Coach McCaffery's temper

May 29, 2001
1,044
30
0
There's irony is Coach Fran's over-the-top behavior, which seems to be increasing. He was an assistant for years at Notre Dame under John MacLeod. Fran was much appreciated by MacLeod for his cerebral approach to the game, as well as display of high character. (Some of that was apparent in his post-game remarks after losing to the Cats and getting tossed.)

It's been said that the 18-inch move from assistant's seat to the head coach's position changes a person; in McCaffery's case it may have unloosed an explosive temper that isn't his best quality.
 

Hungry Jack

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2008
37,188
2,678
67
Underwood and Francon are in a class by themselves when it comes to being red assed in the B1G.
 
Sep 9, 2015
1,986
342
83
What was impressive to me was how calm and collected he seemed in the interview after. Said a lot to praise for NU. After a blow up like that it’s surprising he did such a respectful interview.
 

HawkCat

Senior
May 29, 2001
8,096
500
113
The Xanax kicked in?
If you listened to CCC's presser afterward, it is apparent that Fran and the Collins family go way back. CCC's father even coached Fran briefly. CCC and Fran appear to be relatively close, or at the least have a good relationship. That was reflected in Fran's remarks.
 

PURPLECAT88

Senior
Feb 4, 2003
7,686
750
113
If you listened to CCC's presser afterward, it is apparent that Fran and the Collins family go way back. CCC's father even coached Fran briefly. CCC and Fran appear to be relatively close, or at the least have a good relationship. That was reflected in Fran's remarks.
That makes sense. Fran played at Penn around the same time CCC's dad was with the 76ers.
 

Deeringfish

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2008
21,040
1,305
63
What was impressive to me was how calm and collected he seemed in the interview after. Said a lot to praise for NU. After a blow up like that it’s surprising he did such a respectful interview.
Wow, body language did not say "calm and collected to me." It said, "using all my might to hang onto my demeanor and sanity." Which, to his credit , he did manage to do.
 

stpaulcat

Senior
May 29, 2001
35,192
833
113
That makes sense. Fran played at Penn around the same time CCC's dad was with the 76ers.
His first year was Penn's last final four appearance when they got clobbered by Magic Johnson and MSU. They're on their way up again.
 

Kelly_32_rivals

All-American
Dec 12, 2004
9,832
5,443
0
I'm old school so I can really appreciate Fran and Underwood.

I used to be a huge NASCAR fan because of the different personalities of the drivers. Then every team tried to hire the same driver - young, good looking, well spoken, etc. It got boring. It's still boring.

I don't want every coach to act the same, talk the same, etc. I love the different personalities.
 

NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
21,329
1,503
113
I'm old school so I can really appreciate Fran and Underwood.

I used to be a huge NASCAR fan because of the different personalities of the drivers.
NASCAR used to be fun. The fight between drivers were classic. NC is still huge NASCAR territory, even if it is fading a bit nationally.
 

Deeringfish

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2008
21,040
1,305
63
I'm old school so I can really appreciate Fran and Underwood.

I used to be a huge NASCAR fan because of the different personalities of the drivers. Then every team tried to hire the same driver - young, good looking, well spoken, etc. It got boring. It's still boring.

I don't want every coach to act the same, talk the same, etc. I love the different personalities.
You really do need a variety of coaches just because players all need something different. Some kids need totalitarian shouters and others need empathetic hand holders. The trick is getting the kids who need your style to commit to you.
 

NU Houston

Junior
Apr 12, 2010
6,370
321
83
That makes sense. Fran played at Penn around the same time CCC's dad was with the 76ers.
CCC said he was a ballboy one year (presumably at Penn) when Fran was a player.

I appreciated hearing them both express respect for each other and the conference in general.
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,310
1,103
113
CCC said he was a ballboy one year (presumably at Penn) when Fran was a player.

I appreciated hearing them both express respect for each other and the conference in general.
I thought he was ball boy for Bulls
 

Sec_112

Junior
Jun 17, 2001
6,601
206
63
Fran strikes again. What an absolute moron.

God bless any ref objective enough to not f him on purpose. Night after night he goes out of his way to show up so many crews.

 

Deeringfish

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2008
21,040
1,305
63
Fran strikes again. What an absolute moron.

God bless any ref objective enough to not f him on purpose. Night after night he goes out of his way to show up so many crews.


What was going on there had there been a big fight or was the game over?
 

lunker35

Sophomore
Jan 1, 2010
5,679
165
62
What was going on there had there been a big fight or was the game over?
No he had been T’ed up a couple minutes earlier and there were a couple questionable calls against his team. At this point there wasn’t a ton of time left in the game and it kind of happened out of nowhere. It was the right before their amazing comeback though.
 

Hungry Jack

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2008
37,188
2,678
67
I’d like to see Coach Fran try to pull that **** with someone more powerful than him. It’s one thing to bully refs and yell at your players. It’s another thing to take on an equal adversary.
 

Arlcatsfan

Sophomore
Jun 2, 2021
1,495
153
62
Loved it when the ref took a couple of steps toward McCaffery and then stopped. Like two rams getting ready to bash heads into each other. Well at least he had the sense not to say anything cause he would have got teed up in a second and that would have killed Iowa's chances of making that unbelievable comeback.
 

Deeringfish

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2008
21,040
1,305
63
How many degrees from Bobby Knight to coach Fran at this point? What a d.
I haven't paid much attention to Fran until the recent incident with NU. I seems like he is moving toward Knights reputation but not epic yet.
 

DarkSide576

Sophomore
Nov 25, 2021
488
110
43
His first year was Penn's last final four appearance when they got clobbered by Magic Johnson and MSU. They're on their way up again.
Coach McCaffery told a friend of mine (and fellow Cats fan/alum) that he took a class taught by our very own President Schapiro, as a Penn student. He told my friend that Schapiro's class was memorable and the best class he had taken at Penn. Whether or not that was hyperbole for my friend, I do not know.
 

Sec_112

Junior
Jun 17, 2001
6,601
206
63
I've been thinking about the Knight comparison also. As far as I'm concerned, it's in the same ballpark on the court. Let me emphasize that again ... on the court.

Knight was psycho. And he had his volcanic explosions that make him stand out. However, Knight doesn't have nearly the consistency that Fran does. Knight would have his craziness where coaches needed to hold him back a couple times a year. This is turning into a thing every game for Fran.

One more difference between the two of them ... if you want to be that type of person ... Knight won championships. That doesn't excuse him at all. But when you're comparing these two idiots, if I stretch really far, I can see why you might put up with it.

This garbage and Iowa's mediocrity? He's done nothing!!! He's never made it to a Sweet 16. Who does he think he is?

I wouldn't want this idiot anywhere near a program I support.

OK, back to our seeding in the tournament.
 

GatoLouco

Sophomore
Nov 13, 2019
5,636
116
63
I've been thinking about the Knight comparison also. As far as I'm concerned, it's in the same ballpark on the court. Let me emphasize that again ... on the court.

Knight was psycho. And he had his volcanic explosions that make him stand out. However, Knight doesn't have nearly the consistency that Fran does. Knight would have his craziness where coaches needed to hold him back a couple times a year. This is turning into a thing every game for Fran.

One more difference between the two of them ... if you want to be that type of person ... Knight won championships. That doesn't excuse him at all. But when you're comparing these two idiots, if I stretch really far, I can see why you might put up with it.

This garbage and Iowa's mediocrity? He's done nothing!!! He's never made it to a Sweet 16. Who does he think he is?

I wouldn't want this idiot anywhere near a program I support.

OK, back to our seeding in the tournament.
Sometimes I wonder how I’d react if I had a son who wanted to play for a coach like this.

I think we know enough about mental health now to understand the risk of long-term damage is a very very real possibility. With the added bonus of a nice Stockholm syndrome situation where there’s a good chance, a player sticks to supporting the abuser because doing otherwise would be somewhat an admittance of weakness.

Screw these toxic dudes. In sports and elsewhere.
 

RevCat

Freshman
Nov 3, 2010
1,138
53
0
Fran's from Philly, that's just kind of how we are.
Truth. Squared.

An 8 year-old kid is sitting on a swing, eating jelly beans, at Di Silvestro Playround in South Philly. This man walks by and says, "Hey kid, you shouldn't eat candy. It's not good for you."

Kid looks up and says, "You know my grandfather lived to be 95?"

"Yeah, and? He ate a lot of candy?"

Kid says, "No. But he knew how to mind his own f*ckin' business."

Philly