I’ve seen numerous comments about how Iowa sports is in for a world of hurt when Fran and Ferentz move on. Iowa State has found two coaches that have brought them a lot of success, especially in basketball . Considering where they were in football Campbell has done a pretty amazing job. So if another school in our state with less conference money coming in, can get it right, what are we so afraid of? Sure, we could fail with a hire or two but eventually don’t you have swing for the fences? I am happy with the job KF has done but the end is near. Fran has us as a bubble or worse program with no hope of any Sweet 16. I just think we can be better than that once in a while.
If Iowa State Can Get it Right, Why Can’t We?
- Thread starter Legs94
- Start date
I have faith in Beth in getting/making things right.
She got rid of Brian Ferentz, after all, and that's just a indicator of what's to come, imo.
She got rid of Brian Ferentz, after all, and that's just a indicator of what's to come, imo.
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I keep seeing posts like this trying to convince this Board that it's ok to move on from Kirk & Fran. Except I rarely, if ever, see a post where someone is actually afraid to move on! Hoping to get new coaches as soon as possible seems to be close to a 100% consensus.
Iowa is petrified to fire coaches.
Some of that is self induced, “wow you beat up on the crap teams” here is an 8 year contract.
Barta retired because the school told him to get rid of Brian and he refused.
Beth was offered the job knowing Brian had to be removed. Kirk and everybody else knew it was a school firing not an AD firing. A position she likely would never have gotten otherwise. I doubt she does squat. I will wait to be proven wrong in football and basketball.
Some of that is self induced, “wow you beat up on the crap teams” here is an 8 year contract.
Barta retired because the school told him to get rid of Brian and he refused.
Beth was offered the job knowing Brian had to be removed. Kirk and everybody else knew it was a school firing not an AD firing. A position she likely would never have gotten otherwise. I doubt she does squat. I will wait to be proven wrong in football and basketball.
Part of the problem that posters absolutely do not want to acknowledge is that we are just a lousy fanbase for mens basketball.
ISU men’s basketball has incredible fans, an incredible home court advantage, and strong donor support. They even had solid support when they weren’t very good during the Morgan/McDermott years.
Iowa needs a coaching change for sure. But we as fans need to do more to make this a desirable job as well. Fans will say “oh well I’m not going to support a program that doesn’t win NCAA games!” Fine, but no fans and no money doesn’t send a strong message to potential coaching hires, regardless of the reason. It’s a classic chicken-egg situation.
Football, on the other hand, has tremendous fan support and money (despite not winning any championships or premier bowl games for about 15 years). The football program doesn’t have an excuse. They can and should be better given the fan support.
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Iowa had a great basketball fan base when winning. It’s the product on the court that has lost the fans interest.
See bold. Was not the case pre-Lickliter and was a very healthy fan base for many years prior. IMO it is not the fans it is the coach, mediocre results and lack of program excitement.
without a new coach nothing gonna change
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Back when BJ and Marble were playing getting a ticket to Iowa basketball was like getting a ticket to see the Jordan bulls.
Just look at womens basketball last two years.
Win and the come. Lose and six coats of paint in the restroom and fresh sushi isn’t going to help.
Unfortunately, no.
Carver was always rocking in the ‘80s and ‘90s. If you build it, they will come.
Under Lute and Dr Tom? A little bit under Alford until it fell off the table. Carver has been dead for 20 years, Fran's had a few moments when he got Carver rocking but honestly our fans ( and students in particular) are very fair weather for bball. Early games, late games, bad weather, etc. we complain about it. Never seems to bother the fans in Ames for basketball.
Well, then those very few posters that want to hang on to these coaches are very, very quiet. Having an overwhelming majority that agree with you ought to be enough.
I keep seeing posts like this trying to convince this Board that it's ok to move on from Kirk & Fran. Except I rarely, if ever, see a post where someone is actually afraid to move on! Hoping to get new coaches as soon as possible seems to be close to a 100% consensus.
Hmmmm. Silence is not acceptance. Many of us have simply tired of the years long drum beat about the current coaching staff and their future and have thus chosen not to participate in a senseless circle j**k.
See? They actually had me excited to attend a game for a moment. Fresh sushi and cheap beer and saki would be a draw.
"Hummmm. Silence is not acceptance. Many of us have simply tired of the years long drum beat about the current coaching staff and their future and have thus chosen not to participate in a senseless circle j**k."
Responding to @RagnarLothbrok - the "reply" button won't work.
Ah, I may have misunderstood (not at all shocking). Are you in favor of retaining these coaches because the future could be worse without them?
Responding to @RagnarLothbrok - the "reply" button won't work.
Ah, I may have misunderstood (not at all shocking). Are you in favor of retaining these coaches because the future could be worse without them?
They come for the womens team.
As much as I can’t stand Pollard, he seems to have finally gotten it right after several fails. Hopefully Beth can get it right immediately.
This. The old Field House was always packed. Carver was packed through Dr Tom and Alfords first couple years....
The trifecta of Alford messy exit/Lick/Fran has really left it's mark on the fanbase.
No it's not even close to 100% I doubt it's 50 - 50I keep seeing posts like this trying to convince this Board that it's ok to move on from Kirk & Fran. Except I rarely, if ever, see a post where someone is actually afraid to move on! Hoping to get new coaches as soon as possible seems to be close to a 100% consensus.
No, not on that basis at least.
I am ambivalent about Kirk Ferentz, largely because of what happened with the Brian Ferentz fiasco. But I do believe Kirk still has a positive impact on the program and development of players. If Kirk can hire a better OL coach, get some more talent in the offense for Lester to work with, I think he can still be highly effective. But he has to be willing to evolve a little.
Fran needs to go yesterday. There is no enthusiasm in the program and the same issues remain from one year to the next. Even with talent like Iowa had with Garza and the Murray twins, nothing of note was accomplished. It’s just not going to ever change.
If Iowa can increase its NIL funding for basketball, they can attract a coach who can generate similar results to what Tom Davis had with Raveling’s recruits.
Say what you will about whether Fran needs to go or not, but Iowa has had a .500 or better record in the B1G for the past 6 years. The only other time that has happened was from 1950-1955, and 1951-1956. We are currently in the 3rd best period of B1G success behind the 50s and the 80s.
The only times Iowa has been at/above .500 in conference for 9 of 10 years were 1959, 1988, 1989, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
The only times Iowa has been at/above .500 in conference for 9 of 10 years were 1959, 1988, 1989, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Can't help with enticing kids to join our basketball program when they visit and find that they will be playing in a virtual mausoleum for a good number of their games. As far as football goes, I don't know why any talented offensive player would even consider Iowa unless we were their dream destination.
As one poster said, I doubt that she makes any major changes. Like it or not, Ferentz is here until HE wants to hang it up. McCaffery has done just enough to not be fired, whether we like that or not. He recruits great kids that represent the University in a great light and they usually finish near the top of the B1G. Obviously our NCAA appearances leave something to be desired, but it's not all on the coach. For example, against Richmond, a team we all thought the Hawks would beat and proceed, we shot .364 as a team and .207 from three. This was with the two Murray twins. McCaffery certainly didn't request them to miss all those shots.
That hasn't always been the case. CC lit a fire Nationally and all of women's basketball was elevated and more popular. We may see some of that return to the norm.
I put a lion's share of the malaise that the basketball is under straight on our fans. You show up and cheer for the team on the floor. It makes a big difference when we are playing before a full house. Hell, we have had the National POY and two All-Americans just recently and they played before middling crowds. Those players weren't attractive enough?
Hell, if we can do that, why not do it now?
I think it's more the lack of postseason success that has made the fans cool on the product, not an issue with the players themselves.
Fran had a 2 seed and the result? 2nd round blowout loss. Then the following year, that was as exciting of an Iowa team as I can remember since the late 80s when BJ, Roy and Ed were here, and were playing about as well as any team in the country going into the dance... Then laid an egg against Richmond. That's where Fran totally lost me. It's hard for me to get excited when it feels like a 1st round loss, or getting blown out in the 2nd round, is the ceiling no matter what kind of team Fran puts on the floor.
As you said, the talent has been there at times.. The results have not. Not in the postseason, anyway. Right or wrong, I believe that's how a lot of fans measure the program. Iowa has been past the first weekend of the tournament ONE time in the past three and a half decades. There is no buzz around the program these days.
I feel like we could say that Fran and KF have both put the programs in a place where they've been consistently decent. Kind of a high floor/low ceiling type of situation. Consistent? Yes. Relevant nationally? Nope.
Personally, I'd be willing to sacrifice some of the consistency and ride more highs and lows if the peaks were higher. As it is, both programs are just solid enough to always be competitive, but never a threat to make any real noise. Could be worse, but, yawn.
Not saying Fran needs to go but is this what should be acceptable for a Big Team in today's college basketball. Basically, what you are saying, since we have not been that great before and meeting previous standards, we should not try and make it better.
As Ronman said in #28, Fran probably didn't coach the Murray twins to go 0-8 from 3 in the game against Richmond.
Ah, the old "it isn't the coach that missed the shots" defense.
Make whatever excuse you like for why his teams don't get it done in March, but Fran's teams have done jack squat in the postseason, including the BTT (other than the year they rode Keegan to the BTT title). It's a pattern.
Losing that Richmond game due to lack of offense was one that I didn't expect, though. I'll give you that.
Where in the school did he get this order? What was he told by the school about lawsuits, discrimination and unwarranted contract extensions? Seems like several reasons to retire before Brian's name would have come up.
So about middle of the pack in an era where the BIG has been down a bit. Not a lot of BIG final fours and national championships lately. Too lazy to look it up.
The best is when they blame the basketball used in the tournament for their failures.
lol you literally just described fair weather fans!
If you only support the team when they’re great and you don’t support the team when they’re not great, then you are literally a fair weather fan.
It’s like I’m taking crazy pills talking to some of these posters
