gdp's Comments

GazetteOnline.com : Adrian Clayborn, the No. 1 football player in the Big Ten according to ESPN.com

Sat, 3 Jul 2010 14:31:42 +0000

Agree Mike with what you say about Pryor, and his veteran supporting cast. I still think the hype over Iowa is over done because of having to retool the offensive line. It hasn't been that long ago that an inexperienced offensive line gave up some of highest QB sacks in the conference, and that equated to a couple of pretty mediocre years. I find it amazing that Indiana has more players listed on this top 25 than Michigan. Who would have ever thought that would be possible?

GazetteOnline.com : Drew Tate is still in Canada, waiting for his chance

Sat, 3 Jul 2010 14:15:12 +0000

Long, Hartlieb, Rodgers, Duncan, even Stanzi rate ahead of Tate in my book. While he over achieved as a sophomore, and had an amazing year, he under achieved as a junior and senior, that sort of tarnishes his image in my book. I do wish him well in the CFL, though.

GazetteOnline.com : Iowa seniors: Hello, goodbye to realignment

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:35:52 +0000

I read a report over the week-end that the Big 10 has the 8 team conference schedule and all the non-conference games scheduled through 2012, but have been ordered to not make any more non-conference agreements beyond that. However, there are some teams like Minnesota that already have non-conference games scheduled out through 2015. Now, if Nebraska is scheduled to join the Big 10 in 2011, who the heck are they going to play?

GazetteOnline.com : Someday, we'll be a "united" United States of Sport

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:25:17 +0000

I think it's a generation thing Mike. I grew up playing and following baseball, basketball and football. There was no soccer. My kids on the other hand, grew up with all the above mentioned sports, but they also all played soccer. While I followed their soccer games, I never really got into the sport. I guarantee you that all three of my sons were into this World Cup action. I, on the other hand, watched the Cardinal game on Saturday afternoon. And here lies the problem. I still think the greatest athletes in America are playing sports other than soccer, although soccer is making progress. As the younger generation becomes more and more in tune to soccer, maybe somewhere down the road the US will win a World Cup. But it won't happen in my lifetime.

GazetteOnline.com : With Vincent, Hawkeyes might be finished at WR in 2011

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:10:00 +0000

I think Iowa's recruiting has gone quite well lately without having to fight the rest of the country for the Texas leftovers that don't go to the Texas or Oklahoma schools. How many Texas kids off the Iowa Football team were in the most recent NFL draft? Zero. Now if they have any basketball players down there, we could use a little help in that area.

GazetteOnline.com : Two Iowa US senators question Big Ten expansion

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:43:09 +0000

What a joke, this was strictly political. Had they known at the time that Texas was going to be bribed to keep the Big 12 from disintegrating, they would have kept their noses out of it.

GazetteOnline.com : Stream-of-consciousness about Big Ten Network awards show

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:46:30 +0000

At least Iowa was represented in more than their share of categories, and even garnered a few of the awards. Thought about watching it last night, but decided on the Cardinal game instead.

GazetteOnline.com : Bowl executive: Political reasons kept Iowa from Fiesta Bowl

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:38:27 +0000

I think commonsenseguy is right on. Not taking Iowa in the Fiesta I'm sure cost them a lot of money, but no way did the BCS want to look at the possibility of having two mid-major, non BCS schools, upset two BCS teams in BCS bowls. Boise State vs Iowa and TCU vs Georgia Tech would have both been real interesting match-ups and probably been good for TV ratings as well.

GazetteOnline.com : I miss conference expansion talk with all my heart

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:31:04 +0000

I think the post from TwoCats is on to something Mike. Tell us what to expect from the Nebraska athletic programs. Football? I believe they were one of the top defensive teams in the nation last year. Could their Big 10 membership threaten Iowa's football recruiting stronghold in the state? Could their volleyball team could challenge the Penn State dominance in the conference, and their women's basketball team help improve the national perception of women's basketball in the Big 10. How about their men's basketball program? I don't think it's very good in the Big 12, but maybe they will compete better in the Big 10? As the "new kid in town", I think a story along those lines would provide good info and interest. Also, unless I missed it, when will the decisions be made about the makeup of the two divisions in the conference, and how will that decision be made? Strictly Delaney?, ADs? Non partisan consultants? other?. And are the Divisions going to be made strictly for football or other sports as well? If you've already reported on this stuff and I missed it, I apologize.

GazetteOnline.com : Hlog: Iowa has third-best defensive line, fifth-best secondary in college football (according to you

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:49:27 +0000

Obviously Mr. Steele doesn't think much of Iowa's offense. I guess he figures the defense is going to shut everybody out, or else how could he possibly rate Iowa 14th? I don't think there is much logic in Mr. Steele's predictions. Makes for interesting reading though, and should provide good bulletin board material for the Iowa offense.

GazetteOnline.com : Hlas column: Saving their seat at the Big 12 table saves Cyclones' athletics

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:51:31 +0000

Texas will never leave the Big 12, so no need for people to worry. There isn't another BCS Conference in America that would give Texas the financial windfall they are receiving in the Big 12. What will take down the Big 12 is when the next school (Oklahoma, or Kansas or Missouri) gets tired of the second class citizenship, and jumps to a conference where all the members are treated equally, which is as it should be.

GazetteOnline.com : ISU poised for budget boon in new Big 12

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:50:49 +0000

When you are one of the subservient members in a BCS conference that is ready to implode, even the left over table scraps beats the alternative of an inevitable crash diet, for now.

GazetteOnline.com : Iowa State AD Pollard says Big 12 will emerge stronger

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:22:25 +0000

Well done Jamie, the conference is saved. It's good to know that you "certainly did not give away the future, like many have portrayed it" This link below is an excellent piece from Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post Dispatch that paints a llittle different picture. http://interact.stltoday.com/blogzone/bernies-ext...

GazetteOnline.com : Basabe raises expectations with big performance

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:48:43 +0000

Wow, final four here we come. This is the PTL folks, not a Big 10 game against a Michigan State, or a non-conference game against UNI, where something called defense is played.

GazetteOnline.com : Texas to stay in Big 12

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:08:07 +0000

I have always felt that the demise of the Big 12 was greatly exagerated, because I never thought that Texas could be happy just being a "regular conference school" with no special perks. In the Big 12, they are treated like royalty and can run the show and call the shots. They would never want to give that up. While I don't think that is a healthy way to run a conference, giving in to Texas at least has saved the conference, for now.

GazetteOnline.com : Big 12 Reading Room: Good stuff from Joe Posnanski and others

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:24:19 +0000

I think the quotes from Tom Shatel reinforce just how great a conference the Big 10 is, for both athletics and academics. Likewise, the quotes from Rosenberg are right on in regards to who's fault this whole mess really is. Thanks for doing this Mike, enjoyed the opinions of other writers from around the country. I do have one question though, regarding you not considering this recent round of conference expansion being honorable. Did you think the same way when the ACC, Big East and SEC went through their expansions, or when the Big 8 became the Big 12, or when the PAC 8 became the PAC 10? Actually, it looks to me like the Big 10 has been lagging behind the rest of the country, and this expansion for them, is long over due. In your opinion, is there no honorable way to go about this?

GazetteOnline.com : Iowa politicians ready to fight, fight, fight for Iowa, Iowa State

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:11:42 +0000

I'm going to enter the seedy world of speculation, something I don't like to do, and assume that any decisions regarding Big 10 expansion, have already been agreed to by the Presidents of the Big 10 Universities. Delaney is not going to stick his neck out and risk embarrasing himself, as well as any potential new member institution, by issuing an invitation, only to have that invitation voted down. It's all about money folks, big money. It's unfortunate, but Iowa State just does not add that much more potential revenue to the coffers that say a Nebraska, or a Missouri or a Notre Dame would add.

GazetteOnline.com : The Big 12 isn't dead yet, but is that a funeral march I hear in the background?

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:59:36 +0000

I've been critical all along about all this reporting based on speculation and not on facts, but since this is the hottest topic in the world of sports, and every other newspaper in the country has picked up on it, the Gazette might as well continue to keep us informed of all the latest rumors. I appreciate the coverage on this topic, as it is really gettting wild and crazy.

GazetteOnline.com : Notre Dame in Big Ten mix?

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 12:48:06 +0000

Great, great post, buffalomo. I agree with everything you point out. Reeling in Notre Dame would add more prestige to a conference that is already the best in the country.

GazetteOnline.com : Hot stuff out of Lincoln -- Nebraska to Big Ten by Friday?

Wed, 9 Jun 2010 12:48:22 +0000

This is interesting, if it happens. While Nebraska's population base is much less then Missouri, this may be telling us that Nebraska's fan base would buy more subscriptions to the Big 10 Network then Missouri's. But then maybe Missouri is next in line to join the Big 10.