Howe: Iowa Football Must Address Former Players Speaking Out

[dahlhawk]

Just took a peek at the Nebby press release by Frost. Lots of God will help us through this trust in faith and peace, everyone is hurting bla, bla bla.... very distant from the topics that Iowa is dealing with. I think there's a lot of white coaches sitting with their AD and PR depts. right now working on strategy. Looks like Kirk is meeting it head on.

 

[HawkGold]

I didn’t know the white players were allowed on twitter and the black players weren’t. This is a stretch.

It is a stretch to say it's OK that blacks have to fit into Iowa white culture. Therein is the issue.

 

[HawkGold]

It is now open season:

On rioting and robbing and seeking "revenge"

On slandering whomever you "sense" you were slighted by. (Be a man, speak to them, not us)

On allowing "free speech" but only if it fits the blacks are victims whites are racist theme.

On verbally attacking, slandering, physically attacking anyone who admits they voted for the current administration.

On attacking anyone who says and believes "taking a knee" insults the flag and the country. Drew B.

On working off of stereotypes, by all sides (whatever they are in the moment)

On forgetting the rule of law and fairness for all people.

On mob rule. The same rules which ruled the south during "reconstruction." The mobs look different, but they are powered by the same ignorance and hatreds.

Dangerous times, for sure

Cultural change doesn't often come easily. On rule of law for all is at the heart of the issue and you are smart enough to know that's not an equal playing field. To you is it slander to call out KF on this?

 

[StanziUSA]

It is a stretch to say it's OK that blacks have to fit into Iowa white culture. Therein is the issue.

What is the “white Iowa culture”

 

[RobHowe]

 

[HawkGold]

What is the “white Iowa culture”

You are seriously asking that question?

 

[StanziUSA]

You are seriously asking that question?

It’s vague. Please explain.

 

[Motigerhawk]

You lost me at Penn state. What they did was rape kids and cover it up. KF isn’t covering anything up. Again, go look at Kevin awards tweet about how in 2017 KF had black players speak their minds and have a meeting about it with the whole team. KF isn’t getting fired.

Systematic abuse us systematic abuse, be it children or black athletes. This is on KF just as it was on JoPa. Is it the same in terms of severity? No, raping children is waaaay worse. But, again, systematic abuse of a population is abuse.

I get that its not as severe. But isnt it? When society marginalizes an entire group and they come to a University to grow and learn, but are put down and abused, isnt it similar?

 

[Fryowa]

I think there's a lot of white coaches sitting with their AD and PR depts. right now working on strategy.

Not minimizing Iowa’s culpability at all, but there are going to be lots of these stories coming out of lots of athletic programs at lots of different schools if I had to guess. Goodson’s mom alluded to that on Twitter. That is a good thing.

 

[HawkGold]

It’s vague. Please explain.

Have you been out of the US into a nation where you are decidedly a minority? I just wouldn't know how to begin to answer the question because it is not genuine and at the heart of the problem. Not dissing you, but you are why we need cultural change. You can read the tweets as well as I can. There are strong clues in those tweets.

 

[Motigerhawk]

Clemcon Asst. who was white called kids the N word. And Dabo did nothing. This is lost in all this.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

I could see it going this way...

Doyle’s obviously getting fired.

Brian moves off to another job somewhere after taking lots of lumps, going to be tough to get another P5 if he leaves.

Kirk finishes the year and retires.

Barta retires at the same time.

I'm going with KF addresses the problem...makes fundamental changes in the way players are treated in regard to race...ensure the black coaches have more say in the evaluation of the culture. Listen...KF has a very diverse staff...other than at the top and there are only three of those jobs. I also think KF ensures his player leadership group addresses and flushes out the issues to ensure real change is made.

Doyle has to go. I just don't see how KF can keep him.

Nothing I've heard isn't fixable. Is it a black eye for the program...yes. Is it a sweeping program change thing where you wipe out the leadership...no. Brian is the OC for as long as KF stays. Hopefully Brian changes too...but Brian comes off as kind of dick sometimes...so that's a maybe to me.

It's early in the process...let's see how this plays out. I personally don't like the way everyone is going public as I think, now that they are gone, they should be able to communicate directly with their former coach. All former players, to my knowledge are welcomed back to Iowa City. I guess it's easier to go all social media. I'm not a big social media guy...no twitter, no facebook. If I have a problem about someone or something...I talk to the people that can change it directly. That's just me though.

 

[EstronHawkKing]

Have you been out of the US into a nation where you are decidedly a minority? I just wouldn't know how to begin to answer the question because it is not genuine and at the heart of the problem. Not dissing you, but you are why we need cultural change. You can read the tweets as well as I can. There are strong clues in those tweets.

You just did "diss" him "with those remarks, you just tried to label him as if he is a "problem." You should change your username to Captain High & Mighty

 

[dahlhawk]

By addressing this Iowa is way ahead of other schools, Kirk and Iowa will come out better for this experience. Iowa will come out better. I fear for the life of many good young men of color who have come into my life due to their friendships with myself and my children. I'm fearful of the day when one of them might be killed for driving while black simple on their way to school or the grocery store. I hope people don't just see the dreds and not the kid who graduated second in his class from high school and is an engineering major at that school that shall not be named. This is something beyond sports and it's not going to be easy.

 

[Motigerhawk]

I'm going with KF addresses the problem...makes fundamental changes in the way players are treated in regard to race...ensure the black coaches have more say in the evaluation of the culture. Listen...KF has a very diverse staff...other than at the top and there are only three of those jobs. I also think KF ensures his player leadership group addresses and flushes out the issues to ensure real change is made.

Doyle has to go. I just don't see how KF can keep him.

Nothing I've heard isn't fixable. Is it a black eye for the program...yes. Is it a sweeping program change thing where you wipe out the leadership...no. Brian is the OC for as long as KF stays. Hopefully Brian changes too...but Brian comes off as kind of dick sometimes...so that's a maybe to me.

It's early in the process...let's see how this plays out. I personally don't like the way everyone is going public as I think, now that they are gone, they should be able to communicate directly with their former coach. All former players, to my knowledge are welcomed back to Iowa City. I guess it's easier to go all social media. I'm not a big social media guy...no twitter, no facebook. If I have a problem about someone or something...I talk to the people that can change it directly. That's just me though.

You lost me at keeping BF. He is part of the problem.

These players went public to express their frustrations and concerns and to make it better for current and future players. Just talking to KF, I believe, they thought was useless as Doyle is STILL our S & C coach. What they probably thought is that nothing would have changed. Buy going public, they KNEW something would happen.

Staying quiet and expressing problems to the leader doesnt always work or never works. Going public mostly always works.

 

[EstronHawkKing]

Hey Rob:

Hate to tell you this, but on Hawkeye Report some fan created a thread called "Robe Howe is Pathetic." It's about you quoting players who left Iowa on bad terms. Just thought you might want to know

 

[RobHowe]

Hey Rob:

Hate to tell you this, but on Hawkeye Report some fan created a thread called "Robe Howe is Pathetic." It's about you quoting players who left Iowa on bad terms. Just thought you might want to know

I'm can take it. Getting hammered on Twitter, too.

I get it. This sucks.

 

[HawkGold]

You just did "diss" him "with those remarks, you just tried to label him as if he is a "problem." You should change your username to Captain High & Mighty

No, there is no high and mighty here. You just went to the insult the messenger. Covert racism is alive and well. It is not dissing to call it out any different that saying...hey, you have 2 left shoes on.

You all can either be a part of the change or fight it. Either way it's changing. I come at it a little different that some of you. Why? Glad you asked. I was abused as a child in severe ways. Many adults knew about it and did nothing. I can call out my abusers and have without being high and mighty. Saying not knowing the difference between cultures is easy to call out. Nothing personal or dissing about it.

For example, I live in the Champaign metro area. A number on here have said, what a shit hole. Actually Champaign has far more middle high-end housing that IC area. It's not even close. This area does have a signicant minority population. That whether conscious or not is referring to the black population. We've had our share of crime and murders in those areas due to the Chcago gang warfare you don't get as much in Iowa. What is kind of ironic is that the heavily minority populated areas actually look nicer than many areas of IC.

When they are referring to Champaign being a shithole, it is quite obvious what they are talking about.

You can be a part of the solution or fight it. There will be change. Likely there will be change in Iowa sports.

Iowa is in someways a lightning rod for this. One of the least minority populated states with traditional views. I do wonder how long it will be for the BB program to be impacted with minorities leaving and the Dolph comment. This situation strikes right into the heart of the nation. How many BB programs are as non minority as Iowa BB?

 

[EstronHawkKing]

I'm can take it. Getting hammered on Twitter, too.

I get it. This sucks.

there are fans on that site who are defending you. Do you think protesters may show up at Kinnick & the football offices tonight to protest? I really wonder, those crowds keep growing & it's a Saturday night.

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

I'm just telling you...Brian Ferentz isn't going anywhere. I'm not disagreeing...but I'm just stating the way I see it. As I said...BF comes off as a dick most of the time...but I don't think either are racist or don't care about their players.

Once again...I think if a group of black players came to KF and relayed the Doyle stuff...KF would do something. That's my opinion. Trashing the program and giving credence to every aggrieved player doesn't provide a fair forum either. It's the world we live in...but I think it's bullshit.

I'm curious to see if you have more players come out and defend KF or the program also. That will be interesting.