Do it right, graduate, barf...

[Hawk90]

I've noticed since graduating from Iowa then living in IC, having kids that have gone to ISU (yes I failed, although they are still Hawk fans) that there seems to be more energy attached to both the academics and athletics at ISU, relative to Iowa.

Iowa is both a better school and has a better athletic tradition. But Iowa has managed to take the student body out of the equation when it comes to supporting Iowa athletics and by extension the University itself. And it feels like the trajectory of ISU is going up and Iowa is going down. The fuddy-duddy athletic administration has sucked all of the energy out of the school. Boring football, events aimed at wealthy donors, asinine mantras like "Do it right, graduate", seem aimed at parents and grandparents of recruits, not the recruits. Who doesn't want to do it right and graduate? It is Barta's excuse for mediocrity, it was stupid in 2015 when he came up with it, and it is stupid now.

 

[koralakers]

first of all, NONE OF US CARE HOW GOOD WE ARE AT PING PONG, SOCCER, ETC. Football and Basketball are like 98% of what we care. Mix in a sprinkle of wrestling (cuz we are usually pretty good, and maybe a little baseball, and even a few of us women's basketball).

I COULDN'T CARE LESS if we finish DEAD LAST in the President's cup EVERY YEAR. As long as we win in men's hoops and football, all is good. That goes for almost every school in America. If some idiot from Wake Forest tries to brag about back-to-back national swimming titles, he will get laughed out of any room in the world.

 

[lightning1]

I've noticed since graduating from Iowa then living in IC, having kids that have gone to ISU (yes I failed, although they are still Hawk fans) that there seems to be more energy attached to both the academics and athletics at ISU, relative to Iowa.

Iowa is both a better school and has a better athletic tradition. But Iowa has managed to take the student body out of the equation when it comes to supporting Iowa athletics and by extension the University itself. And it feels like the trajectory of ISU is going up and Iowa is going down. The fuddy-duddy athletic administration has sucked all of the energy out of the school. Boring football, events aimed at wealthy donors, asinine mantras like "Do it right, graduate", seem aimed at parents and grandparents of recruits, not the recruits. Who doesn't want to do it right and graduate? It is Barta's excuse for mediocrity, it was stupid in 2015 when he came up with it, and it is stupid now.

I agree. The ISU AD is doing what he needs to do, to make that department better. He's actually doing things to make sure their current students support their program in the future. We are doing the opposite. It should be interesting seeing where the two programs are 30 years from now.

 

[lightning1]

first of all, NONE OF US CARE HOW GOOD WE ARE AT PING PONG, SOCCER, ETC. Football and Basketball are like 98% of what we care. Mix in a sprinkle of wrestling (cuz we are usually pretty good, and maybe a little baseball, and even a few of us women's basketball).

I COULDN'T CARE LESS if we finish DEAD LAST in the President's cup EVERY YEAR. As long as we win in men's hoops and football, all is good. That goes for almost every school in America. If some idiot from Wake Forest tries to brag about back-to-back national swimming titles, he will get laughed out of any room in the world.

The only reason people bring up the Director's Cup is because it's the only way to compare Athletic Directors within the BIG conference. Like it or not, Barta's job is to worry about ping pong, soccer, etc. If Barta had paid more attention to the little things, he might not have cost the University 6.5 million dollars in lawsuit settlements.
If you offered to cover the expenses on all of those sports outside of Football and basketball, I'm sure Barta would be thrilled with that 7, maybe 8 figure annual donation. And if you think those are the only 2 sports Barta should be putting any emphasis on, he's failed, as he has not delivered 1 BIG title in either of those sports, since he was hired.

 

[NikeHawk21]

And if you think those are the only 2 sports Barta should be putting any emphasis on, he's failed, as he has not delivered 1 BIG title in either of those sports, since he was hired.

Barta has zero interest in winning conference championships in basketball and football. He only cares that the teams are decent enough to keep butts in the seats and graduate kids. In his words “some good years and some not so good years.” The money keeps flowing in unfortunately.

 

[lightning1]

Barta has zero interest in winning conference championships in basketball and football. He only cares that the teams are decent enough to keep butts in the seats and graduate kids. In his words “some good years and some not so good years.” The money keeps flowing in unfortunately.

He's cost Iowa athletics my 10K per year and any future revenue from my 2 sons, who have no interest in Iowa sports, since I cancelled my season tickets/RV pass in 2011.

 

[Fryowa]

Sorry, but I am all in with this philosophy. And, I am personally very demanding when it comes to Iowa winning. You can do both, as you pointed out. Attacking Iowa's commitment to high graduation rates and "doing it right" seems rather silly to me.

Is the U just as committed to making sure anyone else graduates? I get the tough schedule of athletes, etc. but as I remember my college education I didn’t have anyone looking over my shoulder making sure I was going to pass. I’m fact I’m pretty sure college profs couldn’t give two shits less if I made it or not. It’s personal responsibility. You know, part of being an adult maybe?

I worked 40 hours a week the entire time I was in college (50 hours roofing in the summer) and had a newborn son my junior and senior year. Trust me, there is nothing special about me at all and I was able to graduate with a 3.9. Don’t give us the bullshit about Kirk or Fran being academic gatekeepers. You either graduate or you don’t, and if you can’t make it it’s on the student. Not a coach or prof.

 

[Hawk90]

I agree. The ISU AD is doing what he needs to do, to make that department better. He's actually doing things to make sure their current students support their program in the future. We are doing the opposite. It should be interesting seeing where the two programs are 30 years from now.

That is it exactly, you made my point in fewer words. This athletic administration is more worried about making money and taking care of wealthy donors and is doing little, to nothing to sustain and grow the fan base for the future; the exact opposite of ISU. I think that Barta forgets the entertainment part of college sports and works hard to maintain the status quo. New coaches bring excitement and renewed interest in programs, if they can't maintain that excitement, get another one.

 

[lightning1]

Barta has zero interest in winning conference championships in basketball and football. He only cares that the teams are decent enough to keep butts in the seats and graduate kids. In his words “some good years and some not so good years.” The money keeps flowing in unfortunately.

It's because he has no pride in Iowa athletics and he's gutless. Gutless Gary Barta.

 

[seepig]

Don’t take him serious.

Anyone willing to trade Iowa for either one of those programs with their reputations is morally bankrupt. Troll job and a weak one.

Ok my comparison in "Do it Right" is Villanova.

 

[DDThompson]

Ok my comparison in "Do it Right" is Villanova.

I prefer Iowa’s football program, don’t you?

As far as basketball, I’ve stated previously that if Xavier can make MM 14 of 17 years then it’s not outlandish to expect Iowa to be in at least 3 of 5.

So, no, you don’t score on me.

 

[smitharooney]

first of all, NONE OF US CARE HOW GOOD WE ARE AT PING PONG, SOCCER, ETC. Football and Basketball are like 98% of what we care. Mix in a sprinkle of wrestling (cuz we are usually pretty good, and maybe a little baseball, and even a few of us women's basketball).

I COULDN'T CARE LESS if we finish DEAD LAST in the President's cup EVERY YEAR. As long as we win in men's hoops and football, all is good. That goes for almost every school in America. If some idiot from Wake Forest tries to brag about back-to-back national swimming titles, he will get laughed out of any room in the world.

What about cornhole?

 

[CJHawkeye]

Its interesting that Barta seems so high on integrity when he lied multiple times in the last few weeks about this deal. First he hid the extension. You can't spin that. As Jon said in the podcast, Occam's razor. Second he said he's never announced an extension in-season. Bald face lie. I think if Barta cares about integrity he either needs to apologize for lying or resign.

 

[phdsvp]

first of all, NONE OF US CARE HOW GOOD WE ARE AT PING PONG, SOCCER, ETC. Football and Basketball are like 98% of what we care. Mix in a sprinkle of wrestling (cuz we are usually pretty good, and maybe a little baseball, and even a few of us women's basketball).

I COULDN'T CARE LESS if we finish DEAD LAST in the President's cup EVERY YEAR. As long as we win in men's hoops and football, all is good. That goes for almost every school in America. If some idiot from Wake Forest tries to brag about back-to-back national swimming titles, he will get laughed out of any room in the world.

I agree with a lot of this, to an extent. Iowa fans way-overemphasize wrestling. There are only about 10 states in the union that have any background to care about it, and Iowa isn't even the fourth-best B1G school at it right now. Most recruits have no idea who Gable is, much less that he was that successful. That train left a long time ago.

There are a couple of minor sports, however, that Iowa should be good in all the time. Baseball is one of them (because CWS exposure is growing nationally), and Heller is doing a good job there. However, Iowa needs to and should be DRASTICALLY better at volleyball. It's one of the few girls' sports that is in 90%+ of high schools and so it's a big influence for incoming students.

 

[HuckFinn]

Is the U just as committed to making sure anyone else graduates? I get the tough schedule of athletes, etc. but as I remember my college education I didn’t have anyone looking over my shoulder making sure I was going to pass. I’m fact I’m pretty sure college profs couldn’t give two shits less if I made it or not. It’s personal responsibility. You know, part of being an adult maybe?

I worked 40 hours a week the entire time I was in college (50 hours roofing in the summer) and had a newborn son my junior and senior year. Trust me, there is nothing special about me at all and I was able to graduate with a 3.9. Don’t give us the bullshit about Kirk or Fran being academic gatekeepers. You either graduate or you don’t, and if you can’t make it it’s on the student. Not a coach or prof.

I am glad you did so well. I don't think there is any reason why it is inappropriate for the Iowa athletic department to stress academic success. I think you mischaracterized my thoughts. Of course, many would take great joy in pointing out poor graduation rates among athletes, so I hope that Iowa continues to stress this important aspect of the teaching of responsibility for oneself in the academic world.

 

[Fryowa]

I am glad you did so well. I don't think there is any reason why it is inappropriate for the Iowa athletic department to stress academic success. I think you mischaracterized my thoughts. Of course, many would take great joy in pointing out poor graduation rates among athletes, so I hope that Iowa continues to stress this important aspect of the teaching of responsibility for oneself in the academic world.

I don't think Iowa should take the road that Louisville and Kentucky do and I definitely don't enjoy pointing out poor graduation, but I also don't think coaches should be responsible for, nor praised for high graduation rates.

Do we make a huge deal out of non-athletes graduating? Hell no. It's expected.

People say things along the lines of, "Athletes have a harder time graduating because of their schedule..." That's crap. They also have people employed by the U whose sole job in the universe is to breathe down their necks making sure they take the right classes, have enough credits, and get the best (free) tutoring if they need it. I say it's easier for them to graduate. If they can't make it through school with all the hand holding and diaper changing they get academically, then I'm sorry...they're not college material.

Patting coaches on the back for having high grad rates is like having a kid in grade school and saying, "WOW, little Jimmy didn't beat up any other kids today and he washed his hands when he went to the bathroom! What a great job by the teacher!"

No...It's expected that you don't beat up other students and that you wash your hands. At least by any students other than athletes, I guess.

 

[HuckFinn]

If someone does something well, whether its a coach, an AD, a student, or a student/athlete, or a concession stand worker, I am all for giving them positive feedback about their successes. That is, in my view, a human response to others that should be encouraged. So, I firmly disagree that our athletes and their mentors should not be "praised."

As a life long educator, I did all I could to ensure that students accepted responsibility for their successes and for their failures, rather than assuming both were matters of chance or luck. I know from mountains of research that positive reinforcement leads to success, as long as it is legitimate. Your claim that success is "expected" falls short of how success is achieved. High expectations, on the other hand, are keys to success.

BTW, this may be some old data, but here in Wisconsin, about 50% of students who enroll in colleges and universities graduate within 5-6 years. Sometimes it is the realization that you may wish to pursue other options.

 

[lightning1]

I'm always pleased to have our athletes graduate and get a quality education. They have tutors and academic support coming out of their ears, so they should take advantage and get their degrees. I fail to see how that has anything to do with wins/losses.
If Barta is attempting to suggest that "doing it the right way and graduating players" some how means that you can't win BIG titles, that's fine. Eliminate the forced donations, cut ticket prices to $5 a seat, like the local high school games and give up the charade. Find someone that teaches courses at the University. Pay him an extra 50K a year to coach football. Tailgating will still be available and a source of comradery.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

first of all, NONE OF US CARE HOW GOOD WE ARE AT PING PONG, SOCCER, ETC. Football and Basketball are like 98% of what we care. Mix in a sprinkle of wrestling (cuz we are usually pretty good, and maybe a little baseball, and even a few of us women's basketball).

I COULDN'T CARE LESS if we finish DEAD LAST in the President's cup EVERY YEAR. As long as we win in men's hoops and football, all is good. That goes for almost every school in America. If some idiot from Wake Forest tries to brag about back-to-back national swimming titles, he will get laughed out of any room in the world.

^^This. So much this^^

When people bitch about the Director's Cup standings I can only laugh. Hysterically. And I really don't care about women's sports, except when Title IX, NCAA and other gestapo types "tell" me I "must" care. I remember a few folks jumping for joy when the Hawk baseball team won the B1G Tournament last year. I remember virtually ZERO people doing so when the track team won the B1G in 2011. How many people even KNOW how competitive the tennis, golf and swimming teams are?

At Iowa, it's not that the basketball or football teams aren't winning championships, it's that it's happening AND the wrestling team is ALSO NOT winning championships.

 

[SteveGarvey1]

^^This. So much this^^

When people bitch about the Director's Cup standings I can only laugh. Hysterically. And I really don't care about women's sports, except when Title IX, NCAA and other gestapo types "tell" me I "must" care. I remember a few folks jumping for joy when the Hawk baseball team won the B1G Tournament last year. I remember virtually ZERO people doing so when the track team won the B1G in 2011. How many people even KNOW how competitive the tennis, golf and swimming teams are?

At Iowa, it's not that the basketball or football teams aren't winning championships, it's that it's happening AND the wrestling team is ALSO NOT winning championships.

I get that.

My Hawk sports care level is:

Football, men's basketball: extremely high
Wrestling: high
Baseball: fairly high, moderate
Women's basketball: measurable but not that much
All other sports: negligible but I suppose it causes a slight blip when a team has success