maly, too

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Rewarding Mediocrity

By RON MALY

Soccer is a strange sport.

It's a game where mediocrity is rewarded far too frequently.

At least in the World Cup.

In what other sport--and in what other event-- can a team, its coach and its fans be ready to party after a 1-0 loss?

In what other sport can a team be happy about advancing to something called a knockout round after one measly victory [over Ghana], a tie with Portugal in which the U.S. team choked away the lead in the final seconds, and a shutout defeat administered by Germany?

This is starting to remind me a little of wrestlebacks in Iowa's state high school wrestling tournament and double-elimination in softball tournaments.

At least folks who ran the NCAA basketball tournament had the good sense to quit holding consolation games at the Final Four after UCLA's Bill Walton said he didn't want to play in one.

Something tells me the World Cup is a marathon [it lasts for more than a month] event set up so the players and coaches on teams that aren't very good, and their fans, can hang around the host city so they continue spending money and helping the local economy.

Oh, well, I just guess I don't know enough about soccer.

Hell, I don't even have a red, white and blue shirt with stars and stripes on it so I can attend the next party to celebrate a loss.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

It is now obvious that the rumors of Theo Epstein's mental illness are true. Epstein, the Chicago Cubs' president, says Manny Ramirez [who also has plenty of problems, most of them in his head] will join Des Moines' Triple-A baseball team tomorrow in Colorado Springs. All I can figure out is that Ramirez must have pictures of Epstein. Or else Epstein owes Ramirez lots of money. Epstein says the 42-year-old Ramirez will be a player/coach with the Des Moines team. The Des Moines team needs Manny Ramirez like it needs Mike Gartner. Indeed, my hope is that Gartner is on the road trip with the Des Moines team, and that he and Ramirez take a hike together into the Rocky Mountains this week, and never return. That way, neither one of them will ever have any contact with Kris Bryant and other players on the Des Moines team.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

These days, Mike Mahon is doing what he does best--providing me with information. The guy who spent many years as Drake's sports information director tells me this: Amy Stephens, who coached the Bulldogs' women's basketball program for a number of years, has joined the Nebraska staff for the second time as an assistant coach. After being dismissed at Drake, Stephens was an assistant for one season at St. Louis and one season at Memphis. As far as I'm concerned, the most interesting thing about Stephens' new job as a Nebraska assistant is her salary. She's being paid $166,564, which is likely twice as much as she earned as Drake's head coach. Mahon also tells me that Gregg Gottlieb, who was a player on Rudy Washington's Drake teams from 1991-1993, is a new assistant coach at Oregon State. Also, Ricky Kreklow will play his final season of collegiate basketball at Creighton. Kreklow is the son of former Drake standout Wayne Kreklow, and Creighton is Ricky's third university. He earlier played at Missouri and California. Wayne Kreklow and his wife are Missouri's volleyball coaches.

Gregg Gottlieb, courtesy of California athletics

,Amy Stephens, courtesy of Omaha World Herald

Ricky Kreklow, courtesy of USA Today

Monday, June 23, 2014

Not Ready for Prime-Time

By RON MALY

One of my sons was a standout collegiate soccer player. In those years, I enjoyed watching him play, and I enjoyed watching his team win. Despite all of that, I don't know a lot about soccer, and I haven't paid much attention lately to what's going on in the sport nationally and throughout the world. Unlike a lot of other Americans, I haven't suddenly become a huge soccer fan because the United States is playing in the World Cup. Indeed, I haven't watched a minute of either of the games the U.S. has played in Brazil against Ghana [a victory] and Portugal [a tie, or as they say in soccer, a draw]. However, I can't help feeling that the U.S. should never have to settle for a 2-2 tie with Portugal. The U.S. should never have to settle for a tie with Portugal in any sport. We're supposed to be the world leader in everything, aren't we? I say that even though the U.S. soccer coach is a German, and five of the U.S. players are German-Americans. Indeed, I think the U.S. choked in the final seconds of its tie with Portugal. The U.S. couldn't finish. That's never a good thing in the World Cup or the World Anything. I guess the U.S. soccer team isn't yet ready for prime-time.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Mike Jay Earns National Announcing Award

Anyone who attends the Drake Relays or the Iowa Coed State High School track and field championships knows Mike Jay is an excellent track and field public address announcer.

Now Jay has earned the stamp of approval for being one of the best PA announcers in the country.

Jay has been named recipient of the Scott Davis Memorial Award by the Track and Field Writers of America for excellence in announcing by a current track and field announcer

The award came during the annual TAFWA awards breakfast held in conjunction with the recent NCAA Outdoor Track and FIeld Championships in Eugene, Ore.

"I am both humbled and honored with this award," said Jay "It is extra special since I had the opportunity to work with Scott Davis a number of times before his passing and to be selected by media professionals in the track and field world, makes it extra special too."

"We are thrilled for Mike," said Drake Relays director Brian Brown. "It is my opinion that Mike has been the best announcer in the nation for many, many years. It is nice that he is finally getting the recognition he deserves."

Jay has been the lead announcer at the Drake Relays since 2006 as well as the lead announcer at the Iowa Coed High School State Track and Field Championships since 2005.

"Mike Jay is a former school administrator and recognizes the educational values of competition at all levels," said Bud Legg, information director for the Iowa High School Athletic Association. "His passion for track and field and athletes is the essence of his announcing which engages the fans and makes them more than spectators."

Jay's resume has grown over the years with Jay annually having been on the announcing team for the U.S. Track and Field Indoor and Outdoor Championships since 2006.

He also has been the track and field announcer at 11 NCAA Division I Indoor and Outdoor ChampionshipsÂ as well as the 2003 NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship in Waterloo, IA, and the 2005 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship in Waverly, IA.

Former longtime Drake sports information director Mike Mahon nominated Jay for the award.

"Mike has always been recognized as the best track and field PA announcer in the Midwest and it's good to see him get recognized nationally," said Mahon, who served as media coordinator of the Drake Relays from 1988-2010.

"Mike brings an unparalleled passion to track and field announcing that makes him the top college announcer in the nation. He puts a lot of hours into his work, compiling research background information that helps educate the fans. And if a race is on record pace, Mike's enthusiasm can be heard over the PA trying to help drive the runners to break that record.

"To Mike's credit other meets have started utilizing his talents hiring him to announce meets around the nation."

Jay enjoys serving as lead announcer for NCAA Regional events just as much as the national championships, having work nine NCAA Division I Regional Cross Country meet and several NCAA Track and Field Regionals including the West Regional May 29-31 In Fayetteville, Ark.

If that's not enough, the personable Jay has been the announcer of cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field championships for five prominent NCAA Division I conferences: Southeastern, Big Ten, Big 12, Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and Missouri Valley Conference.

Jay also is the regular home meet announcer for the University of Iowa, University of Alabama and University of Nebraska.

He piles up a lot of frequent flyer miles visiting the West Coast several times throughout the season, traveling to Seattle, Wash., to cover Washington Huskies home indoor meets as well as Stanford, Calif., to announce the Stanford Invitational and Peyton Jordan Invitational during the outdoor campaign.

Jay retired from 26 years as a high school track and field and cross country coach at Columbus Community High School in Columbus Junction, IA, and now works for Northwestern Mutual.

Jay believes in giving back to the sport that has given him so much pleasure and countless opportunities.

He is currently serving as the 2nd vice-present of the Iowa Association of Track Coaches, chairman of the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Hall of Fame Committee as well as being a member of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Track and Field Hall of Fame Committee.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

Northern Iowa head track and field coach Dan Steele:

"This is a well deserved honor. There is an art to this profession few can master. Mike Jay has and it is a pleasure to work with him."

Joe Wegstaffe, track and field director of operations at Stanford:

"Unbelievable. We are lucky to have Mike Jay call our Stanford meets."

Da'Nelle Earl, track and field director of operations at Nebraska:

"Mike Jay is the BEST and this is a well deserved honor. We love having him announce our meets in Lincoln."

Davenport Assumption HIgh School head track and field coach Tim O'Neill:

"This is awesome. Mike Jay has the ability to reach everyone when he speaks. Well earned and deserved."

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Sec Taylor Stadium Next Stop for Kris Bryant

Next stop for Kris Bryant, the Chicago Cubs' third baseman of the future: Sec Taylor Stadium in Des Moines.

Bryant tweeted about the promotion to the Cubs' Triple-A team today, and the team later confirmed it as reported by ESPN/Chicago.com

Kris Bryant @KrisBryant_23 ·

Can't wait to join the @IowaCubs tomorrow! Thank you to @smokiesbaseball and all my teammates for so many great memories!

Bryant, 22, led the Southern League at Double-A Tennessee in batting average (.355), home runs (22), RBIs (58), on-base percentage (.458) and slugging (.702).

On Monday, Bryant won the Home Run Derby at the Southern League all-star game.

He joins another top pick, Javier Baez, in Des Moines.

Headed to Triple-A along with Bryant are right-handed pitchers Arodys Vizcaino and Armando Rivero.

A lot of people, including Ron Maly, hope Chicago Cubs president Theo Epstein has come to his senses and won't send asshole Manny Ramirez to Des Moines as a parttime player and advisor to the Des Moines players. Maly can't imagine Ramirez advising anyone.

Vizcaino, 23, is still a highly regarded prospect despite two years of arm problems. The Cubs purposely started his season in the warm weather of Class-A Daytona then moved him up to Double-A Tennessee. He had a combined 1.99 ERA at both stops in 23 games. Rivero, 26, had a 1.59 ERA at Double-A appearing in 26 games. Both performed well for Cubs brass in spring training.

Monday, June 16, 2014

I didn't know the University of Iowa was looking for a deputy athletic director, but now it has one. Steve Roe, the school's sports information director, tells me via an e-mail that Gene Taylor of North Dakota State is the new guy. Roe writes: "Longtime intercollegiate athletics administrator Gene Taylor has been selected as the deputy director for the intercollegiate athletics program at the University of Iowa. Taylor has worked in athletics administration for more than 28 years and is currently the director of athletics at North Dakota State University where he guided NDSU through the transition from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I. During his 13 years as athletics director, NDSU has produced 64 CoSIDA Academic All-America® awards, three NCAA Woman of the Year nominees, four NCAA Championships Elite 89 student-athletes, and 18 NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship winners. Taylor has engineered double-digit growth in NDSU's development efforts and triple-digit growth in its corporate partners program. He is currently overseeing a $41 million capital campaign for renovation of NDSU's basketball arena, administration offices, locker rooms, and indoor track and field facility. NDSU recently completed a $3.5 million renovation of its football administrative space and locker room complex. Taylor said, "I would like to thank Gary Barta for this exciting opportunity to be a part of Hawkeye Athletics and the University of Iowa. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Gary, the athletic program and the university. Other than the difference in size, the two share a number of similarities including the very high priority put on student-athlete success athletically, academically, and doing things the right way. I look forward to working with the athletic staff and coaches."

JOLTIN' JOE GOT IT STARTED

When Ron Maly was a kid in Cedar Rapids, he wanted to enter an essay contest, and he did. He wrote about Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees being his favorite baseball player. For finishing second in the contest, Ron won a Louisville Slugger baseball bat autographed by DiMaggio. Ron later wanted to be the first person in his family to attend college, and he was. He earned a degree in political science from the University of Iowa, and did what all political science majors do. He became a sportswriter. He had, after all, covered high school football, basketball and baseball games for the Cedar Rapids Gazette while he worked parttime during his university days. Ron wanted to sit in the press box and write about an Iowa-Minnesota football game, and he did. It happened while he was the sports editor at the Albert Lea [Minn.] Tribune, and the game was at Memorial Stadium in Minneapolis. Ron wanted to cover a World Series, and he did. Also when he was working for the Albert Lea newspaper. Ron wanted to cover Rose Bowls, Sugar Bowls, Orange Bowls, Cotton Bowls, Holiday Bowls, a Freedom Bowl, a Sun Bowl, a Super Bowl and NCAA basketball tournaments, and he did those things after he moved to Des Moines. Ron was a four-time sportswriter of the Year in the state of Iowa [the years were 1977, 1978, 1994 and 1996]. In 2006, he was named a charter member of the University of Iowa's media Wall of Fame in the Kinnick Stadium press box. A photo of the plaque that's displayed in the press box is displayed above this story. Following Ron's retirement from the newspaper business, a publisher asked him if he wanted to write a book about the rich football tradition at the University of Iowa, and he did. The hardback version of "Tales from the Iowa Sidelines" was a best-seller, and so was the revised, softback version. Now he's been asked by his publisher to update the book for a second time. He's in the process of doing that at the present time. Ron considers being asked to update a best-selling book for the second time to be the supreme compliment, considering the Hawkeyes won just four games in the 2012 season. When Ron isn't working on books, he's busy traveling and spending time with his family. Indeed, he attends the athletic, theatrical and musical [both vocal and instrumental] events in which his six grandchildren participate. He also writes about anything that interests him for his many websites. Every chance he gets, Ron proudly wears his America Needs Farmers T-shirt.

The Hawkeyes' Rich Football Tradition, Revisited

I mentioned a while back that I was in the process of updating my Tales from the Iowa Sidelines book. Updating it for the second time. The original hardback edition of Tales from the Iowa Sidelines [pictured at the right] was published in 2003, during the 10-3 season, when coach Kirk Ferentz and his Iowa football team had a 10-3 record that included a 37-17 victory over 15th-ranked Florida in the Outback Bowl and after the Hawkeyes went 11-2 in 2002. That book was a best-seller, so the publishers came to me again in 2005, a season that finished with a breathtaking 30-25 victory over No. 11 Louisiana State in the Capital One Bowl on New Year's Day, 2005. Because buyers had cleaned out the the shelves in the bookstores, the publishers wanted to know if I'd do an updated version of the book. I agreed, The revised, soft-cover edition [pictured at the left] was published in 2005. Warren Holloway, who teamed with quarterback Drew Tate on a miraculous 56-yard touchdown pass to win the Capital One Bowl, was featured on the cover. That book, too, turned into a best-seller, So I had reason to feel very good about my years as a published author. It's not every day that a the original version is a best-seller, and so is the updated version. Then, imagine my surprise when I received an e-mail from a senior editor at the publishing company last fall, wanting wanted to know if I was interested in doing a second updated version of the book. It came at a time when things weren't going well for the Hawkeyes in the 2012 season. They lost their last six games and finished with a 4-8 record. Frankly, the thought of doing a revised edition of the book during a 4-8 season seemed to be a stretch. "Maybe producing a revised edition in a year or two would be a better idea," I told the publishers. "We'd like to do it now," I was told. "Let me think about it," I said. After a few days of thought, I accepted the idea. I talked myself into the idea that this was the supreme compliment--being asked to do a second book update during a 4-8 season showed strong confidence by the publishers in me and in the Hawkeyes' football program. So I got back into the business of interviewing players and coaches again, going to postgame press conferences, weekly press conferences and a scrimmage in West Des Moines. After a press conference in Iowa City, I did a one-on-one interview with coach Kirk Ferentz, and mentioned to him that I was in the process of doing a revised edition of my two best-selling books. I congratulated him on the excellent things he had done for Iowa's football program--all of which contributed to the success of my books. "I think Coach Fry had more to do with it," he told me, bringing up the name of Hayden Fry, his one-time boss at Iowa and a man who brought Iowa's football program back from the dead in the 20th century. That's modest Kirk Ferentz for you. Even though the 2012 season wasn't something Hawkeye coaches, players and fans will recall with any special feeling, Ferentz has a 14-year record of 100-74 at Iowa that includes two 11-victory seasons [2002 smd 2009], two 10-victory seasons [2003 and 2004], plus he's been the Big Ten coach of year in 2002, 2004 and 2009, and national coach of the year in 2002. Indeed, Ferentz has done some wonderful things at Iowa City, and I fully expect his success to continue. I've concluded my writing for the second update of Tales from the Iowa Sidelines, and the senior editor has furnished me with an early look at the book. Not only are the Kirk Ferentz years included in the updated version, but so is the stuff I previously wrote about Howard Jones, Dr. Eddie Anderson, Heisman Trophy winner Nile Kinnick and the 1939 Hawkeye Ironmen, Ronald Reagan, Ozzie Simmons, Ossie Solem, Randy Duncan, Alex Karras and lots of other legends from Iowa's rich football history. I expect the book to be in stores soon. I hope you like it.