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Nile Kinnick correspondence, January-December 1941

1941-10-20: Front

Monday October 20, 1941 10-20-41
Dear Folks:
What an unhappy weekend for the Iowa football team! They not only were outscored decisively, but they also took quite a severe physical beating, which is
usually true when the other team gets safely ahead. Just exactly what the
trouble was, I am not able to say. I was a bit apprehensive of the outcome
when we started up there, but I didn't foresee a drubbing like that. I could
tell that the squad was underestimating the potential strength of Wisconsin,
and I also felt that the latter would be at a high pitch for us. As it turned
out, Wisconsin was not only at a hight pitch for us, but they also blocked
and tackled as hard and as well as any team I have ever seen. They had speed,
size, and explosiveness. How Northwestern and Marquette ever beat them the
way they did I shall never know. It wouldn't surprise me if they won the
rest of their games, except Minnesota.
I think the trouble with the Iowa team runs deeper, however, than just
not being emotionally "up" for this game. I would list the following reasons
for their poor showing" 1) Definite minimum of personnel, as always, 2) appalling
lack of necessary leadership--someone who encourages them regardless of how things
are going and so meone in whom the rest of the boys have a great deal of confidence.
Such leadership is not so necessary on a squad loaded with fine personnel but
is a definite need on a squad such as ours. Diehl is a fine captain, but he does
not have the qualities for the leadership I have outlined. 3) too many boys who
have lost their desire to play, not realizing that in football as in many other
lines of endeavour pride and courage must motivate when the fun and pleasure
is no longer present. 4) the treatment received from the coaches has not been
of the type to command respect nor a desire to persevere. This is not peculiar
to the Iowa coaching staff but is common to most coaches when the breaks
go the wrong way and the outlook for the future is poor.  5) possible overwork.
Just which, if any, of these points can and will be remedied bythe coaching
staff, I do not know. There is no getting around the fact that every team we
will meet will out-man us.  But, if we offset this with increased work, courage,
and desire to win, we shall meet the reamaining teams on fairly equal terms,
except for Minnesota, of course. Frankly, the outlook isn't too bright, and I
shall be glad when it isall over for the sake of the boys. Coaching is
a thankless job, and I have no desire to ever earn my livelihood in that way,
but I would like to try out some ideas of my own in the treatment of the boys
sometime. I know from actual experience how most of the members of this squad
must now feel. It is a dismal and desolate experience.  I wish that I could
step in and play the rest of the season with them. I know just how much they
need encouragement, and how they would rally around someone who expressed confidence inthem. When I stop to think how wonderfully well things turned out for
me; how suddenly our little band came from the bottom to the top,I can but
bow my head for a moment of silent thanks. Certainly, we ran the whole gamut
of footbal experience,from the abysmal bottom to the glorious top. Only now,
in retrospect, can 1 appreciate the magnitude and singularity of what happened.
Apart from spending most of the afternoon at football practice and part
of the evening in chalk talks, I have been reading a little, going out a little,
and sleeping quite a lot. Never have I enjoyed reading my Bible and Science
books as much as this fall. Nor have I ever before so thoroughly enjoyed browsing
through good poetry. I suppose, my increased leisure time has cntributed in
no small way to this. Every time I pick up my Readers Digest I am happier than
ever that you gave me a life subscription. 1 can think of no gift that 1 have
ever gotten that I enjoy more. I received a letter the other day from Russ
Luersson suggesting that I read a book by Aassen Jordanaff entitled "Your Wings."
He said that this book more than any other one thing would help the beginner
in Naval Air Training. I managed to get it from the library the other day but

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Monday October 20, 1941 10-20-41 Dear Folks: What an unhappy weekend for the Iowa football team! They not only were outscored decisively, but they also took quite a severe physical beating, which is usually true when the other team gets safely ahead. Just exactly what the trouble was, I am not able to say. I was a bit apprehensive of the outcome when we started up there, but I didn't foresee a drubbing like that. I could tell that the squad was underestimating the potential strength of Wisconsin, and I also felt that the latter would be at a high pitch for us. As it turned out, Wisconsin was not only at a hight pitch for us, but they also blocked and tackled as hard and as well as any team I have ever seen. They had speed, size, and explosiveness. How Northwestern and Marquette ever beat them the way they did I shall never know. It wouldn't surprise me if they won the rest of their games, except Minnesota. I think the trouble with the Iowa team runs deeper, however, than just not being emotionally "up" for this game. I would list the following reasons for their poor showing" 1) Definite minimum of personnel, as always, 2) appalling lack of necessary leadership--someone who encourages them regardless of how things are going and so meone in whom the rest of the boys have a great deal of confidence. Such leadership is not so necessary on a squad loaded with fine personnel but is a definite need on a squad such as ours. Diehl is a fine captain, but he does not have the qualities for the leadership I have outlined. 3) too many boys who have lost their desire to play, not realizing that in football as in many other lines of endeavour pride and courage must motivate when the fun and pleasure is no longer present. 4) the treatment received from the coaches has not been of the type to command respect nor a desire to persevere. This is not peculiar to the Iowa coaching staff but is common to most coaches when the breaks go the wrong way and the outlook for the future is poor. 5) possible overwork. Just which, if any, of these points can and will be remedied bythe coaching staff, I do not know. There is no getting around the fact that every team we will meet will out-man us. But, if we offset this with increased work, courage, and desire to win, we shall meet the reamaining teams on fairly equal terms, except for Minnesota, of course. Frankly, the outlook isn't too bright, and I shall be glad when it isall over for the sake of the boys. Coaching is a thankless job, and I have no desire to ever earn my livelihood in that way, but I would like to try out some ideas of my own in the treatment of the boys sometime. I know from actual experience how most of the members of this squad must now feel. It is a dismal and desolate experience. I wish that I could step in and play the rest of the season with them. I know just how much they need encouragement, and how they would rally around someone who expressed confidence inthem. When I stop to think how wonderfully well things turned out for me; how suddenly our little band came from the bottom to the top,I can but bow my head for a moment of silent thanks. Certainly, we ran the whole gamut of footbal experience,from the abysmal bottom to the glorious top. Only now, in retrospect, can 1 appreciate the magnitude and singularity of what happened. Apart from spending most of the afternoon at football practice and part of the evening in chalk talks, I have been reading a little, going out a little, and sleeping quite a lot. Never have I enjoyed reading my Bible and Science books as much as this fall. Nor have I ever before so thoroughly enjoyed browsing through good poetry. I suppose, my increased leisure time has cntributed in no small way to this. Every time I pick up my Readers Digest I am happier than ever that you gave me a life subscription. 1 can think of no gift that 1 have ever gotten that I enjoy more. I received a letter the other day from Russ Luersson suggesting that I read a book by Aassen Jordanaff entitled "Your Wings." He said that this book more than any other one thing would help the beginner in Naval Air Training. I managed to get it from the library the other day but