Monday, October 31, 2011

Iowa State Treats, Iowa Tricks, & Tebow Tebows Out?

(Zach)

From the Cardinals World Series win, to our crazy college football teams, this is the week that reminds you why sports is the best show on TV-it is totally unscripted.

I thought if the Cyclones could take care of the ball and limit turnovers they'd have a chance to upset, or at least scare, a Texas Tech team that would probably be due for a bit of a letdown after such an emotional win at Oklahoma the week before.  41-7 is no letdown or meltdown, that's four solid quarters of smackdown.

In every Cyclone loss Iowa State took themselves out of games early with bad turnovers and stupid penalties.  Avoid that, and most of those games get a lot closer, with a chance to pull out a win.  We saw just how good Iowa State can be when they aren't shooting themselves in the foot.

Jared Barnett is not spectacular yet, but the kid's unflappable.  And he still is a kid.  Helps to have one of the most unheralded players in our state, James White, to hand the ball to.  And you have to be impressed with the way Steele Jantz was so animated on the sidelines and looked to be doing everything he could to help the kid.

It's still going to be tough for ISU to reach six wins.  Number five should be a slam dunk next week, Kansas looks like a bad Big Ten team.  But after that?  Oklahoma State at home on a Friday, then at Oklahoma and K-State.  I know what Tech did in Norman, but the OU game seems impossible.  Kansas State came back to earth, and that season finale looks to be ISU's chance at bowl eligibility.  Then again.....Paul Rhoads has upset several top 25 teams on the road.  Sooner or later he's due for one at home.  Why not Oklahoma State?

As for Rhoads, he's not a perfect coach and there are times his style will cost ISU, whether it's a blowout loss or some interesting sideline antics.  But at the end of the day, there's no better man for this job, and he once again proved it on Saturday.  Right now, he's got as much job security in Ames as Nick Saban has in Alabama. 

The best thing for me about trips to Minneapolis is I usually get to stay overnight with my dad and watch sports and talk.  All week he told me he thought Minnesota would give Iowa a game.  Word to my pops.

I was on the sidelines and in the postgame pressers, and I STILL don't understand that game or the ways Iowa tried to explain it away.  There's absolutely no way they were prepared for the surprise onside.  Slow mo the kick and it's their regular kickoff coverage group, and you can see Jason White's knees practically knocking as the ball was in the air.  AJ Derby, who just started playing special teams last week, was on the field.  How could you not think Minnesota was going to onside?  What did they have to lose?

Lots of questions, no real answers from this game
Then there's no apparent effort to get the ball to Coker or McNutt at the end.  When I asked Ferentz about why Coker didn't get the ball he said they were in a hurry and needed to move the ball quickly.  They had over two minutes left, a timeout, needing only to get into field goal range (granted not a slam dunk with Meyer's two misses) with a running back who was averaging eight yards a carry!  That sounds like a panic move.

As for McNutt I realize Minnesota might have clamped down on him a bit more at the end, but he'd been in single coverage most of the game and once again, on the road, Iowa forgets about him for much of the day.  Even if you don't go to McNutt, go for Martin-Manley but for pete's sake, why are Brad Herman and White getting thrown to with the game on the line when they've barely seen the ball all year?  If McNutt has triple coverage you've still got to try and throw a ball up for him to try and leap for.

Ferentz refuses to acknowledge the road losing streak, counting the Missouri Insight Bowl win as a win away from Kinnick Stadium.  He's got a right to that opinion, but most people don't count a neutral site game with a sizeable Hawkeye contingent as a hostile environment.  Iowa's last road win was 18-13 at Indiana on November 6, 2010.  And the kicker?  Three of their last five road losses came in places where they had a huge following of fans.  Iowa had a big number of fans for the Iowa State game and Minnesota games.  Hell, Minnesota fans are used to leaving at halftime and heading back to the tailgate unless the road team gives them a reason to stay.  It's not like their playing in the Big House or Memorial Stadium in Lincoln.  This road losing streak is in their heads.

All this in mind, don't be shocked one bit if Iowa wins their next two against Michigan and Michigan State.  Yes these are the best teams to come to Kinnick all year, but it's a totally different Iowa team at home. 

UNI Buffaloed By The Bison
Northern Iowa likely saw their Missouri Valley Conference title fade away after losing 27-19 at North Dakota State.  Look on the bright side Panther fans; since you nearly beat ISU, and NDSU did beat Minnesota, the Panthers and Bison would probably finish in the middle of the Big Ten pack! 

Playing in the Fargodump....excuse me Fargodome, like I said earlier this year, not a fan of domes....is tough enough when they jam 19-20,000 people in, but that UNI had a shot to win late despite seeing Tirrell Rennie get knocked out is a credit to the Panthers toughness.  Assuming UNI can get off the deck they should still be in line to get several home playoff games, and maybe even a bye.  Won't be shocked at all if these two play again in the playoffs, but it will have to be in Fargo again.

I don't think Timmy would support this kind of Tebowing
It won't stop the Denver or national media from curbing Tebow mania, but the Detroit Lions gave Tebow and his followers a cold dose of reality.  He finally ran into a team that wasn't going to shoot itself in the foot and could capitalize off his poor play.  And they can't blame this one on Kyle Orton.  So is this the true Tebow, or can he be the guy who has had sparks of greatness late in games against Houston, San Diego, and Miami?  We'll all find out after 9 more games.

11 comments:

The Former Real Ice Borg said...

My Halloween joke as I trick or treated this year;

Q- What's the difference between Paul Rhodes and my piece of junk car?

A- My car has a lifetime contract!!! What's up with that?

Paul Roads now, Paul Rodes tomorrow, and Paul Roadz forever!!!

Zach Borg said...

I'd delete this but now you just look like a bitter Iowa fan.

The Former Real Ice Borg said...

How does my comment pertain to Iowa? What's next, you gonna drop the "race card" on me because I think Obama is in over his head?

Paul Rodes doesn't see color, well except for the color of awesome!

Zach Borg said...

Explains why you're still obsessed over a joke comment made two months ago AFTER ISU's win over Iowa Rooster.

I get it. If I had a dog in the fight I'd be a little po'ed over that gane and the fact that Rhoads has as many wins over Minnesota the last three years as Iowa has.

The Former Real Ice Borg said...

I lookey looed at the odds for this weekends games, and Paul Rodez and ISU are 14 point favorites over their Big 12 opponent this week. 14 POINTS!!! Are you kidding me, they should be a 40 point favorite. Anyway, any coach who has their team as that big of a favorite in the middle of the hustle and grind Big 12 (Greatest football conference in the world)deserves, nea, DEMANDS a lifetime contract.

Paul Rhodes now, Paul Roadz tomorrow, and Phil Rhoads forever!!

Zach Borg said...

Well Kansas certainly looks a lot like a quarter of the Big Ten (Indiana, Minnesota, Northwestern).

Word of advice, don't worry about ISU. You'll enjoy the season more, even in weeks when Iowa loses.

The Former Real Ice Borg said...

Again with the Iowa thing, what is wrong with you? I prefer to talk about Iowa State and the greatest coach currently in college football, Phil Rhoades.
If you want to talk about Iowa and their under performing asses, give John Mueller a call.

Paul Roads now, Paul Rhoeds tomorrow, and Pat Rhoads forever!!!

Pathetic said...

geez this guy who keeps pretending to be Ice is a douche (but Zach is kinda feeding the troll by responding). who gives a sh*t enough anyway to care about crap posted on twitter?

The Former Real Ice Borg said...

Who's trolling who. I just wanna talk about Paul Roades, the greatest coach in football history, and Zach keeps injecting Iowa into it.
Grasshopper Zach is still living on the words that Sonny Luubik uttered on his death bed. Loobick said; "If you ain't winning the argument, just call them a bitter Iowa fan, and can someone get me a gol dang bedpan?!?!?"

STILLPathetic said...

again, who gives a sh*t? who is Lubbick? did Zach take your job or run over your puppy dog? STFU already man, you look like more of a douche each time you post. hell most clone fans don't know any better, so they probably SERIOUSLY want Rhoads to stay forever anyway.....

The Former Real Ice Borg said...

Pathetic,
Glad to see you are maintaining your pathetic status. I would like to extend an olive branch to you. Please leave your name and address and I will send you a WWPRD bracelet (What Would Paul Rodes Do). Then when you read one of my posts that makes you angry, you can look at your WWPRD bracelet and act in an appropriate manner, like jumping up and down like a gorilla.

Thank you, have a great day, and remember always;

Paul Rhoeds now, Paul Roades tomoroww, and Paul Rhodes forever!!!