Mediocrity at it's finest............sigh. It is what it is. What it isn't is championship caliber college football. As long as KF and the powers that be are here it will always be the same ole same ole. I can't do anything about, I can't change it. Griping and complaining about it will not change a thing. It's time to put up the white flag and surrender to the blazai crowd. Happy when they do win, but at this point it is obvious the the dynamics of the expectations of the Iowa fan base does not entell the true spirit of competition to be the best.
You know the fans of the most successful programs have a strong animosity toward each other. If you talk to them NONE of them have those feelings towards IOWA. Why? Because they feel absolutely no threat from IOWA at all.........sigh. I made myself pretty clear on this matter and how I feel about it over the years I have been on this forum but like I said it's time to hoist up the white flag. That is only in regards to Iowa athletics because I have no control over that.
Step back capabilities.
What do I mean? I would ask this of myself and anybody who believes in true integrity especially when it comes to certain subjects. The obvious common ones are religion and politics. People get so caught up in their egos and pride that they seldom ever step back for a minute and honestly appraise their positions and true values. Sometimes failure to do this can be very dangerous and has cost people their lives. David Karesh followers, Jim Jones followers, etc. Politics is very similar. I won't get into the politics here as you cannot win an argument when people are closed and narrow minded. Plus Rob has asked us not to do it so I will respect it.
Why bring this up?
Well I been stepping back and looking at a lot of the thoughts and feelings from the Iowa fan base as I've seen here on HAWKEYE nation. I see peole get involved with following some of the most simple parts of Iowa athletics. Some go as far as to keep track of what teenage recruits are tweeting and saying. Really??? Why bother when you know where this ship is sailing to. It doesn't make sense to waste so much time and energy when in the end all yah get is disappointment and frustration. It's always that next recruiting class that is going to make the difference and put Iowa over the top. Then what happens? 6-6, 7-5, 8-4, 6-6, 9-3, 7-5, 6-6........ you get the point, mediocrity.
Well the truth is most people's lives are the definition of mediocrity and living in comfort zones. It's one way to not have to deal with the disappointments. If you don't have high expectations you never have to deal disappointments. I can't condemn this as people are what they are and who is to say they are wrong. Maybe I am wrong on how I look at things, but I can't help it that I am the way I am anymore than others can help the way hey are. I have really seen this in religion and even in my own church. Everyone knows what the tenants are of their faith but a very, very, small percent actually live those tenants. Why? It comes back to those comfort zones again. People want to just go through life and enjoy as much of it as they can. That is extremely common.
Olympians are anything but common. They sprinted away from all comfort zones. Usually to be the best requires that you have to put off naturals tendencies. To do that you have to be able to recognize them. How do you do that? By stepping back and being honest with yourselves and committing to change things that are within your power. It is extremely challenging and will be anything but easy. Natural tendencies are the most difficult to overcome.
The apathy and nutuaral tendencies that Hayden Fry addressed when he first got here must have seemed insurmountable at first. "Were just little ole Iowa and we can't be successful." He proved it can be done. Unfortunately like the alcoholics who eventually falls off the wagon and goes but to there ole ways, The powers that be here at the University of Iowa have sunk back into their old ways. Not to pre-Hayden days but some where in between.....................oh that's right that's mediocrity, a huge comfort zone. I would be ok with something that looks more like this 9-3, 10-2. 8-4, 11-1, 9-3, 10-2, and yes even a 7-5 or 6-6 once in awhile. It however should not be the standard for any fan base and Governing body of a major University to accept mediocrity but Unfortunately at Iowa it is.
Like I said I am not judging people for being what they feel comfortable being. Since I am in the grave minority maybe I am the one that's wrong. Maybe I just need to chill out and go along with the crowd. I just can't be that way. I guess I am just made up differently. One other fault I have is I am very very loyal to the things I value, family, religion, country, and my life long sports teams. All I can say is Go HAWKS!!!! One game at a time and hope for the best but seldom expect it. That's reality.
