Coaches don't leave the Big 11 for the Mountain West—especially after seven consecutive winning seasons.
But that's the move Steve Alford made on Friday, when he left Iowa City to replace Ritchie McKay in New Mexico.
In many respects, Tubby Smith leaving Kentucky for Minnesota is an analogous and equally perplexing coaching move—and it will shield Alford and the University of Iowa from more intense scrutiny.
That said, the Iowa basketball program deserves scrutiny...especially from Hawkeye fans.
You'll recognize the only two names in Hawkeye history who have won longer and more regularly than Steve Alford: Tom Davis and Lute Olson. In eight seasons, Alford led Iowa to two Big 11 Tournament titles and three NCAA berths. But he was also below .500 in conference play and didn't win in those trips to the big dance.
More damning for Alford, however, was the fact that he never ingratiated himself with the Iowa fan base. Alford's detractors cited his hair more often than his record as a reason to dislike him.
His Indiana roots, Bobby Knight discipleship, and failure to woo booster clubs helped to form underlying biases. But Alford's public support of guard Pierre Pierce after an arrest for sexual assault in 2002 gave Iowa fans the more substantial cause to hate their head coach.
How Alford's departure will be remembered depends largely on whom the Hawkeyes hire to replace him. Among the names already being tossed around as possible successors are Mark Few (Gonzaga), Billy Gillispie (Texas A&M), and Bruce Pearl (Tennessee).
I don't see any reason any of those coaches would be interested in the job.
Spare me the bit about Gillispie's Big 11 roots and displeasure with Big 12 basketball. And yes, I'm aware that Pearl has history at Iowa (as an assistant under Davis).
Right now, Gillispie and Pearl have better players, better facilities, and, quite frankly, better fan bases at their respective universities.
That's where the Hawkeye introspection comes in.
Iowa is a football-first state—always will be, always should be. But the university's basketball facilities are below the Big 11 standard. While Carver-Hawkeye has made for great home court advantage over the years, its 15,500 capacity has only been a rumor in recent seasons, even for marquee games.
Those empty seats weren't intended to spite Alford...they were just empty.
The fact that Alford cited New Mexico's facilities and commitment to basketball in Friday's press conference should be a red flag for Iowa followers. New Mexico is willing to spend up to $20 million to upgrade the Pit, and already boasts a sparkling new practice venue. Their new athletic director, Paul Krebs, has made upgrading the basketball program a stated goal.
Iowa's new athletic director, Gary Barta, is buying up hostile domain names and redirecting them to the athletic website. Now he's faced with his first critical coaching hire, one that will start to define his legacy and impact how Hawkeye fans remember the Alford departure.
The talent at Iowa is another issue. Adam Haluska carried this year's team to a winning record. His only support came from Tyler Smith, who will likely follow Alford to New Mexico—or at the very least transfer from Iowa. With the status of recruits and incoming transfers uncertain, there is literally no one else to build around.
The 42-year-old Alford was a big name for the Iowa program, one that drew national media attention—and more than a few recruits—to Iowa City.
If the athletic department can snag a Pearl, Few, or Gillispie, then Alford's departure is a
win-win. However, because of the aforementioned deficiencies at Iowa, I think a more realistic, mid-major candidate pool would include Dana Altman (Creighton), Chris Lowry (S. Illinois), and Gregg Marshall ( Winthrop).
The Hawkeyes shouldn't expect any more from those three than they got out of Steve Alford.
THE MARQUEE GAMES YOU SPEAK OF ARE? HOW CAN IT BE CONSIDERED THE ABOVE IF ONLY ONE TEAM IS ANY GOOD? ALSO HOW DID HE STICK IT TO IOWA, HE DID THEM A FAVOR BY LEAVING. FOR INSTANCE NOT TOO MANY TOP COACHES THAT I HAVE EVER HEARD OF ARE WILLING TO TAKE A 50% CUT IN PAY, OR $500,000 ANNUALLY. ALSO SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN IOWA CITY, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE THERE?
UNM had considered Gregg Marshall until they had the opportunity to get Alford. Wouldn't that be ironic if Iowa ended up with New Mexico's second choice?
"Those empty seats weren t intended to spite Alford...they were just empty."
Those seats were empty to spite Alford, ask any season ticket holder who gave them up after the PP scandal and general dissatisfaction with Alford.
"The Hawkeyes shouldn't expect any more from those three than they got out of Steve Alford." - If any of the potential candidates shows any class and respect for the fans and program then they already have Alford beat hands down.
My family has had basketball AND football season tickets for over 50 years when they declined to purchase basketball tickets a few years after Alford's arrival. The lack of fans in Carver Hawkeye arena the last several years has absolutely nothing to do with Iowans not being basketball fans and everything to do with not respecting Alford as coach.
Iowa fans will give back everything and more a coach brings to the school and program and Alford had nothing to give to Iowa City or the Hawkeye fans.
- sticking it to iowa: leaving 4 years before his contract was up... essentially telling them to shove it before they could fire him after another mediocre season next year.
- contract: no confirmed details out yet, but reports indicate new mexico will be able to sustain alford's current salary (which is a surmountable $1mil)
- my time in iowa city: currently reside in iowa, attended more than half their home games this season, including "marquee" games like #1 wisconsin and the regular season finale with rival illinois. both nationally televised.
- empty seats: hard to respect a basketball program that can't even fill its student section. especially at a large state university. iowa isn't just a football state, its a football-then-wrestling state. better crowds for wrestling than hoops, and i don't blame the fans for that choice.
The reason they have trouble filling seats is because iowa has like 3 people per square mile and when your team is average not many people are willing to drive hours to see them struggle. Secondly, Steve Alford is a fine coach and anyone complaining about his character is simply misguided.
Iowa paid Steve Alford over $8 million dollars per NCAA victory over 8 years. That was a horrible return on investment. Gary Barta made it abundantly clear after the end of season collapse that included losses at Penn State and Purdue in the conference tournament that major improvement was expected next season. Steve knew he couldn't get the job done and bolted. How is that "sticking it to Iowa"? Iowa is known as a football school because it worships its football coach Kirk Ferentz. But Kirk is everything that Steve is not, he his humble, successful, unassuming and really enjoys Iowa. Steve was ready to leave Iowa the moment he got here. He outright campaigned for the Indiana job both times it opened up, yet for some reason, Indiana was not interested.... He flirted with Missouri last season as well.
You also site a lack of facilities at Iowa, but Carver Hawkeye was renovated just after Steve got here with new locker rooms, weight rooms and offices. A new practice facility is also in the works. That line of reasoning is bogus.
Iowa fans will line up behind the new coach and support its basketball program and Iowa has the money to lure a top-notch coach. Stop kidding yourself.
Trey your last comments are very interesting.
To start with "leaving 4 years before his contract was up... essentially telling them to shove it before they could fire him after another mediocre season next year."
If he was such a great coach why would he be worried about a mediocre season with his abilities and his recruits?
Second,
Make sure you have facts before you start rambling about dollars..total package at Iowa vs NM?? Playing in big ten...!!
This quote is the best
empty seats: hard to respect a basketball program that can't even fill its student section. especially at a large state university.
Go back and check to see how many seats were empty when Coach Alford started..and how it has progressed to what it is currently..and let me know how a KENTUCKY, DUKE, KANSAS, ILLINOIS would have handled their coach with the same type of numbers, winning percentages, conference play, and post season invites?
The Iowa fan base lost respect for the coach, not the program or the players!! Not all because of his "ability to coach but for his respect to the program and fans" I believe Steve knows that and that is why he is leaving!
I am sure with all the "my time in Iowa City: currently reside in Iowa" you spend in IC you have already figured this out!!
Lastly, I cannot believe you would disrespect Altman, Lowery and Marshall the way you did, basically placing them on a second tier of college coaches, It really shows your lack of knowledge with the college game..There are a lot of MAJOR programs that would take anyone of those three guys for what they have accomplished..similar to the way Coach Alford started!!
Thanks for your opinion, but don t blame IOWA fans for wanting a TOP NOTCH CONTENDER for their basketball program just like we do for our FOOTBALL, WRESTLING (speaking of coaching changes), and ALL of their athletic programs
GO HAWKS
JMO
It's completely erronous to state that empty seats at Iowa basketball games in recent years is because Iowa is more of a football school.
In 1999, Iowa ranked 17th in the nation in men's basketball attendance, averaging 14,173 fans per game.
In 2006, attendance for Iowa basketball had declined to 12,206 per game yet was still ranked 25th among NCAA men's division I basketball teams in attendance.
The loss of two thousand in attendance can be linked to no other reason than the lack of success during the Alford era (one NCAA tournament win, a losing Big Ten record and failure to make the NCAA tournament more than 50% of the time) and the unpopularity of the coach with the boosters and fan base.
Steve Alford left because his boss told him that the program would need to be better next year or he was going to be shown the door. He knows that it is not possible based the talent he has coming back next year (with the players HE recruited). So, he chose to leave, because he didn't want to look for a job with word "terminated" on his Resume.
You can debate about his "level of success" as an iowa coach, but there is definately an incompatability between Steve Alford and the "Iowa culture", for lack of a better term. He is "perceived" as arrogant, and blames others for any shortcomings of the basketball program. Whether it be throwing his players under the bus when his team loses a game, or blaming "football first University/fans" for not supporting him, or lack of facilities... I could go on but I won't. I will say that its funny that Lute Olson took Iowa to the final four when all he had to practice and play in was a rat infested field house. And, neither Lute, nor Tom Davis had issues filling the Gym on game night.
I see this as a win-win situation. Alford gets a new start, and so does the Iowa basketball program.
I do wish Steve and his family the best. I hope he takes what has learned from his tenure at Iowa and has a very successful career.
I am a 42 year old UNM Men's Basketball season ticket holder. I have had these tickets since 1988 when UNM hired Dave Bliss from SMU. I have watched the program slowly but steadily decline since the departure of Bliss after the 1998-99 season. Lobo fans, such as myself, WANT someone like Steve Alford to come in a right the ship. It's obvious that Alford was no longer WANTED in Iowa City. As a part of human nature we all long to be liked, accepted and wanted. This is not to overshadow that we as rabid and sometimes unrealistic fans expect winning. But I will tell you this, Lobo fans still put 13,000 fans in the The Pit for a game that matched up the bottom two teams in the Mountain West Conference. We will support Steve Alford and that's all anyone can ask for.
Steve Alford did not have a great work ethic. He was fortunate to have some talented players seek out Iowa as their college choice (Brunner, Horner, etc...). Tell me one NBA player other then Reggie Evans that has played in the NBA? Also, do you remember how underachieving that team was with Recker and Evans. Last year (2005-2006) Iowa won the Big ten title because of great dedicated in-state kids. Alford's arrogance has been a downfall. He runs a pretty clean program but he thinks talent will come to him. This is not UCLA or Kansas. Look for Iowa to get a big name coach and 3-4 JUCO's. Good luck to Alford and the new coach. One will need it more than the other!
Trey Bradley, a typical sports fan that grew up in Iowa yet is a Notre Dame fan. Congratulations, you have officially chosen to jump on the biggest bandwagon ever, not to mention the following gems: Also a Cards (recent WS champs), White Sox (recent WS champs) and let me guess you became a Niners fan when Jerry Rice and Montana/Young were winning Super Bowls.
This is all pretty interesting and I just wanted to throw in my two cents worth and see what everyone thinks. First, I am really glad to see Alford go, he has burnt many bridges here in Iowa and he can not rebuild them. Second, I doubt if Pearl will leave Tennessee for Iowa. Third, I think Iowa needs to look west of us to Creighton to find the right coach. Now I'm going to throw this thought in to really stir things up. Steve McClain, who is an Iowa native was just terminated from the HC position at Wyoming where he brought the Cowboys to a couple of conference championships and some success they had not experienced in years. Steve's AD was Gary Barta. I don't know what their relationship was but I heard Gary extended Steve's contract just before he left there to take the AD job at Iowa. Anybody have any information on this to share.
Doc
Bruce Pearl and Brenda Frese...imagine that! That would get this Nebraska football fan to pay attention to Iowa basketball.
Please save your article and review it in 3 or 4 years. By then the UNM fans will have dispatched Alford to ESPN where he will be another talking head.
Iowa and Iowa State have always been basketball schools. The football school is 285 miles west of here.
If Trey Bradley did a little more than just sit down and pound on a keyboard, such as DOING SOME RESEARCH like responsible reporters do, he'd find out that Carver is slated to be referbished and a new practice facility is going to be built.
But sadly, he is just like the majority of today's so-called media. He just recycles things he reads.
how about mike montgomery. isn't it about time he got back into college hoops? he was awesome at stanford.
not sure if he would be interest in iowa or michigan. but maybe kentucky? doesn't seem like the right fit but schools with vacancies should be calling.
As a longterm Iowa BB ticket holder I can attest that I have not attended a game for the last two years. I wanted to give Steve every opportunity I could. Yet, Steve acted as if he was entitiled to free everything.....I mean you make 10 - 20 times what an average Iowan earns and you cannot pay for anything? This is not just talk. It happened and I could not support Steve. Maybe that is how it is in other parts of the country, but it doesn't play in Iowa. Why did I keep buying them? I knew that Steve would leave, the U of I will get a good one, and BB tickets will once again be hard to get.....like the football tickets I have are.
"iowa isn't just a football state, its a football-then-wrestling state. better crowds for wrestling than hoops,"
Not true. While Iowa wrestling has passionate and loyal fans, Carver-Hawkeye still gets way more fans for B-ball games than wrestling. In Iowa, football is 1, basketball 1B. Wrestling is a distant 2.
Mr. Bradley,
I'm surprised your newspaper would publish an article so poorly researched as your coumn on Steve Alford. I'll make a couple of brief points because, quite frankly, to point out all of the inaccuracies in the article would take more time than I have:
1. Alford had a losing Big 10 record at Iowa and one of the worst conference records of any coach in Iowa history.
2. Before Alford, we fired a coach who made the NCAA tourney 10 out of the 13 years he was at Iowa and who never lost a first round NCAA tourney game. The mantra from the AD at the time was that Iowa basketball needed to move to the "next level." Enter Alford.
3. In 8 years, he took Iowa to 3 NCAA tournaments and managed a grand total of 1 NCAA tournament victory. And did I mention he was sub-.500 in conference play? Hardly the next level we were looking for.
4. Football is popular at Iowa, but it is by no means a place where the basketball program is second fiddle. When Alford arrived, the football team was coming off a 1-10 season and the fans were much, much more excited about the future of the basketball program than the football program. Any basketball coach who comes to Iowa and wins big is going to as popular, if not more, than Kirk Ferentz.
5. Iowa recently approved a $45 million renovation project for Carver Hawkeye Arena, including construction of a practice facility.
Alford had more than enough time to accomplish what he was hired to do. He didn't get it done--not even close. I wish him the best at NM. But I am excited about Iowa basketball once again, knowing that we're already better off than we were a week ago.
I also mentioned Steve's sub-.500 record. Check the 5th paragraph. Apparently it's inaccurate when I mention it, but correct when you reiterate it?
8 years, 3 tournaments, and a noticeable lack of wins? ... also mentioned in my editorial. Again, must only be accurate when you state it.
I'm glad Iowa has committed to upgrading its facilities. I think that serves to prove my point that right now, they are substandard, don't you? Why else would they be shelling out $45 mil?
"RIGHT NOW, Gillispie and Pearl have better players, better facilities, and, quite frankly, better fan bases at their respective universities." So why would they leave for a rebuilding project was my point.
I also believe that basketball comes second at Iowa. Alford decided to go to a clearly basketball-first school that is ahead of the curve in terms of facilities and commitment to hoops. Even though that school plays in a "lesser" conference.
That is my opinion, from having spent time around the athletic program and having observed the Iowa-Alford saga. I do not work for this site (by the way, it's far from a newspaper). It seems that your criticisms--and those of many others who have commented-- revolve around my opinions. Not the facts, that I did take the time to research.
Having read the majority of his press conference transcript yesterday, I was impressed with his grasp of the importance of this coaching search.
He knows there are openings at Michigan and Kentucky... and that Minnesota already beat Iowa to the punch in hiring a big name coach. So he's got his work cut out for him.
This hire will be the start of his legacy as A.D. at Iowa and all indications are, he's more than capable of handling it. I think he needs to make a big splash, and soon. If that happens, Alford will be an afterthought.
Here are some points I think people are missing, or getting wrong:
- Shortly after Alford arrived, the student section got increased by about 3 times (from what I estimate at 500 to 1000 capacity in 1998 to about 3000 to 3500 before 2002.) And, it happened when fans were still excited. So, to get more kids in for free, Iowa began to reject season ticket applications from people who did not give any, or big enough donations. This was a mis-step, and I think it still has effects today. Non-student fans were happy to fill the arena, until this happened. Now, with rising ticket prices, a lot of older or not-as-affluent fans are not willing to strain themselves financially to buy tickets, just so they can stand behind a bunch of drunk students who stand up the whole game. (This last sentiment comes from my dad more than me.) Also, by about 2003 or 2004, a lot of students got to the point where they would rather go to a bar or dance club rather than go to Carver. The student section is back to 1000 or 1500 at most for a lot of games, especially non-Big Ten games.
-Lots of people want to blame fans for Tom Davis not getting renewed. This was in an era before giving a coach a ten year deal would be considered a recruiting aid. Complaints about Dr. Tom from all quarters (some fans, a fair amount of the media, and Bowlsby) were usually that his recruiting was insufficient. Alford was expected to be able to recruit, and he never really did more than Davis. (Maybe Davis could not have pulled in Reggie Evans, or Tyler Smith, but otherwise, I think Davis could have landed most of the same, or better, recruits.)
- The Carver-Hawkeye Renovations are probably superficial at best. Much of those rooms are still very small, and just have some nice cupboards and carpet thrown on. Iowa could probably use a practice facility. However, the arena, as a whole, is as nice as or nicer than Michigan, Purdue, Northwestern, Minnesota, and maybe Indiana or Illinois. (Maybe).
- Alford s personal skills may be suspect. But the rumors got going far enough that some fans (unfairly) believed a rumor he was not a faithful husband. When you play up your religion as much as he did, and your day-to-day interaction with the little people is not always memorably pleasant, you will have some people call you a hypocrite. Then, with the way the Pierce scandal got handled (not completely Alford s fault), it was the last straw for a lot of fans.
- The turnover, in terms of players, was inexcusable. Here are some lists that I developed:
Players who transferred out:
Alex Thompson, Carlton Reed, Courtney Scott, Ben Rand, Nick DeWitz, Marcellus Sommerville. (I could also count
Jon Beutjer here, but that was more of a football-based
decision.)
Players who left for medical or other reasons:
Kyle Galloway, Sean Sonderleiter.
Players who flunked out, or never got in academically:
Rob Griffin, Joey Range, Jamie Vanderbeken,
Nathan Skinner, Josh Rhodes, Malik Perry?
(Almost Mike Henderson and Erek Hansen)
Players who got into significant trouble with the law:
Pierre Pierce
Other players who may have graduated, but I m not sure:
Josh Kimm, Kurt Spurgeon, Justin Wieck, Jack Brownlee
So, you have at least 13 Alford recruits or players he coached who did not play out their time at Iowa, and did not make the NBA. 13 over 8 years is not easy for fans to swallow, especially when you re used to the Tom Davis system where hungry players come from out of nowhere (the grey team) to make contributions.
- I was never a big Alford supporter, but I didn t turn against him until he had a few years to prove he was (or wasn t) taking Iowa basketball in the right direction. The 05-06 season made me willing to give him another season or two to keep the momentum going. I was disappointed with the 06-07 season s finish, but I was optimistic for next year. But, if players jump ship, or if present recruits don t come to Iowa, then Alford will have dug a hole for the next coach. He probably thinks Davis left him a bare cupboard in 1998, but at least that was not really Davis s fault. This one, in my opinion, will be Alford s true legacy. It will be because of the hard work of next year's coaches and remaining players, and some nice Hawkeye fan support, that the team will approach a .500 record overall.
Finally, I will ask this. To Trey Bradley: how long have you lived in Iowa? I m not bashing you, but I m guessing you may be a transplant from elsewhere. Again, no disrespect to you.
As previously noted, Iowa was among the leaders in college basketball in attendance in Alford's early years. The empty seats are a direct reflection of his PR gaffes, poor recruiting, and the Pierre Pierce scandal. We won't even touch on his arrogance. Oh yeah...there's that small matter of only one NCAA tourney victory in his 8 years. Ouch!
Anyone who's lived in Iowa knows that Iowans have character and expect the same from their coaches and teachers. Alford, despite his clean-cut, Christian image...rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.
If he gets either the winning or the personal part right...he's still at Iowa. But He blew it on both acounts.
Steve had nice hair, but poor people skills and that is directly connected to coaching. He had to take "breaks" to visit Bobby Knight and we know he is a winning coach but I saw him throw his son into another player out of rage at an Iowa game he lost! I don't know if Steve will ever make it as a big time coach, but Iowa is a big time school and the fans love Iowa Hawkeyes and we put our hearts and souls into supporting them. We don't have professional teams, so the Hawkeyes are it!!! We need to win. It makes our day!!! When we pay a million, we expect to win. We need a coach who can recruit and then coach them when they get here. There are no better fans than Hawkeye fans!!!
I must say I am looking forward to a change in coaches and coaching style at The UofI. I was at Vito's downtown IC the night Iowa beat #1 UConn in Alfraud's first game. We were so excited about the future. Bummer. Other than a couple big 10 tourney runs it's been so-so at best. I think Stevie can use this as a learning experience and probably do well at UNM but it never panned out at IA. I hope the next coach at Iowa is someone special. I don't think Dana Altman can create the excitement needed to get us through the next year or two. Hard to say one of the "name's of the day" in Mid-Majors can get it done. The Big 10 just got a bit tougher with Tubby joining the crew. OSU, IL, WI, MSU, IN, and MN...who knows who MI will grab. Bruce is very appealing. His enthusiasm and style would bring back days of old. Can he go far in the tourney though? Who knows. All I know is that the great memories of IA basketball I have are from the Tom Davis era. Classy guy and over-achieving players. The best player from Steve's reign was Reggie Evans. Awesome player but that team underachieved. Hire Mark Verbrugge. Here's to better days.
This is the logical well written article I've seen on this subject. At Iowa we haven't had a great basketball tradition. I'll be happy if we're lucky enought to get Altman, Marshall, or Lowry. Steve Alford did a great job for us, I hope we can get a coach to continue what he did for us.
It's quite obvious that Trey Bradley has nver attended a basketball game at Craver Hawkeye Arena, nor does he have knowledge of the Iowa Basketball program. The UofI is currently funding a new practice arena and Carver Hawkeye is as good as it gets for a basketball arena. The reason for the empty seats "Steve Alford" speaking from experience (gave up my seats). Steve needed some excuse to save face thereby, the statement that Iowa is a footabll school. If Mr. Bradley knew anything about Iowa he would know that Iowa is a Football, Basketball, Wrestling, and all other sports school.
Touche' I too was thrilled with the hiring of Steve Alford and the win over UConn. The future was so bright we were all wearing shades. Then, people like my folks who had bot season tickets for years were told that "because they could" the athletic department not only raised the prices of per game tickets but insisted on an additional contribution in order to keep these same seats. My folks said no and have not stepped foot back in Carver since. They still followed the Hawks but their enthusiasm waned like all of us. We just knew that our 10 point lead with 5 minutes to go would vanish and sure enough. You knew that we would not guard the player on the other team who had the hottest hand at the end of the game and allow him to take the shot to beat us. You watched all this year as teams consistently got 10-15 offensive rebounds. Someone please tell me how many turnovers we forced this year with our press? Not able to work to a players stengths! Example, Nick Dewitt transfers to IA, everyone is excited about his potential, he falls on his face here, transfers to Oregon State and all he does is become their leading scorer and helps them earn a spot in the NCAA. For the faults Dr. Tom may have had, they were few (recruiting), he could take a player like Les Jepsen and make him a force his senior year. Glen Worley was sought after by many many big time programs and he played like a high schooler when he graduated (completed his eligibility). For gods sake were having games where you show up with an A on your report card and you get in for free! My kids got the same deal at Family Video and Barnum Bailey circus! Good luck NM and Steve Alford, we are all breathing easier. Only time will tell but I don't really think we can hire anyone who will cause the friction that SA has created. Crossing my fingers...
"This is the logical well written article I've seen on this subject. At Iowa we haven't had a great basketball tradition."
AND
"It's quite obvious that Trey Bradley has nver attended a basketball game at Craver Hawkeye Arena, nor does he have knowledge of the Iowa Basketball program."
Rick, please don't confuse my differing opinion of Iowa basketball for a lack of attendance or knowledge. As mentioned previously, I attended more than half the home games this season and have followed Iowa basketball and the Big Ten closely for as long as I can remember. If you think Carver-Hawkeye is as good as it gets, you're missing out. As an avid Iowa fan, I hope the bball facilities continue to get better and it sounds like they will. Again, the fact that they have plans to renovate seems to validate my point about the facilities being sub-par at the moment.
For those of you scoring at home, Pearl said thanks-but-no-thanks.
"This is the logical well written article I've seen on this subject. At Iowa we haven't had a great basketball tradition."
AND
"It's quite obvious that Trey Bradley has nver attended a basketball game at Craver Hawkeye Arena, nor does he have knowledge of the Iowa Basketball program."
Rick, please don't confuse my differing opinion of Iowa basketball for a lack of attendance or knowledge. If you do that, I'll promise not to hold "Craver Hawkeye Arena" against your assumed attendance or knowledge. Deal?
As mentioned previously, I attended more than half the home games this season and last, and have followed Iowa basketball and the Big Ten closely for as long as I can remember. If you think Carver-Hawkeye is as good as it gets, Rick... you're missing out.
As an avid Iowa fan, I hope the bball facilities continue to get better and it sounds like they will in the near future. Again, the fact that they have plans to renovate seems to validate my point about the facilities being sub-par at the moment.
For those of you scoring at home, Pearl said thanks-but-no-thanks.
Iowa won't be getting Gillispie. He just re-upped with A&M.
Starting to wonder if Iowa is going to have to wait for the Kentucky, Michigan chips to fall before they can lock somebody down.
Trey,
Just wanted to give you a friendly update on your old friend Steve Alford. Under Alford's direction, New Mexico is currently 13-2 on the season heading into its first conference matchups. Lobo fans are heralding Alford as a saint in Albuquerque for turning around a team that was 15-17 and finished in the ninth place in the Mountain West Conference last season. It looks like Alford is "sticking it" to Iowa afterall.
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about 1 year ago
THE MARQUEE GAMES YOU SPEAK OF ARE? HOW CAN IT BE CONSIDERED THE ABOVE IF ONLY ONE TEAM IS ANY GOOD? ALSO HOW DID HE STICK IT TO IOWA, HE DID THEM A FAVOR BY LEAVING. FOR INSTANCE NOT TOO MANY TOP COACHES THAT I HAVE EVER HEARD OF ARE WILLING TO TAKE A 50% CUT IN PAY, OR $500,000 ANNUALLY. ALSO SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN IOWA CITY, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE THERE?
about 1 year ago
UNM had considered Gregg Marshall until they had the opportunity to get Alford. Wouldn't that be ironic if Iowa ended up with New Mexico's second choice?
about 1 year ago
This statement is false:
"Those empty seats weren t intended to spite Alford...they were just empty."
Those seats were empty to spite Alford, ask any season ticket holder who gave them up after the PP scandal and general dissatisfaction with Alford.
"The Hawkeyes shouldn't expect any more from those three than they got out of Steve Alford." - If any of the potential candidates shows any class and respect for the fans and program then they already have Alford beat hands down.
about 1 year ago
My family has had basketball AND football season tickets for over 50 years when they declined to purchase basketball tickets a few years after Alford's arrival. The lack of fans in Carver Hawkeye arena the last several years has absolutely nothing to do with Iowans not being basketball fans and everything to do with not respecting Alford as coach.
Iowa fans will give back everything and more a coach brings to the school and program and Alford had nothing to give to Iowa City or the Hawkeye fans.
about 1 year ago
- sticking it to iowa: leaving 4 years before his contract was up... essentially telling them to shove it before they could fire him after another mediocre season next year.
- contract: no confirmed details out yet, but reports indicate new mexico will be able to sustain alford's current salary (which is a surmountable $1mil)
- my time in iowa city: currently reside in iowa, attended more than half their home games this season, including "marquee" games like #1 wisconsin and the regular season finale with rival illinois. both nationally televised.
- empty seats: hard to respect a basketball program that can't even fill its student section. especially at a large state university. iowa isn't just a football state, its a football-then-wrestling state. better crowds for wrestling than hoops, and i don't blame the fans for that choice.
about 1 year ago
The reason they have trouble filling seats is because iowa has like 3 people per square mile and when your team is average not many people are willing to drive hours to see them struggle. Secondly, Steve Alford is a fine coach and anyone complaining about his character is simply misguided.
about 1 year ago
Iowa paid Steve Alford over $8 million dollars per NCAA victory over 8 years. That was a horrible return on investment. Gary Barta made it abundantly clear after the end of season collapse that included losses at Penn State and Purdue in the conference tournament that major improvement was expected next season. Steve knew he couldn't get the job done and bolted. How is that "sticking it to Iowa"? Iowa is known as a football school because it worships its football coach Kirk Ferentz. But Kirk is everything that Steve is not, he his humble, successful, unassuming and really enjoys Iowa. Steve was ready to leave Iowa the moment he got here. He outright campaigned for the Indiana job both times it opened up, yet for some reason, Indiana was not interested.... He flirted with Missouri last season as well.
You also site a lack of facilities at Iowa, but Carver Hawkeye was renovated just after Steve got here with new locker rooms, weight rooms and offices. A new practice facility is also in the works. That line of reasoning is bogus.
Iowa fans will line up behind the new coach and support its basketball program and Iowa has the money to lure a top-notch coach. Stop kidding yourself.
about 1 year ago
Trey your last comments are very interesting.
To start with "leaving 4 years before his contract was up... essentially telling them to shove it before they could fire him after another mediocre season next year."
If he was such a great coach why would he be worried about a mediocre season with his abilities and his recruits?
Second,
Make sure you have facts before you start rambling about dollars..total package at Iowa vs NM?? Playing in big ten...!!
This quote is the best
empty seats: hard to respect a basketball program that can't even fill its student section. especially at a large state university.
Go back and check to see how many seats were empty when Coach Alford started..and how it has progressed to what it is currently..and let me know how a KENTUCKY, DUKE, KANSAS, ILLINOIS would have handled their coach with the same type of numbers, winning percentages, conference play, and post season invites?
The Iowa fan base lost respect for the coach, not the program or the players!! Not all because of his "ability to coach but for his respect to the program and fans" I believe Steve knows that and that is why he is leaving!
I am sure with all the "my time in Iowa City: currently reside in Iowa" you spend in IC you have already figured this out!!
Lastly, I cannot believe you would disrespect Altman, Lowery and Marshall the way you did, basically placing them on a second tier of college coaches, It really shows your lack of knowledge with the college game..There are a lot of MAJOR programs that would take anyone of those three guys for what they have accomplished..similar to the way Coach Alford started!!
Thanks for your opinion, but don t blame IOWA fans for wanting a TOP NOTCH CONTENDER for their basketball program just like we do for our FOOTBALL, WRESTLING (speaking of coaching changes), and ALL of their athletic programs
GO HAWKS
JMO
about 1 year ago
It's completely erronous to state that empty seats at Iowa basketball games in recent years is because Iowa is more of a football school.
In 1999, Iowa ranked 17th in the nation in men's basketball attendance, averaging 14,173 fans per game.
In 2006, attendance for Iowa basketball had declined to 12,206 per game yet was still ranked 25th among NCAA men's division I basketball teams in attendance.
The loss of two thousand in attendance can be linked to no other reason than the lack of success during the Alford era (one NCAA tournament win, a losing Big Ten record and failure to make the NCAA tournament more than 50% of the time) and the unpopularity of the coach with the boosters and fan base.
about 1 year ago
Steve Alford left because his boss told him that the program would need to be better next year or he was going to be shown the door. He knows that it is not possible based the talent he has coming back next year (with the players HE recruited). So, he chose to leave, because he didn't want to look for a job with word "terminated" on his Resume.
You can debate about his "level of success" as an iowa coach, but there is definately an incompatability between Steve Alford and the "Iowa culture", for lack of a better term. He is "perceived" as arrogant, and blames others for any shortcomings of the basketball program. Whether it be throwing his players under the bus when his team loses a game, or blaming "football first University/fans" for not supporting him, or lack of facilities... I could go on but I won't. I will say that its funny that Lute Olson took Iowa to the final four when all he had to practice and play in was a rat infested field house. And, neither Lute, nor Tom Davis had issues filling the Gym on game night.
I see this as a win-win situation. Alford gets a new start, and so does the Iowa basketball program.
I do wish Steve and his family the best. I hope he takes what has learned from his tenure at Iowa and has a very successful career.
about 1 year ago
I am a 42 year old UNM Men's Basketball season ticket holder. I have had these tickets since 1988 when UNM hired Dave Bliss from SMU. I have watched the program slowly but steadily decline since the departure of Bliss after the 1998-99 season. Lobo fans, such as myself, WANT someone like Steve Alford to come in a right the ship. It's obvious that Alford was no longer WANTED in Iowa City. As a part of human nature we all long to be liked, accepted and wanted. This is not to overshadow that we as rabid and sometimes unrealistic fans expect winning. But I will tell you this, Lobo fans still put 13,000 fans in the The Pit for a game that matched up the bottom two teams in the Mountain West Conference. We will support Steve Alford and that's all anyone can ask for.
about 1 year ago
"Big Ten" not "Big 11"
you lost all credability on college basketball on that one.
about 1 year ago
it's a joke, idiot.
about 1 year ago
Steve Alford did not have a great work ethic. He was fortunate to have some talented players seek out Iowa as their college choice (Brunner, Horner, etc...). Tell me one NBA player other then Reggie Evans that has played in the NBA? Also, do you remember how underachieving that team was with Recker and Evans. Last year (2005-2006) Iowa won the Big ten title because of great dedicated in-state kids. Alford's arrogance has been a downfall. He runs a pretty clean program but he thinks talent will come to him. This is not UCLA or Kansas. Look for Iowa to get a big name coach and 3-4 JUCO's. Good luck to Alford and the new coach. One will need it more than the other!
about 1 year ago
Trey Bradley, a typical sports fan that grew up in Iowa yet is a Notre Dame fan. Congratulations, you have officially chosen to jump on the biggest bandwagon ever, not to mention the following gems: Also a Cards (recent WS champs), White Sox (recent WS champs) and let me guess you became a Niners fan when Jerry Rice and Montana/Young were winning Super Bowls.
about 1 year ago
This is all pretty interesting and I just wanted to throw in my two cents worth and see what everyone thinks. First, I am really glad to see Alford go, he has burnt many bridges here in Iowa and he can not rebuild them. Second, I doubt if Pearl will leave Tennessee for Iowa. Third, I think Iowa needs to look west of us to Creighton to find the right coach. Now I'm going to throw this thought in to really stir things up. Steve McClain, who is an Iowa native was just terminated from the HC position at Wyoming where he brought the Cowboys to a couple of conference championships and some success they had not experienced in years. Steve's AD was Gary Barta. I don't know what their relationship was but I heard Gary extended Steve's contract just before he left there to take the AD job at Iowa. Anybody have any information on this to share.
Doc
about 1 year ago
Bruce Pearl and Brenda Frese...imagine that! That would get this Nebraska football fan to pay attention to Iowa basketball.
Please save your article and review it in 3 or 4 years. By then the UNM fans will have dispatched Alford to ESPN where he will be another talking head.
Iowa and Iowa State have always been basketball schools. The football school is 285 miles west of here.
about 1 year ago
If Trey Bradley did a little more than just sit down and pound on a keyboard, such as DOING SOME RESEARCH like responsible reporters do, he'd find out that Carver is slated to be referbished and a new practice facility is going to be built.
But sadly, he is just like the majority of today's so-called media. He just recycles things he reads.
Dufus.
about 1 year ago
dude - it says right across the top of this site, "you make the call." no one here is trying to report anything... its an editorial site.
there's something to be said for uniting the fan base as a coach. alford didn't do that, so it was best for both parties to part ways.
about 1 year ago
how about mike montgomery. isn't it about time he got back into college hoops? he was awesome at stanford.
not sure if he would be interest in iowa or michigan. but maybe kentucky? doesn't seem like the right fit but schools with vacancies should be calling.
about 1 year ago
As a longterm Iowa BB ticket holder I can attest that I have not attended a game for the last two years. I wanted to give Steve every opportunity I could. Yet, Steve acted as if he was entitiled to free everything.....I mean you make 10 - 20 times what an average Iowan earns and you cannot pay for anything? This is not just talk. It happened and I could not support Steve. Maybe that is how it is in other parts of the country, but it doesn't play in Iowa. Why did I keep buying them? I knew that Steve would leave, the U of I will get a good one, and BB tickets will once again be hard to get.....like the football tickets I have are.
about 1 year ago
Hey writer!!!! You are an idiot!!!!!
Go Huskers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
about 1 year ago
It's going to be tough watching the Lobos win and knowing it could have been my Hawkeyes.
about 1 year ago
"iowa isn't just a football state, its a football-then-wrestling state. better crowds for wrestling than hoops,"
Not true. While Iowa wrestling has passionate and loyal fans, Carver-Hawkeye still gets way more fans for B-ball games than wrestling. In Iowa, football is 1, basketball 1B. Wrestling is a distant 2.
about 1 year ago
Mr. Bradley,
I'm surprised your newspaper would publish an article so poorly researched as your coumn on Steve Alford. I'll make a couple of brief points because, quite frankly, to point out all of the inaccuracies in the article would take more time than I have:
1. Alford had a losing Big 10 record at Iowa and one of the worst conference records of any coach in Iowa history.
2. Before Alford, we fired a coach who made the NCAA tourney 10 out of the 13 years he was at Iowa and who never lost a first round NCAA tourney game. The mantra from the AD at the time was that Iowa basketball needed to move to the "next level." Enter Alford.
3. In 8 years, he took Iowa to 3 NCAA tournaments and managed a grand total of 1 NCAA tournament victory. And did I mention he was sub-.500 in conference play? Hardly the next level we were looking for.
4. Football is popular at Iowa, but it is by no means a place where the basketball program is second fiddle. When Alford arrived, the football team was coming off a 1-10 season and the fans were much, much more excited about the future of the basketball program than the football program. Any basketball coach who comes to Iowa and wins big is going to as popular, if not more, than Kirk Ferentz.
5. Iowa recently approved a $45 million renovation project for Carver Hawkeye Arena, including construction of a practice facility.
Alford had more than enough time to accomplish what he was hired to do. He didn't get it done--not even close. I wish him the best at NM. But I am excited about Iowa basketball once again, knowing that we're already better off than we were a week ago.
Todd Kinney
about 1 year ago
I also mentioned Steve's sub-.500 record. Check the 5th paragraph. Apparently it's inaccurate when I mention it, but correct when you reiterate it?
8 years, 3 tournaments, and a noticeable lack of wins? ... also mentioned in my editorial. Again, must only be accurate when you state it.
I'm glad Iowa has committed to upgrading its facilities. I think that serves to prove my point that right now, they are substandard, don't you? Why else would they be shelling out $45 mil?
"RIGHT NOW, Gillispie and Pearl have better players, better facilities, and, quite frankly, better fan bases at their respective universities." So why would they leave for a rebuilding project was my point.
I also believe that basketball comes second at Iowa. Alford decided to go to a clearly basketball-first school that is ahead of the curve in terms of facilities and commitment to hoops. Even though that school plays in a "lesser" conference.
That is my opinion, from having spent time around the athletic program and having observed the Iowa-Alford saga. I do not work for this site (by the way, it's far from a newspaper). It seems that your criticisms--and those of many others who have commented-- revolve around my opinions. Not the facts, that I did take the time to research.
about 1 year ago
Having read the majority of his press conference transcript yesterday, I was impressed with his grasp of the importance of this coaching search.
He knows there are openings at Michigan and Kentucky... and that Minnesota already beat Iowa to the punch in hiring a big name coach. So he's got his work cut out for him.
This hire will be the start of his legacy as A.D. at Iowa and all indications are, he's more than capable of handling it. I think he needs to make a big splash, and soon. If that happens, Alford will be an afterthought.
about 1 year ago
Iowa's an armpit anyway.
All hail Oklahoma and Bob Stoops! Go sooners! Yay!
about 1 year ago
How'd I get here?
about 1 year ago
The way they treated Alford was terrible. Best of luck to Steve and his family in New Mexico. You WILL be missed by some of us LOYAL Hawkeyes.
about 1 year ago
Better luck with less fickle fans, Captain Steve. Best wishes for your wonderful family.
about 1 year ago
It was long overdue. Even if our program sits in the Big Ten cellar for a generation, it was worth it to see him off.
about 1 year ago
Come on, Barta!
about 1 year ago
Here are some points I think people are missing, or getting wrong:
- Shortly after Alford arrived, the student section got increased by about 3 times (from what I estimate at 500 to 1000 capacity in 1998 to about 3000 to 3500 before 2002.) And, it happened when fans were still excited. So, to get more kids in for free, Iowa began to reject season ticket applications from people who did not give any, or big enough donations. This was a mis-step, and I think it still has effects today. Non-student fans were happy to fill the arena, until this happened. Now, with rising ticket prices, a lot of older or not-as-affluent fans are not willing to strain themselves financially to buy tickets, just so they can stand behind a bunch of drunk students who stand up the whole game. (This last sentiment comes from my dad more than me.) Also, by about 2003 or 2004, a lot of students got to the point where they would rather go to a bar or dance club rather than go to Carver. The student section is back to 1000 or 1500 at most for a lot of games, especially non-Big Ten games.
-Lots of people want to blame fans for Tom Davis not getting renewed. This was in an era before giving a coach a ten year deal would be considered a recruiting aid. Complaints about Dr. Tom from all quarters (some fans, a fair amount of the media, and Bowlsby) were usually that his recruiting was insufficient. Alford was expected to be able to recruit, and he never really did more than Davis. (Maybe Davis could not have pulled in Reggie Evans, or Tyler Smith, but otherwise, I think Davis could have landed most of the same, or better, recruits.)
- The Carver-Hawkeye Renovations are probably superficial at best. Much of those rooms are still very small, and just have some nice cupboards and carpet thrown on. Iowa could probably use a practice facility. However, the arena, as a whole, is as nice as or nicer than Michigan, Purdue, Northwestern, Minnesota, and maybe Indiana or Illinois. (Maybe).
- Alford s personal skills may be suspect. But the rumors got going far enough that some fans (unfairly) believed a rumor he was not a faithful husband. When you play up your religion as much as he did, and your day-to-day interaction with the little people is not always memorably pleasant, you will have some people call you a hypocrite. Then, with the way the Pierce scandal got handled (not completely Alford s fault), it was the last straw for a lot of fans.
- The turnover, in terms of players, was inexcusable. Here are some lists that I developed:
Players who transferred out:
Alex Thompson, Carlton Reed, Courtney Scott, Ben Rand, Nick DeWitz, Marcellus Sommerville. (I could also count
Jon Beutjer here, but that was more of a football-based
decision.)
Players who left for medical or other reasons:
Kyle Galloway, Sean Sonderleiter.
Players who flunked out, or never got in academically:
Rob Griffin, Joey Range, Jamie Vanderbeken,
Nathan Skinner, Josh Rhodes, Malik Perry?
(Almost Mike Henderson and Erek Hansen)
Players who got into significant trouble with the law:
Pierre Pierce
Other players who may have graduated, but I m not sure:
Josh Kimm, Kurt Spurgeon, Justin Wieck, Jack Brownlee
So, you have at least 13 Alford recruits or players he coached who did not play out their time at Iowa, and did not make the NBA. 13 over 8 years is not easy for fans to swallow, especially when you re used to the Tom Davis system where hungry players come from out of nowhere (the grey team) to make contributions.
- I was never a big Alford supporter, but I didn t turn against him until he had a few years to prove he was (or wasn t) taking Iowa basketball in the right direction. The 05-06 season made me willing to give him another season or two to keep the momentum going. I was disappointed with the 06-07 season s finish, but I was optimistic for next year. But, if players jump ship, or if present recruits don t come to Iowa, then Alford will have dug a hole for the next coach. He probably thinks Davis left him a bare cupboard in 1998, but at least that was not really Davis s fault. This one, in my opinion, will be Alford s true legacy. It will be because of the hard work of next year's coaches and remaining players, and some nice Hawkeye fan support, that the team will approach a .500 record overall.
Finally, I will ask this. To Trey Bradley: how long have you lived in Iowa? I m not bashing you, but I m guessing you may be a transplant from elsewhere. Again, no disrespect to you.
about 1 year ago
As previously noted, Iowa was among the leaders in college basketball in attendance in Alford's early years. The empty seats are a direct reflection of his PR gaffes, poor recruiting, and the Pierre Pierce scandal. We won't even touch on his arrogance. Oh yeah...there's that small matter of only one NCAA tourney victory in his 8 years. Ouch!
Anyone who's lived in Iowa knows that Iowans have character and expect the same from their coaches and teachers. Alford, despite his clean-cut, Christian image...rubbed a lot of people the wrong way.
If he gets either the winning or the personal part right...he's still at Iowa. But He blew it on both acounts.
about 1 year ago
Steve had nice hair, but poor people skills and that is directly connected to coaching. He had to take "breaks" to visit Bobby Knight and we know he is a winning coach but I saw him throw his son into another player out of rage at an Iowa game he lost! I don't know if Steve will ever make it as a big time coach, but Iowa is a big time school and the fans love Iowa Hawkeyes and we put our hearts and souls into supporting them. We don't have professional teams, so the Hawkeyes are it!!! We need to win. It makes our day!!! When we pay a million, we expect to win. We need a coach who can recruit and then coach them when they get here. There are no better fans than Hawkeye fans!!!
about 1 year ago
I must say I am looking forward to a change in coaches and coaching style at The UofI. I was at Vito's downtown IC the night Iowa beat #1 UConn in Alfraud's first game. We were so excited about the future. Bummer. Other than a couple big 10 tourney runs it's been so-so at best. I think Stevie can use this as a learning experience and probably do well at UNM but it never panned out at IA. I hope the next coach at Iowa is someone special. I don't think Dana Altman can create the excitement needed to get us through the next year or two. Hard to say one of the "name's of the day" in Mid-Majors can get it done. The Big 10 just got a bit tougher with Tubby joining the crew. OSU, IL, WI, MSU, IN, and MN...who knows who MI will grab. Bruce is very appealing. His enthusiasm and style would bring back days of old. Can he go far in the tourney though? Who knows. All I know is that the great memories of IA basketball I have are from the Tom Davis era. Classy guy and over-achieving players. The best player from Steve's reign was Reggie Evans. Awesome player but that team underachieved. Hire Mark Verbrugge. Here's to better days.
about 1 year ago
This is the logical well written article I've seen on this subject. At Iowa we haven't had a great basketball tradition. I'll be happy if we're lucky enought to get Altman, Marshall, or Lowry. Steve Alford did a great job for us, I hope we can get a coach to continue what he did for us.
about 1 year ago
It's quite obvious that Trey Bradley has nver attended a basketball game at Craver Hawkeye Arena, nor does he have knowledge of the Iowa Basketball program. The UofI is currently funding a new practice arena and Carver Hawkeye is as good as it gets for a basketball arena. The reason for the empty seats "Steve Alford" speaking from experience (gave up my seats). Steve needed some excuse to save face thereby, the statement that Iowa is a footabll school. If Mr. Bradley knew anything about Iowa he would know that Iowa is a Football, Basketball, Wrestling, and all other sports school.
about 1 year ago
Touche' I too was thrilled with the hiring of Steve Alford and the win over UConn. The future was so bright we were all wearing shades. Then, people like my folks who had bot season tickets for years were told that "because they could" the athletic department not only raised the prices of per game tickets but insisted on an additional contribution in order to keep these same seats. My folks said no and have not stepped foot back in Carver since. They still followed the Hawks but their enthusiasm waned like all of us. We just knew that our 10 point lead with 5 minutes to go would vanish and sure enough. You knew that we would not guard the player on the other team who had the hottest hand at the end of the game and allow him to take the shot to beat us. You watched all this year as teams consistently got 10-15 offensive rebounds. Someone please tell me how many turnovers we forced this year with our press? Not able to work to a players stengths! Example, Nick Dewitt transfers to IA, everyone is excited about his potential, he falls on his face here, transfers to Oregon State and all he does is become their leading scorer and helps them earn a spot in the NCAA. For the faults Dr. Tom may have had, they were few (recruiting), he could take a player like Les Jepsen and make him a force his senior year. Glen Worley was sought after by many many big time programs and he played like a high schooler when he graduated (completed his eligibility). For gods sake were having games where you show up with an A on your report card and you get in for free! My kids got the same deal at Family Video and Barnum Bailey circus! Good luck NM and Steve Alford, we are all breathing easier. Only time will tell but I don't really think we can hire anyone who will cause the friction that SA has created. Crossing my fingers...
about 1 year ago
In back-to-back postings, I get:
"This is the logical well written article I've seen on this subject. At Iowa we haven't had a great basketball tradition."
AND
"It's quite obvious that Trey Bradley has nver attended a basketball game at Craver Hawkeye Arena, nor does he have knowledge of the Iowa Basketball program."
Rick, please don't confuse my differing opinion of Iowa basketball for a lack of attendance or knowledge. As mentioned previously, I attended more than half the home games this season and have followed Iowa basketball and the Big Ten closely for as long as I can remember. If you think Carver-Hawkeye is as good as it gets, you're missing out. As an avid Iowa fan, I hope the bball facilities continue to get better and it sounds like they will. Again, the fact that they have plans to renovate seems to validate my point about the facilities being sub-par at the moment.
For those of you scoring at home, Pearl said thanks-but-no-thanks.
about 1 year ago
In back-to-back postings, I get:
"This is the logical well written article I've seen on this subject. At Iowa we haven't had a great basketball tradition."
AND
"It's quite obvious that Trey Bradley has nver attended a basketball game at Craver Hawkeye Arena, nor does he have knowledge of the Iowa Basketball program."
Rick, please don't confuse my differing opinion of Iowa basketball for a lack of attendance or knowledge. If you do that, I'll promise not to hold "Craver Hawkeye Arena" against your assumed attendance or knowledge. Deal?
As mentioned previously, I attended more than half the home games this season and last, and have followed Iowa basketball and the Big Ten closely for as long as I can remember. If you think Carver-Hawkeye is as good as it gets, Rick... you're missing out.
As an avid Iowa fan, I hope the bball facilities continue to get better and it sounds like they will in the near future. Again, the fact that they have plans to renovate seems to validate my point about the facilities being sub-par at the moment.
For those of you scoring at home, Pearl said thanks-but-no-thanks.
about 1 year ago
Iowa won't be getting Gillispie. He just re-upped with A&M.
Starting to wonder if Iowa is going to have to wait for the Kentucky, Michigan chips to fall before they can lock somebody down.
10 months ago
Trey,
Just wanted to give you a friendly update on your old friend Steve Alford. Under Alford's direction, New Mexico is currently 13-2 on the season heading into its first conference matchups. Lobo fans are heralding Alford as a saint in Albuquerque for turning around a team that was 15-17 and finished in the ninth place in the Mountain West Conference last season. It looks like Alford is "sticking it" to Iowa afterall.
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