My Random BB thoughts

[hexumhawk]

1) Great comeback and almost got it done. Tough loss but didn't think we would be in the tourney at the beginning of the year... a lot of hard work by those kids to get there.

2) Fran- still dont know where I sit with him. Love the guys fire but his in game coaching bewilders me sometime. Not sure why we abandoned the zone and trying to find the bigs down the stretch. Fran is a hell of a lot better than Lick and Alford ever was but are we destined for mid-pack Big10 finishes and early exists?

3) Tennessee- the way they handled the end of the game and respect they showed the Iowa kids was a neat thing to see in this day and age. Ill be pulling for them.

4) Hoping Troussaint can help on the perimeter on ends of the court. We desperately need a perpetrator and some extra perimeter defender that can keep their guy in front of them. Hopefully this year gives everyone a boost to push harder next year on the court and in the recruiting trail. Hoping we find an athletic 4 that loves rebounding out there somewhere.

5) TC- He is one of the most athletically gifted players I have ever seen and also one of the most maddening. I for one hope he comes back and is able to work on his hands and a mid range jumper. If he gets better in those two areas he could really help the team.

6) Garza- plays his ass off all the time

7) Baer- love the kids effort and was a great hawk.

8) Carver- Lets figure this place out and make it better by moving the students and building around the concourse.

 

[EpenesaEpenesa]

I think Iowa probably gained more national respect yesterday in the last 20 minutes, than they have in the past 3 years. The entire nation saw that grit and toughness to come back in that game. Came up short which is disappointing, but what a comeback. It’s just gonna make these guys hungrier for next year and I can’t wait.

 

[Jumpshot00]

I like number 8 above. Make Carver a tough place to play. Hawkeye fans (myself included) have complained about a lot of things regarding Fran and the team, Barta, etc.
However, let’s look in the mirror as group. A couple times a year Carver is electric . Many times it is not. Make an effort as a fan to get there 2 or 3 more times than usual. Fill it up, be loud. We can’t control the roster, the coaching decisions, but we can get there and create an atmosphere than makes it tough to play in . Forget the stale excuses and as a fan just get it done.

 

[Hawk24]

I like number 8 above. Make Carver a tough place to play. Hawkeye fans (myself included) have complained about a lot of things regarding Fran and the team, Barta, etc.
However, let’s look in the mirror as group. A couple times a year Carver is electric . Many times it is not. Make an effort as a fan to get there 2 or 3 more times than usual. Fill it up, be loud. We can’t control the roster, the coaching decisions, but we can get there and create an atmosphere than makes it tough to play in . Forget the stale excuses and as a fan just get it done.

Yep....see the crowd at the women's game yesterday. It's not the building, it's the people in the building.

 

[hexumhawk]

I like number 8 above. Make Carver a tough place to play. Hawkeye fans (myself included) have complained about a lot of things regarding Fran and the team, Barta, etc.
However, let’s look in the mirror as group. A couple times a year Carver is electric . Many times it is not. Make an effort as a fan to get there 2 or 3 more times than usual. Fill it up, be loud. We can’t control the roster, the coaching decisions, but we can get there and create an atmosphere than makes it tough to play in . Forget the stale excuses and as a fan just get it done.

Good point. It seems instead of like most places, the crowd is able to pick the team up. At Carver, the team has to pick the crowd up sometimes.

 

[NCHawk24]

1) Great comeback and almost got it done. Tough loss but didn't think we would be in the tourney at the beginning of the year... a lot of hard work by those kids to get there.

2) Fran- still dont know where I sit with him. Love the guys fire but his in game coaching bewilders me sometime. Not sure why we abandoned the zone and trying to find the bigs down the stretch. Fran is a hell of a lot better than Lick and Alford ever was but are we destined for mid-pack Big10 finishes and early exists?

3) Tennessee- the way they handled the end of the game and respect they showed the Iowa kids was a neat thing to see in this day and age. Ill be pulling for them.

4) Hoping Troussaint can help on the perimeter on ends of the court. We desperately need a perpetrator and some extra perimeter defender that can keep their guy in front of them. Hopefully this year gives everyone a boost to push harder next year on the court and in the recruiting trail. Hoping we find an athletic 4 that loves rebounding out there somewhere.

5) TC- He is one of the most athletically gifted players I have ever seen and also one of the most maddening. I for one hope he comes back and is able to work on his hands and a mid range jumper. If he gets better in those two areas he could really help the team.

6) Garza- plays his ass off all the time

7) Baer- love the kids effort and was a great hawk.

8) Carver- Lets figure this place out and make it better by moving the students and building around the concourse.

Agree with you on Fran. I don't want him to go because I love his fire and desire to win. However, I think too many times he gets caught watching the game and being in the moment, instead of making timely adjustments and thinking ahead.

I question his pregame prep as well. I get the sense that he doesn't scout other teams nor self scout enough, and game plan in order to minimize our weaknesses and exploit our strengths. What role(s) do our assistant coaches play? Particularly during the game.

I do think he has built some good teams here. I mean for a 1/2 of basketball we were 21pts better than TN, arguably the best team in the country! And if TC stays and Toussaint can, at a minimum, keep other PG's in front of him, we should be top 20 caliber next year.

We also have to realize we are not a Blue Blood program and are rarely going to get 5* players, (or coaches). And with the rise of the Mid-Major programs some of the better 3* and 4* recruits are going there because there they can be "the man." Therefore the pool of high quality player Fran can reasonably expect to consider Iowa is a lot smaller than it was for George Raveling and Tom Davis. And the NCAA Tourney is no longer a 20 wins and you're in proposition.

So, while Fran and his teams sometimes make me want to throw things, upon reflection I think we are in pretty good shape. And with some "tweaks" here and there we could be a really good program.