MBB: ISU vs. Iowa

**cycloneworld** · 12-06-2006, 10:00 AM

What happened to this rivalry? It used to be almost as heated as the football game. The excitment/buildup/etc. just isn't what it used to be.

Why? Is it because both teams haven't been really good in the same year?

I bounced on over to HN and I couldn't believe the apathy towards Iowa basketball. I mean they just don't care about it. I used to be a hawk fan before I went to Iowa State and it was NEVER like that with Dr. Tom. Iowa basketball was on pace with Iowa football, if not on a higher level. Is it all Steve Alford?

Could you ever imagine being apathetic towards ISU basketball? Because I couldn't.

This has turned into a more broad discussion about the state of each program but it's interesting to see the differences between the two programs.

And who will win the game on Friday?

**clones_jer** · 12-06-2006, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

... Is it all Steve Alford?

Could you ever imagine being apathetic towards ISU basketball? Because I couldn't.
....

And who will win the game on Friday?

Yes, I'm in CR and everyone I know hates Alford (and I quote "can we borrow Pollard long enough to can Alford, just a couple weeks").

Yes, Towards the end of the WM era I was growing apathetic towards the apathetic team I was supposed to be excited about.

Iowa starts strong, Drake-style, ISU starts playing BEFORE the 6 minute mark and we win by 2 ... I hope.

**bos** · 12-06-2006, 10:07 AM

I think the attitude for Iowa athletics in general is subpar. They really need someone to build up excitement like Pollard is doing for ISU. I dont really want to see them fail. I dont want them to beat ISU either =) If they fail its a bad mark on Iowa sports in general.

**cytech** · 12-06-2006, 10:07 AM

I think that alot of the following that Iowa used to have in basketball has been taken away by both the football team and Steve Alford.
Not to mention that it has been a while since we had a real good team up in ames too. It just seems this time of year in the last 3-4 or so everyone has been thinking bowl games and not basketball.

**no2cyclones** · 12-06-2006, 10:16 AM

I was actually much more excited about the hiring of Chizik than I was about the Iowa State-UNI game, which was very close to the hiring, however, I do not agree wholeheartedly that the attention paid to basketball has declined significantly. My argument is that people's attention is still on football, and that once we have a break from football (i.e. these next few weeks before bowl games start) we will pay more attention to basketball, and thus be more informed and able to form more opinions and follow the team(s) closer.

**BryceC** · 12-06-2006, 10:19 AM

It's a few days away and there was another in-state game going on between Iowa and UNI (the best team in the state hands down). We'll see the rag start pumping up this game tomorrow and Friday. It's still a game, but a game between a struggling 6-2 team and a 4-5 team without much postseason hope it's much to really get excited about.

**guitarchitect7** · 12-06-2006, 10:20 AM

Thats why it is called March Madness!!!!

**cycloneworld** · 12-06-2006, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by bkurt58

I was actually much more excited about the hiring of Chizik than I was about the Iowa State-UNI game, which was very close to the hiring, however, I do not agree wholeheartedly that the attention paid to basketball has declined significantly. My argument is that people's attention is still on football, and that once we have a break from football (i.e. these next few weeks before bowl games start) we will pay more attention to basketball, and thus be more informed and able to form more opinions and follow the team(s) closer.

I agree about the Chizik thing but fans have the capability to concentrate on 2 things at once, don't they?

I still think there is excitment surrounding ISU basketball. My question was more geared towards what happened to Iowa basketball?

**no2cyclones** · 12-06-2006, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

I agree about the Chizik thing but fans have the capability to concentrate on 2 things at once, don't they?

I still think there is excitment surrounding ISU basketball. My question was more geared towards what happened to Iowa basketball?

Fair enough--I think that Alford is more of a "corporate" person than a "personable" person, in comparison to Dr. Tom. Tom came along shortly after Lute Olsen was here, so he had a few good teams, and people see him in a brighter light. Alford seems like someone who has less of a personality and his teams don't play like just that--a team--much at all. I can't say that the 'Clones have played like much of a team for most of the season either, however they played very well in their run at the end of the Drake game, but now they just need to stretch that string of "team-play" over the course of an entire game.

**wonkadog** · 12-06-2006, 10:46 AM

Originally Posted by bostinelosd

I think the attitude for Iowa athletics in general is subpar. They really need someone to build up excitement like Pollard is doing for ISU. I dont really want to see them fail. I dont want them to beat ISU either =) If they fail its a bad mark on Iowa sports in general.

What?? I want Iowa to lose every single game they play in every sport. The benefits of this go beyond my unhealthy hatred for the Hawks...I see it as the worse Iowa gets, the more ISU can move up in the eyes of the state media.

**cycloneworld** · 12-06-2006, 10:56 AM

I have never been one of those to make the blanket "I hate the Hawks" statements. I don't mind Iowa athletics...it's their fans that I REALLY don't like.

I'm tired of comparing everything we do to Iowa...we are our own school.

**mike4cy** · 12-06-2006, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by cycloneworld

I agree about the Chizik thing but fans have the capability to concentrate on 2 things at once, don't they?

I still think there is excitment surrounding ISU basketball. My question was more geared towards what happened to Iowa basketball?

When you were a youngin and found your X-mas presents in the laundry room (don't tell me that no one on here found their presents before X-mas) did you get more excited about the BIG box or the little box? My point is that we CAN concentrate on 2 things but put more effort into thinking about the BIG box.

**bos** · 12-06-2006, 11:28 AM

I understand everyones distaste for Iowa. I have it most of the time, but as I have said in the past. I grew up in Iowa and really dont want to see an bad marks on us. I want ISU to be known as the Iowa powerhouse of course. But i want everyone to succeed in some way. no negative image. Just how i want UNI to succeed.

**JBone84** · 12-06-2006, 11:55 AM

Being from Illinois, it is hard to explain Iowa vs ISU to Illinoisans. They are under the mindset that IOWA State University is to Iowa what ILLINOIS State University is to Illinois (Champaign-Urbana). If you're unaware of the disparity here, consider yourself lucky. Illinois State is held in low regard for the most part, and isn't seen as on par with Illinois on any level that I'm aware of).