Hawkeye Fans: Come Together

As much as I'd like to see Iowa win Saturday, it probably isn't going to happen. The defense is spent, the offense is inconsistent, and I wouldn't be surprised if the players' hearts are not as into the game as it would have been if all their high hopes and dreams for this season weren't shattered last week.

Even if Iowa were to play their best game of the season, it still probably wouldn't be enough against an opponent that is vastly superior in talent.

Still....I'll be in the stands cheering them on, like I am for every home game. I was in the stands cheering them on when they were pounded by Michigan 51-6 in 1969, and USC 48-0 in 1970. No matter what happens...I'll always be there.

Some fans (especially those of us who remember the bad years) grew up Iowa fans. They were the only team we knew. The Hawks were almost never on TV, so we listened to Zabel, or Bob Brooks, or Ron Gonder. Losses hurt worse now because Iowa has experienced success. When you are crappy and you lose, well, no surprise. Occasionally a big win would come around and we fans would be ecstatic.

Now every loss hurts because Iowa has reached a point where they can..on any given day..beat anyone in the country. Losing to Ohio State isn't so bad because Iowa almost always loses to them....but struggling against (and many times losing to) teams like Northwestern, Indiana and Iowa State, are difficult to accept.

It is particularly hard on those of us who have been fans for several decades. We know what mediocrity was like and don't ever want to return. How long did it take for Iowa basketball to be run into the ground? Not very long. The same thing could happen in football.

A lot of you probably wonder why I'm always so negative. Because over my lifetime I have had more disappointments and low points as a Hawk fan than there have been high points. I keep a "negative" attitude and always expect the worst because....if the Hawks end up losing then it doesn't hurt so bad...and it makes the TRULY great wins (Oklahoma in the NCAA tourney, beating #1 UConn in BB....the Cap One and Orange Bowls in football, the paddling of Ohio State a few years ago in FB) even more wonderful!

I know the players are even more devastated than the fans over this season...it was a chance at something that doesn't come around very often and it was frittered away. As fans, the hurt will go away soon enough. The players will carry this with them for the rest of their lives.

Iowa can still finish at least 8-4 and could win their bowl game. It might be small consolation, but it is still something the players under Jerry Burns, Ray Nagel, Frank Lauterbur and Bob Commings never got to experience.
 
Last edited:
Good grief. I have flat out told u my mention of Chicago has nothing to do with Iowa fans who happen to live there or come from there. Could have said Minneapolis or st Louis or whatever. It's about the type of person that never was a fan til they got to Iowa AND (the and is the key here) only cares about the party.

If that pertains to u then I was writing about u. For the vast majority it does not.

I have now explicitly clarified this twice.
 
Except that geography has NOTHING to do with it Jon, and you clearly think that just because you have been a Hawkeye fan longer than someone else makes you a bigger or better fan.

You could have just said, a student that is only at the games for the tailgating.

You would have thought after a few people called you out on it this morning you would have rethought the statement prior to the post.

Being from Iowa doesn't make you a bigger or better fan and that thought whether implied or accidental isn't helping anything come together.

No one needs to pull their pants down to see whose you know what is actually black and gold.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for your post Jon. I'd thought about writing a post like yours but realized I couldn't have put it as well as you did. It's hard to believe that any fan would send what I'd term "hate mail" to any of Iowa's players. This is the same type of person as those who are today's bullies. Same mentality, same selfishness, same internally insecure, same bigotry, same cruel, but more than anything: stupid!! I can't help but think many who have been so critical, even on this board, of the players and coaches are the same who feel they've made a supreme sacrifice as a fan to sit through a game during rain, snow, and cold.
 
JonDMiller said:
Good grief. I have flat out told u my mention of Chicago has nothing to do with Iowa fans who happen to live there or come from there. Could have said Minneapolis or st Louis or whatever. It's about the type of person that never was a fan til they got to Iowa AND (the and is the key here) only cares about the party.

If that pertains to u then I was writing about u. For the vast majority it does not.

I have now explicitly clarified this twice.
Click to expand...
 
BSpringsteen said:
Except that geography has NOTHING to do with it Jon, and you clearly think that just because you have been a Hawkeye fan longer than someone else makes you a bigger or better fan.

You could have just said, a student that is only at the games for the tailgating.

You would have thought after a few people called you out on it this morning you would have rethought the statement prior to the post.

Being from Iowa doesn't make you a bigger or better fan.
Click to expand...

How many times do ihave to spell it out? I posted elsewhere in this thread about this very thing. I didn't go to Iowa for crying out loud. I was talking about a bandwagon fan. That person could be from Iowa city for all I know. We all know fans like this. Other ppl r making this about geography when that was not the intent. Apparently is was a poorly thought out analogy as I have had to explain myself numerous times. Now that I have I would have thought it to be clear now.
 
Let it go Jon, let it go. You've explained it, now whether or not people want to believe it or comprehend it is up to them. But as we all know, this is an internet forum where logic, reason, and comprehension are often absent.
 
Next time a Cyclone fan says that to me or questions whether or not me or whoever I'm with went to Iowa I'm going to ask them if they are a Tractor Clone, or maybe a Feedstore Clone. . .
 
EXCELLENT POST JON!!!!!!!Everyone needs to step back, remember these are just kids- they are trying to get an education and play the game they love....and they are somone's kid..think about it ...would you want your kid under that kind of pressure???all the time....I LOVE these guys and they deserve our support and our thankfulness!!!!I for one intend on giving it to them! ON IOWA!!!!!!GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Jon the only thing you really missed out on learning by not attending UI is that you DO NOT EVER speak negativly about the great state of Chicago to someone from the burbs. Very sensative bunch they are. If you would have picked anywhere else it wouldn't have even been mentioned.
 
Jon, great post. you can't please 'em all. that was a good post at the right time. I think I have a pretty good pulse on the Hawks and I would feel pretty confident about this Sat. These Hawkeyes under Ferentz rarely let the home crowd down in these games!!! I am looking forward to saturday and a little redemption.( because sat. sun were hard to take!!)
 
outstanding job of keeping things in perspective and being our voice of reason jon!!! go hawkeyes it is our time to pound the buckeyes
 
JonDMiller said:
Good grief. I have flat out told u my mention of Chicago has nothing to do with Iowa fans who happen to live there or come from there. Could have said Minneapolis or st Louis or whatever. It's about the type of person that never was a fan til they got to Iowa AND (the and is the key here) only cares about the party.

If that pertains to u then I was writing about u. For the vast majority it does not.

I have now explicitly clarified this twice.
Click to expand...

Win or Lose we still Booze! Now those were the days of the true hawkeye fan. 4-19 1999-2000. Fieldhouse parking lot was rockin, halftime passes existed, the students were ALL seated on the sidelines. Ahhhh, those were the days.
 
lb73, thanks.

I find it real funny that people talk about 'bandwagon fans' and the Hawks are the team they're discussing. I do know for a fact that we're being looked at with a lot more interest around the country, but we still come up short compare to the 'elite' clubs of the Big 10/11/12/whatever; UM, tOSU(they HAVE to put that 'the' in to remind themselves they went to college ;P), and now JoePaU. Seriously, how many times have you had to correct someone who says they're an Iowa fan and they talk about 'how much fun AMES must be right now"?

I will admit the tailgating is fun; Iowa fans put out a great spread, and they're more than happy to give a band member some food (or a beverage) as long as we play a song or two (most asked for OTHER school song? Our version of Michigan...). But it's always, "see you inside Kinnick." "Let's go win this one." "Go Hawks!"

My daughter's in the HMB (like her father and mother). She spent most of her years in the Chicago 'burbs - good education, great place to live. She also grew up hearing about and visiting Iowa. School choices were Illinois (which would have been a virtual free ride due to a parent working in the system) and Iowa. She hated the fact that Iowa is known as a party school - still hates it.

She's now a junior at Iowa. She made the choice for the education.

Also, she's a Hawkeye through and through.

I would have been the happiest man alive to watch her follow the same route her dad took on the streets of Pasadena on New Years Day. This year, it won't happen - but I'm proud of her and the Hawkeyes.

Just how I look at it...

...and I hope they just beat up on the Buckeyes this Saturday.
 
Last edited:
Excellent article Jon, really good piece of writing. Totally agree that NOBODY should be ripping on the kids. We don't want to be a fanbase like that. This sport is a "what have you done for me lately" type of thing, so it's good to have a reminder like this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Share this page

Top