Is Oregon Going To Take Iowa Seriously?

[Fryowa]

On the other hand, Donny Patterson always make an interesting point. He says regardless of Iowa's passing game deficit to other teams, you never want rain in Kinnick. His point is that Iowa's greatest advantage at home is always the deafening noise. And that it's never as loud when people have rain jackets and ponchos on, because inevitably some people don't take their hands out as much to clap or make noise.

I've been to Penn State for a whiteout and I can say it's not as loud as Kinnick gets. It's way bigger and more spread out from the field, and with Kinnick being half underground and right close to the field there aren't many stadiums that match it.

I thought Michigan would be loud when I went there but it ain't. ABC loves to make it sound that way on TV but that place is a wet fart of an old timey layout. The shallow angle seating waaaaaay back from the playing surface makes it fizzle out.

 

[SwirlinLingerie]

I've been to Penn State for a whiteout and I can say it's not as loud as Kinnick gets. It's way bigger and more spread out from the field, and with Kinnick being half underground and right close to the field there aren't many stadiums that match it.

I thought Michigan would be loud when I went there but it ain't. ABC loves to make it sound that way on TV but that place is a wet fart of an old timey layout. The shallow angle seating waaaaaay back from the playing surface makes it fizzle out.

Oh for sure. I don't think many disagree. More that Patterson's point is you want the best weather possible in Kinnick to maximize that advantage.

 

[FloridaHawks]

A key to being successful is the mindset. Hayden Fry said when he first arrived was the key thing that needed to happen in Iowa City is to change from a losing mindset to a winning one. Believing you can.

Why winners are winners

In almost every field — sports, business, relationships, personal growth — “winners” tend to share a few core traits:

They take responsibility.
Winners see their life as something they can shape. When things go wrong, they ask, “What can I do differently?” not “Who’s to blame?”

1. They embrace discomfort.
   Growth hurts. Winners understand that. They push through fear, boredom, or pain because they value long-term results over short-term comfort.
2. They have a vision or purpose.
   Winners usually have a clear “why.” They know what they want — and more importantly, why they want it — which gives them energy when most people quit.
3. They learn relentlessly.
   Winners rarely see themselves as “finished.” They’re always tweaking, learning, and evolving — which keeps them climbing when others plateau.

Why losers are losers

The term “loser” here isn’t moral or final — it’s about mindset, not worth. But certain patterns are common:

Avoidance of responsibility.

“Losers” often externalize blame: the economy, the system, bad luck, unfair people. That mindset kills initiative.

1. Comfort addiction.
   Many people trade potential for predictability. The small comforts of mediocrity — TV, routine, excuses — become anesthetics against the discomfort of striving.
2. Fear of failure (or success).
   It’s safer not to try than to risk being exposed as “not good enough.” So they never climb — they rationalize staying at the base.
3. No compelling vision.
   Without a sense of purpose, striving feels pointless. And without purpose, “greatness” feels like unnecessary work.

Why it doesn’t bother them

For some people, mediocrity doesn’t sting because they’ve learned to numb the discomfort:

* Rationalization: “I don’t care about that stuff anyway.”

• Distraction: Constant entertainment or busywork.
• Comparison: “At least I’m better than them.”
• Low self-worth: They’ve convinced themselves greatness is for “other people.”
• Also — not everyone defines greatness the same way. Some find peace in simplicity or routine, and that’s okay. The real tragedy is not being average — it’s settling when something inside you knows you could be more.

Bottom line

Winners win because they decide to — not once, but every day.

Losers lose because they avoid the pain of becoming.

And the biggest difference isn’t talent or luck — it’s hunger.

I think there should be an unwritten rule against using ChatGPT for responses on a chat forum. Going to turn into a bot fight.

 

[Fryowa]

I think there should be an unwritten rule against using ChatGPT for responses on a chat forum. Going to turn into a bot fight.

Yep. Aside from it being obvious to begin with, the em-dashes are the biggest dead giveaway. It's the first thing college profs look for. ChatGPT has an infatuation with those things. It also puts a space before and after them which no other software really does.

If you're going to try and fool someone with AI, first step in the process is remove em-dashes.

Why do AI models use so many em-dashes?

 

[ICHawk24]

If AI was really AI, it would have gotten rid of the emdashes as soon as the emdash backlash hit the internet.

 

[Fryowa]

I think there should be an unwritten rule against using ChatGPT for responses on a chat forum. Going to turn into a bot fight.

Actually, let's do a bot fight.

I asked ChatGPT to rebut that AI post by @BigD, below is its rebuttal...only 6 em-dashes.

Redefining What It Means to Be a Winner


The passage “Why winners are winners” presents a seductive but ultimately narrow view of success. It frames life as a competition between “winners” and “losers,” and while it gestures toward personal responsibility and growth, it oversimplifies complex human realities and ignores context, privilege, and differing definitions of fulfillment.

1. Responsibility ≠ Control​

The essay claims that winners “take responsibility,” as if every life outcome were within one’s control. But not everyone starts from the same place. Circumstances — social class, race, health, geography, timing — profoundly shape opportunity. A single mother working two jobs to survive may take more responsibility than many CEOs, yet never get labeled a “winner.”
Taking responsibility matters, but so does recognizing the systems that limit or enable one’s agency. Pretending everything is self-determined is not empowerment — it’s denial.

2. Discomfort Isn’t Always Growth​

The glorification of discomfort assumes that struggle automatically produces virtue. Sometimes pain is necessary for progress; other times it’s just pain. Rest, leisure, and contentment aren’t signs of mediocrity — they’re essential for mental health and sustainable effort. The obsession with constant “pushing through” creates burnout, not greatness.

3. Vision Isn’t Universal​

Not everyone has or needs a “grand purpose.” Many find meaning in relationships, art, community, or simply living well day-to-day. The idea that only those with a bold “why” are winners reflects a hyper-individualistic, productivity-obsessed worldview. A person who quietly cares for an elderly parent or teaches children patiently for decades might embody far more strength and purpose than someone chasing endless “goals.”

4. Learning Isn’t Always About Climbing​

Framing life as an endless ladder — where “winners” keep climbing and “losers” plateau — assumes that perpetual striving is superior to contentment. But learning can also mean learning to stop striving, to listen, to appreciate, or to unlearn destructive habits. Growth is not only upward; sometimes it’s inward.

5. The Language of “Losers” Dehumanizes​

Even though the passage claims “loser” isn’t moral or final, the label itself carries moral weight. It implies deficiency and worthlessness. People who struggle with fear, comfort, or direction are not “losers”; they’re human. Reducing them to psychological caricatures overlooks trauma, mental illness, systemic obstacles, or simply different values.

6. The Myth of “Hunger”​

The idea that “hunger” is the ultimate separator between winners and losers is dangerously romantic. Hunger is not a moral trait; it’s often the product of insecurity or unhealed need. Some of the most destructive leaders in history were driven by hunger. Conversely, many compassionate, wise, and fulfilled people live without constant striving.

---

In truth:
A “winner” is not someone who dominates or outlasts others, but someone who finds peace between ambition and acceptance. Success isn’t a universal race; it’s a personal alignment between effort, values, and wellbeing.


The tragedy isn’t in being “average” — it’s in measuring your worth by someone else’s scoreboard.