So what, grabbing and holding and hoping the refs won't be willing to call all their infractions?
Talent disparity
- Thread starter jimbob22
- Start date
I don't necessarily agree with this. He has the best passing ability of any Iowa point guard in many years along with excellent handles, adequate quickness, and reasonably good shooting. I like the 3 guard lineup. Iowa's greatest weakness IMO is at 3-5. Can't rebound worth a shit.
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5-star big man vs 5-star guards is a big difference in college hoops. Guards are ready immediately, the big fellas need development. The talent level is high at ISU, freshman big men (Xavier/Omaha) aren't going to beat out ISU's 22 year old transfers.
Wasn’t either with Omaha. Great kid great work ethic. Wasn’t better than the other guys on the team.
They morph'd into a dirty program for a bit no doubt, but for the most part their salty D/lacking elite recruits got them to the Final Four in 2014 & 2015. Given we have not sniffed the second weekend of the Dance in forever, maybe a little grabbing and holding isn't the worst thing?
Omaha was not a defensive player, and thus never really saw the floor. Mainly because ISU has a lot of great Talent for TJ's style of play. There are a whole lot of players that do not like playing defense, and they don't make it at ISU. They might have done better at Iowa, because Fran is not stressing defense with his teams.
If Iowa does not have a player who would be in the top 7 for Iowa State, then Fran is one heck of a coach to keep it that close.
You are confusing talent with athleticism. Those are two very different traits in regard to BB. Iowa has plenty of talent. Over the years, they could have used some more athleticism.
When did Iowa's fan base become so whiny about basketball? Yes, ISU has had success—so what? Iowa has, too. The difference seems to be that ISU fans show up, support their team, and bring energy to the games, while Iowa fans spend more time complaining about what they wish the program was.
It's fine to critique Fran's style, but the constant whining has gotten old. Support the team or don't—but enough with the incessant negativity.
It's fine to critique Fran's style, but the constant whining has gotten old. Support the team or don't—but enough with the incessant negativity.
I don’t get why he baby gaps like that.
It makes him look so fat (which he is).
And it doesn’t make his arms look big at all. Every male knows that trick of buying shirts too small, too tight, & sleeves that don’t fit because it’s not the right shirt size.
I like the guy actually but come on, that is super cheese to have that as your schtick.
His d is far from lacking. He is head and shoulders above everyone on our team in off ball defense. His defensive shortcomings could be handled by any team that had a reasonably good defensive strategy.
His quicks are just fine. Watch Iowa state play defense this year and see how many guards get two feet in the paint as many times as Harding did. The offensive in the first half was due in large part to that.
Define success?!? Flaming out spectacularly against Oregon as a two seed? Winning the Big Ten Tournament only to get backdoored to death against a below average Richmond team? What real success has Iowa had except wasting exceptional talent in Garza, Murray’s, and Joe W because Fran wanted to play guys, including his sons?
Not quick enough? Just because he is white? He’s plenty quick. He ranks 16th nationally in steals per possession. His 2.4 steals per game would be the best by any Iowa player since Pierre Pierce in 04/05.
Harding also ranks 17th nationally in assists per possession. As a comparison, he is averaging more assists per minute than Caitlin Clark did in her career.
Harding is shooting 50.6% from the field and 46.4% from 3.
Size is definitely an issue that holds him back. The steals on defense are nice, but his size prevents him from more effectively contesting shots and rebounding.
Is Harding an elite PG? No. But those saying that he doesn’t belong in the Big Ten are simply wrong.
Same as those that say Fran is a terrible coach. Objectively, that is just wrong. Over the course of the last decade-plus, not many teams have gone to the NCAA tournament with the same consistency as Iowa. He is not a terrible coach. He’s also shown to have a low ceiling, and so he’s not an elite coach either. It’s okay to say that you’d like to move on from Fran, and move on from the current roster, without saying that they don’t belong in the Big Ten. Objectively, Fran is a mid-level Big Ten coach and Harding is a mid-level Big Ten PG.
People bristle at the Dr. Tom comparisons, but honestly they just aren't that much different. Both good not great coaches that get a lot out of the talent on the roster and are mostly doing it with midwest guys.
I'll be the first to admit I'm not a huge fan of Fran, I don't like his antics, but to call him a bad coach or something just isn't true. He's just not great but few are.
Also, Iowa is going to have to come up with another 21 million per year in the budget to pay players starting this year. The AD isn't going to pay 30 million to fire Fran with his level of success. It's just not happening.
I may be wrong, but I thought each team is getting a bump of like $20 million from a new tv contract. That should cover the player pay.
A long time. The board (some members anyway) have been very negative for many years. It is comical to read game threads,,,,,nearly everyone that posts in the game threads knows more about coaching than Fran.
I agree with your viewpoint here SI (successful seasons, not so much in the tournament)
Regarding his antics - Fran is not even comparable to many coaches with his sideline behavior. Izzo and the whinny d-bag from UCONN are constantly on the court bitching about something. Even your coach is far more animated (should buy a little larger shirt too) than Fran. Who does he think he is - Ed Hochuli?
You think Otz is more animated than Fran with officials? I’m sorry that’s just wrong.
FWIW, I have been calling for Thelwell to start over Dembele a few weeks before Fran pulled the trigger on that one. You can all thank me for that one. 😃
you had me until fran.
fran runs a system predicated on mediocrity. It allows for a certain level of success but limits high level success.
Iowa fans are generally pretty level headed. If Fran had some real success in the tournament and not played his kids like he did then he would have much less complaints.
Kirks biggest weakness was his son as well. Kirk is a hall of fame coach, fran is not.
Iowa fans have a right to be upset with the state of the Iowa MBB team. I remember the days of Lute Olsen and Tom Davis, and both were vastly better than Fran. Those were the good ole days. Does anyone truly believe that Fran will get Iowa over the hump? I have plenty of Iowa fans as friends, and none of them has any faith if Fran. At some point, you are going to have to cut Fran loose, and it will cost a bunch of money. Spending 4M a year for a coach that is lucky to get Iowa just on the bubble, that is truly sad.
The state of Indiana is calling and Margaret probably wants to be near the kids. I think Fran maybe leaves of his own accord sooner rather than later thereby freeing up the university from that less than desirable outcome.
Upset with the state of the program? Give me a ****ing break. Fran continually has Iowa in the top half of the big ten even though he has a very little money to work with. Iowa isn't getting back to Lute levels without a lot more money in the war chest. It's that simple. I also don't think Dr Tom was a better coach. He had a system in place but was a dreadful offensive coach and routinely wasn't as good in the Big Ten as Fran has been. Dr Tom benefited from Ravelings recruits which led to Davis' best teams. After those recruits were gone, his teams were mediocre.
Just to confirm, what did I say about Fran that you disagree with? I said he is:
- Objectively not a terrible coach; and
- Is a mid-level Big Ten coach.
His career record in Big Ten games at Iowa is 137-129 (.515). Objectively, that is a mid-level Big Ten coach.
It is fine to want to move on from Fran because you want something better. But he is not a terrible coach.
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Yes - the Billionaire who invited Otz as his “special guest” to his suite at the Kentucky derby isn’t contributing considerably to the NIL chest.
Also, you:
- signed a top ten class two years ago,
- brought in two four-star transfers last year, and
- have three more four stars recruits coming in next year.
But you know all that already. Don’t be disingenuous
Watching UConn vs Xavier
2 players Fran recruited heavily Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed , what do you think persuaded them to go there instead of Iowa. Pretty sure last years player Clingham was also a Fran recruit
2 players Fran recruited heavily Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed , what do you think persuaded them to go there instead of Iowa. Pretty sure last years player Clingham was also a Fran recruit
Iowa State obviously has enough but they are hardly the tops in the big 12.
We’ll know exactly how much is being spent starting next year, I’d be shocked if Iowa State matched what the Hawks will spend but we’ll see.
How many sweet 16's? Dr. Tom was sweet 16 after you guys fired him. Is making the upper half the league the best expectation? Very low expectation.
Seems like for Otz, his floor is sweet 16. Fran, that is way above his ceiling..
Does your last name begin with “Mc” … there is no defending Fran in Year 15. None. Zero. He’s had it all with POY, Murray’s, veteran teams …. and still - ZERO sweet 16s … he is slightly above .500 in conference play. Fran is an average coach. Nothing more …. Nothing less. Iowa will never be better under Fran. TJ has brought more excitement and results to Ames in his year 4 … Only news I want to hear about Fran … is from Beth G announcing she is finally unloading him as our coach.
