The Hlog

while I realize Iowa is probably not going to be able to reel in a big name for this job, my top candidates would have to be

Bruce Pearl- (long shot) loose ties to Iowa through Dr. Tom. though just started at Tennessee in 2006 and really has no reason to leave a pretty solid program.

Chris Lowery- Midwest guy breif stint in Big10 at an assistant. Current head coach of SIU. Only been there since 2004 and looks like his stock is rising at SIU so my be inclined to stay.

Dana Altman- (most likely candidate) Head coach at Creighton. been there quite awhile. Shown consistantly he can win, especially in the NCAA tourney. Which is what Iowa needs.

In the end anyone but Alford sounds just great. Hawkeye nation needs a breath of fresh basketball air!

i vote for chris lowery. he has a good body of work, including a year in the big ten at illinois. he's using a deliberate, defensive style at southern illinois, but that just might be what you have to do to win with that caliber of athlete. if he could lure some outstanding athletes to iowa, he could play any brand of ball he wants.

ok, that's if your appeal was serious.

if it wasn't, i vote for larry eustachy. he's nuts, but he can coach and makes great copy for sportswriters.

What say you Mr. Barta? Want to make a move that may be too daring for the reserved folks of Iowa?
I respectfully submit the name of C. Vivian Stringer as the new Iowa Hawkeye men's basketball coach.
Has the timing been more right on taking a bold approach in hiring at the major college basketball level?
Her record speaks for itself.
Spanning 35 years her 750-251 record ranks 3rd most for NCAA Women’s coaches. That’s right behind Tennessee’s Pat Summit, and Texas’s recently retired Jodi Conradt. Ms. Stringer became the first coach in men’s or women’s NCAA tournament history to take 3 teams to the Final Four, Cheyney State (251-51), Iowa (269-84) and Rutgers (230-116).
In her coaching stay at the University of Iowa she essentially took a nothing program and built it into a power; comparable in coaching prowess to coaches Dan Gable (21 straight wrestling titles!), and of course Haden Fry‘s work with the Iowa Football program.
The woman could recruit. Michelle Edwards, Franthea Price, Toni Foster to name a few. Another of her players, Jolette Law, went on to get an NBA basketball tryout and played for the World-renowned Harlem Globetrotters.
She also did well in recruiting in-state talent, even though at the time 6-on-6 was the prominent form of girl's basketball. She took ”Iowa Girls” Lisa Becker and Shanda Berry's ½ court games and molded them into a solid all-around players in the more difficult 5-on-5 full court college level game.
Coach Stringer served as Assistant coach for the 2004 Women’s Olympic Basketball team that earned the gold medal. She been the Head coach for Team USA at the Pan-American games and World University games.
She knows how to fill the Carver-Hawkeye. In 1985 Ms. Stringer filled Carver Hawkeye Arena and then some. I was there. On that day, the electricity of the arena competed with any game day excitement in Kinnick stadium, or the hey-day of men's basketball.
She is a strong willed woman and I believe she could hold her own with the young men who she could get to play for her.
I believe she could lead Iowa to something special.
I understand that she might have reservations about returning to the place where her husband died. Maybe enough time has passed.
Get on the phone and congratulate her on her current run. Her team just took out 6-time consecutive regional finalist and number 1 ranked Duke. Maybe see what C. Vivian’s near-future plans are.
Be bold, go for the Gold.
If not now, when will it be time to give this courageous step in the world of college athletics? And why shouldn’t it be in the state that proclaims itself as a leader in women’s athletics? Prove it by becoming the first major university to hire a woman coach to head a men’s basketball team.