Nothing wrong with the big donors asking for things their way. Afterall they are big donors, they are more important and treated differently than the rest of us. That is the way life is, you had better get used to it.
Post from desmoinesregister.com about Pollard
- Thread starter bellzisu
- Start date
Nothing wrong with the big donors asking for things their way. Afterall they are big donors, they are more important and treated differently than the rest of us. That is the way life is, you had better get used to it.
Which comes first the chicken or the egg? Donors want to see progress, but all we have been sold for the past 20 years is, if you just pony up this one last time, we will get better... I promise.
I take no issue at all with the bigger donors being treated differently. However, where does it end?
I can tell Pollard doesn't respond well to ultimatums...few people do. I'd never call the man's bluff, because it seems to me he rarely bluffs.
The sour attitude that I see from our fanbase and some donors is very, very disappointing. We're in this one together, no one is happy right now - fans, donors, players, coaches, etc.
It's going to take a collective effort to pick ourselves up, dust one another off and move forward. Those that are not willing to do what it takes to get up for that task, well - that's unfortunate but there are often casualties to war.
I can tell Pollard doesn't respond well to ultimatums...few people do. I'd never call the man's bluff, because it seems to me he rarely bluffs.
The sour attitude that I see from our fanbase and some donors is very, very disappointing. We're in this one together, no one is happy right now - fans, donors, players, coaches, etc.
It's going to take a collective effort to pick ourselves up, dust one another off and move forward. Those that are not willing to do what it takes to get up for that task, well - that's unfortunate but there are often casualties to war.
My dad has the same attitude as this guy. He wants big results before he is willing to pay for the increases that are traveling all around the football program. It's a huge catch 22. We have to increase the budget, but, we might have to win to increase the donations. I understand the increases. I know there is money the program needs to make some changes happen. My fear though, even though it may be isolated at the moment, is that this kind of attitude resonates throughout the fan base. Right now we are all being asked to pay a lot more for a product that is a lot less desireable than it was even 2 years ago. I am getting really worried that the hope bubble is quickly losing air based on our last two performances. Honestly. I didn't expect much this year at all. I did expect to beat UNI. People can talk all they want about rebuilding and new system. In the end, we should still be able to beat a 1AA team, even a good one.
Believe me, I'm here for the long haul, always have been. But, there are those that don't hold our same outlook. The PR machine is going to have a lot of work to do keeping everyone on board. Fairweather, unfortunately, is what most of the sportsworld deals with. If you are not winning, you are not worth most people's time. I really hope most people feel like I do, not fair weather.
Believe me, I'm here for the long haul, always have been. But, there are those that don't hold our same outlook. The PR machine is going to have a lot of work to do keeping everyone on board. Fairweather, unfortunately, is what most of the sportsworld deals with. If you are not winning, you are not worth most people's time. I really hope most people feel like I do, not fair weather.
Urge the man to stay the course. It's already bad enough in Ames starting 0-2 vs. the likes of Kent State and UNI - with Iowa coming into town and a 3 game road trip looking us in the face. It's going to get uglier.
What can (and will) make it worse, is donors pulling the plug. As I've said before, we demand our players not to quit on the field regardless of the score - I'd hope our fans can own up to their own demands.
We're shelling out some big bucks this fall and certainly are not happy with the results. We'll be forking over even more next year.
It's not easy. Achieving greatness never is.
I don't know how long you have been a fan. I will tell you my first ISU football game was in September 1974. Pre Earl Bruce, Pre Donnie Duncan, Pre Jim Cryner, Pre Walden. I have sat through some of the worst peice of crap football you will ever see. I really don't like being told to support the team. I have done that with ISU since I was a baby. I don't see our boosters going anywhere. They have never stopped giving through all of the crap we have had to put up with at ISU since the beggining of time. What I do despise is all of the new wave fans who keep telling me I have a bad attitude or I need to support the team. The team needs to give me something to cheer about. Everyone needs to quit telling everyone when to show up. When to cheer and when I have to get louder. This team needs to find time to ball up and show ME some support. We have supported them through thick and thin. Mostly thin. I have sat at a table with Duane Crutchfield who was the special guest at my birthday party when I was little. I had the Davis brothers over for steak one night. The boosters are not going anywhere. They are pissed off. They will get over it. Most of them could give a ratz azz how the team does. They are in it for power, name recognition, and a place to send there good customers. If you don't beleive me then you need to think of why **** Jacobson (an Iowa grad and fan) would give enough money to OUR program that we actually named a building after him. Do you really thing he cares about ISU. NO.
Yeah, we cannot compete with Div 1aa teams, and now we have to face a big10 top tier team, another mac team on their home field and then the gauntlet of death. We will probably be 0-7 before this is all over. That scares me, because I forsee the typical fall 25,000 crowds (47,000 announced, what a joke).
Hey maybe Michigan ought to drop a class too after they lost to Div 1-A Appalachian State and then to Oregon, both of them on the road. Maybe we can be in the same conference. I don't think Michigan is going to be fearful of loosing any boosters and guess what. Their ticket prices are probably going to be increased too.
RIGHT ON!!! The only bowl game I've attended was the Peach Bowl in 1977. And that's when bowl invitations were precious and few...not like today when half the teams in division 1A play in one. You had to be good to qualify. Since then, it's been pretty awful football in Ames. Yet, I've supported the team through thin and thinner. Bought season tickets last year for the first time since graduating in '76. Didn't renew this year because I knew the product wouldn't be any better. Last year's ugly wins have become this year's ugly losses. And with Oklahoma and Texas looming large, we all know the worst is yet to come. Do I think Chizik will win at ISU? Hope so. But history doesn't hold much promise. Still, I'll slip on the cardinal and gold T on game day, listen to as many plays as the pathetic eastern Iowa radio coverage allows and try to get to a game or two each season. But my self-esteem won't be based on how others perform... especially a bunch of college kids on a sports team. As my son-in-law is fond of saying, I attended ISU to get an education, not a sports team.
I didn't go to ISU but have been a fan my whole life. I was also at the 77 peach bowl when I was barely able to walk! I'm one of the biggest critics of this year's coaching... I can't believe how many people have called me a fair weather fan! My father and a good friend of mine were both notable players at ISU in bball.
I grew up going to the games in the 1980's and early 90's with my Dad. I was made fun relentlessly for being an Iowa State fan. I rationalized to my elementary and high school friends that I went to the games to watch other great teams like Oklahoma and Nebraska. I was 10 at the time. I'm now 30, and I'm saying the same thing again.
I'll give the 10-year-old jake a pass, but by 30 you should have a fully-developed one of these:
All of us (myself included) would benefit from growing some thicker skin. It's going to be a difficult transition, but good things are ahead. Don't bail out now.
I didn't think it was possible to be a fan without graduating from the university. What gives here? By not attending college, you should be a squakeye fan. :wink:
