Oct 5, 2023·edited Oct 5, 2023Liked by Faux Pelini
I thought it was odd at the end of the game against Western Michigan, when Iowa punched in a final TD with 0:30 remaining in the 4th quarter. They went down the field aggressively, throwing a handful of times in the last minute or so, when they were already up 34-10. At the time, I couldn't reconcile Kirk Ferentz and the apparent lack of sportsmanship to run up a score on a visiting G5 school. Now I get it. This is yet another downside of this situation: what degradation of values does the need for Iowa to score 325 create? I was with the visiting team, and the Iowa fans and overall experience was terrific - but that rush to tack on an extra 7 left a bad taste.
Oct 2, 2023·edited Oct 4, 2023Liked by Faux Pelini
I'm gonna hijack this a little and make it about me b/c that's what the internet is for.
I recently wrestled with a similar issue w/ Auburn Equestrian's head coaching change, and it gave me some perspective on this sort of thing.
For the few of you who DON'T keep up w/ major college equestrian, Auburn's longtime HC retired and his top assistant was made the new HC. After the new HC was named, a grad student rider was named to the vacant major assistant coach position. Also, the previous year, the other major assistant retired and Auburn hired a grad student rider to replace that position. So in the last 16 months, Auburn EQ's entire top coaching staff has changed, with all of them being essentially internal hires.
What are the odds the three best equestrian coaches were right here all along?
In my podcast (yes, I have a college equestrian podcast) I explained that Auburn EQ was basically operating w/ a family business mindset, and I went through the optimistic and pessimistic views of these hires. I think you can all imagine the pessimistic view, so let me summarize the optimistic one: Auburn EQ did this because the program values everyone being on the same page higher than it values bringing in outside talent that might be technically better at this or that aspect of coaching. Pretty much all equestrian outside college is an individual sport where when you win, everyone else must lose. In college EQ, you only ever win or lose with your team. Most riders who ride in college specifically choose to do so b/c they want to be part of that team culture; not an individual. And in that team culture, everyone being on the same page is critical to success.
Family businesses are tailor made for this type of culture. Family businesses promote from within and are willing to eschew talented outsiders with their new-fangled ideas, because they really, really want everyone on the same page. So that's why Auburn EQ hired they way they did, and I expect that's probably why Iowa has done something similar.
Will it work? In college equestrian, it might. In college football, it might not. We'll just have to wait and see.
I would say that it doesn’t matter because they’re winning but I personally think, even as a Hawkeye hater, he’s been the only thing preventing them from multiple conference titles/playoff appearances in the past decade.
Enjoyable read, but wide left on laying it in Brian’s lap. When Kirk hired Brian away from the Patriots to be the OL coach, there was zero backlash. The anti-nepotism army (not all of Hawkeye Nation, btw) didn’t get fired up til 2021 when injuries and attrition depleted the offensive line. Unless or until that rebuild is successful, Iowa’s offense wont be so long as Kirk’s the coach.
Great article Faux. Here is another tracker created by the Sicko's Committee on Reddit that uses a meme from "The Price Is Right". I hope you enjoy it. There are versions of this for every Iowa game this season. https://www.tiktok.com/@sports_coolstuff/video/7279786852301720874?lang=en
As usual, you are 100% correct (including the neighborhood girlfriend analogy). Do you see the Jim and Jay Harbaugh situation any differently?
I thought it was odd at the end of the game against Western Michigan, when Iowa punched in a final TD with 0:30 remaining in the 4th quarter. They went down the field aggressively, throwing a handful of times in the last minute or so, when they were already up 34-10. At the time, I couldn't reconcile Kirk Ferentz and the apparent lack of sportsmanship to run up a score on a visiting G5 school. Now I get it. This is yet another downside of this situation: what degradation of values does the need for Iowa to score 325 create? I was with the visiting team, and the Iowa fans and overall experience was terrific - but that rush to tack on an extra 7 left a bad taste.
I'm gonna hijack this a little and make it about me b/c that's what the internet is for.
I recently wrestled with a similar issue w/ Auburn Equestrian's head coaching change, and it gave me some perspective on this sort of thing.
For the few of you who DON'T keep up w/ major college equestrian, Auburn's longtime HC retired and his top assistant was made the new HC. After the new HC was named, a grad student rider was named to the vacant major assistant coach position. Also, the previous year, the other major assistant retired and Auburn hired a grad student rider to replace that position. So in the last 16 months, Auburn EQ's entire top coaching staff has changed, with all of them being essentially internal hires.
What are the odds the three best equestrian coaches were right here all along?
In my podcast (yes, I have a college equestrian podcast) I explained that Auburn EQ was basically operating w/ a family business mindset, and I went through the optimistic and pessimistic views of these hires. I think you can all imagine the pessimistic view, so let me summarize the optimistic one: Auburn EQ did this because the program values everyone being on the same page higher than it values bringing in outside talent that might be technically better at this or that aspect of coaching. Pretty much all equestrian outside college is an individual sport where when you win, everyone else must lose. In college EQ, you only ever win or lose with your team. Most riders who ride in college specifically choose to do so b/c they want to be part of that team culture; not an individual. And in that team culture, everyone being on the same page is critical to success.
Family businesses are tailor made for this type of culture. Family businesses promote from within and are willing to eschew talented outsiders with their new-fangled ideas, because they really, really want everyone on the same page. So that's why Auburn EQ hired they way they did, and I expect that's probably why Iowa has done something similar.
Will it work? In college equestrian, it might. In college football, it might not. We'll just have to wait and see.
I would say that it doesn’t matter because they’re winning but I personally think, even as a Hawkeye hater, he’s been the only thing preventing them from multiple conference titles/playoff appearances in the past decade.
Enjoyable read, but wide left on laying it in Brian’s lap. When Kirk hired Brian away from the Patriots to be the OL coach, there was zero backlash. The anti-nepotism army (not all of Hawkeye Nation, btw) didn’t get fired up til 2021 when injuries and attrition depleted the offensive line. Unless or until that rebuild is successful, Iowa’s offense wont be so long as Kirk’s the coach.