Being young, I probably didn't realize just how much success we had in the 1980s. The wrestling team won nine straight titles. Hayden had the football team rolling. Olsen/Raveling/Davis had sustained basketball success, including a Final Four team, a new arena, and a 30-5 team that could've won it all. Vivian Stringer had the women's basketball team ascending to what would end up being unprecedented heights. Iowa State played second fiddle to Iowa in every sport, so there was little in-state competition. In the 80s, I thought it was "just supposed to be this way", and always would. In pretty much every sport, Iowa was good.
Times are more competitive now. Bump Elliott did a masterful job to get Iowa to where they were in the 1980s.
Times are more competitive now. Bump Elliott did a masterful job to get Iowa to where they were in the 1980s.
