Being an Iowa fan - for better or worse - the coaching tenures kinda become ingrained. Fran needed to go, but still a tough pill to swallow
I kinda has the sads
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Definitely a somber mood. Wanted Fran's tenure to end on a better note.
Instead of an ejection you mean
wish it was another Dr. Tom situation but who are we kidding ... Frans never been to the sweet 16
Not even that, just an NCAA Tournament appearance even if they lost in the First Four then Fran decides to call it a day.Instead of an ejection you mean
Yeah, I've been campaigning for change for a while now.. But there's still a part of me that doesn't enjoy seeing someone fired. Still, I'm excited for the possibilities of a new era.
Definitely didn't have that feeling with Lickliter, though. He was here just 3 years and was a total trainwreck.
Definitely didn't have that feeling with Lickliter, though. He was here just 3 years and was a total trainwreck.
It's good that it ended now before it got ugly.
Most people will generally look back on Fran, his great offense and his zany antics with fondness now.
Most people will generally look back on Fran, his great offense and his zany antics with fondness now.
Hard to feel bad about the money he will be paid to be fired. Who cares
I always hate to see someone fired. But….it really was time to move on from Fran. 15 years is a LONG time to be a coach at one spot. With some exceptions, programs tend to become stale.
💯. Personally I really loved Fran. Inherited maybe the worst P5 roster (ever?) from Lick. Brot it lunch pail guys and year 2 in NIT final. And the next 13 we were competitive. Never got over the hump unfortunately. Including some bad post season luck.
But he was passionate, loved his Hawks and fought for them. And continued to recruit even when writing was one the wall.
Also broke my heart to see Carver empty for him (even as women’s continued to sell out) NIL effectively killed Frans tenure, as IA men’s effectively had the lowest ‘payroll’ of all 18 teams. Not really fair
He makes more money in one year than I make in a lifetime. He will survive. Probably a good time for him to retire.
You're kidding, right? The guy made $3.4m last year and is 65 years old...and let's be serious, he wasn't that good of a coach. I don't consider it a firing; I consider it a retirement gift. Fran's a great guy who can now enjoy all of the other stuff in life with the millions of dollars Iowa has paid him each year to fail at getting our teams anywhere near the Sweet 16.
I was sad when Hayden was let go. Tearful sad. I was sad when Dr Tom was let go. went to his last home game. That was emotional.
I wasn't said for Alford, Lick, or FM.
I wasn't said for Alford, Lick, or FM.
Fran did what Iowa needed post Lickliter. Considering the circumstances, everything up through Garza senior year has to be seen as an over achievement.
I don't get the "poor fran" crowd. Yes. Thank you for not being Lickliter. Improving things. But dear gpd. you have the most losses in Iowa history.
Fans didn't like your demeanor on the court. You can be an asshole as soon as you win national championships like Bobby Knight.
Guess what, those days are over
Fans didn't like your demeanor on the court. You can be an asshole as soon as you win national championships like Bobby Knight.
Guess what, those days are over
Do you think some of that disassociation might be due to the stage of life you’re in? I’m not judging, just asking.
These are big boy jobs and they come with major responsibilities. These coaches leave smaller programs for bigger fish all the time. They also make more money than I will see in my lifetime.
For Fran, I feel bad and he did get us out of a bad era. He had 15 years which is much longer than almost any other coach. He had constant blowups on the sideline that made other teams hate us and was known to destroy the coaches office a time or ten. We never got better at defense (entire tenure) and got owned in rebounding this year. No adjustments were made to the staff.
Overall, did an okay job but just couldn't ever gain any traction. This is probably best for all parties. I'm sure Fran will end up at Butler or Penn.
The part I appreciate is that you can tell he was a players coach. So many guys and their families going to bat for him today. Not much else to say on that.
I don't appreciate coaches and family members going after the admin or fanbase. That's a bad look.
For Fran, I feel bad and he did get us out of a bad era. He had 15 years which is much longer than almost any other coach. He had constant blowups on the sideline that made other teams hate us and was known to destroy the coaches office a time or ten. We never got better at defense (entire tenure) and got owned in rebounding this year. No adjustments were made to the staff.
Overall, did an okay job but just couldn't ever gain any traction. This is probably best for all parties. I'm sure Fran will end up at Butler or Penn.
The part I appreciate is that you can tell he was a players coach. So many guys and their families going to bat for him today. Not much else to say on that.
I don't appreciate coaches and family members going after the admin or fanbase. That's a bad look.
oh for sure it plays a part. Dr Tom, and Hayden were a huge part of my youth. But there were also memorable moments. I will feel sad when Kirk hangs it up. There are just not as many high moments for the other 3. But yes, my youth played a big part.
I also loved Raveling. I was a big fan of his weekly TV show. I would wait for his book recommendation each week and beg my parents to take me to the library. But I wasn't sad when he left as coach because of results on court.
I’ll go with 3. Should’ve left him in Buffalo after the Richmond fiasco.
This year was the first time in 7 years that Fran had a losing record in the Big Ten. I think our new coach, whoever he is will have trouble matching that.
Heard it’s $4.2 million buy out. I don’t feel sorry for him. It’s more of a relief than anything else he will be gone and they can go to Indianapolis to watch their youngest son play. Good luck to them unless they want to be aholes on the way out the door. They had to know this was coming with a new AD, who wants their coach.Oh, and he's getting $3.9 million as a firing gift.
Ok, now to the new coach, either Darren Devries or Ben McCollum, women’s bball eventually Jenny Boranchek, wrestling eventually Spencer Lee, and football, that will be the big one but I can see Vanderbilt coach Clarke Lea tske the Iowa job once it opens up if Iowa doesn’t promote from within with either Wallace, Woods, or Lester.
Good AD’s should always have a list of possible candidates for each of their sports should an opening occur.
Fran needed to go, for sure. He was a good man, but good men fail—it happens. Ultimately coaches are pretty much hired to be fired (with a couple exceptions) and it was Frans time.
