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is frans in your face yelling

Kurt Warner

HB Heisman
Jan 12, 2010
7,176
10,005
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Iowa
Wearing on the players? As you all have seen he gets in their face like he would love to punch them out (there is times I would like to too) . When he goes off it's like he totally despises the players, even though we all know he cares very much for them. I honestly don't think I have ever seen a coach get as irate as fran does sometimes. Anyway I was just wondering if anyone else thought it might be wearing on them some.
 
IF you can't handle it, then don't play for the guy.

He is a competitor who wants to win and doesn't take lazy defense lightly. He is trying to light a fire under their @sses and I don't mind it. Some of these guys look like they are robots during the game. They look lost or not into it. Just seems strange.
 
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I honestly do not know but personally from what I have seen at games his demeanor has been toned down quite a bit this year. He's still fiery at times but much less than previous seasons.

This is always one of the points that comes up when we are losing. I saw no posts about this when we were 8-0 and had won at MSU by 15+.

We also had a coach prior to Fran that took naps during the games, had a historically bad teams and guys (starters) leaving left and right. So that approach did not work all that well with players either. We did not have to worry about finishing close games then so I guess that was good.
 
Fran is careful who he gets on and who he doesn't. Some guys aren't prone to take much in your face encouragement. Others respond to it. Devyn Marble received quite a bit of Fran's tough love, but if you notice he comes back and works out at Carver...he and Fran have a great relationship.

Would it be fun to receive a dose of the McCaffery pep talk? No. But his players know he believes in them and is trying to bring out the best player they can be.

And, he certainly isn't the worst, nor rare, compared to other coaches. Not imo.
 
Yeah it is very hard to explain. Im all for getting on their butts but frans style is a little more personal than most. Just look at his face, I swear his head is about to explode.
 
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Yeah it is very hard to explain. Im all for getting on their butts but frans style is a little more personal than most. Just look at his face, I swear his head is about to explode.
They need to have fun playing and competing, I wonder if some of them are enjoying the games anymore. When they were lighting teams up they looked cohesive and happy. I get it that winning is more fun than losing but it would be a shame if they lost their enjoyment and confidence because that would mean a short exit in the postseason.
 
Since the seniors are the ones who play the most, they should be used to it after 4 years.
He does look like he is going to just tip their heads right off though. Unfortunately, that is what he looks like when he is mad...he can't help that.
 
I doubt Bo Ryan was a softie. If you can't handle a little yelling, you probably miss Free Throws and open 3-balls and get soft on defense. Need better shooters with more confidence. Dislike Wisconsin, but their shooters tend to be confident azz wipes.
 
It only worries me because sometimes it seems like they're not listening- like oh here he goes again. If it works and motivates players okay but it doesn't seem like it is. Also, there are other coaches who are much worse (Izzo) but get good results--
 
It only worries me because sometimes it seems like they're not listening- like oh here he goes again. If it works and motivates players okay but it doesn't seem like it is. Also, there are other coaches who are much worse (Izzo) but get good results--

It works because he (Izzo) has the added luxury of Great Players up and down his bench and another great Player of the Year candidate in DValentine. It would work better for Fran and a ton of other coaches I see yelling in the huddle at players if they could recruit the players like Tom gets.

Fran says this all the time and he himself is a very cerebral coach....smart man, smart coach...a bit fiery and I want that in a coach than the opposite...we just had that if you remember?. I think most players understand and appreciate a coach like Fran.
 
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Yes, I think this is definitely the issue. When Iowa was 10-1 in the league and coming off three straight wins, Fran's yelling just became too much for the players, and they have crumbled since.

Sarcasm aside, I actually feel like at this stage in the season, when Fran has yelled it's primarily been directed at officials. You don't really see him get into the players' face that much during the games. I think he did that earlier in the year, when we were playing scrubs in non-conference to motivate the guys a bit. Uhl/Jok in particular were guys who we saw receive Fran's wrath. Uthoff is somebody who Fran has said doesn't really respond well to the "up in your face" criticism, and Uthoff is arguably struggling worse than anybody on the team right now.
 
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It seems like he just turns red and yells but not really AT anyone---I remember a game lately where he seemed to be ripping into the bench and they were tuned out- but maybe it was just a general rant/rage that his team sucked because they did. I'm not saying it's the reason they are losing-just something I noticed.
 
Yes, I think this is definitely the issue. When Iowa was 10-1 in the league and coming off three straight wins, Fran's yelling just became too much for the players, and they have crumbled since.

Sarcasm aside, I actually feel like at this stage in the season, when Fran has yelled it's primarily been directed at officials. You don't really see him get into the players' face that much during the games. I think he did that earlier in the year, when we were playing scrubs in non-conference to motivate the guys a bit. Uhl/Jok in particular were guys who we saw receive Fran's wrath. Uthoff is somebody who Fran has said doesn't really respond well to the "up in your face" criticism, and Uthoff is arguably struggling worse than anybody on the team right now.

Agree and when Fran has gotten on players during the game, I swear it's about the same things that fans are screaming about in the game thread......whether it's the officials or the players ....it's so funny and right on cue with the game thread pretty much and some fans wonder why about Fran? He's yelling at em to play some defense too .....watch the coaches on the sideline when Bielfeldt hits that second 3 shot.....
 
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Listen to what former players have to say about him. Marble posted this picture a while back of Fran in his face and I don't remember what the message on the photo said, but then Jarryd Cole commented that, 5 minutes later Fran would hug you and tell you he loves you.
I am sure at times they all want to turn an punch him in the face but at the end of the day you can't take that kind of thing personally. If it was that big of a deal you would see a lot more guys transferring out.
images
 
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Listen to what former players have to say about him. Marble posted this picture a while back of Fran in his face and I don't remember what the message on the photo said, but then Jarryd Cole commented that, 5 minutes later Fran would hug you and tell you he loves you.
I am sure at times they all want to turn an punch him in the face but at the end of the day you can't take that kind of thing personally. If it was that big of a deal you would see a lot more guys transferring out.
images

Yup. Uthoff returned to Iowa. Clemmons stayed after a rough year. Our players transfer at about half the rate of the rest of D1 schools. Hard to find fault other than it just "looks" bad.
 
It's been said that he rarely yells at Uthoff because Uthoff doesn't like it or respond well to it. The coach has to know his players and each is treated differently. A big mistake many coaches make is treating everyone the same in this regard. Players respond differently to different things.
 
Bob Knight school of getting your point across. It's comes with the territory with Fran. That's how he's wired and it ain't changing.
 
Wearing on the players? As you all have seen he gets in their face like he would love to punch them out (there is times I would like to too) . When he goes off it's like he totally despises the players, even though we all know he cares very much for them. I honestly don't think I have ever seen a coach get as irate as fran does sometimes. Anyway I was just wondering if anyone else thought it might be wearing on them some.

Izzo does the same thing except he is too short. Just sayin.........
 
It's been said that he rarely yells at Uthoff because Uthoff doesn't like it or respond well to it. The coach has to know his players and each is treated differently. A big mistake many coaches make is treating everyone the same in this regard. Players respond differently to different things.
I remember an article in which it said a certain player was turned over to Speraw to be talked to when he came to the bench. Inference that the player related better to Kirk's way of being corrected as to his play.
 
Good lord, I just don't understand this. Fran has been much more calm this year. My old high school coach makes Fran look like Tom Davis. I think Fran is getting better about when he unloads and I'm guessing when he goes directly after a player, it is something that is either (1) a stupid mistake or (2) a repetitive issue.
 
Wearing on the players? As you all have seen he gets in their face like he would love to punch them out (there is times I would like to too) . When he goes off it's like he totally despises the players, even though we all know he cares very much for them. I honestly don't think I have ever seen a coach get as irate as fran does sometimes. Anyway I was just wondering if anyone else thought it might be wearing on them some.
2 years ago he was going to far(he was under alot of stress with Patrick). Last year was better. This year during this losing streak you could see angry Fran again. He needs to work on this. Not only for the teams sake but personally for his own health.
 
Listening to / reading transcripts from interviews, I think Fran is pretty connected to his team. He had an interview mid-season I think where he stated Uthoff does not like to be yelled and just asks to be told what he wants him to do. I am paraphrasing here, but he said nobody wants to be walking to practice thinking 'coach is going to yell at me'. He mentioned that was demotivating and not beneficial to learning. I suspect what makes him crazy is what makes us crazy. Come in the game and turn it over. Get beat back door three times. Pass up a good shot for a bad one. Missing layups. He has a front row seat these late game meltdowns, which has to be maddening. I don't begrudge coaches for what they get paid relative to what they have to deal with.

Nobody is more demonstrative than Izzo. When you are interviewed at the half and say you sent Costello to the bus and hopefully he comes back ready to play, you aren't worried about guys being sensitive.
 
fran is a smart guy and it's unfortunate that when angry he can look like a lunatic. he has always had a bit of an image problem and probably always will. i used to see him at siena and he may have mellowed a bit but can still go off.
 
Anyone ever watch Frank Martin, formerly at K St and now at South Carolina? McCaffery is no where near his level. I think Fran is just fine. As someone earlier posted, knowing how to push the correct button for different players is key.
 
That is a great way to describe Fran! Can you imagine meeting up with that in a back alley after he had a few Guinesses?

Actually, yes. Only they were Schlitz and Russ just took me out back to tell me to quit pestering him or he'd have to, and I quote, "Go to work.". He was about fifty and had been a street fighter for money as well as we both worked at the same factory. I was about twenty and in between my first and second college experiences. The factory was my, "See what you could get if you don't quit partying!!??", lesson.

So. Russ was about 5'6" but built like a Gorilla and had a wingspan belonging to someone 6'2". Really nice guy but dumb as a stump. Quick to laugh at dumb jokes, didn't like jokes that went over his head. He and I and others from the factory went out for beers and I learned how concerned he could get with those too smart jokes.

So I learned how to get along with him at the bar which is where he did his second job and I didn't have to feel him, "Go to work".

I think the guys know when Fran goes to work it's for their own good. And I'm sure it is highly motivational.
 
I think as some other posters have noticed he gets in the face of the players he knows can take it. Yes he does yell at the whole team but 80% of all the other coaches in the country do as well. Fran has toned it down a bit from previous seasons. Fran spends more time with these guys more than anyone else so he knows what he needs to do to motivate them. It should also be noted he got in the face of this years senior class more when they were underclassmen than he does know. They know how he wants to play and what he expects but they are just not playing with that sense of urgency they were earlier in the year.
 
I've often felt that the seniors on this year's team don't really react too well to Fran's coaching style. Like they're afraid of making mistakes, therefore they play tight way too often. The common denominators over the last 4 years' at times baffling play is this group of seniors and Fran. It just doesn't seem like they mesh well and the end result of it they just don't "play freely".

It'll be interesting to see the current group of frosh over time to see if the same thing happens to them.

I dunno...it's just baffling to watch.
 
I honestly do not know but personally from what I have seen at games his demeanor has been toned down quite a bit this year. He's still fiery at times but much less than previous seasons.

This is always one of the points that comes up when we are losing. I saw no posts about this when we were 8-0 and had won at MSU by 15+.

We also had a coach prior to Fran that took naps during the games, had a historically bad teams and guys (starters) leaving left and right. So that approach did not work all that well with players either. We did not have to worry about finishing close games then so I guess that was good.
Ah yes, the all purpose excuse for Franny on this forum "He's better than Lickliter, so don't question his coaching or recruiting ability". After six years, that's getting a little old; but you can use it for like, say, for four or five more years. It will never get old on here.
 
Ah yes, the all purpose excuse for Franny on this forum "He's better than Lickliter, so don't question his coaching or recruiting ability". After six years, that's getting a little old; but you can use it for like, say, for four or five more years. It will never get old on here.

Ah yes, the 'we have to take it to the next level' guy. Never happy, never satisfied, only shows up when the team is winning, first critic when the team struggles, offers no actual support to the program but expects Iowa to be a blue blood but it's that dog gone current coach guy.

Countless programs now floundering say hello. Tubby smiles and waves while Minny is getting drilled by Rutgers as the latest example of 'next level' guys.
 
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Actually I don't care for Fran's demeanor. Getting into a players face in front of fellow team mates, possible tv cameras, and 15,000 fans is not how a coach should conduct himself. The look Dom Uhl gave Fran was screw you
 
Fran just gave Uhl/Wagner combination a piece of his mind taking them out of the game.
 
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