Then and now: What is the difference?

[ruxCYtable]

I have been thinking about this recently. It seems like the days of ISU being a doormat are long gone. I feel very strongly we will always put a competitive team on the field and the cloud that was the 80's and 90's will never return.

This begs the question, what is the difference between then and now? The only answer I can come up with is money. Back then, our facilities were rivaled by some high schools. The Cyclones rarely played on TV. There was unequal revenue sharing. Then came the Big XII, facilities improvements, TV, and dollars.

I think some of our in-state rivals don't understand what the difference is. They probably think we got lucky, got a couple decent coaches, but we'll eventually get put back in our place. The thing is, that place doesn't exist anymore.

Thoughts?

 

[driegner]

I have been thinking about this recently. It seems like the days of ISU being a doormat are long gone. I feel very strongly we will always put a competitive team on the field and the cloud that was the 80's and 90's will never return.

This begs the question, what is the difference between then and now? The only answer I can come up with is money. Back then, our facilities were rivaled by some high schools. The Cyclones rarely played on TV. There was unequal revenue sharing. Then came the Big XII, facilities improvements, TV, and dollars.

I think some of our in-state rivals don't understand what the difference is. They probably think we got lucky, got a couple decent coaches, but we'll eventually get put back in our place. The thing is, that place doesn't exist anymore.

Thoughts?

I think there's a lot of truth there, however, I think having a president (now two in a row) and an AD who "get it" has changed the tone tremendously. My understanding is that in the "dark days" of the 80's and 90's the admin didn't care and the BOR was less than supportive.

Thank you Pollard, Geoffroy and Leath!

 

[CYCLNST8]

If you think of college as strictly a business, a good football program is THE BEST advertising you can get. Look what it has done for Nebraska. You don't go to school there for the scenery.

 

[ISUCubswin]

Iowa fans still think this place is a hell hole but its hard to see Jack Trice when you never leave you're trailer

 

[tejasclone]

Were we really such a doormat in the 80s? I'm too young to know for sure (born in 85), but I thought we were moderately competitive in that decade.

1980: 6-5 (2-5) -- Started 5-0, achieved #19 rank; got blown out by two top 25 teams, but other 3 losses were close games; would have qualified for bowl game today

1981: 5-5-1 (2-4-1) -- Started 3-0, achieved #20 rank; tied #5 OU 7-7 on the road; beat #8 Missouri 34-13 in Ames; achieved #11 ranking before losing last 4 games

1982: 4-6-1 (1-5-1) -- Started 4-2-1, lost last 4 games

1983: 4-7 (2-5) -- Started 2-0 in Big Eight, but got blasted by NU, OU, MU, and OSU

1984: 2-7-2 (0-5-2) -- Lost to #2 OU by 2 points

1985: 5-6 (3-4) -- Beat #7 OSU, 15-10... but lost to Drake at home

1986: 6-5 (3-4) -- Would not have qualified for bowl today because 2 wins came against Indiana State and Wichita State

1987: 3-8 (2-5)

1988: 5-6 (3-4)

1989: 6-5 (4-3) -- Winning record in Big Eight; all three conference losses were to Top 25 teams; would have qualified for bowl today

There's certainly more failure than success on that list, but there were a few Top 25 wins and there would have been a couple bowl games if those schedules were played in 2012.

 

[NobodyBeatsCy]

I went to school between '79 and '83 ('82 was the last football season I was around for) The Donnie Duncan era. We had pretty decent teams - Dwayne Crutchfield was a blast to watch. We beat Iowa 3 of the 4 years I was there. There were far fewer bowls to go to back then. We would start our strong and the Orange bowl reps would come around when it started getting serious. But by the time the crowd began to believe (and oranges would begin to pelt the field) the teams always ran out of gas.

The rest of the eighties and nineties were the dark ages. Thanks Criner and Walden!

 

[ruxCYtable]

I went to school between '79 and '83 ('82 was the last football season I was around for) The Donnie Duncan era. We had pretty decent teams - Dwayne Crutchfield was a blast to watch. We beat Iowa 3 of the 4 years I was there. There were far fewer bowls to go to back then. We would start our strong and the Orange bowl reps would come around when it started getting serious. But by the time the crowd began to believe (and oranges would begin to pelt the field) the teams always ran out of gas.

The rest of the eighties and nineties were the dark ages. Thanks Criner and Walden!

Crutchfield was my first hero. It was all downhill after that.

I have fond memories of the '81 game, during which the fans destroyed the goal posts before the game was over and the teams had to go for two the rest of the game.

 

[NobodyBeatsCy]

Crutchfield was my first hero. It was all downhill after that.

I have fond memories of the '81 game, during which the fans destroyed the goal posts before the game was over and the teams had to go for two the rest of the game.

I don't remember that - maybe too many Jack & Cokes. God bless those bota bags!

 

[Benny34]

Administration support

 

[Doc]

We have gone from no swagger to approximately half a swagger.

 

[Naughtius]

$$, JP, CPR

 

[cyhiphopp]

Administration support

This.

We had an administration that literally was trying to turn us into the equivalent of UNI athletically. They wanted Iowa to be the only Iowa school with major sports.

 

[pulse]

Coaching! And we have a good coachig staff. And coaching. Did I mention Paul Rhoads is a heads and shoulders better head coach than Walden, Chizz, and Mac.

 

[ruxCYtable]

I don't remember that - maybe too many Jack & Cokes. God bless those bota bags!

Iowa scored a late TD and two drunk dudes ran onto the field and held their arms up as goal posts. They were promptly tackled and arrested.

 

[Cyclonetrombone]

I have been thinking about this recently. It seems like the days of ISU being a doormat are long gone. I feel very strongly we will always put a competitive team on the field and the cloud that was the 80's and 90's will never return.

This begs the question, what is the difference between then and now? The only answer I can come up with is money. Back then, our facilities were rivaled by some high schools. The Cyclones rarely played on TV. There was unequal revenue sharing. Then came the Big XII, facilities improvements, TV, and dollars.

I think some of our in-state rivals don't understand what the difference is. They probably think we got lucky, got a couple decent coaches, but we'll eventually get put back in our place. The thing is, that place doesn't exist anymore.

Thoughts?

Question... rivals? Since when did another FBS school move to Iowa? Rivals are teams in the same division as a sport you are playing. Ames High is not Drake's football rival just like UNI has no business thinking it is a football rival to ISU. Basketball... different story... football... no chance, sorry UNI

 

[ruxCYtable]

Coaching! And we have a good coachig staff. And coaching. Did I mention Paul Rhoads is a heads and shoulders better head coach than Walden, Chizz, and Mac.

There is no question in my mind we have the best man for the job. But I truly believe there is almost no one who could have succeeded in the Criner and Walden eras. We had no facilities, no money and as some have pointed out, virtually no administrative support. I'd almost say coaching was the least of our problems. Almost...

 

[pulse]

As much as everyone likes to bag on Walden, having only line 60some scholarship players really hampered him. His job as a head coach rally sucked though. None of the 3 I mentioned were good head men.

 

[bostrem00]

Coaching! And we have a good coachig staff. And coaching. Did I mention Paul Rhoads is a heads and shoulders better head coach than Walden, Chizz, and Mac.

As bad a rap that McCarney gets, he turned the chicken excrement into McChickens, with the hope that it would be chicken salad one day, just could never do it though..He laid the foundation....

 

[d4nim4l]

TV dollars help but support from the administration is the key. Pollard was given a very long leash by President Geoffroy that continues under Leath.

 

[mramseyISU]

Question... rivals? Since when did another FBS school move to Iowa? Rivals are teams in the same division as a sport you are playing. Ames High is not Drake's football rival just like UNI has no business thinking it is a football rival to ISU. Basketball... different story... football... no chance, sorry UNI

I work in Cedar Falls and that fanbase really believes that they are a FBS team. To hear them talk they are on par with Iowa and ISU. I'll give them that they have a good team for their level and everyonce in a while they could beat Iowa or ISU but there is no way they'd be able to do it on a week in and week out basis.