As if it couldn't get more embarrassing....
"We just knew they didn't wanna play defense"
- Thread starter Franisdaman
- Start date
it's times like this I'm betting you regret having that as a screen name
Fran and the team brush it off and continue doing what they're doing as if it'll all work out eventually................
If only he didn't have 15 years' worth of evidence to back that statement up.
You guys put up a helluva effort tonight.
"Be more concerned with character than reputation. Character is what you are, reputation is what people think you are"
- John Wooden
- John Wooden
Kind of like your football team
I’ve started about 5 posts in this thread, but realized there’s nothing I could write that could top what McGee said. Sometimes the truth hurts.
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If it was new news………….yeah. This is something we’ve seen for 20+ years. Pretty sad really.
Drew T confirmed it:
"[It] felt like we just quit on some possessions, which we can't have..."
"[It] felt like we just quit on some possessions, which we can't have..."
If that doesn’t tell the administration that something needs to change, then I don’t know what to say. Fran has never put any kind of emphasis on defense, which is ok if you’re really good, but to question commitment and effort, not good. Fran looks disinterested.
McGee's comment was hardly a stunning revelation. You could say the same thing about Fran's teams for years.
We are fully aware. We watched at least one half of the game like everyone else.
After that run I knew exactly what type of game this was going to be.
What a slap in our face! Our players and coaches should be embarrassed!!
Beth better be seeing this!
No one cares about footie ball.
There was some decent cardio achieved. And the boys got to witness some really pretty shots from someone they probably should’ve been guarding. And they were a part of a historic performance (most points scored by Wisconsin in the Kohl Center).
Not a bad day’s work!
Embarrassing, but it's what we've always seen from Fran teams. Defense is just something to do while they are waiting to get the ball out of the hoop after another made shot.
Would love a break down of each defensive possession kind of like that guy who does the Iowa football team on Twitter.
Last night was the worst defensive effort I remember in his tenure.
Ridiculous and embarrassing.
Quick breakdown - the Sandfort's are both very, very, poor defenders.
Adam Woodbury was the best defensive assistant coach Fran has ever had.
It was a total team effort for sure. Have to have everyone on the same page to give up 116.
I’m concerned about Thelwell; he was playing very hard, looked to really be trying on defense (even getting a few steals) and his postgame comments indicate that he was unhappy with the effort of his teammates.
Fran will have to get him in line if he wants the team to achieve it’s ultimate goals!
my 40 year old dads basketball league plays better D than the hawks
This is the first time I’ve ever felt an Iowa coach deserves to be let go in the middle of the year.
I mean opposing players suggesting we’re too big of pussies to want to play defense???? Good god that’s embarrassing.
Let Gatens coach the team the rest of the year and see what happens.
I mean opposing players suggesting we’re too big of pussies to want to play defense???? Good god that’s embarrassing.
Let Gatens coach the team the rest of the year and see what happens.
How about the clips of reporters asking Fran and members of the Hawkeye glee club why they didn’t bother to play defense yet again?
Here’s how the questioning should go:
Reporter: Fran, you guys seemed to struggle defensively tonight. How would you characterize the effort?
Fran: Could be better.
Reporter: Defense continues to be an issue for your teams. Do you address defense in practice or the offseason?
Fran: Yes.
Reporter: Since defense continues to be god awful, and some might say nonexistent, what do you personally need to change? How you coach defense or is it an effort issue?
Fran: We have won a lot of games with my system.
Reporter: Are you saying you’re okay with terrible defense and poor effort on the defensive end from your players?
Fran: I’m saying we have had a lot of success doing what we do.
Reporter: And yet, you continue to do poorly in March and have never gotten out of the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. Wouldn’t you say defense is something that needs to improve drastically in order to have more success in March?
Fran: Perhaps you missed us winning the Big Ten tournament a couple years ago.
Reporter: That begs another question. When you had four future NBA draft picks on your roster, which included a NPOTY and future lottery pick, you seemed to struggle to meet expectations. Some might say defense was an issue. Others would say the Murray twins’ talents were wasted on the bench behind two of your sons who seemed to be prioritized over the team. How would you respond to that?
Fran: Those people don’t understand basketball and the value of a glue guy and floor general like Connor.
Reporter: And some people might argue you don’t understand the value of defense and athleticism and toughness. How would you rate those three aspects of basketball?
Fran: I don’t understand the question. Next.
Reporter: Moving forward, will you prioritize defensive effort and intensity in practice?
Fran: We work on it for a few minutes every day in practice.
Reporter: Would you say the issues Iowa continues to have with defense are—
Fran: Does anyone have any questions about anything other than defense?
Reporter: Yes, I would like to ask about Payton Sandfort. How would you assess his performance tonight?
Fran: Payton is a terrific player. We need him to keep shooting.
Reporter: Since Payton did struggle to shoot tonight, would you say he provided something on the defensive end of the court? If not, was there any thought of bringing someone off the bench to replace him and try to provide a spark?
Fran: No.
Reporter: Looking to the future, do you intend to take a different approach to recruiting in an effort to bring in more defensive-minded players?
Fran: We like the players we have.
Reporter: So, there will be no change in your approach to recruiting? You will continue to pursue tall, lanky, unathletic shooters from 3-A type Midwest schools?
Fran: We like the players we have and will continue to get.
Reporter: Last question, Coach. A lot of fans are choosing not to show up and attendance at Carver continues to drop. One fan in particular, @curtisj157, has publicly stated he would rather staple his nutsack to a pit bull loaded up on PCP while filleting his Johnson with a dull butter knife than to continue to support such a mediocre basketball program. Curtisj has also compared your recruiting tactics to pilfering through the sales teams from J Crew and the Pottery Barn to fill your roster. What encouragement would you offer to those Iowa fans who are starting to believe Iowa basketball will continue to be mired in mediocrity as long as you’re the head coach?
Fran: I would say the problem is our fan base lacks a solid basketball IQ. Going 10-10 in our conference is tremendous. Some years we have done even better than that.
Reporter: Thank you, Coach.
Here’s how the questioning should go:
Reporter: Fran, you guys seemed to struggle defensively tonight. How would you characterize the effort?
Fran: Could be better.
Reporter: Defense continues to be an issue for your teams. Do you address defense in practice or the offseason?
Fran: Yes.
Reporter: Since defense continues to be god awful, and some might say nonexistent, what do you personally need to change? How you coach defense or is it an effort issue?
Fran: We have won a lot of games with my system.
Reporter: Are you saying you’re okay with terrible defense and poor effort on the defensive end from your players?
Fran: I’m saying we have had a lot of success doing what we do.
Reporter: And yet, you continue to do poorly in March and have never gotten out of the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. Wouldn’t you say defense is something that needs to improve drastically in order to have more success in March?
Fran: Perhaps you missed us winning the Big Ten tournament a couple years ago.
Reporter: That begs another question. When you had four future NBA draft picks on your roster, which included a NPOTY and future lottery pick, you seemed to struggle to meet expectations. Some might say defense was an issue. Others would say the Murray twins’ talents were wasted on the bench behind two of your sons who seemed to be prioritized over the team. How would you respond to that?
Fran: Those people don’t understand basketball and the value of a glue guy and floor general like Connor.
Reporter: And some people might argue you don’t understand the value of defense and athleticism and toughness. How would you rate those three aspects of basketball?
Fran: I don’t understand the question. Next.
Reporter: Moving forward, will you prioritize defensive effort and intensity in practice?
Fran: We work on it for a few minutes every day in practice.
Reporter: Would you say the issues Iowa continues to have with defense are—
Fran: Does anyone have any questions about anything other than defense?
Reporter: Yes, I would like to ask about Payton Sandfort. How would you assess his performance tonight?
Fran: Payton is a terrific player. We need him to keep shooting.
Reporter: Since Payton did struggle to shoot tonight, would you say he provided something on the defensive end of the court? If not, was there any thought of bringing someone off the bench to replace him and try to provide a spark?
Fran: No.
Reporter: Looking to the future, do you intend to take a different approach to recruiting in an effort to bring in more defensive-minded players?
Fran: We like the players we have.
Reporter: So, there will be no change in your approach to recruiting? You will continue to pursue tall, lanky, unathletic shooters from 3-A type Midwest schools?
Fran: We like the players we have and will continue to get.
Reporter: Last question, Coach. A lot of fans are choosing not to show up and attendance at Carver continues to drop. One fan in particular, @curtisj157, has publicly stated he would rather staple his nutsack to a pit bull loaded up on PCP while filleting his Johnson with a dull butter knife than to continue to support such a mediocre basketball program. Curtisj has also compared your recruiting tactics to pilfering through the sales teams from J Crew and the Pottery Barn to fill your roster. What encouragement would you offer to those Iowa fans who are starting to believe Iowa basketball will continue to be mired in mediocrity as long as you’re the head coach?
Fran: I would say the problem is our fan base lacks a solid basketball IQ. Going 10-10 in our conference is tremendous. Some years we have done even better than that.
Reporter: Thank you, Coach.
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Begs the question. Does the team watch game film? Wisconsin is no more athletic than us. It’s just poor communication, lack of anticipation, and crap effort.
Agreed, but it’s nice to hear outside our bubble…😉
This.
The Woodbury years were the best defensively under Fran. Pretty darned good his last 2 years
Regnar? You have a little too much time on your hands? Who the flip cares what Curtis Blow has to say or what he does with his nut sack? Other than you, I mean. Wow!!
Nice spelling.
This morning, yes.
I see it struck a nerve with you.
I have a juvenile sense of humor.
😊
Well, you know the system is pretty complicated to learn. Pretty much like another program we are familiar with! 😆
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