Are you a Hawkeye?

[therealforeverhawk]

#1, The bad years of iowa football were before KF stepped foot on campus. Can you imagine a season where you don't score a point?

#2. If you never had your doubts about Iowa football under KF, you are better than most. Even Ed P. left the broadcast booth during the ISU football game in year #2 out of disgust for the offense. That was towards the end of the game, and that was quite something to hear.

I do realize that the bad years of IOWA football were before KF. In the early 1960's I helped carry Gary Snook out of The Hawk dance club. So I do go back aways.

And no I can't imagine a season where you don't score a point. But I don't think you have ever seen that in your lifetime and I have never seen that in my lifetime with IOWA football. According to the IOWA Media Guide the only time an IOWA football team had an offensive average of ZERO per game was in 1889 when the played one game and lost it. That year they had no coach either. In 1931 they played 8 games and had an offensive average of .9 per game under coach Ingwersen.

Even during the Nagel, Lauterbur, Commings years the teams averaged 19.06, 11.23, and 14.06 respectively.

During Nagel Lauterbur, and Commings, and yes, KF's first year when the HAWKS almost went winless I did have hope. Nagel was 16-32-1 in five years; Lauterbur was 4-28-1 in three years (and was gone in three years - they didn't worry about shoving out coaches and not being able to get another one); and they were 18-37-0 under Commings. He wasn't the answer yet but fans didn't give up HOPE. Lickliter has many of us giving up HOPE.

And addressing the KF hiring and first year. I did believe in him. I remembered him from the staff at IOWA. Remember the day they hired him and the things HF said about him. Then I followed his career into the pros and on to Maine. So when the opening came up he was one name that immediately came to my mind. I believed he could do it, and that was based mostly on the belief that Hayden Fry had in him and his rep as an offensive line coach in the pros.

I am an IOWA "fanatic". And I don't like what is going on now with IOWA basketball and I am going to speak my mind.

 

[chadfrey]

I'll answer the original question: I am a hawkeye. It's killing me that this year I will likely only see two games on television - and none live. The best day for me to make the trip from here (wichita, KS) to Iowa City one week after my first son will likely be born.

I will, God willing of course, be watching the baseball team play at KU in March.

 

[NewMexHawk]

Yea it is on Lickliter. It was/IS his job to turn this program around. Players transferring, whatever is on HIS head because HE is the coach, the head man...period! HE simply is NOT getting the job done. HE came to Iowa with the wrong assistants, HE came to Iowa not knowing what to do or HOW to do it and it is as plain as the noses on our faces. HE had NO idea what it took to turn this program around at this level and it is very obvious. Outside observers state that Iowa does NOT have the talent on the floor to compete at this level and Lickliter and many Iowa fans refuse to believe it and it is painfully obvious by just watching these kids play. It isn't just a case of them being "young" or not knowing the "system."

On the Butler board, even THEY would not want Lickliter back (and he WAS COY) and that should tell Iowa fans something! They even say he might have to go back to high school coaching! This guy is on the verge of doing terrible damage to the Iowa BB program and needs to be removed! Maybe the best thing that COULD happen to Iowa bb right now is if part of the team DID transfer just so Iowa would HAVE to get rid of him!

 

[1977Hawkeye]

This sounds like another "true fan" post. This has nothing to do with hate for Lickliter. It is not personal, so don't trick yourself into thinking that it is.

It is simply about the fact that the basketball team is losing, and is losing big. It isn't fun to watch. There is no hope or buzz around the program right now. Fans will come back when the team starts winning, but not before then. Show me another Big Ten school that can have what is looking like the worst 3-year stretch in school history (save maybe for Northwestern) and not have a major attendance hit, especially following a lackluster 8-year Alford era.

You may not like it, but that's the reality of the situation.

 

[cibula11]

Seriously though. This condescending, "I'm a better fan than you" bull crap is annoying. I'm sure everyone is on this message board because they hate Iowa.

True, but some posters make it a point to hate on Iowa. Completely contradictory.

 

[theboat]

So if I DVR the games when I am at work does that make me a Hawkeye? just confused on the definition.

And it is funny to me how many people act like Alford was fired by Barta. Barta said "hey, do your job better" and Alford skipped town as fast as he could.

 

[GhostofBTT]

True, but some posters make it a point to hate on Iowa. Completely contradictory.

They'll get love when they deserve love. I tell the same thing to my students. When you finally shut up, I will unlock the closet.

 

[clicheusername3]

True, but some posters make it a point to hate on Iowa. Completely contradictory.

Hate Hate Hate Hate...on the basketball team anyway

 

[cibula11]

Hate Hate Hate Hate...on the basketball team anyway

it's all the same.

 

[DDThompson]

I'm not going to take my family, spend $150, drive from central Iowa to Carver, to watch bad basketball. If that means I'm not a fan, then so be it. I'll be a fan at home, watch History channel and when a commercial comes on, then I'll switch to the Hawks to see if they've had an eight minute scoring drought and 0-14 scoring run THIS game.

 

[cliffhanger57]

Part of supporting our team is eliminating so much negative criticism.When your kid went out for little league or soccer did you tell them that they suck? No, but we can sit in front of our TV's and say it. They need encouragement or they think that as well and give up trying to get better. They do need fans to be there to support them but fans will not flock out to see them because we all say they are pathetic so why go watch them?

 

[CFHawk]

This is not our kids playing little league. These are supposedly div. 1 quality athletes being given a free education worth many thousands of dollars. Don't tell me we should just blindly support these "kids". I don't blame the kids for the pathetic product on the floor however, the blame goes to Lick and staff. When there is something worth watching I will start watching again.

 

[DDThompson]

Part of supporting our team is eliminating so much negative criticism.When your kid went out for little league or soccer did you tell them that they suck? No, but we can sit in front of our TV's and say it. They need encouragement or they think that as well and give up trying to get better. They do need fans to be there to support them but fans will not flock out to see them because we all say they are pathetic so why go watch them?

When Little League starts costing me $150 a game and the LL coach is paid hundreds of thousands of dollars and the team sucked, I wouldn't tell them they sucked, but I wouldn't go to the game.

 

[bws258]

I'll support a team that sucks if I am emotionally invested, but since 1/2 these guys are going to transfer out each year, how can I get emotionally invested? Seriously, I grew up loving basketball, it was my favorite sport, even though I sucked at it, and this level of pathetic is just unsupportable. Remember the year that James Winters was our center? We were terrible, but I watched every game I could. I can't stand this team. I use the term team very loosely.