Future Attendence

[JHHawk]

Ouch. I live in FL so can't make it Kinnick anyway, but even if I still lived in Iowa, I wouldn't bend over backwards to make it to any of those games.

I get that fans are mad, I am also.

Still, since when did Pitt become a bad opponent? As has been pointed out, the schedule is made up over a decade ago, and Pitt has been good over the years.
Purdue? Well, they seem to be a program on the rise to me, after pushing Minny to a 39-38 close loss and hammering Illinois...can we do that?
Illinois? They are a border rival...so traditional Big Ten border rivals are no longer worthy to watch?
Minnesota? Floyd not worth the effort? C'mon.
Maryland beat us this year, so I deem them not a horrible team.

I agree that Ill. St is a yawner. but the return of Dan McCarney and North Texas is not that bad....they do have prep players in Texas.

If we could somehow win all those games, I think fans will have a good time....now about winning them all?

 

[Eda]

Initially I thought the schedule looked a bit lame, but there are some games that could draw you in.

Pitt has some very young but very good talent (RB, QB, oline, Rec). They might be very good over the next few years.

Maryland... It's time to redeem ourselves from earlier in the year.

Minny... Let's return the favor and mushroom stamp them in our own house!!

Illannoy may be breaking in a new coach and could be vulnerable to a terrific beatdown.

Some of the other games could be potential offensive explosions. The kind that would rival 2013 W.Michigan or the 2014 Indiana and NW games.

As anther poster mentioned... On paper we could really roll thru this home slate. Now, I'm not one to get ahead of things, so I'll temper myself here. I'll just say that I once was 60% decided on not renewing; but have since moved to 75% sure we'll renew.

Ask me in 3 weeks. Lol'n!

 

[1977Hawkeye]

I get that fans are mad, I am also.

Still, since when did Pitt become a bad opponent? As has been pointed out, the schedule is made up over a decade ago, and Pitt has been good over the years.
Purdue? Well, they seem to be a program on the rise to me, after pushing Minny to a 39-38 close loss and hammering Illinois...can we do that?
Illinois? They are a border rival...so traditional Big Ten border rivals are no longer worthy to watch?
Minnesota? Floyd not worth the effort? C'mon.
Maryland beat us this year, so I deem them not a horrible team.

I agree that Ill. St is a yawner. but the return of Dan McCarney and North Texas is not that bad....they do have prep players in Texas.

If we could somehow win all those games, I think fans will have a good time....now about winning them all?

There are some OK teams that will be playing in Kinnick next year, sure, but no big names. No OSU, Michigan, PSU, Nebby, Wisconsin, etc. I know, PSU & Michigan kinda stink right now, but I think you get my drift.

I don't really care if ILL is a border rival - they typically suck. There won't be any hype for that game. Pitt & Minny are the most intriguing games on next year's schedule. Not bad opponents, but if that's the most exciting thing on next year's home schedule.. That's pretty weak. No "ABC Saturday Night" material, that's for sure.

At least this year, Iowa has Wisconsin & Nebraska at home.

But I agree - win and the fans will have a good time, no doubt.

 

[DesMoinesHawki]

Interesting reading this posts and I think the OP started a worthwhile conversation. We are starting to see apathy set in for many fans ... It sure set in for me. I stopped my season tickets after having them for about 10 years. Now, I sometimes find myself DVRing the games and quickly skipping through them. It makes me mad at myself that it has come to this for me. But, this product is simply not fun to watch any more.

Next year Iowa will really start to feel the pinch when it comes to tickets. Football has always been the cash cow and Kinnick has been full the majority of Kirk's tenure but that has slowly changed the past 3 or 4 years. Its sort of like a nice shiney car that looks great on the outside but you've rarely changed the oil ... Cracks are forming ... Problems are happening under the hood and Iowa is just now trying to "change" the gameday experience ... new music selection ... a new Herky ... Barta and Iowa have always been a step behind when it comes to addressing issues ... Next year we are really going to see a difference in numbers. Fans bought tickets this year because this was Kirk's chance to show he could still eek out a 9 or 10-win season. Seeing this year's products may cause many fans to simply say "enough."

You can see it right here ... in this thread ... I used to love the game day experience at Kinnick ... But, I didn't make the drive to Kinnick simply to grill out and have drinks. I wanted to see a winning program ... I wanted to be able to justify why I was spending the time and money to drive over from Des Moines. Gradually ... I couldn't justify it any longer ... And that's unfortunate many fans are experiencing the same thing ... It's time for a change in Iowa City ... It just is ... Once you start to lose your fanbase ... well ... this WON'T end well ... and Barta and the U will be scrambling to find their a**e* ...

 

[DesMoinesHawki]

Initially I thought the schedule looked a bit lame, but there are some games that could draw you in.

Pitt has some very young but very good talent (RB, QB, oline, Rec). They might be very good over the next few years.

Maryland... It's time to redeem ourselves from earlier in the year.

Minny... Let's return the favor and mushroom stamp them in our own house!!

Illannoy may be breaking in a new coach and could be vulnerable to a terrific beatdown.

Some of the other games could be potential offensive explosions. The kind that would rival 2013 W.Michigan or the 2014 Indiana and NW games.

As anther poster mentioned... On paper we could really roll thru this home slate. Now, I'm not one to get ahead of things, so I'll temper myself here. I'll just say that I once was 60% decided on not renewing; but have since moved to 75% sure we'll renew.

Ask me in 3 weeks. Lol'n!

I am not picking on you when I say this ... but this is what's sad about the state of the program ... we now consider Minnesota as a good game ...

 

[okeefe4prez]

Did anyone else get that survey emailed to them like a week or two ago? It was from the U and had questions all about fan experience, value of my season tickets, product and suggestions etc. I thought it was interesting, I had never gotten anything like that before from the U that actually seemed to care what I thought.

They probably don't care, they just send it to give people an outlet that they think effectuates change but really does nothing. I filled out one of those for Northwestern and someone from the ticket office actually emailed me back to respond to one of the text box things I filled in. There is a barbecue shop in Evanston that used to have a stand in the food court area at Dyche and then last year they disappeared - I requested their return in the fan satisfaction survey. The ticket office emailed me to let me know that they had to part ways with that vendor because they got hundreds of complaints a year because the vendor ran out of food at halftime of most of the games because they didn't have the capacity to serve the crowds at Dyche. Now they have some corporate caterer doing the barbecue stand and it is terrible, but at least they don't run out of food.

 

[herkish]

I dropped my season tix after the 07 season and haven't been to Kinnick since, and I won't until there is a HEAD coaching change. I knew we were getting smoke blown up our a## w/ our cordinator hires when all along, it was obvious who needed to go. I've obviously never regretted this decision and coming to think I won't be returning until both head coach and AD are gone now.
Get your act together UofI!

 

[Eda]

I am not picking on you when I say this ... but this is what's sad about the state of the program ... we now consider Minnesota as a good game ...

After the shellacking we took at TCF bank this year (and really the house of horrors TCF bank has been), I do want the Hawks to give the goophs a return service that is just as equally curb stompish. I'm not suggesting that's gonna be a good game or national needle mover at all.

 

[Eda]

I dropped my season tix after the 07 season and haven't been to Kinnick since, and I won't until there is a HEAD coaching change. I knew we were getting smoke blown up our a## w/ our cordinator hires when all along, it was obvious who needed to go. I've obviously never regretted this decision and coming to think I won't be returning until both head coach and AD are gone now.
Get your act together UofI!

Oh wow! You missed some VERY memorable games in Kinnick. Let me ask you this... Regardless of your view of the head coach; from a fan's perspective did you question your decision during the '08 or '09 season? There were some incredible games those years (and a couple The years afterwards as well).

 

[herkish]

Oh wow! You missed some VERY memorable games in Kinnick. Let me ask you this... Regardless of your view of the head coach; from a fan's perspective did you question your decision during the '08 or '09 season? There were some incredible games those years (and a couple The years afterwards as well).

Nah. I'd had it by that point. Never looked back.
08 was another huge dissapointment w/ a terrible loss to Pitt and another loss to lousy northwestern.
09 brought us another home loss to northwestern. we barely beat Ark St. that year, and bowl win against a gimmick team that didn't deserve BCS considerations in the first place.
2010- the disaster WI game.
2011- Clowns loss at home w/ an understandable loss to MI St later in the season.
2012- ugh. quit watching the team at some point this season, don't remember when (1st time ever)
2013- lost to every single team w/ a pulse (except for NE if they count that year)
Geez, going over our losses throughout those years is bringing back bad memories. I guess you could say that; "No, in no way do i feel i made the wrong choice". Of much lesser consideration, for me, is the atmosphere. I don't get crazy anymore pregame so the crack down on booze didn't personally affect me but I'm sure glad this wasn't the case when i was in school there and to me it's really just about the performance of the team. I'd watch the hawks in Jack Trice or a high school field if the product was any good.

 

[Gibsonian]

2015 home schedule is brutal. Combine that with the mood of the Hawkeye fanbase, I would expect a down year for the football program income. I still cannot believe someone would concoct a schedule like that. That is the icing on the s%^t cake.

 

[LASBUR]

herkish, Just what is your expectations for Iowa football ? Just asking

 

[okeefe4prez]

herkish, Just what is your expectations for Iowa football ? Just asking

Mine are pretty low. One loss to a MAC team per decade, maybe two. Beat ISU at 75% clip. Beat Northwestern at 75% clip. 3 to 5 wins in B1G play. Competitive every week with room for blowouts against truly stacked big boy teams. I honestly don't care if the Hawks lose as long as the game is fun to watch and we are competitive, such that the game is still in play (or in the Hawks control) with a few minutes to play in the fourth. Sure, I get surly if we lose a close one, especially if we lose due to boneheaded coaching or clock management at the end, but if the coaches perform, the players perform and we just lose to a better team by fewer than 7, I don't typically get too butthurt.

But when you consider that 4 decent season tickets cost ballpark $3k per year, I just don't see the value there with this team because they seem to be missing even my diminished expectations. There are years where we are 7-5 but the games are still fun to watch, this year is looking like a 6-6 or 7-5 year, which but for the ISU loss would probably be okay, but a lot of the games haven't been fun to watch. In fact, they have been infuriating to watch. I mean, at least in 2010, even though we finished 7-5, the games were all exciting and came down to the end, we just didn't make plays or other teams did. We lost to solid clubs (other than Minnesota, IIRC) and there was genuine excitement. Three of the last four seasons the games just on average haven't been that exciting, and even last year we got trucked by every team we played with a decent defense.

 

[LASBUR]

okeefe, 2010 was the hardest for me to take. We had some our best talent and guys just didn't want it bad enough. Has to be one of KF worst coaching jobs. This year has had some exciting plays, but I cant stand it when we don't play up to what we should or lose on turn overs and penilties. ( Maryland & Minn ) I still wonder if something is wrong with this team

 

[herkish]

herkish, Just what is your expectations for Iowa football ? Just asking

They used to change annually depending on several circumstances. With K.F. though, the last few years i expect to lose to several teams a year that we have no business losing to and to see some of the most inept onfield coaching that exists in the modern world. I expect that he'll do nothing to remedy this and take zero responsibility for the product.

Overall and generally, i have pretty typical expectations with the Hawkeyes. West division should be won every 5-6 yrsish?? Top 25 usually with a down year or to. Top ten once in while. Nothing out of the norm. I didn't ever expect national championships. With the playoff system now and the likely expansion to this system, i hope we get there someday. That is not to say that I expect it w/ K.F. at the helm. If any other coach were given top $ to coach our team i would probably begin to expect this since we're paying for it. What irks me, is how we lose to teams that would easily be put away by any flag football coach given the chance.

 

[LASBUR]

They used to change annually depending on several circumstances. With K.F. though, the last few years i expect to lose to several teams a year that we have no business losing to and to see some of the most inept onfield coaching that exists in the modern world. I expect that he'll do nothing to remedy this and take zero responsibility for the product.

Overall and generally, i have pretty typical expectations with the Hawkeyes. West division should be won every 5-6 yrsish?? Top 25 usually with a down year or to. Top ten once in while. Nothing out of the norm. I didn't ever expect national championships. With the playoff system now and the likely expansion to this system, i hope we get there someday. That is not to say that I expect it w/ K.F. at the helm. If any other coach were given top $ to coach our team i would probably begin to expect this since we're paying for it. What irks me, is how we lose to teams that would easily be put away by any flag football coach given the chance.

Thanks, just wondered

 

[okeefe4prez]

okeefe, 2010 was the hardest for me to take. We had some our best talent and guys just didn't want it bad enough. Has to be one of KF worst coaching jobs. This year has had some exciting plays, but I cant stand it when we don't play up to what we should or lose on turn overs and penilties. ( Maryland & Minn ) I still wonder if something is wrong with this team

It was hard for you to take because you let your expectations get built up too far. I admit, I had a total meltdown after the Northwestern game and that is why I am now a Northwestern season ticket holder. But that has given me a lot of perspective - even if your team loses, there can be objectively good games that are fun to watch and that represent money well spent. Arizona, OSU, Wisconsin and even Northwestern that year were all fantastic football games from an objective standard, even though Iowa lost. It sucked that we lost them, but folks paying for tickets got their money worth for those games. Yeah, it stings when we have years like 2008 or 2010 where we lose a bunch of close games, but at least those teams were exciting to watch. The past few years just haven't had the excitement despite similar records because there is a critical missing element, which is hope. There was no hope last week against Minnesota. There was no hope against Maryland. There is little hope against Wisconsin and Nebraska.

 

[LASBUR]

It was hard for you to take because you let your expectations get built up too far. I admit, I had a total meltdown after the Northwestern game and that is why I am now a Northwestern season ticket holder. But that has given me a lot of perspective - even if your team loses, there can be objectively good games that are fun to watch and that represent money well spent. Arizona, OSU, Wisconsin and even Northwestern that year were all fantastic football games from an objective standard, even though Iowa lost. It sucked that we lost them, but folks paying for tickets got their money worth for those games. Yeah, it stings when we have years like 2008 or 2010 where we lose a bunch of close games, but at least those teams were exciting to watch. The past few years just haven't had the excitement despite similar records because there is a critical missing element, which is hope. There was no hope last week against Minnesota. There was no hope against Maryland. There is little hope against Wisconsin and Nebraska.

You going tomorrow ?

 

[eveningnewsteam]

okeefe, 2010 was the hardest for me to take. We had some our best talent and guys just didn't want it bad enough. Has to be one of KF worst coaching jobs. This year has had some exciting plays, but I cant stand it when we don't play up to what we should or lose on turn overs and penilties. ( Maryland & Minn ) I still wonder if something is wrong with this team

I think there's a disconnect somewhere, something isnt right. It really pisses me off when Rudock is laying on his back after taking a blow picking himself up off the ground, where's the OLine helping him up?? Another Rudock example, when he got hit by the Iowa State Dlineman that didnt hear the whistle and drilled him in the knees, Where was the rest of the team getting in that guys face protecting their teammate??? Im not saying throw a punch or get a penalty, but nobody did a damn thing, they left Jake back there picking himself up off the ground. Maybe Im way off base here, probably am, but something isnt right with this "team".

 

[1977Hawkeye]

It was hard for you to take because you let your expectations get built up too far. I admit, I had a total meltdown after the Northwestern game and that is why I am now a Northwestern season ticket holder. But that has given me a lot of perspective - even if your team loses, there can be objectively good games that are fun to watch and that represent money well spent. Arizona, OSU, Wisconsin and even Northwestern that year were all fantastic football games from an objective standard, even though Iowa lost. It sucked that we lost them, but folks paying for tickets got their money worth for those games. Yeah, it stings when we have years like 2008 or 2010 where we lose a bunch of close games, but at least those teams were exciting to watch. The past few years just haven't had the excitement despite similar records because there is a critical missing element, which is hope. There was no hope last week against Minnesota. There was no hope against Maryland. There is little hope against Wisconsin and Nebraska.

Agree totally, but (not that you need a history lesson) the team won the Orange Bowl in 2009 and nearly everyone was back for 2010. So in 2010 there was plenty of reason to have high expectations, and that doesn't typically happen all that often with this program. So sure, people were going to buy in. Even Miller had us playing for the national title in his pre-season picks. Oops.

That should have been, IMO, a Top 10 calibur team, but it was a real killer that in every one of it's five losses, Iowa had the lead in the 4th quarter, sometimes inside the last few of minutes, and they all got away. It reminded me a lot of last year's basketball season, now that I think about it.

Even if you assume Iowa doesn't win ALL of those close games and bothers to show up for the Minny game, that was still at least a 10-2 team. Getting 7-5 was brutal. And don't forget the dropped TD pass by Indiana that would've made it 6-6, but fortune smiled on Iowa that day.

I've never seen a more disappointing Iowa team. Not 1997, not 2005, not 2006, not this year. 2010 takes the cake in my book.

2010 wouldn't sting so much if 2011-present had been better, but...