I don't get the chance to listen to Hawk Talk, but if these reports are true, I'm even more disappointed than I was last weekend.
#1. The timeout at the end of the second quarter is indefensible. When a team is in the red zone, they need as many opportunities to score as possible. You're on a short field, and there is no reason to save timeouts, especially on a first down after the clock has stopped to move chain. 39 seconds is an eternity in modern football, especially in college. I'm sorry to hear KF defend this. It was a mistake, and a costly one at that. Not to mention that both play calls after the spike stopped the clock. The coaching staff was not prepared to deal with the situation, period. I guess KF is going to muddle through these situations the rest of his career. It's a shame, and it will cost the Hawks year after year. Heck, after watching the B10 replay of last year's OSU game, you could argue that it cost them the B10 championship and a Rose Bowl last year. I'm not that harsh, but you could make the argument...
#2. Calling Iowa's fan base spoiled is a cover, and I know KF didn't say this, but I'd be very disappointed if he corroborated this statement with silence. Iowa has had success, sure. But the football program and the University had a huge part in stoking expectation this year. Remember... Anyone, anytime, anywhere?
YouTube - GoHawks.com Intro 2010
I have supported KF from the beginning. I defended him in the beginning of his tenure to many critics because I liked the football professionalism I witnessed in his program that he brought from his NFL experiences. I identified with his ethics and honesty, and still do. But if you're going to walk the walk and talk the talk... you have to be prepared to face criticism when you fail, with honesty and thoughtfulness. To defend blatant mistakes is irresponsible to the program, it's fans and the institution. Any fan of Hawkeye athletics deserves better, even spoiled ones.
