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Iowa's figured out how to solve the challenge of pleasing everybody involved with its program: by sending a survey to season ticket holders.
This is not a survey that asks the usual questions, like "What are your expectations this year?" or "Do you think Kirk Ferentz could beat Iowa State if the Cyclones were coached by a broken graphing calculator?"
No, what Iowa wants to know is more interesting: is winning more important than doing things the "right" way?
The problem, other than presupposing a zero-sum game, is that it's too general. Running a team is not a series of decisions labeled WIN and BE UPSTANDING.
So, in the interest of furthering Hawkeye research, we've devised a few additional survey questions.
- On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest, how important is building a 60-foot-tall butter statue of Bret Bielema to convince him to come the hell home?
- It's third-and-15 and we're at the opponent's 35-yard line. Is it cool if we just punt now?
- Rank the following priorities: beating Minnesota; competing for the division title; convincing media to stop saying Iowa could go undefeated because the schedule is easy; beating Pitt; oh hell what if we lose to Pitt
- Please list the local bank you know with the oldest and least sophisticated security system. This, um, is purely for research. You have to tell us if you're a cop.
- Which of the following FCS opponents would be most mortifying to lose to: Illinois State, North Dakota State, or Northern Iowa?
- Would you rather we lose to Vanderbilt? Because we can look into setting up that home-and-home.
- Would you be willing to send the NCAA a doctored audiotape of Ohio State players taking impermissible benefits? What about lying to an investigator?
- Think of a number between five and nine.
- Ok, that's how many games we're going to win this year. You can't get mad now.
- If you know a wide receiver with eligibility left, please write his name here: ______________.