General November 18, 2013

Hawk Talk Daily: Random Thoughts

Nov. 18, 2013

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Random thoughts on a bye week Sunday…

My opinion of bye weeks hasn’t changed. I missed watching the Hawkeyes yesterday. I enjoyed watching a handful of other games including those 2:30 p.m. Big Ten games — had to scout the Wolverines and Cornhuskers — but it was a college football Saturday, and the good guys in black and gold weren’t on the field, so it was unfulfilling.

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The current forecast for Saturday’s Fan Appreciation Game at historic Kinnick Society is friendly: 40s and partly sunny. We’ll learn today if kick is early or late. Either way, plan to arrive early at your seat so you can help us celebrate the seniors who will be making their final appearance in Iowa City.

We’re a few days away from announcing this year’s “Iowa Hero,” who will be saluted at the 2013 Hy-Vee Heroes Game two weeks from yesterday when the Hawkeyes square off against Nebraska in Lincoln. We had another great collection of nominations and the individual who rose to the top is very deserving. Word is he’s also a fan of the Hawkeyes which makes it that much more fun. As always, thanks to Hy-Vee and to the Iowa chapter of the American Red Cross for their support of this important piece of our annual gridiron battle with our neighbors to the west.

High-five’s to Ron Rainey’s Iowa women’s soccer team. The Hawkeyes were sent to tradition-rich Notre Dame Friday for their first NCAA Tournament game in school history and were dealt a 4-1 defeat. That outcome doesn’t tarnish in any way the Hawkeyes’ record-shattering season marked, most notably, by a school-record 15 victories and two wins in the Big Ten Tournament. Ron, his staff, and the Hawkeyes now have momentum and experience in their corner. I’m excited to see them take that next step and get a game or two or three into the national championship next year.

Here’s our take on the soccer Hawkeyes’ season finale: HERE.

Attendance at the first three home games of Fran’s squad is about 20 percent better than what it was a year ago after three games, so congratulations to the fans of the Hawkeyes who are providing the home team that extra energy that comes with a near-full Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Our student-athletes feel your energy when they’re in competition at Kinnick, Carver or any of our facilities.

Here’s a link to some free video of that event and much, much, more including this week’s edition of the Hawkeye Sports Report: HERE

Speaking of hoops, there’s a doubleheader on Mediacom Court today. Bluder’s Bunch squares off against Stony Brook at 1 p.m. and McCaffery’s squad entertains Abilene Christian at 3:30 p.m. You can get your tickets at the door.

Here’s a nice piece on Devyn Marble in case you missed it: HERE. I’m certain I’m like most fans of the Hawkeyes were are happy that Fran was able to re-recruit Dev to be a Hawkeye. As he suggests, the senior guard should take pride in his contributions to the reconstruction of the UI men’s basketball program.

Tom Brands’ Iowa wrestling team will open its home schedule next Friday with the staging of the Iowa Duals. The Hawkeyes wrestle at 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. on Mediacom Mat. They then travel to Ames on Dec. 1 for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series dual with the Cyclones. You can review the Hawkeyes’ schedule HERE. You can purchase your tickets HERE.

Did you happen to catch any of the Kentucky-Michigan State and/or Kansas-Duke games from Chicago’s United Center the other night? That was good men’s college basketball.

Where do you think the Hawkeyes will be bowling? There is still too much football to be played to begin making anything but guesses — including two big games for the Hawkeyes. The picture in the Big Ten Conference should get clearer after next week’s games…but our league’s “pecking order” will be impacted by what happens nationally. It would be good to see two Big Ten teams participating in Bowl Championship Series events. The Big Ten has at least two that are deserving of that opportunity based on their “body of work.”

Ohio State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin — three teams our guys slugged hard with earlier this season — each were sending messages to “College Football Nation” yesterday. They were screaming, “Hey! Don’t forget about us!” Here’s a link to the current Big Ten standings: HERE. And here’s a link to the remaining league schedule: HERE

A special thanks to Mike Hlas of the Gazette for today’s History Lesson No. 1 — the Hawkeyes’ game against Notre Dame that didn’t occur because of a national tragedy: HERE.

Thanks to the National Football Federation for today’s History Lesson No. 2 — Nov. 20, 1982 — “The Play” will stand in football lore as one of the most bizarre and controversial endings in college football history. It seemed over after Stanford’s Mark Harmon nailed a 55-yard field goal with four seconds remaining for a 20-19 Cardinal lead. Cal, desperate to score with time expiring, returned a kickoff, lateralling the ball five times through the Stanford defense to keep the play alive. The Stanford band, assuming the Cardinal had won the game, had already stormed the field in celebration. The chaos created an opportunity for Cal player Kevin Moen to take the final lateral, navigate through the morass of musicians and find the end zone for a dramatic 25-20 win. Following the confusion, officials ruled “The Play” a touchdown.

We are marching down the path of a return of the popular public art project, Herky on Parade. Our beloved mascot will take to the streets again next spring and summer. If you’re an artist and you would like to contribute your talents or if you would like to learn more about sponsorship, click HERE.

This would fall under the category of “Doing it right.” Kirk and Mary Ferentz have a long history of philanthropic support of the University of Iowa and many other deserving causes. On Friday, they added a chapter to that book. You can read about it HERE.

I enjoyed this one from that best one-page sports section available anywhere (the Wall Street Journal): HERE.

And, lastly, tickets to a home event of the Iowa Hawkeyes make great stocking-stuffers. You can buy yours online HERE.

GH!

Hawk Talk Daily: Random Thoughts

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