Ode to Fran

[Lakerswillbeback]

Kudos to Fran, for, despite the mob with pitchforks forming for quite awhile....

1)Continuing to recruit HARD in recent years (some of 'his' best recruits committed in last 18 months)
2)Continuing to say and do the things as if he's staying (rather than throw the program under the bus, and implying he's leaving, which would disqualify anyone from really even think about coming here, or staying here)
3)Caring about his players. Even emotional at times. It does show he loves these kids and hurts WITH them when things don't go well.

Face it, Fran has done A LOT, especially considering with what he started with, AND the inherent limitations here.

That being said, with the 'churn' of men's D1 football and basketball, 99% of coaches re-cycle every 7-8 years, as programs can get stale easily, as things have done here. Men's fandom is WAY BELOW the women, which should never happen. Thx Fran for everything, but it's time to move on. Go retire and watch your kids, you deserve it!

 

[AmericaNeedsMe]

Kudos to Fran, for, despite the mob with pitchforks forming for quite awhile....

1)Continuing to recruit HARD in recent years (some of 'his' best recruits committed in last 18 months)
2)Continuing to say and do the things as if he's staying (rather than throw the program under the bus, and implying he's leaving, which would disqualify anyone from really even think about coming here, or staying here)
3)Caring about his players. Even emotional at times. It does show he loves these kids and hurts WITH them when things don't go well.

Face it, Fran has done A LOT, especially considering with what he started with, AND the inherent limitations here.

That being said, with the 'churn' of men's D1 football and basketball, 99% of coaches re-cycle every 7-8 years, as programs can get stale easily, as things have done here. Men's fandom is WAY BELOW the women, which should never happen. Thx Fran for everything, but it's time to move on. Go retire and watch your kids, you deserve it!

Should be uncontroversial.

 

[HawkeyeGenius]

Maybe the discussion has been had & he knows he's coming back.

 

[AmericaNeedsMe]

Maybe the discussion has been had & he knows he's coming back.

Doubtful. BG would have made some announcement of support by now.

 

[tdburg11]

Doubtful. BG would have made some announcement of support by now.

He and his program are tired. Needs to go and take KF with him.

 

[jasonrann]

Not enough.

 

[83Hawk]

Doubtful. BG would have made some announcement of support by now.

Maybe just waiting to ink the contract extension and raise in the middle of the night?

 

[dekhawk]

Kudos to Fran, for, despite the mob with pitchforks forming for quite awhile....

1)Continuing to recruit HARD in recent years (some of 'his' best recruits committed in last 18 months)
2)Continuing to say and do the things as if he's staying (rather than throw the program under the bus, and implying he's leaving, which would disqualify anyone from really even think about coming here, or staying here)
3)Caring about his players. Even emotional at times. It does show he loves these kids and hurts WITH them when things don't go well.

Face it, Fran has done A LOT, especially considering with what he started with, AND the inherent limitations here.

That being said, with the 'churn' of men's D1 football and basketball, 99% of coaches re-cycle every 7-8 years, as programs can get stale easily, as things have done here. Men's fandom is WAY BELOW the women, which should never happen. Thx Fran for everything, but it's time to move on. Go retire and watch your kids, you deserve it!

Your definition of “done a lot” is different than mine.

 

[MeetTheFerentzes]

Pardon me if I don't get on my knees and praise a guy for continuing to do the job he is paid ~$4M a year to do, even though he likely won't be doing it for much longer, and saying stuff to the media that pretty much every coach does on his way out the door, about how he plans on being around for a long time. Dude can't leave soon enough.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

Kudos to Fran, for, despite the mob with pitchforks forming for quite awhile....

1)Continuing to recruit HARD in recent years (some of 'his' best recruits committed in last 18 months)
2)Continuing to say and do the things as if he's staying (rather than throw the program under the bus, and implying he's leaving, which would disqualify anyone from really even think about coming here, or staying here)
3)Caring about his players. Even emotional at times. It does show he loves these kids and hurts WITH them when things don't go well.

Face it, Fran has done A LOT, especially considering with what he started with, AND the inherent limitations here.

That being said, with the 'churn' of men's D1 football and basketball, 99% of coaches re-cycle every 7-8 years, as programs can get stale easily, as things have done here. Men's fandom is WAY BELOW the women, which should never happen. Thx Fran for everything, but it's time to move on. Go retire and watch your kids, you deserve it!

kudos for doing the job you are paid millions for..... nice post...for more than 5 years many people, including myself, have simple expected a good coach to hire someone to help with weaknesses. Hiring a defensive minded assistant coach would have garnered "kudos". Fact of the matteer is Fran never self scouted to fix his team. That deserves a firing, nothing else.

 

[83Hawk]

Your definition of “done a lot” is different than mine.

He brought the program back from the depths. Won one Big Ten tournament. Made the ncaa tourney less than 1/2 the time. And the “upper division” finishes. Overall BTT and ncaa tournament results have not been good. Program trending downwards the past 2 seasons. Missed the ncaa 2 years in a row (assuming they don’t win the BTT) and might miss the BTT this year. Attendance at Carver has plummeted.

Is this “good enough” for Beth to bring Fran back for Year 16 with the hope things will somehow change?

We’ll know soon enough.

 

[Lakerswillbeback]

I guess I’m thankful that’s he’s still recruiting ACTUAL good athletic players. Instead of a big FU on the way out the door by leaving no recruits, or pasty white 2-star guys. That’s all.

 

[tdburg11]

kudos for doing the job you are paid millions for..... nice post...for more than 5 years many people, including myself, have simple expected a good coach to hire someone to help with weaknesses. Hiring a defensive minded assistant coach would have garnered "kudos". Fact of the matteer is Fran never self scouted to fix his team. That deserves a firing, nothing else.

If Beth doesn’t fire him after Sunday’s loss AT Nebraska, Beth should be fired. After this is done, she has got to set her sights on leading KF and his lunatic apologists out the door. Thanks to Bart’s, this will take a while, but it has to be announced that there’s a plan to move KF.

 

[jasonrann]

 

[dekhawk]

He brought the program back from the depths. Won one Big Ten tournament. Made the ncaa tourney less than 1/2 the time. And the “upper division” finishes. Overall BTT and ncaa tournament results have not been good. Program trending downwards the past 2 seasons. Missed the ncaa 2 years in a row (assuming they don’t win the BTT) and might miss the BTT this year. Attendance at Carver has plummeted.

Is this “good enough” for Beth to bring Fran back for Year 16 with the hope things will somehow change?

We’ll know soon enough.

No

 

[LukaDuka]

If Beth doesn’t fire him after Sunday’s loss AT Nebraska, Beth should be fired. After this is done, she has got to set her sights on leading KF and his lunatic apologists out the door. Thanks to Bart’s, this will take a while, but it has to be announced that there’s a plan to move KF.

That announcement will come from Kirk & only Kirk when he's damn good and ready. Deservedly so. Can't wait to see the statue!

 

[tdburg11]

That announcement will come from Kirk & only Kirk when he's damn good and ready. Deservedly so. Can't wait to see the statue!

“Deservedly.” Complete BS and exactly what’s wrong with the program. If he doesn’t resign mid season, he has to be shown the door. No coach, especially one who has been compensated as he has for as long as he has, “deserves to call his shot.

 

[icwesthawk]

That announcement will come from Kirk & only Kirk when he's damn good and ready. Deservedly so. Can't wait to see the statue!

I can wait

 

[ICWestfan]

Doubtful. BG would have made some announcement of support by now.

The old "vote of confidence"?

 

[hawkeyemark18]

Beth can read the room and has handled this the right way staying silent in the background. No reason to stir the pot before the season ends. I expect to hear from her shortly after the season ends most likely on Sunday.

 

[spiderland]

He brought the program back from the depths. Won one Big Ten tournament. Made the ncaa tourney less than 1/2 the time. And the “upper division” finishes. Overall BTT and ncaa tournament results have not been good. Program trending downwards the past 2 seasons. Missed the ncaa 2 years in a row (assuming they don’t win the BTT) and might miss the BTT this year. Attendance at Carver has plummeted.

Is this “good enough” for Beth to bring Fran back for Year 16 with the hope things will somehow change?

We’ll know soon enough.

I will acknowledge the “brought the program back from the depths” part, but what good is that when you just end up taking it right back down?

 

[tdburg11]

If Beth doesn’t fire him after Sunday’s loss AT Nebraska, Beth should be fired. After this is done, she has got to set her sights on leading KF and his lunatic apologists out the door. Thanks to Bart’s, this will take a while, but it has to be announced that there’s a plan to move KF.

ISUHawk, glad that you are angry at the sentiment here. Wish you would show as much emotion about the sad state of Iowa football/basketball. If there were fewer apologists, somebody might be held accountable and the programs would compete. I’d rather see Iowa swing for the fences and fail vs what we have. Hayden Fry, Lute Olson and Bump Elliott dared to believe that Iowa could compete. What evolved out of that belief was a F4, multiple Sweet 16s, three Rose Bowls. C’mon Iowa: dare to dream.

 

[BirdistheWord]

Even when we were landing at about 10-10, we would occasionally beat some decent teams but we always seemed to be on the bubble and never made a peep in the dance. He has been a solid coach but we have to aim higher.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

ISUHawk, glad that you are angry at the sentiment here. Wish you would show as much emotion about the sad state of Iowa football/basketball. If there were fewer apologists, somebody might be held accountable and the programs would compete. I’d rather see Iowa swing for the fences and fail vs what we have. Hayden Fry, Lute Olson and Bump Elliott dared to believe that Iowa could compete. What evolved out of that belief was a F4, multiple Sweet 16s, three Rose Bowls. C’mon Iowa: dare to dream.

This is the third or fourth post from you I have read. I can easily, and confidently, say that you are the most delusional and uninformed fan in the history of this program. Probably any program, actually.