Is there Any Hawktimism for 2013 Football Season?

Under the current regime, my optimism and anticipation toward Iowa football began to dwindle 5-6 seasons ago. It stumbled over the edge and was clinging to the root sticking out of the wall of the cliff after 2010. It's been on life support the last 2 seasons.

As I did for all those years, I convinced myself to renew for 2013. Not due to optimism for this team. Not because I expect "good football" to be played or coached. Not for the average tailgating. Only because I'm an Iowa alum, I like D-1 football, Iowa is "my team", I like partying in Iowa City and, mostly, I don't want to lose my place in line when the on-field product does improve and it's actually fun to watch / cheer for (hopefully but not expectedly in the near future).

Maybe that could be called optimistic but I'm not so sure it isn't closer to being somewhere between pragmatic obligation and futile desparation. I don't claim to speak for anyone else but I'm not convinced you can conclude "Hawktimism", especially for the near-term, versus, "Well, I like Iowa; I like football; It's the closest thing we got right now and it's something we do / have always done (for whatever reasons)."

I also can't conclude "Hawktimism" based on the attendance stats Jon cited. For starters, don't confuse ticket sales with attendance and support. We all know how that works from the "8000" who were "there" to watch Lick's teams. As for the 8000 at Valley ... For one thing, it was free. For another, it was football in April. For another, it was convenient on a Sunday afternoon. For another, what a nice little activity for Daddy and Johnny to spend some q.t. together.

I'd like to know how many will actually invest in the 5-hour roundie and minimum few hundred bones (tix + concessions + gas + parking + meals) to go watch this team play live in Kinnick. My thinking is, many at Sunday's scrimmage were going to anyway and most simply saw this as a convenient opportunity.
 
I'm not sure I can put myself in the Hawktimist Club just yet. I think this program will get it worked out. I don't think it will show on the field this year. My biggest reason for caution is the turnover in position coaches. How quickly will the players and new coaches be able to get used to each other. What kind of learning curve will they need?

With all that said, I'll still make it to a couple of games this year.
 
STILLBUSTER said:
Under the current regime, my optimism and anticipation toward Iowa football began to dwindle 5-6 seasons ago. It stumbled over the edge and was clinging to the root sticking out of the wall of the cliff after 2010. It's been on life support the last 2 seasons.

As I did for all those years, I convinced myself to renew for 2013. Not due to optimism for this team. Not because I expect "good football" to be played or coached. Not for the average tailgating. Only because I'm an Iowa alum, I like D-1 football, Iowa is "my team", I like partying in Iowa City and, mostly, I don't want to lose my place in line when the on-field product does improve and it's actually fun to watch / cheer for (hopefully but not expectedly in the near future).

Maybe that could be called optimistic but I'm not so sure it isn't closer to being somewhere between pragmatic obligation and futile desparation. I don't claim to speak for anyone else but I'm not convinced you can conclude "Hawktimism", especially for the near-term, versus, "Well, I like Iowa; I like football; It's the closest thing we got right now and it's something we do / have always done (for whatever reasons)."

I also can't conclude "Hawktimism" based on the attendance stats Jon cited. For starters, don't confuse ticket sales with attendance and support. We all know how that works from the "8000" who were "there" to watch Lick's teams. As for the 8000 at Valley ... For one thing, it was free. For another, it was football in April. For another, it was convenient on a Sunday afternoon. For another, what a nice little activity for Daddy and Johnny to spend some q.t. together.

I'd like to know how many will actually invest in the 5-hour roundie and minimum few hundred bones (tix + concessions + gas + parking + meals) to go watch this team play live in Kinnick. My thinking is, many at Sunday's scrimmage were going to anyway and most simply saw this as a convenient opportunity.
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This nailed for me.

Its probably worse than writing the check for life insurance. At least with that I can say that I have protected my family in event of catastrophe.
I blindly purchase season tickets now without even hope... like a Cub fan.
It has to be the poorest economic decision I make all year, considering I could choose to go to all games scalp and pay no more that 60% of season tic prices.(I'm in $50/seat section)
 
For many Hawk fans like myself, it is in the blood,period. We have lived and died with Iowa football every fall since the 60's. Winning is important but not everything to fans like us. It is part of the social fabric of our lives,and you do not walk away easily. Last year was a bit of a shock, no doubt, but as we all know,we came very,very close to winning the Purdue,Central Mich.,and ISU games...and that would have kept our bowl streak alive.

I agree that the message board crowd brings the hardest core fans together,and they tend to be extremists....like in any little sub-culture. Average Iowa fans have way more balance and are not swept up in the negativity that exists on these boards.
 
JHHawk said:
For many Hawk fans like myself, it is in the blood,period. We have lived and died with Iowa football every fall since the 60's. Winning is important but not everything to fans like us. It is part of the social fabric of our lives,and you do not walk away easily. Last year was a bit of a shock, no doubt, but as we all know,we came very,very close to winning the Purdue,Central Mich.,and ISU games...and that would have kept our bowl streak alive.

I agree that the message board crowd brings the hardest core fans together,and they tend to be extremists....like in any little sub-culture. Average Iowa fans have way more balance and are not swept up in the negativity that exists on these boards.
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Boom...nailed...end thread.
 
STILLBUSTER said:
I'd like to know how many will actually invest in the 5-hour roundie and minimum few hundred bones (tix + concessions + gas + parking + meals) to go watch this team play live in Kinnick. My thinking is, many at Sunday's scrimmage were going to anyway and most simply saw this as a convenient opportunity.
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Im guessing you are going to see 70,000+ in Kinnick for 6 out of the 7 home games this year. Outside chance of selling out all seven.

I swear its like some people on this board are hoping for the program to fail so they can all pound their chest about how right they think they were about KF.

Sad really.
 
STILLBUSTER said:
Under the current regime, my optimism and anticipation toward Iowa football began to dwindle 5-6 seasons ago. It stumbled over the edge and was clinging to the root sticking out of the wall of the cliff after 2010. It's been on life support the last 2 seasons.

As I did for all those years, I convinced myself to renew for 2013. Not due to optimism for this team. Not because I expect "good football" to be played or coached. Not for the average tailgating. Only because I'm an Iowa alum, I like D-1 football, Iowa is "my team", I like partying in Iowa City and, mostly, I don't want to lose my place in line when the on-field product does improve and it's actually fun to watch / cheer for (hopefully but not expectedly in the near future).

Maybe that could be called optimistic but I'm not so sure it isn't closer to being somewhere between pragmatic obligation and futile desparation. I don't claim to speak for anyone else but I'm not convinced you can conclude "Hawktimism", especially for the near-term, versus, "Well, I like Iowa; I like football; It's the closest thing we got right now and it's something we do / have always done (for whatever reasons)."

I also can't conclude "Hawktimism" based on the attendance stats Jon cited. For starters, don't confuse ticket sales with attendance and support. We all know how that works from the "8000" who were "there" to watch Lick's teams. As for the 8000 at Valley ... For one thing, it was free. For another, it was football in April. For another, it was convenient on a Sunday afternoon. For another, what a nice little activity for Daddy and Johnny to spend some q.t. together.

I'd like to know how many will actually invest in the 5-hour roundie and minimum few hundred bones (tix + concessions + gas + parking + meals) to go watch this team play live in Kinnick. My thinking is, many at Sunday's scrimmage were going to anyway and most simply saw this as a convenient opportunity.
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This. We are die hard fans and we live in Iowa. What else are we gonna do? Tailgating is fun for everyone.
 
There are a certain number of people that think Coach Ferentz walks on water and can do no wrong and will support the program no matter how far it falls. Then there are a certain segment of fans, like JH, who have Hawkeye Football in their blood. They go to the games for the social aspect as much as the sporting one. They are not happy with the recent seasons, but are nowhere near ready to throw in the towel. Then there are those who need the Hawks to be successful to somehow add meaning to their lives and self respect and they are disillusioned at best. They are currently on the fence. They may still attend the games, but they are grumbing about the state of the program, the salaries paid to the coaching staff and the poor quality of the product they are seeing on the field. Another 4-8 season or so, and they will have had enough. Unfortunately, there are the younger fans who have never been on the Hawkeye bandwagon, and frankly, are seeing no current reason to hop aboard. These are the fans that need to be won over by seeing a winning football team that is exciting to watch and regularly attending and winning bowl games. This is the next generation of fans who are rapidly being lost, maybe forever.
 
Section136 said:
Im guessing you are going to see 70,000+ in Kinnick for 6 out of the 7 home games this year. Outside chance of selling out all seven.

I swear its like some people on this board are hoping for the program to fail so they can all pound their chest about how right they think they were about KF.

Sad really.
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Unfortunately, there is some of that at play here as well.
 
I am oozing with Hawktimisim. I have reordered my tickets, I am planning on a Hawkeye party or two for the away games (in my Hawkeye man cave), I will rewatch last years games I have recorded on DVR, I will continue to talk the Fighting Herkys with anyone for the next 4+ months, and will do so with pride.
Furthermore, I really think we'll do better this year than most are predicting (a point I've made known in several threads).
I've never hear of it called Hawktimisim, but I like it!
 
JonDMiller said:
to me, It's optimism...and I typically have used it to describe the brand of optimism reserved for the uber optimists among Hawkeye Nation.
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maybe it's just looking forward to watching your (and my) favorite team play and hoping for the best.
 
Hawkeye football game days in Iowa city are fun. More fun when we win of course but its fun regardless. Hawk till I die
 
Section136 said:
The fanbase would be more likely to say "screw it" and not show up last year when they were angry with how disappointing the season was going.

This year, a lot of people arent expecting much and there shouldnt be the anger we saw last year.

If people werent mad enough last year to stay away in droves, it isnt going to happen this year.
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I live out of state, so I don't know: Have tickets already been purchased for this year's games?

People may have gone to the games last year because they already paid for them.
 
As an aside, if I lived in-state, I'd buy season tickets. However, if I missed a game or 2 because of conflicts in my schedule, I wouldn't be too upset this season, whereas in other seasons I might be.

Still plan on watching all the games on TV this year.
 
I go to Iowa games. I will always go to Iowa games, regardless of whether they're winning or losing. I've been there, when losing was more common than winning. But none of that means that the team, the coaches, the AD are not above reproach - it didn't back then, and it shouldn't now. I have Hawktimism, but if they stumble again this year, my criticism of the program, and the direction it is heading, will continue. To that end, finishing 6-6 will be no reason to celebrate, or to even say that they're on the right path.
 
NeilDiamond said:
Each season since 2010 I have come close to lighting a bonfire in my yard with my Iowa gear and burning coaches in effigy. I have also yelled, "no more season tickets!", since I live in Chicago burbs with 2 small children and maybe get to 1-2 games anyway. Yet, about this time every year, my optimism rises and I renew my tickets and look forward to that 1 game every year I will be attending and hanging out with friends in the Kinnick parking lot. I think game attendance is more about that aspect than the game itself. Every year brings renewed optimism in any true fan and I believe it would take a lot of 4-8 seasons to erase it.
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How long did fans stay away from 1961 to 1980? Basically, they didn't. And they won't. The fans never change, the coach does. I think if KF leaves of his own accord, or has two dismal seasons and gets fired, either way, there will be 66,000+ fans in Kinnick week-in/week-out.
 
hawkeyebob62 said:
How long did fans stay away from 1961 to 1980? Basically, they didn't. And they won't. The fans never change, the coach does. I think if KF leaves of his own accord, or has two dismal seasons and gets fired, either way, there will be 66,000+ fans in Kinnick week-in/week-out.
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I would agree with this. While they may not be sell-outs , Kinnick will still be 3/4 full or better.
 
homes said:
I go to Iowa games. I will always go to Iowa games, regardless of whether they're winning or losing. I've been there, when losing was more common than winning. But none of that means that the team, the coaches, the AD are not above reproach - it didn't back then, and it shouldn't now. I have Hawktimism, but if they stumble again this year, my criticism of the program, and the direction it is heading, will continue. To that end, finishing 6-6 will be no reason to celebrate, or to even say that they're on the right path.
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I would take 6-6 right now if offered. Anybody else?
 
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