For those that think Ferentz and staff are beyond reproach...

imported_MrTHawk said:
HawkeyeMHA - No one is disputing Ferentz's success at Iowa. That is not what this post is about.

I find it interesting that even when the topic of criticizing coach Ferentz is broached, there is a litany of replies exulting Ferentz even more.

For the record, I love the man. But I also believe in robust debate!!! And I support those that want to second guess and criticize coaching decisions. I believe it is healthy and that coaches of state schools, like any other public servant or politician, should be subject to criticism and scrutiny. That's why you get paid the big bucks.
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I am not arguing your want to debate or put the topic out there ... That being said ... I am just curious what you are looking for? What do you expect from the media? What do you expect from Kirk? The media can be as tough on Kirk as they want but Kirk is going to give the same vanilla responses. If you have been following this message board since about 3:00 p.m. Saturday, there has been plenty of criticism of how the team performed and some of the coaching decisions made during the game. Is that the type of criticism you refer to? Or, are you strictly referring to the media?

True, the Iowa media is generally not too tough on the local coaches, but even if they were Kirk is going to give the same vanilla responses. We can all criticize and debate until we are blue in the face but the bottom line is the game is over and now its time to move forward. Sure, I am guessing Kirk may have had a second thought or two about some of the decisions he went with on Saturday but that is the nature of the beast. Kirk is our coach. He has been great for the University of Iowa ... and he will make mistakes. We all do. So debate away or hope as much as you want for Kirk to be crucified but it doesn't change the outcome of the game. In roundabout ways, Kirk has been asked about his decisions on the 4th and 1 in overtime and about his decision to sit on the ball at the end of regulation ... No matter how you phrase the question he is still going to have the same response ...
 


imported_MrTHawk said:
NewMexHawk - Iowa's coach (Kirk Ferentz) is NOT a fraud!!!

hawkinn3 - I agree with your second paragraph. And if you think the topic is stupid then don't reply.

theboat - I hope you are right!!! It has been seven years since we've won the Big Ten.. TOO LONG!!!

twinhawkfans - I'm glad I make you sick!!! You're a mole, thanks for revealing yourself. And yes coaches, like any other state employee or public official SHOULD HAVE TO ANSWER TO THE MEDIA!!!
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I can assure you MrT that i am no mole. But after rereading your post I don't totally disagree with what you're saying. The frustation in my reply lies in the DJK bull****. To blame KF for his NFL shortcomings is comical to me. I realize that some of KF's decisions saturday certainly warrent some eyebrow raisings. My apologies to you, sir.
 


twinhawkfans said:
I can assure you MrT that i am no mole. But after rereading your post I don't totally disagree with what you're saying. The frustation in my reply lies in the DJK bull****. To blame KF for his NFL shortcomings is comical to me. I realize that some of KF's decisions saturday certainly warrent some eyebrow raisings. My apologies to you, sir.
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That being said, I just haven't lost my faith in KF yet as some may be doing now.
 


MrT, you may have a valid point, but your first post came off half cocked and made you seem like a straight-up hater. Your later posts clear up what you're meaning though.

I've been as hard as anyone on KF the past few days, and while I still believe he made some specific decisions that diminished our chances for winning, on the whole he has few peers. He's an outstanding coach. Among the best we could hope for. There may be better out there, but if there are it's not clear that they are or that they would come here.
 








imported_MrTHawk said:
HawkeyeMHA - No one is disputing Ferentz's success at Iowa. That is not what this post is about.

I find it interesting that even when the topic of criticizing coach Ferentz is broached, there is a litany of replies exulting Ferentz even more.

For the record, I love the man. But I also believe in robust debate!!! And I support those that want to second guess and criticize coaching decisions. I believe it is healthy and that coaches of state schools, like any other public servant or politician, should be subject to criticism and scrutiny. That's why you get paid the big bucks.
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Getting past the lawyer speak, T... Robust debate is awesome, I love it too. And I also agree that a head football coach is not above criticism, even with an outstanding resume behind him. As long as it's warranted.

For the record - I texted Rob this afternoon and told him I liked the questions he offered up. I thought that they needed to be asked at some point and time, someone finally did it. Took a lot of balls for him to do it, too.
 


NewMexHawk said:
Maybe the Iowa media will wake up to the fraud that is Iowa's coach? A large market media would crucify him...
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It's a wonder with him being a fraud and all that he is so well respected across the country...

You're the fraud and a putz!
 
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imported_MrTHawk said:
I'm proud of Rob Howe for asking Ferentz what he did today, but I'm sure he will pay a price for it.

And I would have LOVED to hear Eric Thigpen's comments after the loss on Saturday, but that didn't happen did it...

Now I have to download pod-casts from KXNO to hear ANY criticism -or even critical analysis - of Ferentz & Co.

What a shame...
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Why couldn't you hear Thigpen's comments?
 


I have two points:

First, I'm appalled by seeing those that criticize the coaches or call for the firing of a coordinator lambasted and chastised as "un-patriotic" Hawkeye fans. Why? Because they're passionate to the point of sometimes being absurd? Dissent is the highest form of patriotism. Wasn't it Jefferson who said that? If you disagree with a criticism then rebut it with reason.

Second, I truly believe that it's that passion, and sometimes unrealistic expectations from a program that can propel it to to greatness. Frank Solich was fired after going 9-3. But would anyone argue that Nebraska is not better off today with Bo Pelini as its head coach than it would be if they had held on to Solich?

If Bob Elliot had accepted Bob Cummings' claim that Iowa would never be able to be compete with Ohio State and Michigan under the then current NCAA regulations, Bob never would have fired Cummings and hired Hayden Fry.
 








And please, do not spin my post about Elliot and Cummings and think I'm calling for Ferentz to be fired because I am not!!!
 


Yah Lets have the coach spend a week discussing an ex-player who left under less than admirable circumstances. This kind of speculation is just what a struggling team needs. (Yes I am being sarcastic)

I think a lot of the Hawk fans have forgotten the days when Iowa was the Iowa State of the B10. Great how one loss drives a mob to jump on the band wagon to derail the entire scope of Kirks tenure at Iowa.

DJK isn't in the NFL because he was at best a late 3rd round pick. There are a bunch of young men with his 3rd round football skills. Throw in the drug association and his marketability dropped dramatically.
 


HawkeyeDenis said:
I think a lot of the Hawk fans have forgotten the days when Iowa was the Iowa State of the B10...
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I don't really understand why people say this, or say we're destined to become Indiana if Kirk leaves. As frustrating as our current staff is, I'm okay with them as long as they want to be here. But, for thirty years now, since 1981, Iowa has been a solid program for which 5-7 or 5-6 was really a down year. Those are decent years for programs like Indiana.

I'm not saying we couldn't possibly go down the crapper, or that 1998-2000 weren't the equivalent of some 2-10 years ISU had, but on the balance Iowa football as an institution is on pretty solid footing. Coming off that 3-8 season in 1998, the cupboard was pretty bare. But, do we think Bobby Stoops would have had trouble rebuilding quickly off of Fry's legacy? Granted, nothing was more exciting to me in 2002 than Ferentz-ball (blocking kicks, mean play on both lines, and Brad Banks), but to act like we are destined to become a coaching graveyard if Kirk leaves because Hayden's last team was our worst in twenty years is a little extreme.

We were a coaching graveyard BEFORE Hayden arrived, because when Evy left, we really only had a seven-year run of success backing us up. Kirk is great at developing talent, and it seems we will have teams capable of competing with anybody as long as he's here. But the entire future of Iowa's program does not hinge on him staying. We would not be done if he leaves.
 


HawkeyeDenis said:
I think a lot of the Hawk fans have forgotten the days when Iowa was the Iowa State of the B10. Great how one loss drives a mob to jump on the band wagon to derail the entire scope of Kirks tenure at Iowa.
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That was over three decades ago, and is not relevant today. As Cover3 says, I understand that we could potentially stink if Kirk leaves and we make a bad hire (see our hoops program) but we have been a pretty good program for 30 years, and highly doubt Iowa Football is viewed nationally as a wasteland. I'm pretty sure we could hire another solid coach if we should have to.

And I love how people break out the "one game" baloney. We've lost to ISU 7 of the past 13 years, and have lost 6 close games in the last year where we've had the lead late, or at least tied. That is SEVERAL games.

And now I'm hearing about the amount of attrition we've had the past few years, which I didn't know about, that is apparently a big part of the reason why talent is so thin on this year's team. I knew some players had left or were kicked off the team, but I wasn't aware it was to the extent that it was.

So I can't blame people for being critical and asking a few questions.
 
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