[We really had no choice but to bump this, as you'll quickly see why. Welcome back to the Internets, CrossCyed.--AJ]

Hello, Hawkeye fans. You know me as CrossCyed, the affable and loveable Cyclone fan that, for a time, ran CloneChronicles and has recently returned as a sort of author emeritus. I have watched, from afar, as the Hawkeye nation has debated the merits of retaining former men's head basketball coach Todd Lickliter. He was a quality man, and, despite differing opinions, a quality coach that simply could not get it done in the Big 10. Many, many Iowa fans advocated the firing of Coach Lickliter, and, today, many of you got that wish. But, in winning that small battle, you may have lost the war.

How could you have forsaken thee?

You members of the Hawkeye fanbase should have known that John Lickliter, who will henceforth be known as Lil' John for the rest of this post, will likely be out the door as well. Due to the shortsighted nature of the move today by Athletics Director Gary Barta, the Hawkeyes will be losing not only their X-Factor for next season, but also their Y-Factor (because Lil John has more than enough Y chromosome for the rest of the team.)

You Hawkeye fans need to realize that players like Lil John simply do not grow on trees. They are gently nurtured from the end of the bench to the League. Today, Mr. Gary Barta has stalled that process and likely put the future of not only the Iowa men's basketball program, but also the Iowa athletics department in jeopardy.

FACT:

Lil John played in every conference win for the Hawkeyes this year.

- His father recognized his ability, and unleashed it in conference play for Iowa. He carried the team through the memorable conference slate. Many pundits point to his 9 minute performance in the win against Penn State where he displayed his sheer physicality, RIPPING down two rebounds and picking up three personal fouls in a short stint on the floor. You can't hope to win the Big Ten without being physical, and the loss of Lil John just damaged those hopes.

FACT:

Lil John was on the bench for every non-conference loss this year.

- Was his dad/coach afraid of blowing Iowa City's best kept secret? Did Chad Walthall intentionally keep his best weapon on the bench to try and increase the chance of his boss getting fired so that he could possibly slide into the head job? These are all legitimate questions that have yet to be asked by the so-called mainstream media.

FACT:

Lil John led the team in free throw percentage.

- With the aforementioned physical style of play, it's a given that Lil John would have made a number of the trips to the line next year. With a sparkling 83% mark from the stripe, one wonders if he couldn't have carried the team to victory from the charity stripe a few times this year if his dad would have only had the guts to play him more late in the game. Gotta have balls to win.

FACT:

Lil John was second on the team in assist to turnover ratio.

- Lil John's assist to turnover ratio was 1.36, just percentage points off of likely National Player of the Year Evan Turner's 1.42. They are in the same conversation. LIL JOHN AND EVAN TURNER ARE IN THE SAME DAMN CONVERSATION, AND DON'T YOU FUCKERS FORGET IT.

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I don't want to bore your fine fanbase with more of what you already know. Unfortunately, a great number of you are misguided in where today's coaching move will move your program. I just hope that you pray to Jesus, Allah, Buddha, or whatever deity you find holy that Lil John does not turn up in Ames. Cause he's one motherfuckin holy power you can't pray to no more.