Iowa - pretty much no effort

[LeftyLarry]

Iowa fans have plenty to complain about.
As a Badger fan, I feel pretty confident that if Bo Ryan had those kids past 4 years and Gard was Coaching them, we'd be at least in the sweet 16 now anyway.
Basically, we could beat Iowa with their guys or with our guys,
That teams last month with so many veteran weapons there, was disgraceful.

 

[hdhntr1]

Oh, forgot about the grammar police. Sorry, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

However, since I apparently have a captive audience (and Hawkeye haters in this thread), I have a question for you, or any N'Western fan, that I've been curious about for sometime. With the small arena size of Welsh Ryan Arena, does N'Western have a new, or relatively new, basketball only practice facility? The reason I ask is that I keep reading the optimism about the future of N'Western basketball; however, assuming no new practice facility and with the small arena, I'm wondering what the draw will be for big time hoops recruits? Obviously, there is more than just facilities to attract recruits, such as coaching staff, tradition, quality of education, etc. However, before Iowa added an attached practice facility to Carver, the lack of such was cited by some recruits as a detriment. Carver Hawkeye Arena certainly has it's downside, but does seat 15,500. I know from talking to some of my Gopher buddies that the lack of a practice facility in Minnesota has somewhat hindered their recruiting. Your thoughts?

It presently is a shortcoming. A big problem is that NU has no space for expansion. However, with FB moving to the lakefront once the new practice facility is completed, it will free up the FB indoor practice facility. That should help BB tremendously as well as VB.

 

[Medill90]

For perspective, Villanova played 6 Rivals four star players and 1 five star player today, while Iowa played 1 four star player.

Looking back, it was amazing that Coach McCaffery was able to achieve 3 NCAA tourney appearances and an appearance in the NIT final with Gesell and Clemmons playing major roles.

Gesell was a consensus four star recruit and Utoff was given four stars by ESPN.

 

[Hans81]

Thanks to those who responded with their thoughts on the Northwestern basketball facilities.

Apparently, I was wrong about T. Ulis wanting to come to Iowa, so sorry about that.

I had almost forgotten the pompous, elitist attitude of many (not all) on this board. I doubt the responses I see here would be made in person. If so, I feel sorry for you and hope your children aren't raised to talk down to the uneducated masses.

 

[thewildcat2011]

Thanks to those who responded with their thoughts on the Northwestern basketball facilities.

Apparently, I was wrong about T. Ulis wanting to come to Iowa, so sorry about that.

I had almost forgotten the pompous, elitist attitude of many (not all) on this board. I doubt the responses I see here would be made in person. If so, I feel sorry for you and hope your children aren't raised to talk down to the uneducated masses.

Our facilities suck. We are trying to improve, but CC is gonna have to do it without much facilities help.

I'm basically at every NU home game so let me know when you come to Evanston and I'll gladly tell you that Ulis was never going to come to Iowa.

 

[Hans81]

OK, let's put it this way - at least Ulis was closer to coming to Iowa than N'Western and likely much closer than you want to admit. While I have plans to make it to more B10 venues, sorry Evanston is not real high on my list. Thanks for the offer though.

 

[thewildcat2011]

OK, let's put it this way - at least Ulis was closer to coming to Iowa than N'Western and likely much closer than you want to admit. While I have plans to make it to more B10 venues, sorry Evanston is not real high on my list. Thanks for the offer though.

Ah well, no question about him being closer to committing to Iowa than NU...something that was never really in question at any point in time, much less this thread.

Sorry you'll miss out on coming to Evanston and Chicago, some of the greatest places on this small and finite earth. I'll gladly buy you a beer or cocktail of your choice if you ever do decide to grace us with your all-knowing presence.

 

[Hans81]

Ah yes, the condescending tone I anticipated. However, I highly doubt you're a beer drinker...you strike me more as the tea and crumpets crowd. Much too high class for little 'ol me.

 

[thewildcat2011]

Ah yes, the condescending tone I anticipated. However, I highly doubt you're a beer drinker...you strike me more as the tea and crumpets crowd. Much too high class for little 'ol me.

You read what you wanna read. At no point have I been condescending, just truthful--you wanna make it a class thing, then go ahead, but you won't find evidence anywhere here.

It's ok to admit that you may have overstated your position, no judgment. I'm here whenever you wanna come up and have this discussion in person. Hell, I'll even give you my phone number if you wanna talk it out man to man. Enjoy your night and try not to let a 5'10 guard make you too upset.

 

[Gladeskat]

Ah yes, the condescending tone I anticipated. However, I highly doubt you're a beer drinker...you strike me more as the tea and crumpets crowd. Much too high class for little 'ol me.

Not all of us. I like a good cold one every now and then when I'm in a rowdy mood. Have you ever tried Jacobsen's Brewhouse Vintage #1? It's aged in Swedish and French oak barrels for 6 months. Costs around $400 a bottle, but I'll pick up the tab.

 

[Hans81]

Actually, after I posted a question in Hawkeye lounge about Ulis recruitment nearly two-thirds of the 30+ responses indicated that at one point (b4 Kentucky got involved) the Ulis camp (particularly his high school coach) said Hawks were #1 choice, so my memory has not totally failed me. . Sorry, N'Western fan - I don't want your # (that's too creepy for me).

 

[thewildcat2011]

Actually, after I posted a question in Hawkeye lounge about Ulis recruitment nearly two-thirds of the 30+ responses indicated that at one point (b4 Kentucky got involved) the Ulis camp (particularly his high school coach) said Hawks were #1 choice, so my memory has not totally failed me. . Sorry, N'Western fan - I don't want your # (that's too creepy for me).

Well if the Iowa message boards say...it must be true . Keep on truckin'.

 

[Hans81]

Finally located the 8/6/14 article Michael O'Brien at suntimehighschoolsports.com with following quote: "Everything changed when Kentucky offered" Ulis said "That's just where my heart was. If they hadn't have come into the picture I might have ended up at Iowa." That's what I recall seeing & since he didn't mention MSU, don't think I'm making too big of a leap in that if not for KU he is Hawk bound. I'm still glad that Indy beat KU in the tourney. Case closed & I'm vindicated.

 

[Gladeskat]

Finally located the 8/6/14 article Michael O'Brien at suntimehighschoolsports.com with following quote: "Everything changed when Kentucky offered" Ulis said "That's just where my heart was. If they hadn't have come into the picture I might have ended up at Iowa." That's what I recall seeing & since he didn't mention MSU, don't think I'm making too big of a leap in that if not for KU he is Hawk bound. I'm still glad that Indy beat KU in the tourney. Case closed & I'm vindicated.

I like the quote. It sounds like Kentucky saved him from having to play for dumpy Iowa.

 

[Hans81]

If iowa is "dumpy" - hate to see how the mild cats are characterized!!!

 

[Gladeskat]

If iowa is "dumpy" - hate to see how the mild cats are characterized!!!

Not as smelly.

 

[Hans81]

LOL. Hey wildcat2011, you asked me to find a "shred of evidence" that Ulis' college choice (before Kentucky got in late), was Iowa. Well, a poster on the Hawkeye Lounge did some digging and came up with two more articles (in addition to one I previously mentioned) that supports that contention. One was an IA City Gazette article that referenced "Chicago Tribune" that reported "today Ulis is likely to decide between Iowa and Kentucky". Another one was a BHGP link mentioning "Ulis to choose Kentucky over Iowa". Sorry, I'm not up on how to add links to my posts, but I just had to follow-up, since you displayed such arrogance on the subject.

 

[Gladeskat]

LOL. Hey wildcat2011, you asked me to find a "shred of evidence" that Ulis' college choice (before Kentucky got in late), was Iowa. Well, a poster on the Hawkeye Lounge did some digging and came up with two more articles (in addition to one I previously mentioned) that supports that contention. One was an IA City Gazette article that referenced "Chicago Tribune" that reported "today Ulis is likely to decide between Iowa and Kentucky". Another one was a BHGP link mentioning "Ulis to choose Kentucky over Iowa". Sorry, I'm not up on how to add links to my posts, but I just had to follow-up, since you displayed such arrogance on the subject.

Rebuttals without links are regarded with arrogant condescension here. What did you major in at Iowa, animal husbandry? Leisure studies?

 

[thewildcat2011]

LOL. Hey wildcat2011, you asked me to find a "shred of evidence" that Ulis' college choice (before Kentucky got in late), was Iowa. Well, a poster on the Hawkeye Lounge did some digging and came up with two more articles (in addition to one I previously mentioned) that supports that contention. One was an IA City Gazette article that referenced "Chicago Tribune" that reported "today Ulis is likely to decide between Iowa and Kentucky". Another one was a BHGP link mentioning "Ulis to choose Kentucky over Iowa". Sorry, I'm not up on how to add links to my posts, but I just had to follow-up, since you displayed such arrogance on the subject.

I was hoping that you'd stop because I wasn't interested in discussing it further, but here we go I guess. First off, every single article you cited calls Michigan State a finalist, so it's false to say that MSU wasn't mentioned.

The Sun-Times Article: “Everything changed when Kentucky offered,” Ulis said. “That’s just where my heart was. If they hadn’t have come into the picture I might have ended up at Iowa.”

You have no idea what he was asked here and by whom. This quote was just dropped into the article and without actually knowing what the context is, you can't really make a leap. If he was asked "Where would you have gone without a Kentucky offer?" Then you're right. If he was asked something specifically about Iowa, then "might have ended up at Iowa" means almost nothing. As it stands, "might have ended up at Iowa" means very little.

The Iowa Gazette Article: This article cites the Chicago Tribune for its proposition that it's between Iowa and Kentucky, thus I clicked through the Chicago Tribune article. The Trib article is an opinion piece by Mike Helfgot and actually includes no quotes from any player, coach, or otherwise. It was Helfgot's opinion that Ulis did not fit in at MSU stylistically, but he cites no actual evidence to say that MSU is actually out of the picture in any way. Also, Helfgot couches his opinion by saying "may" which the Iowa Gazette, unsurprisingly, turns into "likely will".

I could not find the BHGP article you're talking about (it's bad form to not post links and force someone to try and dig through internet archives). However, you've also discounted BGHP as a source when it doesn't suit you...so w/e.

Your initial point was that Ulis committed to Iowa. He didn't. Your next contention is that it was really only between Iowa and UK. When asked that question directly, Ulis said it was between UK and MSU.

If your overall point is that kids change their minds all the time, I can't disagree. If your point is that Ulis was only between Iowa and UK, well I'm going to have to disagree because he is directly on the record as saying that isn't true.

Either way, this is kind of a pointless argument and I'm happy to be done with it.

 

[YesterdaysCat]

OK, let's put it this way - at least Ulis was closer to coming to Iowa than N'Western and likely much closer than you want to admit. While I have plans to make it to more B10 venues, sorry Evanston is not real high on my list. Thanks for the offer though.

Why do you think NU fans are elitists? We've never been to the NCAAs and get excited by NIT invites. In fact, we were briefly enamored with the Vegas 16. We have an arena where most of the seats are hard high school benches. We're lucky to have a good recruiting coach with a nice staff, but we are still playing guys who wouldn't see the floor for Iowa.

I think Coach Fran is boorish, but I respect his players. I loved the starting 5 last year and this year and I am mystified about the Hawkeyes' failure to make some noise deep in the NCAAs.

I'm sorry if you had a bad experience here, but I assure you that we're hardly snobby basketball fans. We've been beaten down by reality too often.

 

[Hans81]

I'm done with this too & I realize MSU was also quite involved with Ulis (probably even b4 Iowa). However, that certainly doesn't mean that MSU was higher in the final pecking order than Iowa. Yes, I used the wrong word verbally "committed" in my initial post, rather than "strongly leaning" toward Iowa at one point in time. I'm sorry that you don't trust Iowa fans on this, but the question that I posed on the Iowa site, includes responses from the mods that also support my point.

 

[YesterdaysCat]

I'm done with this too & I realize MSU was also quite involved with Ulis (probably even b4 Iowa). However, that certainly doesn't mean that MSU was higher in the final pecking order than Iowa. Yes, I used the wrong word verbally "committed" in my initial post, rather than "strongly leaning" toward Iowa at one point in time. I'm sorry that you don't trust Iowa fans on this, but the question that I posed on the Iowa site, includes responses from the mods that also support my point.

Let me just ask you this one pertinent question. Why does it matter AT ALL that Ulis chose Kentucky over Iowa? Only one school got him and that's all that matters. Every school that wanted him and didn't get him had to find a substitute. There's no guarantee that Iowa would have made the Final Four even had Ulis chose the Hawkeyes.

 

[Hans81]

I agree that 2nd place doesn't matter in recruiting (although feels somewhat better than coming in 3rd). I also agree there is no guarantee that Iowa makes a Final 4 with Ulis (I never said they would). However, he would have been very helpful to Iowa's, or any team's back court.