I Am Satisfied With This Year as One Year

[markfromj]

If this year was a somewhat down year versus Fran’s, say, last 10, I’d be okay with it.

But this year is essentially every Fran year in the last 10.

This is peak Fran and we need a new coach.

 

[Bank of Hawk]

Can’t argue against Frans body of work. He’s won a lot of game here. Same can be said for KF, he has a body of work with a lot of wins under his belt.

 

[83Hawk]

If this year was a somewhat down year versus Fran’s, say, last 10, I’d be okay with it.

But this year is essentially every Fran year in the last 10.

This is peak Fran and we need a new coach.

Where is the real markfromj and what have you done with him?

You used to be the guy that never criticized, and would jump all over anyone who did. Finally starting to see the light on Fran?

 

[Moral]

I'm not sure what expectations should really be for Iowa basketball. If you swipe away a small successful era for Iowa they are pretty meh historically. Maybe we are just hoping with the right coaching change that Iowa can catch lightning in a bottle. Fran accounts for damn near 25% of Iowa's NCAA tournament appearances. Granted, 0 of their 8 My Super Sweet 16s.

 

[HawkLogic]

If this year was a somewhat down year versus Fran’s, say, last 10, I’d be okay with it.

But this year is essentially every Fran year in the last 10.

This is peak Fran and we need a new coach.

This might be your best post ever.

Fran isn't on the hot seat, but since his system is based on only playing half the game well, the upside of his system is limited in NCAA tourney play.

 

[hawkeyekid]

If this year was a somewhat down year versus Fran’s, say, last 10, I’d be okay with it.

But this year is essentially every Fran year in the last 10.

This is peak Fran and we need a new coach.

I think this is what a lot of people are trying to say, but sometimes after a loss they exaggerate. And the people that argue against them exaggerate after a win.

For me, I want a tournament run (really, just playing on the 2nd weekend) once every 3 or 4 years. I would even take not making the tournament once in a while.

A Big 10 championship would be nice but it's not even a realistic demand right now.

This year's team was probably exactly what we got. Tied with a bunch of teams in the middle of the Big 10, an 8/9 seed, and an early exit. But, last year he had an AA/Lottery pick with experience and the years before he had a lot of talent.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

Fran is taking a pounding here today, and it's fair that he takes the heat. He's the HC.

But Perk & Kris were 9-30 for 23 points. That's 9.5 points under their average in a game lost by 8 points.

Add in the disappearing act by PMac and Ulis and that's the ballgame.

Auburn is quicker, faster, stronger.

The Hawks simply don't have the athletes to compete when the shots aren't falling.

And, yes, that's on Fran too.

 

[hawkjt]

When you look at our roster I would say this team pretty much maxed out their talent this year.

The problem is the talent level.
Fran needs to upgrade that talent thru portal quickly or could be a 2 yr slump.

 

[Moral]

A Big 10 championship would be nice but it's not even a realistic demand right now.

Iowa hasn't had one of those since 1979 also known as 44 years ago.

 

[hawkeyekid]

Iowa hasn't had one of those since 1979 also known as 44 years ago.

Oh I know. It's kind of like football. I know we are never going to win a Big 10 championship, it just hurts to admit it.

 

[Rifler]

The difference this year has always been the 3 ball,.. This team had limited size and athleticism, which we knew, had to be countered with outside shooting,.. Next year's team will have a totally different set of strengths and weaknesses.

 

[TampaHawkfan]

I'm agreeing more and more with others that Iowa needs a vastly upgraded backcourt and athletic ability to improve our defense's ceiling. I still think the coaching on the defensive end is lacking, but the types of players Fran brings in seems to be a severe limitation here.

Looking at the incoming recruits, I really hope that they are at least really good shooters, because I'm not sure where these guys are going to bring much change to the areas I just mentioned.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

The difference this year has always been the 3 ball,.. This team had limited size and athleticism, which we knew, had to be countered with outside shooting,.. Next year's team will have a totally different set of strengths and weaknesses.

Agree. 26% from 3 and they lose every time against a decent team.

It's pretty easy to look at the weaknesses for next year - experience, size, strength. quickness. Hard to see a lot of strengths. Gonna need some portal help to compete.

 

[Rifler]

Agree. 26% from 3 and they lose every time against a decent team.

It's pretty easy to look at the weaknesses for next year - experience, size, strength. quickness. Hard to see a lot of strengths. Gonna need some portal help to compete.

For next year I would agree with us having less experience,.. but I'm going to hold any comments on size, strength and quickness until I see them on the floor together.

 

[blhawk]

The difference this year has always been the 3 ball,.. This team had limited size and athleticism, which we knew, had to be countered with outside shooting,.. Next year's team will have a totally different set of strengths and weaknesses.

Even the best teams have off shooting nights. If they give up 42 instead of a ridiculous 52 in the second half they win. It's almost always Fran's inability to coach defense. That is the constant

 

[83Hawk]

The difference this year has always been the 3 ball,.. This team had limited size and athleticism, which we knew, had to be countered with outside shooting,.. Next year's team will have a totally different set of strengths and weaknesses.

When winning games usually require shooting lights out from 3, that is not a recipe for any real success, particularly in the NCAA tournament. As we have witnessed repeatedly under Fran.

 

[Rifler]

When winning games usually require shooting lights out from 3, that is not a recipe for any real success, particularly in the NCAA tournament. As we have witnessed repeatedly under Fran.

It's not a recipe, it's quite simply just the reality for this particular team,.. No surprises, we all knew it..

 

[Hawk_4shur]

When winning games usually require shooting lights out from 3, that is not a recipe for any real success, particularly in the NCAA tournament. As we have witnessed repeatedly under Fran.

Well, it's not like they have to shoot 45-50% from 3 to have success. You just can't shoot 26%.

 

[longliveCS40]

I think the overall criticisms of Fran at Iowa are fair if you think Iowa could be a better program.

A couple observations there:
1. I saw VERY few posts before this season saying we needed a coaching change. So are we basing the need for a coaching change on this year's performance? I thought the team actually overachieved relative to expectations this year.

2. Historically, Iowa is not better than they've been under Fran. They've won a couple more NCAA second round games in the past but very similar results regardless of coach. So is it that we have ADs that hire the wrong coaches? Is it that the ceiling of Iowa is what we've seen the past 30 years?

I do think a better coach could do more at Iowa. Chris Collins, for instance. But I also think the likelihood of landing a guy like that is very low based on past hires and on our current AD who seems to be a buffoon.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

I'm not sure what expectations should really be for Iowa basketball. If you swipe away a small successful era for Iowa they are pretty meh historically. Maybe we are just hoping with the right coaching change that Iowa can catch lightning in a bottle. Fran accounts for damn near 25% of Iowa's NCAA tournament appearances. Granted, 0 of their 8 My Super Sweet 16s.

Pretty sure Iowa was top 20 in all time wins before we fell into a mediocre black hole in regards to recruiting and competitiveness in the '90s, '00s, and late '00s and early '10s where Iowa was supposedly a bad place to go for top recruits because it was too f***ing cold and there's nothing to do in Iowa City, or so we were constantly told by f***ing morons both among other fanbases and in the media..............

 

[Moral]

Pretty sure Iowa was top 20 in all time wins before we fell into a mediocre black hole in regards to recruiting and competitiveness in the '90s, '00s, and late '00s and early '10s where Iowa was supposedly a bad place to go for top recruits because it was too f***ing cold and there's nothing to do in Iowa City, or so we were constantly told by f***ing morons both among other fanbases and in the media..............

If Lickliter got Fran results they would probably still be in that illustrious top 20 all time wins.

 

[markfromj]

Where is the real markfromj and what have you done with him?

You used to be the guy that never criticized, and would jump all over anyone who did. Finally starting to see the light on Fran?

Lol. A lot of my posts are misunderstood.

I think one should evaluate at the end of the season. This season’s “rinse and repeat” finally did me in.