Cot Dammit

[Anon1751800595]

I didn’t want to be. I tried to fight it. But cot dammit I’m gettin’ excited for Iowa basketball again. Apathy started to set in when the team of Woodbury, Gesell, Uthoff and Jok couldn’t do anything in the NCAA tourney. Then when the team with Garza and the Murray brothers made an early exit too, I was done with the Fran era.

Thinking we might have something with this new guy.

 

[Gus is dead]

Hoping this is true. As a season ticket holder, I am hoping we can get butts in seats and get Carver rocking again.

 

[HawksRule25]

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

Right now I think this team is an NCAA 1st round team. I don't think Ole Miss was good.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

I like this team. Stirtz is a star. The rest of the team is talented and plays hard.

But, I don't think this team is a juggernaut by any means. And that's ok - they are a refreshing change from Franball.

The next 4 games, starting tonight, will probably tell us if this is a Tourney team or not.

 

[Palmerhawk]

MSU and ISU will be top 10 teams by next week.
Beating them at their snakepits not likely.
But, be competitive and beat gcs and MD and hawks are fine.
Getting to 11-2 going into 2026 sets hawks up for making the dance....the bar is getting there this year to capitalize on stirtz and keep recruiting momentum.
Need to find a special pg to replace stirtz...it is Ben's secret sauce..training pgs.

 

[Obviously Oblivious]

I like this team a lot, and I’m buying on the upswing. Bought my youngest son a ticket for the Purdue game as a Christmas gift along with a seat for myself.

Go Hawks!

 

[hexumhawk]

Right now I think this team is an NCAA 1st round team. I don't think Ole Miss was good.

Too early to tell but I am guessing they will be a bubblish type team. They were basically ranked 30th going into the game last night.

 

[hexumhawk]

MSU and ISU will be top 10 teams by next week.
Beating them at their snakepits not likely.
But, be competitive and beat gcs and MD and hawks are fine.
Getting to 11-2 going into 2026 sets hawks up for making the dance....the bar is getting there this year to capitalize on stirtz and keep recruiting momentum.
Need to find a special pg to replace stirtz...it is Ben's secret sauce..training pgs.

Before this five game stretch I would have been fine with 2-3. 3-2 or better is playing with house money.

BMC is a PG savant. He should have no problem getting who he wants either out of HS or through the portal.

 

[Franisdaman]

I didn’t want to be. I tried to fight it. But cot dammit I’m gettin’ excited for Iowa basketball again. Apathy started to set in when the team of Woodbury, Gesell, Uthoff and Jok couldn’t do anything in the NCAA tourney. Then when the team with Garza and the Murray brothers made an early exit too, I was done with the Fran era.

Thinking we might have something with this new guy.

I just hope we can compete with teams with the $15-$20M payrolls. B1G play will tell us a lot. Michigan & Purdue, for starters, look really good.

Last night we beat a team expected to be around a 9 seed in the NCAA Tournament

 

[Franisdaman]

Hoping this is true. As a season ticket holder, I am hoping we can get butts in seats and get Carver rocking again.

From what I have seen, Carver so far has been between 33% and 50% full.

 

[Titanhawk]

I didn’t want to be. I tried to fight it. But cot dammit I’m gettin’ excited for Iowa basketball again. Apathy started to set in when the team of Woodbury, Gesell, Uthoff and Jok couldn’t do anything in the NCAA tourney. Then when the team with Garza and the Murray brothers made an early exit too, I was done with the Fran era.

Thinking we might have something with this new guy.

You only care in March? Why are you here now?

 

[Slim45]

Right now I think this team is an NCAA 1st round team. I don't think Ole Miss was good.

As a higher seed, would you want to face Iowa in the first round? We’ve all seen the recipe for success in tournament games, outstanding guard play and tough defense. We have the best PG in the country and a team that’s bought into defensive toughness. Not saying we make it out of the first round, but if im any other team i don’t want that smoke!

 

[Blue113]

Just wanted to say a thank you to Beth for firing Fran.

 

[Franisdaman]

I like this team. Stirtz is a star. The rest of the team is talented and plays hard.

But, I don't think this team is a juggernaut by any means. And that's ok - they are a refreshing change from Franball.

The next 4 games, starting tonight, will probably tell us if this is a Tourney team or not.

Iowa aced game #1 of this tough 5 game, 17 day stretch:

Nov 25 — Ole Miss

Nov 26 — Grand Canyon

Dec 2 -- at #11 Michigan State

Dec 6 -- Maryland

Dec 11 — at #15 Iowa State

 

[Blue113]

Maryland is not that great, but, will be a tough game

 

[fivecardstud14]

Right now I think this team is an NCAA 1st round team. I don't think Ole Miss was good.

Lol at the idea of you watching any basketball.

 

[walkinandahawkin]

You never want to play the team with the outstanding PG. They can literally hog the ball and win games by themselves the last 2 minutes of games. College bball is all about the PG.

 

[Franisdaman]

Maryland is not that great, but, will be a tough game

remember that MD fan who collapsed right before the half at Carver and almost died?

would love to get an update on him; he'll probably be at the game (he's a big donor to Terp MBB)

 

[TampaHawkFan]

I really enjoy watching this team play. Moving without the ball and sharing the ball on offense, and you can tell the emphasis is there on the defensive end.

How high the ceiling is depends of course on how much talent Ben can bring in, but I feel like we've got the right guy on our sidelines.

I keep thinking of coaches like Brad Stevens and Bo Ryan taking teams to the final four. Yeah they had some good players, but I doubt they were loaded with 4-5* talent up and down the roster. Why not Iowa? I'd be surprised if Ben doesn't at least end that pesky Sweet 16 drought at some point.

As for Ole Miss, that was definitely the best opponent so far. Pretty sure that win will age well. Beard is an excellent coach.

 

[TampaHawkFan]

You only care in March? Why are you here now?

Whether you want to admit it or not, postseason success matters. And it's not like Fran was winning regular season championships, either.

 

[Max Rebo]

This team will go as far (and only as far) as Bennett Stirtz can carry them.

I’ve enjoyed watching them play. Winning is fun.

 

[Ozzie89]

Right now I think this team is an NCAA 1st round team. I don't think Ole Miss was good.

I think they were decent. Don’t discredit Iowa’s defense, they had Ole Miss disoriented all night. Also don’t discredit Chris Beard and his plan, he’s one of the best coaches in the country and Iowa found a way to gut that win out

 

[Pharcyded]

This team deserves a packed house the next time they take the floor at Carver. They are a top 25 squad with room to get even better. Last night was probably the most disjointed their offense will look the rest of the season. Credit to Beard and Ole Miss for disrupting Iowa’s rhythm, and credit to Iowa for grinding out a win anyway.

 

[Anon1751858527]

And that was one of the best PGs that Iowa and Stirtz will be up against for the rest of the year.

 

[TrojanHawkeye]

Right now I think this team is an NCAA 1st round team. I don't think Ole Miss was good.

Ole Miss looked pretty good to me. That coach is a good one too. My guess is that they make the tourney and make some hay. It was a very good win last nite for the good guys

 

[Pharcyded]

And that was one of the best PGs that Iowa and Stirtz will be up against for the rest of the year.

I'm not sure about that. Smith from Purdue as well as Illinois' PG are better. ISU's as well, I think. I'm not sure about the rest of the Big Ten, but I know the conference is loaded this year.

 

[Hawksfor3]

I think they were decent. Don’t discredit Iowa’s defense, they had Ole Miss disoriented all night. Also don’t discredit Chris Beard and his plan, he’s one of the best coaches in the country and Iowa found a way to gut that win out

I think Ben makes good halftime adjustments. The players are good at executing the offense. Defense is pretty good IMO (not great) because we lack size in the post. But these guys are fighters, and the effort by them shows up each and every game. Good to see. We already know about Bennett, but shoutout to Cooper. Kid plays hard and smart.

 

[Hawksfor3]

This team deserves a packed house the next time they take the floor at Carver. They are a top 25 squad with room to get even better. Last night was probably the most disjointed their offense will look the rest of the season. Credit to Beard and Ole Miss for disrupting Iowa’s rhythm, and credit to Iowa for grinding out a win anyway.

Boy was it a grinder.

 

[fivecardstud14]

I'm not sure about that. Smith from Purdue as well as Illinois' PG are better. ISU's as well, I think. I'm not sure about the rest of the Big Ten, but I know the conference is loaded this year.

Acuff from Arkansas & Philon from Alabama are fun to watch as well.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Right now I think this team is an NCAA National Championship team. I'm touching myself right now.

I like where your head is at, but tmi..............

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

remember that MD fan who collapsed right before the half at Carver and almost died?

would love to get an update on him; he'll probably be at the game (he's a big donor to Terp MBB)

Wow, when did that happen? I don't remember that. If it was last year, then that makes sense, because I was mostly tuned out on that staff/team outside of a passing morbid interest.

 

[like-woahh]

You never want to play the team with the outstanding PG. They can literally hog the ball and win games by themselves the last 2 minutes of games. College bball is all about the PG.

Fortunately for us we have one of the best in the country, love watching Stirtz play. I'm kind of kicking myself I didn't make my way over to Drake last year to catch a few games. I'll make it to Carver a few times this year, but it's kind of a pain in the *** from Des Moines since it's normally weekday games I land tickets for.

 

[Hawksfor3]

remember that MD fan who collapsed right before the half at Carver and almost died?

would love to get an update on him; he'll probably be at the game (he's a big donor to Terp MBB)

I do remember Stan Goldstein. Great guy. CC: @EvilMonkeyInTheCloset. I looked around and haven't seen any updates. Occurred in 2022.

 

[Franisdaman]

Wow, when did that happen? I don't remember that. If it was last year, then that makes sense, because I was mostly tuned out on that staff/team outside of a passing morbid interest.

in 2022.

he then returned to Carver the following year.

Here's a cool video of his return to Iowa City:

Maryland fan who suffered cardiac arrest at Iowa game returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena

A Maryland man returned to Carver-Hawkeye Arena with a special message after having his life saved watching his favorite team take on the Hawkeyes in 2022.

www.kcrg.com

 

[Franisdaman]

I do remember Stan Goldstein. Great guy. CC: @EvilMonkeyInTheCloset. I looked around and haven't seen any updates. Occurred in 2022.

IIRC, if you don't get the heart going within 4 minutes, the person suffers permanent brain damage due to lack of oxygen to the brain. I think that's what happened with Brett Greenwood; they eventually got his heart going but it took too long.

that's the beauty of the AED; it shocks your heart back to beating & is much better/more effective than CPR

 

[Tom Paris]

I didn’t want to be. I tried to fight it. But cot dammit I’m gettin’ excited for Iowa basketball again. Apathy started to set in when the team of Woodbury, Gesell, Uthoff and Jok couldn’t do anything in the NCAA tourney. Then when the team with Garza and the Murray brothers made an early exit too, I was done with the Fran era.

Thinking we might have something with this new guy.

I feel this 100%. I hadn’t watched an entire basketball game in 3 years.

 

[HoggI74]

Maryland is not that great, but, will be a tough game

Maryland just lost by 39 on a neutral court, I think we can handle them at home...

 

[TweeterHawk]

So are we any good this year? Like most of youse I stopped watching Iowa men’s hoops the past couple of years. I’ve watched the last two games. McCollum gives me hope. Guard play with Stirtz is much improved. Outside shooting is good, not great. My concern is at the 5 position. I’m not seeing anyone on the current roster who can guard an opponent’s bigs or can swat away a drive to the basket without fouling.

 

[Destin Hawk]

Ben just outcoached Beard and. Drew. Thats a pretty good start to his Iowa career. Izzo next!