Two Things That Are Truly Absurd

ChosenChildren

Well-Known Member
Two things that are truly absurd:

1. Worrying about your poll ranking this early in the season.
2. Worrying about the national championship game this early in the season.

If Iowa has one loss or is undefeated when Ohio State comes to town (and we defeat Ohio State), the rest will take care of itself.

It would be tremendous to be undefeated in the non-conference going into a tough Big Ten season. I can't imagine us losing to Ball State, so it boils down to Arizona. I really believe we have enough talent to win that game if we avoid turnovers and silly mistakes.
 


Unfortunately this is what ESPN culture has turned fans into. Going 9-3 is no longer relevant. Winning your conference doesn't mean anything. The national media, and thus many fans, are only concerned with poll rankings, and BCS championship game implications.

I love the Big 10 network, if for only, that it brings regionalism and conference standing importance back to the game.
 


You know, as FANS what we say or think has ABSOLUTELY ZERO EFFECT on what happens on the field.

If some fans want to think big, critique the polls, rankings, stats, make hypothetical comparisons etc...... so what?

Who is it bothering exactly? You? Don't read or watch any of that stuff if you are so upset by it. Just sit in a room with no TV, no newspaper and no other fans to talk to and wait until November to see how things turn out.

Maybe that will bring some stability and bliss to your life.
 


Unfortunately this is what ESPN culture has turned fans into. Going 9-3 is no longer relevant. Winning your conference doesn't mean anything. The national media, and thus many fans, are only concerned with poll rankings, and BCS championship game implications.

I love the Big 10 network, if for only, that it brings regionalism and conference standing importance back to the game.

See, here's the thing. Polls do matter this time of year. There are, right now, four teams that are going to be ranked ahead of the Hawks in the human polls and the computers if Iowa goes undefeated that probably are going to go undefeated: Alabama/Florida, Texas/Nebraska/Oklahoma, TCU, Boise State. If the polls stay as they are (which they will as florida will have to beat #1 Alabama, the B12 champ will probably be undefeated and will have potentially beaten two top ten teams in conference play and the championship game, TCU and Boise St. are still getting love from pollsters despite weak schedules) Iowa will be sitting at #5 with one win against a top ten team, and that at home.

So right now our best hope is the Rose Bowl, in a year we might have had a shot to go undefeated. Getting a NC is impossible in the BCS unless your name is USC, Oklahoma, Miami, Ohio State, Florida, Michigan, Alabama, Miami, Penn State, Nebraska, LSU, or Auburn. The rest of the teams might as well not even compete as their wins are just not valued as much by the pollsters.
 


See, here's the thing. Polls do matter this time of year. There are, right now, four teams that are going to be ranked ahead of the Hawks in the human polls and the computers if Iowa goes undefeated that probably are going to go undefeated: Alabama/Florida, Texas/Nebraska/Oklahoma, TCU, Boise State. If the polls stay as they are (which they will as florida will have to beat #1 Alabama, the B12 champ will probably be undefeated and will have potentially beaten two top ten teams in conference play and the championship game, TCU and Boise St. are still getting love from pollsters despite weak schedules) Iowa will be sitting at #5 with one win against a top ten team, and that at home.

So right now our best hope is the Rose Bowl, in a year we might have had a shot to go undefeated. Getting a NC is impossible in the BCS unless your name is USC, Oklahoma, Miami, Ohio State, Florida, Michigan, Alabama, Miami, Penn State, Nebraska, LSU, or Auburn. The rest of the teams might as well not even compete as their wins are just not valued as much by the pollsters.

This is crazy. We have played two weeks. And this just proves my point of how ESPN has changed the culture of college football. Only 1 unbeaten BCS team has not made the BCS game, Auburn. We've never had 5 unbeaten teams.

Let's just play this thing out. I just get annoyed when this board has 26 topics on this stuff, yet you can't get a response to which true freshman played, how MacMillan looked, or kick coverage issues.
 


Exactly. Focus on the team and the next game (which happens to be a very tough assignment in the desert).

Obsessing about the national championship and the polls after 2 games is a waste of energy.
 


I would agree the culture of media now makes a 9-3 season and finishing in the top 25 like it is nothing and does not matter. Right now the Hawks are in great shape 2-0 and the only thing Hawks need too worry about is AZ and improving to 3-0. Lets not let Ricky throw that out pattern not sure if he calls it or comes from sideline how many do we have too see returned before we get rid of it got lucky on Sat that ISU did not get a pick six on the play. Hawks have a great team that is going to make for a great fall lets enjoy the ride polls will take care of themselves.
 


If you look at the teams in the standings ahead of Iowa, it's very much in our favor if we go undefeated.

We'll have beat OSU. Oklahoma or Texas will drop behind us with a loss, as will the loser of Oklahoma/Texas vs Nebraska for Big 12 title. Loser of Alabama & Florida, if they meet in the SEC title game again, will also fall behind. We'll jump TCU and Boise St at some point.

That leaves Oregon and either the Big 12 or SEC winner that we'd have to jump. Odds are, two of those teams are going to drop a game.
 


i agree with worrying about the national championship game at this point, but i disagree that people shouldn't be so concerned with where we are ranked. oklahoma jumping us this week is something that COULD happen later in the year and screw us out of the national championship game.

having something like this happen this early in the year should concern you that it COULD happen again later in the year when there's more on the line
 


Unfortunately this is what ESPN culture has turned fans into. Going 9-3 is no longer relevant. Winning your conference doesn't mean anything. The national media, and thus many fans, are only concerned with poll rankings, and BCS championship game implications.

I love the Big 10 network, if for only, that it brings regionalism and conference standing importance back to the game.

This couldn't be more wrong. This is not what the ESPN culture has done, it is what the micro-coverage of sports has done. The mass media has not changed. They didn't hype up 9-3 teams 10 years ago, and they still don't. The difference is that now fans have the opportunity to hype up their own 9-3 teams. When you get inside this echo chamber, you think that everyone should care about your team, and then you lash out at the national media when they don't.

Face the facts and just admit that a 9-3 record is nothing to hype up. I can't recall, from memory, any 9-3 teams who finished high in the SEC or PAC 10 in the past, because I don't care. I can tell you who was winning those conferences, however, because that is much more relevant.
 


Two things that are truly absurd:

1. Worrying about your poll ranking this early in the season.
2. Worrying about the national championship game this early in the season.

If Iowa has one loss or is undefeated when Ohio State comes to town (and we defeat Ohio State), the rest will take care of itself.

It would be tremendous to be undefeated in the non-conference going into a tough Big Ten season. I can't imagine us losing to Ball State, so it boils down to Arizona. I really believe we have enough talent to win that game if we avoid turnovers and silly mistakes.

You are right. Fortunately the kids & coaches don't give two sh$ts about either or those right now, they are just focused on what is right in front of them.
 


Two things I find absurd are:
1. A 19 yr old can die for his country, but he can not legally have a beer
2. Political correctness
 


Two things that are truly absurd:

1. Worrying about your poll ranking this early in the season.
2. Worrying about the national championship game this early in the season.

If Iowa has one loss or is undefeated when Ohio State comes to town (and we defeat Ohio State), the rest will take care of itself.

It would be tremendous to be undefeated in the non-conference going into a tough Big Ten season. I can't imagine us losing to Ball State, so it boils down to Arizona. I really believe we have enough talent to win that game if we avoid turnovers and silly mistakes.


3. Comparing Denard Robinson to Barry Sanders at qb after the first two games of the season.
 


Exactly. Focus on the team and the next game (which happens to be a very tough assignment in the desert).

Obsessing about the national championship and the polls after 2 games is a waste of energy.
Precisely.

Poles, schmoles. They don't mean a damn thing this early in the season. Heck I wish we were ranked lower.

If You are worried about where you sit after week 2,3, and on, then what your saying is you think there will be multiple teams undefeated going into the bowl season. How often has that happened?

Just keep winning and sooner or later teams get a loss and you will pass them by.
 


Two things that are truly absurd:

1. Worrying about your poll ranking this early in the season.
2. Worrying about the national championship game this early in the season.

If Iowa has one loss or is undefeated when Ohio State comes to town (and we defeat Ohio State), the rest will take care of itself.

It would be tremendous to be undefeated in the non-conference going into a tough Big Ten season. I can't imagine us losing to Ball State, so it boils down to Arizona. I really believe we have enough talent to win that game if we avoid turnovers and silly mistakes.

Yes that is true. But it is also fun as a fan to speculate. I look at it this way. We have a good team, good coach, the rest will happen when it happens.
Even if Iowa drops a game here or there, I may be temporarily disapointed, but I support them in good years and bad.
Go Hawkeyes!
 


I "worry" about the polls, especially this time of year, because they reflect the national consciousness towards Hawkeye football.

And from what I've seen, as usual, it's all about ignorance and disrespect.
 


I "worry" about the polls, especially this time of year, because they reflect the national consciousness towards Hawkeye football.

And from what I've seen, as usual, it's all about ignorance and disrespect.

Ummm...what? How is being in the top 10 disrespect? Or, a guess a more relevent question is either: How do you go through life so jaded?; or how did you get internet in prison?
 






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