I guess some of you are just really positive people, no matter what. I didnt boo during the game, but if you are going to sit here and tell people how great you were and how you werent at all upset about the performance during the game, then congratulations to you. I only yelled one thing at halftime and that was "poor effort". I thought from my viewpoint and what I have come to see from Iowa, that the effort of the coaches and players in the first half was lacking. We had one good drive in that half and that was it. We gave up 21 points. It was very hard to be positive, as bad I wanted to be. I drove 4 hours to get to the game, and a lot people give up their entire Saturday and sometimes weekends to attend these games, and pay a lot in ticket prices, and parking and donations to get seats and whatnot. All they are asking for is a better effort, which they got in the 4th quarter.
And if you werent frustrated by the play calling in the first half, then again congratulations to you. Its human nature to be upset when Iowa's drives constantly were starting with a 2nd and 10 or 2nd and 12 with runs up the middle for loses. However, that play calling paid off in the 4th quarter like Jon said on his post-game radio show because the Indiana defense sold out on the run fakes leaving us opportunities for those huge pass plays. I thought for sure that McNutt's TD was going to be a run to the left. So did Indiana.
It was also hard for fans to see the other invisible opponent going against us in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, the wind. It was not windy at my seat on the west side. So when we see Stanzi underthrowing the ball on passes to DJK, it was hard to know if the pass was underthrown, or if the wind took it. Obviously the wind was a huge factor, as Chappell found out in the 4th quarter.
I also think the fans are just ready for a dominating win, from start to finish. We have not had one all year and usually have by now, and just are really thirsty for one. I think that is part of the frustration some fans were feeling. We know we are capable of doing that, its just a matter of time. I think a lot of people were hoping that was the game it happened, and it didnt. Perhaps its the fans wanting to show the nation some justification of why we belong at #4, because all they hear and read is that Iowa is lucky and just skating by. Maybe we as fans should take a page out of the players playbook and just not care what people say and keep winning along with our team and enjoying it.
Lets hope both the players and coaches, and the fans are ready to go Saturday morning for the huge game against NW, to get us to 10-0. That would be a thing of beauty, no matter how ugly the game is.
