Thoughts on the "Who Hates Iowa?" Chant

He's got the order wrong. PJ always says "Row the Boat" first.

Haha PJ Fleck is going to leave behind a large generation of students that don't understand that Row the Boat is not a Minnesota mantra :)
Gonna be some re-education to do after this guy dumps us for a bigger program
 

Not a loss of perspective at all. It's a dumb and ignoble chant. As a person who didn't grow up in Minnesota but has lived here for the last 15 and is impressed with the state I think this tradition is unrepresentative of the state and is degrading to its reputation. But, if you don't mind practicing something that is dumb, ignoble, and degrading to the reputation of this state, then by all means carry on.

Don't mind if I do.
 


The "Backyard Brawl" hasn't been played since 2011 but the West Virginia student section still cheers "Eat Sh-- Pitt" during every home game.

As Buckeye fans file out of the Shoe after every home game they sing "Don't give a damn about the whole state of Michigan, the whole state of Michigan. I don't give a damn about the whole state of Michigan, my heart's in O-hi-o."

At the end of every LSU vs Ole Miss football game it is tradition for the losing fans to randomly yell "Go to hell Ole Miss" (or LSU). Which may get a response of the same.
It's part of college rivalry tradition. Fans seem to understand that it's not a personal insult but a 'cheer'.
 

Haha PJ Fleck is going to leave behind a large generation of students that don't understand that Row the Boat is not a Minnesota mantra :)
Gonna be some re-education to do after this guy dumps us for a bigger program

I almost can guarantee he does not get the opportunity to dump us without winning the West at least once. It would all be worth it.
 


Still love the chant.
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This story might get long but it explains the chant perfectly. My wife and I had very good season tickets back in the early 2000s near the 40 yard-line-lower bowl- west side of the dome. We were usually surrounded by stoic older people (we were in our 30s) and Iowa games were just a nice event for us up to that time. Then the 2002 Iowa/Minnesota game happened. The geezer in front of us sold his 4 tickets to an Iowa group including 3 younger women (older 20s, likely out of school) and a Dad. These women were decent looking young women but out-of-this-world-obnoxious drunk b***s. The nasty obscenities coming out of their mouths, mainly directed at Gopher fans, was unreal. I spent 4 years in the Marine Corps so am no snowflake, but it got old fast. My wife is one of the nicest people you’d ever meet and not a huge sports fan, so she was in shock. To make it worse, my wife (again, not a huge sports fan) asked me what a “red-shirt” was after hearing it on the announcements several times. The drunk Iowa b****s heard her question and proceeded to mock her loudly in her ignorance. My wife is nice, but she holds a grudge. To this day she tells our 16-year old daughter to not even consider going to college in Iowa…anywhere in Iowa. Then, to compound the growing hate, the Iowa idiots storm OUR field, take down OUR goalposts, and try to get the goalposts through OUR revolving Metrodome doors (hilarious when you think about it). On top of that, I read later about the Iowegian married mother that got arrested screwing some Iowegian college kid in the Metrodome bathrooms. Classic.

And that’s my testimony on: “Who hates Iowa? We hate Iowa!”
 

This story might get long but it explains the chant perfectly. My wife and I had very good season tickets back in the early 2000s near the 40 yard-line-lower bowl- west side of the dome. We were usually surrounded by stoic older people (we were in our 30s) and Iowa games were just a nice event for us up to that time. Then the 2002 Iowa/Minnesota game happened. The geezer in front of us sold his 4 tickets to an Iowa group including 3 younger women (older 20s, likely out of school) and a Dad. These women were decent looking young women but out-of-this-world-obnoxious drunk b***s. The nasty obscenities coming out of their mouths, mainly directed at Gopher fans, was unreal. I spent 4 years in the Marine Corps so am no snowflake, but it got old fast. My wife is one of the nicest people you’d ever meet and not a huge sports fan, so she was in shock. To make it worse, my wife (again, not a huge sports fan) asked me what a “red-shirt” was after hearing it on the announcements several times. The drunk Iowa b****s heard her question and proceeded to mock her loudly in her ignorance. My wife is nice, but she holds a grudge. To this day she tells our 16-year old daughter to not even consider going to college in Iowa…anywhere in Iowa. Then, to compound the growing hate, the Iowa idiots storm OUR field, take down OUR goalposts, and try to get the goalposts through OUR revolving Metrodome doors (hilarious when you think about it). On top of that, I read later about the Iowegian married mother that got arrested screwing some Iowegian college kid in the Metrodome bathrooms. Classic.

And that’s my testimony on: “Who hates Iowa? We hate Iowa!”

One of my favorite Hawkeye memories.
 

I don't think it's offensive & don't care if it represents us well or not.

However, I've never thought that it's funny or creative.

Definitely not creative & kind of lame but I love it because it energizes students
 



The "Backyard Brawl" hasn't been played since 2011 but the West Virginia student section still cheers "Eat Sh-- Pitt" during every home game.

As Buckeye fans file out of the Shoe after every home game they sing "Don't give a damn about the whole state of Michigan, the whole state of Michigan. I don't give a damn about the whole state of Michigan, my heart's in O-hi-o."

At the end of every LSU vs Ole Miss football game it is tradition for the losing fans to randomly yell "Go to hell Ole Miss" (or LSU). Which may get a response of the same.
It's part of college rivalry tradition. Fans seem to understand that it's not a personal insult but a 'cheer'.

Posted it before, but the Bucky chant is along the lines of the WV one. Usually quickly follows the W-H-I chant.
 


This story might get long but it explains the chant perfectly. My wife and I had very good season tickets back in the early 2000s near the 40 yard-line-lower bowl- west side of the dome. We were usually surrounded by stoic older people (we were in our 30s) and Iowa games were just a nice event for us up to that time. Then the 2002 Iowa/Minnesota game happened. The geezer in front of us sold his 4 tickets to an Iowa group including 3 younger women (older 20s, likely out of school) and a Dad. These women were decent looking young women but out-of-this-world-obnoxious drunk b***s. The nasty obscenities coming out of their mouths, mainly directed at Gopher fans, was unreal. I spent 4 years in the Marine Corps so am no snowflake, but it got old fast. My wife is one of the nicest people you’d ever meet and not a huge sports fan, so she was in shock. To make it worse, my wife (again, not a huge sports fan) asked me what a “red-shirt” was after hearing it on the announcements several times. The drunk Iowa b****s heard her question and proceeded to mock her loudly in her ignorance. My wife is nice, but she holds a grudge. To this day she tells our 16-year old daughter to not even consider going to college in Iowa…anywhere in Iowa. Then, to compound the growing hate, the Iowa idiots storm OUR field, take down OUR goalposts, and try to get the goalposts through OUR revolving Metrodome doors (hilarious when you think about it). On top of that, I read later about the Iowegian married mother that got arrested screwing some Iowegian college kid in the Metrodome bathrooms. Classic.

And that’s my testimony on: “Who hates Iowa? We hate Iowa!”

I've only had issues with Iowa fans when the game is in MN.
 

I've only had issues with Iowa fans when the game is in MN.

Me too! We went to Road game in 2012 (the year Shortell played) and the fans were all really nice.
Then had a couple of bad experiences with Iowa fans at the Bank in 2014.
 




Me too! We went to Road game in 2012 (the year Shortell played) and the fans were all really nice.
Then had a couple of bad experiences with Iowa fans at the Bank in 2014.

I had a terrible experience at that game. Hawkeyes fan screaming in my ear in the row behind me the entire game only because I was wearing Gopher gear. Almost texted security on him.
 

I think the classiest moment I experienced was after the 2007 game (another loss) leaving the stadium. A Hawk fan, assuming I live in Minnesota, says, "Good luck getting home! I hear the bridge collapsed!" Referencing the 35W bridge collapse from a couple months earlier. Didn't sit very well.
 

I've been to Iowa City in '99, '01, '03, '07, '15. The only REALLY bad time I had was in '01. Other times maybe something here & there, but nothing to complain about. Had a really good time in '15.

Biggest issued I've ever had with Hawkeye fans was in '02 here. The tailgate lots were treated like it was a garbage dump. Bunch of animals. I suppose it makes sense since it was their best team so it brought out all sorts of fans.

I've always said about the chant: I don't think it's offensive, but I don't think it's clever or funny either. It is what it is.
 

I've been to Iowa City in '99, '01, '03, '07, '15. The only REALLY bad time I had was in '01. Other times maybe something here & there, but nothing to complain about. Had a really good time in '15.

Biggest issued I've ever had with Hawkeye fans was in '02 here. The tailgate lots were treated like it was a garbage dump. Bunch of animals. I suppose it makes sense since it was their best team so it brought out all sorts of fans.

I've always said about the chant: I don't think it's offensive, but I don't think it's clever or funny either. It is what it is.

I remember all of those games. I've been to every game there since 01. Ron Johnson went off that year but we still got smoked.
 


I heard there was a year where we played them at TCF, and prior to the game some Iowa fans on their fan board said they were planning to throw food on our tailgate bands and try to ruin the uniforms. That game the tailgate bands traveled through the lots with some security and nothing happened, but just goes to show you how their fans act.

At least I think it was Iowa if I remember correctly, but it could have also been a Wisconsin game.
 

I heard there was a year where we played them at TCF, and prior to the game some Iowa fans on their fan board said they were planning to throw food on our tailgate bands and try to ruin the uniforms. That game the tailgate bands traveled through the lots with some security and nothing happened, but just goes to show you how their fans act.

At least I think it was Iowa if I remember correctly, but it could have also been a Wisconsin game.

I've attended every IA-MN game since '08 and been on the Iowa message boards since then but don't remember anything like that. Sounds more like Wisconsin but I could be wrong.
 

I was at a Gophers game at Iowa, and some of the fans, on seeing my Gophers gear, shouted "Gophers suck!". I was disappointed. I mean "Who hates Iowa?" is the porterhouse of smack. "Gophers suck!" is like a burger from the gas station. Smack talk is fine and all, I just want to be served some higher quality smack.
 

Not a loss of perspective at all. It's a dumb and ignoble chant. As a person who didn't grow up in Minnesota but has lived here for the last 15 and is impressed with the state I think this tradition is unrepresentative of the state and is degrading to its reputation. But, if you don't mind practicing something that is dumb, ignoble, and degrading to the reputation of this state, then by all means carry on.

Stuff like this....

When you come to a football game, at least the good ones, you're walking into a battle. And those battles have been going on for generations. The players on the field come to the U and go to war for the university for 4 years but the good fans have gone to battle for 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60+ years. When you enter our stadium, people should be ready to throw Minnesota nice out the door. Or at least I would hope that be the mindset. You go down to the SEC schools and I guarantee you hear much worse. I wish we had worse chants to be honest because whether your from Iowa, Wisconsin or any other school, you shouldn't feel welcome in our stadium. But I will stick with the tradition of We Hate Iowa and let it ring from the rafters.

If you want a representation of our Minnesota nice reputation, you shouldn't come looking for it at a football game.
 

I've attended every IA-MN game since '08 and been on the Iowa message boards since then but don't remember anything like that. Sounds more like Wisconsin but I could be wrong.

Could be. I am probably not remembering either the team, or where the band caught wind of it correctly.
 

It is a harmless tongue and cheek chant. Personally I think it is kind of silly and a sign of an inferiority complex, but it shouldn't hurt anyone's feelings.
 

I've been to Iowa City in '99, '01, '03, '07, '15. The only REALLY bad time I had was in '01. Other times maybe something here & there, but nothing to complain about. Had a really good time in '15.

Biggest issued I've ever had with Hawkeye fans was in '02 here. The tailgate lots were treated like it was a garbage dump. Bunch of animals. I suppose it makes sense since it was their best team so it brought out all sorts of fans.

I've always said about the chant: I don't think it's offensive, but I don't think it's clever or funny either. It is what it is.

Yeah, that was the low mark for me as well. Drunk idiots urinating in front of children and laughing about it was what pushed me over the edge. 0.341 may have bee the average blood alcohol level that day. I don't think Vodka Sam had anything on some of the fans I saw that day.
 



Words have multiple definitions, depending on context. Iowa can refer to the state itself, or it can refer to the University of Iowa. Just like Minnesota can refer to the state, the university, the Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves, Wild, Lynx or Loons (and a few others) depending on context. In the context "Who Hates Iowa?" is used, it refers to the University of Iowa and in particular the Hawkeyes.

Interesting that even though it's on a message board specifically about college football, when someone has a "Say something nice about Iowa" thread 90% of the messages refer to the state and not the team.
 

Interesting that even though it's on a message board specifically about college football, when someone has a "Say something nice about Iowa" thread 90% of the messages refer to the state and not the team.

Probably because of the OP...?
 




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