STILLBUSTER
Well-Known Member
It was a great season. Hawks achieved a moment that lasted 6 weeks and peaked at heights not seen in a generation. However, as is usually the case being a Hawkeye fan, at some point you have to accept that it's over and Iowa becomes who they really are and always were --
-- a veteran team;
-- 1 really good all around player;
-- 1 really good shooter;
-- a back court with a couple solid set-up guys that lack the athleticism and "pop" to ever be consistent scoring threats and have lapses of poor judgment;
-- an extremely shallow front court with exactly 1 post player that works hard, has a lot of (dubious) experience, limited skills and even less physical dominance;
-- a sharp drop-off in defensive ability, productivity, and positional skill & size after the starting 5.
I try to appreciate that the bench was an unexpected surprise -- was. I try to remind myself that the Hawks smashed any reasonable expectation held back in November, despite playing down to those expectations during this crucial crunch time. I try to take pride in the outside attention and praise, though Uthoff is basically handing the p.o.y. award to Valentine.
Working toward trying to accept this - again - and that ol' quote popped in my head,
" 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."
It seemed so profoundly apropo to the frequent experience of being a Hawkeye fan. Not just especially this basketball season but this football season, the 2006 basketball season, the 2014 basketball season, the 2009 - 2010 football seasons, even the 2002 football season, to name a few examples.
At some time or another, in the midst of euphoric ascension, the Hawks not only come up short, they manage to do it in inexplicably remarkable fashion.
So, I ask you, Hawkeye Nation. Is Tennyson speaking to you? Is his prose inspiring you to overcome the gut-punch that is the truth, allowing you to seek solace in these fleeting consolations that are part of the Hawks always "coming close"?
Or, does his musing strike you as philosophical dogsh!t, further fueling your cynicism to hedge your hopes and expect the fall. Do you want to kick him in the nads and scream in his face, "F-You, Lord T! I'm tired of the Hawks always coming up short. Once, just once, when there's nothing standing between them and their next successful step but themselves, seize the opportunity and take the next step! Especially when everyone expects them, supports them, eagerly anticipates them and, most importantly, they are capable of taking that next step. I don't want another memory of a teasing taste! Just once, I want to see the Hawks stay at the table to eat the whole damn cake!"
... Anyway; as you can see, I'm torn and wonder about the rest of the Nation.
-- a veteran team;
-- 1 really good all around player;
-- 1 really good shooter;
-- a back court with a couple solid set-up guys that lack the athleticism and "pop" to ever be consistent scoring threats and have lapses of poor judgment;
-- an extremely shallow front court with exactly 1 post player that works hard, has a lot of (dubious) experience, limited skills and even less physical dominance;
-- a sharp drop-off in defensive ability, productivity, and positional skill & size after the starting 5.
I try to appreciate that the bench was an unexpected surprise -- was. I try to remind myself that the Hawks smashed any reasonable expectation held back in November, despite playing down to those expectations during this crucial crunch time. I try to take pride in the outside attention and praise, though Uthoff is basically handing the p.o.y. award to Valentine.
Working toward trying to accept this - again - and that ol' quote popped in my head,
" 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."
It seemed so profoundly apropo to the frequent experience of being a Hawkeye fan. Not just especially this basketball season but this football season, the 2006 basketball season, the 2014 basketball season, the 2009 - 2010 football seasons, even the 2002 football season, to name a few examples.
At some time or another, in the midst of euphoric ascension, the Hawks not only come up short, they manage to do it in inexplicably remarkable fashion.
So, I ask you, Hawkeye Nation. Is Tennyson speaking to you? Is his prose inspiring you to overcome the gut-punch that is the truth, allowing you to seek solace in these fleeting consolations that are part of the Hawks always "coming close"?
Or, does his musing strike you as philosophical dogsh!t, further fueling your cynicism to hedge your hopes and expect the fall. Do you want to kick him in the nads and scream in his face, "F-You, Lord T! I'm tired of the Hawks always coming up short. Once, just once, when there's nothing standing between them and their next successful step but themselves, seize the opportunity and take the next step! Especially when everyone expects them, supports them, eagerly anticipates them and, most importantly, they are capable of taking that next step. I don't want another memory of a teasing taste! Just once, I want to see the Hawks stay at the table to eat the whole damn cake!"
... Anyway; as you can see, I'm torn and wonder about the rest of the Nation.
