Since Iowa was last in the Final Four.
March 22, 1980.
Sigh.
March 22, 1980.
Sigh.
It’s been exactly 44 years…
- Thread starter RagnarLothbrok
- Start date
I don’t hold onto that dream, anymore. If it happens, great. I doubt it happens again in my lifetime.
In 1980 I never would have thought I wouldn't see Iowa in a Final Four OR win a regular season Big Ten title again. Back then there were programs like MSU, OSU, Illinois, Wisconsin that we were basically tied with head to head historically. I'm strongly assuming we are down 15-20 to all of them.
Goddamn, you’re one dumb, grumpy ****er.
I think it’ll be delusional to think we‘ll fare better with PAC 12 schools coming. I feel we’d do well to tread water.
now tell us the last time Purdue was in the Final 4.
It's hard to believe that program hasn't made a FF since then. As long as I can remember, they've been one of the better programs in the conference. I'd say probably the best program (nationally) to never make a FF in this time frame. Lots of really good teams, lots of flame outs in the S16 or earlier.
I think the Illini are also one of the best programs nationally that have never won a NC. I actually think this may be their year though - no clear cut awesome team in the field from what I can tell. (ie like a Baylor from a couple years ago)
All you have to do is get hot for two consecutive games to get to the sweet 16. Can’t do it.
Forget about getting to the final four.
Things that have happened since Iowa last went to the final four:
The internet
Cell phones
OJ
Van Halen
Lead paint laws
...
The internet
Cell phones
OJ
Van Halen
Lead paint laws
...
Or Notre Dame, USC, FSU, Georgia, Iowa St, KS St, NC St, PSU, Pitt, Wake Forest, Washington,....
There are plenty of big name schools with 40+ year droughts. It's fair to criticize Iowa's lack of success in the early rounds, but not really the final 4 drought.
Van Halen’s first album was 1978, but I get your point.
You started a thread and people are responding. Are you surprised by that?
Jesus Christ. I was just making a mention of Final Four history because today is the anniversary date. Good grief, some of you guys are moody.
I shouldn’t be, but I am.
Sorry this induced butthurt for some.
Never mind. Carry on.
csb time... i was 8 and didn't follow basketball at all but i can remember exactly where and what i was doing when that game was on. our school had a spring musical presentation for all the elementary classes in the high school gym. each grade performed separately while the others sat around in the study hall area at the high school. all the teachers were listening to the game in the waiting area and i couldn't figure out what the big deal was.
apparently it was a big deal since we haven't been since.
apparently it was a big deal since we haven't been since.
I don’t think you have to get hot if you’re not a mid major. If you do your (our) program borders on stinking.
There have been at least a couple occasions where all they had to do was play to seed (2006 and 2021), and haven't been able to do that, either.
Even 2022 - a 5 seed should basically be 50/50 to beat a 4 seed in the 2nd round. Didn't even get that far. Sigh.
Iowa has had zero luck also. ZERO luck. 1989 preseason we were the best team in the country going in, with Ingram and Bullard added to the big 3. Then those 2 got injured in the non-con and that was it for title hopes.
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Yep and don't even get me started on what happened with Ray Thompson and the '89 tournament.
2021 - the only team to get an auto-covid victory in the first round was right next to us (Oregon).
And when was the last time Iowa has benefitted from an upset in their bracket? In my lifetime, try never. All chalk, every single year. No madness in our brackets. Nope.
87 was when they could have won the whole thing. If not for...you know
Well, I wasn't really butthurt and I did not mean my responses to seem that way. I thought it could actually lead to a somewhat interesting discussion. No big deal, have a good weekend (as much as you and I can with our men's team sitting this one out)
You post a thread like this and then wonder why people take it personally. I mean it was a person post
I understand why you made this thread. From the mid to late 1950's to the mid to late 1990's Iowa was on average a top 25 team. Three Final Fours, a very uncharacteristic sleepy last game loss in 1968 to tie for the title but miss the tourney with a very good team, a lousy last second maybe climbing over the back of a hawk tip-in in 1970 away from a Final Four, and a crushing big lead lost game in Dr Tom's first year maybe of going to a fifth final four in the late 1980s.
Iowa was very, very often poised for a regular season Big 10 BBall league title in those days. They played very tough strong bball in all respects. Alford had some decent teams, but he was to stupid to promise or make Sommerville a starter and Fran has had some really good teams which always seem to swoon late season.
25 years since sweet 16...damn I miss those days.
I think DuQuesne will defeat Illinois.
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Exactly. We used to often have to play teams in their backyards too. Wichita State on their home court. Idaho in Pullman, WA. Carolina teams in Greensboro. The always chalk opposite Iowa is truly incredible.
9 seed Auburn in Birmingham….
Arizona in Tempe ('96).
It would've been AZ in Tucson in '87 also, if UTEP hadn't beaten them in the first round.
Well your assumption is wrong. Since 1950...
Ohio State Iowa leads 69 - 65 games
Wisconsin Iowa leads 68 - 61 games
Illinois Iowa trails 62 - 71 games + 13 games since 1980
MSU Iowa trails 58 - 75 games
So we're down 17 games to MSU, 9 to Illinois and are still ahead of OSU and Wisky....
Only a few decent seasons since then and only 3 Sweet 16’s. 3 Sweet 16’s in 43 years. Absolute dog shit program.
Thank you for doing this!! Much closer than I thought.
I was a freshman at UI. Definitely remember the wild welcome return for the team at the Field House after the Georgetown win.
As someone who turns 63 in a couple of months, here is the sobering reality regarding Hawkeye men's basketball...
My son graduated from Iowa (B.A.) last May. My wife and I hosted some of his friends for a get-together the day after the graduation ceremony at Carver. While all of my son's friends attended football games (due to tailgating), and they were all talking about the women's team (fresh off championship game appearance), only one of my son's friends had even attended a men's game that past season (22-23). None of these students were born the last time Iowa men's BB made a tournament run.
See that Fran's most ardent supporters on this site (along with many Iowa media members) have decided that the only thing that matters is to be at least .500 in conference regular season play. I couldn't disagree more.
As someone who turns 63 in a couple of months, here is the sobering reality regarding Hawkeye men's basketball...
- Have to be at least in your early thirties to have a memory of Iowa’s most recent Sweet 16 appearance (1999)
- Have to be in at least in your early-to-mid forties to remember watching Iowa’s last Elite 8 team (1987 – what a painful loss to UNLV)
- Have to be at least 50 or over to remember Iowa making it to the Final Four (1980)
My son graduated from Iowa (B.A.) last May. My wife and I hosted some of his friends for a get-together the day after the graduation ceremony at Carver. While all of my son's friends attended football games (due to tailgating), and they were all talking about the women's team (fresh off championship game appearance), only one of my son's friends had even attended a men's game that past season (22-23). None of these students were born the last time Iowa men's BB made a tournament run.
See that Fran's most ardent supporters on this site (along with many Iowa media members) have decided that the only thing that matters is to be at least .500 in conference regular season play. I couldn't disagree more.
Not disagreeing with you. I‘m agreeing play to seed you shouldn’t have to get hot to win two games against inferior in theory, competition.
