The Importance of Iowa Basketball

by ICHawk on Feb 6, 2012 1:56 PM CST

I was 10 years old, and it was important.

During the 1986-87 basketball season, I hugged my radio when Jim Zabel told me to, and I kissed it when he told me to. See, I recorded the radio broadcast of the games on cassette. I would re-listen to the close games, and on nights when I had to go to bed right after the game, I would let the recording keep going and listen to the post-game interviews the next day.

I ran around the house whooping and hollering when Kevin Gamble’s shot went in against Oklahoma. When Iowa went up big in the first half against UNLV, I couldn’t contain myself. Neither could Zabel (when could he ever?). At halftime I was jumping up and down saying “We’re going to the Final Four! We’re going to the Final Four!” I was devastated when it didn’t happen.

I hadn’t really forgotten about any of those emotions I had, but they really came flooding back on Saturday afternoon. Seeing all of those guys reminded me of how important it had been to me back then. The ovation the team and especially Dr. Tom received was outstanding, and it had me holding back some tears.

I was struck by some of these notions on Saturday, and thinking about them since, and I really felt the need to share them here. The past few years, it hasn’t been important. And I find that incredibly sad. Not for a lot of the reasons that we all know are problematic, like loss of revenue. But for the 10 year old boys out there. This sounds incredibly schmaltzy and cheesy and whatever other word you want to describe it. But those guys that were in Carver on Saturday were heroes for so many kids in Iowa 25 years ago.

I was so happy to see the current team take in the history right before their very eyes. I so badly want Iowa Basketball to be relevant again, important again, and I think it’s invaluable to make that impression on the players we have now. I believe Fran McCaffery is the guy to turn this around, and we’re starting to see it. People can bicker over the student section, and where to put the band. But part of the success of the program is having kids look at these players and see them as heroes, and they need to know that. I think they got a taste of it Saturday afternoon.

I’m 35 years old, and it is important.

Unless otherwise expressly indicated by BHGP editors, this FanPost is strictly the viewpoint of the author and is not endorsed by BHGP in any way.

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Amen.

Also, the script Iowa uniforms are awesome. I would love for them to stay.

by The Naked Bootleg on Feb 6, 2012 2:13 PM CST reply actions

I'm your age, and can totally relate.

Great post.

"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion - however satisfying and reassuring."

by Bucketochicken on Feb 6, 2012 2:31 PM CST reply actions

My son is 9 ---- and he got so excited when RDM dunked on Minnesota!

It’s coming back, folks. And I for one can’t wait. And to get to share it with my kid is even better.

by Torbee on Feb 6, 2012 2:45 PM CST reply actions

Iowa basketball used to be the top rated syndicated TV program

Went from most of the state stopped everything to watch Iowa bball, to having to ask the bartender to switch the channel to the game and nobody else would even turn their head.
It’s gonna be fun the next few years.

by Sky High King on Feb 6, 2012 4:26 PM CST reply actions

It was also on CBS affiliates across the state

Every game. That has as much to do with the decline in public interest as any coaching issues or scandals, IMO.

"If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull." - W.C. Fields

by rockyh on Feb 6, 2012 5:28 PM CST up reply actions

One difference,

between then and now, is the amount of sports (and particularly college hoops) available on TV. Obviously, ESPN has always had plenty of college hoops, but they have 3 or 4 networks now, plus online options if you can get them. If you have expanded cable, you probably get a Fox Sports channel or a Comcast channel, or both. We have Big Ten Network.

In Iowa, the Hawkeyes used to be one of 8 to 10 games you could get per week. Now? You could find 8 to 10 games per night, if you really tried.

One thing that bothers me (and perhaps it shouldn’t for 2011-2012 because the Hawks are still trying to “get back on their feet”), is the lack of big matchups. Yeah, we played Clemson and the other schools in Iowa, and the Big Ten is solid. But, I fondly remember the Hawks in Alaska or Hawaii (well, maybe not Hawaii, because I’m not sure we ever beat anyone good down there), or another destination (in Coach Redacted’s first year, did we play UConn and Stanford in NYC?) playing some big programs. I think we need to get back to that in the future.

Another thing: is it still legal with the NCAA to do a statewide tour of high school gyms with the team? I think that was a way to really get kids excited, particularly in western Iowa where they might be less likely to make the trek to Carver with regularity.

We will become more intensity!!! --What Reading Rambler thinks Tom Brands should do.

by WaterlooChazz on Feb 7, 2012 7:14 AM CST up reply actions

That statewide HS tour was awesome.

IIRC, they scrimmaged my town’s firefighters and police force. The meet and greet was the highlight. Still have my glossy page signed by Horton, Marble & Armstrong.

"GO HAWKS!" - only cure for Hawkeye Envy

by BentNotBroken on Feb 7, 2012 7:24 AM CST up reply actions

I remember

going to the black and gold game at the 5 Seasons Center, as a 10 year old kid. It was a highlight for a long, long time. I basically lived in my hawkeye basketball T-shirt for a week.

I remember my 5th grade class all writing letters to the Big Ten after the Jim Bain officiated Purdue(?) game. I think every class that could write took an hour that week to blast the officiating crew a new one. I would imagine teachers would be fired or get a severe “talking to” if they did this today.

"40 MINUTES OF MEH!" - djwoody

by The Bacon Explosion on Feb 7, 2012 7:42 AM CST up reply actions

Awesome.

In 3rd grade Acie Earl wrote me back and included photographs of Iowa beating UCLA. It was glorious and even better once I had a more appropriate frame of reference for UCLA.

"GO HAWKS!" - only cure for Hawkeye Envy

by BentNotBroken on Feb 7, 2012 1:13 PM CST up reply actions