Apathy has set in for most fans....
- Thread starter hawkeyz10
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1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
Me too, actually! I had some stuff to do early yesterday and Iowa football was actually the last thing on my mind. It then it occurred to me that Iowa played their opener sometime that day, although I wasn't even sure of the time. I got home later and (after forgetting about the game AGAIN) I remembered that Iowa had a game, and saw the game was 3:30 ET. I tuned in for most of the game, and late in the 3rd quarter, even though it was a tight game, I decided I felt more like taking a dip in the pool, so I hit the record button on the DVR.
Turns out, the DVR hosed me out of the recording so I didn't get to see the 4th quarter, so I flipped to the BTN to see how the game turned out, and basically was just in time to see the N. Illinois fans celebrating as everyone left the field. I wasn't surprised, because I've seen that movie before. Kinda glad I missed it.
It hardly ruined my day though. Translation: I felt nothing. And judging by how I kept forgetting about the game, I'd say yeah, apathy had already set in for me after last season.
McNutt7gets6
Well-Known Member
After getting a piece of your heart ripped out game after game eventually there is no heart left. I just hope the players have bigger hearts then the fans.
OLWPAORWWM
Banned
My natural inclination is to feel sorry for you people, but my rational side tells me you don't need pity for being this self-loathing in the first place.
INTIMIDATORHawk
Well-Known Member
I've kept my expectations relatively low, so as to be surprised if Iowa surpasses them.
My friends have relatively high expectations (7 or 8 wins). They are setting themselves up for a huge let down.
That said, there were some good things that happened yesterday. There is plenty to work with. Iowa isn't destitute.
My friends have relatively high expectations (7 or 8 wins). They are setting themselves up for a huge let down.
That said, there were some good things that happened yesterday. There is plenty to work with. Iowa isn't destitute.
Igothawked
Well-Known Member
I hardly call him a bandwagon fan. He, like most of us, is very disappointed with where this program is headed. There is basically only one way to show your disappointment to the program. That is by not buying tickets and not going to games. I have no problem with that.
Found myself almost let down when Iowa stopped NIU in the 4th and them somewhat giddy on the pick.
That is worse than apathy. It has extended to things have to worse before they get better thinking. It was what makes people choose to adopt the no chance for winning protest vote strategy.
Really think next year is better. But things have to change.
That is worse than apathy. It has extended to things have to worse before they get better thinking. It was what makes people choose to adopt the no chance for winning protest vote strategy.
Really think next year is better. But things have to change.
INTIMIDATORHawk
Well-Known Member
The problem with NOT buying tickets is that someone else will. Iowa doesn't have problems selling tickets. The only way to create a change is for the big money donors to stop handing over the generous contributions.
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
Exactly. I have been hit by two waves in the Ferentz era. Wave 1 was when my hopes were built up early in 2005. We had been decent for a few years in a row and we were ranked fairly high. We rolled into Ames and the display that day started a pretty miserable run from 2005-07 that was bookended with that awful loss to Western Michigan in 2007. 2008 and 2009 saw my hope building again (even after the loss to NU in 2009).
I maintained optimism even after the loss at Zona in 2010 and was stoked when we rolled out of the Big House with a nice W (albeit one where Forcier came in at QB and looked like John Elway against our typical bend and then break defense in the second half). But I went through denial, anger, bargaining and depression all during the Wisconsin game in 2010. Actually, they all happened very quickly during and immediately following the fake punt that about 68,000 people in Kinnick and thousands more at home saw coming. For me, acceptance set in a few weeks later as PersaStrong tossed the game winning TD where we saw a very superior Iowa team lose yet again to a pretty marginal Northwestern team. I am now at the point where rather than looking forward to an 8 hour round trip drive to IC to watch Iowa hopefully pummel a I-AA team, I am looking forward to going to the 'Cats game on Saturday against Syracuse.
The only bright spot yesterday was that hopefully the rest of the fan base will be angry and we won't lose our seats when the Athletic Department tries its next shakedown, err, reseating.
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
Iowa has a couple of decent sized donors, but it's not like Oklahoma State with T. Boone or Oregon with Phil Knight where one or two dudes can really effectuate change. IIRC, Krause and the fella from Heartland Express recently passed away and they were two big donors, but I think a gigantic chunk of our "donations" come from the forced donations that are a precondition to ticket purchases. Of course, no one wants to lose their good tickets on the off chance Ferentz finds some magic again and lands 5-6 NFL capable players on defense who spring us on another good run.
StatelineHawk
Well-Known Member
It definitely has not been good since then.
SpecialKHawk
Well-Known Member
I think this is a dangerous assumption in today's society. The same thing was said at one time about basketball until we were drawing actual attendance figures in the 2000-3000 range. As promising as a turn-around as Fran is working on their are still plenty of seats to be had.
SpecialKHawk
Well-Known Member
I will also add that I have noticed a huge drop in the buzz in and around the stadium since Wisky 2010. Now I noticed a large chunk of fans were missing in the tailgating section that used to be jammed packed no matter the weather. In the group I was with every single person talked about not coming back if there was another sub par season and this was before the game. I was actually optimistic that we would beat NIU. This group included some long, long time ticket holders.
Igothawked
Well-Known Member
I agree. People are not going to keep buying tickets the way this ship is going.
Hawkfromnorwalk
Well-Known Member
Wrigley Field was sold out all time in the 2000's, even during the down years but then the fans got pizzed and decided they didn't want to fund a losing team. Watch some Cubs games now, even when rivals are in town like STL or MIL. The stands are half empty. Sooner or later this will happen at Kinnick if Iowa continues down this path.
You are right on, people will not continue to shell out hundreds of dollars and give up their Saturdays to suffer through boring ,uninspired, losing football, and did I mention road construction to add to the experience.
BigD
Well-Known Member
Maybe it's just the opposite. Maybe they need to come up with a $28,000,000 donation to cover 2020.
CJSHawk
Well-Known Member
Agreed. We will only see change if fans refuse to subject themselves to what Iowa football has become. Just ask Todd Lickliter!
Ferentz is a good man, and was a great head coach for the Hawks, but his time has run it's course at Iowa.