I was proud of our team in the B1G championship game, not so much the Rose Bowl. We looked so unlike the team I had watched all year against Stanford. It's just 1 game and on balance, it was an amazing season, but until we play again, my mental image of Iowa is a team that got walloped in their last game.
Just do what I did with USC after the 2003 Orange Bowl loss to them......I just tuned out the Spring stuff. I had a front row seat to that debacle. This one hit me harder than about any other game, including Bobby F'in Olive. Is that the life of an Iowa fan in a nutshell: Outclassed when it matters?
I just tuned out the Spring stuff. I had a front row seat to that debacle. This one hit me harder than about any other game, including Bobby F'in Olive. Is that the life of an Iowa fan in a nutshell: Outclassed when it matters?
We beat those green & white bastards plain and simple. They got so lucky it made me sick.
How did they get lucky?
What you need to do to get over it. 1) stay off the message boards 2) certainly don't post anything 3) get a hobby.I just tuned out the Spring stuff. I had a front row seat to that debacle. This one hit me harder than about any other game, including Bobby F'in Olive. Is that the life of an Iowa fan in a nutshell: Outclassed when it matters?
Get over it. Great season. Ran into a buzzsaw at the end. Shit happens.I just tuned out the Spring stuff. I had a front row seat to that debacle. This one hit me harder than about any other game, including Bobby F'in Olive. Is that the life of an Iowa fan in a nutshell: Outclassed when it matters?
They did have a lot of breaks go their way, including an INT in our endzone when we score points there almost for sure when that ball just lands on a players back, after our WR was hit in the head and no penalty called. Brutal brutal brutal loss.Yeah that one hurt but a 22 play drive over that long of game clock is the opposite of lucky. A one play drive I would consider more lucky that anything, like Tevaun Smith TD catch. Only thing Iowa did on offense in the second half.
I just tuned out the Spring stuff. I had a front row seat to that debacle. This one hit me harder than about any other game, including Bobby F'in Olive. Is that the life of an Iowa fan in a nutshell: Outclassed when it matters?
Agree on the Rose Bowl, we were beaten well before we arrived. That MSU loss devasted the players. Was Stanford better team? Oh yeah no doubt about it, but they were not D1 vs a JV team like it looked like. Who cares though about the Rose I sure as Hell don't. Indy was brutal and it kicked my ass too. We had a blast attending and I am really hoping Iowa can get back there again this year and finish the job. Rose Bowl may end up being a blessing in disguise, FUEL FOR 2016!Exactly, Hawkeyestate81.
* Egregious targeting in the end zone on what would have been a TD but became an INT off the back of a player lying on the ground. Sure, that was well designed by the MSU defense. LOL
* A certain TD pass in the 4th quarter to VandeBerg down the sideline, but MSU D-back called for holding
* A certain TD pass in the 4th quarter, again to Tevaun Smith, but the perfectly thrown ball goes through his arms at the five as Smith loses the ball in the lights. Again, great job by the MSU defense. Haha
* And on that last MSU drive, how many holding penalties were not called, including on the game-winning play? At least half a dozen. That's why you almost never see drives of 20+ plays: teams make mistakes to stop themselves. MSU did, too, over and over again, but not ONE of those penalties was called. Call ONE, game over. Iowa wins.
And there were many other moments that could have turned the game around for Iowa.
But MSU was wearing the lucky horseshoe all season. Remember the incredible blocked punt returned for a TD to beat Michigan? Remember the ridiculous offensive performance of Ohio State that allowed MSU to win that game?
As for the Rose Bowl...it appeared to be a combination of the team wanting to move on but, mentally, they just couldn't get past that MSU game. And I can understand that. Combine that with incredibly poor preparation by the coaches, from the wrong cleats to the belief you can play base defense against McCaffrey to juggling the O-line... It was just a mess.
But this fall will be a revenge tour for the Hawkeyes. With Desmond and CJ leading the way, Iowa is bent on making up for the way things ended last year. And, unless the coaches screw it up, I believe they will. Am I talking 12-0 again? Yes...only this time Iowa wins the Big Ten title and moves on to the playoffs.
Well said. What are your son's feelings about the upcoming season? Seems to me we had some excellent leaders on the field for 2015; same for 2016?The RB outcome was disappointing. My kid said that there was a big difference between the practices leading up to the RB and those preceding the Taxslayer bowl a year earlier, in that they didn't get so tired as they did with the TSB prep. So, I was optimistic going into the RB.
In retrospect, however, I think the guys still may have over prepped, because they still looked a step slow against the opposition, across the board. Also, traction, or the lack thereof, seemed to be a real issue for us. We practiced all week on soccer fields with long grass. The RB, while beautiful, had very short grass somewhat like Iowa State's field, with a somewhat crunchy surface which required a hard plant to cut on without slipping. Stanford had the opportunity to play on the field during the season. It would seem reasonable to ask for a practice field with similar traction conditions next time around, IMO.
Regardless, we got beat. I get that, and have moved on. I do hope, however, that the coaching staff review all details about bowl prep in revamping for future prep. They did a great job in revamping things during the season, so I'm optimistic we'll get there in terms of the bowl prep, as well.
The B1G champ was a helluva game. Could have gone either way. I thought we prepped well for them. Luck was not on our side, though; crazy interception off our TE's back in the end-zone to kill a sure 6 points. We had uncharacteristic plays for us, such as roughing the punter which kept their drive alive (deflating, and exhausting for the D) long enough to force us to go 90+ yards on the ensuing turnover of possession (which really tired the O out as well).
Exactly, Hawkeyestate81.
* Egregious targeting in the end zone on what would have been a TD but became an INT off the back of a player lying on the ground. Sure, that was well designed by the MSU defense. LOL
* A certain TD pass in the 4th quarter to VandeBerg down the sideline, but MSU D-back called for holding
* A certain TD pass in the 4th quarter, again to Tevaun Smith, but the perfectly thrown ball goes through his arms at the five as Smith loses the ball in the lights. Again, great job by the MSU defense. Haha
* And on that last MSU drive, how many holding penalties were not called, including on the game-winning play? At least half a dozen. That's why you almost never see drives of 20+ plays: teams make mistakes to stop themselves. MSU did, too, over and over again, but not ONE of those penalties was called. Call ONE, game over. Iowa wins.
And there were many other moments that could have turned the game around for Iowa.
But MSU was wearing the lucky horseshoe all season. Remember the incredible blocked punt returned for a TD to beat Michigan? Remember the ridiculous offensive performance of Ohio State that allowed MSU to win that game?
As for the Rose Bowl...it appeared to be a combination of the team wanting to move on but, mentally, they just couldn't get past that MSU game. And I can understand that. Combine that with incredibly poor preparation by the coaches, from the wrong cleats to the belief you can play base defense against McCaffrey to juggling the O-line... It was just a mess.
But this fall will be a revenge tour for the Hawkeyes. With Desmond and CJ leading the way, Iowa is bent on making up for the way things ended last year. And, unless the coaches screw it up, I believe they will. Am I talking 12-0 again? Yes...only this time Iowa wins the Big Ten title and moves on to the playoffs.
And Iowa dominated majority of the BIG title game. That helmet to helmet in endzone ball landing on a players back and just planting there was just ridiculousThe BTCG was a toss-up as Iowa also had their share of fortuitous plays. Couldn't disagree more re: MSU luck against Umich and Ohio State. Sure, there was one lucky play to score on the blocked punt, but MSU dominated both of those games.
I'm 70, and I still can't just kiss off a horrible ISU loss. It's a character flaw, I realize, but that's just the way it is.As I've gotten older I am able to "move on" much faster. In the past, an Iowa loss could ruin my entire weekend. Now, if the Hawks are playing and they are playing poorly, I just flip the channel ... It's not about being a fair-weather fan (I had season tickets for 10 years) it's more about my own sanity and health.
Example: The Rose Bowl game ... Came very close to making the trip out West. I didn't. I watched the first quarter and a half and I shut it off. Again, for my own well being.
I remind myself now these are kids playing. Kids who are half my age. And while I love the Hawks as much as anything, I simply can't let my life be impacted too greatly in one direction or another based on what 18-22 year-olds are doing. Life goes on ...
You know some people on this board might believe that Christian is Fran's nephew when you post it seemingly as a fact. If it were true I'm sure their last names would have the same spelling.The 2015 Hawkeye Season was FANTASTIC.
The Hawkeyes took the field 14 times during the season.
Only one time did they 'not show up'. So, flush the Rose and move on.
Christian McCaffery (Fran's nephew) ripped USC for about 500 yards in their
previous game. Let it go!
Again, the 2015 season was easily one of the BEST in Hawkeye history
GO HAWKS![]()
I'm 70, and I still can't just kiss off a horrible ISU loss. It's a character flaw, I realize, but that's just the way it is.
2016 looks to be very promising. Tons of talent back, lead by DKing, CJBeathard, and JJewel. Very capable guys ready to step up/in for the graduating seniors. In terms of camaraderie, it's also very good. The players genuinely like one another, regardless of position/standing. Example: my kid walks or rides the bus everywhere, since he has no car. Whenever a passing teammate sees him walking, they stop and offer him a ride. Pretty cool.Well said. What are your son's feelings about the upcoming season? Seems to me we had some excellent leaders on the field for 2015; same for 2016?
As I've gotten older I am able to "move on" much faster. In the past, an Iowa loss could ruin my entire weekend. Now, if the Hawks are playing and they are playing poorly, I just flip the channel ... It's not about being a fair-weather fan (I had season tickets for 10 years) it's more about my own sanity and health.
Example: The Rose Bowl game ... Came very close to making the trip out West. I didn't. I watched the first quarter and a half and I shut it off. Again, for my own well being.
I remind myself now these are kids playing. Kids who are half my age. And while I love the Hawks as much as anything, I simply can't let my life be impacted too greatly in one direction or another based on what 18-22 year-olds are doing. Life goes on ...
Yep. This is one of the reasons competitive golfers don't reach their peak until their 30's. Eventually you learn it's impossible to hit every shot perfectly and you just hit it, follow it, and hit it again.
No that said, if the Bug Eaters would have kept us from 12-0, I'd have pulled my own teeth.
Alas JC untouched for a 75 yard TD!Oh man that would've been amazing. But please don't pull your own teeth. That would make pizza horrible to eat. But beer would still go down OK.
Alas...Armstrong just threw another pick.
I agree. I never saw a team slip and slide that much in a game in my life with the ideal conditions.I finally was able to watch the BTCG game for the first time yesterday. It actually got me excited even more for this season. I was so proud to be a Hawk fan. The Hawks literally left everything they had on that field. I think it carried over some weight to the Rose Bowl. That and not having the proper cleats on.
Alas JC untouched for a 75 yard TD!