Throwback: 3 weeks ago

[StatisticsLie]

"Its always risky to attach too much importance to any single game. But I think tonight was just that. An important game. A game that we can use as a mearuring stick. And the Hawkeyes came up wanting. Its not just that we lost to a very good team on its court. Its how we lost...and who we lost to.

We might not know for a while how Fran, staff and players react to tonights embarrassing collapse. It may turn out that the Hawks make their stand and rebound from this failure and rally into the BIG10 schedule and finish strong.

Or, tonight might well be a watershed. If Iowa stumbles through the remainder of the season and misses the NCAA tournament we might be looking at the Fran tenure at Iowa in real danger. These sorts of defeats cause a fanbase to ask where the program really is. Fran has earned, and will be given, another season after the 2015/16 run is over regardless of how the Hawks finish...but the ice is getting thin in Iowa City."



I believe some of you guys need to go back to this thread and reread some of your thoughts. Soybean's post showing how asinine some fans are. Some of you guys who have been posting all the praise are the same that posted a lot of negativity after the IA State game. This isn't football where a game or 2 is over 10% of the season. Love the hawks but god some of you posters are the most fair-weather fans when it comes to loyalty to players and coaching staffs.

 

[CanadaHawk]

If you weren't frustrated by the ISU loss, then something's wrong with you. The fans just could show their frustration on message boards. The Iowa team has definitely taken that loss to heart, both coach and players, because they've shown since then that they've learned from it on the court.

 

[StatisticsLie]

Frustrated, yes. Going overboard after a loss, no. Are Purdue fans calling for Painter's head after that loss? I just checked their board and don't see anyone starting threads to get rid of Painter. So if you can't understand the difference between overreaction and frustration, than maybe you need to lay off the boards for a bit after each loss.

 

[RocknRollface]

There was still absolutely no excuse to lose that game. It was beyond pathetic.

Im sure the coaches and players felt the same way and it seems like it stuck with them in a good way.

Uthoffs comments after Purdue kind of sum it up.

 

[5Fan5]

Frustrated, yes. Going overboard after a loss, no. Are Purdue fans calling for Painter's head after that loss? I just checked their board and don't see anyone starting threads to get rid of Painter. So if you can't understand the difference between overreaction and frustration, than maybe you need to lay off the boards for a bit after each loss.

I do not pretend to speak for anyone else, especially bean, but if anyone believes the basketball program to be on a purely upward trajectory is kidding themselves. Perhaps the post was too near the actual event (the isu game) and could have been tempered a bit, but the essence was very real and true. This team and coaching staff could either let that loss linger and impact future performance or it could move on and prepare for a tough, challenging Big Ten schedule. Thus far, it seems that Iowa players and coaches are focused on the right path.

The Iowa basketball program needs to inject enthusiasm into the student body in Iowa City. I fully realize that this has been a problem for longer than the current coaching staff has been in place, but the problem is real and does exist. Winning critical games can help regain some of the fan base lost during the lean years prior to Fran coming to Iowa. The margin for not achieving this is narrower at Iowa then it likely is at say Purdue. Because of that, there could be added scrutiny on progress during the year instead of the typical reviews that normally occur following a season.

As was mentioned, I do not know the OP's full intent, but I doubt that it was to 'start a thread to get rid of the Iowa head coach.' One only need to look at some of the fans (?) of Iowa football to understand how fickle it can be and bean was likely just venting his frustration after a very tough loss.

 

[DanL53]

I'll clearly have to agree with StatisticsLie on this. Heck, I felt like I was being tarred and feathered myself for being optimistic about the Hawkeyes.

But, you know, I've never ONCE heard of a poster leaving a forum because it was not negative enough.

 

[DanL53]

There was still absolutely no excuse to lose that game. It was beyond pathetic.

Im sure the coaches and players felt the same way and it seems like it stuck with them in a good way.

Uthoffs comments after Purdue kind of sum it up.

Iowa State has done that to more than a few teams the last two years. I never really felt it was in the bag. We BRIEFLY had a twenty point lead and by the thirteen minute mark of the second half it was down to thirteen points. That is no put away game.

 

[RocknRollface]

Iowa State has done that to more than a few teams the last two years. I never really felt it was in the bag. We BRIEFLY had a twenty point lead and by the thirteen minute mark of the second half it was down to thirteen points. That is no put away game.

They lost because they panicked. They stopped doing what got them the lead and tried to hold on.

 

[DanL53]

They lost because they panicked. They stopped doing what got them the lead and tried to hold on.

I can accept that. Maybe some parts of one and parts of the other.

 

[Tunadog]

Fran's tenure at Iowa has never been in danger.

 

[RocknRollface]

I can accept that. Maybe some parts of one and parts of the other.

Obviously ISU is capable of scoring in bunches, and they've done that to other teams but in the end Iowa blew an 8 point lead in a minute.

All they had to do was inbound the ball, twice and they turned it over twice with a TO in their pocket.

It looks like they've learned from that.

Against PU, Woody called a TO when he couldn't get the ball in, AC called a TO when he got trapped. They didn't panic.

Uthoff let Thomas shut him down in the second half against ISU, He was way more physical against Purdue against a much better defender.

 

[DanL53]

Obviously ISU is capable of scoring in bunches, and they've done that to other teams but in the end Iowa blew an 8 point lead in a minute.

All they had to do was inbound the ball, twice and they turned it over twice with a TO in their pocket.

It looks like they've learned from that.

Against PU, Woody called a TO when he couldn't get the ball in, AC called a TO when he got trapped. They didn't panic.

Uthoff let Thomas shut him down in the second half against ISU, He was way more physical against Purdue against a much better defender.

I'll accept that. I suppose I just go by the old adage, "Sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you." We did miss a golden opportunity in Ames.

 

[And1Hawk]

Frustrating loss at ISU for sure given the context of how it happened but give me a huge break with the 'on thin ice' comments by the OP. Can I assume the OP is now MIA?