Will the 2010 Hawkeyes Be Better than the 1985 Hawks?

2010 marks the 25-year anniversary of one of the greatest teams in Iowa Hawkeye football history. While several Iowa teams have finished higher in the final AP polls than the ’85 squad (they finished #10; 10-2), none were ever ranked as highly as Iowa was during a 5-week glory run during the 1985 season. From September 5, 1985 through November 2nd, Hawkeye fans lived the dream as the nations #1 team. That stretch included the legendary match up with #2 Michigan, a game the Hawkeyes won on a last second field goal that sent Iowa fans into delirium. The dream ended on November 2nd with a 22-13 loss to #8 rated Ohio State. Iowa finished the regular season with a 10-1 record and a spot in the Rose Bowl where they were surprisingly thrashed by UCLA.

The days of “New Coke” and “Farm Aid” are long behind us, but Hawkeye fans are hoping for a trip down memory lane to recapture those feelings as the nations #1 team. Can it be done? Iowa is coming off one of its best seasons ever after an 11-2 finish, an Orange Bowl victory, and a #7 finish in the final polls. The Hawkeyes return a majority of their starters on both offense and defense and play a schedule conducive to another glory-run. But is this team as good as their anniversary counterparts? Here’s a breakdown position by position of the starters from the 1985 team and the projected starters from the 2010 team and my final analysis to answer that question:

Position: 1985 vs. 2010
QB: Chuck Long vs. Ricki Stanzi
RB: Ronnie Harmon vs. A. Robinson, Wegher, Hampton
FB: David Hudson vs. Brett Morse
WR: Bill Happel, Scott Helverson, Robert Smith vs. DJK, Marvin McNutt, Keenan Davis
TE: Mike Flagg vs. Alan Reisner
OL: Mike Haight, Tom Humphrey, Mark Sindlinger, Bob Kratch, Dave Croston
Vs. James Vandervelde, Adam Gettis, Marcus Zusevics, Riley Reiff, Josh Koeppel
DL: Richard Pryor, Hap Peterson, Jon Vrieze, George Millett, Jeff Drost
Vs. Christian Ballard, Adrian Clayborne, Broderick Binns, Karl Klug
LB: Larry Station, George Davis vs. Tyler Nielsen, Jeremiah Hunter, Jeff Tarpinian
DB: Ken Sims, Nate Creer, Devon Mitchell, Jay Norvell
Vs. Shaun Prater, Micah Hyde, Tyler Sash, Brett Greenwood

Analysis:
QB: Advantage 1985—Chuck Long; Heisman Runner-Up
RB: Advantage 1985—Ronnie Harmon; 1100 yards rushing/ 700 yards receiving!!
WR: Advantage 2010—Think what Long could have done with the 2010 group!
TE: Advantage 1985—Mike Flagg—3 time All Big 10 Pick
OL: Advantage 1985—Mike Haight was the Big 10 Lineman of the Year; Croston and Kratch were All Big 10 the following year.
DL: Advantage 2010—Ballard, Clayborne, Binns and Klug may be the best line in school history
LB: Advantage 1985—Larry Station—All time leading tackler in Iowa history; 2-time First Team All America. Enough said.
DB: Advantage Tie—Devon Mitchell and Jay Norvell were both Honorable Mention All-America selections in 1985. The depth of Prater, Sash and Greenwood evens the field.

Final Tally-- The 1985 team wins the category battle 5-2 with one tie. There’s a reason this team was rated #1 for 5 straight weeks. If this years Hawks want to stake their claim as the greatest team in Iowa history, they’ll have to climb to the top of the polls at some point—a proposition that many Hawkeye fans think is entirely realistic. There’s only one way to find out, and it all begins on Saturday, September 4th at 12:05 pm.

Loveable Losers

Well…Losers for sure.
It’s been over 100 years now since the Chicago Cubs last won a World Series title. The way the organization is going right now, it may be 100 more. The North Siders have now lost 10 of their last 14 games and are 11 ½ games out of first place. Their overall record is 34-46. To make matters worse, they have the third highest payroll in all of baseball, trailing only the Yankees and Red Sox. Chicago’s payroll is 146 million. The Pittsburgh Pirates’ is 35 million. Pittsburgh is 9-3 against the Cubs this year, just to rub a little salt in the wounds of those that bleed Cubby Blue. When you take a closer look at the salaries that make up the bulk of that 146 million, it’s enough to make Cubs fans get sick to their stomach. Take a look at these numbers:

1. Alfonso Soriano—19 million
2. Carlos Zambrano—18.8 million
3. Aramis Ramirez—17 million
4. Kosuke Fukudome—14 million
5. Derek Lee—13 million

Soriano’s contract may be the worst in all of Major League Baseball. Carlos Zambrano isn’t even active right now due to his anger-management issues. Aramis Ramirez is batting .180. Derek Lee is hitting .231. Fukudome just .265. The average age of those five players is 33 years old. After the meltdowns of Milton Bradley last year and Carlos Zambrano this year, it’s evident the clubhouse is a wreck. It’s a tradition whenever the Cubs win that a white flag with a “W” on it is flown over Wrigley Field. These days, the only white flags flying over Wrigley are the ones the fans are waving in surrender.

In Midst of Conference Chaos, Hoiberg Quietly Having a Very Successful Summer

It’s safe to say ISU Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg hasn’t been too distracted by all the conference realignment garbage. Hoiberg has quietly put together a very impressive nucleus to the beginnings of a successful long-term basketball program in his first few months at the helm. The Mayor has landed two very highly regarded transfer players in Chris Babb and Anthony Booker, a solid junior-recruit from the state of Texas named Anthony Odunsi, and polished it all off with a phenomenal coaching hire in Charlotte’s Bobby Lutz. Here’s a closer look at each:

--Chris Babb: Babb is a 6’5” shooting guard who started 23 games as a sophomore last season for Penn State. He averaged 9 points per game, was third on the team in assists, and made 69 three-point baskets.

--Anthony Booker: Booker is a 6’8” power forward who’s transferring from Southern Illinois. Booker averaged 6.4 points and 4.1 rebounds as a sophomore. He was a Rivals Top 50 player in high school and was recruited by Kansas.

--Anthony Odunsi: Odunsi will be a high school senior at Fort Bend, Texas in 2010-11. He is a 6’3” point guard who averaged 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists a game as a junior. Odunsi had offers from Vanderbilt, Stanford, and Arkansas.

--Assistant Coach Bobby Lutz: One of the biggest criticisms of the Hoiberg coaching hire was his lack of head coaching experience. Critics claimed he would need to hire a veteran, experienced coach to be his assistant. Mission accomplished! Bobby Lutz comes from the Charlotte 49ers of the Atlantic 10 Conference where he won a school-record 218 games and guided the school to 5 NCAA Tournament appearances and 3 NIT’s in 10 years. Not only did Hoiberg find an experienced coach, he found an experienced HEAD COACH who had a ton of success in a very good Division 1 basketball conference with the likes of Xavier, Temple and Richmond. Lutz should also help with recruiting from the east coast. This was an absolute gem of a hire by Iowa State; a real diamond in the rough.

Worshipping Bevo: Longhorns Save The Big 12

"Bevo"--TEXAS LONGHORNS MASCOT

In India, cows are so sacred that even their dung is considered “an efficacious disinfectant” (Hinduism.about.com). Politicians strengthen their political campaigns by endorsing cow protection laws. Cattle are considered religiously divine because of their ability to provide milk that keeps infants alive. As of Monday, June 14, 2010, football and basketball fans of schools like Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri may also think cows are holy. Well, Longhorns anyway.

Facing the very real prospect of being left homeless from an athletic conference standpoint, The University of Texas Longhorns saved the day for the members of the teetering Big 12 Conference by turning down an offer from the Pac 10. And for that, this Iowa State Cyclone fan is eternally grateful. So what if our wagons are hitched to Texas? So what if the Longhorns are calling all the shots--they have been ever since the Big 12 started. They’re the “cash cow.” That’s how it works in business and that’s life. Besides, for schools like Iowa State, hitching the wagons to Texas just resulted in a financial windfall. According to the new proposed television contract, Iowa State will receive a guaranteed $17 million in TV revenue. In 2007, ISU made just over $7 million. Keeping the Big 12 in tact means keeping teams like Iowa State relevant nationally, which means easier recruiting, easier ticket sales, easier promotion. In fact, Texas may not have only saved the Big 12; they may have saved the entire infrastructure of college athletics. Had Texas joined the Pac-10, the formation of 4 “Super Conferences” would have been well under way, completely changing the landscape of college football and basketball as we know it.

The same article about Hinduism referenced earlier noted, “In India, the cow is believed to be a symbol of the earth - because it gives so much yet asks nothing in return.” It’s safe to say that Texas isn’t exactly “asking nothing in return.” In fact some might say they are as greedy an institution as there is in college athletics, that the Longhorns are the reason this whole mess started. The University of Texas can’t help it that its athletic programs are so dominant. Just like an elite athlete like LeBron James and Alex Rodriguez can demand a lot of money because they’ve earned the right to, the Longhorns have similarly played their hand. Many sports fans across the nation might consider Texas a closer rival to Satan than divinity, but to the smaller members of the Big 12, like it or not, we bow down.

The Worst Call In Officiating History?

Call him the new poster child for Southwest Airlines’ “Wanna Get Away?” Ad campaign. Major League Baseball Umpire Jim Joyce will probably “wanna get away” permanently after perhaps the worst call in sports history during the Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Indians game Wednesday night. Detroit’s Armando Galarraga had a perfect game (no hits, no walks) going into the 9th inning. Just how rare is a perfect game in Major League Baseball? Since 1880, it’s only happened 20 times. Amazingly, two of those have come this season, one last week by Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay. It was about to happen for the second time in less than a week when Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson mad a miraculous, over-the-shoulder catch, sending Detroit fans into a frenzy with one out in the 9th. Galarraga then induced an easy ground out for out number two. Then, with fans on their feet, Cleveland’s Jason Donald hit a ground ball that forced Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera to range toward his right, and make a quick throw to first where Tigers pitcher Galarraga clearly had the runner beat by a full step. Only problem was, first base umpire Jim Joyce didn’t see it that way, calling the runner safe, destroying what should have been a history-making night.

I found an old article on espn.com that listed the top ten worst calls in officiating history according to their writers. Here’s the list:

1. Denkinger calls Royals' Orta safe at first
2. Colorado's fifth down
3. Soviets get extra time in 1972 Olympic hoops
4. Jeffrey Maier assists Jeter home run
5. Brett Hull's skate in the crease
6. Maradona's "Hand of God"
7. Thanksgiving Day coin flip flap
8. Mike Renfro ruled out of bounds
9. Eric Gregg's wide strike zone
10. Charles White's TD and fumble in 1979 Rose Bowl

Based on this list, and what I know about sports history, I think one could easily make the case that Joyce’s blown call with two outs in the ninth inning of a perfect game may top that list. Something that’s only happened 20 times in 130 years shouldn’t have been denied on a play like that. Granted, it was close, but you have to give the benefit of the doubt to the man on the verge of history in that case. It’s a call Joyce (and Galarraga) will have to live with the rest of their lives, much like the Bill Buckner between-the-legs error and umpire Tim McClelland and George Brett’s pine tar incident. If I’m Joyce, I’m grabbing the first flight out of town and taking a month-long hiatus, cause it’s gonna be a bumpy ride for a while!

Basketball Dominates Royals Sports Highlights of 2009-2010

Another school year has come and gone. Thoughts of cool, autumn nights with the football lights shining down and the sight of combines in the background seem like they were just yesterday. The tremendous basketball season was such a fun ride but, like all fun rides, ended too soon. Spring and graduation came and went as quick as the dandelions popped up in my yard. Before we know it, it will be mid-August and we’ll be doing it all over again.

Although I wasn’t involved in much of the Royals athletic scene this year besides basketball, I did some research and formulated what I think are the top 10 sports highlights of the school year. Forgive me if I missed something obvious, and have fun reminiscing.

#10—Homecoming Victory over Lynville-Sully
“[Travis] Guy rushed for 95 yards and three scores and he also completed 5 of 10 passes for 46 yards and a touchdown. Ethan Jamison scored on an 80-yard run, Bryan Angell hauled in a 6-yard touchdown pass, Eley totaled 42 yards rushing and receiving and Tyler Erickson rushed for 44 yards for the Royals.”—Ames Tribune

#9—Young Talent on Girls Basketball Team Provides Plenty of Optimism for Future
Despite their 4-19 record, the girls showed marked progress toward the end of the year. The top two performers were a sophomore and freshman in Jessica Johnson (All Conference Honorable Mention) and Madison Eley (2nd Team All Conference). Johnson averaged 7 points per game and Eley averaged 10 points per game. Four others who saw significant playing time will be back next year—Makayla Klonglan, Alyssa Speake, Michelle Van Loon and Erica Babinat.

#8—Double OT Victory over North Polk Boys Basketball On Brandon Eley’s Birthday
“There is no better birthday present Colo-Nesco’s Brandon Eley could have received than the one he gave himself when the Royal boys’ basketball team took on North Polk Dec. 21 in Alleman.

Eley struggled for most of the night in a defensive battle between two of the top Heart of Iowa Conference Small School Division teams. But the birthday boy came through in a big way during crunch time, hitting three clutch shots, including the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer in the second overtime, to give his team a huge 57-56 victory.”—Ames Tribune

#7—Football All District Team: Weston Neuendorf: 1st Team OL; Adam Good: 1st Team LB; Travis Guy: 1st Team DB

#6—Cross Country State Qualifiers: Shelby Dailey and Sean Dulaney

#5—State Track Qualifiers: Sarah Hansen—long jump (broke school record); Shelby Dailey—3000 meter; Brandon Eley—110 high hurdles

#4—Brandon Eley named Ames Tribune Mid Iowa Boys Basketball Player of the Year for 2nd Straight Year

#3—Brandon Eley named to 1st Team All-State Boys Basketball

#2—Hall of Fame Night vs. Roland Story Basketball
“Our biggest highlight of the year had to be the night they inducted the 1990 championship team into the Hall of Pride,” Wynja said. “Our kids played their hearts out to make everyone there proud to be a Royal. It was a special night, and one I won’t ever forget.”—Ames Tribune

#1—Boys Basketball Team Finishes 20-3; HOIC Small-Conference Champs; Break School Record for Most Victories in Regular Season

Wizards Get #1 Pick. Does It Even Matter?

The NBA held its annual “lottery” for the upcoming draft Tuesday night, with Washington grabbing the #1 pick. Some are questioning whether the NBA’s current system of assigning a certain number of ping-pong balls to teams based on their record, and using a lottery style selection is the best way to see who gets the top pick. In the NFL, the worst team automatically gets the #1 spot. Ditto for Major League Baseball. But if the last 25 years are any indication, getting the #1 pick rarely guarantees championships in the NBA. Since 1985, only 4 players that were drafted number one eventually captured titles (David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal, Glenn Robinson, Tim Duncan), and only two of those four were with their original team—Tim Duncan and David Robinson. Not only does having the top pick not guarantee success for your team, it doesn’t even mean that player will attain elite status. Of the past 5 NBA drafts, only one player (Derrick Rose) has made an NBA All-Star Game. In the past 25 years, 15 of those top picks have played in 2 All Star Games or less. Of course, not all #1 picks have been busts; here’s a list of my top 10 number one picks in the last 25 years:

1. Shaquille O’Neal (1992)—Orlando Magic—4 NBA Titles; 15 Time All Star; 1 MVP
2. Tim Duncan (1997)—San Antonio Spurs—4 NBA Titles; 12 Time All Star; 2 MVP’s
3. David Robinson (1987)—San Antonio Spurs—2 NBA Titles; 10 Time All Star; 1 MVP
4. LeBron James (2003)—Cleveland Cavaliers—6 Time All Star; 2 MVP’s
5. Allen Iverson (1996)—Philadelphia 76ers—11 Time All Star; 1 MVP
6. Dwight Howard (2004)—Orlando Magic—4 Time All Star
7. Patrick Ewing (1985)—New York Knicks—11 Time All Star
8. Yao Ming (2002)—Houston Rockets—7 Time All Star
9. Derrick Rose (2008)—Chicago Bulls—1 Time All Star
10. Chris Webber (1993)—Golden State—5 Time All Star

And my top five #1 busts in the last 25 years:

1. Michael Olowokandi (1998)—Los Angeles Clippers
2. Kwame Brown (2001)—Washington Wizards
3. Greg Oden (2007)—Portland Trail Blazers
4. Pervis Ellison (1989)—Sacramento Kings
5. Andrew Bogut (2006)—Milwaukee Bucks

Here’s the rest of the list by year that don’t fall into either category:

1. Brad Daugherty (1986)—Cleveland Cavaliers—5 Time All Star
2. Danny Manning (1988)—Los Angeles Clippers—2 Time All Star
3. Derrick Coleman (1990)—New Jersey Nets—1 Time All Star
4. Larry Johnson (1991)—Charlotte Hornets—2 Time All Star
5. Glenn Robinson (1994)—Milwaukee Bucks—1 NBA Title; 2 Time All Star
6. Joe Smith (1995)—Golden State
7. Elton Brand (1999)—Chicago Bulls—2 Time All Star
8. Kenyon Martin (2000)—New Jersey Nets—1 Time All Star
9. Andrea Bargnani (2006)—Toronto Raptors
10. Blake Griffin (2009)—Los Angeles Clippers