Met Fran Today
- Thread starter leiserom
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Long story short it was a relentless profanity-laden tongue lashing to a highly respected sports media figure about a question asked during a sit down interview. The kicker was that the rumor the reporter was alluding to ended up being 100% true.
He was a control freak. Completely self involved and thought he could bully everyone around. When he took the Bulls job another local sports media guy called me and the first thing he said was "the witch is dead".
Having attended many practices over the last several years......what you say is true. Fran rarely even raises his voice. He is very businesslike in his approach.
Interesting. I never followed them that closely at that time but never got the impression he was that much of a jerk.
The media doesn't like coaches that won't put up with their horse dung. They can't handle it.
I simply can't imagine what it would be like to be interviewed several times a week by people that can ask whatever question they want. I guarantee you I would hate it.
Spare me the, "he makes a zillion dollars a year to put up with it", crap. He puts up with it, it just has to get annoying.
Spare me the, "he makes a zillion dollars a year to put up with it", crap. He puts up with it, it just has to get annoying.
Oh please. Iowa sports media is basically a pack of puppy dogs compared to major markets. Most of them kiss coaches butts so they can get more access. Any head coach that can't handle that crew isn't going anywhere in the business.
These big money programs need the media coverage. If fans can't get any access to the team they'll lose interest. The media is the most efficient way for the public to get that access. If these guys have nothing to hide then the questions shouldn't be hard to answer. It's like with our wives. If she asks a question that makes us squirm we're probably busted for doing something we know we shouldn't have done.
Who said Fran doesn't need media coverage? I'm sure Fran realized this before you did. All I know is the media is as thin skinned as anyone, they are no different. When someone questions their motives or agenda they get defensive.
Since the Vanilla Gorilla, really? You don't count Bullard, Bowen, Earl, Settles, Oliver, Horner, Brunner or Haluska?
Pretty sure Acie Earl was from Illinois. But yes, unless the standard is McD's AA, there have been plenty of good prospects from Iowa since Lorenzen who have played for the Hawks. Don't forget Chris Street.
I don't think so. I kind of wished he would of during some of those late season games, at least to fire up the player. I think he was more in shock that a group of seniors could of played so poorly down the stretch. That's usually when players start playing their best is late in the season.
From what I have heard about Fran is he is a fiery guy. He will tell you how it is and if you don't like it, well too damn bad. I know the media does not like him because he comes off as a "prick" after losses. But I am sorry after you lose, if you have a coach who is smiling and laughing after a loss, then there is something wrong with that.
I think Fran is our guy for a while. As long as he can get into the Chicago, STL, market for players we will be alright.
Let's be real, top Iowa high school players have never gone to ISU. They go to Iowa, or to Roy Williams, or Gary Close.
I can, with great confidence, say that I don't give a shit about Fran making friends with the media.
Which is fine with me. ISU has brought in a ton of talent lately without any of them being from Iowa so whatever they are doing is working. It would be nice to have a foot in the door when a Barnes, Paige or Weiskamp comes available but it might not be worth the time if you can keep your foot in the door in Milwaukee or another area similar to that where there is more talent to choose from.
I'll bet I drop more F bombs in a day than him on his best day. And I can't hold a candle to the kids these days.
I'd love it if the Marquette pipeline stayed open for us but Milwaukee and Wisconsin have been pretty good to ISU over the years.
I don't see how developing out-of-state ties in recruiting means you can't recruit well in your own backyard. Uhhhhhh...of course you have a foot in the door for Iowa kids. You are a state school. That argument makes no sense.
With that said, the bottom line is the state Iowa will never be a hotbed of high school basketball talent. So even though there are a handful of big-time prospects from the state from time to time, a program that wants to have any sustained success can not depend on Iowa kids alone. Personally, I think that was Tom Davis's undoing--he relied way too much on Iowa kids, especially in his latter years.
Iowa State has done an excellent job of acquiring talent from out of state. McCaffery needs to follow this blueprint and frankly I think he has been trying to. Landing Tyler Cook was a big first step.
Maybe I didn't word it correctly. I think Fran focuses more on in state recruiting and Iowa State focuses more on out of state recruiting. ISU has offered some good kids in the past like Barnes, Paige, Weiskamp and even Morgan but just haven't had any success. I'm sure Fran puts more time in building relationships in the state and that is why he has felt comfortable extended more offers and landed more kids from in state than Iowa State has
Nor should you. All that really matters is that he wins. The rest is just contractually obligated BS. I know that some people don't like covering him, but at the end of the day that isn't going to matter.
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