Remember when a game day experience was fun win or lose?

[DesMoinesHawki]

Gave up my season tickets last year (after having them for 10 years). For me, it is the product on the field. When Iowa was competitive ... Kinnick was an intimating place to play. When a horrible ISU team came in and beat us in 2012 ... when Central Michigan SHOULD have beat us last season ... When Northern Illinois did beat us ... Well, what fun is that? Sure, it was fun setting up my tailgate tent, flag pole, grill ... all of that ... But ultimately, it was just part of the show. The other part was the game. The excitement of seeing us being competitive. Winning games ... Fans going crazy ... No longer could justify driving over to Iowa City just to tailgate. It's the product on the field, folks. Plain and simple.

 

[Payton34Mase13]

Holy crap y'all....I am ALL about the winning!!! I'm just talking about how KF, the U of I, and the Barney Fife's have combined to suck ALL the life and fun out of the program and game day experience. Winning at the highest level should be Job #1....I thought that went without saying.

What sucks the fun out is reaching a level of expectation. The 1977 team had 15 years of losing under its collective belt and Hawkeye fans were happy with being competitive (or upsetting ISU on this day). The current fan has never had to deal with that, save for 1998-2000. Three isn't fifteen.

It is truly a double-edged sword...we all want winning, but that has brought expectations and entitlement. That fan base didn't have the same frame of reference as this one. I guarantee that if we go through 2030 with no winning seasons, the atmosphere would be fun because acceptance will have set in. At this point, many expect more because we are convinced the program can achieve more. When those expectations fall short, it isn't fun, be it at the stadium or in supporting the program.

 

[taffaej]

No, me either....too long ago. But look at these people having the time of their lives watching a bad Iowa team....at 3:08, the lady in her late 50's waving the bota would be clubbed to death at Kinnick these days....and then charged with three (3) felonies. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXAZObj9Qqg

that's because back then, there where no cell phones, there was no fancy score boards and there was no nazi police to keep you from drinking. oh yeah I forgot to mention back then you didn't get penalized for plowing the qb into the ground.

 

[HobbieHawk]

It's still fun, minus the big, mouth breathing, know it all, ref booing, fatty I have to set next to.

You're no peach either, MHA

 

[doughudd]

No, me either....too long ago. But look at these people having the time of their lives watching a bad Iowa team....at 3:08, the lady in her late 50's waving the bota would be clubbed to death at Kinnick these days....and then charged with three (3) felonies. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXAZObj9Qqg

So you are inferring that I could bring a six pack of beer or bota into any other Big Ten stadium and have no problem with security.

 

[Seth53]

I don't recall losing ever being fun!!

When I was a student at Iowa (78-82), the first 3 years was fun, as we the student fanbase had not illusions about winning alot.

The bota's went one way, the weird smelling wacky-tobaccy the other. Kegs in the parking lot. No security outside.

It was fun. A party. An event. Winning was the cherry on top. No expectations really.

For better or worse, HF certainly changed all of that.