What Is Wrong With Fran McCaffery?

[cmhawks99]

You’re kind of proving my point. 80s were probably the best decade for Iowa basketball.

Fans picked the arena when Iowa basketball was fantastic but they don’t care when the team is only decent.

That, by definition, is FAIR WEATHER FANDOM

They literally don’t get it. I know some of them think they could do a better job and they’re too damn stupid to understand they’d be Fran McCaffrey and we’d still be here talking shit about them…

That right there is hypocritical and what I hate about this message board.

Disingenuous, shortsighted, bullshit!!! I would love to hear them get screamed at about their job performance day after day after day

 

[JLDHAWK]

Maybe you wait until the transfer season is over before jumping off the cliff?

OP is telling a true story.

 

[uihawk82]

Lastly I’ll say this - I agree there is apathy in the fanbase and it probably won’t ever go away until fran is gone. But another way to say that is: we have fair weather basketball fans.

I guess my point is that I wish fans would accept the fact that - while Fran isn’t a GREAT coach - the fanbase has not been GREAT either

The fans want an exciting, very good team on both ends of the court. Great blocks, glass cleaners, and shutdown defense is exciting.

And Fans want a friggin regular season BBall title with a great team. Fran is totally zero in his time at Iowa in having a great Pt Guard, period, which is his main problem

 

[Tom Paris]

If he thinks like you, I can assure you he’s not.

You have exactly one point of view to ever share, Chad, and that is your simple-minded assertion that every mention of a coaching change is just fickle, brainless whims from fans who don’t get it. That is literally all you ever talk about, and yet you have the audacity to accuse others of being arrogant.

On top of that, you love to erroneously conflate Fran McCaffrey’s tenure to other coaching situations, as if fan unrest with Fran McCaffrey is even remotely comparable to a few disgruntled idiots who have voiced having a bone to pick with (i.e.) Matt Painter at Purdue. Completely absurd, illogical horse shit like that is one of many examples of why you are not to be taken seriously.

If I’m an AD, and I know I am more patient with coaches than most fans, you don’t make a sweet 16 in a decade, I’m moving on from you.

 

[QuadCityHawkeye1976]

He has no $$ to work with. It's well documented that Iowa NIL fund for basketball pails in comparison to schools like ISU.

Transfer portal is free agency. It's 90% about money for these players. You can't pin this squarely on Fran.

This. Iowa is screwed in hoops for NIL.

 

[kwik44]

I feel like both Fran & Kirk just accept what they are without any drive to win the big one, or to at least be apart of the conversation at years end.

Kirk, I can stomach more, but Fran needs to hit the road IMO.

 

[Hawky42]

We've been in the round of 32.. 5 times since 1999 and no sweet 16 since then.
what top player wants to go to that program

 

[RagnarLothbrok]

If I’m an AD, and I know I am more patient with coaches than most fans, you don’t make a sweet 16 in a decade, I’m moving on from you.

Fran has been here longer than Dr. Tom.

The program is stale. Patrick is moving on and Jack ain’t coming to Iowa. This would be the perfect time for Fran and Iowa to part ways.

 

[shrinkhawk]

Agree...except I'm _almost anticipating (or fearing) an Ogundele-esque Patrick 'I'm back' post in about a month.

 

[Sett1997]

Maybe you wait until the transfer season is over before jumping off the cliff?

I think everyone has waited long enough on Fran.🙄

 

[DirtyJohns97]

No Sweet 16's . I really have nothing else to say.

We were just in A sweet 16 this year ya idiot

 

[Jimmy McGill]

We were just in A sweet 16 this year ya idiot

ughhhhh......no we were not

 

[Sett1997]

ughhhhh......no we were not

Sweet 16 of the NIT WIT Classic.

 

[onlyTheObvious]

Fran wasn’t doing anything before NIL.

You have to build excitement for NIL to roll in.

 

[sm_hawkeye]

Was Fran at the final four? If not, then I have the same question!!

 

[Garzatough85]

Yeah, that was the fan base that chased off Tom Davis😃 I vaguely remember an apathetic fan based then too. For the most part, I think our fans have got what they had coming….🤷‍♂️

Well, the word was Dr. Tom was a good coach but not so good recruiter. Lazy in fact.
Again, sadly the replacement seemed Interesting with Alford. I can’t really fault the AD on that hire as it looked like a winner. Hindsight is 20/20. We can’t have it both ways; either we’re a cute little program and coaches stay forever unless they really do harm or we are allowed to chase the higher rung and the risks involved there. The argument here appears to be in favor of the chase. My ask is the AD has to have the plan and connections to fulfill what’s needed to make those hires or it will definitely go badly more often than not.

 

[mro1978]

He just cannot recruit! Every day I see new developing about this guy transferring to Iowa State, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Creighton and on and on. Never Iowa! What is wrong? Is Beth Goetz not taking note? Are we that undesirable to these kids? Iowa just appears as a non player any longer. If that is so Fran needs to be replaced with an aggressive, defensive-minded coach that appeals to these top players.

If you can't get a recruiting bump after 2 national players of the year (should have been 3, luca was robbed jr. year) there is no hope

 

[goodbyebobby]

Granted, Alford was a tool and his Pierre Pierce backing was the straw that broke him and Iowa BBall. Barta was so dumb he didn’t even understand it was Brad Stevens not Lick that stirred the Butler drink! Barta should have been canned for that stupidity alone! Fran’s takeover was as good as we could expect but once again, Barta’s lack of apparent connections in the coaching world led him to contract extensions for Fran versus a proper upgrade after the first renewal. Leadership for Iowa in AD office has been lacking since Elliott left.

Nobody knew Stevens until he took over at Butler and no question the AD office has been lacking since Bump left.

 

[goodbyebobby]

Did you understand it was Brad Stevens? This is the perfect example of what I’m talking about.

Did you? He was working at Eli Lilly not that many years prior IIRC.

 

[cmhawks99]

Did you? He was working at Eli Lilly not that many years prior IIRC.

Nope

 

[JasonTAlexanderJR]

Oh we have a men’s basketball team?

 

[TailgateTom]

I’m old enough to remember when this board melted down after we signed the Murray twins.

Yeah I remember the fanfare when we got Mulvey and Seth Bonifas’ commitment.

 

[TailgateTom]

I understand your point, but you are wrong about a few things.

1. Iowa is not a “cushy” job. Objectively: Fran is the 11th paid coach in the B10 (3rd lowest). And your point about Barta contracts is irrelevant, he isn’t here anymore. Salary is not great, facilities are not great, fan support is not great.

2. Not all fans get to choose where their funds go to. You have to pay over a certain threshold to get a say.

Lastly I’ll say this - I agree there is apathy in the fanbase and it probably won’t ever go away until fran is gone. But another way to say that is: we have fair weather basketball fans.

I guess my point is that I wish fans would accept the fact that - while Fran isn’t a GREAT coach - the fanbase has not been GREAT either

Fans seem okay for the women, football and the wrestling team. I wonder why it’s just men’s basketball?!?

 

[RagnarLothbrok]

We were just in A sweet 16 this year ya idiot

 

[TailgateTom]

TBF he was talking about being in the new B10.

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

TBF he was talking about being in the new B10.

I think he was referring to the NIT...we made their S16 because it's starts with only 32

FTR, the B1G has never had 16 members.

10, 11, 12, 14, 18

 

[IllQChawk]

Doesn’t care about defense.

That fact cost him any momentum he had when NBA talent dotted his roster.

At this point he is walking the green mile into retirement and the only question is when.

It’s over. He peaked. Zero chance the program captures the hearts or attention of the fans from this point forward.

For all of you that says there done with this team, you're going to miss a pretty exciting team next year! Too bad for you....

 

[im4hawks50595]

We've been in the round of 32.. 5 times since 1999 and no sweet 16 since then.
what top player wants to go to that program

Dont need top players but when a coach refuses to change and upgrade the defense via better athletes or differnt assiastant coaches time to go.

 

[TailgateTom]

I think he was referring to the NIT...we made their S16 because it's starts with only 32

FTR, the B1G has never had 16 members.

10, 11, 12, 14, 18

I know I was being a jackss 😂

 

[intrepodor]

Fran has been here longer than Dr. Tom.

The program is stale. Patrick is moving on and Jack ain’t coming to Iowa. This would be the perfect time for Fran and Iowa to part ways.

At least if Fran left we could have some hope that things would change. Right now we dont.

 

[BlameIt]

Can’t wait until Fran PAYS FOR another 6’7-6’10 pillow soft wing to really energize the fan base!!!

Fify

 

[Earvin32]

Eric Henderson - St Dakota St. Iowa ties.

 

[Rocket_Fran]

If I’m an AD, and I know I am more patient with coaches than most fans, you don’t make a sweet 16 in a decade, I’m moving on from you.

Timing is everything. That ship sailed with Barta at the last extension. Beth needs time. Transition to new BIG. Lots of old coaches. Most tumultuous period of college athletics in 50 years. If you want to see what it looks like when you set someone up for failure as a new AD, imagine that. Some people need to stop ignoring the 30,000 foot view. (not necessarily you TP).

Iowa doesn't have the money nor the population to whimsically fire a coach cause one semi-hot hire would be available. They can't afford it and have to play the long game which is one gigantic reason they punch above their weight so consistently. In 1-2 years college athletics' future should be more tangible so the administration can make a more informed decision.

 

[NLhawk62]

Timing is everything. That ship sailed with Barta at the last extension. Beth needs time. Transition to new BIG. Lots of old coaches. Most tumultuous period of college athletics in 50 years. If you want to see what it looks like when you set someone up for failure as a new AD, imagine that. Some people need to stop ignoring the 30,000 foot view. (not necessarily you TP).

Iowa doesn't have the money nor the population to whimsically fire a coach cause one semi-hot hire would be available. They can't afford it and have to play the long game which is one gigantic reason they punch above their weight so consistently. In 1-2 years college athletics' future should be more tangible so the administration can make a more informed decision.

These bolded statements couldn’t be any further from the truth. Fran’s buyout is just over 5 million dollars? That’s peanuts in the Big Ten Conference and for any Big Ten school going forward.

What Iowa can’t afford is to only average 7,000 fans or less a game going forward. It’s an embarrassment, but fans aren’t stupid and know Frans at the end of the road. It’s beyond time to cut ties and go in a different direction.

 

[Rustys Dad]

He just cannot recruit! Every day I see new developing about this guy transferring to Iowa State, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Creighton and on and on. Never Iowa! What is wrong? Is Beth Goetz not taking note? Are we that undesirable to these kids? Iowa just appears as a non player any longer. If that is so Fran needs to be replaced with an aggressive, defensive-minded coach that appeals to these top players.

What’s wrong - is he is still our coach. Beth needs to end the misery now. Fan apathy was bad last year - wait until next year … Bite the bullet BG - reboot the program … will only get worse.

 

[cannibal in the woods]

I’ve also heard Fran is against paying transfers any sort of real money because he doesn’t want a transfer to get more than any player already on the team. Whether that’s true or not, I don’t know.

I also wonder if there would be a greater investment in basketball from the fans who actually write the checks if they had any faith in Fran whatsoever. I know his two kids are now gone, but why would anyone want to pay for the next potential Keegan Murray to sit on the bench behind a McCaffrey?

...NOT!!!