Hawk fans: Can we talk?

[JHHawk]

I am looking for some small territory of concensus where most Iowa fans can agree:

1. No changes will be made to the staff or to the head coach until after the end of the season.

2. With this in mind, calling for coaches or head coach to be fired is a dead end right now.

3. Schematic changes at this point in the season are very difficult to pull off,so calling for a change to the spread,or to a 3-4 or 2-5 on defense is another dead end.

4. Strategy changes are clearly good topics for discussion,as we have 4 or 5 games left and the coaching staff needs to come up with ways to win them.

I find myself getting emotionally involved in defending KF and the staff,even while I too am just sick about the Minny loss.
I honestly do not think most fans are calling for KF to be fired,and certainly were not calling for him to be fired at the end of last year.
If that was the case a couple of losses would not be enough to warrant getting rid of one of the best football coaches Iowa has ever had.

I probably have offended some good Iowa fans this week,by firing back on them. Not right. They also just want to win,like me.

I think at the end of the season, when everyone has cooled off, it will be time for KF to take a hard look at everything,again. Personally, I hope that Norm decides to retire,but still think he is owed the chance to make that decision. Our defense has been the rock of this program until mid-way last year...while the offense was languishing.

 

[herkytime]

Will KF be fired, no. Seeing a live T-Rex tomorrow is more likely. It's just not going to happen but he should be feeling some pressure for change. Something needs to change and it better happen by next year. He better be "getting" with the times and learn from his embarrassing mistakes. Will he ever fire one of his buddies? Of course he won't. The best thing for the Hawks could be Norm stepping aside next year. A lot of the rest of the season is falling on Saturday. If we get rolled by Michigan than the home field of advantage of Kinnick goes right out the door for Michigan State. If we lose Saturday we will go 0-4 the rest of the season and NO BOWL! Man I'm hoping Kinnick can pull us through again!

 

[FML]

You seem confident KF will make some changes. I am not. KF is stubborn, look at history.

 

[jameskalina]

One definition of the word "insanity" is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. My concern is this Iowa staff does not appear to learn from past experiences rather expecting repeat situations to yield different results.

General examples of repeating concepts that are not working are sitting on the ball when tied late in the game to take it into overtime only to lose in overtime, consistently failing to stop fake punts and onside kicks, inability to defense mobile quarterbacks and generally expecting the opposition to play by Iowa's coaching staff's philosophies on game day management.

It seems to me the Iowa coaching staff does not want to try anything significantly different if it means going outside their comfort zone. Herein, in my opinion, lies the problem. While other teams are figuring out what makes Iowa tick the Iowa coaching staff does not appear to be making changes to keep the opposition from picking up on continued Iowa tendancies.

 

[roetbombaaa]

Will KF be fired, no. Seeing a live T-Rex tomorrow is more likely. It's just not going to happen but he should be feeling some pressure for change. Something needs to change and it better happen by next year. He better be "getting" with the times and learn from his embarrassing mistakes. Will he ever fire one of his buddies? Of course he won't. The best thing for the Hawks could be Norm stepping aside next year. A lot of the rest of the season is falling on Saturday. If we get rolled by Michigan than the home field of advantage of Kinnick goes right out the door for Michigan State. If we lose Saturday we will go 0-4 the rest of the season and NO BOWL! Man I'm hoping Kinnick can pull us through again!

Tomorrow? How about today?

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19IqwU3itFk]T - Rex - Get It On - YouTube[/ame]

 

[herkytime]

Tomorrow? How about today?

T - Rex - Get It On - YouTube

Well played sir, well played.

 

[CAARHawk]

It's just the normal 3 year downward trend. People will complain this year and next, feel more comfortable when Iowa wins 7 games on 2014 and be back on the bandwagon when things are rolling in 2014.

While fans will be frustrated by the down years, but the good will will help KF and staff wade through it. Then things will turn around and he will be the greatest coach in America once more.

 

[treychase]

I'm done bitchin about it, there's no point.
I'll watch and root for the Hawks but I just don't care as much anymore. Kinda like basketball for the past 6-7 yrs.
Its called apathy.

And with each loss to ISU or Indiana or Minny, more will join.

 

[MoseSchrute]

I will be disappointed if absolutely nothing changes after this season.

 

[LifeHawk]

I am looking for some small territory of concensus where most Iowa fans can agree:

1. No changes will be made to the staff or to the head coach until after the end of the season.

2. With this in mind, calling for coaches or head coach to be fired is a dead end right now.

3. Schematic changes at this point in the season are very difficult to pull off,so calling for a change to the spread,or to a 3-4 or 2-5 on defense is another dead end.

4. Strategy changes are clearly good topics for discussion,as we have 4 or 5 games left and the coaching staff needs to come up with ways to win them.

I find myself getting emotionally involved in defending KF and the staff,even while I too am just sick about the Minny loss.
I honestly do not think most fans are calling for KF to be fired,and certainly were not calling for him to be fired at the end of last year.
If that was the case a couple of losses would not be enough to warrant getting rid of one of the best football coaches Iowa has ever had.

I probably have offended some good Iowa fans this week,by firing back on them. Not right. They also just want to win,like me.

I think at the end of the season, when everyone has cooled off, it will be time for KF to take a hard look at everything,again. Personally, I hope that Norm decides to retire,but still think he is owed the chance to make that decision. Our defense has been the rock of this program until mid-way last year...while the offense was languishing.

Winner winner chicken dinner! I could not agree more. Thank you for the voice of reason.

 

[BlckNGldHwk]

One definition of the word "insanity" is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. My concern is this Iowa staff does not appear to learn from past experiences rather expecting repeat situations to yield different results.

I don't think the staff wants different results. They know that their style of play has weaknesses, all styles do. But they truly believe that over time this style will yield more sustained and consistent success. And over time they have more indicators of overall success than failure so why would they different results.

Some fans are looking at the Iowa football program as a short term investment and expect their investors to yield immediate returns on a daily basis because they have no concern for the long term. Kirk Ferentz and this staff are not day traders. Consider the Iowa Football program the 401K of the athletic department. Ferentz and this staff are expected to make investments that will yield sustainable returns without threatening the overall livelihood of the program. Ferentz has succeeded and continues to succeed in his overall goal and until that is no longer the case they will not make changes and he will not be fired. Right wrong or indifferent.

 

[jameskalina]

I don't think the staff wants different results. They know that their style of play has weaknesses, all styles do. But they truly believe that over time this style will yield more sustained and consistent success. And over time they have more indicators of overall success than failure so why would they different results.

Some fans are looking at the Iowa football program as a short term investment and expect their investors to yield immediate returns on a daily basis because they have no concern for the long term. Kirk Ferentz and this staff are not day traders. Consider the Iowa Football program the 401K of the athletic department. Ferentz and this staff are expected to make investments that will yield sustainable returns without threatening the overall livelihood of the program. Ferentz has succeeded and continues to succeed in his overall goal and until that is no longer the case they will not make changes and he will not be fired. Right wrong or indifferent.

Well, the investment started 12 years ago and we have seen some bull and bear markets with this program. Maybe not bear markets as of 2001 but certainly some pullbacks.

Today, I'm seeing a pullback with the fear of entering a bear market. I hope it's temporary and another bull is on the horizon. Recent tends in this 12 year investment make me wonder though.

 

[BlckNGldHwk]

Well, the investment started 12 years ago and we have seen some bull and bear markets with this program. Maybe not bear markets as of 2001 but certainly some pullbacks.

Today, I'm seeing a pullback with the fear of entering a bear market. I hope it's temporary and another bull is on the horizon. Recent tends in this 12 year investment make me wonder though.

Agreed.