TCU, Boise St and Iowa?

[MelroseHawkins]

Not that I really care anymore about the lack of respect this team is getting from the media but made me wonder when I compare to previous years. What is it about Iowa? Usually, people including media hop on the underdog card and support or like to see those teams crash the party, per se. Why such a disdain for Iowa? I go back to when Boise St made their run and now TCU (who is just a few years from mid major status), how come they were embraced so much by opposing fans and media? What is the difference?

To me, it's just odd that other fanbases and media aren't gravitating to Iowa and the story, but choose to have this angst against Iowa.

Again, it doesn't really matter and I kind of enjoy it now, but just made me wonder about the difference between the other teams that have crashed the party. I understand we are only two years into the playoff and Boise St was for a BCS bowl, but they still were supported quite a bit.

 

[bcl20]

We aren't blowing out teams with a perceived weak schedule. They don't have a personal vendetta against us we just don't destroy everyone we play and the overall perception is that if a team isn't ranked, they suck. None of our opponents are ranked ( aside from northwestern) and we aren't destroying them.

 

[meaning]

BSU and TCU also played weak schedules every year they made any real noise (I think Boise played oregon one of those years, but I can't recall if it ended up being a good oregon team -- all I remember is Blount decking that Boise player).

The difference is that those teams were ACTUALLY "the little guy." They didn't have a big fan base to draw attention to them ... so the media's only strategy was to try and rally casual fans around those teams.

We are a power 5 program, but not one of the top few brands. As such, a lot more people hate us than like us. That means it's a much wiser media strategy to stoke the flames of hatred (from rivals, conference schools, fans of conferences that may not get a team in, or anyone feeling more deserving).

I'm enjoying all of it. Wave 'hi' to the haters. They would trade places with us in one second.

 

[MelroseHawkins]

BSU and TCU also played weak schedules every year they made any real noise (I think Boise played oregon one of those years, but I can't recall if it ended up being a good oregon team -- all I remember is Blount decking that Boise player).

The difference is that those teams were ACTUALLY "the little guy." They didn't have a big fan base to draw attention to them ... so the media's only strategy was to try and rally casual fans around those teams.

We are a power 5 program, but not one of the top few brands. As such, a lot more people hate us than like us. That means it's a much wiser media strategy to stoke the flames of hatred (from rivals, conference schools, fans of conferences that may not get a team in, or anyone feeling more deserving).

I'm enjoying all of it. Wave 'hi' to the haters. They would trade places with us in one second.

I was thinking the same thing when posting, that Iowa is typically an average but competitive P5 team. They are not the annual powerhouse or the little guy rising to the top either.

 

[ArvadaHawk]

The Big Ten Network has changed the landscape for college football from a network perspective. Iowa used to an ESPN darling through 2009. Then BTN came about and changed the landscape and forced ESPN to become EfSecPN and more of a regional carrier. That means less advertising revenue. So, EfSecPN hates anything B1G, but will accept something B1G that will bring in higher advertising revenue. So, OSU and UM are ok. Iowa isn't.

 

[DYK88]

here's a piece that talks about this a little bit, some good points in there.

In small doses, college football treasures its underdogs. There’s nothing quite like watching a full-bodied favorite come undone at the hands of an underestimated, undeserving challenger.

These moments of chaos are celebrated in mass. They power our week-to-week DeLorean. But our interest in the underdog usually fades right then and there, once all fans have been cleared from field.

One more week? Sure, little guy, have a blast. Win that next game. Two more weeks? Why not, buddy. You earned it.

Anything beyond that, however, and euphoria seamlessly morphs into agitation. The little engine that could quickly becomes an annoyance. Once the College Football Playoff becomes a potential reality, the darling is no longer the darling—at least for those not comfortably underneath the rooting interest umbrella..

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...tball-ready-to-finally-embrace-the-cinderella

 

[NCHawker]

I duno, I think people are pulling for Iowa - the underdog thing you know?

 

[bcl20]

BSU and TCU also played weak schedules every year they made any real noise (I think Boise played oregon one of those years, but I can't recall if it ended up being a good oregon team -- all I remember is Blount decking that Boise player).
.

They also destroyed their competition. That said our schedule is tougher than theirs ever were.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Lets face it, we're Cinderella's ugly step sister and if you don't watch out, we'll beat the snot out of you.

 

[BlindDogScooter]

It's because we grow corn and raise hogs... makes as much sense as any other reason.

 

[guffus]

this boards, and Iowa fans, obsession with getting validation from the national media has been one of the few annoying things about this special season. Everybody said if Iowa just keeps winning, the respect will gradually come, and I believe that is happening. It just takes time for casual fans to adjust their perceptions. remember Iowa was mot even ranked until after the Wisc game. Then when Iowa was first ranked and everybody said Wisc must be down because, well, they lost to Iowa. Evventually they began to accept that Iowa may have beat a decent Wisc team.

the other annoying thing about this season, is that Iowa has had this fantastic season, yet skipped Ohio St, Mich, Mich St and Penn St on the BigTen schedule. Not only does it hurt Iowa's national perception because Iowa never played those teams. It pisses me off too because I want Iowa to be playing those teams as part of its special season. It makes Iowa's accomplishment feel kind of hollow to go undefeated but skipped 4 of the top 7 teams in the conference.