JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
When Iowa's marketing department rolled out the 'Let's get mad again' slogan this past summer, they were referring to a return to March MADness. It seemed a bit awkward, and has been the brunt of many jokes, but I got the sentiment.
On Wednesday night, that slogan took on a new meaning for me.
I am mad again. OK, I am not mad at Iowa because they lost 62-59 to #14 Wisconsin in overtime in Iowa City.
I am disappointed. The fan in me hurts. The fan in me wanted that win so badly, it hurts. The fan in me wanted to feel the rush of euphoria that would have come from beating a ranked team at home, from winning its third straight Big Ten game for the first time in four years.
It was not to be...but the emotions returned.
Watching the game in my man cave, I was standing up on shot attempts and fist pumping when they went in. My emotions were back related to Iowa basketball, and I cannot tell you the last time I could say that. I cannot tell you the last time I was so emotionally involved in a game.
By the sound of the Carver Hawkeye Arena crowd blaring on my surround sound, they were plugged in, too.
During the second half of that game, I felt like I had found something I had been looking for. I felt like someone had given me a gift; I really, really got into an Iowa basketball game again, something that used to happen 30 some odd times a year.
I'm ticked they didn't win, but not ticked off at them. I applaud their efforts.
There isn't another team in the Big Ten that has played as hard as Iowa over the past eight days. None of them.
Sure, Ohio State might not have to play at 100 percent effort to win games, but most teams in the league do and Iowa has left it all on the court. If you are a Hawkeye fan, that has to make you proud and it certainly makes me feel very, very good about the future of this program.
Iowa really could have used this win, but it was not meant to be. They have had a few moral victories this year, but they are tired of that garbage. To be honest, as hard as they are playing right now and as competitive as they have been, there will be no more talk of moral victories coming from me. I think the program has progressed beyond that point, thankfully.
Now, when they lose close games, we get mad again because we care again.
In a way, the end of this season has a chance to be like the end of the 2000 Iowa football season. The Hawks went 4-19 during Kirk Ferentz's first two seasons, but they finished the 2000 season winning two of three, including wins at Penn State and home against a ranked Northwestern team. They lost their season finale at Minnesota when Bob Sanders and Benny Sapp went down to injuries, but they returned the next year to win seven games and their average margin of loss in the five games they did not win was less than six points on the average. Iowa won their bowl game and Kirk Ferentz announced 'The Hawks are back! Here we go!'
I will never forget that statement from Kirk, because I was on the field in the Alamodome in the post game celebration.
Iowa has six regular season games remaining and at least one game in the Big Ten tournament, their record is 10-14 (3-9). Right now, it feels a lot better than that. Right now, I'd like to start this Big Ten season over as opposed to wishing April would get here to put an end to it. That's the way I have felt in recent years, if I am going to be brutally honest.
Not now, now this year, not with this team and not with this coaching staff. I don't want it to end, because we are watching this team, this program, get exponentially better in front of our eyes, game to game and week to week.
It will be disappointing if Iowa doesn't win a few more games the rest of the way; they are capable of beating every team on their schedule. They won't, and there will probably be a few more ugly games before it's said and done; Iowa does have to play at Illinois and Michigan State, two snake pits.
However, this program is moving in the right direction and it's not just Hawkful thinking on my part. We can all see it. I can sense the optimism on the message boards, on twitter, in chats...all throughout Hawkeye Nation.
Damn, it feels good to be mad again.
STATS: Wisconsin had 12 offensive rebounds in the first half, but had zero second chance points. The Badgers scored buckets on their first three offensive rebounds in the second half. They finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds and just seven second chance points....Iowa outscored Wisconsin 32-22 in the paint...Iowa had just 10 turnovers, two in the second half. Wisconsin had just 8 turnovers, two in the second half...Wisconsin made 6 of 7 free throw attempts, Iowa was 8 of 9...Iowa was just 1 of 7 on three point attempts, Wisconsin was 8 of 29.
That last stat speaks to Iowa's defensive effort. They were determined to take Jordan Taylor out of the game, the fine Badger point guard, and they did that in the first half as he was held scoreless. He got off for 16 in the second half, but he had to work incredibly hard. Forward Jon Leuer was harassed every time he caught the ball on the block which led to a 8 of 20 shooting performance...
Four Iowa players scored in double figures, led by Bryce Cartwright's 14. Melsahn Basabe had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Jarryd Cole and Matt Gatens scored 10 apiece, Cole recording 12 rebounds.
12,093 fans were in attendance and they were heard from.
Next up for Iowa is another home game, Sunday against Minnesota. Tipoff is set for 5:05pm
On Wednesday night, that slogan took on a new meaning for me.
I am mad again. OK, I am not mad at Iowa because they lost 62-59 to #14 Wisconsin in overtime in Iowa City.
I am disappointed. The fan in me hurts. The fan in me wanted that win so badly, it hurts. The fan in me wanted to feel the rush of euphoria that would have come from beating a ranked team at home, from winning its third straight Big Ten game for the first time in four years.
It was not to be...but the emotions returned.
Watching the game in my man cave, I was standing up on shot attempts and fist pumping when they went in. My emotions were back related to Iowa basketball, and I cannot tell you the last time I could say that. I cannot tell you the last time I was so emotionally involved in a game.
By the sound of the Carver Hawkeye Arena crowd blaring on my surround sound, they were plugged in, too.
During the second half of that game, I felt like I had found something I had been looking for. I felt like someone had given me a gift; I really, really got into an Iowa basketball game again, something that used to happen 30 some odd times a year.
I'm ticked they didn't win, but not ticked off at them. I applaud their efforts.
There isn't another team in the Big Ten that has played as hard as Iowa over the past eight days. None of them.
Sure, Ohio State might not have to play at 100 percent effort to win games, but most teams in the league do and Iowa has left it all on the court. If you are a Hawkeye fan, that has to make you proud and it certainly makes me feel very, very good about the future of this program.
Iowa really could have used this win, but it was not meant to be. They have had a few moral victories this year, but they are tired of that garbage. To be honest, as hard as they are playing right now and as competitive as they have been, there will be no more talk of moral victories coming from me. I think the program has progressed beyond that point, thankfully.
Now, when they lose close games, we get mad again because we care again.
In a way, the end of this season has a chance to be like the end of the 2000 Iowa football season. The Hawks went 4-19 during Kirk Ferentz's first two seasons, but they finished the 2000 season winning two of three, including wins at Penn State and home against a ranked Northwestern team. They lost their season finale at Minnesota when Bob Sanders and Benny Sapp went down to injuries, but they returned the next year to win seven games and their average margin of loss in the five games they did not win was less than six points on the average. Iowa won their bowl game and Kirk Ferentz announced 'The Hawks are back! Here we go!'
I will never forget that statement from Kirk, because I was on the field in the Alamodome in the post game celebration.
Iowa has six regular season games remaining and at least one game in the Big Ten tournament, their record is 10-14 (3-9). Right now, it feels a lot better than that. Right now, I'd like to start this Big Ten season over as opposed to wishing April would get here to put an end to it. That's the way I have felt in recent years, if I am going to be brutally honest.
Not now, now this year, not with this team and not with this coaching staff. I don't want it to end, because we are watching this team, this program, get exponentially better in front of our eyes, game to game and week to week.
It will be disappointing if Iowa doesn't win a few more games the rest of the way; they are capable of beating every team on their schedule. They won't, and there will probably be a few more ugly games before it's said and done; Iowa does have to play at Illinois and Michigan State, two snake pits.
However, this program is moving in the right direction and it's not just Hawkful thinking on my part. We can all see it. I can sense the optimism on the message boards, on twitter, in chats...all throughout Hawkeye Nation.
Damn, it feels good to be mad again.
STATS: Wisconsin had 12 offensive rebounds in the first half, but had zero second chance points. The Badgers scored buckets on their first three offensive rebounds in the second half. They finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds and just seven second chance points....Iowa outscored Wisconsin 32-22 in the paint...Iowa had just 10 turnovers, two in the second half. Wisconsin had just 8 turnovers, two in the second half...Wisconsin made 6 of 7 free throw attempts, Iowa was 8 of 9...Iowa was just 1 of 7 on three point attempts, Wisconsin was 8 of 29.
That last stat speaks to Iowa's defensive effort. They were determined to take Jordan Taylor out of the game, the fine Badger point guard, and they did that in the first half as he was held scoreless. He got off for 16 in the second half, but he had to work incredibly hard. Forward Jon Leuer was harassed every time he caught the ball on the block which led to a 8 of 20 shooting performance...
Four Iowa players scored in double figures, led by Bryce Cartwright's 14. Melsahn Basabe had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Jarryd Cole and Matt Gatens scored 10 apiece, Cole recording 12 rebounds.
12,093 fans were in attendance and they were heard from.
Next up for Iowa is another home game, Sunday against Minnesota. Tipoff is set for 5:05pm
