Howe: Setting the Record Straight on Oliver Martin

[ModebaSan]

Great piece Rob. Your story makes complete sense on why he went to the Wolverines. And I can also see why he decided to transfer back home with the coaching and offensive changes being made there. I would hope he would be able to get a waiver because IIRC, he would have 3 yrs. of eligibility instead of just 2. I’m glad you were able to clear up what really happened in his situation and it made me feel better about it. Welcome to Iowa OM! One of your best pieces ever Rob. Great job!

 

[WinOneThisCentury]

Honestly...I think Drake's take (the former Iowa player, not the rapper) was ridiculous and won't age well. You are going to rip an Iowa kid for going to Michigan...with one of the greatest football histories in College Football...especially when Iowa was going through the White-Kennedy fiasco and Kennedy was being shown the door. You also had BF coming on the scene as the OC. Uncertainty at it's finest.

Honestly...I think Kulick is an idiot for putting that out there. That's not leadership, and that's not supporting a coaching staff that thinks it's a huge get at a position that has been difficult for Iowa to get guys who can compete at the highest level, against the best teams we play.

 

[4thngoal]

If life only came with directions.
Of course directions are like the agreement of an app, we all just scroll down and hit agree.
I wish him the best of luck. I'm glad he's a hawk. Not really much more to say about it is there.
I'm certainly no ***** that's going to say "we can't be friends because you went to Heather's party before mine".
Just like preseason polls, and so much more, it's not where you start, it's where you finish.

 

[SteveGarvey1]

Honestly...I think Drake's take (the former Iowa player, not the rapper) was ridiculous and won't age well. You are going to rip an Iowa kid for going to Michigan...with one of the greatest football histories in College Football...especially when Iowa was going through the White-Kennedy fiasco and Kennedy was being shown the door. You also had BF coming on the scene as the OC. Uncertainty at it's finest.

Honestly...I think Kulick is an idiot for putting that out there. That's not leadership, and that's not supporting a coaching staff that thinks it's a huge get at a position that has been difficult for Iowa to get guys who can compete at the highest level, against the best teams we play.

Kulick was just being an over-enthusiastic ex-Hawk. He loves the black and gold, obviously, but just went a little too far. Better that than him not caring at all I guess.

 

[SteveGarvey1]

I pulled a 4.0 in college and I’m one of the overall dumbest people I know. I’m totally serious.

A bachelors degree in a non specialized field (i.e. not chemistry/mathematics/biology) is mind-blowingly easy. It’s basically high school all over again.

It's OK, I was a 2.7 student undergrad but am smarter than that would indicate, though I'm certainly no genius. I would rather go over and play hoops at the Field House than study and it showed with my GPA. And you're right about getting an almost worthless bach degree in a non specialized field.

 

[homes]

And players want to win. If a guy comes in, works his ass off and helps that to happen, he's welcomed with open arms.

College football is a meritocracy. He's not going to play because he's Oliver Martin, former 4-star recruit from Iowa City West. If Martin can come in and produce, thereby making Iowa better, then it means someone else misses out on playing time. That's the way it goes. I don't think many fans in the stadium will care that he first went to Michigan, instead they'll be glad he decided to transfer to Iowa. I doubt many players on the team will either.

 

[4thngoal]

I pulled a 4.0 in college and I’m one of the overall dumbest people I know. I’m totally serious.

A bachelors degree in a non specialized field (i.e. not chemistry/mathematics/biology) is mind-blowingly easy. It’s basically high school all over again.

I'm a retard apparently too. At least that's how people like to treat me. I suspect they treat everyone that way, so GPA and degrees don't really matter. Because these are the same people who when faced with the Einstein's and Tesla's of the world respond with "yeah but they are weird". So anyway you slice it, some people will always find fault. You can't win.
You can't fill a full cup.

 

[GesterHawk]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
Drake has a fairly unique and passionate view on this as a former player and a homegrown Hawk.
Fans that get upset at local kids that go to other schools usually view from their own desires to support or play for their home state team.

Oliver viewed thing through a lens that was concerned with his future and stability.

Some times we all make decisions based on the facts we have at the time, then those facts change or shift.

If we all take off the Black and Gold glasses for a bit, I think we can all identify with where Oliver was coming out of high school, and where he is now wanting to come back home.

He is a young man, cut him some slack.
Drake is a young man, cut him some slack too.

 

[Fryowa]

And you're right about getting an almost worthless bach degree in a non specialized field.

I didn't say it was worthless; I wouldn't have gotten my job without it, and I like my job.

I said it was easy.

 

[HuckFinn]

And now I see that Iowa has picked up two additional receivers via transfer portal. I think that is weird.

 

[RobHowe]

And now I see that Iowa has picked up two additional receivers via transfer portal. I think that is weird.

Sorry. Meant to post that last night.

Here's the press release:

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz announced the addition of three wide receivers to the Hawkeye football roster.


Those players are Jack Combs (6-foot-1, 188 pounds), Charlie Jones (6-0, 190), and Oliver Martin (6-1, 200). Combs played previously at Central Michigan, Jones at the University of Buffalo, and Martin at Michigan.


Combs is a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan (East Grand Rapids High School). Jones is a native of Deerfield, Illinois (Deerfield). Martin is a native of Coralville, Iowa (Iowa City West). All are enrolled at the University of Iowa and will join the football program as redshirt sophomores.

 

[CP87]

I pulled a 4.0 in college and I’m one of the overall dumbest people I know. I’m totally serious.

A bachelors degree in a non specialized field (i.e. not chemistry/mathematics/biology) is mind-blowingly easy. It’s basically high school all over again.

Drake's a very bright guy, but he doesn't have much of a filter (Have you listened to the "washed up walkons" podcast? If so, you know what I mean.). Twenty years ago that would have been a crack he made to one of his buddies. Once he knew more about the situation, he would probably feel differently, and that weeks-old joke would be long forgotten. But in this day and age, once you put it out there, it is never going away. Good lesson to all of us.

 

[CP87]

And now I see that Iowa has picked up two additional receivers via transfer portal. I think that is weird.

I suppose just filling in the gap in years.

We have no senior WR on the team.

We have 3 guys with 2 years of eligibility left:

• Smith
• Smith-Marsette
• Cooper

We had 1 guy with 3 years of eligibility:

• Marchese (didn't he switch positions?)

We have 3 redshirt freshman (4 years of eligibility):

• Tyrone Tracy, Jr.
• Calvin Lockett
• Nico Ragaini

We have 4 true freshman (4 years of eligibility + RS available):

• Javon Foy (walkon?)
• Jackson Ritter (walkon?)
• Desmond Hutson
• Alec Kritta (walkon?)

So there was a big gap for what will be our sophomore class, and we added 3 RS sophomores. I think it is as simple as that.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

I pulled a 4.0 in college and I’m one of the overall dumbest people I know. I’m totally serious.

A bachelors degree in a non specialized field (i.e. not chemistry/mathematics/biology) is mind-blowingly easy. It’s basically high school all over again.

You never seem to have trouble writing complete sentences, so I’d guess that you’re more intelligent than at least 85% of internet users Fry.

 

[1hawkeye1]

No. The record was set straight for people who choose to objectively look at the facts I laid out. You and the Washed Up Walk-ons choose to see it your way based on less knowledge of the situation. I know those guys as I covered all of their recruitments and their time at Iowa. I like them all. I didn't rip Drake or any of them if you read my column. And I didn't listen to their podcast because I don't listen to podcasts much.

As I said, thankfully you are in the vast minority of how Hawkeye fans feel. And the former players whom I've spoken to on this topic don't feel the way Drake and others feel either. They're not naive enough to think that the only reason a guy transfers in is because he's buried on the depth chart. And players want to win. If a guy comes in, works his ass off and helps that to happen, he's welcomed with open arms.

Jeebus Rob, did you even read my post?? I clearly and plainly stated that I DID NOT agree with them. And I said it twice. But people can have different points of view and I understand where they are coming from.

In my post, which you obviously didn't read I said: "I don't really agree with him, but I understand his take." I also said, "As a fan I welcome OM to the team." So no, I'm not in your vast minority of fans. I'm actually with you on this one.
But you wouldn't know that cause you didn't read my post through, and you refuse to listen to a podcast which will give an opposing point of view.

I've seen you complain about the negative vibe of this forum before. When you lump people into a "minority of fans" without reading their posts, and put down former players because you don't agree with them, you are contributing to the negative vibe.

 

[CP87]

Jeebus Rob, did you even read my post?? I clearly and plainly stated that I DID NOT agree with them. And I said it twice. But people can have different points of view and I understand where they are coming from.

In my post, which you obviously didn't read I said: "I don't really agree with him, but I understand his take." I also said, "As a fan I welcome OM to the team." So no, I'm not in your vast minority of fans. I'm actually with you on this one.
But you wouldn't know that cause you didn't read my post through, and you refuse to listen to a podcast which will give an opposing point of view.

I've seen you complain about the negative vibe of this forum before. When you lump people into a "minority of fans" without reading their posts, and put down former players because you don't agree with them, you are contributing to the negative vibe.

I thought Rob's reply to your post was a mischaracterization of what you had written. But we all read to fast sometimes and make a snap judgement. I am guessing a clarification of your main points will be more effective than coming back with harsh criticism. It is one thing if someone maliciously mischaracterizes your words, but when it is an honest mistake, clarification can go a long way towards moving the discussion forward. Sorry to sound like a patronizing ass.

I'm a little surprised that Kulick (and his podcast compatriots) have not backed away from that initial stance. It would be one thing if someone was on the team, transferred away, and then wanted back in. But Martin was never on the team, and just being local should not harness someone with an obligation to the hometown school. I can understand expecting transfers to earn everything they get (I am sure that is Martin's expectation), but Kulick's initial tweet went well beyond expressing that sentiment.

I am not sure if I will get around the listening to the podcast. I know those guys a bit, and while I like them all and enjoy some of their takes, I find some of their over-the-top honesty a bit cringe-worthy. I am constantly thinking of the joke Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose throw around when they podcast together: "Don't get fired!"

@RobHowe , I know you don't have a lot of free time on your hands, but if you could give the Pod a listen, it would be interesting to know how it influences your views (if at all).

 

[RobHowe]

Jeebus Rob, did you even read my post?? I clearly and plainly stated that I DID NOT agree with them. And I said it twice. But people can have different points of view and I understand where they are coming from.

In my post, which you obviously didn't read I said: "I don't really agree with him, but I understand his take." I also said, "As a fan I welcome OM to the team." So no, I'm not in your vast minority of fans. I'm actually with you on this one.
But you wouldn't know that cause you didn't read my post through, and you refuse to listen to a podcast which will give an opposing point of view.

I've seen you complain about the negative vibe of this forum before. When you lump people into a "minority of fans" without reading their posts, and put down former players because you don't agree with them, you are contributing to the negative vibe.

I read your post. It’s started out...

Until I get a clear reason for Martin transferring, this article did not "set the record straight." In fact, it didn't tell me anything I didn't already know.

That’s both snarky and lacks respect for anything written by me. It was a detailed column that answered a lot of questions.

I wrote in the column that I understand why Drake said what he did. I strongly disagree with it and you trying to justify his comments.

 

[CP87]

I read your post. It’s started out...

Until I get a clear reason for Martin transferring, this article did not "set the record straight." In fact, it didn't tell me anything I didn't already know.

That’s both snarky and lacks respect for anything written by me. It was a detailed column that answered a lot of questions.

I wrote in the column that I understand why Drake said what he did. I strongly disagree with it and you trying to justify his comments.

Beyond those first 2 sentences (which I totally understand you objecting to), he provides some interesting context on the Kulick take. As I said, I am surprised Drake didn't back off when given more time to reflect. But then again, he is not really the "back off" type.

 

[1hawkeye1]

I read your post. It’s started out...

Until I get a clear reason for Martin transferring, this article did not "set the record straight." In fact, it didn't tell me anything I didn't already know.

That’s both snarky and lacks respect for anything written by me. It was a detailed column that answered a lot of questions.

I wrote in the column that I understand why Drake said what he did. I strongly disagree with it and you trying to justify his comments.

And I vehemently disagree with you for lumping me in with those I clearly don't agree with.

You know, it's funny, when I say I understand what he's saying, it means I justify his comments. But when you say you understand his comments, oh that's different.

I try to understand other's POV. Doesn't mean i agree with it. I agree with you Rob and your comments on OM. I apologize for the snark. That's part of my schtick around here.

I don't agree with Kulick. But I understand what he's saying. He's a former Hawkeye and knows the program culture in ways you and I never will.

Peace out.

 

[4thngoal]

Drake's a very bright guy, but he doesn't have much of a filter (Have you listened to the "washed up walkons" podcast? If so, you know what I mean.). Twenty years ago that would have been a crack he made to one of his buddies. Once he knew more about the situation, he would probably feel differently, and that weeks-old joke would be long forgotten. But in this day and age, once you put it out there, it is never going away. Good lesson to all of us.

I don't like filters, you have something to say, say it. With non filtered people you know exactly what you are getting. Plus they tend to apologize more. Maybe because they are so straight forward, idk. What I do know is they seem to have less of a problem admitting they are wrong and apologizing for it and that is better than the general population.