Monday, December 13, 2010

Iowa's Bad Season Just Keeps Getting Worse

(Chris)

These are the days I dread as a sports fan, and a sports reporter. If I liked covering stories, like the disaster in Iowa City, I would've stayed in the news business (yes I was a radio news reporter for two years). As we await Kirk Ferentz and Gary Barta's Tuesday press conference, Hawkeye fans are hoping that the other shoe has already dropped. But, the worry is that today's news is just the tip of the iceberg.

At this hour (10pm on Monday), here's what we DO know:
- Brandon Wegher has been released from his scholarship
- Jewel Hampton is transferring for undisclosed reasons
- Adam Robinson won't be making the trip to Insight Bowl because, in the words of Ferentz, A-Rob failed to comply with team expectations.
- And the game has been pulled off the board in Las Vegas. No one can place a bet on Iowa-Missouri. Vegas doesn't release any info on why they take a particular game off the board.

I do think some ISU fans (and fans of other schools, as well) are having a little too much fun with this story. That's not to say that Hawkeye fans wouldn't turn around and say the same things to Cyclone fans if the situations were reversed. Interestingly enough, I haven't heard a peep from Nebraska fans. I wonder what good ol' Cooter thinks?

How about something on a lighter note? Have you seen the new Big Ten logo? A four-year-old from Chicago created it in her sleep. Actually, that's not the case, but I probably could have fooled you. It's terrible, but not as bad as the new division names in the conference. Iowa is the "Legends" division, while Ohio State is in the "Leaders" division. Go figure.

Brett Favre finally missed a game. GOOD! I'm tired of the Favre love fest. As a Bears fan, he's one of the first humans I've ever hated...and I'm damn proud of it.

My wife and I have tickets to see the Bears and Vikings, next Monday in Minnesota. I'm not sure if I'd rather drive to Detroit to watch the game, or sit outside at TCF Bank stadium. The forecast calls for 13-degree temps at kickoff.

Shawn Terrell and I will be leaving for Iowa City at 7:30am, Monday. I'll finally know what it's like to get up before noon. We'll see you tomorrow, as long as the Sun comes up.

Chris

2 comments:

mandeewells said...

Favre is one of the all time football greats.Give him some credit please!!! Why not dog on our (the Viking) defense for being awful or the offensive line for not pulling their weight.I understand being the fan of a rival team and disliking him. Only natural. . I would like to see you start 297 (not counting playoffs) games, and be the main target everyone is out to get. Anyway please just acknowledge that he is one of the greats. Not asking you say you love the guy. Just want you to give credit where credit is due!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Chris,
Barta & Ferentz Conference
You had the oppotunity to ask the million dollar question and you just let it slip away. Barta clearly indicated that the testing protocals had flaws. i.e. Athletes knew how to beat the test. Somebody must have told the athletic dept. on how to beat the test and that is what triggered the internal audit of their testing protocals.

Q for Barta: If the integrity of the test results are in question, why don't you ask the student athletes to retake the drug test.

A: Their afraid of what the results will show.