Jon's new article

Reference my above post. Why can Wisconsin do it but Iowa can’t? There isn’t really an explanation.

Wisconsin is doing it right now. It doesn't mean they are doing it forever. Just like Iowa was doing it 30 years ago, but they aren't doing it now. There is always room at the table for a few non blue bloods. But they just can't sit at the table long. Wisconsin got up and left the basketball table as soon as Ryan left. And I'll say it again. They didn't fire average coach after average coach until they found Ryan, just because they demand better. It was time for a coaching change and happened to find an unknown, future hall of famer.
 
I will reply this way.
It would be foolish to say it is easy to be Duke or Alabama. Success isn't easy, even for the bluebloods.
But I look at Wisky in both sports. In the last 25 years they have built something.
How? Where's the history?
I say they did it on the sheer determination of guys like Barry Alvarez.
Literally one man's will over-coming the odds.
Maybe you're right and Iowa will always be lil ole iowa. But you tell your kids they can grow up to be President some day, even if you think otherwise. I admit, not every parent works that way. Some of them say, "Cletus, you need to shoot for that job at the post office, and if you're ever lucky enough to get it, for goodness sake hold on to it. Cuz that's as high as you're goin son."
I just come from a world where your reach should exceed your grasp, or what's heaven for?

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/robert_browning_108884

I assume you are the CEO of a major company? Or maybe the president of the United States? You must be at the very top of whatever you do with that attitude. What's your yearly salary? It's gotta be a billion at least right? If you make less than a billion per year, you're a defeatist.
 
Did Wisconsin create a culture that demands success? Or did they hire the right coaches in Bo Ryan and Alvarez?
To address your question, Wisconsin does have the advantage of a state with 5.8M people compared to 3M in Iowa. And the Badgers are clearly the flagship program in the state. Marquette is in the ACC, but Wisconsin is much more clearly seen as the program of choice as compared to Iowa and Iowa State.

Of course the expectations are different for Gard than they are for Fran, given the last 15 years of what's gone on at Wisconsin. If they can him next year if he doesn't make tourney, and they bring in another coach who makes the tournament 3 times in 5 years, does that mean Wisconsin "demands success" any less than they did before? Or does it mean that they hired coaches who weren't as good as Ryan?

If they don't find another hall of fame coach, it means they decided they don't care about success suddenly.
 
I assume you are the CEO of a major company? Or maybe the president of the United States? You must be at the very top of whatever you do with that attitude. What's your yearly salary? It's gotta be a billion at least right? If you make less than a billion per year, you're a defeatist.
You're being irrational.
 
Does Wisconsin high school football turn out more blue chip recruits than Iowa high school players? Not according to the national recruiting publications. Granted I understand that Wisconsin has One Div 1 football program and Iowa has four which sometimes hurts Iowa getting some decent kids onto their two deep from whithin their own state pipeline. But does it hurt it enough to be that far behind Wisconsin ? I don’t see that . It’s the coaching , overall philosophy of recruiting ,expectations of success and preparation of the teams going into battle is why I see one ahead of the other.
 
Does Wisconsin high school football turn out more blue chip recruits than Iowa high school players? Not according to the national recruiting publications. Granted I understand that Wisconsin has One Div 1 football program and Iowa has four which sometimes hurts Iowa getting some decent kids onto their two deep from whithin their own state pipeline. But does it hurt it enough to be that far behind Wisconsin ? I don’t see that . It’s the coaching , overall philosophy of recruiting ,expectations of success and preparation of the teams going into battle is why I see one ahead of the other.
One of the reasons I wish Cyclown University didn't have a football program.
 
Wisconsin is doing it right now. It doesn't mean they are doing it forever. Just like Iowa was doing it 30 years ago, but they aren't doing it now. There is always room at the table for a few non blue bloods. But they just can't sit at the table long. Wisconsin got up and left the basketball table as soon as Ryan left. And I'll say it again. They didn't fire average coach after average coach until they found Ryan, just because they demand better. It was time for a coaching change and happened to find an unknown, future hall of famer.
Iowa has never had the success in basketball and football that Wisconsin has had over the last ten years. Never.

Except the coach before Bo went to a final four as well? What about football. They’ve done it now over the course of 4 coaches.

Also what’s your point? Iowa should strive to get to this level. Just because Wisconsin hasn't always been at this level proves absolutely nothing. My point is that we should strive for this level and it is indeed possible if Wisconsin is doing it.
 
I assume you are the CEO of a major company? Or maybe the president of the United States? You must be at the very top of whatever you do with that attitude. What's your yearly salary? It's gotta be a billion at least right? If you make less than a billion per year, you're a defeatist.

In 2004 no one on this board had ever heard the name Obama. 4 years later he was President. Opportunity is for the bold. For some reason that truth angers you.
 
I heard of Obama in 2004...he visited the Middle East in 2005...prepping for his life long goal of being president...
 
Iowa has never had the success in basketball and football that Wisconsin has had over the last ten years. Never.

Except the coach before Bo went to a final four as well? What about football. They’ve done it now over the course of 4 coaches.

Also what’s your point? Iowa should strive to get to this level. Just because Wisconsin hasn't always been at this level proves absolutely nothing. My point is that we should strive for this level and it is indeed possible if Wisconsin is doing it.

I also don't understand his rational. Before 1991 Duke had never won a NC. So every year before then were they supposed to say, "We've never won a national title so let's not even try" ?

I think there are posts in this thread with people saying, "Iowa has no chance at a NC." That makes no sense. Iowa has already played in one title game (decades before Duke did it), so they've proven they can get there. Even in football KF had Iowa on the brink of the playoffs 3 season ago. I can't understand these feelings being stated as facts.
 
I was in the Middle East when he visited in 2005 with the Army...an Army friend of mine and I were invited to have breakfast with him...friend went...I didn't...too busy...zero interest

Had heard of him many times prior to the visit...

I guess you could check the Army/military operations database at Langley...

My wife was in the Middle East with the Army years later...got to shake hands and talk with Neil Armstrong...one of the highlights of her life...he was appreciative of all those who were there...serving...
 
Very entertaining and cathartic thread. Bottom line, we all know we got Fran for at least another year, if not longer. As a Hawkeye fan, I hope he turns it around.
 
Iowa has never had the success in basketball and football that Wisconsin has had over the last ten years. Never.

Except the coach before Bo went to a final four as well? What about football. They’ve done it now over the course of 4 coaches.

Also what’s your point? Iowa should strive to get to this level. Just because Wisconsin hasn't always been at this level proves absolutely nothing. My point is that we should strive for this level and it is indeed possible if Wisconsin is doing it.

They've been fairly close. Wisconsin hasn't had the success of Nebraska in the 80s and 90s. According to some on here, Wisconsin must have a defeatist attitude.

I'm sure Iowa does strive for Wisconsin's success. But Wisconsin having Wisconsin's success has defied the odds. What are the odds that two programs from the Big 10 west can defy huge odds at the same exact time in history? It's not impossible. It's just highly unlikely. It doesn't mean we shouldn't strive for it. We just shouldn't fire coach after coach to try to beat those odds. And by "we" I mean the university of Iowa. Cause I ain't doin shit.
 
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