The 80's are usually lamented as the dredge years of ISU football with Criner and Walden. I just uncovered a depressing fact. Our record from 1983-2001 (9 years) was 38-57-4 for a winning percentage of 40.4%. In the last 9 years our record is 38-73 for a winning percentage of 34.2%.
The difference? 1. We have been to 3 bowls in the last 9 years. 2. We are beating Iowa frequently. In the Criner/early Walden years, we didn't go to bowls and were destroyed by Iowa, often times embarrassingly. We are building or have built nice facilities and things certainly do not feel like they felt in the 80's. The 90's were probably worse. Our record from 1991 to 1999 was 24-73-2 (24.2%).
Basically, except for Mac's 6 year stretch from 2000-2005, it has been pretty depressing. Outside of Mac, we have had 3 winning seasons since 1982. In fairness, we had two regular season .500 records that became losing seasons with bowl losses.
(I use the first 5 Walden years because it is universally agreed, I think, that he gave up after that time and just drew a pay check.)
I hope the golf course dries out quickly today. I really need to whack the heck out of the golf ball. Won't go very far but whack away I will.
The difference? 1. We have been to 3 bowls in the last 9 years. 2. We are beating Iowa frequently. In the Criner/early Walden years, we didn't go to bowls and were destroyed by Iowa, often times embarrassingly. We are building or have built nice facilities and things certainly do not feel like they felt in the 80's. The 90's were probably worse. Our record from 1991 to 1999 was 24-73-2 (24.2%).
Basically, except for Mac's 6 year stretch from 2000-2005, it has been pretty depressing. Outside of Mac, we have had 3 winning seasons since 1982. In fairness, we had two regular season .500 records that became losing seasons with bowl losses.
(I use the first 5 Walden years because it is universally agreed, I think, that he gave up after that time and just drew a pay check.)
I hope the golf course dries out quickly today. I really need to whack the heck out of the golf ball. Won't go very far but whack away I will.
