[CornFed]

I am amazed at the air of superiority and condescension that pervades some of the posts on this thread.  I recognize that I am not perfectly objective, having grown up in Iowa for my first 18 years and having had a wonderful childhood.  On the other hand, when I graduated from Stanford, it was a priority for me to get back to Northern California, because I see the beauty and opportunity in this area.  But I am stunned at the false narratives and stereotypes that overwhelm civil perceptions.

I can say that my cousin, a dermatologist from Des Moines, an Iowa season ticket holder and a graduate of the U. of Iowa School of Medicine, told me in November that even if Iowa ended up at the Rose Bowl, he would probably not attend.  He has been aware of the PAC-12's strength and also acknowledged the questions raised by Iowa's weaker schedule.  He didn't want to pay a bunch of money, travel all the way out to the West Coast and probably see his Hawkeyes soundly beaten.  He was not unique among his friends and the people who sit around him at games.

I have quite a few friends who came (or wanted to come) to the Rose Bowl because, as they said, Iowa just doesn't get that many opportunities.  All of them, to a person, at the very least acknowledged that the spread was right prior to the game and many joked that it was probably low, given Iowa's historical tendency to crap on itself in bowl games.

I could go on.  But I couldn't read this steady stream of summary judgments that is being prefaced by misguided presumptions about our West Coast superiority and the pitiful naivete and delusions of our Midwestern counterparts.  If your putting this crap out, a moment's introspection would probably do you some good.  Also, getting out of your comfortable echo chambers of illusion might be an interesting and stimulating experience for you.

[CornFed]

I am amazed at the air of superiority and condescension that pervades some of the posts on this thread.  I recognize that I am not perfectly objective, having grown up in Iowa for my first 18 years and having had a wonderful childhood.  On the other hand, when I graduated from Stanford, it was a priority for me to get back to Northern California, because I see the beauty and opportunity in this area.  But I am stunned at the false narratives and stereotypes that overwhelm civil perceptions.

I can say that my cousin, a dermatologist from Des Moines, an Iowa season ticket holder and a graduate of the U. of Iowa School of Medicine, told me in November that even if Iowa ended up at the Rose Bowl, he would probably not attend.  He has been aware of the PAC-12's strength and also acknowledged the questions raised by Iowa's weaker schedule.  He didn't want to pay a bunch of money, travel all the way out to the West Coast and probably see his Hawkeyes soundly beaten.  He was not unique among his friends and the people who sit around him at games.

I have quite a few friends who came (or wanted to come) to the Rose Bowl because, as they said, Iowa just doesn't get that many opportunities.  All of them, to a person, at the very least acknowledged that the spread was right prior to the game and many joked that it was probably low, given Iowa's historical tendency to crap on itself in bowl games.

I could go on.  But I couldn't read this steady stream of summary judgments that is being prefaced by misguided presumptions about our West Coast superiority and the pitiful naivete and delusions of our Midwestern counterparts.  If your putting this crap out, a moment's introspection would probably do you some good.  Also, getting out of your comfortable echo chambers of illusion might be an interesting and stimulating experience for you.