Can anyone comment on last year vs this year team cohesiveness???

U

uihawk82

Well-Known Member
Since I left the Iowa city area nearly 30 years ago I dont here a lot of the poop that I used to hear from friends who "knew" people around the Ath Dept and who had sources.

Just wondering if there was a lack of chemistry and team ideal last year. I got the impression that 2007 toward the end there was something going on that diminished the "team" spirit.
 


Teams with bad records are said to have bad chemistry.

Teams with good records are said to have good chemistry.
 








This isn't about the team, but rather the fans and the game day atmosphere around Kinnick:

I think there is a somewhat of a growing discontent with the overall game experience at and around Kinnick. This really shouldn't come as a shock since several years ago they started implementing rules that affect the game experience around the stadium. I think it has had the desired effect of "taming" the game day atmosphere. Now Barta and staff are starting to say WTF did we do? That is why they sent out emails asking season ticket holders what they could do to improve the game day experience. I also heard that they were seething mad at Brain F. for what he tweeted out about the lack of game day experience in the stadium.

Combine all this with a product that isn't winning at home over the last 2 years (5-8) and people are starting to speak with their pocket books (staying home) and you can see it in the attendance this year. You really know that this is a problem when Barta and the marketing people actually take notice.
 


deanvogs said:
This isn't about the team, but rather the fans and the game day atmosphere around Kinnick:

I think there is a somewhat of a growing discontent with the overall game experience at and around Kinnick. This really shouldn't come as a shock since several years ago they started implementing rules that affect the game experience around the stadium. I think it has had the desired effect of "taming" the game day atmosphere. Now Barta and staff are starting to say WTF did we do? That is why they sent out emails asking season ticket holders what they could do to improve the game day experience. I also heard that they were seething mad at Brain F. for what he tweeted out about the lack of game day experience in the stadium.

Combine all this with a product that isn't winning at home over the last 2 years (5-8) and people are starting to speak with their pocket books (staying home) and you can see it in the attendance this year. You really know that this is a problem when Barta and the marketing people actually take notice.
Click to expand...

Of course they are not going to worry about it or do anything about the atmosphere when they are winning big and have a 19 game home win streak. Winning takes care of the atmosphere. I dont get to the games early much any more because of all the friggin loud music blaring while the team gets loose. And I love loud music.

Just not while I am trying to enjoy the outdoors and the sounds of the stadium.

You ever notice the sounds of the stadium as it fills up, as the team warms up and hour before the game, I remember that but you cant hear it now or at least the last time I was there early.
 


Yet it was all those rowdy partiers who kept and actually helped lift the program out of the dark ages. Hey barta, here is a novel concept, dont take a big steamy pile where you eat.
 


Winning will fix the gameday experience. I remember how deflated I felt after the infamous Wisconsin fake punt game. The place sounded like a morgue as fans slowly filed out after that game. Things have not been the same since. It really takes the party out of after game partying when the team sucks as it has the past few years. If and when KF ever figures out how to have an effective offense as his defense then the good times will return.
 


Constantly in and out of character. One minute you can hardly type then you type gooder and talk more better ^^^^^^ #oldalt #trolldude
 


OP, to answer your question. From a football players mouth "last years team just didn't have a good unit. This year we are a lot more cohesive, more of a team"

Also, every football player I talk to says they love Kirk. He's a great coach and great guy.
 




deanvogs said:
This isn't about the team, but rather the fans and the game day atmosphere around Kinnick:

I think there is a somewhat of a growing discontent with the overall game experience at and around Kinnick. This really shouldn't come as a shock since several years ago they started implementing rules that affect the game experience around the stadium. I think it has had the desired effect of "taming" the game day atmosphere. Now Barta and staff are starting to say WTF did we do? That is why they sent out emails asking season ticket holders what they could do to improve the game day experience. I also heard that they were seething mad at Brain F. for what he tweeted out about the lack of game day experience in the stadium.

Combine all this with a product that isn't winning at home over the last 2 years (5-8) and people are starting to speak with their pocket books (staying home) and you can see it in the attendance this year. You really know that this is a problem when Barta and the marketing people actually take notice.
Click to expand...

Nailed it, Dean
 


I for one am glad that Brian Ferentz gave voice to what anyone with a brain could see in terms of the gameday atmosphere. I am sure that Sally Mason got ruffled when she heard that a school employee was caught indicating that the empress has no clothes. Sally and co. have driven the atmosphere downward intentionally, and now they do not want to face the truth. .....bout time someone spoke up, and KF sure aint gonna make waves. Way to go, Brian! Now, I am sure that Barta was called into Sally's office and made responsible for doing a fan survey to make them seem responsive to the fans....yea, right,Sally. Might want to start by demanding that Iowa get some later kickoffs after a season where Minny and NW almost never kickoff early...but Iowa does almost every home game.....show us something,Sally and Barta!
 


I think the big difference this year is the coaching staff is all on the same page. No one has their own agenda. Im sure that makes the player more comfortable and confident too. I also agree the UI adminastration is ruining the great game day atmosphere we have had for years. Iowa has a very PC administration
uihawk82 said:
Since I left the Iowa city area nearly 30 years ago I dont here a lot of the poop that I used to hear from friends who "knew" people around the Ath Dept and who had sources.

Just wondering if there was a lack of chemistry and team ideal last year. I got the impression that 2007 toward the end there was something going on that diminished the "team" spirit.
Click to expand...
 




deanvogs said:
This isn't about the team, but rather the fans and the game day atmosphere around Kinnick:

I think there is a somewhat of a growing discontent with the overall game experience at and around Kinnick. This really shouldn't come as a shock since several years ago they started implementing rules that affect the game experience around the stadium. I think it has had the desired effect of "taming" the game day atmosphere. Now Barta and staff are starting to say WTF did we do? That is why they sent out emails asking season ticket holders what they could do to improve the game day experience. I also heard that they were seething mad at Brain F. for what he tweeted out about the lack of game day experience in the stadium.

Combine all this with a product that isn't winning at home over the last 2 years (5-8) and people are starting to speak with their pocket books (staying home) and you can see it in the attendance this year. You really know that this is a problem when Barta and the marketing people actually take notice.
Click to expand...

These are interesting thoughts.

When you have fans that are going to see the team, and the team hasn't been playing overly well in recent years, coupled with fans that go for the "game day experience" regardless of how the team plays, and the game day atmosphere is being watered down, it's not surprising if you see attendance start to fall.
 


Is it a coincidence that the game day atmosphere in Iowa City started to diminish about the same time that the University began enforcing it's new rules? I think not.

The party bus: GONE
Carrying your open beer with you as you walk around: GONE
Night games and 2:30 kickoffs: Mostly Gone

Herky used to ride around in his golf cart before games and visit all the different tailgating lots. I haven't seen that in 2 years. Not that it isn't happening, but it doesn't happen as often or where we now tailgate.

Melrose isn't what it used to be.

The construction has eaten up a lot of great tailgating lots, and given some of the best lots to the high-dollar donors. Example: The Dental Lot. For years a Silver Hawk parking pass got you in there, now it's Gold Hawk passes only. When it was a Silver Hawk lot, it was full by 8am for 2:30 games. It never fills up now. Pretty sad.

I'll never advocate that people need to drink to have a good time, but people also need to feel secure that they aren't going to step 1 foot too far and get a ticket. That's what has happened in Iowa City. 1 step too far, and you could go to jail. I think that threat has just diminished the amount of fun people are willing to have, and lets not kid ourselves.... it's not like Iowa City was overrun with lawbreaking morons before. There will always be a few, but the new rules have taken the air out of everything on game day.

It doesn't help that things inside Kinnick haven't been great. There is a lot more they could do to make it better for the fans. We're tired of the stupid Burrito lift. We've been doing it for a decade it seems. Also, stop telling us what to wear to the games. These "theme" games are getting old. They are significantly over-done. And...WHAT'S WITH ALL THE ADVERTISING??????!!!!! They even play commercials on the main video board at the start of halftime! COMMERCIALS! AT THE GAME!

I was at the Purdue game last Saturday, and they literally have 1/10th the number of ads inside their stadium. You have to look pretty hard to find them. It was a nice change of pace.

Kinnick feels like it's been whored out for the sake of the almighty dollar.
 




You must log in or register to reply here.


Latest posts

Share this page






Top