[JHHawk]

around the league,now that school has started and visits are being made.

Pat Ackerman,a 7fter out of a Mass. prep school,commits to PSU...second 7fter they have a commit from in the 2011 class. They also have a pg committed.

Jacob Lawson,an Iowa recruit,committed to Purdue this weekend...ouch.

Perry Ellis, has committed to his five visits..with dates. Iowa is not among them.

Time for some commits for the Hawkeyes...visits started this weekend,and another big weekend coming up with Josh Oglesby coming in with Ross Travis(who may no longer have an offer from PSU) and the 2012 recruits.

[rodg12]

Are they having another scrimmage Sat morning at Carver? If so, anybody know what time it starts?

[SheagleHawk]

Originally Posted by JHHawk

Jacob Lawson,an Iowa recruit,committed to Purdue this weekend...ouch.

.

Lawson had multiple offers to big name programs, so no surprise there. What happened to all the talk about Macari Brooks? Is he no longer of interest? He looks to be the type of player Iowa needs to move the program forward in a timely fashion.

[tweeterhawk]

Bowlsby, Alford and Lickliter dug a deep hole for Iowa MBB. It's going to take a lot of hard work to climb out of it, and probably some time. Top commits are not going to come here unless they're willing to take a chance on being part of a high-profile rebuilding process. If they're not, we don't want them.

I'm sure Fran -- and Barta -- recognizes that. It will get better as the program regains its feet. IMHO, as Fran begins the rebuilding process it will be essential for fans, including message boards, to remain positive and hopeful that things will get better. You can't throw up your hands in desperation and give up.

[hawkeye12345]

I agree with Twitter. This is going to take time. I don't see us landing any true top tier recruits for the '11 class unless we put a fun uptempo product on the floor and have modest success. The coaching staff is in place to coach the kids up, we just need the kids to get to campus.

Look at it like this: If you were a 4 * kid in high school and you had a chance to go play for Wisky, MSU, fOSU or Iowa - where would you go - RIGHT NOW.

10 yrs ago the answer would have been different and 10 yrs from now the answer will be different....unfortunately we are living in the here and now.

We've got some great recruiters on staff and excellent coaches.

[IAPrepGuy]

It will take some time - but quick enough Iowa will be back on the map for MBB. They HAVE to recruit quality hard working kids that want to represent Iowa in a positive way to build a solid foundation. These types of kids are IN-STATE and on top of being quality people they are damn good ballers.

[JHHawk]

Maybe I sounded negative...I am not down on Fran and co.,just noting that this is committing time with school started and kids making final visits. I am confident that Fran will do okay with the 2011 class. Oglesby is a top 120 player,and I am very hopeful we can get him. Travis is a nice looking athlete. Kravish is coveted by Cal and Colorado...he would be a good get. It would be a solid class right there, with better to come in 2012. I am not hinging a ton of hope on the 2011 class having a top 50 player ...but I feel good about Fran and co. cuz they actually know how the whole recruiting game works,and they work at it.

[CAARHawk]

Can somebody please let me know one time in the last decade that such a method for building a basketball team was successful in MBB at the BCS conference level? Because I researched back six years and could not find an example of a new hire that didn't sign a ranked recruiting class within his first two years, (with the exception of Montgomery from Cal and Horn from So. Car. who both did it in year three) that has successfully rebuilt a program.

I said when FM was hired that we would have a good indication if the experiment was going to work within the first year as that would include the first two recruiting classes and a good sense of the third year class. In fact, I said we would have a good idea by next month when the early commits sign LOI's. If FM doesn't come up with some impressive hits, the odds will be overwhelmingly against him every doing it at Iowa.

Now, some things do weigh in his favor for him to be a year three guy. The big 2012 in-state class and the practice facility. However, if FM cannot parlay those into a really big class, it would go against all indicators for him to be able to turn things around from that point on. Those aren't odds anyone should want.

And please do not respond with knee-jerk emotional reactions to this content. I am only going by what I found in research when I was considering what it would take for Iowa to be successful turning the program around. If you have something that contradicts this, let me know. But I am not interested in just getting shouted down by people who have no evidence to back their claims.

[TheNebraskaHawk]

Originally Posted by CAARHawk

Can somebody please let me know one time in the last decade that such a method for building a basketball team was successful in MBB at the BCS conference level? Because I researched back six years and could not find an example of a new hire that didn't sign a ranked recruiting class within his first two years, (with the exception of Montgomery from Cal and Horn from So. Car. who both did it in year three) that has successfully rebuilt a program.

I said when FM was hired that we would have a good indication if the experiment was going to work within the first year as that would include the first two recruiting classes and a good sense of the third year class. In fact, I said we would have a good idea by next month when the early commits sign LOI's. If FM doesn't come up with some impressive hits, the odds will be overwhelmingly against him every doing it at Iowa.






If you are going to throw Fran under the bus in one month (before even coaching one game) then I am at a loss for a description for you...

You also forgot Siena in your list of turn arounds...and yes, when a team competes at the level Siena competed, then they should be counted. Oh yeah, take a look at the ranking of the Siena players, too...
Now, some things do weigh in his favor for him to be a year three guy. The big 2012 in-state class and the practice facility. However, if FM cannot parlay those into a really big class, it would go against all indicators for him to be able to turn things around from that point on. Those aren't odds anyone should want.

And please do not respond with knee-jerk emotional reactions to this content. I am only going by what I found in research when I was considering what it would take for Iowa to be successful turning the program around. If you have something that contradicts this, let me know. But I am not interested in just getting shouted down by people who have no evidence to back their claims.

[hawkeye12345]

Next year will be Fran's first recruiting class. This year does not count IMO albeit it was pretty strong with the addition of just one player. He got who he wanted and he filled up the scholarships which is something that our TWO previous coaches couldn't do. We have a full roster of kids and our depth is looking decent heading in to the season.

I'm hoping that the product on the floor will be exciting to watch alla Dr. Tom or George Raveling style but I don't expect to win more than maybe 2 or 3 more games this year...more would be a nice bonus but I'm not hanging my hat on the success / failure of Fran by Ws or Ls this year.

Iowa basketball has fallen to it's lowest point in history - not an exaggeration - and it will take some time to rebuild the program. We have new facilities that have a shine to them, a new coaching staff that has got to be one of the best top to bottom not only in the Big10 but in the country, and we have a few kids on the roster that can truly play ball. There will be tempered excitement heading in to the season but I think the support will be there.

[TritonHawkeye]

Originally Posted by CAARHawk

Can somebody please let me know one time in the last decade that such a method for building a basketball team was successful in MBB at the BCS conference level? Because I researched back six years and could not find an example of a new hire that didn't sign a ranked recruiting class within his first two years, (with the exception of Montgomery from Cal and Horn from So. Car. who both did it in year three) that has successfully rebuilt a program....

http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/conten...910&CID=549097

Matt Painter....NEXT!!! It took my like 2 minutes to research... Or will you just move Painter to your list of third year top 25 recruiting class coaches because that list is getting kind of long.

Seriously come up with a different argument on why Fran will not succeed. You have way over played this one.

[TritonHawkeye]

Actually it doesn't even appear Purdue had a top 25 class in Painters first 3 years...

[JoeHawki]

Originally Posted by tweeterhawk

Bowlsby, Alford and Lickliter dug a deep hole for Iowa MBB. It's going to take a lot of hard work to climb out of it, and probably some time. Top commits are not going to come here unless they're willing to take a chance on being part of a high-profile rebuilding process. If they're not, we don't want them.

I'm sure Fran -- and Barta -- recognizes that. It will get better as the program regains its feet. IMHO, as Fran begins the rebuilding process it will be essential for fans, including message boards, to remain positive and hopeful that things will get better. You can't throw up your hands in desperation and give up.

i don't believe alford really dug iowa a big hole. He could recruit. i think he just did not do a very good job of getting his teams ready for games. in some case may have not handled his players very well. He also made some questional moves during games. I think if he had stayed, iowa would have finally made it to the NCAAs on a regular basis. I think if anything Coach Neal was his best recruting job ever. I think their stint with the Lobos, shows that the man can still recruit and is a better coach now, then when he was at iowa. i give neal some of that credit too.

[Husky28]

Originally Posted by CAARHawk

Can somebody please let me know one time in the last decade that such a method for building a basketball team was successful in MBB at the BCS conference level? Because I researched back six years and could not find an example of a new hire that didn't sign a ranked recruiting class within his first two years, (with the exception of Montgomery from Cal and Horn from So. Car. who both did it in year three) that has successfully rebuilt a program.

I said when FM was hired that we would have a good indication if the experiment was going to work within the first year as that would include the first two recruiting classes and a good sense of the third year class. In fact, I said we would have a good idea by next month when the early commits sign LOI's. If FM doesn't come up with some impressive hits, the odds will be overwhelmingly against him every doing it at Iowa.

Now, some things do weigh in his favor for him to be a year three guy. The big 2012 in-state class and the practice facility. However, if FM cannot parlay those into a really big class, it would go against all indicators for him to be able to turn things around from that point on. Those aren't odds anyone should want.

And please do not respond with knee-jerk emotional reactions to this content. I am only going by what I found in research when I was considering what it would take for Iowa to be successful turning the program around. If you have something that contradicts this, let me know. But I am not interested in just getting shouted down by people who have no evidence to back their claims.

Interesting how you don't want any emotional responses but you keep repeating yourself to the point of sounding like a broken record of negativity. Gets to a point where either people will shut you off or react "emotionally" because they get tired of the negative slant you continue to portray. Just saying...

[hawkeye12345]

Originally Posted by JoeHawki

i don't believe alford really dug iowa a big hole. He could recruit. i think he just did not do a very good job of getting his teams ready for games. in some case may have not handled his players very well. He also made some questional moves during games. I think if he had stayed, iowa would have finally made it to the NCAAs on a regular basis. I think if anything Coach Neal was his best recruting job ever. I think their stint with the Lobos, shows that the man can still recruit and is a better coach now, then when he was at iowa. i give neal some of that credit too.

Are you serious? alford couldn't recruit his way out of a wet paper bag....it was Noodles that could recruit and he wasn't at Iowa early enough to save alfords job.

alford was at Iowa for 10 yrs....10 Mother F'ing Years!!!!!!!! And we made it to the NCAA's twice or was it three times? What makes you think that we would have made it more than 20% of the time going forward? alford and NEAL did a great job of going in to a midmajor and hiring an asst. out of Houston that brought some real nice 3 star and one 4 star players with him. He also took D Gary from Iowa. When you play in a midmajor, one or two players can make a HUGE difference during the regular season but look at his lack of success in the tournaments. In 2008 (1st yr) the team went 24-9 but lost in the 1st round of the NIT. In 2009, the team went 22-12 and lost in the 2nd round of the NIT. Last year, the team went 30-5 and still lost in the 2nd round of the NCAAs. That's a ton of success for a midmajor but almost meaningless to a major conference program.

Please stop bringing that clown up or I'm going to have a frickin heart attack.