ADVERTISEMENT

The mood of the board regarding Fran

How do you feel about Fran?


  • Total voters
    416
I guess I see it a little differently. As much as I’d like the Sweet 16 (or beyond), it ultimately is just one or two more wins. Nothing more, nothing less. You don’t bring home any championship or trophy for the Sweet 16. You basically play one extra weekend.

You think winning one or two games in the NCAA tournament defines a season? We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one too. You don’t luck plays any role in the NCAA tournament? I shouldn’t touch on that, but there’s a ton of luck in the NCAA tournament from matchups, to upsets, and injuries. Was Richmond lucky that Keegan got hurt? Any luck in a new basketball that was bouncing out of the gym and Iowa couldn’t shoot with it? Iowa being an offensive minded team and all.

Iowa fans have a weird obsession with the Sweet 16. I never realized making the NCAA tournament only counted if you made the Sweet 16 too.
You're nuttier then a fruitcake. If winning the second game of the NCAA tournament is just one more game, why is it the most anticipated spectacle and sporting event of the year, the most money spent gambling on it, why does college basketball teams work so hard to make it to the second weekend and are so disappointed when they don't win that second game. The notoriety that teams get by winning that second game of the tournament is the benchmark of the entire season and saying it's just one more game, nothing more, nothing less is completely inaccurate and a copout on your part.
It's everything, it's what makes the season successful and anything short of achieving that second week is a big disappoint.
 
  • Like
Reactions: blhawk and crstuff
You're nuttier then a fruitcake. If winning the second game of the NCAA tournament is just one more game, why is it the most anticipated spectacle and sporting event of the year, the most money spent gambling on it, why does college basketball teams work so hard to make it to the second weekend and are so disappointed when they don't win that second game. The notoriety that teams get by winning that second game of the tournament is the benchmark of the entire season and saying it's just one more game, nothing more, nothing less is completely inaccurate and a copout on your part.
It's everything, it's what makes the season successful and anything short of achieving that second week is a big disappoint.

Rich coming from a guy who doesn’t know the difference between then and than.

You’ve made most of that up, which is more than weird on your part. The Sweet 16 is the “most anticipated spectacle and sporting event of the year”? Yeah, sure it is.

Another one of your gems…. “It's everything, it's what makes the season successful and anything short of achieving that second week is a big disappoint.” This is the same Iowa team that was on the outside of the NCAA tournament in mid January looking in. You’re saying because Iowa failed to make the Sweet 16 that they had an unsuccessful season by winning the most games in a season since 1987 and winning the B1G tournament. Forget fruitcakes, you’re bat shit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Herklejerk
I guess I see it a little differently. As much as I’d like the Sweet 16 (or beyond), it ultimately is just one or two more wins. Nothing more, nothing less.

You may not be alone in that opinion, but you’re definitely in the minority.

If you’re a fan of Northwestern or Rutgers, than sure, you’ll be happy with just making the dance. At a school like Iowa we set the bar a little higher.
 
That would be tight and I thought parking sucks at CHA as it is now. I doubt that parking garage alone would support a big game.

I’m sure they could come up with something, but regardless anywhere you move an arena closer to downtown, parking will be an issue. Running buses non stop to Hancher like they do for football could help or that’s not really all that far of a walk either.

It would be really awesome across from campus and Old Capitol.
It would be tight, but it's doable if you compare the footprint to CHA. As for parking, there aren't that many spaces right next to CHA, most people walk a block or two. There's parking within a couple blocks of the downtown location. I think you'll also get more students (walk ups), people hanging in downtown before and after and the buses stop right across the street. It wouldn't be the mad rush to get out like it is in CHA...much more festive around the arena.

If nothing else, knock down that pathetic excuse for a mall and put a ped plaza there with a stage for live music and a cool mural on the side of the parking ramp. That was one of the coolest blocks in downtown IC before they gutted it and built that atrocity.
 
  • Like
Reactions: iahawks10
Nope. Free bus rides, short walk. It has more to do with the entertainment options available than anything.

CHA is what 100-200 yards from the Kinnick parking lot? Kinnick doesn’t seem to have a problem getting students there. They’re basically across the street from one another.
I'm approaching 20 years since my undergrad, but I have to disagree with both of you and say that Carver is not in a good location.

I lived in the west side dorms for two years. I walked to CHA for every game, which means winter, and was able to cut through the hospital to shorten the walk a bit. But to get from Rienow to the nearest door of CHA it was a half mile walk each direction. Then they started trying to prevent people from walking through the hospital which would have massively increased the walking distance, not sure if that is happening today though. From the nearest east side dorm you're talking over a mile of walking.

Riding the bus to the arena back in the early 2000s, back when we were sold out regularly and had the largest student section in the country, sucked because the busses were packed, always late, and were stuck in post-game traffic. So you might as well have walked unless it was a blizzard outside.

Basketball games also don't have tailgating, usually aren't on Saturdays, and usually aren't during the middle of the day. With the advent of the BTN it has gotten worse where most weeknight games start at 8:00 now instead of 7:00 like they used to. This means you're expecting students to walk home, in the winter, in the dark when the game gets over well after 10:00.

The hardcore student fans will overcome those issues. But CHA won't be a social gathering like Kinnick is for many of those reasons. Basketball games aren't big parties like Football games are.
 
I'm approaching 20 years since my undergrad, but I have to disagree with both of you and say that Carver is not in a good location.

I lived in the west side dorms for two years. I walked to CHA for every game, which means winter, and was able to cut through the hospital to shorten the walk a bit. But to get from Rienow to the nearest door of CHA it was a half mile walk each direction. Then they started trying to prevent people from walking through the hospital which would have massively increased the walking distance, not sure if that is happening today though. From the nearest east side dorm you're talking over a mile of walking.

Riding the bus to the arena back in the early 2000s, back when we were sold out regularly and had the largest student section in the country, sucked because the busses were packed, always late, and were stuck in post-game traffic. So you might as well have walked unless it was a blizzard outside.

Basketball games also don't have tailgating, usually aren't on Saturdays, and usually aren't during the middle of the day. With the advent of the BTN it has gotten worse where most weeknight games start at 8:00 now instead of 7:00 like they used to. This means you're expecting students to walk home, in the winter, in the dark when the game gets over well after 10:00.

The hardcore student fans will overcome those issues. But CHA won't be a social gathering like Kinnick is for many of those reasons. Basketball games aren't big parties like Football games are.
Basketball games AREN'T like football games. Never were, never will be. No tailgating probably the biggest difference.

But the games only last 2 hours or less. I was a student when Carver was built. All of us still went to the games there. Look at attendance in 1980 - 1990, when the transition to Carver occurred. Attendance went up. Substantially. And students bought every ticket they could.

I lived off campus on the east side of the river the whole time undergrad and grad years. Carver was packed. It wasn't until the Pierre Pierce incident that attendance started dropping, and especially butts in the seats if not "paid" attendance. If you want to see why attendance went down, start there.
 
Who gives a hoot if you make the tourney but can’t win a game or two? (Or legitimately go deeper) That’s why we are tired of the underwhelming results. I guess I’m a jackal. I’m really just bummed Fran can’t deliver the goods. I like him well enough.

I don’t think you can chalk tourney performance up to ‘luck’. Something is lacking. I used to think it was recruiting but he had a top 5 NBA draft pick and couldn’t beat Richmond.

I used to argue against the ‘Fran is mediocre’ posters but I’ve lost hope we can be anything but in the grand scheme.

Fran’s teams seem to peak mid-season… this last season I had hope with the B1G win that a team of his was peaking at the right time for once. Rekt.
I guess I see it a little differently. As much as I’d like the Sweet 16 (or beyond), it ultimately is just one or two more wins. Nothing more, nothing less. You don’t bring home any championship or trophy for the Sweet 16. You basically play one extra weekend.

You think winning one or two games in the NCAA tournament defines a season? We’ll have to agree to disagree on that one too. You don’t think luck plays any role in the NCAA tournament? I shouldn’t touch on that, but there’s a ton of luck in the NCAA tournament from matchups, to upsets, and injuries. Was Richmond lucky that Keegan got hurt? Any luck in a new basketball that was bouncing out of the gym and Iowa couldn’t shoot with it? Iowa being an offensive minded team and all.

Iowa fans have a weird obsession with the Sweet 16. I never realized making the NCAA tournament only counted if you made the Sweet 16 too.
\
Yeah, I agree with most of this. Also, the "peaking at mid-season" and "Fran Fade" has been debunked many times. It has been proven to not be true.

Until the last 2 years, Iowa beat all of the teams they were supposed to beat in NCAA Tourney (based on seeds) and lost to the ones they were supposed to lose.

I think the biggest issue Iowa has had come NCAA Tourney time - and this can be traced back to pretty much the last 35 years after BJ/Marble/Horton left - is that Iowa has lacked the dynamic Guard play that is needed to make a deep run. In 1999, that team had a dynamic PG in Oliver surrounded by a veteran team. The most dynamic Guard Iowa has had post-BJ is Woolridge and he almost carried Iowa to on his back over a far more talented/loaded Kentucky team in 96-97 season to a Sweet 16.

Superior Guard play has proven to almost be a necessity to make a deep run unless you are blue-blood type team that maybe can overwhelm teams with a team full of NBA talent.

Iowa is not that type of program and never will be.

The hopes are that maybe Perkins and Bowen can be those types of Guards. We know Perkins made a huge jump last year and looks to have that kind of all-around game needed.
 
Yeah, I agree with most of this. Also, the "peaking at mid-season" and "Fran Fade" has been debunked many times. It has been proven to not be true.

Until the last 2 years, Iowa beat all of the teams they were supposed to beat in NCAA Tourney (based on seeds) and lost to the ones they were supposed to lose.

I think the biggest issue Iowa has had come NCAA Tourney time - and this can be traced back to pretty much the last 35 years after BJ/Marble/Horton left - is that Iowa has lacked the dynamic Guard play that is needed to make a deep run. In 1999, that team had a dynamic PG in Oliver surrounded by a veteran team. The most dynamic Guard Iowa has had post-BJ is Woolridge and he almost carried Iowa to on his back over a far more talented/loaded Kentucky team in 96-97 season to a Sweet 16.

Superior Guard play has proven to almost be a necessity to make a deep run unless you are blue-blood type team that maybe can overwhelm teams with a team full of NBA talent.

Iowa is not that type of program and never will be.

The hopes are that maybe Perkins and Bowen can be those types of Guards. We know Perkins made a huge jump last year and looks to have that kind of all-around game needed.

Another Andre Woolridge would go a long way.
 
It would be tight, but it's doable if you compare the footprint to CHA. As for parking, there aren't that many spaces right next to CHA, most people walk a block or two. There's parking within a couple blocks of the downtown location. I think you'll also get more students (walk ups), people hanging in downtown before and after and the buses stop right across the street. It wouldn't be the mad rush to get out like it is in CHA...much more festive around the arena.

If nothing else, knock down that pathetic excuse for a mall and put a ped plaza there with a stage for live music and a cool mural on the side of the parking ramp. That was one of the coolest blocks in downtown IC before they gutted it and built that atrocity.

One of the coolest things about Vegas is the walk up traffic for events at the T Mobile Arena. After the game/concert fans filter into nearby casinos, bars, restaurants. It’s pretty neat to see.

I’m not trying to compare Vegas to Iowa City or anything remotely close to that, but your version of a downtown arena reminded me of that. I think that would be awesome. Clearly there are a lot of hurdles building an arena downtown and it will likely never happen in our lifetime, but it would be cool if they could.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BonzoFury
You may not be alone in that opinion, but you’re definitely in the minority.

If you’re a fan of Northwestern or Rutgers, than sure, you’ll be happy with just making the dance. At a school like Iowa we set the bar a little higher.

Perhaps I am in the minority, although I highly doubt that is the case.

Let me start by clarifying my stance on this. Yes, I’m disappointed Iowa didn’t make a further run in the NCAA tournament based on how they were playing in late Feb / early March. My point was that the Sweet 16 is not the determining factor on a successful season.

Would you go one record saying Iowa did not have a successful season this year? Iowa won 26 games (most since 1987), won the B1G Tournament, qualified for the NCAA Tournament, went 26-10 (12-8) 4th in B1G.

People quickly forget that most Iowa fans had this team as a bubble team going into the season, with the NIT the likely finish. In January, Iowa was firmly on the bubble and most likely outside, looking in on the tournament. Put all of this together going 26-10, BTT Champs, tied for 4th in B1G and I don’t know how you can’t call this a successful season.

Iowa is a not a reloading program. Probably will never be one. Iowa lost 3 starters going into the year, including the NPOY. Then accomplished all that they did this year. I’d call that successful. Maybe I’m easier to please or maybe I’m just more realistic, I don’t know.
 
Do I think there is a coach in the world that could take Iowa to "the next level"? Yes

Do I think that -

a. Iowa could find him?
b. He would want to come to Iowa?

Not really.

Lots of fans are absolutely willing to risk what we have at Iowa for the possibility of doing better. That's fine.

I'm not convinced that would be a sensible move. The U agrees with me.
 
Do I think there is a coach in the world that could take Iowa to "the next level"? Yes

Do I think that -

a. Iowa could find him?
b. He would want to come to Iowa?

Not really.

Lots of fans are absolutely willing to risk what we have at Iowa for the possibility of doing better. That's fine.

I'm not convinced that would be a sensible move. The U agrees with me.
Yes to what you said above. This exactly. I ask this question all the time to fans that regularly dog on Fran (and Ferentz) and I ask them what coach out there CAN get Iowa to that next level and COULD they get them to come to Iowa.

That questions is quite often ignored and in the few cases it is answered, it usually is with a coach that either Iowa would have no chance to get OR one that likely would have Iowa in violations in about 3 years.

Fran runs a very player-friendly and clean program. It's almost amazing how little Iowa players have got in trouble in 13 years and the few instances they have, is minor (compared to what happens at a lot of other programs). He appears to value having high character and good students. The players from what I can tell all generally love him.

This might not matter to all fans but it does to some. I personally prefer to support a program that has players that I know are trying to be good people and do the right thing.

Right now, the next level for Iowa Basketball would be be taking program from a regular NCAA Tournament team that is in upper-half of Big Ten to a team that is a regular 2nd weekend Tournament team.

Is it possible there is someone out there that Iowa can realistically get and assure that will happen? Possibly, but I am not sure who that exactly is and I don't believe the list is very long.

Same with the football program. Iowa the last 7 seasons is essentially in the tier below the legitimate 6-8 CFP contenders they are a Top 10-15 Program in the nation in that time. Who in reality could Iowa get to bump them up into a perennial CFP-type program?
 
Yes to what you said above. This exactly. I ask this question all the time to fans that regularly dog on Fran (and Ferentz) and I ask them what coach out there CAN get Iowa to that next level and COULD they get them to come to Iowa.

That questions is quite often ignored and in the few cases it is answered, it usually is with a coach that either Iowa would have no chance to get OR one that likely would have Iowa in violations in about 3 years.

Fran runs a very player-friendly and clean program. It's almost amazing how little Iowa players have got in trouble in 13 years and the few instances they have, is minor (compared to what happens at a lot of other programs). He appears to value having high character and good students. The players from what I can tell all generally love him.

This might not matter to all fans but it does to some. I personally prefer to support a program that has players that I know are trying to be good people and do the right thing.

Right now, the next level for Iowa Basketball would be be taking program from a regular NCAA Tournament team that is in upper-half of Big Ten to a team that is a regular 2nd weekend Tournament team.

Is it possible there is someone out there that Iowa can realistically get and assure that will happen? Possibly, but I am not sure who that exactly is and I don't believe the list is very long.

Same with the football program. Iowa the last 7 seasons is essentially in the tier below the legitimate 6-8 CFP contenders they are a Top 10-15 Program in the nation in that time. Who in reality could Iowa get to bump them up into a perennial CFP-type program?

Very well put.

And Fran is well respected and liked amongst his peers. We see a side of Fran with the officials (some reporters) and people think that is his behavior with everyone. That’s not the case. Players love playing for him and others in basketball like and respect him. Fran is a pretty good man, as is Kirk. Both are good representations of the university.
 
Last edited:
Do I think there is a coach in the world that could take Iowa to "the next level"? Yes

Do I think that -

a. Iowa could find him?
b. He would want to come to Iowa?

Not really.

Lots of fans are absolutely willing to risk what we have at Iowa for the possibility of doing better. That's fine.

I'm not convinced that would be a sensible move. The U agrees with me.
Finding the right young up-and-coming coach has always been the trick...in any sport. If you can recognize the guy that has all the traits...but just hasn't gotten his big opportunity yet you can strike gold. (Alford looked like he might be that guy, until we all found out he was an arrogant tool). Takes a very savvy AD to find one (insert your GB joke here). IOWA would be a great opportunity for such a coach...leading conference, rabid fan base, school with plenty of $$. Finding him is the tough part.

That's where Hayden excelled...he had an eye for leadership qualities and hired people who had them. JHF openly said he wanted assistants who had aspirations of moving up to HC. The legacy of his coaching tree tells that story very well.

Always thought Hayden would have made a great AD had he decided to go that direction. But he loved being on the sidelines.
 
Last edited:
But they could be-with a little imagination and a lower law enforcement presence. CHA is not in a convenient location.

Are basketball games heavily policed?

I’ve heard this before, but have never seen it myself. I get to 7-10 home games a year and police interaction is the last thing on my mind. Ive never seen any law enforcement interactions at the games Ive attended. I’ve never seen them enter the seating area either.
 
One of the coolest things about Vegas is the walk up traffic for events at the T Mobile Arena. After the game/concert fans filter into nearby casinos, bars, restaurants. It’s pretty neat to see.

I’m not trying to compare Vegas to Iowa City or anything remotely close to that, but your version of a downtown arena reminded me of that. I think that would be awesome. Clearly there are a lot of hurdles building an arena downtown and it will likely never happen in our lifetime, but it would be cool if they could.
How cool would it be to watch to watch the 637 attendees of UNLV basketball games filter into the casinos?
 
How cool would it be to watch to watch the 637 attendees of UNLV basketball games filter into the casinos?

UNLV doesn’t play at the T Mobile Arena, but good try. T Mobile hosts many concerts, the Golden Knights, CBB games.

Golden Knights have a nice following, but tons of visiting fans travel to Vegas to see their hockey team. Especially Canadians. I was at the Park MGM when a Kentucky game just got over. They just had a big win and thousands of blue cladded Wildcats took over the casino. Now I’m not a Kentucky fan, just the opposite actually, but it was neat to see their excitement. This is not unique to Kentucky fans either. Fans will congregate at near by casinos, bars, restaurants in the area known as The Park.
 
The poll results are pretty interesting. Based on the discussions here after a loss, I would have thought it was 50/50 that Fran should be gone now or very soon. Instead it's about 10%. 60% want him to hang around for a long time.

I wonder what a similar poll for KF would be? Probably even more favorable.

There was a fairly lengthy time period when I didn't know or care when the next Iowa BB game was. I still wanted them to win, but I just didn't enjoy watching them..

In the last few years it has been "must see TV". The guys play hard, make a lot of exciting games, and it is rare when they don't still have a chance to win with 5 minutes to go. It's fun being a Hawk fan.
 
Difficult to compare. The transfer market was vastly different when Fran started out vs TJ/Hoiberg
Hoiberg started at isu same year Fran started at Iowa so very easy to compare. Yes it was different for TJ but you can still change things pretty quick in basketball either way
 
Hoiberg started at isu same year Fran started at Iowa so very easy to compare. Yes it was different for TJ but you can still change things pretty quick in basketball either way
Hoiberg caught lightning in a bottle. That he couldn't duplicate it at Nebby and, in fact, appears to be failing abysmally just shows that the approach he used at Ames is difficult to reproduce. He didreally have to worry about graduation rates, citizenship, or legal issues. He was the "mayor" in Ames. Not so anywhere else.

The jury is still out on Oddleberger. He had one year of moderate success, mostly due to getting great draws in the NCAA. Let's see how he does over the next 3 years.
 
Perhaps I am in the minority, although I highly doubt that is the case.

Let me start by clarifying my stance on this. Yes, I’m disappointed Iowa didn’t make a further run in the NCAA tournament based on how they were playing in late Feb / early March. My point was that the Sweet 16 is not the determining factor on a successful season.

Would you go one record saying Iowa did not have a successful season this year? Iowa won 26 games (most since 1987), won the B1G Tournament, qualified for the NCAA Tournament, went 26-10 (12-8) 4th in B1G.

People quickly forget that most Iowa fans had this team as a bubble team going into the season, with the NIT the likely finish. In January, Iowa was firmly on the bubble and most likely outside, looking in on the tournament. Put all of this together going 26-10, BTT Champs, tied for 4th in B1G and I don’t know how you can’t call this a successful season.

Iowa is a not a reloading program. Probably will never be one. Iowa lost 3 starters going into the year, including the NPOY. Then accomplished all that they did this year. I’d call that successful. Maybe I’m easier to please or maybe I’m just more realistic, I don’t know.
Great take, this board is full of glass half empty types of people. I appreciate this glass half full take on Fran and Iowa basketball.
 
Are basketball games heavily policed?

I’ve heard this before, but have never seen it myself. I get to 7-10 home games a year and police interaction is the last thing on my mind. Ive never seen any law enforcement interactions at the games Ive attended. I’ve never seen them enter the seating area either.
Are you an 18 year old freshman smoking a blunt of drinking beer? You don't see them because they aren't interested in you.
 
Are you an 18 year old freshman smoking a blunt of drinking beer? You don't see them because they aren't interested in you.

Answering a question with a question. I’m not an 18 year old freshman, but I do have eyes. There isn’t a heavy police presence at CHA during men’s basketball games. The police are certainly not what’s keeping the students away from attending. Beer drinking, blunt smokers, or otherwise.

I can tell that you don’t attend many Iowa basketball games. There are at least 2X-3X as much law enforcement per capita at Iowa Football games (probably tailgates too) than at basketball games. Yet I never have a problem finding inebriated students going to the football games. There are more cops huddled up on the SE concourse of Kinnick than all of CHA.

Basketball games are the complete opposite. There’s usually three University Heights police near the benches and tunnel and about four to six Iowa City PD walking the concourse. Rarely are there ever any outside unless they’re doing traffic control after. Much of that has been contracted out. Either way, police are not what’s keeping students away from going to games.
 
Last edited:
You may not be alone in that opinion, but you’re definitely in the minority.

If you’re a fan of Northwestern or Rutgers, than sure, you’ll be happy with just making the dance. At a school like Iowa we set the bar a little higher.
I've said the same thing and was crucified for it. Its been a good couple seasons but it's bad we have no sweet 16 with 3 NBA players the last 2 seasons.

Even the best NBA rookie.

I'm hoping Gatens brings a little something extra.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LaQuintaHawkeye
Answering a question with a question. I’m not an 18 year old freshman, but I do have eyes. There isn’t a heavy police presence at CHA during men’s basketball games. The police are certainly not what’s keeping the students away from attending. Beer drinking, blunt smokers, or otherwise.

I can tell that you don’t attend many Iowa basketball games. There are at least 2X-3X as much law enforcement per capita at Iowa Football games (probably tailgates too) than at basketball games. Yet I never have a problem finding inebriated students going to the football games. There are more cops huddled up on the SE concourse of Kinnick than all of CHA.

Basketball games are the complete opposite. There’s usually three University Heights police near the benches and tunnel and about four to six walking the concourse. Rarely are there ever any outside unless they’re doing traffic control after. Much of that has been contracted out. Either way, police are not what’s keeping students away from going to games.
And what good have those cops done? I've never seen them break up a fight or rescue a baby from a tree. This is a result of our militarized police force, they're there to intimidate young college kids and, "keep them in line," it's disgusting. I think we could fire half of them and be fine 🤷‍♂️
 
Mark me down as a fan of “mediocrity”. If winning 26 games and the B1G tourney is such. I was on the fence for a lot of this, but the people tearing him down sound spoiled and irrational. I want more in the results end of things, too. I happen to think it’s coming. Maybe, I’m irrational, but I’ve chosen a side of the fence I’m comfortable with.
 
I've said the same thing and was crucified for it. Its been a good couple seasons but it's bad we have no sweet 16 with 3 NBA players the last 2 seasons.

Even the best NBA rookie.

I'm hoping Gatens brings a little something extra.
There are about 20+ programs that always have 3+ NBA players on their roster at one time. And a lot of those programs have multiple bona-fide players that have long careers as solid or all-star players in the NBA.

Iowa has 1 guy who is going to be an all-star (Murray), who led them to 26 wins and a Big Ten Tournament Championship and just played their worst game of year in 1st round of tournament, and 2 guys that are fringe NBA players. I love Garza and Weezy as ex-Hawkeyes but they will have to battle to be on rosters most likely the next few years.

Just because Iowa hasn't have many NBA caliber players for the past 30 years doesn't mean Iowa is something special when it comes to NBA talent, just means we fans aren't used to it and a lot of programs with much-higher level talent aren't all making Sweet 16's each year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ronman
Good points. Dean Smith, as one example, had a loaded roster every year. And he stumbled in a lot of those years. With loaded rosters. Lute set Arizona on fire when he turned that program around. He didn’t have much or any immediate success in the tourney. Once again, with loaded rosters. We get fringe NBA talent. KM is legit and there may be more to come. It doesn’t guarantee a f thing. I’ll take great college players every time.
 
We are actually at peak Fran right now I'd say. While losing in the 1st round last year was obviously a kick in the nuts, especially having the 4th pick in the NBA draft, we did win the Big Ten tourney and had a damn good season, which of course nobody remembers because of that kick in the nuts. Meanwhile over the last few years we had 3 guys drafted, Garza and Keegan on numerous All American teams and I'm as optimistic about the program as I've been in years. Fran's an interesting case. Most or almost all of his ex players seem to do nothing but rave about him. I also think he's a lot different off the court than what you see of his demeanor on the court, where he honestly looks and acts a lot of time like an a-hole. I think we're in really good shape for the future, at least the next 5-7 years. Iowa is not an easy job. I'd rate Fran a tad bit below Dr Tom in my opinion of Iowa coaches in my formative years. Was really to young for Ralph Miller, obviously Lute did a fantastic job here followed by Dr Tom and then I would say Fran. I actually like where we are heading.
 
We are actually at peak Fran right now I'd say. While losing in the 1st round last year was obviously a kick in the nuts, especially having the 4th pick in the NBA draft, we did win the Big Ten tourney and had a damn good season, which of course nobody remembers because of that kick in the nuts. Meanwhile over the last few years we had 3 guys drafted, Garza and Keegan on numerous All American teams and I'm as optimistic about the program as I've been in years. Fran's an interesting case. Most or almost all of his ex players seem to do nothing but rave about him. I also think he's a lot different off the court than what you see of his demeanor on the court, where he honestly looks and acts a lot of time like an a-hole. I think we're in really good shape for the future, at least the next 5-7 years. Iowa is not an easy job. I'd rate Fran a tad bit below Dr Tom in my opinion of Iowa coaches in my formative years. Was really to young for Ralph Miller, obviously Lute did a fantastic job here followed by Dr Tom and then I would say Fran. I actually like where we are heading.
I think the Fran and Dr. Tom comparison is very interesting. With the talent that Iowa had in Dr. Tom's first 3 years from Raveling, I wonder how Fran would have done. That team in 86-87 had 3 guys (BJ, Gamble, Lohaus) who had solid NBA careers, an ultra-talented NBA-type talent that fizzled out after Iowa for personal reasons (Marble), 2 more players that had at least 1 year in the NBA (Horton and Bill Jones), a McDonald's AA in the Vanilla Gorilla Al Lorenzen, and 3 good college players in Moe, Wright, and Reaves.

Based on what Dr. Tom did post-Raveling recruits, it is hard for me to put him on a much higher level than Fran. What Fran had to deal with coming to Iowa compared to Dr. Tom was 180 degrees different.
 
  • Like
Reactions: iahawks10
I don't really see how people can even consider getting rid of Fran as a rational move. He has a few warts to be sure. He is not an elite recruiter but Iowa is not an elite destination. He has however coached two of the most successful players in the history of the program over the past couple of years. His teams lack cohesiveness on defense but his offenses are elite. I get hung up on some of his lineups and minute allocations but I don't know that I would do it all that differently were I in his position.

He's put together several very solid seasons on entertaining teams including a B1G tourney championship. He's here for as long as he wants to be I'm sure, just like Kirk.
 
I don't really see how people can even consider getting rid of Fran as a rational move. He has a few warts to be sure. He is not an elite recruiter but Iowa is not an elite destination. He has however coached two of the most successful players in the history of the program over the past couple of years. His teams lack cohesiveness on defense but his offenses are elite. I get hung up on some of his lineups and minute allocations but I don't know that I would do it all that differently were I in his position.

He's put together several very solid seasons on entertaining teams including a B1G tourney championship. He's here for as long as he wants to be I'm sure, just like Kirk.
This. You don't have to agree with everything he does (I don't!) but he has done enough to get Iowa back on the right track to where he deserves the benefit of the doubt, at least for now.
 
ADVERTISEMENT