ADVERTISEMENT

Xavier Foster

I agree. And I'm really surprised by the level of patience fans have shown with Fran.

I honestly think Iowa could do better than Fran. He's been here a long time and we really haven't seen much of an uptick from when he first took Iowa to the tourney. Recruiting is still below average and I would be surprised if Iowa is a tourney team this year despite all the rave reviews from that thrilling exhibition win over Proper Name U.

I'm sure my opinion will rub some people the wrong way, but it is what it is: ten years of meh.

he’s far better than the last two coaches. Why are you so sure we could do better?
 
If Foster announces for Iowa, those ISU fans will be nowhere to be found. Or they will say Prohm wanted another recruit more.
I’d strongly consider making my first trip over to Cyclone Fanatic with some screenshots of the posts in this thread
 
I will say that I haven’t strongly cared if Iowa lands Foster or not (would prefer they did obviously), but the annoying ISU fans here will make it 10x sweeter if he somehow chooses the Hawks
I still believe he will pick Iowa. The next Iowa prep that picks ISU for basketball over an Iowa offer will be the first in like two decades. I will be pleasantly surprised if he picks ISU, but I expect him to be a Hawk
 
Very weird that some here think that X is going elsewhere but 247 still is 87% to Iowa.
Not sure why you would find that weird when almost every Crystal Ball is months, if not years old and many of the people that have made them have literally said they have no clue where he is going.
 
Not sure why you would find that weird when almost every Crystal Ball is months, if not years old and many of the people that have made them have literally said they have no clue where he is going.
Correct me if I am wrong, but don't they usually change the week before the kid commits?
 
Correct me if I am wrong, but don't they usually change the week before the kid commits?

You’re not wrong. Most flip a day or two before the announcement. I remember THT’s CBs flipped from Illinois to ISU mere hours before his announcement but that was a “Chicago” situation.

Not a single CB for st8 yet ‘everyone’ has known he’s going there for weeks?

Sorry, I gotta call BS.
 
Last edited:
he’s far better than the last two coaches. Why are you so sure we could do better?

The term "faint praise" comes to mind. Lick was an epic disaster. I think half the guys on this website could do better.

Despite being a complete tool, Alford actually had a better winning % than Fran. (something that many would be surprised to know). Fran won 2 more NCAA games, but neither made it past the round of 32. Alford won 2 B1G tourneys, Fran hasn't sniffed the Championship game. I despise Alford but Fran hasn't outperformed him significantly.

The best thing Fran had going for him, is that he followed Lick.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hexumhawk
And I also heard their 247 guy called Foster to ISU as well per his sources.
Unless I have missed it, I do not believe this to be true at all. Halsted has been very quiet on the subject and even if he hears who Foster is picking, I think he will not speak up out of respect and not stealing Xavier's moment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BBHawk
The term "faint praise" comes to mind. Lick was an epic disaster. I think half the guys on this website could do better.

Despite being a complete tool, Alford actually had a better winning % than Fran. (something that many would be surprised to know). Fran won 2 more NCAA games, but neither made it past the round of 32. Alford won 2 B1G tourneys, Fran hasn't sniffed the Championship game. I despise Alford but Fran hasn't outperformed him significantly.

The best thing Fran had going for him, is that he followed Lick.

Meh. Fran was far more consistent getting 20 wins. He inherited a dumpster fire. From year 3 on he's missed 20 wins only twice in the rebuild after losing Uthoff and White.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mohawkeye
The term "faint praise" comes to mind. Lick was an epic disaster. I think half the guys on this website could do better.

Despite being a complete tool, Alford actually had a better winning % than Fran. (something that many would be surprised to know). Fran won 2 more NCAA games, but neither made it past the round of 32. Alford won 2 B1G tourneys, Fran hasn't sniffed the Championship game. I despise Alford but Fran hasn't outperformed him significantly.

The best thing Fran had going for him, is that he followed Lick.
I actually enjoy watching McCaffery's teams. They are not always the best defensively but they are exciting offensively compared to most of what I have seen at Iowa.
 
Have to realize college football and basketball are about 5-6 elite programs. A few sneak in there now and then, but the rest are just trying to compete and be one of those teams that sneak in there. Reality.


Nah. For basketball there’s about 20 programs that historically dominate final four appearances (5 or more) and teams like Virginia, Arizona, Wisconsin and Villanova aren’t even among them...yet. Basketball is far, far, far more wide open than football.

The “we’re not elite” card is a poor argument for excusing Iowa’s irrelevance in the modern era. How many Big Ten teams have been to the final four since Iowa’s last trip? 7— Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State and Minnesota (plus Maryland as an ACC team). All of those teams except Minnesota have been there more than once since Lute did it.

A list of teams nationally that have been to the sweet 16 (lots multiple times) since Iowa’s last appearance would sober you. The list of teams that have made it just since Fran took over would sober you, and many of those teams aren’t even close to “elite”.

I think Fran has done a solid job at Iowa. Players develop and graduate. No one has to hold their nose while cheering for any of our players. Our teams are mostly competitive in the league and the staff is impeccably squeaky clean. There’s a heck of a lot to be proud of..... BUT zero sweet sixteen appearances in 9 seasons? Zero league titles (never close)? Zero conference tourney titles (never close)? Three tourney wins with an average seed of 9? ....Hardly terrible but .... no one outside of Iowa City is the least bit impressed by that body of work. Why should they be?

You don’t have to be a blue blood or “elite” to be nationally relevant. Ask Wisconsin (who is also squeaky clean and develops and graduates players and has been to the sweet sixteen SIX times since Fran took over at Iowa).

Fans will continue to make endless excuses for Fran not because his body of work is impressive but because they don’t want to risk another Likliter. And in the end, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Somebody has to finish in the middle of the pack every year. Better than the bottom.
 
Last edited:
The term "faint praise" comes to mind. Lick was an epic disaster. I think half the guys on this website could do better.

Despite being a complete tool, Alford actually had a better winning % than Fran. (something that many would be surprised to know). Fran won 2 more NCAA games, but neither made it past the round of 32. Alford won 2 B1G tourneys, Fran hasn't sniffed the Championship game. I despise Alford but Fran hasn't outperformed him significantly.

The best thing Fran had going for him, is that he followed Lick.
Fran has has some very easy schedules in the past to pad wins, that ended up working against him.
 
If you take out Fran's first year (he inherited a dumpster fire) he's .592, slightly better than Alford's .589. Fran's a better guy, for sure...we all know Alford's history. But not a dramatically better W/L %.

20 wins in B1G basketball is a lot like 7-5 or 8-4 in football. (It's not the NCAA tourney benchmark it was 20 years ago). You win all (or nearly all) of your non-cons and go roughly .500 in conference. Good...OK, but not great.
 
Good luck on Monday. I have no clue where the kid will go but I also think people are going too crazy about this. He's a really nice player but not a program changer. Enjoy the weekend. Tons of good football and even some state team basketball. Have a beer, kiss your wife and kids, and then have some more beer. It really isn't that big of deal.

Don't confuse this with me not wanting him at ISU. I would love it and will be extremely disappointed if he goes to Iowa. It's just gotten kind of old and been magnified more than it deserves.
 
If you take out Fran's first year (he inherited a dumpster fire) he's .592, slightly better than Alford's .589. Fran's a better guy, for sure...we all know Alford's history. But not a dramatically better W/L %.

20 wins in B1G basketball is a lot like 7-5 or 8-4 in football. (It's not the NCAA tourney benchmark it was 20 years ago). You win all (or nearly all) of your non-cons and go roughly .500 in conference. Good...OK, but not great.
First year? How generous.
 
Carry on. I know you will anyway.

averse to facts are we? The numbers are what they are, whether you or I like them or not. Fran is also one player away from a recruiting class in his 10th year where not one player...not one...has an offer from another P5 school.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Raptorpeeps
I don't get the animosity, that's all. You are basically a negative poster, I get that. You want to bitch about something? Go ahead. It's your choice.

Wrong. I love my Hawks and have been a hardcore fan for years...as loyal as you'll find. Proud of IOWA if so many ways. Thing is, I'm one of those weird people that expect performance ...especially from someone who's entering their 10th year. I know...pretty old school stuff, I'll admit. Please...ribbons for all and juice boxes.

The players are kids, amateur athletes.The coaches are highly paid professionals. The bar is higher for them. I'll take Fran over Alford any day...of course. But the numbers are what they are.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Raptorpeeps
If you take out Fran's first year (he inherited a dumpster fire) he's .592, slightly better than Alford's .589. Fran's a better guy, for sure...we all know Alford's history. But not a dramatically better W/L %.

Do you not remember the team that Alford inherited?

Rob Griffin
Jason Price
Joe Fermino
Jacob Jaacks
Dean Oliver
Duez Henderson
Ryan Luehrsmann
Rod Thompson
Kyle Galloway
Antonio Ramos
John Carl Williams
Marcelo Gomes
Jason Smith
 
  • Like
Reactions: iahawks10
The interweb is for one thing and one thing only. Arguing and being right. Maybe that’s two things. I’ll confer with Matt Roth.

Social media is for two things. Vanity.....and arguing.

be back in a second, I’m taking a selfie of my yoga pose at the gym....
 
Nah. For basketball there’s about 20 programs that historically dominate final four appearances (5 or more) and teams like Virginia, Arizona, Wisconsin and Villanova aren’t even among them...yet. Basketball is far, far, far more wide open than football.

The “we’re not elite” card is a poor argument for excusing Iowa’s irrelevance in the modern era. How many Big Ten teams have been to the final four since Iowa’s last trip? 7— Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State and Minnesota (plus Maryland as an ACC team). All of those teams except Minnesota have been there more than once since Lute did it.

A list of teams nationally that have been to the sweet 16 (lots multiple times) since Iowa’s last appearance would sober you. The list of teams that have made it just since Fran took over would sober you. Lots ain’t even close to “elite”.

I think Fran has done a solid job at Iowa. Players develop and graduate. No one has to hold their nose while cheering for our players. Our teams are mostly competitive in the league and the staff is impeccably squeaky clean. There’s a heck of a lot to be proud of..... BUT zero sweet sixteen appearances in 9 seasons? Zero league titles (never close)? Zero conference tourney titles (never close)? Three tourney wins with an average seed of 9? ....Hardly terrible but .... no one outside of Iowa City is the least bit impressed by that body of work. Why should they be?

You don’t have to be a blue blood or “elite” to be nationally relevant. Ask Wisconsin (who is also squeaky clean and develops and graduates players and has been to the sweet sixteen SIX times since Fran took over at Iowa).

Fans will continue to make endless excuses for Fran not because his body of work is impressive but because they don’t want to risk another Likliter. And in the end, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Somebody has to finish in the middle of the pack every year. Better than the bottom.

Agree with all of this and have been saying the same things for the last couple of years. Fran is great if you are content with 17-22 wins each year and being a 9 seed of missing the tourney all together. I give him great credit for bring us back to some relevance after Lick but it is obvious we aren't going to be sniffing a BIG10 title anytime soon. CBB is all about recruiting and he has proven to be average at best at that.
 
Do you not remember the team that Alford inherited?

Rob Griffin
Jason Price
Joe Fermino
Jacob Jaacks
Dean Oliver
Duez Henderson
Ryan Luehrsmann
Rod Thompson
Kyle Galloway
Antonio Ramos
John Carl Williams
Marcelo Gomes
Jason Smith

Some pretty good players on the roster. I'd forgotten some of them.
 
Do you not remember the team that Alford inherited?

Rob Griffin
Jason Price
Joe Fermino
Jacob Jaacks
Dean Oliver
Duez Henderson
Ryan Luehrsmann
Rod Thompson
Kyle Galloway
Antonio Ramos
John Carl Williams
Marcelo Gomes
Jason Smith
If you are talking to me, I do. Alford "inherited" Jason Price, Jacob Jaacks, Dean Oliver, Duez Henderson, Ryan Luehrsmann, Rod Thompson, and Kyle Galloway. The other 2 were Alford's own.the last 4 did not play for him in the 1999-2000 season.

I also know that the fan base was energized and that Carver was not the tomb it became after the Pierre Pierce fiasco and Lickliter experiment. TD built Iowa to a better destination and had the fan base solid. Alford and Lickliter destroyed that. At least McC has started to get butts back in the seats.

I would also bet that most of those who complain on here do not attend the games.
 
Nobody is displeased with the current commits. They all have upside. They also are projects.

We need some recruits that are more sure things.

Had Iowa landed a top 100 recruit, it's easier to justify 4 other projects.

We've had lower ranked project classes before. 2015 is a good example. 6 commits and none in the top 200. Everybody hyped up Hutton and Fleming. Only Moss did anything of value. That class was largely to blame for missing the tournament 2 years in a row. I hope this isn't deja vu.

I'd agree and also say the class prior with Uhl, Ellingson and Dickerson and combine those 2 back to back classes were brutal that Fran had. Luckily he rebounded with a great class with Cook and JBo but made for 2 down years and one straight up awful season 2 years ago. You can miss kind of on one but not back to back recruiting classes. Odd thing is one guy who panned out and best of those 2 was a walk on Baer and I'd throw in moss for 3 years. Funny thing about that class all 5 are 5th year seniors now. Just none of them at Iowa.

Hutton- NW St.
Williams- Indiana St.
Fleming- Lipscomb
Moss- Kansas
Wagner- Kentucky Football
 
Good luck on Monday. I have no clue where the kid will go but I also think people are going too crazy about this. He's a really nice player but not a program changer. Enjoy the weekend. Tons of good football and even some state team basketball. Have a beer, kiss your wife and kids, and then have some more beer. It really isn't that big of deal.

Don't confuse this with me not wanting him at ISU. I would love it and will be extremely disappointed if he goes to Iowa. It's just gotten kind of old and been magnified more than it deserves.
Why do you talk so much sh** on CF about Iowa, then come here and try to act innocent and civil?
 
I'd agree and also say the class prior with Uhl, Ellingson and Dickerson and combine those 2 back to back classes were brutal that Fran had. Luckily he rebounded with a great class with Cook and JBo but made for 2 down years and one straight up awful season 2 years ago. You can miss kind of on one but not back to back recruiting classes. Odd thing is one guy who panned out and best of those 2 was a walk on Baer and I'd throw in moss for 3 years. Funny thing about that class all 5 are 5th year seniors now. Just none of them at Iowa.

Hutton- NW St.
Williams- Indiana St.
Fleming- Lipscomb
Moss- Kansas
Wagner- Kentucky Football
I think in order to have a good program, you need two good players pan out for each class. This class, despite being large, still had Baer and Moss who were good players. If you don't get two good players, I think that's when you need to go look for a transfer or two.
 
It's Chris Williams, he thinks he's cool because he drinks Busch Light, and gave enough handy's to Keith Murphy and Andy Fales to finally fit in their group.

And has ISU beating OU tomorrow night after saying last week that he thinks ISU finishes the season 3-1 and assumes the loss will be in Norman.

Seriously, is there a bigger homer that "covers" ISU or Iowa than that guy?

He has had them winning every game this year in his preview columns. Its like he cant think rationally when its time to make his picks the week of the game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: iahawkeyes17
Good luck on Monday. I have no clue where the kid will go but I also think people are going too crazy about this. He's a really nice player but not a program changer. Enjoy the weekend. Tons of good football and even some state team basketball. Have a beer, kiss your wife and kids, and then have some more beer. It really isn't that big of deal.

Don't confuse this with me not wanting him at ISU. I would love it and will be extremely disappointed if he goes to Iowa. It's just gotten kind of old and been magnified more than it deserves.
This. All this. Thank you.
 
If you are talking to me, I do. Alford "inherited" Jason Price, Jacob Jaacks, Dean Oliver, Duez Henderson, Ryan Luehrsmann, Rod Thompson, and Kyle Galloway. The other 2 were Alford's own.the last 4 did not play for him in the 1999-2000 season.

I also know that the fan base was energized and that Carver was not the tomb it became after the Pierre Pierce fiasco and Lickliter experiment. TD built Iowa to a better destination and had the fan base solid. Alford and Lickliter destroyed that. At least McC has started to get butts back in the seats.

I would also bet that most of those who complain on here do not attend the games.

So he was left with 7 scholarship players, one that was an all conference type player (Oliver).

This says those 4 played that season and 3 out of the 4 played more than 10 games:

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/iowa/2000.html
 
If you are talking to me, I do. Alford "inherited" Jason Price, Jacob Jaacks, Dean Oliver, Duez Henderson, Ryan Luehrsmann, Rod Thompson, and Kyle Galloway. The other 2 were Alford's own.the last 4 did not play for him in the 1999-2000 season.

I also know that the fan base was energized and that Carver was not the tomb it became after the Pierre Pierce fiasco and Lickliter experiment. TD built Iowa to a better destination and had the fan base solid. Alford and Lickliter destroyed that. At least McC has started to get butts back in the seats.

I would also bet that most of those who complain on here do not attend the games.[/QUOTE]

s

Well, that's pretty obvious...just playing the odds. I do make the 600 mile round trip for many of the football games. I take in a BB game when when I'm in Eastern Iowa on biz or visiting relatives and the opportunity is there. I watch most of the games on the tube.

Don't misunderstand BB, I'm not ripping Fran. Just sharing the facts (I'm kind of a numbers guy). We can talk interpretation all day...but the numbers are what they are...and like it or not, this year's recruiting class, at least on paper, is less than impressive compared to our rivals.
 
20 wins in B1G basketball is a lot like 7-5 or 8-4 in football. (It's not the NCAA tourney benchmark it was 20 years ago). You win all (or nearly all) of your non-cons and go roughly .500 in conference. Good...OK, but not great.

Sooo he's basically Kirk ferentz without the outlier season every 6 years?
 
  • Like
Reactions: HawkIDrummer
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT