Hawkeyes show promise; fans blinded by blame

While I wasn’t anywhere near race-ready mode the past couple of months, the last few days have helped me gear up for the 2013 racing season. The weather has been improving and the calendar has us in the second half of March. In just a couple short weeks, we should be making our way back to the dirt track ovals in eastern Iowa.

With the new season on the horizon, I’ve noticed a number of fellow race fans already in mid-season form. Unfortunately, most of those observations have come in the form of negative facebook and twitter posts concerning college basketball’s March Madness.

Huh? What do those have in common, you ask?

Truthfully, there’s plenty.

As I’ve mentioned previously, social media definitely has its advantages in our “information now” society. At the same time, it allows many to shine by playing the role of the victim every time they log on. Most notably, Iowa Hawkeye basketball fans.

Don’t get me wrong, I was born and raised an Iowa fan - one of those Iowa fans who doesn’t hold the hatred for Iowa State. I’m an Iowa fan through and through, but only cheer against the Cyclones when the two schools meet.

Actually, there are quite a few ISU “victims” on social media, as well, but Hawkeyes fans tend to outdo themselves in an embarrassing manner.

Rather than commend Fran McCaffery’s rebuilding job in Iowa City, Hawkeye fans have been a gruesome lot at times. When the Hawks come up on the short end of the stick, the progress the program has made is an afterthought to the Iowa "faithful" and the focus has shifted to “not being able to close” or, my personal favorite, “getting jobbed by the refs.”

Being able to close is a painful part of the rebuilding process. Remember, just a few short years ago Iowa fans were playing desperately just to stay out of the cellar of the B1G. They weren’t even in the position to approach the lead in a ballgame, let alone hold a lead at the end of one. McCaffery is taking them in the right direction.

It’s the other complaint that leads me to shake my head. Getting jobbed by the refs… being forced to play six, seven or eight on five… the calls not going both ways… and on and on and on. Those arguments, at best, are weak.

We live in an imperfect world where we not only strive for, but are somehow wired to expect, perfection. Yes, there are bad calls in every basketball game. It’s likely there is at least a bad call or two in every officiated sporting event. The bottom line is officials mess up. It’s human nature, but it works both ways.

Players make mistakes.

Coaches make mistakes.

Somewhere along the way, our favorite teams became immune to imperfections that could cost them a game. As fans, we expect the best out of our team every night out and anything short of a win is imperfection. We don’t accept our own imperfections. Imperfection doesn’t lie in us or our favorites, it lies in others. It lies in the opposition or those who control the whistle.

Officiating, whether it’s in basketball, football, auto racing or any other sport, involves judgment calls. They all include the human element. We tend to forget that coaching and playing involve that same human element. Sometimes things go our way and sometimes they don’t. Of course, at some point in time that's become lost on our society because when something goes wrong, there always has to be someone else to blame. That’s just plain scary.

Yes, Iowa lost, but played well Friday night against Michigan State in the quarterfinals of the B1G men’s basketball tournament. They played well for most of the game, only to let it slip away at the end, as they have done a few times this season. So many close calls in so many big games somehow led an abundance of fans to cite poor officiating as the culprit.

While I agree that there were a few bad calls in Friday night’s game, I’m sure we could also point out a few miscues on the part of the team and coaching staff. But that doesn’t mean anyone is to blame. It’s a process and everyone involved will learn and grow from it. That doesn't make it someone's fault. To place the blame on the officials lacks sportsmanship and common sense. If the blame game was a well, Iowa fans would run it dry.

Iowa put themselves in position to advance to the semifinals, but the officials did not take that opportunity away from them. To the fans who cried that the officials cost them the game, I ask them if there were any other times in the game, officiating aside, when Iowa could have produced three more points (the difference in the final score)?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not coming down on the team. I think they have had a terrific season that is likely not over. I anticipate a high seed in the NIT, which may actually work better for the Hawkeyes. Playing in the NIT may offer them more opportunity to advance, grow, learn and continue building toward a stronger future.

I feel bad for Eric May. Not because the team “got jobbed” by the refs in his final B1G game, but because his career as a Hawkeye will be coming to an end just before the program turns the corner.

I admit I often cringed during the season watching Adam Woodbury lumber down the lane with little control and maturity. I can tell you, though, I enjoyed watching him get better as the season progressed, making numerous plays in the final games of the regular season and B1G tournament.

Watching Mike Gessel lead the Hawks up the court has been a great sign for the program. He didn’t play like a freshman at all this year and will quickly become one of the best point guards in the conference, if not the region.

Marble, Basabe and the other veterans continue to learn and grow. The underclassmen have had increased playing time. They will all work toward reaping the rewards of the rebuilding process.

There are plenty of positives to take away from Iowa’s season. Ignoring them by emphasizing what you may consider poor officiating detracts from their accomplishments which, in turn, is an insult to the program. The fans need to accept the process for what it is and use their own energy to support the team along the way rather than blame others for any struggles.

Whether you’re an Iowa fan, an Iowa State fan or a race fan, it all comes down to cheering on your favorites during the good times and supporting them during the not-so-good times. You can sit and blame someone else for your misfortune all day long, but that doesn’t support your passion for the sport or the love of your team.

The future is bright in Iowa City and springtime at the race track is right around the corner. Don’t hang your heads too long or you may just miss it.

I’ll be back in a week or two with previews of the 2013 season at Independence Motor Speedway and Benton County Speedway. I’ll get an early jump on number crunching by sharing some stats for both tracks with season openers only a few weeks away.

Enjoy March Madness and I’ll see you at the races.