Iowa fans troll Bob Stoops and Fran McCaffrey to unsuspectingly ask Brian Ferentz to leave
September 13th, 2022 at 4:16 AM ^
So I'm 40+, but allow me to be the bridge between myself and my own understanding this post. Cameo is a platform where you can pay celebrities to say things for you such as "we are getting a divorce, I ran over your dog, or please Iowa fire your offensive coordinator." It seems this can also be used for pleasant things, like "I didn't run over your dog, but your offensive line will be run over by an angry pack of squirrels soon if you don't resign from your position, Brian Ferentz."
So former Oklahoma football coach Bob Stoops and Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffrey were paid/tricked by some Iowa fans to post a video intimating that Brian Ferentz would be better off not as the Iowa offensive coordinator. This isn't that complicated, however...
September 13th, 2022 at 7:59 AM ^
Thanks for the background. I saw the Cameo logo and wondered what it was
September 13th, 2022 at 10:29 AM ^
All I learned from this is exactly what I'd always hoped, and that is that Bob Stoops now lives in a booth in a sport bar.
September 13th, 2022 at 11:02 AM ^
Thanks it was too much work for me.
September 13th, 2022 at 12:03 PM ^
Can we blow up the inter webs now? Other than mgoblog.com of course. Its a fucking cesspool.
And thanks for explaining what this is.
September 13th, 2022 at 4:52 AM ^
I may be too old to understand the concept of trolling, but isn't Brian Ferentz the one being trolled with Bob Stoops and Fran McCaffrey unwitting participants?
September 13th, 2022 at 5:01 AM ^
This is correct
September 13th, 2022 at 5:35 AM ^
Thank you UMGrad. I now understand the subject and object of a troll. Knowledge is power.
September 13th, 2022 at 12:20 PM ^
I'm also old and it was 4 am and didn't really think through who was being trolled. My bad.
September 13th, 2022 at 12:46 PM ^
How are they unwitting participants when they're getting paid to do this?
September 13th, 2022 at 1:08 PM ^
What likely happened is someone paid for a message and told them my son Brian is having a hard time in the family business and is thinking of making a move. I want him to know I love him support his career journey” or something like that. No way they Stoops or McCaffrey knew who Brian was.
This kind of thing happened from time to time. Molly Jong Fast and Rick Wilson for Seb Gorka to wish them luck on their new podcast a couple years ago
September 13th, 2022 at 1:27 PM ^
IDK. I can certainly see Stoops not realizing who was being trolled. But given the timing right after another bad football loss, the name Brian, and being a big Iowa fan, it seems McCaffrey must be a bit of a dullard if he didn't catch on.
Aside from that, I'd be pretty disappointed if Juwan Howard was doing these silly videos for $50. But the nights are long in Iowa City I suppose.
September 13th, 2022 at 4:53 AM ^
I wonder how much this cameo cost? I mean they didn't just say Brian, they know exactly who the message is for and what it's about.
Edit: Well maybe Stoops thought it was some random Brian, but Fran.
September 13th, 2022 at 5:21 AM ^
Bob Stoops' listed price is $250 for a Cameo. Fran's is $50.
It's not that hard to make up a compelling story to elicit a video like this, without the person making the video being aware who the real intended target might be. They get a lot of requests, make several videos at once, and tend to take things at face value. So while perhaps they were aware, it's beyond possible that both Bob and Fran did not understand who this was being directed at... I think this is more likely the case than not, as I don't think Fran would participate if he knew beforehand.
Also unknown is how many videos like this were attempted in order to get 2 that worked so well.
September 13th, 2022 at 5:22 AM ^
(Meaning whoever schemed this up may have also tried buying Cameos from others, but some of the other videos didn't work quite as well...)
September 13th, 2022 at 5:39 AM ^
I shouldn't judge anyone and their decision making, but why would anyone who makes $2.9m per year and has had that job as securely as anyone could imagine (Iowa coaches do not leave/quit/get fired) do this for $50? Stoops is retired and he seems to enjoy it, so I'll refrain from commenting on him.
September 13th, 2022 at 5:47 AM ^
Yeah, it's tacky.
September 13th, 2022 at 8:21 AM ^
It’s typically used for things like birthday messages and other communications. If my brother was really into Iowa basketball, getting a “happy birthday” from Fran for my brother might be worth $50. What’s wrong with that? I would say that it’s pretty cheap for Fran, so he’s providing the service for a low price.
September 13th, 2022 at 8:38 AM ^
That's a nice way to see it. I like that if the coach is doing this as a service to his stakeholders (tax payers of Iowa, family and friends of players etc.).
September 13th, 2022 at 9:49 AM ^
My best friend is a lifelong New York (Football) Giants fan. Yes, we're old. For his 70th birthday his wife bought him a 2-minute long greeting from Lawrence Taylor -- the ULTIMATE gift for a Giants fan. I don't know how much it cost, but he told me they just took out a second mortgage on the house.
September 13th, 2022 at 8:59 AM ^
I say the same thing when I see people who are well off doing stupid commercials, not even good ones. I guess money is a motivator.
September 13th, 2022 at 11:16 AM ^
I've always wondered about actors/actresses who take on roles that are demeaning to/at the expense of their own sex/race/nationality/etc. I'm not talking about characterization or dialogue written by tone-deaf writers, etc., who have no ill intent. I just wonder how much of a role money plays, when actors/actresses take on roles that are unambiguously and intentionally stereotyping and demeaning to a group the actor/actress belongs to.
(I know that sometimes they receive only a very limited piece of the script, so it can be hard for them to know before they dive in whether they're being brought into something ugly).
September 13th, 2022 at 10:13 AM ^
The phrasing of the content itself if very generic. The request is along the lines of: "Say some words of support for my friend Brian who is going through a tough time. Let him know that his family loves him and we will support him if decides to go do something else."
It works because there's really nothing that tips off that this is about Brian Ferentz specifcally.
September 13th, 2022 at 5:42 AM ^
So, an elaborate and expensive meanness by some half-clever person that traps unsuspecting demi-celebrities into (unwitting) complicity? Which we waste time anatomizing?
Got it.
The situation with Brian Ferentz, nepotism underlined by mediocrity, is kinda its own reward, no? I mean--Iowa, land of racist coordinators and bad football. Let them stew until the old meat falls away from the bone! Fans with brains and even a little integrity must be so fucking miserable there. I'm kinda good with it.
September 13th, 2022 at 8:08 AM ^
"...nepotism underlined by mediocrity..."
Mediocrity? That's what you call Iowa's offense - mediocre? Dude, Iowa hasn't had a 'mediocre' offense in 15 years, and this year's version is... Whoo boy!!! What is this years version? Whatever it is, it sure as hell isn't mediocre!
Mediocre might give Michigan a fight on a Saturday night in October. But Michigan will have no such fight - I don't give a rats ass how good their defense (or punter) might be.
September 13th, 2022 at 9:13 AM ^
Mediocre? As it stands now, Iowa has to improve in the following categories to avoid being the worst since at least the 2000 season (Iowa's current number):
- yards per play (2.71)
- yards per pass attempt (3.21)
- points per game (7)
- total yards, season (1,879)
Improve them in the face of better competition, too.
September 13th, 2022 at 9:29 AM ^
If JayBaugh's O was dead last in CFB, after playing a cupcake and MSU and had sucked on O for the previous 2-5 years, we would all be livid. It's not hard to understand Iowa fan's frustration.
September 13th, 2022 at 10:54 AM ^
Don't even have to imagine this scenario. Some Michigan fans complain about nepotism and Jay anyway, and he's been nothing but good to great in the roles he's had on staff.
Great recruiter and talent identifier?
"Yeah, but he wouldn't have a job but for Jim or John."
Outstanding special teams?
"Yeah, but look at his last name."
Excellent tight end room?
"He's riding his dad's coat tails."
Productive running backs?
"I mean, it I guess it's worked out, but Harbaugh, Harbaugh, Harbaugh, rabble, rabble, something, something ..."
September 13th, 2022 at 12:09 PM ^
-Iowa, land of racist coordinators and bad football.
Though to be fair, their defense and special teams are very good ... which is what makes this all the more unfathomable. With a half-decent offense, Iowa would be a top 15 team.
September 13th, 2022 at 7:12 AM ^
I don't know what's more bizarre: that these multimillionaire coaches are available to release these messages for a cheap price or that they couldn't figure out what they were actually saying.
Kirk and Fran may have an interesting chat pretty soon.
September 13th, 2022 at 9:31 AM ^
They can have a chuckle about their kids.
September 13th, 2022 at 7:14 AM ^
The world is full of so much stupidity
September 13th, 2022 at 7:50 AM ^
And most of it is actually free!
September 13th, 2022 at 7:34 AM ^
This is like a fever dream of Black Heart Gold Pants that magically became real.
September 13th, 2022 at 7:51 AM ^
It's ridiculous that these doofuses are allowed to use trademarked material on Cameo. NIL for players can't expand fast enough.
September 13th, 2022 at 7:52 AM ^
“So… give me a call if Brian’s job opens up…?”
September 13th, 2022 at 8:13 AM ^
This is gold..... Meme worthy
September 13th, 2022 at 9:45 AM ^
^^^ I only have one upvote to give this deserves more^^^
September 13th, 2022 at 8:35 AM ^
Based on what Scott Frost has done, is there any position on a college team that you would consider him for? If so, what position?
September 13th, 2022 at 8:51 AM ^
He would make a legitimately good OC. Seth was even calling for this as one of his hot takes last year after the Nebraska game.
September 13th, 2022 at 10:48 AM ^
While this is true -- and it might be safe to have Frost on your team as long as you don't allow him to make any decisions beyond the offensive play call -- it might actually be worth it just so that he gets a road trip to Lincoln every other year, where a confused fanbase has to decide what to do with him.
Also, given that Nebraska gave up its Big 8/12 rivalries to join the B1G, they kinda-sorta have tried to turn Iowa into a rivalry, what with them being neighbors and all. So that would add to the cognitive dissonance.
September 13th, 2022 at 10:16 AM ^
Hitting coach
September 13th, 2022 at 11:02 AM ^
Puking coordinator.....
September 13th, 2022 at 10:42 AM ^
Doesn't every program worth its salt need someone to track O-line pukes per practice?
September 13th, 2022 at 11:49 AM ^
Are you kidding?! Just imagine Iowa with Scott Frost as it's OC!
Frost cannot for the life of him teach football fundamentals, hire competent special teams coaches, or pick a good defensive coordinator out of a crowd of kindergarteners.
But he wouldn't have to do any of those things at Iowa. He'd just come up with consistently innovative offensive schemes, have game strategies that take advantage of his opponents weaknesses, and recruit. One season and Iowa would be the strongest team in the Big 10 West. Luckily this will never happen.
I'd go farther: Nebraska fans are talking about hiring Bill O'Brien as head coach. If they manage to pull that off and Saban replaces O'Brien with Frost, that's also a win for Alabama.
September 13th, 2022 at 8:58 AM ^
If I'm Kirk, I'd call him right now to come in as an analyst. If we lose Sherrone Moore this offseason, I think Frost would be a great OC hire.
September 13th, 2022 at 9:16 AM ^
Are you suggesting that if Sherrone Moore is offered a HC position elsewhere, we’d bring in Scott Frost as the OC for a Michigan team? Ummm, I don’t think so.
September 13th, 2022 at 8:59 AM ^
Oh no! An Iowa defense and a Scott Frost offense. They would be pretty good. No thank you, I do not want that in the Big 10.
Fortunately, I dont think Scott Frosts offensive philosophy as something Ferentz would be ok with
September 13th, 2022 at 10:40 AM ^
You mean try to score points? Ferentz does seem adverse to that lately.
September 13th, 2022 at 11:30 AM ^
Good point, I was thinking Frost wants to score too fast for Kirk