Luke Olson was a fluke

[hawksense]

We’ll never have a credentialed coach like that again. It was a different era and we struck gold.

And, he struggled after that Final 4 appearance. To recruit, to win, to find privacy, to find another Ronnie Lester, who was the reason we went to the Final Four. Lute bolted for his ideal situation.

The coaches that followed: Raveling, Davis, Alford all came with something in their briefcase. Be it big conference experience, tenured coaching experience or just plain, old fanfare.

You’re going to have to handsomely pay for the next great Iowa coach, IMO. Everyone is looking for the big payday.

 

[Hawkeye Marching Band]

Not sure what your point is here. Lute was a surprise hire who came in "uncredentialed." Was the fluke that he turned out to be a hall-of-famer? Before coming to Iowa, Lute had one season at Long Beach - and it was a great one - coaching Jerry Tarkanian's players. Before that, he was HC at a community college.

 

[83Hawk]

We’ll never have a credentialed coach like that again. It was a different era and we struck gold.

And, he struggled after that Final 4 appearance. To recruit, to win, to find privacy, to find another Ronnie Lester, who was the reason we went to the Final Four. Lute bolted for his ideal situation.

The coaches that followed: Raveling, Davis, Alford all came with something in their briefcase. Be it big conference experience, tenured coaching experience or just plain, old fanfare.

You’re going to have to handsomely pay for the next great Iowa coach, IMO. Everyone is looking for the big payday.

Why are you trashing the University of Iowa?

 

[WaterTower]

We’ll never have a credentialed coach like that again. It was a different era and we struck gold.

And, he struggled after that Final 4 appearance. To recruit, to win, to find privacy, to find another Ronnie Lester, who was the reason we went to the Final Four. Lute bolted for his ideal situation.

The coaches that followed: Raveling, Davis, Alford all came with something in their briefcase. Be it big conference experience, tenured coaching experience or just plain, old fanfare.

You’re going to have to handsomely pay for the next great Iowa coach, IMO. Everyone is looking for the big payday.

I guess you forget The Twin Towers..Gamble. Arnold etc. Etc. We weren't just a Ronnie Lester team.

 

[HawkLogic]

Not sure what your point is here. Lute was a surprise hire who came in "uncredentialed." Was the fluke that he turned out to be a hall-of-famer? Before coming to Iowa, Lute had one season at Long Beach - and it was a great one - coaching Jerry Tarkanian's players. Before that, he was HC at a community college.

Quite valid points.

Just like the lottery, you can't win if you don't play and You never get a great coach or a bad coach unless you go out and bring in a new coach.


Most of the debate comes down to people that would prefer to trade off some downside risk for higher upside potential. That seems to be personal preference.

Since Fran is not on the hot seat, zero chance to be fired and zero chance that another program would poach him....I think Barta is in strong enough negotiating position to quit giving out the automatic extensions and tie fran's future pay to accomplishments that go beyond Fran's roughly 55% winning percentage in b1G play.

 

[hawkifann]

We’ll never have a credentialed coach like that again. It was a different era and we struck gold.

And, he struggled after that Final 4 appearance. To recruit, to win, to find privacy, to find another Ronnie Lester, who was the reason we went to the Final Four. Lute bolted for his ideal situation.

The coaches that followed: Raveling, Davis, Alford all came with something in their briefcase. Be it big conference experience, tenured coaching experience or just plain, old fanfare.

You’re going to have to handsomely pay for the next great Iowa coach, IMO. Everyone is looking for the big payday.

Winning is hard. In some ways it’s a little easier now, as talent spreads wider, but it’s also harder to stand out.

 

[dekhawk]

We’ll never have a credentialed coach like that again. It was a different era and we struck gold.

And, he struggled after that Final 4 appearance. To recruit, to win, to find privacy, to find another Ronnie Lester, who was the reason we went to the Final Four. Lute bolted for his ideal situation.

The coaches that followed: Raveling, Davis, Alford all came with something in their briefcase. Be it big conference experience, tenured coaching experience or just plain, old fanfare.

You’re going to have to handsomely pay for the next great Iowa coach, IMO. Everyone is looking for the big payday.

After the final four year They did not struggle to win. 20 plus wins every year when 28 was the total season. Always a factor in the big ten race and a threat to make a deep ncaa run. Less teams in the ncaa then so no cupcakes

 

[hexumhawk]

There are a bunch of good young coaches out there. It is Iowa's job to go find one.

Doing nothing is not the solution.

 

[RollingBallofButcherKnives]

I guess you forget The Twin Towers..Gamble. Arnold etc. Etc. We weren't just a Ronnie Lester team.

You mean Mark Gannon I assume. Kevin Gamble came later…

 

[83Hawk]

There are a bunch of good young coaches out there. It is Iowa's job to go find one.

Doing nothing is not the solution.

Oh no......might be worse. Just can't risk it. Better to keep the status quo and not try to get better.

 

[jonesy5960]

You mean Mark Gannon I assume. Kevin Gamble came later…

And Bobby Hansen and Kevin Boyle along with Vince Brookins. Still, it was an average team with Lester out. He alone made them a championship caliber team.

 

[Rustys Dad]

We’ll never have a credentialed coach like that again. It was a different era and we struck gold.

And, he struggled after that Final 4 appearance. To recruit, to win, to find privacy, to find another Ronnie Lester, who was the reason we went to the Final Four. Lute bolted for his ideal situation.

The coaches that followed: Raveling, Davis, Alford all came with something in their briefcase. Be it big conference experience, tenured coaching experience or just plain, old fanfare.

You’re going to have to handsomely pay for the next great Iowa coach, IMO. Everyone is looking for the big payday.

What is the point of this post? So Lute was a fluke hire… Uh okay. Are you subliminally trying to say Fran is the best we can get?

 

[Rifler]

Winning is hard. In some ways it’s a little easier now, as talent spreads wider, but it’s also harder to stand out.

I think the quality level of the average D1 program today is much higher than it was in Lute's day,.. The extremes remain unchanged for the most part perhaps, but there are many, many, more quality teams in the middle of the pack than there used to be...

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

We’ll never have a credentialed coach like that again. It was a different era and we struck gold.

And, he struggled after that Final 4 appearance. To recruit, to win, to find privacy, to find another Ronnie Lester, who was the reason we went to the Final Four. Lute bolted for his ideal situation.

The coaches that followed: Raveling, Davis, Alford all came with something in their briefcase. Be it big conference experience, tenured coaching experience or just plain, old fanfare.

You’re going to have to handsomely pay for the next great Iowa coach, IMO. Everyone is looking for the big payday.

Clueless, pointless post.

 

[Mohawkeye]

We’ll never have a credentialed coach like that again. It was a different era and we struck gold.

And, he struggled after that Final 4 appearance. To recruit, to win, to find privacy, to find another Ronnie Lester, who was the reason we went to the Final Four. Lute bolted for his ideal situation.

The coaches that followed: Raveling, Davis, Alford all came with something in their briefcase. Be it big conference experience, tenured coaching experience or just plain, old fanfare.

You’re going to have to handsomely pay for the next great Iowa coach, IMO. Everyone is looking for the big payday.

Not really. Bucky O’Connor and Ralph Miller were also great coaches. We’ve caught fire before and will again.

 

[uihawk82]

We’ll never have a credentialed coach like that again. It was a different era and we struck gold.

And, he struggled after that Final 4 appearance. To recruit, to win, to find privacy, to find another Ronnie Lester, who was the reason we went to the Final Four. Lute bolted for his ideal situation.

The coaches that followed: Raveling, Davis, Alford all came with something in their briefcase. Be it big conference experience, tenured coaching experience or just plain, old fanfare.

You’re going to have to handsomely pay for the next great Iowa coach, IMO. Everyone is looking for the big payday.

Some older fans on this board might remember this but the story was Lute pretty much had Isaiah Thomas coming to Iowa and then Bobby Knight swooped in at the last second and that was history. Lute's hawks beat Knight and Isaiah once or twice but that was a huge recruiting loss. People in the know thought Lute hated that part of the big 10 as well as the reffing and his wife wanted to go somewhere warm, maybe more to the story.

We all know Lute was a very very good coach who had the persona to bring in really good players.

 

[hawksense]

What is the point of this post? So Lute was a fluke hire… Uh okay. Are you subliminally trying to say Fran is the best we can get?

My point is, we need a coach that at least garners some mention of conference Coach of the Year or other teams try to poach because of his value. Ferentz, for all the heat he takes has won B1G COY multiple times. National COY, also. Davis won National COY. Fry had to put out fires all the time because people thought he was leaving. Give me one of those.

 

[NevadaHawk]

And Bobby Hansen and Kevin Boyle along with Vince Brookins. Still, it was an average team with Lester out. He alone made them a championship caliber team.

Steve Krafison and Steeve Waite were also big contributors but your point is well-taken. Ronnie was the reason it all clicked.

 

[peacehawk]

OLSON, get it right.

 

[NewVicHawkeye]

Not really. Bucky O’Connor and Ralph Miller were also great coaches. We’ve caught fire before and will again.

Bucky O’Connor is the best coach Iowa basketball ever had. 2 final fours but died a couple years later in a car crash.

And an argument can be made that Miller was better than Lute though it’s close.

 

[cidhawkeye]

My point is, we need a coach that at least garners some mention of conference Coach of the Year or other teams try to poach because of his value. Ferentz, for all the heat he takes has won B1G COY multiple times. National COY, also. Davis won National COY. Fry had to put out fires all the time because people thought he was leaving. Give me one of those.

Should they go hire the national coach of the year or something?

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

Bucky O’Connor is the best coach Iowa basketball ever had. 2 final fours but died a couple years later in a car crash.

And an argument can be made that Miller was better than Lute though it’s close.

Back when all Iowa had to do was win 2 home games in the Old Fieldhouse to get to the final four? What a joke...

1956 NCAA® Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket

AllBrackets.com | 1956 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket

www.allbrackets.com

 

[Hans81]

I guess you forget The Twin Towers..Gamble. Arnold etc. Etc. We weren't just a Ronnie Lester team.

Kevin Gamble didn’t play for Lute. Maybe you’re thinking of Vince Brookins? Gamble played for Tom Davis teams.

 

[NewVicHawkeye]

Back when all Iowa had to do was win 2 home games in the Old Fieldhouse to get to the final four? What a joke...

1956 NCAA® Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket

AllBrackets.com | 1956 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket

www.allbrackets.com

Yes. National runners up and 4th. High water mark for the program with Bucky O’Connor as coach.

Did you know that the Cardinals only had to win one round of playoffs to win all of their pre-1969 World Series? Total frauds, beat ONE team.

 

[83Hawk]

Back when all Iowa had to do was win 2 home games in the Old Fieldhouse to get to the final four? What a joke...

1956 NCAA® Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket

AllBrackets.com | 1956 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket

www.allbrackets.com

Yeah....back before they had 68 teams in the tournament. When you actually had to be one of the top teams to get in.

 

[slipHawk]

There are a bunch of good young coaches out there. It is Iowa's job to go find one.

Doing nothing is not the solution.

I’d be happy with an old coach like Bruce Pearl. Never understood why Iowa fans didn’t come around - he clearly is a Hawk at heart.

 

[WaterTower]

Kevin Gamble didn’t play for Lute. Maybe you’re thinking of Vince Brookins? Gamble played for Tom Davis teams.

You're right. Sorry

 

[hawksense]

Clueless, pointless post.

Please elaborate with a longer opinion. I’d like to hear your side.

 

[hawksense]

Should they go hire the national coach of the year or something?

In 13 years, not once has Fran been nominated or whispered about for his coaching chops. I think he could be right there if he didn’t stub his toe with his stubbornness, which is always on display. Many, many good qualities, but game day coaching failures get frustrating.

 

[joelbc1]

Lure was NOT a “credentialed” coach when he came to Iowa. Lite earned his bones while coaching here.
Ralph Miller WAS a credentialed coach coming here. George Raveling was credentialed coach on his arrival...not on the same level as Ralph. The basketball world was stunned when Ralph left Wichita for Iowa City. He just left a very successful team who had made a couple of nice NCAA runs there.

 

[joelbc1]

I’d be happy with an old coach like Bruce Pearl. Never understood why Iowa fans didn’t come around - he clearly is a Hawk at heart.

I think you don’t understand the ramifications of the Dion Thomas affair. Pearl was effectively blacklisted from the conference. Hawk or not, the U Iowa administration had no intention of sharing a bed with him, and they told TD that in no uncertain terms. You will note both Pearl and Collins were replaced eventually, and went elsewhere. Both guys were “dirty” with Thomas and both their bosses knew it (but chose to look the other way).

 

[Floyd_Of_Rosedale]

After the final four year They did not struggle to win. 20 plus wins every year when 28 was the total season. Always a factor in the big ten race and a threat to make a deep ncaa run. Less teams in the ncaa then so no cupcakes

Are you suggesting a 32 team field? Even then there would be "cupcakes" Every conference champion should and will be automatic.

 

[jamesvanderwulf]

Yes. National runners up and 4th. High water mark for the program with Bucky O’Connor as coach.

Did you know that the Cardinals only had to win one round of playoffs to win all of their pre-1969 World Series? Total frauds, beat ONE team.

Not even a remotely close comparison. 162 game schedule, playing everyone equally, both home and away and now play a best of 7 for the title against the other winner of a 162 game schedule. The two best teams on the field play for the title.

A better comparison would be like the Cards winning the Central ( which they usually do ) Then playing 2 games in St Louis and while telling the East and West to go pound sand.

 

[NewVicHawkeye]

Sure Jan.

 

[cidhawkeye]

In 13 years, not once has Fran been nominated or whispered about for his coaching chops. I think he could be right there if he didn’t stub his toe with his stubbornness, which is always on display. Many, many good qualities, but game day coaching failures get frustrating.

Agree, then if he goes they should try and hire the national coach of the year. That would be the standard I guess

 

[slipHawk]

I think you don’t understand the ramifications of the Dion Thomas affair. Pearl was effectively blacklisted from the conference. Hawk or not, the U Iowa administration had no intention of sharing a bed with him, and they told TD that in no uncertain terms. You will note both Pearl and Collins were replaced eventually, and went elsewhere. Both guys were “dirty” with Thomas and both their bosses knew it (but chose to look the other way).

Life sentence seems a bit much, but yeah I guess that's been my impression (that he would never be accepted back). I wasn't around / paying attention when the event in question happened, suppose I'm giving him a pass because of it. Really like Bruce in interviews and the teams he puts on the floor.

I don't see the benefit of being on the moral high ground in a basketball world (pay 2 play) like we have today. Welcome to loserville. I guess Fran is the best we can hope for with a squeaky clean program.

 

[SolarHawk]

Not even a remotely close comparison. 162 game schedule, playing everyone equally, both home and away and now play a best of 7 for the title against the other winner of a 162 game schedule. The two best teams on the field play for the title.

A better comparison would be like the Cards winning the Central ( which they usually do ) Then playing 2 games in St Louis and while telling the East and West to go pound sand.

But it is.

 

[joelbc1]

Life sentence seems a bit much, but yeah I guess that's been my impression (that he would never be accepted back). I wasn't around / paying attention when the event in question happened, suppose I'm giving him a pass because of it. Really like Bruce in interviews and the teams he puts on the floor.

I don't see the benefit of being on the moral high ground in a basketball world (pay 2 play) like we have today. Welcome to loserville. I guess Fran is the best we can hope for with a squeaky clean program.

This shit happened what...30+ years ago? Times were different then from now. Basically, Pearl showed himself to be an untrustworthy liar (as did Collins)...They got caught and put their bosses (Henson/Davis) and their schools (Iowa/IIlinois) in a bad light....
You also need to understand that UIowa learned its lessons regarding "cheating" long ago (Iowa was tossed from the B10 at one time) and after the Evy/Brechler/Board of Athletic Control fight back in the 50's, the UI administration has taken it upon themselves to oversee its Athletic Department tightly and never allow itself to be put in a compromised position again. In short....Iowa runs a damn clean house (Athletic Department) and they are not going to tolerate anyone violating that principle.

 

[IamHawkeye]

Back when all Iowa had to do was win 2 home games in the Old Fieldhouse to get to the final four? What a joke...

1956 NCAA® Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket

AllBrackets.com | 1956 Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket

www.allbrackets.com

But--had to win the conference--and no biG tourney

 

[tippet1]

Some older fans on this board might remember this but the story was Lute pretty much had Isaiah Thomas coming to Iowa and then Bobby Knight swooped in at the last second and that was history. Lute's hawks beat Knight and Isaiah once or twice but that was a huge recruiting loss. People in the know thought Lute hated that part of the big 10 as well as the reffing and his wife wanted to go somewhere warm, maybe more to the story.

We all know Lute was a very very good coach who had the persona to bring in really good players.

He almost had Patrick Ewing as well.