Steven Sipple (Nebby Blogger) writes about Fry and Ferentz...

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

Steven M. Sipple: Fry saw winners in Ferentz, Pelini

For the most part it was a pretty good article until he decided to add his commentary at the end:

"Iowa, thanks in part to a friendly schedule, could challenge odds-on favorite Nebraska for the Big Ten Legends Division crown. Unlike NU and Michigan State, the Hawkeyes play neither Wisconsin nor Ohio State.

Is Ferentz loved by all Hawkeye followers? Probably not. Iowa hasn't won a Big Ten crown since 2004.

However, Iowa fans should count their blessings that they have a strong, nationally relevant football program at a time when Hawkeye hoops is foundering. If both major programs break down simultaneously, the entire athletic department might go into a tailspin.


So, Iowa fans, it never hurts to thank Fry. As the Hawkeyes' head coach, he breathed life back into a moribund program in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In doing so, he built a financial foundation that fuels the athletic department to this day."


I really have an issue with this part here. Where does a Nebby writer, who until 12 months ago probably didn't even know who the **** Ferentz and Fry are, get the gall to tell Hawk fans what we should be thankful for. To me, it sounds like just another overconfident Fusker fan that has their head buried too far up their ***.

 

[ShockRerun]

Sounded to me like someone educating his readers on a potential rivals history.
Are you saying your not thankful for Fry?

 

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

Sounded to me like someone educating his readers on a potential rivals history.
Are you saying your not thankful for Fry?

You can write an educating article and not make a backhanded comment in the process. Telling somebody they should be thankful for something sounds condescending to me.

 

[ShockRerun]

But he is saying be thankful for the man that built the program. Its an easy sentiment to get behind.

 

[hoffahawk]

I don't think it's that big of a deal, although I think if you ask 100 Iowa fans if they liked KF as our coach 99 of them would say yes.

 

[Hawkeye11en1]

We SHOULD be thankful for Fry. Who knows where the program would be without him.

 

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

But he is saying be thankful for the man that built the program. Its an easy sentiment to get behind.

I guess I am just reading it differently. I read it as a backhanded compliment from an outsider. I am totally grateful for everything that Fry built and without him we would more than likely just another small state team like ISU or Baylor.

 

[Hawkfromnorwalk]

I don't think it's that big of a deal, although I think if you ask 100 Iowa fans if they liked KF as our coach 99 of them would say yes.

That was another statement that kind of rubbed me wrong. Maybe if there was a poll after 2007 there would be a number of fans that were unhappy with Kirk, but overall, I rarely ever hear any Hawk fan that has something bad to say about him. Also, I understand that Iowa hasn't won the Big 10 since 2004, I would put the 2009 season on a pedestal just as high.

 

[HwkFn4Life]

We should be no more thankful for Fry and Ferentz then Nebby is for Osborne or Florida State is for Bowden, or Paterno for PSU, etc. etc. etc. Obviously were thankful, all were great coaches who did great things for there program. It wasn't like Iowa had never been successful prior to Fry. As far as the rivalry goes, I'm most thankful for Stev Pederson and Bill Calahan, who did more for us "anti-husker" fans than anyone else. Its a local husker blog, expect the backhand.

 

[kicker22]

Loved the kick in the nuts that he gave to the basketball program. I guess I missed the part where anyone from Nebraska has earned the right to take a cheap shot at our basketball program since they've such a power house in hoops.

Decent article, but definitely a few backhanded cheap shots taken.

 

[DwayneTwill]

You disagree with that? I don't think it's a slap at all.

 

[kicker22]

I definitely see a Nebraska/OSU rivalry developing regarding who has the most arrogant fan base in the big 10.

 

[ShockRerun]

I dont see these things as cheep shots or backhands, I see them as an outsider discussing a team with out a home team bias. Was the Bball very good last year? Was there something of a meltdown at the end of last season going into the off-season? Should Hawk fans all be thankful for Fry?
He is trying to Educate an unfamiliar fan base on a team they might not know. Just because he is not showering Iowa with complements doesn't make it a smear campaign.
People need to grow thicker skin, there is nothing wrong with this article other than it comes from west of the Missouri.

 

[kicker22]

I dont see these things as cheep shots or backhands, I see them as an outsider discussing a team with out a home team bias. Was the Bball very good last year? Was there something of a meltdown at the end of last season going into the off-season? Should Hawk fans all be thankful for Fry?
He is trying to Educate an unfamiliar fan base on a team they might not know. Just because he is not showering Iowa with complements doesn't make it a smear campaign.
People need to grow thicker skin, there is nothing wrong with this article other than it comes from west of the Missouri.

I get your point. My point is this, the article is about football and current and former football coaches. There's no need to bring up the struggling basketball program. I took it as a cheap shot, not something necessarily intentional, but something that was thrown into the article and really didn't have a need to be there.

 

[74Hunter]

I dont see these things as cheep shots or backhands, I see them as an outsider discussing a team with out a home team bias. Was the Bball very good last year? Was there something of a meltdown at the end of last season going into the off-season? Should Hawk fans all be thankful for Fry?
He is trying to Educate an unfamiliar fan base on a team they might not know. Just because he is not showering Iowa with complements doesn't make it a smear campaign.
People need to grow thicker skin, there is nothing wrong with this article other than it comes from west of the Missouri.

I agree. Some people just look and look for something to be offended and feel slighted by. Just because someone is not falling at your feet, it doesn't mean that they are taking shots at you. I believe that is called an inferiority complex.

Regarding the bolded, what is wrong with that?

I get your point. My point is this, the article is about football and current and former football coaches. There's no need to bring up the struggling basketball program. I took it as a cheap shot, not something necessarily intentional, but something that was thrown into the article and really didn't have a need to be there.

I don't see it as a cheap shot, rather heaping praise upon a football program that has solidified your entire athletic department financially.

If I remember correctly, Iowa used to have a very strong basketball program which was kind of its flagship program, am I correct? Recently it has struggled, which, without football, would make things difficult for the rest of the athletic department.

 

[ShockRerun]

Regarding the bolded, what is wrong with that?

Nothing, that is just why people are getting offended. I don't get it.

 

[Win5002]

I think its fair to point out scheduling differences when picking odds on favorites for a conference. I'm a Hawk fan and have pointed that out several times and others have also. The fact we get Indiana, Purdue & PSU instead of Illinois, OSU & Wisconsin is a huge advantage IMO.

I think your nitpicking to complain about Sipple on that one.

 

[kicker22]

I agree. Some people just look and look for something to be offended and feel slighted by. Just because someone is not falling at your feet, it doesn't mean that they are taking shots at you. I believe that is called an inferiority complex.

Regarding the bolded, what is wrong with that?


I don't see it as a cheap shot, rather heaping praise upon a football program that has solidified your entire athletic department financially.

If I remember correctly, Iowa used to have a very strong basketball program which was kind of its flagship program, am I correct? Recently it has struggled, which, without football, would make things difficult for the rest of the athletic department.

Point taken. I didn't really read it that way, but it does make sense. I guess I've accepted the fact that lately our basketball program has been a bit of a joke (rightfully so) at the national level and not necessarily defending them but the majority have been taking shots at them when the time was right.

 

[alexzelada]

I think if you ask 100 Iowa fans if they liked KF as our coach 99 of them would say yes.

What does that have to do with the article?