Iowa is a small state. I think the population is around three million. But small or not, Iowans enjoy basketball. Tonight, many Iowans’ eyes and some others (on the Big Ten Network) will watch Iowa host Iowa State in the big rivalry game.
The Iowa State-Iowa games are friendly rivalries. Sure, there is some trash talk going back-and-forth, but nobody sets fires to the other team’s cars.
The 2012 men’s basketball portion should offer a competitive game. Both have two losses each. All the losses have come against quality opponents. Nearly all of the two team’s victories have come again non-quality opponents so it’s difficult to measure the real strengths and weaknesses of each team.
This game should be a type of measuring stick particularly for the road team—Iowa State. The Cyclones are looking for their third straight win against Iowa and maybe a resume builder for the NCAA tournament.
Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffrey has awoken Hawkeye fans from their basketball slumber. McCaffrey has brought an up tempo style back to Iowa City and some solid recruits. He’s building a program and the Iowa faithful would enjoy earning a NCAA bid this year after going to the NIT last season.
With Fred Hoiberg at the Iowa State helm and McCaffrey at Iowa, this rivalry should be in good shape for a number of years.
Showing posts with label Fran McCaffery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fran McCaffery. Show all posts
Friday, December 7, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Iowa's Love Affair with Basketball Coach Fran McCaffery
Iowa desperately wants a winner in men’s basketball. That’s really the only logical reason the Hawkeye faithful are in love with Coach Fran McCaffery at this point in his Iowa career.
Iowa announced a contact extension for the coach yesterday. McCaffery received seven years and could earn $1.86 million per season if he takes the Hawkeyes to the NCAA tournament. Regardless of the NCAA outcome, he will receive an overall raise.
Now, if you were out of Iowa and the country and returned to read the above paragraph, you would think McCaffery had turned the program into a sleeping giant. But the answer is really “no.”
Iowa and McCaffery are still selling hope. In McCaffrey’s first season, Iowa finished 11-20. Last year, the Hawkeyes earned a NIT bid and ended the year at 18-17. That’s a two-year total of 29-37. Not exactly sleeping giant material.
As I mentioned in this blog before, I was surprised when Iowa fans celebrated their team’s NIT bid and was buying the hope. That tells you how low the Iowa basketball program has been in recent years. The Hawkeyes haven’t been to the Big Dance (NCAA Tournament) since 2006.
McCaffery may go on to record great results at Iowa. But selling hope will only last so long. It must show up in the victory column where the true standard is measured.
Iowa announced a contact extension for the coach yesterday. McCaffery received seven years and could earn $1.86 million per season if he takes the Hawkeyes to the NCAA tournament. Regardless of the NCAA outcome, he will receive an overall raise.
Now, if you were out of Iowa and the country and returned to read the above paragraph, you would think McCaffery had turned the program into a sleeping giant. But the answer is really “no.”
Iowa and McCaffery are still selling hope. In McCaffrey’s first season, Iowa finished 11-20. Last year, the Hawkeyes earned a NIT bid and ended the year at 18-17. That’s a two-year total of 29-37. Not exactly sleeping giant material.
As I mentioned in this blog before, I was surprised when Iowa fans celebrated their team’s NIT bid and was buying the hope. That tells you how low the Iowa basketball program has been in recent years. The Hawkeyes haven’t been to the Big Dance (NCAA Tournament) since 2006.
McCaffery may go on to record great results at Iowa. But selling hope will only last so long. It must show up in the victory column where the true standard is measured.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Iowa's Fran McCaffery and the Chair
YouTube has been abuzz this week over Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery’s chair incident.
McCaffery picked up a chair forcefully during a timeout in the Michigan State game Tuesday night. The fiery coach had picked up a technical foul and was apparently still plenty angry. At least, no one was in the chair when McCaffery decided to take out his frustrations. That would have been really interesting.
Obviously, McCaffery has downplayed the incident. He said he was fighting for his team and that he won’t change his style. The coach does elevate his blood pressure at times (see his face), but he isn’t quite in Bobby Knight’s class just yet. Knight threw a chair completely across the floor.
McCaffery needs to select his temper outburst better however. Iowa was down by about 40 points the other night when Fran went off. It’s tough to buy that ‘fighting for my team’ argument when you should accept getting blown out and move on.
McCaffery is still under grace with the administration and fans but he better be careful. Wins overcame many faults. But if he doesn’t produce the wins, look out Fran. This anger act will grow tired real quickly.
McCaffery picked up a chair forcefully during a timeout in the Michigan State game Tuesday night. The fiery coach had picked up a technical foul and was apparently still plenty angry. At least, no one was in the chair when McCaffery decided to take out his frustrations. That would have been really interesting.
Obviously, McCaffery has downplayed the incident. He said he was fighting for his team and that he won’t change his style. The coach does elevate his blood pressure at times (see his face), but he isn’t quite in Bobby Knight’s class just yet. Knight threw a chair completely across the floor.
McCaffery needs to select his temper outburst better however. Iowa was down by about 40 points the other night when Fran went off. It’s tough to buy that ‘fighting for my team’ argument when you should accept getting blown out and move on.
McCaffery is still under grace with the administration and fans but he better be careful. Wins overcame many faults. But if he doesn’t produce the wins, look out Fran. This anger act will grow tired real quickly.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Are You Ready for College Basketball?
Ready or not, the college basketball season is upon us. Teams are conducting media days this week and then on Friday practice official begins. Many schools take advantage of the first day of practice and hold Midnight Madness events.
I have always considered basketball a cold weather sport. I still don’t understand how people in places like California, Texas or Florida can truly watch basketball while they decide what color shorts and tee-shirts to wear to the arena. We folks here in the Midwest usually wear a heavy winter coat and look forward to escaping into the warm basketball cave.
But it might even take us Midwesterners a while to get into the basketball spirit this season. At least here in Iowa, the fall weather has been wonderful.
I have read a little on the upcoming season but not much. Here in Iowa, I think people will be watching Iowa State closely. Coach Fred Hoiberg had a bunch of quality transfers sit out last season and it will be interesting to see how they perform in actual competition. Royce White, the Minnesota transfer, is the head of that class. With some good breaks, the Cyclones could become the best team in Iowa this year.
Northern Iowa, or UNI as it is called here, should be competitive again. The Panthers have been the best Division I team in the state for the past few years.
Iowa should be improved under second-year coach Fran McCaffery. The Hawks have some experience and talent returning from a team that didn’t even post a .500 record last season.
What college team are you following this season?
I have always considered basketball a cold weather sport. I still don’t understand how people in places like California, Texas or Florida can truly watch basketball while they decide what color shorts and tee-shirts to wear to the arena. We folks here in the Midwest usually wear a heavy winter coat and look forward to escaping into the warm basketball cave.
But it might even take us Midwesterners a while to get into the basketball spirit this season. At least here in Iowa, the fall weather has been wonderful.
I have read a little on the upcoming season but not much. Here in Iowa, I think people will be watching Iowa State closely. Coach Fred Hoiberg had a bunch of quality transfers sit out last season and it will be interesting to see how they perform in actual competition. Royce White, the Minnesota transfer, is the head of that class. With some good breaks, the Cyclones could become the best team in Iowa this year.
Northern Iowa, or UNI as it is called here, should be competitive again. The Panthers have been the best Division I team in the state for the past few years.
Iowa should be improved under second-year coach Fran McCaffery. The Hawks have some experience and talent returning from a team that didn’t even post a .500 record last season.
What college team are you following this season?
Friday, September 16, 2011
North Carolina's Roy Williams Left at the Altar
It isn’t often that North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams finishes second in anything. But this week it happened.
Williams was trying to land another top-notch Iowa high school player in Sioux City East’s Adam Woodbury. The 7-foot center was drawing interest from many suitors. Williams has had plenty of success in ‘stealing’ stellar Iowa players from the likes of Iowa State and Iowa. I figure o’Roy has plenty of possibilities on the east coast and doesn’t need to venture into little Iowa.
Well, Woodbury announced this week he will play basketball for coach Fran McCaffery at Iowa. Reportedly, Williams was in Woodbury’s home earlier this week. The sales pitch wasn’t enough.
Williams and North Carolina will be fine. The rich will land somebody else. Hopefully, this is the beginning of locked doors at the Iowa borders for out-of-state coaches who want to randomly come in and take the best Iowa high school basketball players.
Now, it’s time for Iowa State to land an elite Iowa player that spurns the big boys. That would also convince players that Iowa is a destination place not a departure place.
Williams was trying to land another top-notch Iowa high school player in Sioux City East’s Adam Woodbury. The 7-foot center was drawing interest from many suitors. Williams has had plenty of success in ‘stealing’ stellar Iowa players from the likes of Iowa State and Iowa. I figure o’Roy has plenty of possibilities on the east coast and doesn’t need to venture into little Iowa.
Well, Woodbury announced this week he will play basketball for coach Fran McCaffery at Iowa. Reportedly, Williams was in Woodbury’s home earlier this week. The sales pitch wasn’t enough.
Williams and North Carolina will be fine. The rich will land somebody else. Hopefully, this is the beginning of locked doors at the Iowa borders for out-of-state coaches who want to randomly come in and take the best Iowa high school basketball players.
Now, it’s time for Iowa State to land an elite Iowa player that spurns the big boys. That would also convince players that Iowa is a destination place not a departure place.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Anthony Hubbard Situation Appears Strange
Word out of Iowa City, Iowa yesterday that former junior college player Anthony Hubbard has left the Iowa basketball team to pursue opportunities closer to home on the surface is not really strange. Players transfer frequently and often want to play closer to family and friends.
But Hubbard is a special case. Iowa gave the 26-year-old a scholarship earlier in the year after much scrutiny and controversy. Hubbard spent nearly four years in prison for armed robbery.
He was playing in a summer league near Iowa City and apparently doing well. He apparently enjoyed the Iowa program. Then poof: he’s gone without ever playing a game for the Hawkeyes.
Did Hubbard really suffer from homesickness and want to return to the East (he grew up in Virginia and played junior college basketball in Maryland) or was there another reason? Why did Iowa release him from his scholarship and allow him to transfer to any other school in the country? Often, programs won’t allow players to transfer to a different conference school and/or an opponent on the team’s schedule.
One sports talk show guy speculated that Hubbard broke a rule. The University of Iowa has been obviously tight lipped about the situation and comments reported are of the usual public relations variety.
People may never really know what happened in Hubbard’s case (if it wasn’t homesickness), but in this Internet age you can be sure someone or some people are trying to uncover further information.
Stay tuned.
But Hubbard is a special case. Iowa gave the 26-year-old a scholarship earlier in the year after much scrutiny and controversy. Hubbard spent nearly four years in prison for armed robbery.
He was playing in a summer league near Iowa City and apparently doing well. He apparently enjoyed the Iowa program. Then poof: he’s gone without ever playing a game for the Hawkeyes.
Did Hubbard really suffer from homesickness and want to return to the East (he grew up in Virginia and played junior college basketball in Maryland) or was there another reason? Why did Iowa release him from his scholarship and allow him to transfer to any other school in the country? Often, programs won’t allow players to transfer to a different conference school and/or an opponent on the team’s schedule.
One sports talk show guy speculated that Hubbard broke a rule. The University of Iowa has been obviously tight lipped about the situation and comments reported are of the usual public relations variety.
People may never really know what happened in Hubbard’s case (if it wasn’t homesickness), but in this Internet age you can be sure someone or some people are trying to uncover further information.
Stay tuned.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Iowa Basketball Creates Stir
Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery signed a junior college player over the weekend and the whole state of Iowa is buzzing about it.
But this isn’t your usual buzz. The talk centers on the player’s personal life rather than his basketball skills.
McCaffery inked Anthony Hubbard a 26-year-old who served prison time in his younger years for armed robbery.
As you can imagine, the reaction has ranged from why Iowa is doing this to give the guy a second chance.
McCaffery said he has thoroughly checked out Hubbard and he comes to Iowa City with high personal marks.
In my mind, this is a curious addition. I wonder if behind closed doors, Iowa athletic director Gary Barta is wondering the same thing. Iowa’s other major sport—football—has been rocked with players in trouble with the law. You would think the athletic department would run from controversy not invite it.
But I guess we will have to give McCaffery the benefit of the doubt. He ran a clean program in year one at Iowa but this should tighten the microscope a bit.
On the court, Hubbard is an undeveloped player. He has played only two seasons of organized basketball all on the junior college level. He averaged over 20 points per game last season for a Maryland junior college.
McCaffery wanted people to start taking interest in Iowa basketball again. This move has definitely accomplished that objective.
But this isn’t your usual buzz. The talk centers on the player’s personal life rather than his basketball skills.
McCaffery inked Anthony Hubbard a 26-year-old who served prison time in his younger years for armed robbery.
As you can imagine, the reaction has ranged from why Iowa is doing this to give the guy a second chance.
McCaffery said he has thoroughly checked out Hubbard and he comes to Iowa City with high personal marks.
In my mind, this is a curious addition. I wonder if behind closed doors, Iowa athletic director Gary Barta is wondering the same thing. Iowa’s other major sport—football—has been rocked with players in trouble with the law. You would think the athletic department would run from controversy not invite it.
But I guess we will have to give McCaffery the benefit of the doubt. He ran a clean program in year one at Iowa but this should tighten the microscope a bit.
On the court, Hubbard is an undeveloped player. He has played only two seasons of organized basketball all on the junior college level. He averaged over 20 points per game last season for a Maryland junior college.
McCaffery wanted people to start taking interest in Iowa basketball again. This move has definitely accomplished that objective.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Iowa Men's Basketball Coach Fran McCaffery
I must admit I haven’t paid too much attention to the Iowa basketball program this year. I imagine it has something to do with me considering Iowa the ‘other’ school in our state. You folks involved with Alabama-Auburn, Southern Cal-UCLA or Purdue-Indiana understand.
I did catch Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery’s call-in show last night however. McCaffery is in his first season at Iowa. The Hawks defeated No. 6 Purdue last Saturday for their signature win of the season. That’s the good news. The bad news is Iowa finished 10th in the Big Ten at 11-19.
This McCaffery provides an interesting call-in show. Coaches shows are basically marketing tools. The coach sells some hope, strokes the fans etc. True, McCaffery does that too, but he offers more. It was refreshing.
He talked about his senior player Jared Cole and how unlike many players Cole stuck it out at Iowa after three coaching changes. McCaffery said that Cole committed himself to Iowa and adjusted to the changing circumstances. McCaffery said that many players will run away when they encounter a coaching change. He said Cole’s decision will prepare him for life.
McCaffery said that many players want deals about playing time. He said that he offers no deals. Player must earn their playing time.
A caller suggested the coach communication through Twitter. McCaffery then told the story about a negative experience with the social networking site. Somebody was pretending to be the coach.
I hope McCaffery will continue his insight on the call-in show. This Iowa State Cyclone backer may want to tune in again simply for interesting conversation.
I did catch Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery’s call-in show last night however. McCaffery is in his first season at Iowa. The Hawks defeated No. 6 Purdue last Saturday for their signature win of the season. That’s the good news. The bad news is Iowa finished 10th in the Big Ten at 11-19.
This McCaffery provides an interesting call-in show. Coaches shows are basically marketing tools. The coach sells some hope, strokes the fans etc. True, McCaffery does that too, but he offers more. It was refreshing.
He talked about his senior player Jared Cole and how unlike many players Cole stuck it out at Iowa after three coaching changes. McCaffery said that Cole committed himself to Iowa and adjusted to the changing circumstances. McCaffery said that many players will run away when they encounter a coaching change. He said Cole’s decision will prepare him for life.
McCaffery said that many players want deals about playing time. He said that he offers no deals. Player must earn their playing time.
A caller suggested the coach communication through Twitter. McCaffery then told the story about a negative experience with the social networking site. Somebody was pretending to be the coach.
I hope McCaffery will continue his insight on the call-in show. This Iowa State Cyclone backer may want to tune in again simply for interesting conversation.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Iowa Hires Another Mid-Major Hoops Coach
Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta hopes lightening doesn't strike twice.
About four years ago, Barta hired Todd Lickliter from a successful mid-major in Butler University. We all know how that one turned out. It was a failure with a capital F.
Today, Barta announced his second new mid-major coach in Siena's Fran McCaffery.
McCaffery was quick to dismiss the similarities with the Lickliter hire. He said that he has turned around three programs. Lickliter did just one.
Well, like new coaching announcements, they were selling hope in Iowa City, Iowa. Hawkeye fans need lots of hope these days. The program is in terrible shape. I don't know what is worse: losing all those games for three years or fan apathy.
Iowa fans were crying out for a coach that runs an uptempo, entertaining style. It sounds like McCaffery will meet that wish.
If first impressions are correct, his demeanor is like the last coach. Maybe he does have fire in his belly, but it didn't show (if he does) at the press conference. Sounds like Mrs. McCaffery is the vocal one in the family. The best part of the press conference for me was when Barta mentioned that they have a seat belt on the Mrs. chair in the arena.
Mrs is probably the best player in the family. She played college ball at Notre Dame. Maybe they should play a game of h-o-r-s-e against each other in Hawkeye Carver Arena. That would probably draw a nice crowd.
Indeed, McCaffery has a solid track record. Now we will see if he can put people in the seats and successfully match up with other Big Ten coaches like Thad Motta, Tom Izzo and Bruce Weber.
What do you think of the new Iowa coach?
About four years ago, Barta hired Todd Lickliter from a successful mid-major in Butler University. We all know how that one turned out. It was a failure with a capital F.
Today, Barta announced his second new mid-major coach in Siena's Fran McCaffery.
McCaffery was quick to dismiss the similarities with the Lickliter hire. He said that he has turned around three programs. Lickliter did just one.
Well, like new coaching announcements, they were selling hope in Iowa City, Iowa. Hawkeye fans need lots of hope these days. The program is in terrible shape. I don't know what is worse: losing all those games for three years or fan apathy.
Iowa fans were crying out for a coach that runs an uptempo, entertaining style. It sounds like McCaffery will meet that wish.
If first impressions are correct, his demeanor is like the last coach. Maybe he does have fire in his belly, but it didn't show (if he does) at the press conference. Sounds like Mrs. McCaffery is the vocal one in the family. The best part of the press conference for me was when Barta mentioned that they have a seat belt on the Mrs. chair in the arena.
Mrs is probably the best player in the family. She played college ball at Notre Dame. Maybe they should play a game of h-o-r-s-e against each other in Hawkeye Carver Arena. That would probably draw a nice crowd.
Indeed, McCaffery has a solid track record. Now we will see if he can put people in the seats and successfully match up with other Big Ten coaches like Thad Motta, Tom Izzo and Bruce Weber.
What do you think of the new Iowa coach?
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