 non scorers at a time makes it easy for a defense. Another noticeable deficiency is Garza not willing to pass it back out when 2 or 3 defenders sag on him once he touches the ball.
I don't know how any of those goals still aren't attainable. We lost a conference game, not a title. We weren't going to go undefeated and every good team can lose games to anyone in college basketball.
There is frustration in how we lost, sure. It shouldn't have happened (from what I understand- I was super sick). All I am saying is that there is no reason to say this team can't win a Big Ten title or even national title. All we have to do is be invited and nobody will want to play us.
YAAAYYYY!!!
Hang a banner!!
smh
This is allegedly a high major basketball program in a P5 conference. You’d think that even by accident we could win a conference title at least once every FOURTY YEARS or maybe just make a sweet sixteen once every TWENTY YEARS. But that’s just coming from a stupid fan with unreasonable expectations, I guess....
Who said we can't win it based on one loss to Minnesota? The Big Ten is loaded. Our sucky teams aren't even gimmies. Heck, NORTHWESTERN is leading the conference.
Nobody including me. I was poking fun at the poster content to be top 25.
All our goals are still reachable and I’ve said that here multiple times.
I suppose you’re the type that thinks it’s okay to give out participation trophies for doing absolutely nothing?
That was me... I didn't mean to say I was content with being just in the top 25. I am saying that I don't see this team leaving the top 25. I honestly think they CAN beat anyone but not with the defense we have seen.
Totally. Love participation trophies...
Come on now, I want the Hawks to win a title as bad as anyone. Nothing is lost by losing one game.
I usually defend Fran, but this loss has his name all over it. Both Luka & CJ sort of threw Fran under the bus in their post game presser: we weren’t into the game for awhile in the 1st half and we made no adjustments for the hot shooters during the game.
On top of that, my biggest disappointment is that experience & toughness was going to win us games like this during this special year. Not this time.
On top of that, my biggest disappointment is that experience & toughness was going to win us games like this during this special year. Not this time.
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In last 40 years, Purdue won a lot of Big titles in Keady years and Painter has won Big10 title. They didn't always have the best athletes, but their system is built to grind out wins in B1G with in your jersey man defense as a core competency. I would put Wisconsin in same category. MSU has done it with exceptional athletes, but they also have man defense and rebounding as core competency. Those 3 teams have most of the B1G titles in past 40 years and the only other teams that have won B1G titles have generally been loaded with NBA ready athletes and been good defensive teams.
I have never felt Fran had the right system to compete for B1G titles. Running an up tempo offense, full court press with lessor athletes, and not playing good half court defense is not going to win B1G titles. Iowa doesn't have a roster full of athletes with raw speed, short burst quickness, fast twitch muscles, ability to jump. The type of players Fran recruits requires the coach to set the attitude/system to play hard nosed defense because most of the Iowa players are naturally poor defenders.
Having the POY in Garza...I am shocked it has happened for Iowa and he is good for 30 pts nearly every game. The problem is we got Fran as our coach and he has a system he believes in even though he is 0/10 in competing for B1G titles prior to this year.
I have never felt Fran had the right system to compete for B1G titles. Running an up tempo offense, full court press with lessor athletes, and not playing good half court defense is not going to win B1G titles. Iowa doesn't have a roster full of athletes with raw speed, short burst quickness, fast twitch muscles, ability to jump. The type of players Fran recruits requires the coach to set the attitude/system to play hard nosed defense because most of the Iowa players are naturally poor defenders.
Having the POY in Garza...I am shocked it has happened for Iowa and he is good for 30 pts nearly every game. The problem is we got Fran as our coach and he has a system he believes in even though he is 0/10 in competing for B1G titles prior to this year.
How many years does Fran get to instill basic fundamental defensive principles in the team? His post-game pressers are as bad as KF's. Instead of "need to clean it up" Fran goes with "we were not connected" and "guys were not communicating". It's a smoke screen for the inferior guard play that has hampered the program since Fran's arrival. Look at EVERY other conference team and name one that Connor or Jbo would be starting for. It doesn't exist yet both start at Iowa. They are both nice players but don't compliment each other, are incapable of driving / creating their own shots and are boat anchors defensively.
Fran has his best team to date at Iowa but the guard play is still well below the level necessary to go beyond the first round the NCAA tourney. Iowa is going to get exposed throughout conference play by better guard play on both ends. Fran is too stubborn to change and try Joe T. and / or Ulis in different lineups so it will be Jbo going 2-10 from 3 and giving up blow by buckets and Connor being a complete non-factor offensively. Watch Boo Buie for NW or Trice for NW--perfect examples of who Fran should have on this team but doesn't.
Fran has his best team to date at Iowa but the guard play is still well below the level necessary to go beyond the first round the NCAA tourney. Iowa is going to get exposed throughout conference play by better guard play on both ends. Fran is too stubborn to change and try Joe T. and / or Ulis in different lineups so it will be Jbo going 2-10 from 3 and giving up blow by buckets and Connor being a complete non-factor offensively. Watch Boo Buie for NW or Trice for NW--perfect examples of who Fran should have on this team but doesn't.
So you're advocating his dismissal immediately, and replacing him with Frank G for the rest of the season?
But that's not good enough for our basement no-it all's. Even though we come from a small, cold weather state we're suppose to be Alabama in football and Duke in basketball. It's going to be a long winter for these guys...
Come on out of the woodwork trolls!!!
It's fine to have expectations but some act like we are absolutely trash when we lose.
So, a coach that "sucks" is one that has a team ranked in the Top 10 and plays in the toughest conference in College Basketball....? So you would probably call Dan Gable a little above average? Nick Saben, you might give him a B?
Trolls are individuals who say things with the intent of getting a rise out of people. People providing legitimate concerns about the team are not trolls.
I don’t like Fran. You know that. Don’t be hyperbolic about other certainly HoF coaches... that’s silly. Fran is no HoF Coach.
he has the consensus best player in all of college basketball. He’s got several upper class pieces of the puzzle alongside Luka. We better finish top 16 or this is a total failure of a season.
Hyperbolic is saying a coach that has established a program that has produced a top 10 team as a coach that sucks.....that was obviously the point I was making. Saying Fran sucks....that’s silly.
You saying, “I don’t like Fran”, that’s a factual statement....saying he sucks is a false statement.
Who cares who you 'like?' Go ahead and criticize Fran's performance, ad nauseam, if that lights your fire, But absolutely no one cares whether you 'like' Fran. Dude, this thing is anonymous. Someone would have to know you for personal preferences to have any meaning.
Negative....my statements about those coaches was to demonstrate your negative hyperbole. It was spot on.
ok you do you. I’ll be here win or lose so hopefully you’re ribbing me in 3 months time
Fran is same guy that thought offers to Uhl, Ellingson, Christian Williams, Wagner, Flemming, Moss, Dickerson, Hutton were good ideas. Uhl is only guy that did not transfer out and he was awful at basketball. There were some lean years recruiting and some late season collapses and generally piss poor B1G tournament performance.
We have waited 11 years for a team that could compete for B1G title. Garza becoming POY is at least 50% towards a B1G title. It is Fran's job to surround Garza with the talent to win a B1G title. I think Fran has assembled that talent...the only question...does Fran have ability with his system/coaching to take these guys to B1G title....jury is out. Fran proved himself a genius to bring in Keegan and his brother...now just play Keegan big minutes and see if it happens.
We have waited 11 years for a team that could compete for B1G title. Garza becoming POY is at least 50% towards a B1G title. It is Fran's job to surround Garza with the talent to win a B1G title. I think Fran has assembled that talent...the only question...does Fran have ability with his system/coaching to take these guys to B1G title....jury is out. Fran proved himself a genius to bring in Keegan and his brother...now just play Keegan big minutes and see if it happens.
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