The three year hangover

This was a bitter pill to swallow.

Tonight I made myself watch “Iowa Football with Kirk Ferentz,” the coach’s weekly TV show with Gary Dolphin, the Hawkeyes’ ubiquitous radio announcer. Seeing the highlights of yesterday’s 31-30 defeat at the hands of the Badgers made my stomach churn in disgust. Reliving the Hawks’ outstanding plays was bittersweet in light of the eventual outcome.

Losing to Wisconsin sucks, but this time it feels even worse since the powers that be in the Big Ten (understandably) did not protect the border rivalry as a yearly showdown.

After the game, as the Badgers carried The Heartland Trophy away from the Iowa bench, I’m sure the Big Ten administrative brass uttered a collective “Shit.” The most competitive rivalry — currently and historically — in the Big Ten will be on hiatus until at least 2013. That means the Badgers have bragging rights and The Bull for the next three years. That’s what grinds my gears the most.

Three fucking years! It’s not like in high school when City High lost The Boot to West in IC’s annual intercity game, or Iowa losing Floyd of Rosedale to the Gophers. In the immediate shadow of those losses is the consolation of winning back each prize the next fall. But now we’re talking three years. Three fucking years! Iowa’s current freshmen will be starters the next time the Hawks face off with the Badgers. In football time, that’s an eternity.

It is an eternity to a fan, too. I hate to say it, but it is going to be a long and hard wait until the next Iowa-Wisconsin showdown.

But, as always, it’s best to keep things in perspective. The easy road to glory many predicted was never a reality, especially this year. The Big Ten is too strong this season for any team, including the Hawks, not to be humbled by daunting obstacles — like Wisconsin’s 325-pound across-the-board offensive line. The Hawks only have one conference loss, and, as Kirk Ferentz said tonight on his show, you “can’t let one loss beat you twice.”

I need to stop this uncharacteristic brooding and prepare to cheer myself hoarse Saturday in the south end zone when the Hawks take on Michigan State.