If you’re younger than 30, you have zero memory of Iowa b-ball being worth a crap!
- Thread starter Letsgohawks411
- Start date
I've said the same thing. Kids these days don't treat Iowa Basketball the same way my friends and I did. I will say though that Alford did give us some fun with those B1G Tourney runs. I would also say it's more like anyone under 20 doesn't know just how much fun Iowa Basketball once was. I grew up watching Iowa Basketball in the late 80's - 90's.
Iowa’s last B1G championship was 39 years ago and last final four was 38 years ago.
You’d have to be a lot older than 30 to remember that.
You’d have to be a lot older than 30 to remember that.
We were worth a crap in ‘86-‘87 until the Dr. Tom fold in the second half against UNLV.
We don't have to win regular season B1G Championships to be successful. I am fine with finishing in the top 6 of the B1G 3 out of every 4 years and performing well in the B1G Tourney winning at least 1 every 5 years. Making the dance 3 out of every 4 years and make it to the sweet 16 or better once every 3 trips. I would be extactic for that.
I'm 36 and have vague memories of the BJ, Horton, Marble Iowa teams of the late 80s. Iowa had some fun, exciting teams throughout the 1990s, though, they just could never get over the hump as far as advancing in March is concerned (didn't help they frequently drew #8 seeds and often got Duke that first weekend). Sure, they never won the conference, but they finished in the upper half quite a bit (and the Big Ten was pretty tough back then).
So, no, Iowa basketball has not been superb since the 1980s, but in retrospect the Dr. Tom era wasn't too bad, either. And I think if Dr. Tom hadn't been forced out, with the conference being down during the early part of the 2000s, Iowa might have been able to build upon that 1998-1999 Sweet 16 season and who knows what could have happened.
So, no, Iowa basketball has not been superb since the 1980s, but in retrospect the Dr. Tom era wasn't too bad, either. And I think if Dr. Tom hadn't been forced out, with the conference being down during the early part of the 2000s, Iowa might have been able to build upon that 1998-1999 Sweet 16 season and who knows what could have happened.
The last time something like this was accomplished was 30 yrs ago in 1988 (minus B1G tournament). That of course was 10 conference teams and not 14.
How did Iowa finish in 1990, two years later? 12-16 (4-14) and tied for 8th in the BigTen (out of 10 including Northwestern).
I started watching around Lester's sophomore year, think Sky King was on that team. Anyway from Lester's time through probably the Chris Street years you felt like Iowa could compete against anyone in the country. Maybe not always win, but it would be close (non-con games against UNC, Duke, UCLA, etc.) Now we are getting pounded by the likes of Rutgers. This would be like getting whipped by Wisconsin in the 80's.
Exactly same time frame for me too dude... IOWA basketball was the world to me back then. Always played tough, and the hustle displayed by those early, mid 90's teams, was remarkable. Incredibly fun to watch, and some real deal Hawkeyes on those squads. It's crazy to think that the last IOWA bball game that really reminds me of those types of IOWA teams, was 19 years ago this March... IOWA/Arkansas to go to the sweet 16. It's been crazy different ever since.
With tony ramos (think that was his name) and friends? People talk about what little Fran inherited but Alford didn't get much either outside of Dean. I think we were headed for a downturn even if Tom stayed but no way of knowing for sure obviously. Yeah the 90's were better than post davis era no doubt but still not like 80's. George Revelings last couple yrs and tom davis' first few are my earliest real memories. Kinda like the 85 Bears and Hawk football.....I was duped!!!
Iowa lost to Wisconsin in: 80, 83, 85, 86, 89, 90(x2), 91(x2).
Iowa is 4-1 vs Rutgers since they joined the B1G.
My sophmore year at Iowa in 1970 we went undefeated in the Big 10 with Ralph Miller at the helm. A decade later Lute Olsen had us in the Final Four and we were a feared team nationally.. Tom Davis has us in the NCAA on a regulat basis in the 90's where we never lost a first round game and played in the Sweet16. Then came the drought yeras.
ok, i'm old and can't remember exactly and am too lazy to look up the numbers. make it Northwestern then. Both Wisconsin and Northwestern were shit in the 80's.
Northwestern would be more accurate. Iowa was 19-1 vs Northwestern in the 80’s.
The one loss was by 20 in 1985.
Yeah, 85 was near the end of Raveling years. They were not good at the end of his tenure. He had plenty of talent but underachieved. Played Lohaus as a center, left Gamble on the bench, etc. Kind of like Fran, doesn't know how to get the most out of the talent he has.
I used Wisconsin as a reference instead of Northwestern because Illinois would be the current equivalent to 80's Northwestern. It feels good to say that.
With tony ramos (think that was his name) and friends? People talk about what little Fran inherited but Alford didn't get much either outside of Dean. I think we were headed for a downturn even if Tom stayed but no way of knowing for sure obviously. Yeah the 90's were better than post davis era no doubt but still not like 80's. George Revelings last couple yrs and tom davis' first few are my earliest real memories. Kinda like the 85 Bears and Hawk football.....I was duped!!!
Lol. It was Antonio Ramos.
Obviously, Davis quit recruiting prior to his lame duck year, so there's no way to know.
I’m 27 so I loosely remember the DeanO years. It’s been tough as an Iowa b-ball fan.
Most frustrating part is seeing other P5 teams similar to Iowa in terms of status make changes and turn it around. Clemson, South Carolina, Arizona St, TCU, Texas Tech, Tennessee, etc.
Most frustrating part is seeing other P5 teams similar to Iowa in terms of status make changes and turn it around. Clemson, South Carolina, Arizona St, TCU, Texas Tech, Tennessee, etc.
Sadly, Iowa has a tremendously better basketball tradition and history than any of those schools, yet has fallen behind them.
The 1980s were a stellar decade for Iowa basketball:
Big Ten record: 107-73, 4th overall
NCAA tourney: 9 appearances, 13 wins
The 1990s were respectable but also a significant drop off from the 1980s.
Big Ten record: 89-87, 7th overall. Also an 0-2 BTT record.
NCAA tourney: 6 appearances, 7 wins
Big Ten record: 107-73, 4th overall
NCAA tourney: 9 appearances, 13 wins
The 1990s were respectable but also a significant drop off from the 1980s.
Big Ten record: 89-87, 7th overall. Also an 0-2 BTT record.
NCAA tourney: 6 appearances, 7 wins
It’s hard to believe, but Wisconsin’s Big 10 record was 49-131 in the 1980s and 69-107 in the 1990s.
Not hard to believe if you have a long memory. I always chuckle when young fans talk about Wisconsin being a blue-blood in football & basketball. There was a long, long time that Wisconsin was the very definition humble mediocracy.
Not surprised by the 80's record, but a little by the 90's. Wisconsin and Iowa kind of switched roles over the past 15-20 yrs. Wisconsin fans memories only go back to Dick Bennett.
I an also a Vikings fan. I wish I had been raised somewhere else. Knowing that I will never see a championship on any kind in my lifetime is depressing.
When you have an AD that demands to see success, good things happen. Barry is a helluva AD and is a big factor why Iowa and Wisconsin seem to have switched roles.
I grew up in the 80's so don't recall the 1980 Final Four but I remember the 1987 team and how competitive Iowa hoops was from then through the 1990's. Iowa wasn't a blue blood but was well respected. I remember one game where Iowa lost a game on espn early in the Alford era, Digger Phelps saying "That's not Iowa basketball..."
Our program is not even an afterthought anymore. Completely irrelevant.
Our program is not even an afterthought anymore. Completely irrelevant.
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