That “Modern Era” Thing

[Neptune78]

My 'modern era' would start with either Majors or Bruce because of their accomplishments on the field. I'll give the nod to Earle as Aclone laid out a nice history of Cyclone football and the tie to JTS.
Yes, Mac had the first bowl win. But to listen to all of the 'never been done before' claims in the podcast, it had to make Johnny and Earle smile in the big Cyclone tailgate in the sky.

 

[madguy30]

My answer is the hiring of McCarney in 1995

Troy Davis does his thing in 95 and 96 and gets invited to New York. Should’ve won in 1996

Reversed the course of our main rivalry in 1998

Breakthrough season in 2000 as the major inflection point.

I may agree with this...I just remember around that time aside from Troy Davis, the culture shifted a bit and the team started looking and playing at least a little more like they could hang around a bit. I just remember the interest started growing and the atmosphere started changing.

Before that ISU games seemed like something to do if you happened to be in the area.

2000 might be up there too since it was such a big step to get a bowl and win it.

 

[Sigmapolis]

In art history it's about 150 years.

1453 is also the typical end given to the Hundred Years' War.

Which actually lasted 116 years and some change.

 

[NenoFone]

What ever happened to the original donors to the Jack Trice Stadim project? I had an office mate who contributed a one time payment of something like $5000 (1970s money) and was guaranteed his seats for life. When JP came in they wanted to renege on that deal. Sadly I lost contact with him and never heard what happened.

 

[MeanDean]

Whenever leather helmets went away.

Seriously, I would say the Johnny Majors era was the start of ISU being on the map. When the Big 8 was the premier conference without question and ISU was competitive. Lots of ups and LOTS of downs since then but I'll go with that.

 

[Neptune78]

......But 1960 as the beginning of the modern era? No I don't buy that. Even if you disagree with BCS and The Playoff being separate eras, the supreme court case NCAA v Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma from 1984 definitely is..........

If you view the question from an overall college football business model/consumption standpoint, I agree. I thought the podcast was talking more from the 'When did the program "arrive"? Bad example, but 100% of tavern hoks would answer- 1978.

 

[Acylum]

tl;dr

x 100.

 

[Acylum]

I think I would definitely mark the start of the BCS as the beginning of a new era in college football. And the playoff would be another one, except, I think I would say the line of delineation might be all of the realignment.

But 1960 as the beginning of the modern era? No I don't buy that. Even if you disagree with BCS and The Playoff being separate eras, the supreme court case NCAA v Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma from 1984 definitely is. That's the case that took TV rights away from the NCAA. It was a monumental shift in college athletics, and shaped the current way we consume college football.

tl/dr.

 

[aauummm]

What ever happened to the original donors to the Jack Trice Stadim project? I had an office mate who contributed a one time payment of something like $5000 (1970s money) and was guaranteed his seats for life. When JP came in they wanted to renege on that deal. Sadly I lost contact with him and never heard what happened.

I was considered one of the original donors to Jack Trice Stadium because of renewing our National Cyclone Club membership, donation and season tickets in 1975. Then in 2007 Jamie said that anyone who had done that in 1975 was an original donor and that they could renew their football season tickets and the annual priority seating donations would be waived beginning in 2008. Since I had dropped our season tickets in the 80's due to our busy schedule, I jumped at the chance in 2007 and got great seats.

However, we still had to meet the minimum donation level for the RV Donor Lot Pass but that was still lower than for the seating that we got. Turned out to be a very good deal! Jamie is a very good salesman!

 

[SCyclone]

I would think freshman eligibility might be a pretty big factor as well. Opened the door to players leaving early, which nowadays is expected.

 

[CtownCyclone]

1453 is also the typical end given to the Hundred Years' War.

Which actually lasted 116 years and some change.

Well, rounding and whatnot...

 

[AlaCyclone]

I vote 1975 for Both Iowa State and CFB in General.

1975 is when the Cyclones opened the new stadium. Plus, nationally, since 1975, every AP and UPI National Champion has played in and won a Bowl Game. fyi: 1973 was the last year for the UPI naming their National Champion prior to the Bowl Games (Alabama - lost Sugar to Notre Dame), and 1974 was the last year the AP had a NC that did not Bowl at all (Oklahoma - Probation). Plus, 1975 was the year both the Big 10 and Pac-8 started allowing more than one team Bowl from their conference, and by 1975 - all of college football was fully integrated.

So, those are my reasons for 1975 for both ISU and CFB in general.

FWIW, I went to my first CFB Game in 1971 (Southern Miss @ Alabama), and I went to my first Iowa State game in 1978 (Hall of Fame Classic @ Legion Field vs. Texas A&M). My first game in Ames was the 1989 Ohio Univ. @ Iowa State game.

 

[CySmurf]

1453 is also the typical end given to the Hundred Years' War.

Which actually lasted 116 years and some change.

Same year Perry Ellis was born I believe.

 

[NWICY]

tl;dr

Pffftt, you did read it and you enjoyed it.

 

[CySmurf]

I would say Johnny Majors/early - mid 70s would be the start of the modern era for what we recognize as Iowa State football.
Majors, Bruce, Duncan, Criner, Walden, McCarney, Chiznek, Rhoads, Campbell.

 

[BWRhasnoAC]

tl;dr

Holy crap, someone make sure we didn't tear a hole in reality.

 

[alarson]

I think the modern era for cyclone football clearly begins with DMac. That was starting at rock bottom

You dismiss this by mentioning the 10 year gap between DMac and campbell, but even through their faults, Chiz\Rhoads each played a major role. Chizik by exciting the fanbase and getting big season ticket buy-in. Rhoads by notching some big conference wins that made fans go "yes, it is possible to be competitive here".

If campbell ends up here a long time though with success, the Mac\Chiz\Rhoads era could end up being viewed as a pre-modern era later on.

 

[Cyched]

I think ISU football you either go back to Mac years or you say only Campbell is modern era. Modern era definitely doesn't include pre-Mac anymore.

Mac was a big shift, but CPR really wasn't compared to Mac years. Some higher highs and lower lows but overall comparable.

In basketball there's really only the McD years that stand out since Orr as total outliers, so either modern era gos all the way back to Orr including TF/LE, or it starts with FH.

I would argue that Orr is the start of the modern era of ISU basketball, simply by comparing the program he inherited to the program after he left. Similar to the effect McCarney had - renewed success, better players, a foundation for the coaches that followed him.

 

[theshadow]

As someone who sat through ~90% of those home games, I don't see how the Dark Ages of Football (1983-94) could be construed as "modern" -- that period was the very antithesis of "modern," from top to bottom. No support from the Regents. No support from the university administration (which in some cases actively worked against athletics/football). No money. No facilities/upgrades.

The foundation that Majors/Bruce had laid, showing that football at Iowa State could be a successful entity, was completely wiped out during that period.

 

[Urbandale2013]

We are talking pre my lifetime, but I don't see how it doesn't start around when McCarney started. That is when the school began investing in the football program. Before then we didn't act like a P5 school. After that we tried to even when we had limited resources.