Proof of a lost generation of Iowa basketball fans

HawkeyeRyno

HawkeyeRyno

Banned
Today my 7th and 8th grade students when I asked them about Iowa basketball they either say "They suck", "Never seem them play", "Don't care" or "Who?" Even some have told me they would rather play for any team in the Big Ten other than Iowa - this included some that said Indiana as well as Northwestern!! And one even said...New Mexico. These kids are at the age where athletics start to become very important to them and are the future of college programs. This was very disturbing to hear. When junior high kids say they "don't care"...they REALLY don't care!
 
My 11 year old son could care less about Iowa hoops. He doesn't know the joy of Selection Sunday and playing in the NCAA tourney. I took him to two games at Carver this year and while it's always fun to have father/son time, the games were boring as hell.
 
But how many of them are even sports fans?

I agree that were losing a generation of fans, but using a small sample of 7th and 8th graders who might not even be basketball fans isn't that telling.

If you asked kids in that same grade, who were actual basketball fans, they might give you a different answer. My guess is some of those kids don't know a darn thing about sports.

Just sayin
 
iowahawkeyes89 said:
But how many of them are even sports fans?

I agree that were losing a generation of fans, but using a small sample of 7th and 8th graders who might not even be basketball fans isn't that telling.

If you asked kids in that same grade, who were actual basketball fans, they might give you a different answer. My guess is some of those kids don't know a darn thing about sports.

Just sayin
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When I was that age every friend I had wore an Iowa windbreaker and we lived and breathed hawkeye basketball and football. We went to dual meets too.
 
My daughter loved going to games with me during the Alford era. I mean...she loved going to the games for more than just the ice cream cones(which she says is the only good thing about going now).

I feel so bad for her. She has never had the chance to really experience Iowa basketball the way I experienced it growing up.

And for those of you who are thinking..."Well, it's just an 11 year old girl", keep in mind this is a kid who watches basketball constantly and who has won our NCAA March Madness Pool the last two years(with over 30 participants each time). And she would rather watch games at home on ESPN where she can watch entertaining basketball than suffer through the boring, mediocre style of Lick.

I really wonder how much longer I can keep her a Hawkeye fan. She doesn't like football or wrestling. And she asked for a Kentucky or Syracuse sweatshirt for Christmas and never misses them when they are playing. Breaks my heart a little. But I can't blame her.
 
Times do change. When I was in grade school,the Hawks bb games on the radio were ritual stuff for my brother and I...if it was warm enough,we were out shooting hoops during the games with the radio up loud. If it was cold,we were in the house shooting wadded up taped newpapers at a cottage cheese container taped on the wall,going one on one, listening to the games over my mom's objections about wrecking the house. Chris Pervall, George Peoples, Super Sam Williams, JJ,Freddy Brown....I loved those guys. I wanted to be those guys....sadly, that era has past. Zabel was part of it,also...loved ole zipper-mouth.
 
While watching the game last night and with me yelling at the tv, my 6 year old tells me "Daddy the Hawks just aren't very good, but I still like them better than the Cyclones because they are icky" and I had to agree with her. So not all hope is lost for future generations yet.
 
JonDMiller said:
When I was that age every friend I had wore an Iowa windbreaker and we lived and breathed hawkeye basketball and football. We went to dual meets too.
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Same thing here Jon. It was a different generation than yours...:D. But now I don't see much of it beside football. All I wear to practice and the gym is Iowa gear but am ashamed to wear by basketball shirts. BTW, I coach these kids (approx 50-60) junior high boys. So they ARE interested in basketball...just not Iowa like many used to be.
 
JonDMiller said:
When I was that age every friend I had wore an Iowa windbreaker and we lived and breathed hawkeye basketball and football. We went to dual meets too.
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I don't mean this in a mean way at all, but I think theres a lot more to do other then Iowa athletics now a days that kid will turn to if Iowa's not winning. Theres just a lot more available as far as technology and things of that nature.

Kids weren't on Facebook/Aim, they didn't have Xbox or other alternatives.

I think it has more to do with how things have changed in society, then it does kids actually disliking Iowa athletics.

Like you, when I was in middle school, my friends and I were all big Hawkeye fans and went to many games.
 
JHHawk said:
Times do change. When I was in grade school,the Hawks bb games on the radio were ritual stuff for my brother and I...if it was warm enough,we were out shooting hoops during the games with the radio up loud. If it was cold,we were in the house shooting wadded up taped newpapers at a cottage cheese container taped on the wall,going one on one, listening to the games over my mom's objections about wrecking the house. Chris Pervall, George Peoples, Super Sam Williams, JJ,Freddy Brown....I loved those guys. I wanted to be those guys....sadly, that era has past. Zabel was part of it,also...loved ole zipper-mouth.
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Ahh yes....you are talking to me. I used to keep a box score while listening to Ron Gonder..Chris Perval, George Peeples, Sam Williams, Stick, Freddy, Calabria. Great memories since then over the years. Many teams, some better than others but always knew who, when and where they were playing. Anticipated the game all day and looked forward to watching my Hawks. And now, if its on and nothing else to do, ok...I'll watch. Last night I turned it off at half...saw enough. Couldn't watch the Wiscy players and fans openly laughing at my Hawks....a lost generation indeed.
 
I guarantee my son doesn't have any problem wearing his Stanzi jersey 2 to 3 times a week. He loves Hawkeye football. Apathy has set in for hoops even with the school aged kids.
 
JHHawk said:
Times do change. When I was in grade school,the Hawks bb games on the radio were ritual stuff for my brother and I...if it was warm enough,we were out shooting hoops during the games with the radio up loud. If it was cold,we were in the house shooting wadded up taped newpapers at a cottage cheese container taped on the wall,going one on one, listening to the games over my mom's objections about wrecking the house. Chris Pervall, George Peoples, Super Sam Williams, JJ,Freddy Brown....I loved those guys. I wanted to be those guys....sadly, that era has past. Zabel was part of it,also...loved ole zipper-mouth.
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Wadded up paper and a cottage cheese container? Wow, you needed to talk your parents into buying you an actual Nerf Hoop. :D It had a metal bracket on the back of the hoop and it was designed to fit on the top of a bedroom door. I had one of those, and played it to death with my brother. Best invention ever!!!

Ditto with me when I was a kid though. My family lived and breathed Hawkeye Basketball. Two things my parents would never EVER skip on - Church on Sundays, and Hawkeye basketball games. Every single game we would all be gathered around the t.v., or had the radio on in the rare event that the game wasn't televised. We were all so passionate about the outcome of every game.
 
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djwoody98 said:
I guarantee my son doesn't have any problem wearing his Stanzi jersey 2 to 3 times a week. He loves Hawkeye football. Apathy has set in for hoops even with the school aged kids.
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Same in our house with our boys. It's all Iowa football, Iowa wrestling, ... and no Iowa basketball. They'll sit and watch almost any other college basketball game with me, but if I ever turn on an Iowa game, it is like I'm turning it to Oprah on them. They wear Hawkeye football jerseys without care, but wouldn't be caught dead wearing a basketball jersey.

The excuse of "kids now-a-days" just are not interested is not true. For those of us who are around them much of our lives, we know it is Iowa basketball specifically and it is because it is absolutely boring. Kids have an incredible sense for the value of their time. It's boring and they move on to other things. Why that is so difficult for (one of you) to believe, is beyond me. We don't have to be the ignore all facts, ferociously defend Iowa basketball by blaming fan apathy on "signs of the times".
 
iowahawkeyes89 said:
But how many of them are even sports fans?

I agree that were losing a generation of fans, but using a small sample of 7th and 8th graders who might not even be basketball fans isn't that telling.

If you asked kids in that same grade, who were actual basketball fans, they might give you a different answer. My guess is some of those kids don't know a darn thing about sports.

Just sayin
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I think that "small sample" says it all and is exactly why Iowa should be concerned. People need to remember ... Presidents and athletic directors come and go ... As do coaches and players ... But, the University of Iowa will still be here ... Just like it was 100 years ago, and 100 years from now ... Why shouldn't Barta be placed on the same chopping block as Lick? If he allows this debacle to continue ...
 
iowahawkeyes89 said:
But how many of them are even sports fans?

I agree that were losing a generation of fans, but using a small sample of 7th and 8th graders who might not even be basketball fans isn't that telling.

If you asked kids in that same grade, who were actual basketball fans, they might give you a different answer. My guess is some of those kids don't know a darn thing about sports.

Just sayin
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I agree. If it's not on their Nintendo or Wii box of XBox360 (or now online), or they can't get it on their "smart" phones, they don't give a damn. Perhaps we need to ask EA Sports to include Iowa on their next release of NCAA basketball.
 
Those kids are watching The MTV shows and listening to the Heavy Metal and the Hippity Hop. Why can't they focus on what's important?

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What does Iowa do to reach out to the kids in the state though?

They might generate some interest by hosting mini-camps (1 day) in the major cities around the state like Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Ames, Burlington, Fort Dodge, Sioux City, and Mason City.

At least they would be out in the public connecting with the kids of Iowa. Trust me, these kinds of things leave an impression on a kid for a lifetime.
 
There are plenty of kids at Kinnick and plenty of kids that wear Iowa football gear.

It's not the generation. It's the losing. Just watch a UNI hoops game. Lots of kids in purple and gold going nuts.
 
I remember when I was a kid the days I looked forward to were the days we got tickets to watch Mr. Davis's Hawks play. We could only go to about 1 game a year but it was the highlight of my winter to be able to do that.
 
I was outside playing basketball with my 9 year old yesterday and he said he was "Evan Turner" and that I could be Lucas from MSU. Frankly, my heart sunk as I could remember being a kid and playing against my dad and always being Ronnie Lester.

When I told him I wanted to be Eric May instead, he just laughed and said you'll loose for sure. My 9 year old watches basketball games every night and can rattle off players that I've never heard of, but I can't get him to watch an Iowa basketball game for more than 5 minutes (example...he went upstairs to watch Duke vs Maryland last night, while I tried to endure the Iowa game).

Also, he wouldn't miss an Iowa football game to save his life. In my house, Lick has done a lot to ruin a generation of Hawkeye basketball fans and it saddens me that my son won't have the same memories of Iowa basketball that I once had.
 
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