I've been in Dallas since 1986....as mentioned before, our Dallas Metroplex Iowa Club used to meet for Basketball watching from around 1985 until around 1998ish.....anyway, we would draw upward of 150-200 people....EVEN for the weeknite game. But we TOTALLY disbanded a couple years into Alfraud's campaign, and we have never banded back together for Basketball. Football watching is still going strong. I bet that I haven't watched 10 Iowa Basketball games from beginning to finish in the last 12-13 years. I am numb to the brand, numb to the poor coaching and the same repetitive shortcomings and mental mistakes, and numb to the type of un-athletic players that are thrown out onto the court and asked to try and pull off some "Hoosiers" movie miracle every year. If I didn't like Football so much, I can't swear that I'd be saying pretty much the same thing for it too. I guess my question is for those who have been out of state for a number of years...hell, or in state for that matter....has Iowa Basketball become a total afterthought for you as well?
Question for those living out of Iowa
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Motigerhawk
Well-Known Member
The Lickliter years were brutal and I didnt watch.
I got intot he last group, but they underperformed in my mind. I watched, but didnt set aside time. If something else was going on. I skipped the game.
This seasons group of players has me back. Im seeking out game times. I make sure I am home to watch. It is a real fun group of players. I suggest you watch them. In 2 years, this group, with the recruits comingin, is going to be very, very special.
I got intot he last group, but they underperformed in my mind. I watched, but didnt set aside time. If something else was going on. I skipped the game.
This seasons group of players has me back. Im seeking out game times. I make sure I am home to watch. It is a real fun group of players. I suggest you watch them. In 2 years, this group, with the recruits comingin, is going to be very, very special.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
During the LIck years for sure I dropped out. My ears perk up now and I pay attention, especially during conference.. But it's still not the same. I am not a Fran fan at all. I think he is a poor coach on fundamentals and embarrassing in behavior. Where I live there are quite a few IU fans and they are obnoxious. A few MSU fans and arrogant. Illinois fans have almost completely dropped off the table. I watch mostly just rib the others. At least Zero ISU fans.
Joshbrown
Well-Known Member
I still have enthusiasm for the brand. I enjoy the revenue sports and sometimes watch the non-revenue sports on BTN. But I'll let you in on a little secret. I've had several people private message me. 50/50 those agree and those who disagree with my thoughts. What's interesting to me is the guys who PM me who never post here. I ask them why and they all answer the same: (paraphrasing) "I've lost my enthusiasm."
I imagine it's two-fold. The product on the court/field has worn them down & the message board debates all have the same dick-waving flavor.
I imagine it's two-fold. The product on the court/field has worn them down & the message board debates all have the same dick-waving flavor.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
Some of it's kind of like timing. Sort of like Gates, Dell, and the Apple guy all being born near the same time. Those of us who teethed on Iowa football in the bad years got used to the attitude of Fry and Olson. Not every program goes through the Butler Way. But we aren't used to seeing a raving lunatic. Some of you guys teethed during Lick's ears and Fran is a god send or are ecstatic about KF turning 5 bad years around.
All of us hear have some sort of enthusiasm. There are generational differences based on age as well. Xers are used to no one being loyal and are more likely to be disgruntled with crap. Boomers are B and G no matter what...It's a big party. Millennials are OK with participation ribbons as long as it's fun and Kinnick is at least still fun. Not so sure about Carver. The old field house....that was a blast even behind girders.
Josh is kind of the class clown. It's easier to act up and get into trouble than deal with reality.
IndianaHawk
Well-Known Member
Alford years killed it for me. Especially living in Indiana the last 20 years and having IU golden boy alfraud at the helm. Fran has brought me back. He is doing a great job.
EstronHawk
Well-Known Member
We dropped our season tickets a few years ago. We now just get single game tickets for games. It's not hard being that there are so many empty seats inside Carver. This program tanked under Alford/Lickliter. Burns my blood seeing how well UCLA is doing this year under Alfraud. Fran has made the program better, but I am really getting tired of his temper outbursts. Watching the Purdue game last night was beyond frustrating, people at work today were talking about it and everyone said they turned the game off before the half. I have more Iowa wrestling shirts than I do Iowa b-ball shirts. Another thing that has hurt are these late tip offs because of the Big 10 network. Who wants to go to a game (especially out of towners) that tips off at around 8pm on a Tuesday night? I mean, last year we didn't even have a Saturday home game, that sucked!
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
I moved to FL in 2004 and being out of state had no impact at all on me. I grew up a Hawk fan and it's in my blood.
If I've backed off any, it's because I've resigned myself to the reality that it's a 99.999% likelihood that Iowa will never win a national title in football or hoops, so I've tried to become more of a casual fan. That doesn't mean I can't enjoy a good season or that I wouldn't get passionate about it if/when the Hawks are having a great year, but these days, there's only so much I feel like investing emotionally in a program that has no realistic chance of competing with the blue bloods at a program level.
It's just the way it is with college sports. Kinda sucks, but I've accepted that fact.
That doesn't mean I've stopped being a fan, just that I'm done wringing my hands over it.
All of this said, I personally feel that only one Sweet 16 appearance since 1988 is rather deplorable.. Iowa hoops has overall been a fairly lousy product since Mr. Davis was let go, mostly thanks to Alford and Lick. Fran's done a good job of making the teams competitive again but even a couple of his years that looked so promising saw really ugly February-March swoons. So although there have been some good moments, the past 16 years or so have generally been pretty tough to take.
If I've backed off any, it's because I've resigned myself to the reality that it's a 99.999% likelihood that Iowa will never win a national title in football or hoops, so I've tried to become more of a casual fan. That doesn't mean I can't enjoy a good season or that I wouldn't get passionate about it if/when the Hawks are having a great year, but these days, there's only so much I feel like investing emotionally in a program that has no realistic chance of competing with the blue bloods at a program level.
It's just the way it is with college sports. Kinda sucks, but I've accepted that fact.
That doesn't mean I've stopped being a fan, just that I'm done wringing my hands over it.
All of this said, I personally feel that only one Sweet 16 appearance since 1988 is rather deplorable.. Iowa hoops has overall been a fairly lousy product since Mr. Davis was let go, mostly thanks to Alford and Lick. Fran's done a good job of making the teams competitive again but even a couple of his years that looked so promising saw really ugly February-March swoons. So although there have been some good moments, the past 16 years or so have generally been pretty tough to take.
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1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
Great point.
I grew up in the 80's on Hayden football, and BJ-Roy-Eddie and the 1986-87 hoops team.. That's all a tough act to follow. When you get Alford and Lick post-millenium.. Ugh.
Fran has done a solid job but he has yet to deliver anything that Mr. Davis didn't do on an almost-yearly basis. So while I'm not jumping up and down about a 2nd round NCAA exit (I've seen my share of those), there are also those who don't remember Iowa's last Sweet 16 appearance. Just like I don't remember Iowa's last Final Four appearance or the last regular season Big 10 title (hoops).
So, I get it.
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tweeterhawk
Well-Known Member
I arrived at Iowa the same year as Lute Olson and it was easy to catch Hawkeye fever watching his teams with their success, including five straight NCAA appearances and a Final Four. Tickets to the Fieldhouse and later to Carver Hawkeye were damn hard to find. I continued watching virtually every game while I lived in the state through the Raveling and Davis years.
A move out of state took me away from Iowa basketball, and with new job and family pressures, and simply more available outdoor activities, I watched less basketball. The Alford and Lickliter eras made it easier to skip games and find other things to do.
Fran has got me a little more interested in the program. But it is not must-see TV for me, and I can't remember the last game I watched in its entirety.
Funny, I now live in Arizona where between local commercials, fundraising events and interviews I probably see more of Lute on the tube than I do Fran.
1977Hawkeye
Well-Known Member
That UNLV game is the one that sticks out to me the most, no doubt about it. But, I could deal with those kinds of "lows".. I don't mean losing games in that fashion, but being in position to even make a Final Four. Hawks haven't been close to a Final Four since.
For me, NWST in '06 may have been a new low - that was another crusher. That and the entire Lickliter era, of course.
Our Capital Area Iowa Club definitely had more of a basketball following in past years than it does now. But, I put the blame more so on the rise of BTN than a lack of enthusiasm. People just don't want to get in their cars on a weeknight to drive to a Pub when they can watch the game at home.
As for myself, I have always held Iowa basketball ALMOST on the same level as Iowa football. It was tough sledding during the Alfraud and Lickliter years, but Fran's teams have given me hope. They are fun to watch again and are competitive.
I'm still not sold on Fran's staff understanding defense can win games for teams with lesser talent, but he does bring passion to the table and his players seem to respect him. I also would like to see Iowa land a true PG at some point --- one that can not only get dribble penetration, but stop the other teams drives to the basket.
Overall, I am encouraged by the direction of the program.
As for myself, I have always held Iowa basketball ALMOST on the same level as Iowa football. It was tough sledding during the Alfraud and Lickliter years, but Fran's teams have given me hope. They are fun to watch again and are competitive.
I'm still not sold on Fran's staff understanding defense can win games for teams with lesser talent, but he does bring passion to the table and his players seem to respect him. I also would like to see Iowa land a true PG at some point --- one that can not only get dribble penetration, but stop the other teams drives to the basket.
Overall, I am encouraged by the direction of the program.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
Love Iowa Hoops probably slightly a bigger fan of basketball than football. Have been a big fan of both since the late 80's - What Fran has done with Iowa has me all in. 3 straight NCAA's is on par with what we used to be - he's brought in tremendous players and athletes - and I am sorry, he's had lesser teams and continually coaches above expectations... seems we hardly don't ever exceed where we're picked to finish.
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
Iowa has been a borderline top 25 team for the last 3 seasons - nothing lil ole Iowa about that.
tksirius
HN's Love Doctor
Whoosh!
InGoodCo
Well-Known Member
haha - i dunno what that means... IMO - the Iowa Basketball program is pretty healthy and convincing me other wise isn't gonna be easy. We're taking our lumps this season with a young team much like most other decent programs in the country go through. Iowa just went through it 4 years ago before a nice 3 year run.
