Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball

With only six weeks remaining before Iowa squares off in an exhibition game on November 4 against the mighty Hawks (not to be mistaken as Hawkeyes) of Quincy University, it seems only necessary to do a six-part series in honor of their start. Each week, I will feature one major question facing the Iowa Hawkeye Basketball team and break them down extensively. Welcome back college basketball, welcome back.

Check, Ch-ch-ch-check, check, check out the Hawkeyes out-of-conference schedule this year. Boy is it bad. And I don't mean bad in the sense that it's hard, or difficult, or dreadful. It's bad in terms of strength, depth and profoundness.

Do any of you know where Quincy, Howard, Gardner-Webb or Coppin State are located? I was 1-of-3, and that's only because I live in the same state as one of the four.

(Answers: Qunicy: Illinois, Howard: Washington D.C., Gardner-Webb: North Carolina, Coppin State: Maryland)

When you have those schools mixed in with perennial powerhouses such as Central Michigan (avenge our football team, men. AVENGE!), Virginia Tech, Texas A&M at Corpus Christi (that's the Islanders, not Aggies for those keeping track at home), South Dakota and South Carolina State, you have to realize as a program that you're already at a disadvantage when it comes to getting tournament love at the end of the season.

There isn't one team on the out-of-conference schedule that is being thought of as a promising NCAA Tournament team in most preseason outlooks. In all reality, Iowa wont entertain an opponent it shouldn't beat until New Years Eve; when Indiana rolls into Carver Hawkeye Arena to open up the Big Ten season.

That's a little nerve-racking to those of us that have honest dreams of acquiring quality seeding by those in charge of selections to the big dance. Big wins during the out-of-conference portion of a season can blanket a so-so in-conference record.

But still, that hasn't stopped Iowa from being projected by some experts as a preseason bubble team. I believe I'm speaking for the team and most Hawkeye fans by saying, we (yes, I'm on the team now) want to be better than a bubble team.

Does a bubble prediction directly correlate to the Hawkeyes SOS?

In one word: Absolutely. 

For Fran McCaffery's Hawkeyes to avoid being snubbed like their Big Ten brethren Northwestern last year, Iowa has to make their non Big Ten opponents bleed. I'm talking 300, "SPARTANS! AHOOOO! AHHHHOOOOO! AHHHHOOOO!" style. 

Not to be overdramatic or anything, but Iowa needs to go undefeated during that stretch. Period. 

The positivity and locker room swagger that would be generated from an undefeated non-conference schedule easily would carry into the Big Ten portion of the season; and the Hawks are going to need it, being that they are in legitimate danger of starting 0-3 in Big Ten play.

Fran is being humble and doesn't want to put pressure on his players to achieve that, though I know he knows they can.

If they don't, that's fine. I could stomach a loss at Virginia Tech during the ACC/Big Ten challenge (where Iowa is 0 for its last 5). I could even stomach a second-day loss to either DePaul or Wichita State (who was a  No. 5 seed in last years tournament) in the Cancun Challenge.

But the Hawkeyes' NCAA Tournament dreams can't handle losing to both in-state rivals, Iowa State and UNI, again this year. 

But before we get into that, let's pull an Emmett "Doc" Brown.

Had Iowa not laid eggs against Creighton (The Hawkeyes shot 36.2 percent from the field and gave up an abysmal 42 defensive rebounds and 11 offensive rebounds in that game) and the Campbell Fighting Freaking Camels (36.4 percent in this delightful matchup) and split with either Iowa State or UNI, Fran's bunch would have finished the regular season (including the Big Ten Tournament) with a record of 20-13 rather than 17-16.

Here is a list of teams that had comparable records to that 20-13 mark going into the tournament last season: Texas (20-13), St. Bonaventure (20-11), West Virginia (19-13), Purdue (21-12), Alabama (21-11), Florida (23-10), Colorado State (20-11), Xavier (21-12) and UCONN (20-13).

Texas? Someone please try to convince me how a hypothetical 20-13 Iowa team with wins over Iowa State, Creighton, Wisconsin (twice), Michigan, Indiana and Illinois doesn't get in over a 20-13 Texas team with wins over Iowa State (twice), Kansas State, Temple and North Carolina State.

It can't be done. I will not listen.

What I failed to mention is that the list above of equally qualified NCAA Tournament teams should contain one more member.

Iowa State.

The Cyclones finished last years season with a 23-11 record (22-10 going into the tournament), having launched themselves into a national headline late in the season thanks in part to Royce White and his 13.4 points per game, as well as a 80-72 win over then-No. 10 Baylor. It was their marquee win and it stuck within the minds of the selection committee.

They ended up slotting Fred Hoiberg's team into the No. 8 seed in the South bracket. The Cyclones beat up on Uconn in their first matchup, only to fizzle out against soon-to-be national champion, Kentucky.

Good job, Good Effort, Cyclowns.

Iowa State's top three scorers from last year are gone in 2012-13. During last years matchup, those three scored 42 of the Cyclones 86 points and absolutely dominated the Hawkeyes from the opening tip. 

Good thing Iowa spent so much time scouting the players of its biggest and most hated rival outside of the Big Ten. 

No matter what is written on the white board this year, the Hawkeyes should have the upper hand. Hoiberg didn't bring in the most talented freshman into Ames (only Georges Niang is ranked inside ESPN's Top 100), and the only returning players that are noteworthy are Melvin Ejim and Chris Babb.

The Hawkeyes HAVE to win this game. Actually, they need to do more than just win this game. They need to blow them out. They need to go into that game thinking they are the Miami Heat and Iowa State is the Charlotte Bobcats.

I want such a margin between the two scores that Hoiberg actually contemplates, even for a millisecond, not bringing his guys back on the court after halftime.

Beating Iowa State? That's all fine and well. But it will mean nothing if Iowa can't come back eight days later and do the same thing to UNI.

Quick recap from 2011-12 for those that mentally blocked that game out from their minds like I did: Iowa lost by 20 points.

Yes, 20 POINTS to Northern Iowa.

Northern Iowa?

Yes, those pesky Panthers laid into the Hawkeyes, who had already began the game without point guard Bryce Cartwright because of a hamstring issue. Then there was that little thing about Iowa being called for three consecutive technical fouls or something like that.

Once that happened, Iowa essentially laid down and cried while banging their hands and feet on the ground from that point forward. 

That's when it happened. Iowa fell victim to a 20-2 run after those technical fouls were called. Twenty points to two points. That's more ugly than a Bubba Sparxxx video. 

It didn't help that Iowa shot 1-12 from the outside and committed 25 fouls in that game. To be honest, those are the kind of stats you find at the local YMCA.

But wait, there is good news!

UNI is returning all but one player that played over 5 minutes a game in 2011-12 (OK, I was being sarcastic). That means Fran better come up with a better defensive game plan that prevents guard Anthony James from scoring 16 of his 18 total points in the second half.

Yet again, forgive me for being a homer, but Iowa shouldn't have lost that game last year. Remember, UNI was only up two points with 10 minutes left in the second half. If you wash out the technical fouls, this game pretty much goes down to the final minute of play.

I have every reason to believe Fran's younger but more talented roster would have prevailed, you know, if it wasn't for the zebras being what I can only assume UNI alumni.

Call it a revenge game. Call it a rivalry game. Call it a Rivalenge. Either way, Iowa cannot and should not lose this game on paper in 2012-13. Roy Devyn Marble and company should be way to athletic for UNI to hang and they need to take advantage of that right out of the stables.

Prediction: Hawkeyes beats Iowa State by eight and UNI by 50. Suck it, Panthers.

Long story short, if Iowa CAN beat both of these teams in back-to-back games, all the while limiting their out-of-conference loses to a maximum of two, the Hawkeyes should have more than enough quality wins to move from a bubble team to mortal lock.

That is, of course, banking on the fact that Iowa can make yet another jump in Big Ten play.

I'm not sure about all of you, but I'm already counting down to December 7 (ISU) and 15th (UNI). These two games very well could end up determining The Franimal House's postseason plans.

  

The University of Iowa basketball powers did something very strange today. They cancelled a three-star recruit's (Rivals) Official Visit this weekend. That's right, White Magic and the Iowa Basketball squadron called off an official visit from Michigan point guard Austin Price because they are expecting a "verbal from someone else."

Say word?

From Hawkeye Insider, Rob Howe's Twitter Account: 

"'13 MI CG Austin Price Says #Iowa Cancels Official This Wknd Because #Hawkeyes Expect Verbal from Someone else. Said it's Not EC Matthews"

The oddities continue.

Again, from Howe:

"WDM Valley Coach Jeff Horner confirms via txt that his '13 wing Peter Jok (@Mzungu_24) officially visiting #Iowa this wknd."

If you don't know who Peter Jok is, the first thing you need to comprehend is that the 6'5", ESPN No. 1 ranked player in the state of Iowa is "Cold. Point-blank. Period.". 

Got that? Good.

Now on to the details. Jok was once one of the hottest recruits in the state of Iowa, let alone the nation. Coaches and recruiting specialists were chalking Jok in as a Top-10 lock for the 2013 recruiting class. His inherent ability to shoot the basketball, undeniable size and rare versatility to play both the small forward and shooting guard positions made him a target with a giant bull's eye on his back. 

That is, until he ended up falling victim to a few injuries. The main offender, a partially torn patellar tendon in his knee, has forced coaches to tentatively watch Jok from a distance.

Here's the full outlook of what happened, from the Courier-Journal:

"Jok suffered a torn patellar tendon as a freshman in high school and played through the pain of the injury as a sophomore. He had surgery but came back too soon, causing the injury to hamper some of his play during his junior year."

With that said, all signs are pointing up as Jok is expected to make a full recovery and perform at the level he was so accustomed to as a young basketball savant.

In the same Courier-Journal article, Jok said:

“It took me a long time to come back, but it feels good..It feels way better now than it did. I’m just now getting back, so that’s good.”

This will more than likely shoot him back up the rankings as he is currently listed as the 43rd best small forward on ESPN. A ranking that is, in my expert opinion based on watching 30 minutes of YouTube highlights, is way too skewed.

Enter Fran McCaffery.

Considering that most coaches are taking a "wait-and-see" approach to the hopeful returning stud, McCaffery seems to be taking a more aggressive one, moving in to swoop Jok up before other calls start pouring in.

If in fact Howe's sources are correct and Jok is expected to verbally commit this weekend to the Black & Gold, this could arguably be the best signing for the Iowa program in quite some time. It has been a lifetime since top Iowa talent considered Iowa City as the home of their basketball careers. The signing of Jok along with Adam Woodbury could change the future of recruiting intrastate Iowa for the Hawkeyes for years to come.

If not forever.

The sooner the Hawkeyes get Jok to commit the better. In fact, this should have happened weeks ago. 

We will have to wait and see if it all pans out as described above, but if it does, Fran is already worth the $1.3 million base salary for 2012-13. He would have done the unthinkable. He would have gotten a top-tier recruit to commit to the Hawkeyes without even having dorm rooms with recliners.

So, Kentucky went ahead without anyone's blessings or approval and changed college basketball recruiting forever earlier this month by building the "Wildcat Coal Lodge" which will now serve as the "dormitory for UK’s men’s basketball team."

As if they didn't already have the upper hand by having recruits meet Coach Cal directly under the 2012 National Championship banner and be constantly reminded of the incredible NBA draft record UK has had in recent years, they just had to go ahead and build themselves a little basketball frat house didn't they?

Don't worry you whistle blowing, SEC-haters, the dorm will also host "other UK students" to keep from any NCAA violations for having players accepting any extra hand outs not readily available to the average student.

If you don't have enough time to watch the eight minute video attached above, here are the highlights:

-The Wildcat Coal Lodge will be stationed directly across from the practice facility/weight room/training room and all players will have access to it, day or night (not sure about the "other" students though). It also seems to be near the academic support building for those keeping score at home.

-The new dorm has an office assistant/"Aunt" that looks after everybody (again, not sure if that includes the "other" students). Her name is Betsy and she does have all the security codes.

-Not only is the Wildcat Coal Lodge the new home of the National Championship trophies, it also houses a very sentimental plaque dedicated to Kentucky's coal industry, which apparently has a lot more to do with a basketball team than one would think because if a coal miner has to pee, all the coal miners pee together...or something like that.

-Every floor will contain a television that will show player meeting and practice times among other things (no mention of "other" students' schedules being placed on televisions).

-There are pictures, posters, plaques and graphics of Kentucky basketball players (past and present), achievements and team sayings on every noticeable wall. You know, just in case the team ever forgets who they played for, who played there before them and whatever cliche Coach Cal yells a million times over a season.

-There are plenty of recliners in the lounge area, apparently because that's a particular need for student athletes these days.

-If players get hungry or thirsty after one of their buffet meals (which is personally cooked by Head Chef and king of the fist pound, Chris Cain), they have a 24-hour refrigerator stocked full of beverages for the taking as well as a wide variety of "bagels and some nuts."

-There is storage for the rooms that I'm guessing they aren't paying for.

-Outside of each room, there will be a name plate and a picture of the individual tenant (no word if this a dorm-wide thing or not).

-Coach Cal has in his hand a universal key card letting him enter all rooms. Not sure if it is his or Betsy's. Either way, kind of scary for the smooth operators of Blue Nation.

-Each player gets his own room that connects with another via full bathroom. Oh, and each suite is built for a seven footer. God bless those 5'6" band majors that get placed into Wildcat Coal Lodge.

-The desks are adjustable depending on individual size and preference.

This is now, just as Coach Cal said, the new "gold standard" for incoming recruits. Who wants to stay in the basement pits of dorm room hell when you can stay in the luxury suites of Lexington, equipped with your own personal chef?

Nobody with a 5-star rating and half a brain, that's who.

So what does this have to do with Iowa?

Well, Iowa just so happens to be building a brand new dorm right across from Hillcrest, the current location for most student-athletes during their freshman year on campus. What better time than now to rethink a couple of the master plans.

Here's my purposal:

Take the top floor of the new building and do exactly what Kentucky did for their basketball team.

I'm talking Pent House suites overlooking all of Iowa City. I'm talking recliners, billiards tables, 3D televisions, TWO personal chefs and virtual name/face plates outside of every room. It'll be like Harry Potter but instead of digital key cards to get into your room, you need a password that only you know.

Lets spread a little White Magic to the potential recruits.

Fine, maybe I went overboard. Two personal chefs is a little greedy, anyway.

But in all seriousness, this is (unfortunately) how you get the best recruits in today's NCAA to even look at your program. It's the simple things like run an AAU style-offense while getting to know their travel coaches on a personal level. Let them all have regulated Twitter accounts. Put them in sexy uniforms a few times a year. Bring back the NBA alumni as often as possible. Update your facilities (CHECK!). Give them loads of free Nike gear. Pay for their schooling. Be consistent winners.

And now, give them Manhattan style bachelor pads.

Tell me how this wouldn't work. Either redesign the top floor, or if you want to make things difficult, go talk to a donor or two, get some more funding and add another floor.

How hard could it be, really? 

You mean to tell a few Iowa alumnus out there wouldn't be ecstatic donating a miniature ransom for a state of the art basketball dorm? All you would have to realistically do is show them Iowa's win totals under Fran McCaffery, the potential (and current) recruits interested in the program, the MTV Cribs "College Dorm Room Edition" that Kentucky has and name the floor after an old Hawkeye.

Perhaps The Don Nelson Suites. The Nelson Hawkeye Hideaway. The Nelson-Armstrong Auberge. The Nelson Chalet. 

So many options!

What recruit wouldn't look at the Nelson-Armstrong Auberge and not commit on the spot?

Maybe when it all comes down to it, I'm just a lowly Iowa basketball fan with big dreams of becoming a national presence. But can you blame me? Recruiting basketball players isn't like recruiting football players. Their final commitment hinges on a combination of a few easy things.

Will the program provide them with individual exposure? Do they have up-to-date facilities? Do they have a solid NBA pipeline? Do they have a mindful-fiery-players' coach? And now, do they have recliners, personal chefs and billiards tables in their living spaces?

Individual exposure is easy. Create an individual poster of each one of your players doing something that would resemble And-1 Mixtape tour moves then turn it into an EA Sports video game cover. Pass them out to fans during every Big Ten home game and tweet each picture out with hashtags like, #POY, #Naismith or #Rise&Fire. Those would be all over the internet in minutes.

Iowa already has up-to-date facilities and a solid NBA pipeline considering B.J. Armstrong played with the NBA's G.O.A.T. and is Derrick Rose's family friend and agent. Then there is Mr. Nelson, Ryan Bowen, John Johnson, Fred Brown and Ricky Davis to round out a pretty solid list.

JK on the Ricky Davis thing.

Mindful-fiery-players' coach? Welcome to the Franimal House gentlemen. 

All we need are dorms that look like an Apple experiment with tons and tons and tons of recliners!

I realize this is a pipe dream for Iowa. But that's not to say more college programs won't follow suit in the near future. I wouldn't be surprised if programs like North Carolina, Kansas and UCONN aren't already at the drawing boards.

Make it happen Iowa, while you still have time.

College basketball is funny.

Funny in the way that if you put 20 coaches and 20 recruiting specialists in a gym with all eyes on one 18-year-old kid, each will walk away with a different opinion on his collegiate future.

Nothing would be left off the table. The good. The bad. The ugly. 

Depending on the program those coaches hail from or the type of talent pool those recruiting specialists typically evaluate, an athletic 6'5", 220-pound combo guard could be either the steal of a century or simply a player reaping the benefits of a weak high school basketball conference, division or state.

Both of these scenarios have seemingly played out for one particular player on this year's Hawkeye basketball team. That in and of itself has made it extremely difficult analyzing and evaluating what type of player fans should value him as.

You know who I'm talking about. That lowly Hawkeye senior who started off his career so well under a jester of a coach, who is now only used as a punchline. A natural born athlete whom Iowa fans now wish gave up his basketball scholarship to walk on to Kirk Ferentz's football team as one of those project-athlete types that the long time coach has turned into NFL-caliber defensemen or tight ends.

Of course, I'm talking about the enigmatic Eric May. 

In my short time here at Bleacher Report, I've taken a few unwarranted shots at May's ability to shoot a basketball as well as his odds of being voted onto one of three All-Big Ten teams. For those justly jabs, well, I'm not exactly sorry. You see they are warranted. He forced my hand.

But that doesn't make it completely right.

It was brought to my attention recently that I haven't given Mr. May a fair shake and if I plan on using him as a season-long punching bag, I need to at least explain the misdemeanors against the tight end, er, shooting guard.

So where to begin?

How about breaking down his ESPN scouting report from a few years back,

"All he does is help his team win and at the end of the game you look at his stats and say "wow"."

Hold up!

All he does is help his team win?

Reading this four years after the fact truly made for a good laugh. But at the time, this statement may not have been too far off. I'm not one all too familiar with Dubuque, Iowa basketball, but I would guess May's athletic prowess might have made it seem like he was a Blake Griffin/LeBron James hybrid. He filled the stat sheets (just like he did his freshman year), threw down a few jaw dropping dunks and hit a long range shot or two. By the end of the game you couldn't help but talk yourself into him. 

The problem, again I assume, is that May never did any of those things against hard-bodied, Big Ten talent.

In fact, let's be completely honest for a second. All jokes aside, May was destined to thrive at a smaller program that had comparable opponents to the ones he played in high school. It's not as if he was doing these things in the Chicago Public League, and his "schools of interest" proved that fact. Before he committed to Iowa, May had standing offers from UNI, Iowa State, Creighton and Butler (while Lickliter was still head coach there). 

From what I remember (I was a junior at the time), expectations weren't high for May. That was probably the best thing for the true freshman. He was athletic, he competed to the best of his abilities, he finished every play and made sure to relish the floor time he received.

This was the best case scenario for May, and during his freshman year he wanted to prove he belonged with the Big Ten talent around him. What helped his cause (and seemingly put the freshman in over his head) was that May was Lickliter's guy. The ex-Iowa coach loved him for his multi-faceted style of play. He loved that May could get to the rim, draw fouls and play tough defense.

In return, May loved his coach and fully committed to the Lickliter system.

Not many did.

But why wouldn't he? What 18-year-old doesn't want a permanent green light to chuck up three-pointers on almost every offensive possession? It's like playing in the ultimate pick-up game night-in and night-out with the added bonus of being on BTN and ESPN once in a while.

Don't believe me? Look at his Prime Time League numbers from this year. He put up 18.2 points per game and grabbed nine rebounds (in case you forgot, May averaged 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds during the regular season). The Prime Time League is the definition of pick-up basketball and every player from May to Jarryd Cole has a permanent green light no matter what their "coaches" say (Cole shot 11 three-pointers in the PTL this year, three more than he took during his entire Iowa career). 

During that first year on campus, May averaged an amazing 31 minutes per game for the season and 8.1 shot attempts. Both career highs. He also chucked up 143 of Iowa's 753 three-point attempts that season. Only Matt Gatens shot more.

May's freshman season ended with 10 wins.

And Lickliter was fired.

But that didn't stop Iowa fans (however many there were of us at that time) from lofting our expectations for May. Though his numbers were the direct product of a bad offense, the Hawkeye faithful put their hopes on his shoulders. We figured May would be able to make continual steps at becoming a legitimate threat alongside of Gatens, no matter who the new coach would be.

We. Were. Wrong.

But our optimism was well thought out. 

Once it was learned that Siena's Fran McCaffery would be bringing his high-powered, fast-break offense to Iowa City, we were convinced Eric May would be able to flourish better than before.

Mainly, because we knew (again from May's ESPN Scouting Report) the now sophomore was, 

"...very strong with the ball going to the rim. He finishes well and draws alot of fouls at the end of games. Good foul shooter - great form. Smart with the ball, always looking up for an open man."

Is May not the perfect specimen for a fast-break coach to walk in on? He can control the ball on the break with his head up. He can finish after contact and nail down a free throw if he gets put on the charity stripe.

What should have been, wasn't. May was different almost from the start of the White Magic Era. Gone was his green light to run around and be Eric May. Now he was expected be himself within planned offensive sets and three-point shot attempts were only to be taken at the end of the shot clock or on wide open reversals. 

Here's a fun stat: During May's freshman year and Lickliters last as head coach, Iowa shot 753 three pointers. In May's sophomore year and McCaffery's first as head coach, Iowa shot 465. Quite the difference. 

That sequentially seemed to have affected May. Again, he didn't have the green light to shoot. The new regime wanted May to harness his actual talents by working the drive and kick game. That meant the glory days of standing around the three point line with an under-sized forward working the middle were over. This was big boy basketball now.

May was never equipped for that type of game and his statistics dwindled because of it. His rebounding numbers fell. His turnovers went up. He was ineffective on both ends of the court and was extremely indecisive. The Iowa coaching staff realized his timidness and started to give his minutes up to the freshman.

Their freshman.

Marble and McCabe in particular made the most of floor time and May, who looked like a shinning light only one year before, was now on the outside looking in. How things changed in a matter of months. 

During McCaffery's second year on the job, May's minutes declined even more. Out of the nine players that played in 30 games or more, May was second to last with 14.7 minutes per game. Only Andrew Brommer had fewer with 7.9. May was an afterthought. Between missed lay-ups, subpar defense, ill-timed jump shots and a timid use of his athletic ability, May was caught in a limbo.

A limbo, it seems, he hasn't gotten out of.

Since May's freshman season, his minutes, field goal attempts and three point attempts fell drastically. The more they fell, the more Iowa's total wins went up.

A direct correlation? Fairly, or unfairly, it seems so.

I truly want May to get out of that funk during his senior year. It would be a tremendous story that would surely turn brisk boo's into ravenous applause during senior night. All he needs to do is roll off a few "wow" moments during the Hawkeyes' out-of-conference schedule and force Fran to excessively extend his leash during Big Ten play.

Taking to the leadership role that has become vacant by the graduation of Gatens would be another tremendous step in the right direction. It would surely warrant the senior more "PT" if the coaches can depend on him being the voice inside the players' locker room.

Then, who knows, May might even obtain a green light to take a few side-pocket threes during offensive droughts?

But for any of that to happen, May needs to make the most of his now limited role as a bench player and once again relish every opportunity on the hardwood. It also might help to finally play with that chipped shoulder; aiming to prove he always belonged on a Big Ten roster.

Regardless, May will not hurt this team in 2012-13, as there are plenty of underclassmen salivating for whatever minutes McCaffery has penciled in for him. He can only be an asset.

What May will decide to do has yet to be seen, but there is hope that he can become more than a "good mid-major player", who was always a little too in over his head. 

This may be old news to most of the hard working residents of the great state of Iowa, but I want to join in the hoopla.

What hoopla exactly?

What, do you live under a rock?

The Black & Gold Blowout is back and better than ever, BABY (I'll give you all a minute to do your best Dickie-V impersonation, as I know it's been a while).

Finished? 

AWESOME BABY!

Anyways, on Friday, October 19 at 8 p.m., the University of Iowa will reintroduce this event for the first time in one-a-many moons. If you don't know much about Iowa Basketball because of the three to four year suck-a-thon they put on, this is a major deal.

The reemergence of this event is proof that the Iowa Athletic Department is finally happy shelling out money in support of their basketball program once again.

Yes, to the actual program, not just to a terrible coach's early retirement fund.

What once was a yearly staple, got abruptly taken away due to the lack of continual support of the basketball program. 

Before Iowa basketball was better known as an annual bed-wetter, witnessing a game in Carver Hawkeye Arena, with a packed Hawks Nest, was the popular thing to do in Iowa City.

Kind of like taking pictures of older pictures, uploading them to Instagram and tagging it as #TBT.

I'm talking sell out crowds. An undefeated home season. A Big Ten Tournament Championship. NCAA Tournament bids.

Speaking of #ThrowBack, the last time Iowa was prevalent in the month of March was during the 2005-2006 season, when the Hawkeyes finished the season ranked #11 nationally after winning the Big Ten Tournament Championship. They nailed down a #3 seed in the NCAA tournament and looked to do some damage deep into the brackets.

Well, that was before the Hawkeyes fell to the deepest depths of their basketball hell, and the only way out was to undergo a continual five-year kick in the balls.

Iowa would eventually lose to #14 seeded Northwestern State 64-63, on a last second shot. Steve Alford, unable to recover after that heart breaker, left one year later for New Mexico State. Todd Lickliter then bolted from Butler for Iowa after the Hawkeyes' Athletic Director, Gary Barta, made it rain on that...you know what.

That is when the bottom fell completely out from under the program.

Who would have known hiring a coach that had little to no Big Ten recruiting knowledge and an offensive game plan, that my set-shot shooting grandfather wouldn't have been attracted to, wouldn't have worked? 

Surely, it wasn't all the coaches fault (but most of it was).

A portion of the problem has always been the perception at the University of Iowa as being primarily a football, then wrestling school. That idea was never more prevalent than during those long five years as numbers dwindled, fans stopped showing up, players transferred at an alarming rate, opposing fans bought more tickets than locals and Iowa finished a three year period having gone 15-39 in Big Ten play. 

Oh, and to make matters even worse, Lickliter "stole" $1.2 million a year and his walk-on son got sufficient playing time.

Ain't that a kick in the head?

But now things are different and there hasn't been a better time for change. 

Consider this: Iowa, as a football school, is biting the big one.

Though they are 2-1, Iowa has yet to pass for a touchdown (after promising a more exciting aerial attack), redshirt freshman Jake Rudock (Iowa's backup quarterback) has as many touchdowns as senior James Vandenberg on the season and Mark "Heisman" Weisman has 3/4's of Iowa's total offensive touchdowns after one game (three). 

With fans comparing the 2012 football team to the likes of 2007's crap fest (6-6 overall, no bowl game), Iowa's basketball season can't come soon enough.

Expectations honestly haven't been higher since the start of that 2006 NCAA Tournament and the Black & Gold Blowout will be the official start of the exciting future Coach McCaffery has ushered in.

And how could you not be pumped?

This event couldn't be happening at a more perfect time. Not only will the blowout be on a Friday night, but it is the Friday night before the football teams only October home game against Penn State.

From The Gazette:

“The Blowout on a football weekend makes great sense because it gives our tremendous fans, some of whom otherwise might not get to Carver, a chance to see our team,” added McCaffery. “However, I also know how important game days are for our football fans and for me and my staff from a recruiting perspective, so I’m excited about the opportunity to jump start the new season with a Friday night event.” 

Fans? High profile recruits? Genuine excitement for basketball? A dunk contest? A three point contest? Live scrimmage? Fanfare? Photo ops? Autograph sessions? A Todd Lickliter dummy being shot out of a cannon into the Iowa City night? Aaron White's red hair? Slime Time Live with Melsahn Basabe? White Magic fighting a group of folding chairs?

Is this Heaven?

No. It's the return of Iowa Basketball and not a minute too soon.

I will personally be attending this event and will be live tweeting the shenanigans and hoopla as they come; so be sure to follow me @JerJr33 for live updates.

What I would like to do the week before the event is start a weekly column (which will run through the entire basketball season), where you the readers tweet me your Hawkeye Basketball or Big Ten Basketball questions. Once a week, I will pick out a handful of them and answer them right here on Bleacher Report.

You can start sending them my way now. Just make sure to add the hashtag #BRHawksNest at the end of all your questions.

Oh and for all of you that want more information on the Black & Gold Blowout, here is the Official release from the University of Iowa.

Basketball season is upon on us ladies and gents and it finally doesn't reek of feces and urine.