You might not know it, but if you head west on I-80 for several hours, you’ll eventually enter a vast expanse of depopulated land called Nebraska. I’ve heard rumors of this Nebraska before — this land that, like Iowa, is located in the Midwest yet somehow manages to be four hours farther away from everything.
As it turns out, Nebraska is an actual place with real live people, according to Twitter! In the lead-up to this weekend’s football contest between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Nebraskans have flooded the social media service with the “#iowahateweek” rallying cry — a sort of exercise in group catharsis and a storied tradition (sort of) among the Cornhusker fan base.
Here’s the kicker. A lot of the tweets that have been popping up under the “Iowa Hate Week” hashtag have been utterly hilarious. There’s that old adage, if you can’t laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at? So, with that said, prepare to enter the world of Cornhusker fandom. Are you feeling it? This guy is feeling it:
#IowaHateWeek #IowaHateWeek #IowaHateWeek #IowaHateWeek #IowaHateWeek #IowaHateWeek #IowaHateWeek #IowaHateWeek #IowaHateWeek #IowaHateWeek
— Dave A (@HeyDaveA) November 26, 2013
Touché
Where does Iowa buy its uniforms? The toilet store? #IowaHateWeek
— Trent Ockinga (@trentsanity) November 25, 2013
We have our flaws, it’s true…
Why do all the trees in Nebraska lean east?
Because Iowa Sucks.
#IowaHateWeek
— Austin Schweers (@AustinSchweers) November 25, 2013
What does this even mean?!
I have literally taken shits that sound better than the state of Iowa #IowaHateWeek
— Taylor SMartinez (@SMartinezTaylor) November 25, 2013
A college student wrote this:
Iowa’s birthrate has declined 5 of the last 6 years, likely due to it being illegal to kiss for more than 5 minutes. #Prudes #IowaHateWeek
— Blackshirt Freshman (@BlackshirtFresh) November 26, 2013
Worked for me so far…
What do Iowa fans use for birth control?
Their personalities
#IowaHateWeek
— Brock Minert (@brockminert) November 25, 2013
Despite Nebraska being off “over there” doing whatever the hell Nebraska does, we apparently have a little rivalry with our neighboring state. Did you know this? I didn’t know this. Did they forget to tell us?
Everyone is like #IowaHateWeek, but isn’t every week Iowa hate week?
— K (@kaylee_hobbs) November 25, 2013
On another note, every week is #iowahateweek
— Amanda Blue (@a_maanduhh) November 25, 2013
#IowaHateWeek is in full swing on my twitter feed right now. #couldntbehappier #proudofyouhuskers
— kelly lucis (@_klou23) November 25, 2013
It’s really an all year thing but we do get a week to celebrate it. Welcome to #IOWAHATEWEEK
— Jeff Beitel (@jeffbeitel) November 24, 2013
my favorite weeks of the year:
4. spring break
3. thanksgiving week
2. christmas week
1, #IowaHateWeek
— Cece Abbey (@CeceAbbey) November 25, 2013
Mother of god…
What’s the difference between bin Laden and Iowa? Nothing. #IowaHateWeek
— YA BOY EICHORST™ (@NotADEichorst) November 25, 2013
They just keep going…
Best thing to come out of Iowa in the last 50 years?
I-80
#IowaHateWeek
— Midwest Hot Mess (@Midwestgirl66) November 26, 2013
Happy #IOWAHATEWEEK Nebraska.
I’m thankful for……
growing up on the other side of the river.
#beatIowa pic.twitter.com/gQOiTMDKVG
— Patrick Luddy (@P_Luddy) November 24, 2013
#IowaHateWeek Did you hear Iowa’s library burned down? It’s a shame because most of the coloring books hadn’t been used yet
— Tampa Two (@TampaTwo1) November 26, 2013
Looks quaint!
Man, downtown Iowa City is just a blast. #IowaHateWeek pic.twitter.com/B07etegE
— Jessica Tully (@jessalynn4) October 20, 2012
Cornhusker fans even trudged up writer Stephen Bloom’s old article, “Observations from 20 years of Iowa Life.” Remember that? This guy posted a broken link, so here’s a working version for those curious.
#IowaHateWeek | Observations From 20 Years of Iowa Life – The Atlantic http://t.co/ZajuaMse
— Ben Lerman (@blerms) October 15, 2012
And then there was this…
This says it all #IowaHateWeek pic.twitter.com/eTqCz9ynia
— Becca Peterson (@_justBeccause_) November 25, 2013
And finally, a bit of philosophy about what these “hate weeks” mean to the Cornhusker fan base. I wouldn’t call it the “worst thing” they do because, quite frankly, it was pretty entertaining to read through all of these tweets. You can find more “Iowa Hate Week” shout outs here. There are many.
This is the worst thing we do as a fan base, but its kind of like The Purge, let us cleanse ourselves, folks. #IowaHateWeek
— Wats (@c_watson_24) November 25, 2013
This was amazing! Thanks for bringing this to our attention, we would never have known…. because who seriously pays attention to Nebraska?
Sports!
If they be hatin’, it means you’re doin’ somethin’ right….go Hawkzzzzz
What are you guys 1-7 against us? Go big red
Wow, I’m shocked. I didn’t even realize anyone still lived in Nebraska. I know they used to play football there like 25 years ago. Really, there’s still people there? Wow.
lol, nebraskans are so cute when they try to think.
To a native North Dakotan it is hilarious to see you two sophisticated urbane states try to insult the hick-I-ness of the other. Omaha and Des Moines are bright lights and big cities to us.
Seriously, is there a difference between two podunk states like this? Flat, boring, corn, lack of diversity. Funny to watch. Hope iowa wins now.
As God is my witness, I’d never even heard of Nebraska until I read this article. It’s really a real place? Wow. They need to fire their publicist pronto.
This is just like NJ/NY but flatter, duller, less people and Oh yeah, COLLEGE FOOTBALL ’cause that’s all you got!
All the Iowa hate from Nebraska started when they were in the big 12 and had the rivalry with Iowa State. Then the switched to the big 10 and see another Iowa school and basically said “THE RIVALRY CONTINUES”. Nebraska fans are definitely WAY more into the “rivalry” than Iowa fans.
Yeah, you can’t just transplant a rivalry from one school to the . To most Hawkeye fans, Nebraska is just a new annoying hindrance before we go to our bowl game.
I should correct my sentence by adding the “next” I left out. If I don’t, a Husker will come out of the corn and think he is hurting my feelings by pointing it out.
It’s pretty comical for a school that consistently loses to Nebraska, and is rarely even competitive in the game, to talk so much smack like they’ve EVER mattered in the landscape of college football. I’m from Omaha, a die hard Husker fan, and I can’t stand the state of Iowa. We don’t view you as a football rival, we just dislike your state in general. I don’t think I need to explain why if you’ve ever set foot in Council Bluffs (aka Council-tucky). Good luck with your coach who makes nearly $4 million year and can barely get you to mediocre! I’m sure it’s money well spent. I’ve actually heard the Texas Bowl is one of the better 3rd-tier bowls.
P.S. – And for the record, most Husker fans would rather play a real program like Wisconsin on Black Friday. We’re just as disappointed as you are.
Well, since 2000 6 bowl wins for Iowa, 4 for Nebraska, and vs tougher teams…and we haven’t given up 30 points in a incredibly shameful, embarrassing loss and we beat Minnesota. (which Nebraska failed to do) I’d say that as a football team Iowa is as relevant as Nebraska. As a state, Iowa is ranked higher for being better ran (less deficit…nevermind, you won’t understand). Ferentz is overpaid – majority of fans think so too – so congrats on thinking of that one.
P.S. As far as saying a “real” program like Wisconsin, the rivalry between Wis and Iowa is 43-42 overall. So, pretty close. I guess you don’t look up facts before writing. Oh, and you put “consistently” loses to Nebraska. Yea, the 3 games in the last like 20 years. That’s really something to base consistency off of. Good work. Not the brightest bulb.
Your entire comment was invalidated as soon as you said you were from Omaha. It’s true that Iowa pales in many ways when compared to many other states in the United States. However, as someone who isn’t from either state. I’m from California, and
I can confidently say that Nebraska is viewed around the country as the most worthless state in the country. It’s actually pretty well established that we all hate Nebraska.
I used to not care at all about this game, but then I spent three days in Iowa this Summer. What a dump. Idiots Out Walking Around. I was surprised Iowa even had fans. There isn’t anything to be proud of.
You fan apparently don’t remember when Nebraska refused to play Iowa during your down years. Also don’t remember that Iowa did during are own. All you folks have to talk about is the 90’s. I remember when Nebraska started sucking they talked about volleyball and softball to make up for their own shortcomings in men’s sports. Go hawks!
Iowa vs Nebraska
12-28-3
Nuf said.
This is like two kids in the back seat of the car, fighting over who gets to sit at the door. When we start consistently playing for championships, not just years ago, then maybe we can sit up front riding shotgun.
Nebraska doesn’t hate Iowa. A bunch of college students in Lincoln are drunk.
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Wow. This is the some of the funniest stuff I’ve ever read; it very much reinforces my notion to never live in a state that doesn’t touch the ocean. Have fun poking each other and pulling hair. My family hails from Nebraska at the turn of the century though, so F*ck you Iowa, too. Inbred, racist hillbillies standing on a slightly taller mound of mud thinking they are the queens of the castle. Fun!
You know what Nebraska has that Iowa doesn’t… championships. Now, I know most Hawkeye fans may have never heard the term “championship” before but I won’t hold it against them. All you need to know is that Nebraska has 5 and that your mediocre team will never have one.