Remember that Time When

I was hopeful about the 2021-2022 Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team a year ago, on Wednesday, June 2, 2021. By now, the season has been over for about 2 months and attention is being directed to the 2022-2023 Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team. However, before moving forward, here's a look back at what I thought a year ago: Way Too Early Optimistic Thoughts about the 2021-2022 Iowa Men's Basketball Team.

Also, question for Future Me - did I arrive at HSSB at 5 AM today and walk my up/around³ routine before beginning my Disaster Recovery and/or Knowledge Management work? Provide an answer below, please:
Yes, I did

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1. Was the 2021-2022 Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team season a success or frustration? It was a season of highs and lows. The team was riding a wave. First, there was the frustrating loss at IL to end the season (a game that was within their grasp at the end of the game), followed by a series of successes. The team found a way to win 4 games in 4 days on the road to the Big 10 Championship!! Then, the team went into their first round game in the NCAA Tournament against Richmond. Iowa had a chance to win that game but, in they end, they lost and the team that I had picked to win the NCAA Championship was knocked out of the tournament - a true bracket burster! After the game, there was such compelling sadness & disappointment on the faces of Connor McCaffery & Jordan Bohannon at the post-game press conference - truly, their faces are burned in my mind and I don't think it is likely to be an image I will ever forget. Connor declared that it was the worst game they had played that season and barely could get his words out. Because of C-19 and being granted an extra year of eligibility, Connor has the option to return for the 2022-2023 season, despite going through Senior Night festivities on February 28, 2022. Doing so is why JoBo was sitting next to him. However, when he was asked about returning, it didn't sound like he would return.
   
2. Did I attend Carver-Hawkeye Arena games with either Fred (of Fred and Julie) or Brian Rock or Alex? Did I find a way to attend multiple games with all 3 of them? Did I attend any games with Jason Lest? I attended two games at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, one with "just" Brunch and one with  Brunch and Wubs.
   
3. Did I begin 6/2/2022 with my up/around³ routine before beginning my Disaster Recovery and/or Knowledge Management work? Yes, I did.
   
4. It is now 23 days (3 weeks, 2 days) until Alex and Hannah's June 25, 2022, wedding - who's ready to PARTY!! I am ready. I want to say, for the record, I believe the day will be totally awesome and exceed every expectation I could conceive in my head about their wedding day.
   

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Way Too Early Optimistic Thoughts about the 2021-2022 Iowa Men's Basketball Team

I'm really happy that Keegan Murray is getting some attention as the summer begins in 2022. As this article points out -  Leistikow: With more NBA Draft buzz, Keegan Murray is Iowa's summer star - the 2021-2022 Iowa Hawkeyes that take the court this fall will look a lot different than the 2020-2021 team. From the article (I added the numbered list to make the article text easier to read

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None of last year’s starting five will be on the floor for the first practice:

1. national player of the year Luka Garza is off to his pro career;

2. all-Big Ten wing Joe Wieskamp is exploring the NBA Draft process;

3. shooting guard CJ Fredrick has transferred to Kentucky; and ...

4. Jordan Bohannon (head injury from a May 24 bar altercation) [is in recovery mode]

5. Connor McCaffery (two hip surgeries) [is in recovery mode]

6. top reserve Jack Nunge has transferred to Xavier.
   

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Yet, for Keegan Murray, his brother, who didn't get a lot of playing time last season, "new blood arriving in big-man transfer Filip Rebraca and recent high school graduates Riley Mulvey and Payton Sandfort", Patrick McCaffery, Joe Toussaint, and anyone else I'm forgetting, the challenge will remain the same as it is for any basketball team: chemistry. Who is going to emerge as the leader, both in the locker room and on the floor? Who is going to help Rebraca, Mulvey, and Sandfort get used to college and model outstanding citizenship as well as a work ethic to accomplish any task in front of them, both in and out of the classroom? I believe that all teams, whether it is at the junior high, high school, college, or professional level, start the off-season on a level playing field. I don't believe that any triumphs - or defeats - follow a team from season to season. Sure, TV analysts like to bring up previous games between teams and to discuss history, but on the basketball court, every game starts tied at zero. It's up to each team member to help their team win.

That is why, on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, I am optimistic about the 2021-2022 Iowa Hawkeyes. If the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, as it has been over the last few weeks, I foresee Carver-Hawkeye Arena being loud and a very tough environment for an opponent to enter and win a game. Coach Fran is a competitor and I have no reason to believe he will not instill that sense of competition, that sense of putting in the work now will yield a fruitful season in March 2022.

I am going to revisit this post on Thursday, June 2, 2022. I will be curious whether the 2021-2022 Iowa Hawkeyes had a successful season or if it was an exercise in frustration to watch them. Sincerely, I hope it is a successful season and I hope that I attend many many games with either Fred (of Fred and Julie) or Brian Rock or Jason Lest or Alex.