The Iowa Hawkeye men's basketball team currently sits at 20-10 and is 11-6 in the Big Ten. They are a virtual lock for the NCAA tournament and with a win on Saturday against Northwestern, they could possibly play their way into a double-bye in next weekend's Big Ten Tournament. The last time they won double digit Big Ten games was in 2005-2006, but the last time they won 20 games in back-to-back-to-back seasons dates back to the Tom Davis era, in which his teams achieved 20 wins in five straight seasons, starting with the 1994 team and ending with the 1999 team. That stat also will make anybody scratch their head to why Dr. Tom was run out of Iowa City. However, the question can be asked, does the state of Iowa really appreciate what Fran McCaffery has brought to Iowa and how he is beginning to build a first class program that will compete each year in the Big Ten? I say, not necessarily.
Too often this year, people around basketball (and sometimes "loyal" and "diehard" fans) have chosen to consistently focus on the negatives and focus on things that have nothing to do with the team and truly are wasting their time and breath talking about. Sometimes it has been about media members, coaches' post game comments, and maybe the most ridiculous of them all: talking about Adam Woodbury "intentionally" poking opposing players in the eye. It is ridiculous. Focus on the product on the court.
In addition, some "Hawkeye" fans want to compare Iowa basketball to Iowa State and Northern Iowa and ridicule Iowa based on the success of UNI and ISU. Don't get me wrong, it is great to have three good programs in the state of Iowa, but truly, what has UNI and ISU accomplished yet? Not a lot. Why do some fans choose to hate on McCaffery, while considering Jacobson and Hoiberg the second coming of Jesus Christ? Jacobson has experienced success in a mid-major conference. It's success you cannot take away from him, but just remember, it is the Missouri Valley Conference. While Jacobson has had success, Hoiberg has never had a team at ISU finish better than third place in the league (not counting the postseason tournament). To this point, Fran hasn't won a lot of "big" games or coached an upper-echelon team yet, but three straight 20 win seasons signals that they are on their way. His teams continue to improve in every facet of the game, especially on defense, and I believe it is tough to argue against the point that he has rejuvenated Carver Hawkeye Arena by filling seats and playing a brand of basketball that people can enjoy and appreciate.
My last point is that Iowa fans should appreciate the fact that Fran McCaffery builds his programs through recruiting players with the hope of them playing four years at the University of Iowa and graduating with a degree. It is a philosophy, but I so much more appreciate watching players grow in a program for four years than just renting players and doing it through transfers. People say it has worked for Hoiberg, but has it? People may say I hate Iowa State, which you would have legitimate reasons for, but I do not hate Hoiberg. I even attended his basketball camps as a little kid, but I just cannot appreciate a program built on transfers and relying on transfers to be successful.
Now, Iowa could very well be a one and done team in both the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA tournament, but as a fan and someone who has coached, it is truly awesome to see a group of kids compete hard and play their butts off night in and night out. I'm not here to say that Iowa fans hate their own team, but I am here to say stop focusing on the petty things and the negatives. This team is fun to watch. My point is it is just time to appreciate a winning product at the University of Iowa. Consistency and competitiveness has returned to the Iowa Basketball program. Enjoy it and Go Hawks.
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