I enjoyed that article almost as much as watching the Hawkeyes give Fitzipoo and Northwestern a butt whoopin on Homecoming and in front of his 95 Rose Bowl team mates. If the people who think that was not a huge motivation for Northwestern to win and for Iowa to overcome then they really don't know anything about how tough a road game that was and how big a win that was for Iowa. Fitzipoo wanted that game, bad. For more reasons than the talking heads of the sports world will ever know.
Dear America: Iowa Doesn't Care What You Think
- Thread starter JonDMiller
- Start date
nilekinnick
Well-Known Member
Awesome article, certainly got my Hawkeye pride up.
Would love to see Mike & Mike give this a couple of minutes. I know little Mike has never liked Iowa, in the past he talked about a bad experience at Iowa, but that was in he 80's when NW was getting pounded by Iowa, just like the last 2 years.
Would love to see Mike & Mike give this a couple of minutes. I know little Mike has never liked Iowa, in the past he talked about a bad experience at Iowa, but that was in he 80's when NW was getting pounded by Iowa, just like the last 2 years.
hawkeyebob62
Well-Known Member
For all those who feel ESPN Family is all anti-Iowa, do any of you find it ironic that our last four games have been on their networks? And the only reason ISU wasn't was because of contractual obligations, most likely.
Brian Griese is as anti-Iowa as his father. If Lou Holtsczcsh was still on, he'd STILL be grousing about how he couldn't get past the memory of us needing to block two FGs to beat UNI in 2009.
It is what it is. It's nice to be 7-0. What the rest of the country says about it is strictly for entertainment purposes.
Brian Griese is as anti-Iowa as his father. If Lou Holtsczcsh was still on, he'd STILL be grousing about how he couldn't get past the memory of us needing to block two FGs to beat UNI in 2009.
It is what it is. It's nice to be 7-0. What the rest of the country says about it is strictly for entertainment purposes.
HawkPrdatr40
Well-Known Member
Awesome read~ Thanks Jon!
napleshawk
Well-Known Member
I thoroughly enjoyed that the first time I read it. I think it'll go a long way towards getting the message up the chain, Jon. I'm all wound up now. All of a sudden the bye week seems longer than it did earlier. Can't wait to get back at them! Excuse me, I think I'll go read that again!
swihawkeye
Member
Great article. Just keep winning HAWKS!!
guffus
Well-Known Member
the article was a little long and I don't believe the stuff about coach of the year and recruiting rankings needed to be in there. Should have stuck to what Iowa has accomplished this year. Rest of the stuff does not matter. easy remaining schedule does not matter, because if Iowa wins the west, they will get their chance for respect on a national stage.
biasedHAWKEYE
Well-Known Member
Don't mean to pry into your business, but we're going to need a total clicks count on this one later this week/next week. I'm seeing this story everywhere...facebook, and national pundits.
STILLBUSTER
Well-Known Member
Mixed feelings about the whole piece.
On one hand, your intent to set the record straight regarding the quality of Iowa’s 7-0, relative to the “big boysâ€, is justified. So is the tone in which you did it. When you live in a world where perception often trumps reality and politicking is as important as performance, sometimes ya gotta get in the face of the deaf, dumb, blind, ignorant and biased with some hard facts.
However, after reading and re-reading, I can’t shake the heavy sense of hypocritical indignance.
For starters, just putting it out there sort of contradicts its title. If we really don't care, we'd say nothing, let the ignorant drivel drone on and continue to prove it on the field.
Second, as other’s have mentioned, there’s not a soul in HN that hasn’t played the "weak schedule" card against another team and even against the Hawks the last couple seasons. Good grief, until recent seasons, it was an accepted and expected handicap for the basketball team every Selection Sunday. While not entirely Iowa’s fault, it still doesn’t change the fact that it’s there.
Finally, I think you lost some ground by even mentioning the remaining schedule. It's hard to defend that it's not one of, if not thee, weakest schedule of the P5 unbeatens. Again, that’s not Iowa's fault but it can’t be dismissed out of context. It is what it is and you have to accept that it will influence outside perception by diminishing the whole.
The Hawks don’t exist in a vacuum. The history of the last decade still haunts them, rightfully so. It’s pretty myopic to expect national perception to be anything but it is when you have lost to the likes of NwU, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota and ISU on a regular basis. It’s pretty tough to be taken seriously in today’s conversation when you have a tendency to take yourself out of the conversation, tomorrow.
Pounding your chest and chastising College Football America by shouting, “What about me!?†just challenged them to hold Iowa to the same standard that those “myths†are held to. That means, if Iowa’s 7-0 is as legit as anyone’s, against the toughest part of their schedule, then they better win out against the weakest. With rare exception, that’s what ‘Bama, OSU, LSU, and recently, MSU and Baylor have proven they do.
Do YOU have that EXPECTATION, Jon? If you don’t, your piece is nothing more than bluster from another mid-season wannabe.
On one hand, your intent to set the record straight regarding the quality of Iowa’s 7-0, relative to the “big boysâ€, is justified. So is the tone in which you did it. When you live in a world where perception often trumps reality and politicking is as important as performance, sometimes ya gotta get in the face of the deaf, dumb, blind, ignorant and biased with some hard facts.
However, after reading and re-reading, I can’t shake the heavy sense of hypocritical indignance.
For starters, just putting it out there sort of contradicts its title. If we really don't care, we'd say nothing, let the ignorant drivel drone on and continue to prove it on the field.
Second, as other’s have mentioned, there’s not a soul in HN that hasn’t played the "weak schedule" card against another team and even against the Hawks the last couple seasons. Good grief, until recent seasons, it was an accepted and expected handicap for the basketball team every Selection Sunday. While not entirely Iowa’s fault, it still doesn’t change the fact that it’s there.
Finally, I think you lost some ground by even mentioning the remaining schedule. It's hard to defend that it's not one of, if not thee, weakest schedule of the P5 unbeatens. Again, that’s not Iowa's fault but it can’t be dismissed out of context. It is what it is and you have to accept that it will influence outside perception by diminishing the whole.
The Hawks don’t exist in a vacuum. The history of the last decade still haunts them, rightfully so. It’s pretty myopic to expect national perception to be anything but it is when you have lost to the likes of NwU, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota and ISU on a regular basis. It’s pretty tough to be taken seriously in today’s conversation when you have a tendency to take yourself out of the conversation, tomorrow.
Pounding your chest and chastising College Football America by shouting, “What about me!?†just challenged them to hold Iowa to the same standard that those “myths†are held to. That means, if Iowa’s 7-0 is as legit as anyone’s, against the toughest part of their schedule, then they better win out against the weakest. With rare exception, that’s what ‘Bama, OSU, LSU, and recently, MSU and Baylor have proven they do.
Do YOU have that EXPECTATION, Jon? If you don’t, your piece is nothing more than bluster from another mid-season wannabe.
mopkins
King Kong
I remember back in 2002 when Ferentz's tuesday pressers were always on ESPN...nationally televised. I also remember Herbstreit and others putting Iowa in the top 5 each week. So I can't really hate on them too much. I guess back then we were seen as a Cinderella though and now we're probably seen as a "has been having a nice year".
The Greise thing was ridiculous on Saturday...but he did have a lot of filler time. still inexcusable though.
Its great seeing fellow Iowans rise up and riot against all the talking heads though. We tend to be very vocal and they simply can't ignore us all.
In the end, keep winning and the rest will take care of itself. Pundits be damned
The Greise thing was ridiculous on Saturday...but he did have a lot of filler time. still inexcusable though.
Its great seeing fellow Iowans rise up and riot against all the talking heads though. We tend to be very vocal and they simply can't ignore us all.
In the end, keep winning and the rest will take care of itself. Pundits be damned
SnapBack2
Well-Known Member
Bro, we don't care what you think either.
ssckelley
Well-Known Member
@Stillbuster
I think you missed the point of the article and it is summarized nicely at the end.
"You know, maybe Iowa fans do care what you say and write about Iowa, but only in this sense; get your stories straight and present a fair narrative."
Yes we have a weak schedule and, yes, we do hold the opposition accountable for playing a weak schedule. But I think what Jon is asking for here is for those in the media knocking Iowa's schedule at least acknowledge what they have accomplished so far this season. Iowa may have a weak schedule the rest of the way but it is out of their control. All Iowa can control is who they schedule in the non conference and I think a non conference that includes a top FCS (as a warm up), Iowa State, Pitt, and North Texas is in line if not better than what most other teams from top conferences schedule.
The importance of having a strong 2nd half schedule is really irrelevant as at the end of the day Iowa will still have to beat one of Michigan, MSU, or Ohio State in the final game in order to be the Big Ten Champion and get into CFP discussion.
I think you missed the point of the article and it is summarized nicely at the end.
"You know, maybe Iowa fans do care what you say and write about Iowa, but only in this sense; get your stories straight and present a fair narrative."
Yes we have a weak schedule and, yes, we do hold the opposition accountable for playing a weak schedule. But I think what Jon is asking for here is for those in the media knocking Iowa's schedule at least acknowledge what they have accomplished so far this season. Iowa may have a weak schedule the rest of the way but it is out of their control. All Iowa can control is who they schedule in the non conference and I think a non conference that includes a top FCS (as a warm up), Iowa State, Pitt, and North Texas is in line if not better than what most other teams from top conferences schedule.
The importance of having a strong 2nd half schedule is really irrelevant as at the end of the day Iowa will still have to beat one of Michigan, MSU, or Ohio State in the final game in order to be the Big Ten Champion and get into CFP discussion.
HuckFinn
Well-Known Member
I recognize the arguments/discussions, pro and con, on Jon's article. So be it. I, for one, thought it was a riot! I loved the in your face, I am a Hawk Fan, we are undefeated, you talking heads are just that, presentation. Thanks, Jon...you made my day! This ain't a philosophical or idealogical discussion about some esoteric international issue. Its about freakin' Hawkeye Football.
JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
Listening to Herbie and Griese on Sat, and seeing that echo chamber take off Sat night.
mopkins
King Kong
The only downside now is that where Stanford got a pass for losing to NW for some reason, one Iowa loss from here on out will bring out all the "TOLD YOU IOWA WAS OVERRATED" stuff. Unless our guys can run the table, we're kinda stuck in a lose-lose.
It would be funny to have Iowa undefeated going into the Nebraska game. I think everyone in the country would be rooting against Iowa
It would be funny to have Iowa undefeated going into the Nebraska game. I think everyone in the country would be rooting against Iowa
kicker22
Well-Known Member
The way I see it, the media doesn't recognize the fact that our schedule the rest of the way helps us as much as it hurts us. Had we played our 5 toughest games of the year at the end of the season, we'd mostly likely still be ranked and climbing the ladder. The difference is now based on "how weak our last 5 games are" we don't have the luxury of dropping an early season game and getting a mulligan because we finished strong.
Fact is at this point, whether we should or shouldn't be in the conversation, we don't get that lucky. Where as some programs get a second chance and can sneak into the playoffs with a loss, while we may be able to slip up and still win the west, our playoffs started week 1. Lose a game and no chance we make the 4 team field. Most the big boys have multiple chances to prove they still belong.
Fact is at this point, whether we should or shouldn't be in the conversation, we don't get that lucky. Where as some programs get a second chance and can sneak into the playoffs with a loss, while we may be able to slip up and still win the west, our playoffs started week 1. Lose a game and no chance we make the 4 team field. Most the big boys have multiple chances to prove they still belong.
TychoBrahe
Well-Known Member
It does seem very odd that, for the first time I can recall, a team is being downgraded solely BECAUSE OF GAMES THAT HAVE NOT EVEN YET BEEN PLAYED.
We've beaten three teams that were or are currently ranked, two of them on the road. We are undefeated. We are only likely to improve as starters return from early season injuries.
Yet all you hear is how EASY the rest of the year is. Partly because we're playing teams not named Michigan, OSU, MSU, or PSU--even though Pitt and Wisconsin would probably beat a couple of those teams.
Odd. I thought you only won or lost the games you actually played, but now apparently games-to-come and hypotheticals are trumping everything else.
We've beaten three teams that were or are currently ranked, two of them on the road. We are undefeated. We are only likely to improve as starters return from early season injuries.
Yet all you hear is how EASY the rest of the year is. Partly because we're playing teams not named Michigan, OSU, MSU, or PSU--even though Pitt and Wisconsin would probably beat a couple of those teams.
Odd. I thought you only won or lost the games you actually played, but now apparently games-to-come and hypotheticals are trumping everything else.
