en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/654806 Comments by ScottinArizona http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/09/14/parker-out-for-arizona-return-uncertain#IDComment98778920 And this is where stability at the third level, assistant coaches, comes in. I can't help but think that Norm has been involved in putting together the game plan. Even so, several of the assistants have been around long enough to understand how Norm, and Kirk, want the game called. It's a worry, but not a big one, at least not yet. Tue, 14 Sep 2010 21:32:31 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/09/14/parker-out-for-arizona-return-uncertain#IDComment98778920 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/09/13/red-out-in-zona#IDComment98583906 Another color-"out"? Nothing this team hasn't seen before. Forecast is in the range of upper 90s, but probabaly low 90s or high 80s by game time. No DST here, so the sun will have been down for close to an hour. Also, present forecast looks like low humidity. I think the weather issue is overrated. I'll be there, with a projected 10,000 or more in about a 55K stadium, all of us wearing black or gold. Mon, 13 Sep 2010 19:26:49 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/09/13/red-out-in-zona#IDComment98583906 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/09/12/the-time-has-come-this-week-hawkeyes-must-face-the-heat#IDComment98490215 The forecasts vary here in Phoenix for 100-104 for a high. Tucson is usually about five degrees cooler. By 7:30 it'll be likely in the upper 80s to low 90s. Hot, but no humidity and the sun long gone. Weather does worry me, but not as much as it does a lot of other people. I'm sure this team has heard a lot about the trip to Tempe six years ago. There are heat issues, time issues, a longer trip, all that. Bottom line, they have heard about all the adversity. This team, or at least the core of this team, has dealt with and successfully handled adversity as well as or better than any Iowa team I have seen. What I have seen of Arizona this year is good, but not enough to judge. What I have seen of Mike Stoops' Arizona teams over the years is an occasionally good team, but not a complete team. Foles, to me, is the only real threat, and his is the only position in which Arizona is better than the team we beat pretty convincingly last year. I'm concerned, but I'm not worried. I think we win, by ten or more. And I'll be there to watch it happen, with probably 10,000 or more Iowa fans. Mon, 13 Sep 2010 07:03:36 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/09/12/the-time-has-come-this-week-hawkeyes-must-face-the-heat#IDComment98490215 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/08/30/ferentz-maybe-6-or-7-true-frosh#IDComment96182027 Some traditions have fallen, and will have to, but the Big 10 banks on tradition more than any other conference. At times during the last few years when everybody was down on the Big 10, tradition was probably the lead position for the conference. They need to play in November, whether they are in the same division or not. It's still the showcase game for the conference. If they are in different divisions it could complicate things for a championship game, but I don't see Michigan back there for at least 5 years based upon the RichRod experiment. By then, there will be more members and more changes. I vented my spleen under my alter ego at BHGP about how the Big 12 sold its soul by abandoning Nebraska-Oklahoma. The situation is different in some ways, but not in the fact that you just don't mess with your marquee game. Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:58:38 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/08/30/ferentz-maybe-6-or-7-true-frosh#IDComment96182027 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/08/29/hawkeyes-2010-5-reasons-why#IDComment95894856 The core group of guys bucked the trend quite a bit already, winning all those road games (including the first win as a visitor in a PSU white out) and winning with two freshman backs. If the O-line can simply be solid, this group, for all its wins and success, still has a lot of reasons to be hungry to be better. It looks like they understand that and have motivation and steady leadership, something which may have been lacking in 2005. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 03:24:07 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/08/29/hawkeyes-2010-5-reasons-why#IDComment95894856 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/08/24/history-says-beware-of-your-no-9-ap-preseason-ranking-iowa-fans#IDComment95056091 11-2 and Cap One win? Usually yes, but not this year. I still have several concerns but with as many talented players as we have at different positions, this team needs to return to a BCS bowl. No Iowa team will be without concerns in some positions, and O-line is the one place you don't want them if you're Iowa, but I somehow believe this group will put it together. Too many starters are part of a group that did what few thought could be done, winning at PSU, MSU and Wisconsin. With Stanzi at Ohio State, who knows? There is something special about the core group that is still here, and they can build on last year to do better, whether that means putting teams away or finally taking care of OSU. We should want more out of this group, and I believe they can do more. Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:57:51 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/08/24/history-says-beware-of-your-no-9-ap-preseason-ranking-iowa-fans#IDComment95056091 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/08/24/iowa-rbs-three-better-than-two-but-two-out-of-three-aint-bad#IDComment95054353 As much as I would like to have Wegher in the mix, with Hampton and Robinson, I'm more concerned about other parts of the team than running back. O-line, corners, and defense depth in general come to mind. Wed, 25 Aug 2010 00:44:58 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/08/24/iowa-rbs-three-better-than-two-but-two-out-of-three-aint-bad#IDComment95054353 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/08/09/who-is-the-best-major-college-football-coach-who-has-never-won-a-national-championship#IDComment91825725 I'll be a little bit of a homer too--and take Bill Snyder. I don't really know how he's been doing since he came back, except but for the fact of KSU scheduling, I believe, two non-Div. 1 schools, he nearly put them back in a bowl game. Yes, the scheduling is a reason to not give it to him, but as hard as some may say it is to recruit stars to Iowa, it's even harder in Manhattan, KS. Snyder did at least what Hayden did here, if not more. Mon, 9 Aug 2010 21:16:41 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/08/09/who-is-the-best-major-college-football-coach-who-has-never-won-a-national-championship#IDComment91825725 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/07/29/what-do-you-think-will-be-the-hardest-game-to-win-for-iowas-football-team-in-2010#IDComment89659756 It's still Ohio State. I'll be in Tucson, and that's my next scariest game, but primarily because it's early in the year, and Ferentz teams are slow starters. I just don't think Rhoads has the personnel yet to give us a serious challenge. Michigan is the popular pick for a loss, but I'm not sold on it, for the same reason as I'm not sold on the RickRod system there. The later in a season you go, the less likely I think you are to see the best Michigan has. How many hits have the QBs taken by then, which one is standing, and how strong? MSU the week before will be a physical game, and I don't beleive Michigan is set up for a series of physical games. MSU is probably my number three, because I really like Cousins as their QB. Plus, it will be a rugged game, always is. But Wisky or PSU could take this spot as well. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:34:14 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/07/29/what-do-you-think-will-be-the-hardest-game-to-win-for-iowas-football-team-in-2010#IDComment89659756 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/07/28/whats-your-sports-fan-bucket-list-heres-mine#IDComment89491388 First what's not on the list--Living in Phoenix, I have been fortunate enough to go to the BCS championship game. As manufactured an event as it is, still special. I was at the '82 Rose Bowl. If they ever get back, I will go again. Taking my Dad to a World Series game would be number one, but I was fortunate, no, spent enough money, actually, to do this. Dad was physically and mentally worn down after my mom's slow decline and passing, so in that summer of loss, the Diamondbacks kept him going. I got field level seats, Randy Johnson pitching. Irreplaceable memory. In no particular order The Masters-- CBS and Augusta National go to great lengths to make this look beautiful on television. It works. The Derby-- On my wife's list, too. Day Coat, mint juleps, has to be the full experience. Opening round of NCAA tournament, with all games on screen, in Vegas--I could do this and have said I would do this, for years. One of these years, I will. British Golf Triumvirate--In a three-week span, the Open, the Senior Open, and the Ladies Open, on I believe three different courses. Plus, scotch distilleries with tours and samples nearby Finally, I may have already lost out on this one, but a heavyweight title fight at Caesar's Palace. I say missed because boxing has declined so much that I don't know if the right fight will ever come again. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:08:51 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/07/28/whats-your-sports-fan-bucket-list-heres-mine#IDComment89491388 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/07/27/big-ten-expansion-doesnt-feel-finished#IDComment89244277 My question would be, if the Big East sees a raid as imminent, it tries to force ND's hand by telling ND to come all in (including football) or be dumped out. I don't think ND would ever join the Big East for football, but I don't know how difficult it would be for ND to carry on in basketball and other sports now in the Big East as an indie. I also don't know if this would stop Delany from a raid anyway, but Delany could set up this ploy with a long string of statements over the course of the season. Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:44:11 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/07/27/big-ten-expansion-doesnt-feel-finished#IDComment89244277 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/07/12/my-no-5-2004-ohio-state#IDComment86526951 I may have mistyped the second Rose Bowl team that lost to OSU, it was 1990. If not, I just made a mistake for not making a mistake. Age does that, you know. Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:16:55 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/07/12/my-no-5-2004-ohio-state#IDComment86526951 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/07/12/my-no-5-2004-ohio-state#IDComment86525309 I'm not sure it ranks among our greatest wins as it was shockingly easy, but it's such a symbolic win. We have often given Michigan fits, but had a much tougher time against Ohio State. OSU beat both 1985 and 1990 Rose Bowl teams, and they are the team we didn't get the chance to play in 2002, nor did the 1981 Rose Bowl team play them. We have had some ugly losses against them. And I agree, we got a lot of mileage out of this game , but it was because we shut it down early in the fourth quarter. Few teams have ever beaten OSU that badly, and if we were one of a number of teams from down south, we could have come close to "hangin' half a hundred" on them that day. Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:03:36 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/07/12/my-no-5-2004-ohio-state#IDComment86525309 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/06/14/the-next-phase#IDComment80289473 I think the Texas schools just showed everybody why, however lucrative they may be, they're not worth the headache. Assuming he truly had some interest at some time, I don't think Delany would touch them now, and I suspect that many in the Pac 10, after time, will be relieved. The Pac 16 always looked to me like a fish trying to eat another fish too big for its mouth. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:45:03 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/06/14/the-next-phase#IDComment80289473 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/06/14/the-next-phase#IDComment80207452 It would have been a shame to see ISU or any of the original Big 8 schools forced to go to a lesser conference (said after uncharacteristically engaging a troll over on Hlas' blog) The way that Delany talked about the Big 10 'not taking a lot of votes' at the Nebraska press conference makes me think that he won't rush anything out of respect to the conference members, unless absolutely necessary. He wants comfort and consensus, though I do believe he has probably floated several scenarios well in advance. Given all the turmoil the past week, it wouldn't surprise me if no other moves, other than the Pac 10 adding a 12th school, are made before the season starts. No matter what, it's been an amazing couple of weeks. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 04:55:38 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/06/14/the-next-phase#IDComment80207452 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/06/14/you-couldnt-make-this-big-12-stuff-up-and-why-would-you#IDComment80206256 Gee, aren't WE feeling a bit full of ourselves after spending the week contemplating life in a non-BCS conference. Living in Ames about the time the Iowa-ISU game started up again in '77, my recollection is that ISU wanted the game. Iowa never wanted the game. After that first game, only the last 10 years have even been that interesting, or competitive. Iowa-ISU is not and has never been a premier rivalry. Neither fanbase widely holds the mutual respect that, say, Oklahoma and Nebraska had for each other, or the depth of mutual hated like an Alabama and Auburn have. Politicians will likely force the game to continue--they're the ones responsible for starting it up again. If justice is to be truly served, Nebraska won't waste its time with ISU, but will meet again with its true rival, Oklahoma. Tue, 15 Jun 2010 04:39:11 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/06/14/you-couldnt-make-this-big-12-stuff-up-and-why-would-you#IDComment80206256 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/06/13/big-12-chaos-reading-room-why-aggies-want-out-and-so-much-more#IDComment80105718 I have posted earlier on my sadness at the breakup of the original "Big 8" components of the conference. I talked about it with friends over the weekend. A common theme was how, until the Big 12 broke it up, the Nebraska/Oklahoma game on the day after Thanksgiving was one of the "must-see" games of the year. Then it hit me. The game was still big until one of my least favorite sports "figures", Barry Switzer, left OU under various criminal charges against players and suggestions of other unsavory behavior. Nebraska lost its true rival. Colorado tried and did it for a while, but had no staying power. Oklahoma went into a 10-year funk which saw the Big 8 slide into irrelevance, further enticing its "deal with the devil" to give the kitchen sink to Texas and let in its tag-alongs. Nebraska was still great for several years, but even Texas wasn't up to its level until recent years, when Nebraska finally skidded. It's like Michigan without Ohio State, or vice versa. So, who's to blame for all of this? Barry Switzer. I shouldn't, but I feel a little better now. Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:35:30 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/06/13/big-12-chaos-reading-room-why-aggies-want-out-and-so-much-more#IDComment80105718 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/06/10/the-big-12-roll-call-as-of-1130-a-m-thursday#IDComment79531243 From what I remember of it, Nebraska was a bit schizophrenic about expanding the Big 8 to 12 in the first place. On one hand, Nebraska wanted in the recruiting ground of Texas in a bigger way. On the other, Nebraska didn't like the (UT excepted) academic stature of the other schools coming in. Still, Nebraska voted in favor of it, and the uneven division of money in UT's favor. To me, loyalty was never that strong in the first place, but then, when Texas took all the money and the division of conferences took away the annual Nebraska-Oklahoma game, what was the point? I lived in Kansas and Nebraska, as well as in Ames, for several years, though I became a loyal Hawkeye, and I always felt that the Big 8 sold a little bit of its proverbial soul when it expanded. In a way, the breakup doesn't surprise me at all. Thu, 10 Jun 2010 23:04:56 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/06/10/the-big-12-roll-call-as-of-1130-a-m-thursday#IDComment79531243 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/06/10/the-big-12-roll-call-as-of-1130-a-m-thursday#IDComment79493648 This is like watching a chain reaction motor vehicle accident take place in slow motion. The more I think about this, I ultimately think the Big Ten may not want Texas after all. Using our own football program's mantra about "fit", Texas doesn't seem to in the Big Ten. Likewise, from what I have seen and heard (admittedly rumor, a lot of it), I wonder if Missouri's handling of all this has cooled the Big Ten's interest in it. A lot of other posters on different sites have mentioned this, and I'm inclined to agree--assuming six Big 12 teams go over to the Pac 10, this looks more like a marriage of convenience, or necessity, than anything else. Again, that "fit" thing. One wonders if it will last. Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:28:41 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/06/10/the-big-12-roll-call-as-of-1130-a-m-thursday#IDComment79493648 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/06/08/fatter-isnt-necessarily-healthier-for-big-ten-or-any-conference#IDComment79203624 The danger of expansion will always be that the gulf between the "haves" and "have nots" will widen and what then? Contraction? That's a long way down the road. With Iowa, that's always a risk because we go outside the state to get the majority of our top players in major sports. We have shown it can be done, and on a pretty regular basis, but when we are down, the climb may be higher, depending on who else is in the conference. On the other hand, and this is overdramatizing, but wither Iowa State? We get to watch all this as slightly interested but also bemused spectators because the Big Ten is on sound footing. it is because the Big Ten has fairly treated its members, even the lesser ones, and because it hasn't been afraid to change. The Penn State addition worked out pretty well. But times change. A valid point has been raised elsewhere as to how Iowa can support both Iowa and ISU as it does. Given the apparently distressed state of most of Michigan, the same question may apply to those two state schools. I don't think the Big Ten will do anything which doesn't make sound financial sense. My guess is no volume additions unless the Texas deal looks too good on paper. By the way, I don't think ND is going anywhere unless or until it deems that independence is no longer a viable option. If or when they do, they will join the Big Ten because the still-Chicago-centric alumni would not want to play football in any other conference. Wed, 9 Jun 2010 01:05:38 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/the-hlog/2010/06/08/fatter-isnt-necessarily-healthier-for-big-ten-or-any-conference#IDComment79203624