agcy68 I get it. I know Iowa is not the best team in the state this year and has been on a downward trend since Alford and Lickliter screwed up the program. I know Iowa drags down UNI's SOS this year. I get that.
It is my hope Fran gets things turned around (and I believe he will) and we will be the premier team in the state.
What I don't think you get is moving forward and looking toward the future, as Iowa hopefully improves (even if they don't) I want to play the best teams nationally for all the above reasons mentioned. And I would replace the 3 state schools with nationally renowned competition if I had the chance. And, I would take the high road and start making the other state schools (if and when we would play them here and there) play us exclusively at Carver. I want to re-establish Iowa as the premier program in the state while reducing any statistical advantages as possible for the other state schools. Time to stop doing them any favors.
I don't care about the CyHawk series, I don't care about doing the best for the state schools, I don't care about "state rivalries", and I don't care if we are down right now in basketball. Call it arrogance if you wish, but I only care about improving the U of I and not at the advantage of the other state schools. We need to treat them like 2nd and 3rd fiddle when we are not playing them and then get up for the games and kick the crap out of them in the event we choose to play them (hopefully). And the key word here is choose. It is a privilege to play us, not a right.
Nothing personal, just business.