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book

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My points:
no pat down searches to get in - give them your ticket and your are in.
terrible blaring more than loud music before the pre-band ceremony - two Iowa fans apoligized
to me for it!
the band played the nat'l anthem with no one but the crowd singing - nice!
everyone stood for the whole game - could hardly see any of the game - haven 't seen this is any other stadiums - OK stand on some 3rd downs but this was ridiculous - you needed to be
6 foot 5 at least - to see the game!

Don't want to put a damper on all the "get rid of Brewster types" but that was the best defensive effort I've seen from the Gophers in a long time. I think it will be easier to repair our offense than having to have rebuild a defense. Ferentz (sp?) had a rough first three years as other head coaches did. I will defer judment until after next year.
 

I went to IC for the game as well. My last trip was in 2001 and it was a sour one from the way we were treated. This time I went with my buddy, who is a Iowa season ticket holder. We sat on the home side around the 40 yard line.

I must say that the treatment from Iowa fans this time around was 100x better than last time. Wasn't harassed at all. A couple Iowa fans even came up to me after the game and complimented the Gophers on our effort and wished us luck in the bowl game.

The fans at Kinnick are WAY more into the game than your fans at a Gopher game. Here's a novel concept....they actually make noise on every down for defense instead of just 3rd down.

It was a fun trip...except for the final score.
 

I had a blast down in IC as well. Made the trip for the first time since 05. Its a short, easy drive down.

One of my buddies who was making his first trip to IC summed up the difference quite well. As we walked into Kinnick, he took one look at 70k people doing the "I-O-W-A" chant before turning to me and saying simply- "Our fan base sucks."
 


Regarding the pat-downs. I went to 3 road games this year (NW, PSU and Iowa) and not one of those stadiums patted me down or frisked me. It's a bit embarrassing that I have to unzip my jacket, get frisked and sometimes be asked to remove my hat and empty my pockets (happened to me twice this year) when I walk into TCF.
 


Yeah Maturi said we're the only school in the big ten to have pat downs
 

At least we lead the BT in something.

Some would argue that one must drink to watch the Gophers. Actually, I don't think anyone would argue that right now.
 

To the OP: I think Iowa fans standing the entire game is a testament to the fan support. You're complaining will get you NO sympathy from good fans. I stood more today at the Vikings game then I would have had to at the Gopher-Iowa game last year if Iowa had not scored so often.
 

alpinegopher said:
At least we lead the BT in something.

Some would argue that one must drink to watch the Gophers. Actually, I don't think anyone would argue that right now.
Click to expand...
Rule 12: Get drunk as fast as possible at all times.
 



Glad you guys had a good time (or at least as good a time as you could have with your team losing :) ). Kinnick is a great place to see a game. I actually thought our crowd was a little more subdued for this one that it had been for the other three games I'd been to this year, so I guess it says something about what you're used to at TCF that you were impressed. Also good to hear that you didn't have any trouble with Iowa fans. We've got some jerks like any fanbase, but in general I think we're fairly welcoming to opposing fans, and I've heard that from a lot of other fans around the Big Ten over the years.
 

My personal beleif, totally unsubstantiated, is that many of the issues with Iowa fans are caused by the ones who live in Minnesota and attend one game every two years as a visitor. For these fans, it is their Super Bowl as they live in Minnesota and thus focus on the Gophers. Addtionally I suspect many of the fans who travel do so because they cannot easily get tickets for Kinnick. This tends to bring out the worst in them.

For your average fan living Iowa, Saturday was one of four big ten games. The rivalry makes it special but not near as special as palying a ranked team.
 

I thought it was a great trip...as a whole the fan base was much more into the game which made for a great atmosphere. I also enjoyed their tailgating setup. Everyone really seemed to be having a great time.
 

Winnipegopher said:
My personal beleif, totally unsubstantiated, is that many of the issues with Iowa fans are caused by the ones who live in Minnesota and attend one game every two years as a visitor. For these fans, it is their Super Bowl as they live in Minnesota and thus focus on the Gophers. Addtionally I suspect many of the fans who travel do so because they cannot easily get tickets for Kinnick. This tends to bring out the worst in them.

For your average fan living Iowa, Saturday was one of four big ten games. The rivalry makes it special but not near as special as palying a ranked team.
Click to expand...

I've been to Gopher-Iowa games at Kinnick in 1999, 2001, 2003 & 2007. This is a true statement. You run into MUCH WORSE Iowa fans when the game's in Minneapolis than in Iowa City. I had ONE problem in the 4 years I was in Iowa City, and that was with students, which could have happened on any campus.

I don't know if it's the fact that it was half Iowa fans and the ability to drink beer at the dome or what, but many more problems in Minneapolis than in Iowa City.
 



The fans stood and cheered every play? How horrible! Many MN fans claim that no other stadium fans stand the whole game but now we have proof that it is done at another stadium. And they stood the whole time during a boring game. I only can wish that someday MN fans will stand and cheer every play.
 

I got back yesterday (my 3rd consecutive trip to IC) and here are my observations:

I was very pleased with the defense and saw the game as a huge step forward from the 2008 home drubbing. Then I talked to may dad on the phone after the game and he said that Bob Griese and the other announcers were very pro-Iowa and very anti-Minnesota in their commentary. I wonder if the tenor of their commentary made people more negative about the game than they would have been seeing it in person.

100% of the sober fans were nice. 98% of the buzzed/drunk fans were nice. 80% of the sh**-faced fans were jerks. Actually, there were no jerks over the age of 30, the 20-30 crowd were the only unpleasant ones.

Good restaurants and bars.

I saw 2 seperate guys pissing in the sinks in the bathroom (yuck) and my wife saw a (apparently sober) 60 -65 year old man patiently waiting in line for a stall in the women's bathroom. I guess some of them just haven't figured out indoor plumbing yet.

You can tell by the way they swagger that guys in Iowa seem to consider themselves "muscular" if they are, in reality, just fat.

I cannot get over how badly most of the state smells. I have been in many rural/agricultural parts of the country and can't recall any state or area smelling nearly that bad.
 

Perhaps the Iowa fans are more into the game because they've had more to cheer about in recent years. One breakout season and the atmosphere at our games will improve.
 

Iowa fans as seen by other team followers.

My nephew started for Michigan basketball four years. His parents went to every game he played in except two (UCLA and Duke). My brother-in-law said they were treated with respect in every arena except two, Michigan State (expected) and Iowa. He now knows why Minnesota fans dislike Iowa so much. At a game in Carver/ Haweye, we sat behind the bench at Iowa and were called every name in the book. Not by students but by grey hairs. One even threw gum in my wife's hair! I'll never get her to another game down there.
 

book said:
My points:

everyone stood for the whole game - could hardly see any of the game - haven 't seen this is any other stadiums - OK stand on some 3rd downs but this was ridiculous - you needed to be
6 foot 5 at least - to see the game!
Click to expand...


You need to quit going to games. I hate it when the crowd sits there all cozy and gets angry at others trying to cheer on their team. If you want to sit, stay home. I was at the game, I stood the entire game, and it was great. I'm a fan.
 

Iowa Game Day Experience-
Great Tailgate atmosphere. We were greeted with a few good natured jabs but that was expected. Enjoyed sharing in some tailgating with the crew we were down with. There tailgating lots were packed with not one parking space open. The same can't be said of at our stadium lots. Granted I don't know the fees associated with their lots compared to ours but shouldn't make that much of a difference.
Great Stadium atmosphere- As previously noted by another blogger no game day pat-downs. Easy to get in and get out. Of course a bit more crowded with the smaller concourses but no complaints. The only 4 fans that I noticed sitting at the game were Gopher fans right next to me in the front row. Of course they wanted the people on the field in front of them to always take a knee. The Iowa fans stood and cheered till the bitter end. The Gopher fans that were there did make plenty of noise but Iowa is smart and spreads us (gopher fans) all across a thin line so harder to make more of an impact.

For how much I dislike Iowa, their fans (at Kinnick) are great. Not sure why we can't get the Minnesota fans at our stadium to stand up and cheer for more then a 3rd down play. I know we all want a great product on the field but we need to start getting behind them on every play not just 3rd down and 10. Hopefully come next year when we open vs. South Dakota our fans will be re-energized.
 

Craw- well said. True fans don't attend games to sit and keep their butts warm. I bet there aren't many Iowa fans complaining about standing fans. They go to cheer on their team!
 


Chubby4Tubby said:
Yeah Maturi said we're the only school in the big ten to have pat downs
Click to expand...

Didn't he say it's being done at the request of Homeland Security? I'm guessing the threats came from people pissed-off about not getting student tickets for the Wisconsin game.
 



book said:
My points:
no pat down searches to get in - give them your ticket and your are in.
terrible blaring more than loud music before the pre-band ceremony - two Iowa fans apoligized
to me for it!
the band played the nat'l anthem with no one but the crowd singing - nice!
everyone stood for the whole game - could hardly see any of the game - haven 't seen this is any other stadiums - OK stand on some 3rd downs but this was ridiculous - you needed to be
6 foot 5 at least - to see the game!

Don't want to put a damper on all the "get rid of Brewster types" but that was the best defensive effort I've seen from the Gophers in a long time. I think it will be easier to repair our offense than having to have rebuild a defense. Ferentz (sp?) had a rough first three years as other head coaches did. I will defer judment until after next year.
Click to expand...

You must have been in a totally different section that me. In my section people stood up for pretty much every 3rd down and other big downs (i.e. the Gophers 1st and Goal at the 2). Nobody in my section stood the entire game.
 


I think most people enjoy their trip to Kinnick. I was there for the Michigan game, and waiting in line for the Hawkeye Express train. Several Michigan fans were there, and all I heard was "Welcome to Kinnick Stadium", "Welcome to Iowa City and enjoy the game".

Then, I read a post on the Hawkeye board where someone ran up to a Michigan fan and punched him in the face. If I saw something like that I'd be all over the Iowa guy. There always has to be one bad apple.
 

Heading to Kinnick was a cathartic experience for me. It reminded me of my charity work in Ethiopia. Taking time out to get in touch with a people forced to live on the very brink of civilization without so many of the comforts that I take for granted. It was a harrowing, soul-searching trip that took a lot out of me, but the greatest gift of all was getting to come home. So in that way I enjoyed it yes.
 

Khaliq said:
Heading to Kinnick was a cathartic experience for me. It reminded me of my charity work in Ethiopia. Taking time out to get in touch with a people forced to live on the very brink of civilization without so many of the comforts that I take for granted. It was a harrowing, soul-searching trip that took a lot out of me, but the greatest gift of all was getting to come home. So in that way I enjoyed it yes.
Click to expand...

Tired of getting beat, huh? ;)
 


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