***2024-2025 Iowa Men’s Basketball Season Thread***

[YugoslavianMountainHound]

View attachment 60880

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Think we’ve got about 10-11 days before the Fran era officially ends.

Good.

 

[Lee Beevers]

Think we’ve got about 10-11 days before the Fran era officially ends.

Yea, he’s done. Has to be.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

@Lee Beevers really loves this team.

 

[HerkyHopeful]

I'm sick of Frans shit as much as anyone, but I don't see Beth firing him after one poor season. I get fan apathy is a major component, but Iowa was worse in 2017-2018 and he survived.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Yea, he’s done. Has to be.

Kill yourself

 

[Herbie2]

I hate this team.

Happy Hour: 5:15 - 6:00 Big Grove Solon
6:15- 7:15 - Mickeys NL while we waited for our seat at Fiesta
7:30 - 9:30 - Fiesta in North Libert. Ordered the pollo loco. Added mushrooms. Got an original margarita then got a Dos Equis amber.
Came home. Turned on the game.

Huh.

 

[HerkyHopeful]

Why is Payton crying

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Why is Payton crying

Missing the tournament

 

[CamelTones]

 

[douglasbader]

LOL at Fartman crying. What a fucking loser.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

I'm sick of Frans shit as much as anyone, but I don't see Beth firing him after one poor season. I get fan apathy is a major component, but Iowa was worse in 2017-2018 and he survived.

Fuck you

 

[HiawathaHawk]

The Northwestern game this weekend last year was really fun. Looked like we might go to the tournament at that point……

 

[HiawathaHawk]

I'm sick of Frans shit as much as anyone, but I don't see Beth firing him after one poor season. I get fan apathy is a major component, but Iowa was worse in 2017-2018 and he survived.

You’re crazy

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Why is Payton crying

Cause he just got dunked on

 

[Hawkstrat]

It's kind of strange, the only player I feel bad for is Thelwell.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

It’s a horrible roster. With NIL I’m very worried abt what will happen going forward. It used to be you hoped for connections the staff had and if you convince a kid to come to IC.

now? Ugh.

 

[CamelTones]

Sandfort and Dix a combined 6 for 25.

Iowa only turned it over 6 times but still only managed 57 points.

 

[Talkin' Goat]

I’m 100% on board with either DeVries or McCollum and pretty fucking excited for something different.

 

[CamelTones]

It's kind of strange, the only player I feel bad for is Thelwell.

I also sorta feel bad for Brauns. Grew up in Iowa City. Got a chance to play for Iowa and clearly deserved more minutes than what he was getting the first year and a half.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

It's kind of strange, the only player I feel bad for is Thelwell.

Yeah. Payton for me also but he’s been so frustrating that it wipes it out. I can empathize that he came back and cares more than anyone, he just doesn’t have the athleticism, physical toughness or ability to keep his head when shit goes wrong.

 

[Uli Kunkel]

Happy Hour: 5:15 - 6:00 Big Grove Solon

Big Grove must be becoming Eastern Iowa's Jethro's.

 

[HerkyHopeful]

Fuck you

Lol I've wanted Fran gone for a couple years. Been called negative and pessimistic for it but his coaching philosophy isn't conducive to March success. Once they lost to Richmond, it was apparent he'll never get over the hump

Just don't think Beth will do it. Hope I'm wrong

 

[Lee Beevers]

Kill yourself

I will not!

 

[Herbie2]

Per Covers.com Iowa is now 1-11-1 in their last 13 games ATS.

 

[AZmessDAWG]

Yeah. Payton for me also but he’s been so frustrating that it wipes it out. I can empathize that he came back and cares more than anyone, he just doesn’t have the athleticism, physical toughness or ability to keep his head when shit goes wrong.

Came back. If you say from possibly playing in the league I’m gonna pinch you.

 

[Hawkstrat]

Yeah. Payton for me also but he’s been so frustrating that it wipes it out. I can empathize that he came back and cares more than anyone, he just doesn’t have the athleticism, physical toughness or ability to keep his head when shit goes wrong.

I don't disagree, he's being asked to fill a role that he just can't. Some of his shot selection is just so over the top bad that it's hard to care.

 

[The Dad]

 

[HiawathaHawk]

It’s a horrible roster. With NIL I’m very worried abt what will happen going forward. It used to be you hoped for connections the staff had and if you convince a kid to come to IC.

now? Ugh.

If they can lure DeVries I think he could get a decent infusion which combined with revenue sharing could be at least decent. But I also wonder if McCollum making more with less is the best play. If neither of them, you need the perfect guy.

They can get more money than they’ve gotten but the circumstances need to be right. Perfect storm with the women taking off and total Fran apathy setting in. Not having fans in Luka’s last year combined with the way the ‘21-‘23 years ended killed any chance for him.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

Came back. If you say from possibly playing in the league I’m gonna pinch you.

No. At best it was a 2-way. I’m just saying it from a standpoint of his last year being a disaster. Not gonna clown on him for being devastated. Will bitch about his defense and spazzing out with the ball though.

 

[HerkyHopeful]

I didn't see traore in while watching. His usage has been so weird this year.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

Lol I've wanted Fran gone for a couple years. Been called negative and pessimistic for it but his coaching philosophy isn't conducive to March success. Once they lost to Richmond, it was apparent he'll never get over the hump

Just don't think Beth will do it. Hope I'm wrong

It’s beyond over. She knows what attendance and donations will be if he’s back. Which will kill any chance to substantially improve next year. Any 1-year savings on the buyout are negated by losses next year.

 

[HiawathaHawk]

I didn't see traore in while watching. His usage has been so weird this year.

Started both halves, played 11 minutes and was very bad.

 

[The Dad]

Denied. I said they would contend for a tournament bid. We call that a bubble team, in common parlance.

 

[HawkBall23]

57 points vs NW.

Fifty-seven.

That's only the slightest bit better than a The Criminal-led effort.

 

[The Dad]

No worries, Dad. I will pwn you mercilessly when the Farts lead us to the field of 64!!!

Iowa is really putting New Hampshire in the cuck chair. Our tournament appearance will be most glorious! CC: @The Dad

Lee - get in here you fucking faggot!

 

[Jim Tebow]

Ya traore is.... not good.

It appears both he and dembele started playing basketball at age 17 or so. Zero instincts or feel for the game. Never seen either one of them pump fake.

 

[Lee Beevers]

Lee - get in here you fucking faggot!

 

[Verbal]

Yeah, I conceded that quite awhile ago. I still don’t think it was completely unreasonable to think this team would be 4-5 games better when I made that prediction almost three months ago. They really shit the bed.

 

[The Dad]

Yeah, I conceded that quite awhile ago. I still don’t think it was completely unreasonable to think this team would be 4-5 games better when I made that prediction almost three months ago. They really shit the bed.

I saw it from the start. Payton and Josh are not the type of guys you want in your foxhole.

 

[Lee Beevers]

I saw it from the start. Payton and Josh are not the type of guys you want in your foxhole.

There is either nobody on the roster who is willing to tell people to stop being faggots or they are just fucking awful. Perhaps making TikTok’s, and fucking each other in the butt is not the best offseason plan.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

View attachment 60882

I wonder if anything important happened between then and now

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Many of our problems are related to talent, and that is 100% on the coach.

I refuse to blame someone like sandfort who has far exceeded any sort of recruiting ranking or god given physical gifts and works his ass off. He’s just a #3 or #4 option forced to be the #1 by the coach.

 

[Silky Johnson]

Agreed. This team is filled with guys who would be a notch lower in the rotation with any real Big 10 level team, whether it be due to athleticism or skill level. The only way you’d have a shot with this roster is if you followed the Bennett/Ryan Wisconsin model, and we sure as shit aren’t doing that.

 

[Hawk_Kegmasters]

I hate to beat a dead horse (no, I don’t), but betting against this Iowa squad on the road is the easiest money a man can make.

 

[Hawkstrat]

Agreed. This team is filled with guys who would be a notch lower in the rotation with any real Big 10 level team, whether it be due to athleticism or skill level. The only way you’d have a shot with this roster is if you followed the Bennett/Ryan Wisconsin model, and we sure as shit aren’t doing that.

Disagree pretty strongly with the last part. There's this myth that if you play slow, you don't really need good basketball players. Bennett and Ryan had talented teams.

 

[maxinquaye]

Explain to me how this Brauns kid hasn't played. Big and more athletic than most of the team.

Yes, it makes it even more clear fran needs to move on.

 

[douglasbader]

They have to make a definitive move within 48 hours of the buzzer sounding in Nebrantska next Sunday. Luckily they have the disgusting advantage of getting a head start on this given they aren't even going to make the Big Ten Tournament. Season done on March 9th.

West Virginia seems to be a lock at 17-11 and under .500 in the Big XII which seems shocking, but shows you how much I have paid attention so far. So their season won't be over until maybe March 23rd. Same thing for Drake.

Transfer portal opens up on March 24th. Going to be a mad scramble to get a coach locked up behind the scenes and give him ample time to decide if he's going to try and keep anyone. I'm guessing he might want to keep the 3 incoming freshmen and maybe the Miami transfer. The only current player I give a shit about staying is Koch. Don't give a fuck about a single other player staying, but maybe Dix would want to for a good coach that can rebuild a roster quickly.

Freeman and his Moline river rat buddy can get the fuck out. Dembele and Traore and Tadjo bye bye. Shartman Jr. can get fucked as well, but he might just stay. Mulvey time to go to Canisius or Utah Tech.

 

[L. Wade Childress]

Fran’s recruiting has helped me understand that there are way more black people that are terrible at basketball than I realized.

 

[douglasbader]

Beth pretty much needs to....

1. Organize the large donors to immediately commit a fresh $3m-$5m+ pot of money for NIL
2. Fire Fran without hesitation
3. Line up a significant replacement while they are still coaching in the NCAA tourney
4. Be comfortable with over-paying

The wildcard here though is that if you can't get #1 accomplished or be comfortable with #4, then the odds of Fran staying go way way up. If you can't get #1 done, your aren't getting #3.

I could see her just saying fuck it and give Fran one more year given that he can hold onto his best 3 players and bring in the new freshman along with a couple NIL guys and a commitment to hire a defensive assistant.

DeVries won't be cheap, guessing it might take $4m per year to get him as West Virginia is sure to give him a salary bump to keep him. Drake coach is going to be in demand and I be might get a similar offer. Plus you have to buy out Fran.

The more dumb shit I type about this, the more I could see Beth just giving Fran another shot.