Iowa-ISU through eyes of Ben Bruns (former ISU Player)

Agreed.

But a Hawkeye fan who went to ISU, happened to graduate along with Ben, and was quick to comment on this thread seems like a pretty big coincidence to me. I'm still calling bs
So you are saying he shouldn't admit he went to ISU and he should have waited a few more posts before telling the story he has of the situation? I understand not admitting he went to ISU.
 
I don't know if the story about Bruns is true or not, but I also went to ISU at the same time, and the guy had an absolute blind hatred for the Hawkeyes. He does seem to know his stuff, but I don't think he can rationally talk about the Iowa game.
 
Iowa State was outplaying Iowa at the break last year. Heck, they had 190 rushing yards in that game. Turnovers killed them.


To say that they outplayed us in the first half of that game is a considerable stretch.

At halftime:

Iowa 14 vs ISU 3

Total Passing & Rushing YDS:
Iowa - 170
ISU - 150

Turnovers:
ISU interceptions - 3
Iowa interceptions - 2
 
Iowa State was outplaying Iowa at the break last year. Heck, they had 190 rushing yards in that game. Turnovers killed them.

If we are going to play that game than we cannot ignore how horrendously bad our own Rick Stanzi played in the first quarter last year. He missed 2 or 3 wide open TD passes on different drives. He didn't finally settle down until hitting Stross on a long crossing route (one that he missed WIDE open in the first) and also threw a bad pick that led to ISU's only points.

Looking back at ISU's wins in this series us Iowa fans generally overstate Iowa's talent in those games. Of all the games ISU has won since ending the streak, only in 2002 was there a sizable talent gap. In 98, 99, and 2000 ISU was better. In 01 the teams were extremely equal, hence the close game (but ISU had the better QB). 02 was an upset. 05 might have been ISU's best defense under McCarney - a solid team that would have won some more games had Hicks not been injured, and in 07, cripes both teams stunk and we had one of the worst QBs in school history.

My point? When Iowa has the better talent it usually wins and wins by double digits. When the talent is comparable ISU for whatever reason wins the close ones. This year it appears to me we (Iowa) have much more talent. My basis for this is the fact we have so many returning starters from a team that won a BCS game last year (it's not based on "we are Iowa so we have more talent" - that kind of thinking got us destroyed in 05). Coupled with the fact that ISU played well in its opener and Iowa had its bad moments in its opener, history tells me Iowa wins this game by two scores.
 
To say that they outplayed us in the first half of that game is a considerable stretch.

At halftime:

Iowa 14 vs ISU 3

Total Passing & Rushing YDS:
Iowa - 170
ISU - 150

Turnovers:
ISU interceptions - 3
Iowa interceptions - 2

well, other than the score, yardage and first downs they were outplaying Iowa.

sincerely,

dan maccarney
 
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well, other than the score, yardage and first downs they were outplaying Iowa.

sincerely,

dan maccarney

This is true, those picks Arnaud threw had a much tighter spiral on them. And the ISU gatorade boys were keeping the drink much cooler. Overall a great half for ISU, one for the record books.
 
If we are going to play that game than we cannot ignore how horrendously bad our own Rick Stanzi played in the first quarter last year. He missed 2 or 3 wide open TD passes on different drives. He didn't finally settle down until hitting Stross on a long crossing route (one that he missed WIDE open in the first) and also threw a bad pick that led to ISU's only points.

Looking back at ISU's wins in this series us Iowa fans generally overstate Iowa's talent in those games. Of all the games ISU has won since ending the streak, only in 2002 was there a sizable talent gap. In 98, 99, and 2000 ISU was better. In 01 the teams were extremely equal, hence the close game (but ISU had the better QB). 02 was an upset. 05 might have been ISU's best defense under McCarney - a solid team that would have won some more games had Hicks not been injured, and in 07, cripes both teams stunk and we had one of the worst QBs in school history.

My point? When Iowa has the better talent it usually wins and wins by double digits. When the talent is comparable ISU for whatever reason wins the close ones. This year it appears to me we (Iowa) have much more talent. My basis for this is the fact we have so many returning starters from a team that won a BCS game last year (it's not based on "we are Iowa so we have more talent" - that kind of thinking got us destroyed in 05). Coupled with the fact that ISU played well in its opener and Iowa had its bad moments in its opener, history tells me Iowa wins this game by two scores.

Good breakdown on the series the last 10 or so years.
 
Agreed.

But a Hawkeye fan who went to ISU, happened to graduate along with Ben, and was quick to comment on this thread seems like a pretty big coincidence to me. I'm still calling bs

I didn't say I graduated with him. I attended ISU during the 96-97 school year. My little interaction with Bruns happened that year at the Oak/Elm cafeteria on campus. I lived on the first floor of Welch. After that year I transferred to UNI and graduated from UNI.

What does being quick to comment on the thread have to do with anything, either? I'm on here daily. Don't post a ton, but saw the thread about Bruns and thought I'd share.
 
No doubt about that. But its what a lot of fans want

Personally, I'd rather have someone who is honest. I understand that Ben is going to give the ISU side of the story, that's where he went to school, played, gets paid by, etc....but at the same time, you have to acknowledge the whole story. Arnaud played like **** that, but Bruns never mentioned that.

If the only point of view that you give is one of rainbows and unicorns, you eventually start to lose credibility.
 
Bruns is no different than most other currents and former Cyclones. He's just upset he wasn't offered a scholly by Iowa. I don't mean that as a jerk...that mindset by players is what has propelled them to victory over the Hawkeys in recent years.
 
Ok...slow down. Whatever he may be like personally...who knows. But his analysis is frequently very tough on the Cyclones...he is brutally honest when he sees shortcomings. He is anything but a rainbows and unicorns...like Jon, he calls it like it is when doing analysis.
 
Despite what Bruns says, I'm guessing that nobody outside of members of the media has any idea who he is.

I still remember him at halftime last year, blathering on and on about how ISU was dominating, but never once mentioning what the score of the game was.

I had no idea who is was... he must of been pretty awesome.
 
Ok...slow down. Whatever he may be like personally...who knows. But his analysis is frequently very tough on the Cyclones...he is brutally honest when he sees shortcomings. He is anything but a rainbows and unicorns...like Jon, he calls it like it is when doing analysis.

Well then, he must have been watching a different game than everyone else last year. Never once did he mention ISU's ability to hold onto the ball, or that Arnaud was playing like ****, or that Iowa's defense was treating Arnaud like a sock puppet.

He must have missed all that despite standing on the sideline.
 
Well, Shada, his analysis was focused on the upcoming game...not a review of last years matchup. He summarized last year's game as a prelude to his analysis...and then focused on looking at this year's factors.
 
Iowa State was outplaying Iowa at the break last year. Heck, they had 190 rushing yards in that game. Turnovers killed them.

Jon, tell me someone hacked your account because this was insane. 1. It's not true and 2. um turnovers are a critical part of the game. It's one step away from saying they were outplaying us but the touchdown differential was killing them.
 
I'll vouch for BubbRub's story. I wasn't there and hadn't heard that story until I read it just now, but I've known BubbRub since we were... well, 0, I think. Close to that, anyway.
I'd vouch for his honesty any day.
 
Jon, tell me someone hacked your account because this was insane. 1. It's not true and 2. um turnovers are a critical part of the game. It's one step away from saying they were outplaying us but the touchdown differential was killing them.

One critical element that Jon was leaving out was this ... Stanzi had his own picks at critical times against ISU. Furthermore, Arnaud's first "gift" gave Iowa great field position ... however, we didn't get a score from it. Also, although Iowa wasn't playing great in the first half, Iowa's O was still outperforming ISU's O. And, mind you, Iowa's DL was getting manhandled by ISU's OL to boot. However, all the same, ISU wasn't moving the ball at will either.
 
The guy DOESN'T know his football. This is the same a$$-clown who claimed the 2002 Iowa O-line was AVERAGE. Well, all 5 of the starters on that line, plus the backup were either drafted or got NFL invites. 2 of them are still playing and making millions of dollars while Ben is a sideline reporter for the worst team in the Big 12 and coaching high school on the side. So if they were average, what does that make him??

The difference between a guy like Bruns and a guy like Podolak is that while they both are hardcore loyalists and fans of their alma maters, Podolak, being the consumate professional, can be critical of his own team and give the other team praise when it is warranted. Bruns is a homer of the worst kind.

If you think this, you have never even listened to Bruns comment. He is as harsh a Cyclone critic when they are doing things wrong as anyone. You have obviously never listened to his sideline reporting.

As for the story about him verbally assaulting a kid in a cafeteria, I find that unlikely. I went to the same HS as Ben. He graduated ahead of my sister, and was nothing but a good kid by all accounts. Find me a witness and I may believe it, but since the athletes at ISU have their own cafeteria(like at most Universities), they are rarely seen in the residence hall dining areas. This story reeks of BS. This sounds more like a Blake Larson story...
 

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