Steve's Comments this AM

[jchromes]

When the team becomes relevant, people will begin to care again. I don't think that is being a bandwagon fan and I think you can be diehard without watching or attending every game. I don't think Iowa basketball fans are lost forever, they are still there but they aren't scheduling their days around the team. Its cliche, but Iowan, "if you build it, they will come." We will all be skeptical and negative until proven otherwise, please don't make us wait too long!

I just don't really see the problem with expecting the team to be good. Is Iowa fan support unconditional, if so when did that happen? The team is going to need an 'us against the world' mentality, they are going to have to go it alone and not ask for a pat on the back or congratulations. We won't make them go the whole way alone but we expect it to start with them, for them to pick themselves up and improve...and win.

I'm not waiting for 25 wins, but I am expecting to beat the other Iowa schools, most of the non-conf. and most of the home B10 games. Go Hawks!

 

[GhostofBTT]

Poor analogy, Ghost. People have to be employed, and they care about whether they're employed. They complain about their bosses because they have to be there and the boss makes it harder, in their minds. (Or in many cases, they complain about the boss because the job is so mind-numbingly boring that they need something work-related to keep them interested, even if it is negative.)

In contrast, no one has to come to a message board like this. They're here, with the exceptions I cited, because they care about Iowa basketball. It's absurd to suggest that "caring" can only be defined by attending games. Being ****** off is part of "caring." Haven't you ever been in a relationship? ;-)

Since this is not Futurama, we are not assigned jobs for life. In America, the labor force is free to move around, and chose a position which is the best fit for them. Your notion is just plain silly.

Caring certainly isn't defined by attending games, but it is expressed by attending games. People keep making the argument that "I live in So and So and it takes me hours to get to the game, I would go if I could". This argument is horrible. There has not been a recent diaspora out of the Eastern Iowa area, so the fans are still there. They just are not coming.

I

 

[tm3308]

As Ghost said, caring isn't defined by attendance, but attendance is a way to express it. I'm a current sophomore at UI, and I don't even sit in the student section anymore because it's pathetic. Not many people there, and the ones that are there don't do too much to get excited. Even in close games, they prefer to just heckle opponents and officials rather than help pick up the Hawks. Now I'm cool with heckling, I was certainly guilty of it in high school. But when that's all you do, that's pretty sad. Plus, I can sit just about anywhere I want. But the Illinois game really highlighted the problem. The student section the Illini brought with them was bigger than ours, and the Illinois fans in general were FAR louder than we ever got at any point in the game. And that was a tight ball game! On our home floor! We have no home court advantage. That comes down to fans. Home court advantage is not defined by heckling the other team. It's when the crowd can pick up the home team when they need it. We're too reactionary, waiting for the team to pick US up, when it should be the other way around.

The other thing I get ruffled about is when older fans talk about a rebuilding effort that's taking too long. If you've been a fan of Iowa Basketball since the days of Lute, what in the hell do you know about rebuilding efforts? You've never SEEN one in Iowa Basketball until the past 5 years or so. Expecting things to be totally turned around by Year 3 is ridiculous, especially considering that we aren't Kansas or UNC. At a place like Iowa, and the way Alford left it, Years 4 and 5 are when you should expect to see the turnaround showing in the win column. I fully believe and expect us to be better next year, 15-20 wins. And I believe that the NIT is certainly a reachable goal. In 2011-2012, I think we'll be able to make a serious run for the NCAA tourney.

 

[DuffMan]

Since this is not Futurama, we are not assigned jobs for life. In America, the labor force is free to move around, and chose a position which is the best fit for them. Your notion is just plain silly.

Caring certainly isn't defined by attending games, but it is expressed by attending games. People keep making the argument that "I live in So and So and it takes me hours to get to the game, I would go if I could". This argument is horrible. There has not been a recent diaspora out of the Eastern Iowa area, so the fans are still there. They just are not coming.

I

I've never seen an episode of Futurama. I know they have that a robot in it... and a sexy one eyed cyclops-lady... do they got any... ahhh... do they got any robot sex goin on on that thing?

 

[FreddyBrown]

Since this is not Futurama, we are not assigned jobs for life. In America, the labor force is free to move around, and chose a position which is the best fit for them. Your notion is just plain silly.

Caring certainly isn't defined by attending games, but it is expressed by attending games. People keep making the argument that "I live in So and So and it takes me hours to get to the game, I would go if I could". This argument is horrible. There has not been a recent diaspora out of the Eastern Iowa area, so the fans are still there. They just are not coming.

"The labor force is free to move around?" What decade and what country do you live in? If it's the United States in 2010, how could it have escaped your attention that job mobility is no longer a reality for a large percentage of Americans?

As for how "caring" is "expressed," there are many different ways it can be expressed, both in basketball fandom and life in general. You know, I'm starting to wonder if that "your mother's basement" thing wasn't pretty close to the mark with you. ;-)

 

[ShadasRevenge]

"The labor force is free to move around?" What decade and what country do you live in? If it's the United States in 2010, how could it have escaped your attention that job mobility is no longer a reality for a large percentage of Americans?

As for how "caring" is "expressed," there are many different ways it can be expressed, both in basketball fandom and life in general. You know, I'm starting to wonder if that "your mother's basement" thing wasn't pretty close to the mark with you. ;-)

Please expand on this statement.

 

[Hooper]

Well, the sad truth is that a lot of people HAVE stopped caring. But as far as saying "no one cares", that is stupid. I don't know if Deace has ever been inside CHA. The people who attend the games as I do seem to be pretty passionate about the Hawks. I sit near a lady who had hip replacement surgery at the beginning of the season yet she still struggles to attend every game....no easy task with the snow and ice. I would say she is pretty passionate. For Deace to make a blanket statement simply shows his ignorance.

 

[rdubbs]

Of course the fans don't care. Who would be foolish enough not to notice the fans don't care?

I started the season not caring, then I started to care a little, but now I don't care again. And don't try to use the argument that people care because people are posting on this board. This board has become a troll hive. No one talks about Iowa basketball here, they just ***** about the coach. That is not caring.

How exactly should fans "care" than?

 

[GhostofBTT]

"The labor force is free to move around?" What decade and what country do you live in? If it's the United States in 2010, how could it have escaped your attention that job mobility is no longer a reality for a large percentage of Americans?

As for how "caring" is "expressed," there are many different ways it can be expressed, both in basketball fandom and life in general. You know, I'm starting to wonder if that "your mother's basement" thing wasn't pretty close to the mark with you. ;-)

Your first paragraph is going to a very bad, very stupid place, that I have no interest in going.

However, you are correct that caring is expressed in a variety of ways, and complaining on the internet is not one of them. If you care about politics, expressing that is through voting, supporting canidates, or running yourself...not complaining on the internet. If you care about music, you go to shows, buy CDs, and learn to play...you don't complain about music you hate. If you are a religious person, you express your faith through going to a house of worship, participating in that HOP's community activities, and donating money to it...you don't go online and bad mouth other religions.

 

[JHHawk]

As Ghost said, caring isn't defined by attendance, but attendance is a way to express it. I'm a current sophomore at UI, and I don't even sit in the student section anymore because it's pathetic. Not many people there, and the ones that are there don't do too much to get excited. Even in close games, they prefer to just heckle opponents and officials rather than help pick up the Hawks. Now I'm cool with heckling, I was certainly guilty of it in high school. But when that's all you do, that's pretty sad. Plus, I can sit just about anywhere I want. But the Illinois game really highlighted the problem. The student section the Illini brought with them was bigger than ours, and the Illinois fans in general were FAR louder than we ever got at any point in the game. And that was a tight ball game! On our home floor! We have no home court advantage. That comes down to fans. Home court advantage is not defined by heckling the other team. It's when the crowd can pick up the home team when they need it. We're too reactionary, waiting for the team to pick US up, when it should be the other way around.

The other thing I get ruffled about is when older fans talk about a rebuilding effort that's taking too long. If you've been a fan of Iowa Basketball since the days of Lute, what in the hell do you know about rebuilding efforts? You've never SEEN one in Iowa Basketball until the past 5 years or so. Expecting things to be totally turned around by Year 3 is ridiculous, especially considering that we aren't Kansas or UNC. At a place like Iowa, and the way Alford left it, Years 4 and 5 are when you should expect to see the turnaround showing in the win column. I fully believe and expect us to be better next year, 15-20 wins. And I believe that the NIT is certainly a reachable goal. In 2011-2012, I think we'll be able to make a serious run for the NCAA tourney.

With all due respect, what do you know about going thru a rebuilding process? Older fans like myself remember the Dick Schultz era,and the Lute Olson years...that was a re-building process... since then we have had a losing season here or there,but not a prolonged drought like we are experiencing now....as is evidenced by the historical precedence for this type of three year run being the 1930's....and no, I was not here for that era.

How did Lute finally turn it around? He found the savior at Dunbar HS in chicago, and Ronnie teamed with Sky King and brought the program back from the abyss. Most of us are waiting for Lick to find his ''Ronnie'' but continue to wonder if he ever will. Krafiscin,Kevin Boyle,and Kenny Arnold all came out of chicago to help Ronnie lead us to the promised land..Lute found the talent and kept going back to that well...

The Iowa program was built on exciting players going back to the 50's with Carl Cain and co.,then in the 60's with Chris Pervall, George Peoples , Super Sam Williams,Johnny Johnson,Freddy Brown...then the late 70's with Ronnie and co..then the 80's with Stokes,Marble,Armstrong,Horton...90's with Andre Woolridge, Chris Street,Ricky Davis ,Deano, and the 00's with Reggie Evans,Recker, Jeff horner,Bru,DT,Adam,Tyler Smith...and ? ...Eric May..hopefully,...point is, most of those guys came from out of state and we need a coach who can attract that kind of talent to Iowa...and the jury is out on that.

 

[NewMexHawk]

Deace is incorrect. I lived in IC for almost 20 years and have a lot of friends from there and where I grew up in eastern Iowa. Many no longer watch Iowa bb or if they do they just watch the game with little reaction or just shake their heads.

Years ago when Iowa played real bb and was relevant, I can remember getting together in groups and people yelling and cheering during a game just like during football games. We wouldn't think of missing a bb game. Or we had season tickets or had problems getting season tickets or had split season tickets but we would never think about missing a game.

There is a difference between not caring and apathy. Lickliter has increased the apathy 10 fold...Iowa fans just do not care about Iowa bb right now and a lot of it is Lickliter and his brand of BB.

Barta just has no clue. He thinks if Iowa begins winning everything will be hunky dory and I don't think that is the case at all. Many people have watched Lickliter's brand of bb and are completely turned off by it.

Plus he has now turned into the WORST coach in Iowa's history and is about to have the worst record in Iowa's history. Fans are not going to just flock back to Lickliter and forgive him for what he has done to Iowa bb, nor will they forgive Barta if he doesn't do something about it in short order.

Fans might not be going to games but they ARE paying attention to what is happening in Iowa City and they are angry at Lickliter and Barta. Lickliter had better turn this program around fast and I mean fast or he and Barta or going to feel the bite of the dog in short order and I think they are going to be very surprised at how hard that dog can bite and how angry that dog can REALLY get because Iowa fans are not going to stand for this much longer.

Lickliter and Barta can make all the platitudes they want and tell Iowa fans all they want about the solid foundation and how we have turned the corner but when fans see a 23 loss season all they see is the record for the last three seasons and the water is starting to boil for Lickliter and Barta.

Fans care more than people might think...

 

[DDThompson]

I'm kinda between casual and die-hard on the BB fan-o-meter. I don't watch many games on tv and when I do it's usually during commercials of "Cake Boss" or "Hannah Montana". Iowa BB was once must-see tv. Not anymore.

I find it ironic that people are now putting the bar of success: 20+ win seasons, an NCAA birth 3 out of 4 years and a Sweet 16 1 out of 4 years.

Is Tom Davis starring in the remake of Back To The Future?

I find a more interesting comment that this one by Deace the comment he made the other day about Wisconsin fans getting restless about not reaching the next level -- ya' know, kinda like Iowa fans 15 years ago.

"Dude, your Wisconsin. How was your program doing before I got hired." Shouldn't the same thing be said for Iowa BB? The program is never going to be on the level of the elite programs although Iowa might be able to have an elite team every 10 years or so.

* * * * *

Is there a curse on Iowa for the maltreatment of Tom Davis by Iowa Fan?

 

[joemc1]

I've followed Iowa BB since the 50's. For the almost all of that period(other than a few Sharm/ Schultz years); the program has always been relevant until the last 3 years. Even Alford kept us relevant despite being mediocre because of the B10 tornament wins and his status as a famous player. Right now; we have fallen off the map. When is the last time Iowa has been mentioned by a recruit that the big programs are after? When have we last played on a CBS national game? Hell, we hardly even play on ESPN anymore. It's easy to see why a lot of fans have last interest, we've become a Studebaker.

 

[FreddyBrown]

Is there a curse on Iowa for the maltreatment of Tom Davis by some Iowa Fans and one moron of an AD?

As corrected above, yes.

 

[SayHawkKid]

If Steve is looking at it as a business, and the fans are not spending $ on the product, then yes, he probably is right. I wouldn't say our program has reached the point where fans flat out do not care though.

Steve always looks at it as a business and it is easy to agree with him that the empty seats speak volumes. The much more intriguing question is "does Lick have what it takes to bring this program through it's darkest hour and start winning on a more regular basis". Steve's answer to that is "Lick has a less than 10% chance of succeeding".

That is where he is wrong.

 

[JoeHawki]

Personally i think even though the team basically is not a good, the fans should still go and support their team. I am not, always have been, ans always will be a DIEHARD fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes! I was born into being a hawkeye back in the late 50's rose bowl years. Born in iowa city, while my father was as tudent at iowa ans we went to games in all sports. suffered through some lean years, got to celebrate some wonderful years. But all and all i support the men and women who chose to be hawkeyes and put on the black and gold. Our current team is nothing to cheer about, this is true. but these men are out there fighting hard every game. giving it everything they have. this year they have come up short. in a year or two they will hopefully come out on top.

I guess i just don't understand turning the backs on these guys.

 

[DesMoinesHawki]

Deace is incorrect. I lived in IC for almost 20 years and have a lot of friends from there and where I grew up in eastern Iowa. Many no longer watch Iowa bb or if they do they just watch the game with little reaction or just shake their heads.

Years ago when Iowa played real bb and was relevant, I can remember getting together in groups and people yelling and cheering during a game just like during football games. We wouldn't think of missing a bb game. Or we had season tickets or had problems getting season tickets or had split season tickets but we would never think about missing a game.

There is a difference between not caring and apathy. Lickliter has increased the apathy 10 fold...Iowa fans just do not care about Iowa bb right now and a lot of it is Lickliter and his brand of BB.

Barta just has no clue. He thinks if Iowa begins winning everything will be hunky dory and I don't think that is the case at all. Many people have watched Lickliter's brand of bb and are completely turned off by it.

Plus he has now turned into the WORST coach in Iowa's history and is about to have the worst record in Iowa's history. Fans are not going to just flock back to Lickliter and forgive him for what he has done to Iowa bb, nor will they forgive Barta if he doesn't do something about it in short order.

Fans might not be going to games but they ARE paying attention to what is happening in Iowa City and they are angry at Lickliter and Barta. Lickliter had better turn this program around fast and I mean fast or he and Barta or going to feel the bite of the dog in short order and I think they are going to be very surprised at how hard that dog can bite and how angry that dog can REALLY get because Iowa fans are not going to stand for this much longer.

Lickliter and Barta can make all the platitudes they want and tell Iowa fans all they want about the solid foundation and how we have turned the corner but when fans see a 23 loss season all they see is the record for the last three seasons and the water is starting to boil for Lickliter and Barta.

Fans care more than people might think...

Very well said ... Very well said

 

[bws258]

I care ... but I also forgot that we even had a game last Sunday ... that give a good indication of where I'm at right now