Izzo comments to Fran

[RocknRollface]

Screw Izzo. Those were total back handers.

Hes a whinny B.

 

[hawkcub]

Some of you don't get it. Izzo is not evil but he is not the definition of classy like the media portrays him. When things aren't going well he's like every other coach. Kind of pissy.

 

[revkev73]

I like to see this side of Izzo...perhaps we can see it again, often...

 

[pkaul666]

What did Izzo mean when he said Fran is tough but his teams haven't been? That seemed like a backhanded comment.

I said same thing at halftime. This team has totally adopted Fran's personality. They are a buncha cold killers. Look at how they turn and run down court after sticking a three.

 

[revkev73]

pkaul...your comments are nearly exactly the same as what Izzo shared..."the team wasn't tough, Fran was, but now they are more like his competitive side, having adopted your competitive hardness/toughness." As it seems to me... I agree.

 

[zeeke]

IZZO is right, a lot of Frans teams have not been tough. That has been one of the problems with Iowa under Fran. They rely too much on the 3 point shot and they don't play defense. So when the 3's don't drop they can loose huge leads in games. The lack of effort on defense can be fixed easily it just requires Fran to make the effort to make sure its a priority.

The other thing that would help the stability of the program is if Fran made a conscious effort to put some beef on the big men. It doesn't look like the basketball team knows where the weight room is located.

You need to have a strong inside game otherwise you relegate your team to the spoiler status rather than a team that can go deep into the tournament.

 

[hawk-i bob]

People forget the kindship that most certainly is developed between coaches in a conference. They respect and spend a lot of time with each other, whether it be on the camp circuit or the recruiting trail. I'm sure Izzo just felt he was sticking up for a friend. I believe KF has made similar comments when it came to his fellow B10 coaches that have lost their jobs along the years. I think people are just trying to find excuses to hate on Izzo. He is pure class, and like a lot of other coaches, he wears his heart on his sleeve.

I know of one coach who is no longer coaching this year ..who purposely would ignore calls from Izzo and it wasn't because he was busy...he would tell the staff secretary to tell him he was busy & that he would call him back later..and it didn't matter who was sitting in his office when the call came in.

What you see in public and what is said in private is a little different .. yet with all the battles in recruiting & competing against each other they say a lot of nice things. There is so much comfort in knowing IZZO thinks Fran is "tough" but not his teams so much ...

 

[revkev73]

Great coaches are highly competitive...respect after losses is veiled, most often...

 

[CP84]

Well it is the one that they put in the paper. Reporters usually tape the quote so they get it correct. Or maybe you heard it correctly and the reporter misquoted?

I'm guessing what you read was taken from what he said later at the press conference not directly to the post game TV reporter. What he said directly after the game and what was aired repeatedly was not as politically correct.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

I'm of the belief that everything Izzo says publicly has a purpose. He's a sharp guy...he plays the mental games better than anyone...and he tries to get in the heads of everybody...his players, opposing players, referees, and other coaches. Bringing up the past with the toughness of Fran's teams was a message that Iowa's new to this type of game, therefore susceptible to relapses. Clemmons' isn't a good shooter, but hit shots to help beat us was a message...that won't happen again. He going back to his team saying they weren't tough but we can improve that, they didn't defend the three well, but guys hit shots they shouldn't have that contributed. I don't like him...but he's a great coach. I think the thing that's probably bothering Izzo and worrying Izzo, is that Fran thinks his team is just now starting to figure out how good they are, and gaining confidence in the road map. That doesn't bode well for the rest of the B10. Let's see how the Hawks handle success now. That's the big question mark for me...so far so good though.

 

[Kabby]

I'm alone on this board I think. I like izzo. Calls it like he sees it. And him and Fran seem to get along fine.

I think Izzo is talking about years past and is correct. Remember the chair deal a few years ago at MSU? That was Fran telling is players to quit being pussies and get tougher and go after them.

 

[RocknRollface]

IZZO is right, a lot of Frans teams have not been tough. That has been one of the problems with Iowa under Fran. They rely too much on the 3 point shot and they don't play defense. So when the 3's don't drop they can loose huge leads in games. The lack of effort on defense can be fixed easily it just requires Fran to make the effort to make sure its a priority.

The other thing that would help the stability of the program is if Fran made a conscious effort to put some beef on the big men. It doesn't look like the basketball team knows where the weight room is located.

You need to have a strong inside game otherwise you relegate your team to the spoiler status rather than a team that can go deep into the tournament.

This team seems to be doing fine, anything but a spoiler at this point.

 

[Scott559]

I guess I didn't see the insult coming from Izzo, I tend to think he and Fran actually get along with each other, he seemed genuinely touched with what Iowa did after his father passed away. The one thing I would take away and store in the memory banks is his not knowing the players names, If Iowa faces MSU in the Big tourney If I were Fran I would play it and then tell the players, Make sure he knows what your name is after this game.
Btw, While spoken differently, It's kinda funny how many posters lauded the N.Florida coach for his constructive criticism of Iowa last year after the game and how the players should listen and take heart, Same with Izzo, He just told you that Iowa has had a reputation/history of not being tough (I'm sure not an Izzo only thought). Make sure that perception/reality is changed from now on. Listen and learn.

 

[shoot_the_three]

Fran even thanked Izzo for letting Clemmons use the MSU facilities. Iowa fans (me included) sometimes need to grow a thicker skin.

 

[garberhawkeye]

Seriously, this conversation is hilarious. Tom Izzo is concerned about his own team (usually, a perennial top 10 team) and their shortcomings. Against Iowa they showed a lack of toughness and intensity, in his opinion. Is he suppose to gush over an opponent that just hammered him and took away his opportunity for another conference championship?

He has enough to worry about rather than trying to play mind games w/ Fran and Clemmons after we just blew them out....twice! If he is doing that then their program is much worse off than we all imagined.

The fact that an opposing Big 10 coach (a hall of famer at that) was saying positive things about us should be taken at face value and then forgotten the next day.

 

[PhantomFlyer]

Some of you don't get it. Izzo is not evil but he is not the definition of classy like the media portrays him. When things aren't going well he's like every other coach. Kind of pissy.

Yes, Izzo is a classy coach. I lived in Mich for several years and heard him a lot on talk radio or his press conferences. Rarely does he get pissy at an opposing team or coach. He does get pissy at his team. He's usually very gracious to his opponents, even after tough losses. I didn't find this to be the case with the Mich coaches who tended to often downplay their opponents win as just Mich not playing well.

 

[IronFist1776]

I get that Izzo is a great coach but IMO he was being a little bitchy with his back handed compliments. There are much better ways to say what he said without coming across that way. Also, I'd rather have Fran say it than Izzo. Kind of like when your brother can say mean things about you but you deal with it but if some stranger says it, it's on. I've said on here plenty of times that I wish our team exhibited Fran's toughness. I'm no prophet, it was just blatantly obvious.

As for Iowa not being as tough in the past, I think that's true, esp. mentally tough. Last year's team was the best under Fran and was tough, esp @ UNC but we wilted against Wiscy at home. And to clarify about mental toughness, building significant leads and then pissing them away by missing FT's, not blocking out, getting beat out for rebounds repeatedly, or getting beat to the hoop repeatedly would qualify as a lack of mental toughness. There's no need to get bent out of shape about it. Its just true. This year's team looks like the most mentally tough under Fran, esp. after the ISU loss where YES, we weren't mentally tough to close out that game (couldn't hit FT's late and struggled to inbound the ball multiple times). Just my two cents, folks.

 

[Floyd_Of_Rosedale]

I think it's a simple matter of Tom Izzo giving Franny and the IOWA team some credit.....and a few IOWA fans that don't understand the meaning of a compliment from a legendary coach.