Things I'm Thankful for this Thanksgiving Season

• Stuffing. Some chef came up with an idea to stuff a turkey with bread and delicious seasonings, Genius!
  
  
• Chips and Salsa. OK St lost to OK so Iowa has a great shot at the Tostito's Fiesta bowl.
  
  
• Polish people. TE prospect CJ Fiedorowicz decommitted from Illinois and verbally committed to Iowa this week, adding to what is shaping up to be a great class next year
  
  
• Stanford. Beat both USC and Notre Dame. Maybe all the analysts will finally realize that teams don't win just because of the name on their jerseys.
  
  
• Cheap basketball tickets. Hawkeye basketball is 2-4 with their two wins over Bowling Green and North Carolina Central. Only 25 games left including a stacked Big Ten conference this year! Poor Matt Gatens...
  
  
• Syracuse basketball. Current Syracuse forward and former IA State player Wesley Johnson is going supernova for his new team. The guy is making every dunk, 3-point shot, steal, or block look effortless. I'm inviting all dissatisfied hawkeye basketball fans to pull for Syracuse this year, just until things get straightened out. You don't have to tell anyone, it's just between us.
  
  
• Everything else I've been given from a loving God. Especially my wife and daughter.

Pics from the IA vs MN game

View from our seats in the NW corner of the stadium

Gopher hunting…

Pass play to Mcnutt but, shocker of shockers, it was incomplete

That’s the ballgame! After the game, they let the fans on the field so my wife and I went down there. This is about the only way I’d ever get on the field at a D1 program.

Final pic of the day, All-Galaxy Wide receiver Eric Decker was waiting around after the game for a bus. And wouldn’t you know it, I just happen to get a picture of an Iowa fan in some overalls!

Iowa over Minnesohtah, 12-0

This game was my first college football game in a long time. The last college football game I went to was Syracuse vs Boston College, all the way back on Nov 24, 2001. Back then Syracuse had a team worth watching which included current NFL veteran Dwight Freeney. Needless to say, it felt good to get in a college stadium again.

There were differences between the atmosphere in Kinnick and the Carrier Dome, but there were many similarities as well. I'll start with those.

Similarities:

• Home Field Advantage - There's nothing worse than watching a game with people who could care less about the outcome. When you're in the stands surrounding by thousands of people mostly pulling for the home team, it makes it more enjoyable.
  
  
• Marching band - The same type of people are found in marching bands in every college out there - nerds. But it was fun to watch them have a good time and they add excitement tp the whole scene. The crowd seemed to especially like the "Thriller" tribute at halftime.
  
  
• Stadium food - Why did I pay 4.50 for a few nachos with cheese? I don't know, but it sure tasted better than regular nachos and cheese.

Differences

• Outdoor stadium - The weather was pleasant for late November. However, there is a different feel to the game outside. More variables (wind, sun in the eyes, cold hands) mean more possible fumbles and interceptions.
  
  
• Rowdiness - Maybe my memory is off, but the Hawkeye fans were much more rowdy than any Syracuse crowd I remember. And I was in the corner where most people just sat for the whole game! My daughter will probably not be ready for a game until Daddy can explain away "bad words."
  
  
• Halftime - At Syracuse everyone gets up and gets something to eat or uses the restroom at halftime. Nobody watches the "halftime show". At Kinnick though, it seemed like most people stayed in their seat and was into the marching bands act - especially the fat guy behind me who loudly commented"you make a better door than a window". Dude, it's halftime! I'm stretching my legs. Are you really that into it?
  
  
• Hi-fiving random strangers - I'm from the Northeast, not the midwest. People are a little more reserved and well, sometimes grumpy, so I thought this was cool. Random people all over just slapping hands with whoever had a Hawkeye shirt on and yelling "Go Hawks!"
  
  
• Overalls - I saw more overalls than on an episode of Heehaw. I think it's suppose to be kinda farmer/chique to wear these things. Probably one step I'm not quite willing to take yet.
  

The actual game was so-so. The hawks won on 2 field goals and a TD with a missed extra point. 3rd down conversions were virtually non-existant in the second half and once Robinson left the game, the running game really suffered. But Iowa's D held firm til the end.

When you think about, that about sums up the whole season. Just enough offense to get the job done and more defense than most teams can handle. Next post, I'll have some pictures.

Hawkeye Gear Watch

I got a gift certificate to a sports store and thought I'd grab some hats for the game this weekend. It might be chilly.

My wife says that it would be weird to wear a baseball cap to a football game. I disagree. Who's with me?

Things I Learned This Weekend

1. James Vandenburg has a better arm than Ricky Stanzi. He can flat out makes throws that your average QB cannot make. I think this could push Stanzi to be better next year.
   
   
2. I really, really, really want Clayborn back next year. The day he announces he's coming back is the day that Pryor's nightmares start. How many times did Pryor narrowly escape Clayborn's grasp? It was like watching a kid running from a bully on the playground.
   
   
3. Iowa is football's version of Rodney Dangerfield. It doesn't matter what happens, hardly anyone wants to give them credit, which is why I liked this article.
   
   
4. For some reason, the talking heads think that a football season is a waste if Notre Dame and USC aren't dominating.
   
   
5. The future of Iowa's skill positions has reason for some optimism, i.e. QB - Stanzi, Vandenburg, WR-DJK, Mcnutt, Davis, RB - Hampton, Robinson, Wegher. All should be back next year, plus some solid freshman in next year's class.
   
   
6. Lastly, there's not much to be excited about with Iowa's basketball team. I caught part of the loss against Texas-San Antonio. At least it will be easy to get tickets!

NW over IA 17-10, Stanzi is out

So this is what it's really like to pull for Iowa...one minute I'm thinking Rose Bowl and the 1st ever undefeated season. The next minute, I'm thinking who is going to play QB? and Will we win another game all year?

Seeing Stanzi hobble off the field was like getting punched in the gut, to add insult to injury, Wegher's TD was called back on a bogus holding call.

It would be easy to think, "oh well, we had a good run. We'll get 'em next year once everyone is back and we have a better road schedule." But there are still 2 more games and a Big Ten title up for grabs. And hey, Iowa is 9-1!

Incidently, I heard a rumor that Jake Christiansen was at the game Saturday cause Eastern Illinois had an off week.

Think he is second guessing his decision to tranfer now? He would have had a chance to finish the season and make it to a bowl game his sr year. So you ask, what's he doing instead? Preparing for the mighty Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks.

A Look Back, 2003 Orange Bowl

In an effort to look at all of Iowa's history, I dug around into some of the more embarassing losses Iowa has experienced. It didn't take too long to come to find this game.

USC (#4) and Iowa (#5) in the 2003 Orange Bowl. Two marquee QBs and Hiesman vote-getters, Carson Palmer and Brad Banks, from two marquee conferences met head to head. Iowa ran the opening kickoff all the way back for a TD, but Trojans owned most of the game and won 38-17. Ouch...



Interesting side note, Jim Rome and Kirk Ferentz apparently have a bit of a simmering feud. Apparently Rome said something against one of Ferentz's friends on the radio and Ferentz cancelled a scheduled interview on Rome's show right before the Orange Bowl in '03. Of course Rome (a SoCal native), didn't mind too much when USC put a hurt on Iowa in that game.

Ever since then, Ferentz has turned down multiple offers from Rome to come on the show. This week Ferentz even joked that "his radio doesn't get Jim Rome's show". Rome in response has made jobs at the Iowa program, including some ex-student athlete's legal problems and that "Ferentz is the one interview he can't get".

Saturday at 11 is the kickoff for Northwestern. What will the SHawkeyes do this week?

Just the Facts

A coworker sent me this email and I thought it was very interesting. Not that Ferentz and co. seem to care, but it's become a favorite talking point of the national sports media to disrespect Iowa's 9-0 record.

To: College Football Media

From: Phil Haddy (Iowa's Sports Information Director)

GET THE CORRECT FACTS ON IOWA FOOTBALL

It seems popular for national pundits to criticize the University of Iowa football team these days. Many have said that Uiwa doesn't belong on the same board with Florida, Texas, Alabama, Cincinnati, TCU, Oregon, or Boise St. Iowa's schedule has been rate the seventh toughest in the nation. Only one team in Big Ten History has beaten Penn State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin on the road in the same season (Michigan did it in 1997). The two schools taht Iowa does not play in the Big Ten this year have the worst overall records (Purdue and Illinois) in the league. To say Iowa hasn't play a strong enough schedule is to be totally misinformed. Please look at the facts below.

Number of opponents defeated that currently have winning records:
1. Iowa - 6
2. Cincinnati - 4
TCU - 4
4. Oregon - 3
5. Boise State - 2

Total won-lost records (and winning %) of defeated opponents:
1. Iowa - 44-21 .586
2. Oregon - 29-38 .508
3. TCU - 34-33 .507
4. Cincinnati - 30-36 .454
5. Boise State - 27-37 .421

Total won-lost records of opponents defeated in their home stadiums (i.e. road wins):
1. Iowa - 23-12 .657
2. TCU - 19-14 .575
3. Cincinnati - 21-20 .512
4. Boise State - 14-18 .437
5. Oregon - 6-10 .375

Number of defeated opponents ranked in current BCS Top 25:

1. Iowa - 3(Penn State, Arizona, Wisconsin)
Oregon - (USC, Utah, California)
3. Boise State - 1 (Oregon)
4. Cincinnati - 1 (South Florida)
5 TCU - 0

Won-lost records of remaining teams left on the schedule:

1. Iowa - 17-10 .629
2. Oregon - 19-12 .612
3. Cincinnati - 19-13 .593
4. Boise State - 20-22 .476
5. TCU - 15-17 .468

Interesting to say the least. I'd say Iowa's accomplishments stack up well. 3 more regular season games go. The Northwestern game will probably be the last game the Iowa will have to try to get up for. I can't see Northwestern sneaking up on the Shockeyes, but if the current trend continues they'll probably win on a recovered fumble and last second TD pass off a flea-flicker statue of liberty combo.

"Is this Heaven?" "No, it's Iowa"

Wow, where to start...I've been out of commissioin again due to a broken computer. Thanks to Best Buy's warranty and lemon rule, I will have a new one soon.

But that means I've missed quite a bit of material to blog about. The past two weeks have seen some crazy games with some crazy finishes.

• The Michigan State game blew my mind. With under 2 minutes left, Stanzi drove down the field and threw the winning touchdown to Marvin Mcnutt. Check out the video.
  
  
• Unfortunately, the win was costly in terms of manpower. Iowa's starting RB, Adam Robinson, and starting guard, Dace Richardson, both sustained major injuries that could keep them out the rest of the season. Starters Brent Greenwood and Collin Sandeman got knocked around as well and are still not 100%.
  
  
• So Iowa comes into a classic trap game - right off a huge win and against a team that their "supposed" to beat with ease. It looked like the run was over. I could not believe the way the Hawks were playing for 3 quarters. Stanzi may have had more completions to Hoosiers than Hawkeyes. It felt like the end to me. I was already thinking about how to blog about the loss and how much blame should go to the windy conditions.
  
  
• However, down by 10 going into the 4th quarter, Stanzi and the offense exploded (once they were going with the wind). TD throw to Mcnutt, TD throw to DJK, rushing TD by Wegher, and finally, while Iowa was trying to run the clock down, Wegher scores another TD.
  
  
• Stanzi deserves a lot of respect in my mind. Despite 5 interceptions on the day, he stayed focused and won the game. Some QBs would be crying in a corner of the locker room by the time the 4th quarter started. Stanzi's mental toughness has been his strongest attribute so far this year.

All these come-from-behind victories this year are gonna give me an ulcer. Another thing that's gonna give me an ulcer is all the hate for the Big Ten spewing out of the national sports media.

Before I followed Iowa, I had moderate respect for the Big Ten. I never realized the unholy jihad that some people delcare against it. And this year a lot of the scorn is directed at Iowa. Is the Big Ten the best conference in football right now? No! That belongs to the SEC.

But, there is really not that much separating the Pac 10, Big East, Big Ten and Big 12. And guess who is on top of the Big Ten? The Iowa Hawkeyes, regardless of anybody's opinion. I'm getting spoiled this year. But you know what, I'm still enjoying every minute of this run.