I had the sound down on my TV when I 1st "saw" the announcement come across the screen... NO JOKE! ...I seriously thought the Hawks hired Marty Tirrell. He looks just like him!
Fran Mccaffrey
- Thread starter Mumbai1986
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My opinion (for the two cents it's worth)-
This may end up being a good hire - but considering he's replacing Lickliter, and Barta was seeking a splash hire, Iowa fans, at least for the time being, have to be disappointed with it. The question is whether he'll get the amount of time he needs in order to change the culture that has become Iowa basketball (I question the notion that you can change an entire culture within the 3 years that some claim).
This may end up being a good hire - but considering he's replacing Lickliter, and Barta was seeking a splash hire, Iowa fans, at least for the time being, have to be disappointed with it. The question is whether he'll get the amount of time he needs in order to change the culture that has become Iowa basketball (I question the notion that you can change an entire culture within the 3 years that some claim).
So your telling me they did not get
Bruce Pearl
Steve Lavin
Kevin Stallings
President Obama or anyone else and they got Fran but not Fran freshilla? Weird. The way Hawk fans were talking I was just assuming Bruce Pearl was a done deal.
Bruce Pearl
Steve Lavin
Kevin Stallings
President Obama or anyone else and they got Fran but not Fran freshilla? Weird. The way Hawk fans were talking I was just assuming Bruce Pearl was a done deal.
I had no idea about this guy but it seems like he could work out. He does have a better style of play and the other important thing is he has turned around programs and taken them to the NCAA. Three different teams to be exact and he has ties to recruiting on the east coast. I think that Lick was the beneficiary of a system. He wasn't the guy to turn the program around. I think you can see that with how Butler continues to get better after he left. He was just a cog in the machine where as this guy has taken a program and rebuilt it. But... he still has to prove he can do it in the big 10.
I agree with this and that is the biggest difference between Lick and McCaffrey. Lick had a total of 6 years as a head coach before coming to Iowa and all at 1 school and he didn't have to rebuild the program, he just had to keep it moving along like it continues today. McCaffrey on the other hand has been at 3 different schools (4 now including Iowa) and has had to do a rebuilding job at everyone.
That was the biggest problem for Lick IMO, he had no idea what he was walking into and didn't understand how to rebuild a team. He just thought he could do things the "Butler Way" and it would all work out and that wasn't the case at all.
S
st8
Guest
I hear this as the major positive with the hire. although there is a mjor difference in turning around UNC-something and sienna vs. turning around a school in a high major conference. next question is player retention. almost all of the guys on the team currently are lick recruits brought in to play that boring slow-*** offense. there will most likely be some turnover in players, some lost recruits, and most likely another year of bad basketball before anything outside of what has been seen for the last 3 years starts to happen. This isn't really what Iowa needs at this point. They need butts in the seats, positive exposure to lure good recruits, and people buzzing about the program. A rebuilding process that's gonna take a few years probably isn't the way to do that.
Question: Mccaffrey has been around for a while and it is obvious that he has turned some low/mid major schools around. but why hasn't he gotten a look from anybody until now? Iowa just tripled the money he was making, have they found a diamond in the rough, or is there a reason the guy hasn't climbed up the coaching ladder any sooner?
IMO - two years from now we're talking about firing barta with this hire being the major contributing factor
- Mar 27, 2006
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Actually, I don't think there's going to be that much player turnover. If you read HN, it sounds like most of this year's recruiting class has already announced they are on board, and it's not likely that they'll lose many current players, simply because they were some of Lick's biggest detractors. (if you believe the reports) A new coach is exactly what they wanted.
This was a very good hire for the Hawks. It's not the splash that many fans were hoping for, but once the initial disappointment wears off, the fanbase is going to be pretty happy.
Could be a good hire, could not be. Fran knows how to beat smart kids and the catholic schools how that translates into BIG 10 basketball I havent the slightest. MAAC to BIG 10 is much bigger than Butler to Iowa.
- Mar 27, 2006
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good point. Time will tell. What I'm saying is that this is the type of guy they should have gone after 3 years ago. He's got some of the same personal qualities that Lick did which make him a "safe" hire (much desired after Alford) but he plays a much more exciting brand of basketball. In many ways, Iowa is basically calling a do-over. Only this time, the cupboard is not as bare.
With Iowa just hiring a new coach, ISU "should" have the upper hand if GMac was even half as good as I thought he'd be. Problem is... GMac has been a HUGE disappointment.
So... I would be willing to bet right now that Iowa will beat ISU next year at CHA, and that Iowa will have more wins next year than ISU will.
Let's face it, they bring back a lot more talent than we do, and a better recruiting class coming in than we do.
I'd like to be more optimistic, but I'm not feeling right now at all.
So... I would be willing to bet right now that Iowa will beat ISU next year at CHA, and that Iowa will have more wins next year than ISU will.
Let's face it, they bring back a lot more talent than we do, and a better recruiting class coming in than we do.
I'd like to be more optimistic, but I'm not feeling right now at all.
I'm getting a laugh about what I'm reading on this guys personality and especially his wife. Sounds like they're not afraid to let the ref's know what they're thinking. I believe somewhere I read his wife has been ejected from games for being a little too "vocal".
If nothing else it will add a little more spice to the game time experience. We haven't really had a pair like that in this state since Johnny Orr was coaching.
If nothing else it will add a little more spice to the game time experience. We haven't really had a pair like that in this state since Johnny Orr was coaching.