I'm finally home. I feel like I played a football game. I'm sore, sick, and exhausted, but I had a week I'll never forget.
RVTV reminded me how nice most people are. I need that because a lot of SoundOFF e-mails tend to be negative and nasty; not toward me, just in general. It stuns me how many folks dropped by the RV just to say "hi", and in many cases, to give us food, drinks, or a gift, expecting nothing in return. I wish I had time to thank everyone. (The food was appreciated. Looking back, we ate exactly one mean outside the RV. Everything else was at the table while working on the computer or editor---all seen by Web cam, not to mention Shawn's Magnum PI sleeping poses.)
I also loved male-bonding. Nothing beats being a dad, but every once in a while, it's good to hang out withe fellas, quote movies, make sophomoric jokes, and see who can smell the worst (Chris).
I'm blessed to work with guys like Shawn and Chris. They worked their butts off all week and turned in some memorable stories, many of them funny. Check out Chris as a heckling Hawkeye fan on ISU's campus or Shawn visiting Story County's Hawkeye Hideout by visiting the www.whotv.com video player. I'm proud of those guys, and they were fun to hang with.
I want to be mad at the ISU Marching Band, and Channel 13 reporter Jon Cahill, but I just can't. Punking us into staying up late and then blowing us out of bed at 6 a.m. with music turned up to 11 is funny. Can't be mad if it passes the "got ya, and it's funny" test. Can't believe how many people have asked me if that was staged. The answer: heck no. I wouldn't allow myself to be seen with that many eye boogers. Did you see Chris? He couldn't function.
I loved when Jenny and the boys came to visit. They spent most of the day in our Hot Springs Spa hot tub and had a blast. The kids ate all the cookies and cakes we never got around to. I missed them so much during the week (the kids, not the cookies and cakes); it was the blast I needed to make it to the finish line (especially after that wake-up call).
Jamie Pollard delivered. He put my face on a coin. I vowed not to leave until it happened---especially since Gene Chizik and I started the week with the same number of career head coaching wins, but Gene's one up on me now. (Big thanks to Pollard and ISU for hosting us all week. We had everything we needed, within reason.)
The Friday night ten p.m. news was a blast. Cyclone fans finally started showing spirit after a relatively flat week. Next to no one gave ISU a chance---including me---and look what happened. The ISU people at the RV rally started believing a little as the game approached.
They've seen ISU stun Iowa more than once.
We learned Iowa's not great. Turns out Northern Illinois and Syracuse are both awful. Iowa's schedule will make sure Iowa wins no fewer than six games, and probably eight, but the Hawkeyes have a lot of room for improvement. Can you believe Kirk Ferentz is 3-6 against ISU?
How did ISU get so much better from week two to week three? I have no idea. The Cyclones were a disorganized, mistake-prone mess those first two games. What a difference a confident, poised Bret Meyer makes, not to mention the game's star, Bret Culbertson. I couldn't be happier for a student-athlete. Every time Bret missed a big kick, he faced the media, accepted responsibility and never let it define who he is as a man. This guy deserved a moment, and boy did he have one against Iowa... all 15 points, and the game-winner. Culbertson told Shawn and me he thought about stopping by the RV several times. Good thing he didn't. Whatever Culbertson did worked, and it's nice to see a good guy from Des Moines Lincoln find redemption.
I cleaned out the RV, chugged some Red Bull, and headed back to Des Moines about an hour ago. I'm writing this from home. The nice folks at Great Outdoors RV Store were nice enough to pick up our now "slightly used" rig. They better bring Lysol.
I'm so tired my thoughts are all over the place, and likely somewhat incoherent, but I just mainly wanted to thank all of you who watched, read, or visited RVTV. You made it a fun experience, and we really appreciate it.
See you on SoundOFF... if I get my voice back (cold, not hoarse).
Keith
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20 comments:
Hey. I loved RVTV!
I hate that the Iowa fans are hanging it up. How many times do we have to go through this. Iowa plays like crap and ISU plays their brains out. It happens every year. Get used to it. It's not fun, but it's reality. Get over it and focus on the big ten. Let ISU have their victory (one of very few this season I am sure). Hawk fans can't ride the whole season on a game they notoriously play like crap in. I do recall seasons where ISU beat Iowa and Iowa went on to win the big ten (not that that will happen this year) but all is not lost!
Yeah, like the year we had Brad Banks and played USC in that bowl game. ISU's kicker had the game of his life, he will never have a game like that again. If I were a betting man in Las Vegas, I would have bet the kicker would have only made 1 out of 6. I mean, who would have thought? That's why he was crying in the post game interview. I mean, they act like they won the National Championship or something. Let the Seniors have it so they can talk about old glory dayz. The Hawkeyes have to look ahead to a tough #9 Wisconsin team. ISU has to focus on a SOLID, I mean SOLID Toledo team. What are they ranked? Maybe ISU cracked the top 90 with a win against the Hawks. At any rate, if ISU makes a bowl game, highly doubtful, but if they do, I will root for them. Good luck during the rest of your season ISU. Go Hawkeyes!
Anonymous, have some guts and at least leave your name.
Bret Culbertson is the most accurate kicker in ISU history, and he had a rough start to the season but overall he has been very solid.
Iowa is going to get destroyed this year in the Big 10 just like last year. Iowa fans consistently believe they have a better team than they do because they usually end up with a decent record in a conference that is constantly overrated. ISU plays in a tougher conference, and it shows with the regular beatings of Iowa and then struggles in conference play.
ISU is working on preparing for more worthy opponents than Iowa on the upcoming schedule...such as Toledo, Kansas, and Colorado.
Perhaps it IS indeed time to shut down the ISU/Iowa series. Iowa does nothing to prepare ISU for the following conference season.
Meanwhile, Iowa should probably work on trying to scheme against the SOLID, and I mean SOLID Northwestern team that they play later this season since they haven't beaten them in awhile and it will be their best hope for a win the rest of the way out. Maybe Iowa can manage to get up for the Minnesota game. Indiana is out of the question, as they have a mobile quarterback. Enjoy losing to them this year for the second season in a row.
Bryan
Hey Murph!
Sorry to hear that you're under the weather. Hope you didn't get worse by watching the Cubs play tonight (Monday)! I think the nickname I heard them use tonight was pretty appropriate...Cardiac Cubs. Ha!
Hey Bryan,
How about we just leave the trash talking until after the season. We can talk about which team is better then.
Gary
Gary,
We already know which team is better. They played head to head.
Bryan
The first comment sums it up the best: ISU gets up for the Iowa game every year and Iowa plays like crap--EVERY YEAR. They "played head to head" for one quarter and the Hawks beat the crap out of the Clones, and didnt show up for the rest of the game. I heard somewhere that ISU doesnt put that much emphasis on this game...yeah, then why do they allow only season ticketholders and wear the throwback jerseys ($500 per uniform I think?) to this particular game??? It is the only game the clones care about and they treat it like a National Championship every year.
Bryan said: "and it shows with the regular beatings of Iowa and then struggles in conference play." That just proves my point--ISU cares about one game all season. We will indeed see how well they prepare for the "more wothy opponents."
I dont believe the Hawks are as great as everyone thought at the beginning of the year and if they cant keep their players out of trouble, they are going to have a tough time with the Big Ten. But as far as the better team in Iowa, the outcome of ONE GAME doesnt always mean the winner is the better team. My husband (an ISU fan) said it best: ISU played as well as they could have possibly played and Iowa played their worst.
Here we go again....the whole "Iowa only beats themselves, they aren't defeated by the other team" and the "Super Bowl" nonsense.
Iowa fan (iagal), take your beating and move on to the weak opponents in conference play. The Big 10 will be exposed this season just like last season as being overrated and weak. Iowa does well, and better than ISU at times, usually as more of a function of weak conference schedules than better team play.
What the heck do throwback jersey sale prices have anything to do with anything at all relating to the actual game on the field?
Go to any of the Cyclone message boards and look for the regular polls that we have about who we as fans would rather beat. Nebraska is always, ALWAYS, the 10:1 pick over EIU. Seriously, look at the numbers. To call the Iowa game the "only game the clones care about" shows your incredible lack of knowledge about ISU and college football in general.
Bryan
Bryan...You talk as if the BIG 12 is a powerhouse conference and thats why ISU struggles. They were terrible last year and Oklahoma is the only decent team this year. Iowa playing texas tough and evenly matched last year also. Maybe if ISU played in the SEC you could make that argument...but the big 12...yeah right.
Iowa played as well as they could have possibly played and Texas played their worst.
Obviously, that was Iowa's Super Bowl.
Bryan
Bryan,
It wasn't Iowa's Super Bowl, but it was a bowl game. Until ISU makes one this decade, shut your trap....
Bryan--
It has nothing to do with the SALES of the throwback jerseys. I just had to point that out as another example of how ISU gets all hyped up for the Iowa game as if it's the game of the year. They chose THIS game to bring out these SPECIAL uniforms. They must see it as a SPECIAL game.
Ohhhhh! Bryan just got OWNED! By a woman even! Yuh! No offense iagal.
"Iowa played as well as they could and Texas played their worst"
Haha right...Have you watched them play this year? Beating nobody teams by 7 points and 3 points.
Anonymous person who is gutless and won't leave their name "It wasn't Iowa's Super Bowl, but it was a bowl game. Until ISU makes one this decade, shut your trap...."
ISU did make it to and win a bowl game following the 2004 season. Coincidentally, that was the last time Iowa won a bowl game as well. Also, ISU went to a bowl game in 2005. They've been to several this decade, in fact.
"It has nothing to do with the SALES of the throwback jerseys. I just had to point that out as another example of how ISU gets all hyped up for the Iowa game as if it's the game of the year. They chose THIS game to bring out these SPECIAL uniforms. They must see it as a SPECIAL game."
It was the 30th anniversary of the renewal of the rivalry. Pretty easy to see why they may use throwback uniforms. No ownage here. Iowa has used throwback uniforms in non-conference games as well. Do they see those as SPECIAL games?
"Haha right...Have you watched them play this year? Beating nobody teams by 7 points and 3 points."
It was a play on a previous post. Yet also not that far from the truth. Iowa played out of their minds in that game.
Bryan
Well, Bryan, the game must mean something, I mean, you are still talking about it right now. Doesn't ISU have a game this weekend?
Bryan--
Sorry if I offended you in some way. Thank you for pointing the "30th anniversary" out to me. If it was on that particular day, then yes, that is a good reason to wear them. However, it's obvious you are stretching to defend your team. The throwback jersey comment was just one small portion of my point, and yet you seem to be pretty focused on defending that statement.
Again, sorry if I offended you in some way. Just wanted to throw my two cents in and didnt realize I would get attacked.
Wow! I think it's hilarious that people argue over their favorite football teams like one of you is going to defeat the other.
Arguing football is like arguing politics. You both have your team and will defend them to the end, but you don't seem to realize that you're not going to change the other person's mind.
ISU generally has Iowa's number. Does that make them a better football team? No. Does it make them worse? No. It makes them a better team that day.
I, personally, am an Iowa fan, but I'm not going to take anything away from Iowa State. They played better and deserved to win.
This whole "my conference is better" nonsense is dumb, too. You can't say which conference is harder or easier until the end of the season. Right now the Big 12 looks pretty tough and so does the Big 10. Neither Iowa or ISU are going to have an easy season, but in my personal opinion Iowa will do better. I'm not taking anything away from ISU, but they're only consistent against Iowa.
Deal with the fact that you each have a difference of opinion on who is better, but leave the stupid trash talking for little kids.
Simple mathematics:
Bryan(t x y) = PWNED!
GO CUBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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