 |
| Courtesy AP |
I never liked roller coasters as a kid, so maybe that’s why this Iowa football season has a sickening feel to it. There are moments of brilliance (Michigan, Pitt comeback, even the time where they began rallying against Michigan State). And then they are canceled out by equally inept moments. This is the definition of a mediocre 6-6 football team, which is probably what Iowa will be. The Hawkeyes couldn’t win on the road when they were in title contention, why should we believe they will now, especially after the way last year’s team quit in the end at Minnesota when title hopes were gone?
A few weeks ago we got emails, including one from an SEC fan, which claimed Marvin McNutt simply put up great numbers against bad teams. After the last two weeks against Michigan and Michigan State things have been quiet on that front. Wonder why.
Last night Chris lamented at next year not being any better. I’ll go out on a limb and say it will be, at least in the win column. Why? Because it’s possible next year’s schedule is EASIER than this years! I realize things and teams change, but get a load of Iowa’s first five games: Northern Illinois at Chicago, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Central Michigan, and Minnesota for homecoming. That’s at worst a 4-1 start if Iowa State beats them. Hell, a team of 80 year olds could probably go 3-2 with that schedule.
The rest of their home slate includes games with Penn State (who probably will have a steep decline after the sick mess they have right now which I think is only going to get worse) and Purdue before the Nebraska game, with only four real road games at Michigan, MSU, Northwestern and Indiana. And let’s face it, anyone see the Big Ten getting much better as a whole next year?
Though the schedule is even more favorable, the question will be whether or not Iowa’s recruiting can pull in enough talent to turn the corner from a 6-7 win type of season to an 8-11 win campaign.
Perhaps if Iowa State gets to six wins we’ll get a CyHawk rematch in a bowl game. I’m guessing the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas or the Ticket City Bowl don’t draw well that often, and since Iowa and ISU will likely land in the middle to bottom of their conference packs (right where those bowls pick from), I’m guessing one of them tries to invite both knowing that Hawkeye and Cyclone fans would probably flock to Antarctica if they were playing down there.
All of which begs the very reasonable question of how in the hell Iowa State will win one of their last three. I think Kansas State is still the best bet. The Wildcats play no defense and the Cyclones showed they can roll up the points on defenseless teams provided they don’t commit turnovers (Iowa and Texas Tech).
Congrats to Drake football on winning the Pioneer League. They weren’t that far from finishing a perfect season.
I’m setting the over-under on points for Royce White against Drake at 30 Tuesday night. The Bulldogs best big men are hurt, and I just don’t see who they can put out to stop him. Be ready for some more highlight reel dunks.
The Hawkeye hoopsters will be 2-0 by this time tomorrow after playing something called North Carolina A&T. The nicest thing I can say about the last team they played, Chicago State, is that their uniforms were secondhand store quality (hence their play?), but the story of that game for me was the fact 12,000 people came out to see it. There were quite a few empty seats and they had some kind of dance mob promotion too, but I’d still say the actual attendance was around 10,000. That’s pretty good on a Friday night against a garbage team. Clearly fans are dying for a winner. Iowa will be 3-0 (Northern Illinois follows on Thursday) when they come to Des Moines to play Creighton next Sunday. We’ll learn then against a good Blue Jay team whether there is real cause for optimism in Iowa City.
Those who know me think this is long overdue, but I think I need psychiatric help NOW. I watched the entire Chiefs-Broncos game. If you wasted your time watching one of the worst offensive football games since people wore leather helmets, I highly suggest you join me.
Anytime somebody tries to tell you how much smarter about football head coaches are, just ask why so many of them keep kicking to Devin Hester.
Posts
21 comments:
I don't know what's worse, the callers that get through on Soundoff, or the NPR Sports cache. It's jumped the shark guys. Really, it's not funny anymore.
I like the NPR sports cache; a lot of subtlety in it that you sometimes have to watch/listen to multiple times to catch.
Big Ten teams should get the Boise State treatment...unless someone goes undefeated (maybe one loss) there's no reason for them to be in a BCS bowl game. I'd rather see some more competitive games. Of course we all know that won't happen because they'll draw fans and these bowl games are all about the $$$$$$$$$$.
dont listen to davis. he must not get it. npr sports is the best thing on sound-off in a long time. love it!
tim
Yeah, it's got a lot of subtlety in it, like when they say runs or scores instead of points every time. I'm surprised they haven't gone to the "The Giants of New York took on the Packers of Green Bay. In the end, the Giants triumphed by kicking an oblong ball made of pigskin through a giant H. It was a most ripping victory."
Hey Murphy, just a reminder, the Iowa men play basketball tonight. I don't believe there are any girl's 8th grade volleyball matches or high school soccer games to cover, so no excuses this time, OK?
It's North Carolina A&T. NOBODY from this state, in Des Moines/Mason City/Sioux Falls/Sac City/or Bumflipsville is dedicating an entire sportscast to that sorry arse game.
Steve, it's a wonder nobody has hired you to be run a sports department. Your pulse on current events is stunning.
Who said ENTIRE sports cast? I just expect adequate coverage, and not just a couple of meaningless highlights and the final score. Is it really too much to ask for some stats and insight? This isn't the high school morning announcements, it's the Iowa sport's leader, or so they claim.
The great Aaron White had 2 points at last check vs the powerful foe North Carolina A&T.
Clearly stats ain't everything friend. And I think 30 seconds of highlights from Chicago State is fine. The funny thing is you think they were meaningless highlights. THAT WAS THE ONLY TIME THE GAME WAS IN DOUBT.
And Steve, are you really ripping them for SoundOFF? I somehow doubt they'll take off one of the highest rated programs in the region because it doesn't meet your standards.
I never said Aaron White was great, I said he scored 19 points and had 11 rebounds. No freshman at Iowa has done that in their first game since World War II. I believe that is definitely worthy of mention (like KCCI did). I would bet that if White went to high school in Iowa, it most certainly would have been mentioned, and they would have had highlights of it.
As far as Sound Off goes, someone else ripped them on this blog. I do think that they probably dedicate more of their time to producing the Sound Off skits than to actually covering sports, not to mention, Andy and Keith host a radio show 5 days a week.
I don't want to hear excuses of working long hours and 7 days a week, when you are spreading your staff too thin working other jobs and trying to be the next Adam Sandler.
steve--its kcci who claims to be the sports leader--try not to laugh. and please go join them. you wore out your welcome here.
really. go. please.
tim
Well timmy, since you said please, hey wait a minute, this isn't your blog.
Why don't you go timmy?
Really, you go. Please.
By the way, I noticed Aaron White got a big mention about his Big 10 freshman of the week award. See Murphy, you're starting to get it, even though it was after about 12 minutes of high school coverage that most people don't care about.
Steve,
Since I've probably spent more time writing on this than it is worth because there is nothing that will really satisfy you, I'll put my final word in on this.
If you are looking for an apology from me you won't be getting one because frankly I have nothing to apologize for. I gave the game the appropriate attention it was due and put in a solid days work. If you disagree you have that right, but I don't care. I don't know what you do for al living, but I'm guessing that if someone you didn't know or couldn't identify as a boss/peer told you that you did a did a poor job, you probably wouldn't put much thought into it.
I would have liked to have gotten a White basket while I was shooting, but it didn't happen, oh well. I'm glad he won freshman of the week, but it was not the biggest story in the state of Iowa that night or even today. You're free to disagree because everyone has a right to an opinion. Over the last month I've gotten more emails that were critical of us for not showing enough highlights of a Southeast Polk football blowout playoff win over a Sioux City school, or not showing enough ISU volleyball or UNI football.
Point is a lot of people have an idea of what a sportscast should and should not be. And there is no "right way". Every sports staff at every station in America has their own philosophy/ideas, and that's a good thing. It would be pretty darn boring to turn over and see the same thing on every channel. All we can do is listen to feedback and do the best we can. Since we haven't gotten mass emails critical of our coverage of that game, I don't think we made a grievous error.
With that in mind, you are perfectly free to watch another station or never tune us in again. More than ever in my time here since March I've learned that you can't please everybody, whether you are trying to or not.
Thanks For Watching!
Zach
Steve Bosell seems to be under the false assumption that Hawkeye basketball is the most important thing to central Iowa viewers. Perhaps Steve Bosell should move to eastern Iowa if he cares so much about eastern Iowa sports.
As I read the responses I have gotten, I have concluded that most people just read what they want and assume and imply things that were not written.
To anonymous commenters,
~I have been called out as being a Hawkeye homer.
~Quoted as saying Aaron White is GREAT.
~Inferred that I think a sportscast should be entirely about the Hawks.(twice)
~Accused of ripping on Soundoff. ~Told I think Iowa is the most important thing to central Iowa viewers.
~Called an Iowa Meathead.
None of which are true. As I have stated before, I am a fan of Iowa, Iowa State, Drake, and UNI, with no personal allegiance to any. I went to school at Southwest Texas State (now Texas State), and don't follow them much anymore since I've lived in Iowa for the last 22 years.
I watched UNI/St. Marys this morning and will watch Drake/ISU tonight, and excited to see Reyvonte Rice and Royce White.
To Zach, I get it, you can't always have your A game, but I was never looking for an apology (as I stated). This was not meant as a personal attack on you, in fact, I'm more pissed at Keith Murphy for reacting in an unprofessional manner and offering up excuses, even after I pointed out the staff their is spread too thin due to personal agendas.
To Keith Murphy, grab a piece of fat and slide off you butt log with legs.
dude, at what point are you going to realize they don't give a crap about your opinion? How many times do you need to hear them say "go watch somebody else" before u figure out that they've written you off as a looney tune? If you know so much or could do so much better, its a wonder I can't flip to sports with Steve Bosell at ten.
I have been talking to my lawyer, and I am considering filing a lawsuit against WHO, Keith Murphy, and the other posters here for libel and defamation of character.
The lies attributed to me on this blog are outrageous and have left me physically ill and psychologically scarred.
Steve Bosell,
I have taken courses pertaining to law, particularly communications/journalism law. And I can tell you right now that you have absolutely no case. Any judge would laugh you out of the courtroom. Get over yourself. If I were on the Channel 13 Sports Team, I don't think I would show as much restraint as they have. They've actually been really nice to you, all things considered.
You have taken courses pertaining to law? Well my lawyer, Delores Blasengame, IS a lawyer, and she says I have a real strong and valid case.
You must have also taken some courses pertaining to mental health too, if you think they were being really nice to me. Do you really think condescension and sarcasm from the sports director at WHO is nice? Do you think calling me names and attributing me to lies is nice? I guess if you believe being nice causes physical, emotional, and psychological damage, I guess they are in your world.
I see that piling on when someone is hurting is rampant around here, and I will not stand for it!
I am pleased to announce I have granted an EXCLUSIVE interview in which I will expose the fraud of channel 13 sports and the crime against me.
Tune into community access channel 108 at 1:19 AM Friday night, or at 2:06 AM on channel 111 if the church jamboree rebroadcast from July runs overtime. I'll be interviewed by the lead usher at Carver-Hawkeye arena. You can't hide anymore 13!
Also, I will be suing the guy who came up with catch phrase that "Everyone's sh++ stinks" because mine smells like a field of flowers!
I AM THE STEVE BOSELL AND I HAVE SPOKEN!
Google "Steve Bosell" or "Delores Blasengame".
Memo to poster-whether you were reallyy mad or just here for kicks, at least pick a better radio show to rip off characters from
That last Steve Bosell post was from a fraud. I will be suing him as well.
Post a Comment