Fran vs Media

[Gonzo]

I think you miss the point. The responsibility of journalism is to report without fear or favor, not report only that which will benefit your news outlet. Once you violate that responsibility, you lose independency, accuracy, and public trust.

I remember those days. Fondly.

 

[CySmurf]

Sounds like a typical Hogeye response, the whole family!

If you think the McCaffery family is bad...The Brands bros would have "eliminated" poor Murph...

 

[Cyclonepride]

I think you miss the point. The responsibility of journalism is to report without fear or favor, not report only that which will benefit your news outlet. Once you violate that responsibility, you lose independency, accuracy, and public trust.

That's the reality of journalism in 2026, like it or not.

 

[Cyclone06]

McCollum isn’t very well liked behind the scenes either.

Highly skeptical. Hassle raved about the fact he helped put away the chairs one time!!!!

 

[David Freshman1982]

If you think the McCaffery family is bad...The Brands bros would have "eliminated" poor Murph...

I make note of the trend here....how many asshats have been in charge at EIU over the years, it's ridiculous. Totally on-brand for a school dominated by tavern hoks and cringe alumni, but still...I really despise that school. The truth is if ISU had a medical and law school, we'd be a MUCH better fit in the B1G than frigging EIU, everything about them is so punk level.

 

[Kinch]

I remember those days. Fondly.

40 years ago, the Des Moines Register refused free press passes because they felt like it would undermine their integrity. They paid for every pass they got.

 

[ema28]

CW and Hassell said on 2 guys that the McCaffery's are so bitter that they are turning on any former players who still cheer for the Hawkeyes.

Also, the story Dochterman mentioned about the McCafferey's going after Dolph that ended up getting Learfield workers being called in. It sounds like they wouldn't even let Dolph and Bobby Hansen travel with the team and practrically put a restraining order on Dolph and Bobby Hansen.

If something like that happened to Eric Heft and the Godfather, I would want the coach gone immediately.

Also, Marge would heckle reporters at the press conferences and Fran would purposely refuse to answer questions unless it was related to Connor or Patrick.

So how bad was Barta at his job?

 

[Dork Diggler]

Defending Andy a bit, but he mentioned this story before on a What's Bugging Andy? segment. Also, KXNO and WHOtv access were greatly diminished after this happened. Fran used to have a regular call-in segment on Murph and Andy before the incident.

That’s the weird part to me, Miller being shocked by this story. Nothing they talked about on their IE shows was news to me.Why didn’t he rip on them while they were at KXnO? He waits all this time to have a problem with it? Miller is an ass.

 

[Kinch]

So how bad was Barta at his job?

Probably the worst AD in P4.

 

[1SEIACLONE]

So how bad was Barta at his job?

Barta was mailing his job in for a long time, giving Fran an extension when he did not need and then not releasing it to the press. Barta firing a female coach without documentation and causes the school to end up paying millions to settle out of court to her and her partner. Allowing coaches to get away with pretty much anything under his watch. Look at the way he handled Freerents, the rhobo incident that put kids into the hospital, football players living is welfare housing, the racism issue that went on the in the weight room, the whole deal about Freerents not only hiring his son and then watching him being promoted to a position he was not qualified for and then refusing to step in and fix the problem.

Brata was very good at raising money for EIU, but being the B10 was his biggest benefit, the money was rolling in, and his job was not to screw it up. Few ADs would have allowed the main head coaches Mad Fran and Freerents to get away with as much as they did, without the AD coming down on them. Barta did not want to rock the boat and as a long as a coach kept winning and was not cheating too much, he let them run their own team.

 

[Kinch]

Here is how Iowa performed in the Big 10 under Barta 2006-16
Iowa's NACDA Director's Cup Big Ten Rankings By Year under Barta: 2006-07: 11th(out of 11); 2007-08: 11th(out of 11); 2008-09: 10th(out of 11); 2009-10: 11th(out of 11); 2010-11: 9th(out of 11); 2011-12: 12th(out of 12); 2012-13: 12th(out of 12); 2013-14: 12th(out of 12); 2014-15: 10th(out of 14); 2015-16: 13th(out of 14)

 

[Kinch]

Iowa paid him very well for a whole lot longer than most P4 programs would've given him based on his results. It's pretty laughable that they think Iowa somehow wronged him. Thank you Beth Goetz.

Don’t you miss Fran?

 

[Cyched]

Don’t you miss Fran?

I miss Fran, and Gary

 

[4cy16]

Barta was mailing his job in for a long time, giving Fran an extension when he did not need and then not releasing it to the press. Barta firing a female coach without documentation and causes the school to end up paying millions to settle out of court to her and her partner. Allowing coaches to get away with pretty much anything under his watch. Look at the way he handled Freerents, the rhobo incident that put kids into the hospital, football players living is welfare housing, the racism issue that went on the in the weight room, the whole deal about Freerents not only hiring his son and then watching him being promoted to a position he was not qualified for and then refusing to step in and fix the problem.

Brata was very good at raising money for EIU, but being the B10 was his biggest benefit, the money was rolling in, and his job was not to screw it up. Few ADs would have allowed the main head coaches Mad Fran and Freerents to get away with as much as they did, without the AD coming down on them. Barta did not want to rock the boat and as a long as a coach kept winning and was not cheating too much, he let them run their own team.

I remember Barta firing a high ranking female athletic dept. official who always had high performance marks. Then he hired a male at a higher wage than the gal was making. That's what I remember but feel free to correct me.

 

[Kinch]

I'm looking forward to the McCollum (less Stirtz) years ahead - elite 8's as a 9-seed don't guarantee success, might make it harder.

Aka Tang

 

[Pope]

I remember Barta firing a high ranking female athletic dept. official who always had high performance marks. Then he hired a male at a higher wage than the gal was making. That's what I remember but feel free to correct me.

Yeah, unless I'm mistaken, I think that move cost their Athletic Dept a few million dollars in a discrimination law suit. How 'bout those Hawkeyes!

 

[Gonzo]

Don’t you miss Fran?

Nah. He had lots of very good chances to prove himself in March and failed. Was time to move on. Obviously BM knows how to win in March. Plus we finally play defense.

 

[Jakester]

Just realized I need to traumatize my kids with this movie. I was their age when it traumatized me.

 

[Kinch]

Nah. He had lots of very good chances to prove himself in March and failed. Was time to move on. Obviously BM knows how to win in March. Plus we finally play defense.

I miss Fran. And Brian.

 

[Gonzo]

I miss Fran. And Brian.

So thankful for Beth Goetz.