I can't believe all of you traitors who just gave up on the team

[okeefe4prez]

Just kidding, actually I can. Here's my problem with Ferentz, the guy lays absolute eggs and lets his teams quit after a tough loss. We've seen it almost every year the past few years, exceptions are 2008 and 2009. In 2008, as I walked out of Memorial Stadium after watching Juice Williams shred our prevent defense to set up an easy, game winning FG, I at least saw a team that was working its tail off. When I left the PSU game shortly after that Illinois game, I knew we had a ball club that could probably play with darn near any team in the country and the guys were working their tails off. We saw evidence of that in 55-0 steamrolling of MN later and the stomping inflicted on South Carolina. Then, in 2009, we got some bounces and our ability to compete with almost anyone was pretty apparent. It was a good time to be a Hawk fan as the team was trending up and guys gave 110%.

Fast forward to this year, specifically the last 4 games, other than the OSU game, I saw a team that the coaches had obviously lost. With a 3 year starting QB, the all time leading receiver in Iowa history, and a d-line that should have been one of the best ever, anything under 9 wins would have taken a coaching miracle to achieve. I saw that coaching miracle unfold in front of my eyes in Evanston. I have spent a ton of money and time going to Hawks home and away games for many years and I'm getting sick of what we are seeing. I firmly believe that we had the talent to go 12-0 this year and it could have been a special 1985-esque year. I credit the Captain with recruiting and developing that talent.

But at the end of day guys, good coaching takes a 6-6 ball club and makes it a 9-3 ball club. Bad coaching takes a 10-2 ball club and makes it a 7-5 ball club. I hate to go back to this comparison, but since the beginning of B10 play in 2006, Ferentz is only 3 games ahead of Fitz over at NU. Personally, I think that statistic is unacceptable for a program that charges what Iowa charges for football tickets and given what Iowa spends on its staff and facilities. Fitz is a good coach that gets his guys to play hard and can make poor to mediocre teams pretty respectable. Ferentz of late has done the opposite, he has taken pretty good teams and made them jokes. That's why, notwithstanding my deep love for the Hawks, I'm cutting back my expenditures of cash and time next year and getting season tix for the 'cats instead. I like Ferentz, it's just after seeing games like yesterday's game multiple times in the past 5 years, I can't continue to sit by and be the guy's cheerleader when he gags. We'll probably have a good ballclub next year as the younger guys get in the rotation and the current crop of pretty boy fatcats move on, but it is a crying shame what happened to Iowa football this year.

 

[patmyne]

Here you go....

Scout.com: Northwestern Forums List

 

[Herk]

Enjoy spending your time and money at Ryan Field. I hear that place is a real piece.

 

[Jordell]

I thought about this earlier, and I believe you make some good points. I feel many of the 4th's and longs the defense gave up were on the coaching staff. The Wisc fake punt is on the coaching staff. The Prior run on 4th and 15 is on the coaching staff. The fact our offense has zero killer instinct, to put teams away, is on the coaching staff.

So, while I'm not trying to defend the players effort in Minn, I think the players might have felt let down by their coaches. Which might have made it seem like the players quit.

That said, have fun in Evenston. I'm not giving up on the Hawks, these seniors, or the coaches. They were competitive in all their games, just as a whole didn't get it done this year. It sucks, but some years it goes that way.

 

[latrans]

Here you go....

Scout.com: Northwestern Forums List

+1

Don't go away mad just go away.

 

[okeefe4prez]

+1

Don't go away mad just go away.

I'll always bleed black and gold, just not going to get bamboozled into dropping over a hundred bucks a pop per seat per game. Those are NFL prices and this isn't an NFL quality entertainment product. It's Northwestern quality at NFL prices and that's disgusting. If we see some shakeup in the assistants, I'll probably re-up, but if Captain keeps running this in the ordinary course of business, I am done subsidizing the guy's salary. Wait for season ticket sales figures to come out, my guess is I won't be the only one who feels this way.

 

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

I think it's funny that it has been almost three weeks since okeefeforprez started his satirical NW references yet people are still biting thinking he's a NW fan. Okeefe you are a genius. All you others who responded to him, laughable.

 

[ISUhawk]

I haven't given up but lets just say why should someone care when our "star" player (A.C.) and everyone else on the team doesn't????????? Makes sense right?

 

[okeefe4prez]

I thought about this earlier, and I believe you make some good points. I feel many of the 4th's and longs the defense gave up were on the coaching staff. The Wisc fake punt is on the coaching staff. The Prior run on 4th and 15 is on the coaching staff. The fact our offense has zero killer instinct, to put teams away, is on the coaching staff.

So, while I'm not trying to defend the players effort in Minn, I think the players might have felt let down by their coaches. Which might have made it seem like the players quit.

That said, have fun in Evenston. I'm not giving up on the Hawks, these seniors, or the coaches. They were competitive in all their games, just as a whole didn't get it done this year. It sucks, but some years it goes that way.

Yeah, with this staff, it seems like most years it goes the way of our opposition. I am not expecting Iowa to be OSU, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma or Alabama, I know they never will be. I am expecting Iowa, when it has this many returning starters and NFL players on its roster, to be no worse than a top 20 team. Even in down years, I expect Iowa to be in the top 25 or on the cusp of it. I expect Iowa to just once in my lifetime win a Rose Bowl. Just one. The fact that Wisconsin has won multiple Rose Bowls in my lifetime and Iowa has won zero is a joke. I'm really not asking for a lot, but with what the University is charging for tickets and what they are paying for the coach and facilities, I think a Rose Bowl once a decade isn't too crazy of an expectation.

 

[patmyne]

I think it's funny that it has been almost three weeks since okeefeforprez started his satirical NW references yet people are still biting thinking he's a NW fan. Okeefe you are a genius. All you others who responded to him, laughable.

No one is biting for ****. It's old and tiresome. I understand the frustration and the man is free to do as he feels with his money. If he doesn't want to pay for this product so be it.

Fact is he lives in Evanston and I quite honestly don't doubt the fact that he is planning on buying season tickets to their games next season, fan or not.

You fair-weather fans keep butt-slappin each other though. It's laughable

 

[misserspjacki]

Just kidding, actually I can. Here's my problem with Ferentz, the guy lays absolute eggs and lets his teams quit after a tough loss. We've seen it almost every year the past few years, exceptions are 2008 and 2009. In 2008, as I walked out of Memorial Stadium after watching Juice Williams shred our prevent defense to set up an easy, game winning FG, I at least saw a team that was working its tail off. When I left the PSU game shortly after that Illinois game, I knew we had a ball club that could probably play with darn near any team in the country and the guys were working their tails off. We saw evidence of that in 55-0 steamrolling of MN later and the stomping inflicted on South Carolina. Then, in 2009, we got some bounces and our ability to compete with almost anyone was pretty apparent. It was a good time to be a Hawk fan as the team was trending up and guys gave 110%.

Fast forward to this year, specifically the last 4 games, other than the OSU game, I saw a team that the coaches had obviously lost. With a 3 year starting QB, the all time leading receiver in Iowa history, and a d-line that should have been one of the best ever, anything under 9 wins would have taken a coaching miracle to achieve. I saw that coaching miracle unfold in front of my eyes in Evanston. I have spent a ton of money and time going to Hawks home and away games for many years and I'm getting sick of what we are seeing. I firmly believe that we had the talent to go 12-0 this year and it could have been a special 1985-esque year. I credit the Captain with recruiting and developing that talent.

But at the end of day guys, good coaching takes a 6-6 ball club and makes it a 9-3 ball club. Bad coaching takes a 10-2 ball club and makes it a 7-5 ball club. I hate to go back to this comparison, but since the beginning of B10 play in 2006, Ferentz is only 3 games ahead of Fitz over at NU. Personally, I think that statistic is unacceptable for a program that charges what Iowa charges for football tickets and given what Iowa spends on its staff and facilities. Fitz is a good coach that gets his guys to play hard and can make poor to mediocre teams pretty respectable. Ferentz of late has done the opposite, he has taken pretty good teams and made them jokes. That's why, notwithstanding my deep love for the Hawks, I'm cutting back my expenditures of cash and time next year and getting season tix for the 'cats instead. I like Ferentz, it's just after seeing games like yesterday's game multiple times in the past 5 years, I can't continue to sit by and be the guy's cheerleader when he gags. We'll probably have a good ballclub next year as the younger guys get in the rotation and the current crop of pretty boy fatcats move on, but it is a crying shame what happened to Iowa football this year.

I'm really happy that you have found a new team more worthy of your money. Please have a good life as a Northwestern fan and don't bother jumping back on the Hawk bandwagon next time they are relevant enough for you.

 

[okeefe4prez]

I'm really happy that you have found a new team more worthy of your money. Please have a good life as a Northwestern fan and don't bother jumping back on the Hawk bandwagon next time they are relevant enough for you.

I am not jumping on or off any bandwagon, I'm an Iowa alum, not some TavernHawk like you. If the AD changes the donation policy so I can contribute cash straight to some non-leftist academic endeavor, like the med school, I certainly will do so, but at this point, I'd rather send my donations to the Greater Chicago Food Depository or something that will help people rather than making it to the Iowa athletic department to pay Barta's, Ferentz's and O'Keefe's bloated salaries.

 

[okeefe4prez]

hey pat - quick question, sort of off topic - did you star in a series of movies back in the day? I think your name sounds kind of familiar.

 

[HawksFlyHigh]

I am not jumping on or off any bandwagon, I'm an Iowa alum, not some TavernHawk like you. If the AD changes the donation policy so I can contribute cash straight to some non-leftist academic endeavor, like the med school, I certainly will do so, but at this point, I'd rather send my donations to the Greater Chicago Food Depository or something that will help people rather than making it to the Iowa athletic department to pay Barta's, Ferentz's and O'Keefe's bloated salaries.

So then why spend it on Northwestern?

I don't agree with your approach, but I see where you're coming from.

It's one thing to not financially support the Hawks. That's fine. But then to go and spend your money on Northwestern?

Get freaking real man.

 

[hawkeyescott]

No one is biting for ****. It's old and tiresome. I understand the frustration and the man is free to do as he feels with his money. If he doesn't want to pay for this product so be it.

Fact is he lives in Evanston and I quite honestly don't doubt the fact that he is planning on buying season tickets to their games next season, fan or not.

You fair-weather fans keep butt-slappin each other though. It's laughable

So can you debate his point that good coaching takes a 6-6 team to 9-3 and bad coaching takes a 10-2 team to 7-5? I sure as hell can't and it is an excellent point.

 

[misserspjacki]

I am not jumping on or off any bandwagon, I'm an Iowa alum, not some TavernHawk like you. If the AD changes the donation policy so I can contribute cash straight to some non-leftist academic endeavor, like the med school, I certainly will do so, but at this point, I'd rather send my donations to the Greater Chicago Food Depository or something that will help people rather than making it to the Iowa athletic department to pay Barta's, Ferentz's and O'Keefe's bloated salaries.

You have every right to not give any money to this team if you don't want to. I just don't understand why you feel the need to keep coming on the board of a team that you are so disappointed in to broadcast that you are withdrawing your support. I'm pretty sure that I already knew that you were changing your allegiance to NW after that game, due to reading numerous posts of yours stating that. The previous poster was right, it is getting old, and I don't understand the point. Does it make you feel better to kick a team/fanbase when they are down? If so, please proceed and I will just put you on ignore. Oh, and thanks for the name calling. You call me a tavernhawk, yet I am not the won abandoning my team.

 

[PJHawk]

You have every right to not give any money to this team if you don't want to. I just don't understand why you feel the need to keep coming on the board of a team that you are so disappointed in to broadcast that you are withdrawing your support.

Why? because he is probably the weirdest person Miller has ever attracted to one of his websites

 

[okeefe4prez]

So then why spend it on Northwestern?

I don't agree with your approach, but I see where you're coming from.

It's one thing to not financially support the Hawks. That's fine. But then to go and spend your money on Northwestern?

Get freaking real man.

I love B10 football, I love seeing guys like Santonio Holmes, Shonn Greene, AJ Hawk, Lawrence Maroney, Bryan Bulaga, Kyle Orton, etc. develop into great college players on their way to careers in the NFL. I can get that same experience for less than a quarter of the price up in Evanston and see a program that, notwithstanding everyone's anger and disagreement, is on basically the same level as Iowa and then I don't have to drive close to 8 hours round trip, spend $200 on a motel, worry about the fuzz arresting me for walking 50 feet with an open beer, etc. I love Iowa football, it's just that the entertainment value per dollar spent and travel time isn't there.

The donations that I have paid are just welfare for rich guys. The stadium renovation made the stadium look nicer and fixed up the south end zone, but didn't really make the average fan experience materially better, but the donations that were extracted from the average fan have made game day great for the fat cats sitting up in the club seats and boxes and goes a long way toward paying Ferentz's giant salary. I just feel like in most of the years since I have been paying the donation for the same seats I had as a student, I have been paying Lexus prices for a Yugo. When year in and year out Ferentz gets outcoached by guys like Fitz, Ron Zook, that Horton fella from MN, Lynch, the fella from Western Michigan, etc., it gets old hearing the same lame "well, we just need to execute better and tighten things up" excuse after losses to opponents whose football expenditures are a fraction of the size of Iowa's.

 

[SDK46]

BTR....copy/paste your "fix it" post from Wasteland (sans the bad words).

Seriously, it hit the ball out of the park with that post.

 

[IowaNYYfan]

I love B10 football, I love seeing guys like Santonio Holmes, Shonn Greene, AJ Hawk, Lawrence Maroney, Bryan Bulaga, Kyle Orton, etc. develop into great college players on their way to careers in the NFL. I can get that same experience for less than a quarter of the price up in Evanston and see a program that, notwithstanding everyone's anger and disagreement, is on basically the same level as Iowa and then I don't have to drive close to 8 hours round trip, spend $200 on a motel, worry about the fuzz arresting me for walking 50 feet with an open beer, etc. I love Iowa football, it's just that the entertainment value per dollar spent and travel time isn't there.

The donations that I have paid are just welfare for rich guys. The stadium renovation made the stadium look nicer and fixed up the south end zone, but didn't really make the average fan experience materially better, but the donations that were extracted from the average fan have made game day great for the fat cats sitting up in the club seats and boxes and goes a long way toward paying Ferentz's giant salary. I just feel like in most of the years since I have been paying the donation for the same seats I had as a student, I have been paying Lexus prices for a Yugo. When year in and year out Ferentz gets outcoached by guys like Fitz, Ron Zook, that Horton fella from MN, Lynch, the fella from Western Michigan, etc., it gets old hearing the same lame "well, we just need to execute better and tighten things up" excuse after losses to opponents whose football expenditures are a fraction of the size of Iowa's.

This may be the greatest single post I've ever read on this website.