Tuesdays with Torbee

One of my all-time favorite sports books – actually, scratch that, one of my all-time favorite books of any subject – is “My Losing Season” by Pat Conroy.

His senior year, Conroy was the starting point guard and captain of a bad Citadel Bulldogs that finished 8-16 and regularly gave up 100 or more points to any team it played with a pulse. Despite the losing and a tyrannical, not particularly effective coach, Conroy still managed to find joy and comradery and purpose in the journey of that lost season.

For Conroy, the struggles and adversity became an impetus for growth and literally helped him learn how to be a man.

I think my affinity for that book is one reason losing streaks by my favorite basketball team don’t phase me nearly as much as even single-game football losses. For one thing, basketball provides many more opportunities to dig out of a hole and turn your season around, but also, there is something admirable in seeing basketball players get after it night after night in a long season, even when success eludes them.

When Iowa stumbled against a very weak Eastern Illinois team, got blown out in Lincoln then failed to finish off a comeback against Penn State to cap a brutal mid-season, three-game losing streak, I was more bummed than bitter. Learning about Patrick McCaffery’s struggles with anxiety, leading to a leave of absence, reminded me much of the Pat Conroy’s similar personal and mental struggles from the book. It’s hard for fans to remember the guys toiling and sweating and bleeding for the team take losses far harder than we do at times.

It can be hard to grant grace to the team you follow when they don’t live up to expectations or drop games you know they could win. It was buoying, therefore, to see the outpouring of understanding and support for Patrick from Iowa fans, even at a time when it seemed his leaving the team might make a bad situation worse.

Just when the abyss appeared open, however, this eminently likeable team dug deep and pulled off an unlikely comeback in Carver against Indiana, followed by a gutty road win at Rutgers’ RAC, where most Big 10 teams struggle mightily. Not only did the Hawkeyes reestablish themselves as a tough out in the Big 10, they led the Scarlet Knights from opening tip to final whistle, something no other program has done in that venue this year.

What I love about this mini-turnaround is that is what good programs do. They dig deep and find a way to win despite adversity. Even if those mid-season missteps ultimately cost Iowa an NCAA Tournament berth – and they very well could – the fact Coach Fran McCaffery and the players rallied and rebounded when they could have folded is a sure sign of strength in the Iowa basketball program. It feels like treacly cliché to talk about a college basketball program being “a family” but it’s hard to argue against the evidence in this case. These guys have each other’s backs and don’t back down even when the odds feel stacked against them.

Speaking of not backing down, how tough is Filip Rebraca? Despite being undersized and asked to log heavy, heavy minutes, all he does is play with relentless aggression and tenacity. I thought it was fitting the Big Ten Network was promoting its upcoming Chris Street documentary during the Iowa-Rutgers game, because the energy Filip brings to the game really resembles Street’s. I know that is an insanely high bar and that Chris Street is a black and gold legend, but the comparison is apt, I believe. Street had more raw athletic power, but his perpetual energy was his super power, and I feel like Rebraca is similar.

The Hawkeyes have three straight home games, starting this Thursday against a Michigan team that has also been up-and-down, sporting a pedestrian 9-6 overall record, but currently sitting 3-1 in conference. Win that one, and pick off Maryland and Northwestern the following Sunday and Wednesday, and Iowa is back in the mix in what appears to be a quite competitively balanced Big 10.

One thing that would help is a loud and raucous Carver Hawkeye Arena. Get there if you can and show some appreciation for a team that knows how to get up off the mat to keep swinging.

Follow me on Twitter @ToryBrecht