Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - David Eickholt joins the show to break down Hawkeyes football & hoops

Episode Date: June 5, 2023

Episode #2 from the Swarm Golden Ale beer launch from Exile Brewing in Des Moines. Trent Condon is joined by David Eickholt from 247 Sports, Hawkeye Insider. They talk plenty about the Hawkeye football and basketball team, the importance of the athletic director hire and much more. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back once again at Exile Brewing as we taste the Swarm beer for the first time here today. David Eichel hanging out with us as we talk Hawkeyes on Locked on Hawkeyes. Our Locked on Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Hey, welcome in. I'm Trent Condon, and this is the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. As always, thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Not in my basement right now.

We're not in the studios at KXNO. No, we are out and about in downtown Des Moines at Exile Brewing. And myself, along with David Eichel, the 24-7 sports Hawkeye insider, are getting our, well, not our first taste because we've been here for a while today. Our first taste, though, of the new Hawkeyes Swarm Beer. Well, first of all, how are you doing? I'm good, man. I was going to say, you and I have been talking for about, what, four years, maybe longer than that.

This is the first time we've been able to meet in person, so it's a pleasure, obviously. Des Moines celebrity and legend Trent Condon having me on, so I appreciate you. I always appreciate our conversations, and I'm always happy to get you on the podcast because those are usually somewhere best viewed. Don't have to look at my ugly mug people get to get to see the young uh hot stuff over here they get the face for radio and me right so that's definitely me that is definitely me well we are very excited first of all for this beer because we both enjoy drinking beer i told it uh comes with the industry though, right? It kind of does. Hand in hand.

If you're in the sports world, you're probably going to enjoy yourself a cocktail from time to time or a beer. So I was talking to RJ Tersey, the owner here. When I heard what, when I first saw on both your message board and Tom Fakert's message board, Brad talked about, you want to get a beer. Yep. And I like, I think I know where this is going to go.

It's going to be either an IPA that I'll hate. Yep. It'll be something way too hoppy. It'll be for the beer connoisseurs of the world. Or it just won't have that taste that you're used to with a domestic beer. That's what I drink. Yeah. That's, I'm simple.

I have light beer and I'm good. And I'll chug a bunch of them before the Hawkeye game. You drink football season beer all year, basically, right? Absolutely. I'm that guy. I that's what I do. And I'm happy with it. But coming here, hearing a few people that had tried it earlier in the week.

And I heard from both a same person like me, a domestic drinker and somebody that's a beer kind of sewer. At least they think they are. Yeah, exactly. Self-proclaimed, right? And they both liked it. And then I came in with a little more optimism. This thing's delicious. It's so good.

The drinkability. You're talking not just tailgates, but to have in your fridge. It's just one that you can pop open after a day of work. But it's not too light either. It is as perfect of this style of work it is but it's not too light either it's it is as perfect of a this style of beer as i think have you had a kona big wave i have yes i think it's very similar to kona big wave i think just in terms of flavor profile and brad and them did a really smart thing and that was light drinking what what could you say what could you shock on that tailgate

right yeah it is you can easily shock on this i think it's got like the flavor profile of something that's higher alcohol percentage than like a four i think it's a four one it's a four one yeah it's a very more flavorful for a four one because usually you think it's like water it's too like like a pbr is like a five well pbr is a lot of things but that way but you know it's something where yeah on that high end it's not it's a not a michelob ultra yeah oh absolutely not no like and i would tell you if i didn't think it was good it's i would say yeah i mean i'm not endorsing it obviously i cover the team everything else like that and next step for brian i think they're fully aware of it

i'm sure rj is fully aware of it this is what what Beth needs to get on the phone. She's going to be the new AD August 1st. They've got to find a way to make it tapped in Kinnick because what do you think a bunch of drunk football fans are going to want to do? They're going to want to continue to support, especially during a blowout. Yes. Imagine how many more people are going to go drink that Swarm beer. Uh-huh. So, no, I think it's a very smart move by XL to be able to do it. I know some other businesses.

I think Jordan Bohan tweeted this. That was a really good point you don't want to alienate the state in terms of you know like iowa state fans are now saying you know we don't want to drink exile which is their right that's completely my iowa fans that do the same exact thing in my opinion but i think exile just given kind of it's how prominent it is in the state exile ruthie is on my go-to oh absolutely like i love exile ruthie it's funny when I've heard Cyclone fans say the same. I'm going to guess there are plenty of Cyclone fans that maybe one of their favorite beers

is not their favorite, it's Ruthie. They're just going to stop drinking it. I don't believe you. That's not happening. It'll last us all a week or two, and then they'll kind of get over it, right? There'll be something else. The other thing that they need to think about, too,

is people in general, it's like, if they're not drinking the Swarm beer, they're not contributing to the fun. Just don't drink it. Yeah, exactly. just don't drink it um but it is interesting and like you talk to rj i'm sure people are listening to rj rj is a really nice dude i think they've done a really really good job i gotta give brad heinrichs a lot of crap for what he's done with the swarm i think it's very trailblazing of i would try to get out ahead of this because they don't have a lot of those big donors but you think about the gaming casino you know the casino that sponsored them thinking about

exile now they're doing that beer i mean for gary barton never giving brad a call brad's done a really really nice job of putting iowa at least in a competitive situation so we've seen historically iowa in terms of revenue is usually in that kind of 15 to 20 range collective wise it seems like they're they're close there but the difference in the gap yes ohio state and texas and michigan they're kind of their own level their play at their own field well michigan got you know they really weren't about it for a while i know there's a lot i'm just speaking in before and oh yeah just revenue back okay yep yep back in the day if you i was thinking oh yeah okay that's why i was thinking ohio state when they came out.

Like, we need $11 million a year to stay relevant. But I think there's a real chance for this collective to not get at maybe the top five level, but get into that top 15, top 12. That's a realistic goal. I think so. And these kind of ideas. Brad's a super sharp guy. Reading him on your message board at HawkeyeInsider.com, he is a guy that comes up with ideas. And not just of ideas. Brad's a super sharp guy. Reading him on your message board at HawkeyeInsider.com,

he is a guy that comes up with ideas and not just has ideas, but then goes out and executes them. It's very interesting because usually when you think – he's very numbers-oriented. I think he's an actuary science major, right? But, again, not to put people too much in a bubble, but when you're a numbers person, you kind of sometimes lack creativity because your brain's just wired differently, right?

I mean, very creative people don't have that that numbers game with them either brad's done a really good job of being open receptive enough to people who might have other ideas i'm sure he's come up with more than a few of his own as well and people need to remember he's not getting paid he runs his own company from florida florida right i believe yes yep it's fine because he's tx hawk yeah yeah but he you gotta give him a lot of credit for being just receptive enough and being self-aware enough to recognize his faults and still be able to be able to go out and execute these things and i was also in a unique position itself because iowa fans care about football and basketball and wrestling women women's basketball.

How many other programs are really like that around the country? That it's a huge, you know, I would even throw an Iowa state. I don't know about the wrestling. I just don't know. I'm not a big wrestling guy. That's just me.

But like, they care about women's basketball a whole lot. They care about, obviously Hilton is incredible. I know people don't want to hear it. They support volleyball incredibly well. Football. Like the Iowa fans can make jokes about Iowa State.

That's just the rivalry itself. But, like, you know, but they care. But outside of that, it's like how many other programs on the country are really, really all about their athletic program as a whole versus what's trending, what's dominating. I think it's our area because Nebraska's that way. Yep. But it's very difficult to find yeah because

nebraska now they've also had a ton of success you know baseball made a college world series and semi-basic well i was gonna say the football the football always be king there iowa i feel like would still be iowa maybe even iowa state they'll still be just as supportive of football and basketball like i've said this before nebraska basketball could win five national titles in a row in basketball. They will care about making a college football playoff a thousand times more than winning in basketball. But they still show up for basketball.

They still support it. But that shows how prominent football is. Now, football is king over at Nebraska more than anything else. Yeah, it's interesting. And you're right. The way that we support as Iowans and Hawkeye fans and alumni and everything else. And if there's success, you see that build.

And we've seen that now over the last decade of Rick Heller. As we're sitting here and watching the Iowa baseball game as we're recording here today, the success there, looking at the future of what Iowa baseball is going to be, they're basically rebuilding the grandstand ground up and redoing it in a 3,000-seat structure and actual seats in there. And hopefully a little bit better for what I'm coming over to call the state baseball tournament. All those things.

But, you know, those are the things that Iowa can support. And we see this, too. You mentioned, though, and this has been a big hang-up, the gap between the Swarm and the athletic department and specifically Gary Barta. Gary Barta is certainly more old school. The 59 year olds i think yeah he's definitely a guy that probably skews older as the way that he looks at college athletics we know what this is eventually leading to the athletes are going to become employees of the no question no question that's the end game. That's where we're going to get. And I wonder if Gary Barta looks at this and understands that, yes, right now those iClub donations, those $100 checks,

they really don't matter when you're making $60, $75, $80 million a year in TV revenue. But understanding when we get to that point, that check's going to come due relatively soon. Absolutely. And that money that is all of a sudden maybe for a lot of families or individuals is being allocated to the swarm, we need to get that money back.

And maybe when you think about it down the road, he knows what's coming, and maybe that's why he wasn't as quick to warm up to what the collective is. Gary was never the person that was gonna be able to transition Iowa into what college athletics is becoming and I said this on your radio show the other day this next hire is going to be the most important hire in the history of Iowa athletics and I don't think I'm speaking in hyperbole you think about what Kirk's done think about Lisa Bluter. Like people, I think people are very overly critical of Fran. Completely agree.

Fran does, maximizes what he has. Now I agree, the sweet 16 thing, that's completely valid. But everything else, I mean, he develops pros. I was not, you know, it's a fun style of basketball to watch. They win 20 plus games. Like they're in the upper echelon of the Big Ten every year, which is not as like, I don't think people realize how tough that is to do. Like they they're in the upper echelon of the big 10 every year, which is not as like, I don't think you realize how tough that is to do.

Like brands, very consistent. And I always hate how people subscribe to the notion of a sweet 16 or bust. Okay. Then why are we playing the first 30 games at this point? Like you need to be able to enjoy the process. That's what college athletics is,

but you can still be frustrated about it in the meantime. But as you mentioned with Gary, I, it should have been a fireable offense to not give brad a call with where i like that's why i think beth gets we talked about this the other day i think she is a perfect interim athletic director it will not surprise me if she is the next iowa athletic director she's an all-american soccer player and she's very very well respected in college administration in a nutshell like more than what people I think know.

And based on talking to people in and outside the program about her, she's loved at Iowa right now. And she was a sitting AD for Ball State, and she set up an NIL collective for them right when she was allowed to at Ball State. I mean, that's not exactly – Muncie, Indiana, small mag school. I believe one of the smallest.

But she cared enough to do it. Yeah. But understand, Indiana, small max stool. I believe one of the smallest. But she cared enough to do it. Yeah. But understand, this is going to be the future. One thing about that. Yeah. When we continue, we'll take a quick time out here on Lockdown Hawkeyes. When we come back, the athletic director position, you are not alone.

Many people believe this is fait accompli. It's going to be Getz's job. Yeah. And whatever process they go through is just a formality. I'm going to tell you why that does concern me a little bit. We'll do that when we come back here on Locked on Hawkeyes.

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FanDuel.com slash Locked On. FanDuel, official sports betting partner of the NBA. Trent Conant back with you again here alongside David Eichold of HawkeyeInsider.com on the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. All right, David. So I mentioned this, and I believe that Getz is a great candidate. Yeah. One, I guess, thing that some people have said, well, she's already got the stench of Gary Barta on her. She's been there since what, September? September. September 7th was her first start date.

Let's slow down, right? I'm that part of it. I don't think the stench could permeate that quickly in terms of a role like that. But the way that I break it down is this, and I mentioned this on our radio show. In college athletics, there are 32 big jobs. It's the SEC and it's the Big Ten. No question. Everybody else, it is a different level that you're

playing that is what the structure is and with only 32 of these jobs i looked at the sitting 80s right now in the big 10 i found six of them that came from another power five program i don't want iowa to minimize now maybe the candidate won't be there or maybe gets proves to be the best candidate. And if that's the case, absolutely, she should get the job, no doubt about it. But I just don't want to see them pigeonhole themselves into the easy decision. And maybe probably the decision that, with a wink and a nod, was going to be there. Sure.

Because this is not only, at minimum, one of the 32 jobs that people want. We talked about in terms of revenue, probably a top 15 job. And then you throw in the fact that the new AD is going to hire a new football coach, is going to hire a new men's basketball coach, women's basketball coach, baseball coach, maybe even wrestling coach. How old is Rick Heller? Heller is 60. Okay.

That's what I was thinking. So if you're looking at this job, and I think most ADs look at it kind of a 10-year, that's what kind of your big window is. Sure. You're going to be hiring four, maybe five of the most major sports at Iowa. There's going to be a ton of ADs.

Minnesota, not a great collegiate job. You're working in a professional city. They do not have the support because of the professional aspect up there. They went out and got a very well-respected AD in Coyle from Syracuse. So that's the part of it that, and it does feel very Iowa-like. We're just going to give it to Getz. I want to see this be a true search. And it should.

And it should. Here's the thing, though. When they hired Beth Getz, and again, this is me and my tinfoil hat conspiracy. Okay. We like those. Yeah. It was kind of assumed that she was going to be the next AD. Absolutely.

Now, look. I don't know how extensive the process was to hire kind of her replacement when she ended up taking over. But I would tell people this. This is not Gary Barta hire. It kind of infuriates me that people think that Gary Barta is this. And look, Gary Barta hire it kind of infuriates me that people think that Gary Barta is this like you know look Gary Barta has a lot of flaws let's let's like I said he never wanted to compete with the swarm in terms of donations he's been an outstanding fundraiser that part is undeniable but the reason why I never reached out to NIL

and Brad was because he didn't want to have to compete with you donate versus the athletic department of swarm when ultimately they need to complement one another they're on the same team and beth has obviously done a number of good things when she was at ball state transitioning to iowa she's done you know built relationships the other thing is though too if she starts august 1st when gary's retired right if she goes through an entire football season builds relationships to the board builds relationships barbara wilson iowa goes to a big 10 championship in football and she does everything right especially from a pr perspective how are you going to be able to have her do all the right things and not get the

job unless you have a top 10 to top 12 sitting ad willing to leave a prominent, I'll say organization, a prominent university to go to Iowa. And I think Iowa people don't realize like how prominent the Iowa athletic job is. It's very highly coveted. It is very revenue based diehard fan base. That's not just football, especially with women's basketball.

Yeah, exactly. We're not talking Auburn. We're not talking not Bama. That's going to run you out after one bad season. Stability coupled with the things you mentioned. Exactly. It's like they'll be highly – I don't want to say highly respected.

But you have a little bit more – you have a lot more wiggle room, right? I mean, like it's a very – hey, it's a very loyal fan base. It's a very loyal university. And Marty kept his job through all this. And they care about consistency more than anything else. Yes. I mean, again, that's why the next athletic director, you already mentioned it, with the job changes.

That's why it's the most important hire in school history, in the athletic department history. So it's going to be interesting, and I think it's irresponsible for Iowa not to explore outside candidates. But if you're going to hire somebody over Beth Goetz, if she does everything right, you better damn well sure you have the right person. Because she's going to get a job in a minute. Absolutely. No question.

She was a pilot for the Wisconsin Athletic Director job. She was the executive of the year in women's college basketball. She was on that committee. Again, I know people hate the family feel of Iowa, the in-house hires. Let's understand we've so given what's happening with the football program. This is not one of those. I would always push back on people about it. So it's a very exciting time, I think, for Iowa Athletics in a lot of ways.

But for a university that's so used to consistency and stability, Iowa fans are going to be very uncomfortable over the next five to ten years while they hire these replacements. So I remember when Bump Elliott hung it up i'm older than you but i know you don't remember bump is an ad i remember when boldsby left and the concern about that um and and i understand the same trepidation that is there right there but it ultimately comes down to the board of regents will have input. And President Wilson will have input. We don't, I don't feel like, at least, because I look at things athletics only.

And I'm also based here in Des Moines. Yeah. Yeah, I went to school in Iowa, but I don't care about the academic stuff anymore. You know, I just don't. You live in Iowa City. You read the stories about what's happening, not just sports-wise, but across the university. Of course. What do we know about her?

As it pertains to sports, because it feels like she is very behind closed doors. At least that's the perspective that I get. No, I would agree. I think she's done a good job of making herself known to the right people. And I think that's what's most important. I think she'll do a very good job with fans when she's given the platform. I don't think she's had the platform or the opportunity to do so. And when you're new to a place, keep in mind,

I think she played soccer somewhere in Kansas or Missouri, I want to say. I wish I could remember the university off the top of my head. But she was an All-American soccer player. She was a coach. This is a well-traveled veteran, veteran but up and comer in terms of college administration and i can tell you from sources talking to people and i've said this on my board i've said in my podcast i'll say it here talking to people within the athletic department within the realm of iowa athletes even the families of iowa athletes they are thrilled about this like okay beth has done

all the right things behind the scenes and forged those right relationships. Now you can do all that, but is the execution going to be there? Because this is one of – again, I hate trying to speak in hyperbole or trying to over-bloviate things. This is one of the most important football seasons in the Kirk Ferentz era. It is. Without Brian – I mean, say whatever you want, Brian Ferentz,

we could do a whole other three podcasts. And we've said plenty. But, you know, they'veerencz, we could do a whole other three podcasts on that alone. We've said plenty. But, you know, they've done a nice job in terms of replacing the talent or upgrading the talent, I should say. So they've done all the right things there. But for Kirk, not even just the Brian Ferencz aspect aside, you think about NILs continuing to take an impact, the transfer portal. USC, UCLA are joining next season.

This is the last year of divisional play. And I've said it, Iowa fans should expect a big 10 west title i think they i know a lot of people are in wisconsin i don't buy stock into it quite yet because i don't get it you're gonna take that wisconsin the way they played and transform it into an air raid offense you know what i would covered scott frost and i'm now look luke pickles much more accomplished than scott frost ever was the ucf national title was one of the biggest jokes in NCAA history I don't want to hear I know it's a meme it's ridiculous but I was in that press conference Scott Frost and he said the Big 10s get changed for us and I knew right then he was not going to last more than three or four years he was going to get fired Luke Fickle is much more accomplished he's been to a college football

playoff etc but you're not coming to the Big 10 and you're not going to be able to change an offense style of Wisconsin to fit what you want to do and what you did at Cincinnati. And you look at Iowa defense, we look at the personnel they have and it's their schedule. Iowa fans should expect 10 wins this season. I think anything other than that, not going to Indianapolis or Big Ten title, I think it's a failure of a season. Penn State, they'll be a dog. FanDuel, I know, had the number out a while ago. I don't know if it's still up. Was it double digits? It was either 7.5 or 10.5. I can't remember which one.

I think it was 10.5. I'm not a financial advisor or a gambling guy, but I might hop on that. I would hop on that 10.5. Wisconsin, I would guess if they put out a preseason line for that, probably Badgers by three, just because it's at Wisconsin. It's at Wisconsin, yeah.

That's probably about right. They're going to be favored in every other game. I bet Nebraska's favored. By the end of the year. I don't know. They still buy stock in Nebraska. Preseason line, perhaps. By the time we get to November.

You're saying you think about the West, like Purdue first-year coach, Illinois first-year coach, Wisconsin first-year coach. Illinois lost their D.C.nesota's got it yeah the new the new purdue guy miss i don't know my sign miss so that's what he's an idiot he has his moments you know he rose the boat it sinks about halfway through the year but like it does all right um kirk's got his ball mohammed ibrahim's gone yeah and that dude was unbelievable i I mean, here's the thing about Iowa fans. I think college football fans, sometimes you have to tip your cap. I'm going to be rammed against Iowa.

You just have to most diehard Iowa fans are tipping their cap saying, man, I can't believe after all you went through, you're still going 40 times a game for two, what, 230? Like the Saquon Barkley game. Yeah, the Trace McSorley punt kind of soured a lot of feelings, but you tipped your hat to Saquon Barkley for the performance. Christian McCaffrey. Yeah.

No, sorry. That was a tough one, too. But, no, like I said, you look at the Big Ten West, the Fisher coaches, the transition, Iowa schedule, and who they've upgraded and who they have, there should be pressure on Iowa football to make a Big Ten title game this year. All right, one more thing for you, Eichel, and that's basketball. Yep. And this Grant Nelson thing.

Now as Iowa fans, you know, we, we get excited to have our heart broken, but yeah, is this a real thing? Does I will really have a chance to get where the athletic has him ranked as the number three transfer portal. Not that is available right now.

Like that is the portal. I've seen him ESPN had him at number four. Like this is a huge, huge addition. Is this real that I was got a chance? Yeah, absolutely. No,

it was a little bit surprising to me when I first got word of it, the Intel coming in, but once he withdrew from the NBA draft, I think people need to realize he's a native North Dakotan. So I think the geography helps the last, you know, the five, I think you look at the last five years, the leading scorer has been the position

that Grant Nelson would play. If you go in Iowa, and Grant Nelson, there's a couple things the NBA wants him to work on, but if he goes to Iowa, drops 21-9 at night, he's going first round. It doesn't matter. You look at what Iowa's ceiling is next year and what Frank can sell him on player development-wise and who I've been told. Iowa has a real shot.

I would place it at 25% to 30% right now. I think if he makes a visit to Iowa, I think it's a coin flip. Baylor, Alabama are still to make Alabama. He has a visit lined up right now when we're recording this podcast. He has a visit lined up to Alabama. Baylor is going to be a favorite, I think, as well. It's going to be very, very interesting to kind of see what happens with them. And I think Iowa has a lot of really good things going for it.

I think they can compete, you know, maybe even on the NIL front, maybe not as much as in Alabama, but I would also throw in this fact, Iowa might be benefiting from the fact that he entered the portal because he's so focused on the NBA draft. He didn't really listen to school before them.

A lot of the schools that would probably throw the boat at him are full on scholarships now. Absolutely. Or they've already filled that position. And he's like, I'm not getting any PT here. And this is a guy who has one year of eligibility. He's one of the most productive players in the country. And I know people would say, well, Phillip Robracha, need a year transition. And I like Phillip. Phillip's a great, great

dude. He was a phenomenal, phenomenal players, especially second year. like this is not one this is a guy you plug and play iowa is an ncaa tournament team to get grant nelson like robracha if i remember correctly he was rated you know like a 60 to 80 kind of probably transfer you know in that range and in my opinion he was playing out of our position he was an undersized five going against zach edie and zach edie going to purdue is a completely yeah man especially if you see the you should watch the film of him

hitting threes in those NBA workouts. It's ridiculous. And those guards are now sophomores. That was the biggest flaw about them last year, and they still had a lot of talent. That's why I told you... I think you and I both talked about it. I think Ken kind of pushed back on us a little bit. He had a bunch of futures out of it.

That was a problem. They're a bunch of freshman guards. Freshman guards don't carry you in tourney time. They don't. And that's why we've said Tony Perkins is consistent, and Iowa gets to do a tournament. It's crazy that – He's a guard.

You add Nelson. You go from a team, I think 500 is kind of what I see this group right now, this roster. You add Grant Nelson, though. I believe – and I saw Bart Torbick. I talked about this on the podcast last week it's a analytic bass base site like ken pomba goes a little deeper yep and torvik you can add guys to rosters and he'll spit out what the projections are i would jumps up defensively

like 50 spots oh it's nuts which they need yeah and like i think it was 12 spots they jump up in the national rankings he's a lot higher than I am. At least his numbers are coming into the season on this Iowa team. And they're, like you said, they're an NCAA tournament team. And then Fran will have nine tournament teams in 11 years. Lute Olsen never did that. Dr. Tom never did that. We have not seen this happen.

I know college basketball has evolved and changed. But Iowa basketball has not had that happen. Let's make this happen, all right? And that means drinking some Swarm beer, getting some more money into the collective, right? Here's the thing, too, and it goes back to what you and I talked about regarding Fran. If Fran makes one sweet 16, how highly regarded is he at Iowa right now?

He's different. He's king of it, right? If he would have made it two years ago, the year they lost to Richmond. Yeah, that was the one. There's a couple of what-ifs I would say, too, like the Oregon we talked about. I mean, it's all what-ifs. I think Fran, I think when it's ultimately said and done, Fran needs a Sweet 16 to solidify his legacy.

But I also think people are going to look back and say, you know what? Fran did a lot of things a lot better than people gave him credit for. But again, it's because Iowa fans are so desperate, crave and to get back. I don't want to say to relevancy, because I think they're a very relevant program with the player awards and everything. They need that team's success to really, really solidify everything. No doubt about it. David Eichold here at Exile. Well,

we've got to have another beer and watch a little Iowa baseball and just like that. We've got to wrap things up. Hey man, I appreciate you. Thank you. Thanks for bringing some handsomeness here to the airwaves on YouTube and joining us here on the audio side as well. Thanks as

always for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We'll talk to you again tomorrow. Go Hawks!