2007 Nit

[Junker]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

No one expected Iowa to be tied for 4th in the conference, and I don't think doing so really changed anyone's mind about how good they were. I think it's funny about how after not expecting this team to do much, people are all over Alford for not making the tournament. I was on the Alford bandwagon when they hired him, but have grown less and less enamored. His post season record is even worse than his conference record, though.

I agree. He's just getting ripped because you don't often hear of a team from a big time conference crying about getting into the NIT. If he was complaining about the NCAA it wouldn't be a story. Alfor just never seems to make his players better. They look like the same player their freshman year that they look like their senior year. When they were hired, who'd have thought that Kirk would be the good hire?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Junker

I agree. He's just getting ripped because you don't often hear of a team from a big time conference crying about getting into the NIT. If he was complaining about the NCAA it wouldn't be a story. Alfor just never seems to make his players better. They look like the same player their freshman year that they look like their senior year. When they were hired, who'd have thought that Kirk would be the good hire?

I've noticed that, too. Glen Worley was a classic example. Great freshman who looked like he'd be all conference by the time he was a junior. By the time his senior year came along, he looked like a decent freshman.
I remember the hirings, too. They jumped at Alford because the impression across the state was he'd lost out on Stoops and had to settle for Ferentz. Not so incidentally, Ferentz' strength has been developing players over their time with him. Alford's weakness has been player development and retention.

[26 Year Gap]

I will be interested to see how Vermont fares. They already went through their low when they lost to Albany by 1 on Saturday so they actually have had some time to regain their focus. Hoping for some more of that Bob Huggins post-season magic.