Las Vegas Sports Consultants seem to base their ratings on name recognition more than anything else. Ranking USC number 13 is plain ridiculous, (especially since Stanford is ranked only 17th). Ranking Arkansas above Iowa also isn't something that can be defended very easily.
In terms of PSU's outside consultant D'Elia, it is disappointing to me that a learning institution like Penn State feels the need to spend money on something that they have more than enough talented and skilled people to do themselves. In the end, D'Elia's efforts will have little to do with whether or not PSU makes the BCS, (maybe he is hiring people to talk trash on various sports blogs about Iowa....half kidding).
In my eyes, Branstad becoming a talking point in the race upped the ante too much. Likely it dried up lots of potential funds as well. Fong's campaign seemed to lack energy from the start. He came off as the archetypical conservative Republican, falling way to the right on both social and economic issues, while his talk about keeping young people in the state and looking for pragmatic solutions seemed like window dressing.
He focused way too much on the pr angle. He was a style candidate and once Branstad became part of the campaign, he lost the attention of the press. He may play some role in Branstad's campaign. I doubt he will end up with a position in state government this time around.
I didn't like the outcome, but I was proud of how well we played. Vandenberg compared favorable to Barkley at USC. DJK came through in the clutch. McNutt had two td receptions. We tied OSU, despite forcing no turnovers and we pulled off a great comeback in the fourth quarter. This was the Big 10 at its best. Next year, I think Iowa knocks off OSU.
Belichick's decision Sunday was a bad one. Fourth and one on your own 28. You lead. No timeouts so no review available. The decision is automatic. You punt. So automatic that not punting shows a lack of confidence in your defense. Tedy Bruschi wasn't too happy with Belichick after that decision. It is a decision that people will talk about for a long time to come.
Ferentz's decision, (like it or hate it), showed faith that his offense and defense could get them through the overtime. The way Ferentz played it is the way most NFL coaches would handle the same situation. The chance of a pick six may have been low, (although it had just happened on Iowa's last drive...it was nullified by an offsides call on OSU). What wasn't so low percentage is that Iowa might have ended up turning the ball over and allowing the Buckeyes into field goal territory. As a fan, I was hoping we might win it in regulation, but I understand and can live with Ferentz's decision. He was going with what he thought was the best opportunity to win.
I would agree that Stross was aware that it wasn't his best game. He also seems to have a great ability to understand people's feelings and emotions after a tough game. To me, that is all the more reason why sending him an email is ludicrous. He already knows he didn't play his best and sending him an email expressing anger or disappointment is just sort of silly. I'm sure his position coach had something to say in the film room on Sunday. Most of us wish we could play the game as well as Stross. Most of us wouldn't have much patience if our work was commented on by paid experts, (maybe retirees would be invited to man the mikes) and then our peers sent us emails full of profanity and anger when we weren't at our best: "Missing that deadline by fifteen minutes sure as **** is your fault and you know it. It better not blankety-blank happen again!!!" "Nice font choice...idiot!"
It has become a culture where any emotion or opinion can immediately be broadcast and with a great degree of annoynmity. Twenty or thirty years ago, to speak directly with Stross, fans would have had to have been in Iowa City and would have to have run into him somewhere. It is far more difficult to be so bold and open to someone face to face.
Going to college is the starting point of adulthood. College athletes are looked at more critically than they ever have been in their lives. Stross became the butt of comments throughout the telecast. His drops were part of the motif of the play by play. It is sad to me that Stross felt the need to apologize to fans on a Facebook page. I doubt his teammates were as critical as some of the fans were.
None of us is truly in a position to know the motivation of this young man in apologizing. Some have taken him at his word and others have looked for other reasons and rationale for the timing of the apology. I don't think he is asking for sympathy. An apology is act of contrition, not an act of trying to get others to see something through your eyes. It is an admission of a wrong, (when sincere, it is an act of sympathy by the person apologizing). We all have a choice as to whether or not we accept the apology.
I'm fairly sure that the Marines are aware of his actions. It would not surprise me if someone in the Corps had come to him with the idea of doing this. As to the timing, it is rare that an apology occurs in a timely manner. A good apology only occurs when someone has thought about their actions and decisions and determined in their own mind that they were wrong. A bad apology is one that is based solely on the initial reaction to something. These tend to be related more to public relations than to actual contrition.
All the Sunday morning, armchair stuff in the world accomplishes little. Football is a game where little things matter. This play has been very successful for Iowa's offense this year and in the past. Northwestern had likely prepared for it. Our blocking could have been better on the play, but these things happen in football.
I know another Big 10 team that lost unexpectedly a few weeks ago. They haven't lost since and improved every week afterwards. Iowa can learn and grow from this game. If there was ever a time that I liked our chances in Columbus, it is now. No one expects much. Past experience tells me Iowa will be ready for this game.
Mike - I have to say that this was a great essay. I know that in covering the Hawkeyes that you've had your ups and downs in dealing with the athletic department. This year, I believe that your columns on Sunday morning have provided an apt narrative to what has been a great season. When and if a book is published about this season, your columns should frame the chapter about each game.
It has already been a season that I will remember for a long time for a number of reasons. I'm thinking there are still things to look forward to. Next week we play Ohio State in a game that will decide the conference's BCS qualifier. I'm thinking that will be a great game. More than that, this has been a season that has shown the power of a unified team. I've seen too many posts in other outlets where the Hawkeyes have been completely written off. Adam Rittenberg has announced that Ohio State is now in the driver's seat in the Big 10 Race. In my eyes, we have the Buckeyes right where we want them. They are sitting pretty and we are the underdog team coming to the horseshoe. I still like the odds.
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