It Was a Heck Of An Opener

By RON MALY

What a season opener at Valley Stadium, Huge crowd. A Valley team that's the newest chapter in a very strong high school football tradition built by coach Gary Swenson. A Waukee team that's trying to be the next Valley. I don't pay attention to high school rankings in August. Valley's 23-17 victory was supposedly an upset because some knucklehead rated the Tigers below Waukee. All I know is Valley is one of hell of a tough football team to beat in its own stadium, and the place was rocking Friday night.  I've seen a ton of Valley games in that stadium, and I always expect the Tigers to win. It seems that Tyus Mason has been playing for Valley for 10 years, but Swenson is sure glad he's back for his senior year in 2013. I  mean, the kid raced 61 yards as time was winding down in the fourth quarter, and Valley had its winning touchdown. This certainly isn't a polished Tiger team. It was a squad that fumbled too often, there are problems at quarterback and on pass defense and special teams. Correctable things, all of 'em. And Swenson's teams always get better as the season progresses. So will this one. Dowling is next on the schedule for Valley, and the Maroons will be favored in a game that'll be played at Drake Stadium. We'll see what happens. That's why they play the games.

Goodbye, Dale

After today's debacle at Wrigley Field--a 6-5 loss to Ryne Sandberg's Phillies after blowing a 5-0 lead--I'm seriously wondering if Dale Sveum will [or should] be be back as the Cubs' manager in 2014. The Cubs are now a horrible 25-42 at home this season under Sveum, who couldn't motivate a fish to jump into the water. Nice going, Ryno.

5,068 Watch 'Awesome' Grand View Shock Drake, 21-16

To a Drake football fan, the idea of the Bulldogs playing Grand View usually sounds like a cute idea. Drake, with its storied program filled with names like Johnny Bright and Ossie Solem, playing the little college across town that was a two-year school not that long ago and hardly a name that strikes fear in the minds of longtime football followers. Yeah, a  Drake-Grand View game sounds like a great idea --- unless or until Grand View wins the game. "Never schedule a game like that unless you're sure you'll win," is the comment late, great football philosophers such as Fielding Yost, Pop Warner and Jack Wallace might have said. A Grand View victory is exactly what happened Thursday night, no doubt causing Drake fans to wonder what the hell is going on.  Drake dropped its season opener, 21-16, to Grand View  in front of a crowd of 5,068, the biggest Drake Stadium crowd since Grand View visited for the first time in 2009.

Drake (0-1) struggled offensively, as Grand View (1-0) outgained the Bulldogs 406 to 302 yards with the Vikings racking up 123 yards split evenly between four running backs. Despite Gary Scott, Jr.’s (Forsyth, Ill.) efforts for the Blue and White, Drake gained only 29 yards on the ground, with the remaining 273 yards coming through the air courtesy of Andy Rice, who was making his first start under center.

“First of all, congratulations to Grand View,” said Drake coach Chris Creighton, “I thought they were awesome and played really, really hard. We said the team that played the hardest tonight was going to win and honestly, I thought they played harder.”

Viking quarterback Derek Fulton gashed the Drake defense for 291 yards on 26-of-40 passing with one passing touchdown. Brady Roland was his top target, catching 12 passes for 173 yards including 70-yard touchdown reception on the second offensive play of the game to put Grand View on top early.

Although the rushing attack as a whole struggled for Drake, Scott was a bright spot, breaking a career long 45-yard run to bring Drake back into the game. Scott finished the game with 70 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown. In his debut at quarterback, junior Andy Rice (Stevens Point, Wis.) passed for 273 yards and a touchdown by completing 26 of his 50 passing attempts.

“They did a great job with the run and we would have rather been 50-50 [in terms of play calling,]” Creighton said. “I didn’t feel as if we had the run game going, so we had to throw it because we were playing from behind. We did not anticipate throwing the ball 50 times.”

Fifth-year senior, Nick Rosa (Owasso, Okla.) was Rice’s top target, catching five passes for 89 yards including a 39-yard reception. Junior John Hugunin (Oswego, Ill.) anchored the Bulldog defense with 19 tackles, 16 of them solo stops.

“John is a guy who is passionate about this game and I don’t question at all how hard he played,” Creighton said.

After a botched Grand View punt placed the Drake offense on the Grand View 28-yard line, the Bulldogs were able to put themselves on the scoreboard for the first time with 6:43 left in the first quarter. A Rosa reception for 17 yards brought the Bulldogs within striking distance and freshman Ben Tesson (Fenton, Mo.) converted a 20-yard field goal for the score.

The Vikings took a 14-3 lead into the locker room at halftime after a 10 play, 64-yard drive early in the second quarter extended their lead while the young Drake offense struggled to finish drives.

Drake could have faced a bigger deficit at halftime, if not for senior Mike Ratelle’s (Edina, Minn.) interception at the Bulldog 5-yard line stopped a promising Viking drive. Grand View had 233 yards at the break to the Bulldogs’ 146 yards.

The Bulldogs were finally able to establish a ground attack in the third quarter, as Scott broke open his 45-yard run to give his team first and goal from the 10-yard line. Scott got the call on third and goal, and took a pitch from Rice into the end zone for a Drake touchdown to pull the Bulldogs within a possession, 14-10, with 8:07 remaining in the third quarter. 

However, Drake could not hold on to the momentum as Grand View used an eight play, 52-yard drive capped by a one-yard touchdown from Charles Badgett to build an 11-point lead, 21-10, in the closing minutes of the third quarter.

The Bulldogs responded quickly, driving down the field on the following possession. The six-play, 75-yard drive included a pair of deep passes, one to Rosa for 39 yards and a 24-yard touchdown pass to junior Michael Hudson (Urbandale, Iowa). Drake was unable to convert the two-point conversion, making the score 21-16 at the end of three quarters.

The Vikings looked to extend their lead on their following possession, but a promising drive was stifled by the Drake defense at the goal line. The ensuing Grand View field goal attempt was blocked by Dustin Davis (Council Bluffs) to keep the Bulldogs within a touchdown at 21-16. 

Drake was granted a final chance with 2:32 remaining in the game after the defense stuffed Grand View quarterback Dorian Ballentine short of the marker on fourth down in Drake territory. The Bulldogs, however, could not convert on a fourth down, turning the ball over on downs with 47 seconds remaining in the game.

Drake will travel to Cedar Falls looking to rebound from Thursday’s loss with a contest against in-state foe No. 16 Northern Iowa. Kickoff at the UNI Dome is set for 4 p.m. 

[Ty Patton, Drake's assistant athletic director for communications, contributed to this story].

Darius Stokes Says Iowa Scholarship 'A Dream Come True'

Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery said  junior Darius Stokes, who has been a walkon the past three seasons, has been rewarded with a scholarship.

“Darius is an incredibly hard worker who brings energy and enthusiasm on a daily basis,” said McCaffery.  “It’s rewarding to see his growth and improvement since his freshman year.  Darius is a valuable member of this team and has earned this scholarship.”

The 6-foot-7 forward from Cedar Rapids has been a key member of Iowa’s scout team his first three seasons, while also playing in 24 games the past two years.

“This is a dream come true,” said Stokes. “I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. Coach McCaffery has always believed in me and pushed me in every practice. Having the opportunity to be part of this team as a walk-on and now earning a scholarship after working hard every day is an amazing feeling.

“There's no other place i would rather be. We have a tremendous coaching staff and I have the best teammates anybody could ask for. I look forward to continued improvement and the challenges ahead.”

Stokes is the son of Greg Stokes, who was a three-time all-Big Ten performer for the Hawkeyes from 1983-85.  Stokes’ sister, Kiah, is a junior on the Connecticut women’s basketball team.

Iowa now has 13 scholarship student-athletes on its 2013-14 roster.

--Matt Weitzel,, Iowa sports information

8 Iowa Basketball Games On ESPN Network

The Big Ten announced the 2013-14 conference men's basketball schedule Wednesday. The conference season begins on New Year's Eve and culminates in March with the league tournament in Indianapolis from March 13 through 16. 

Eight of Iowa's 18 Big Ten games will be televised on an ESPN Network, including six on either ESPN or ESPN2. Additionally, the Hawkeyes will have at least one CBS appearance (at Ohio State on Jan. 12). The Big Ten Network’s TV schedule will be released at a later date.

Iowa will open and close its Big Ten schedule in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where last season the Hawkeyes won a school-record 18 home games.  The Hawkeyes will open the conference slate New Year’s Eve against Nebraska (6 p.m.), and play their home finale against Illinois on March 8 or 9 at a time to be determined.

Iowa's schedule includes five Big Ten weekend home dates, including playing its final four home contests on a Saturday or Sunday.

The Hawkeyes open their season on Sunday, Nov. 3, in an exhibition contest against Augustana (Ill.) (3:30 p.m.), and the regular season tips off Friday, Nov. 8, vs.UNC-Wilmington  (8:30 p.m.).

Iowa’s opener against UNC-Wilmington on Nov. 8, will be the program’s 500th game in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Iowa's two byes come on weekdays (Jan. 13-16 and Feb. 11-14). Furthermore, the Hawkeyes will only play on Wednesday only once during the Big Ten schedule, and twice on Thursdays.

From Jan. 28 to Feb. 22, 6-of-7 Iowa basketball games will be broadcast on an ESPN network (ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU).

Three of Iowa's four weekday Big Ten home games have 6 p.m. starts.

Iowa will play Purdue and Nebraska once during the regular season, both at home; while playing Indiana and Penn State one time, both on the road.

Iowa's first five nonconference contests will be played in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, including a contest against Penn on Nov. 22.  Coach Fran McCaffery is a graduate of Penn; also freshman Peter Jok's older brother, Dau, is a senior for the Quakers.

Iowa’s exhibition against Augustana (Ill.) on Nov. 3 will be played the afternoon after the Hawkeye football team’s home game versus Wisconsin. Also, Iowa’s contest against Penn (Nov. 22) will be played the night before the Hawkeyes’ football home finale against Michigan.

Iowa's three games played at Atlantis in the Bahamas will be televised. The Hawkeyes' first game versus Xavier will air on NBC Sports Network, while its final two contests will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network or AXS TV, depending on results of first and second round games.

There will be three women-men’s basketball doubleheaders: Augustana (Nov. 3), UNC-Wilmington (Nov. 8), and Nebraska-Omaha (Nov. 10).

--Matt Weitzel, Iowa sports information

Sickening

Just think, Edwin Jackson will be pitching for the Chicago Cubs another 3 years. Is that a sickening thought or what?

A Couple of Bums

Theo Epstein should be fired as the Chicago Cubs' president for signing pitcher Edwin Jackson to a 4-year contract. Both Epstein and Jackson are bums. I almost wish they could bring back Jim Hendry. Well, I said almost.

6-11, 240-Pound Center from Denmark Joins Drake Basketball Team

Drake basketball coach Ray Giacoletti has added 6-11, 240-pound center Jacob Jensen to the roster for the 2013-14 season.

Jensen, from Lunderskov, Denmark, is a product of Falkonergardens Gymnasium, and competed at the club level for Verlose. This past summer he was the youngest member of the Danish National team that competed in the 2013 European Championships qualifying rounds.

“The biggest thing Jacob brings is experience and real size at 6-11,” Giacoletti said. “Through film and speaking with his coaches we know he has a great motor and also plays very physical, which is something you don’t find a lot in a guy his size.”

In addition to his national team experience on the international stage, he has two years of experience playing for Verlose in Denmark’s top league against professional-level competition.

“He has good hands and will continue to get better,” Giacoletti added. “We’re very fortunate to add someone like him, who in time has a chance to be a very good player.”

Jensen is  enrolled at Drake and eligible to compete immediately. He will have four years of eligibility for the Bulldogs.

Giacoletti also said sophomore guard Kori Babineaux has left the program to pursue other academic and athletic opportunities outside of Drake.

[This story was written for Ron Maly by Ty Patton, Drake's assistant athletic director for communications].

I see that Otto Knauth died the other day at 97. That's a long time for anyone to live, but I'm glad Otto made it to almost 100. A guy told me Otto wasn't particularly enjoying life during the last few months, but when you're 97 maybe that's the case. Otto was day-to-day, just like everyone else. Otto was  someone I'd refer to as a gentleman. Indeed, he was a gentleman in a business--the newspaper business--where there are few people I'd classify as gentlemen. Instead, there are [or at least were] far too many assholes named Mike--specifically Gartner and Townsend. Otto Knauth was a caring man who was interested in things like science, and wrote about them with authority. In his more than 30 years at the paper here, he took people on fall walks, spring walks, summer walks and, heck, maybe even winter walks at Brown's Woods. I went on one of those walks on a Sunday afternoon about 40 years ago, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Ed Heins, who used to be the paper's editor, once told me he wished he could name Otto the "outdoors" editor, but couldn't. Why he couldn't I didn't know. I think there were a lot of other things Heins wanted to do, but couldn't. I guess Otto Knauth was called the science editor then. Now there is no science editor and there is no outdoors editor at the paper. Hell, there's not even much of a paper anymore, and it's not where it used to be. Anyway, my best to Otto Knauth's family. Like i said, he was a true gentleman.

Otto W. Knauth

Des Moines

Otto W. Knauth, 97, died as he lived, with great dignity, on August 22, 2013, at Scottish Rite Park in Des Moines, IA.

Otto was born May 3, 1916, in Leipzig, Germany, the son of Theodore and Gabriele Knauth. He spent his childhood living in New York City and Pleasantville, New York, before returning to Europe for his secondary education. Following high school graduation in Berlin, Otto worked as a tour guide at the 1936 Olympics and then, motivated by his love of flying, attended flight school in northern Germany.

Returning to the United States in 1938, Otto enrolled in the University of Illinois, and then initiated his career as a journalist working at his Uncle Victor's magazine "Sea Power" in New York City. It was there that he met his beloved wife Dorothea (Dot). However, their wedding plans were delayed when Otto joined the Army Air Corps Reserve. After receiving his "wings," Otto and Dot married in 1943 and moved to Danville, VA, where Otto worked as a flight instructor.

Otto served his country in both World War II and the Korean War. Being fluent in German, in WWII Otto was assigned to the Army Counter Intelligence Corps where he worked as a special investigator at the Supreme Allied Headquarters in Germany.

In 1946 he returned for a joyful reunion with his wife and new daughter Kathy, and then moved to St. Joseph, MO, where he worked for that city's local paper. Two years later, Otto and family moved to Des Moines, and Otto began his career with the Des Moines Register, first as a copy editor and then as assistant city editor.

With the outbreak of the Korean War, Otto returned to military service in the Counter Intelligence Corps, this time stationed at the MacArthur headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.

When at last his enlistment ended in 1951, Otto returned to Dot, Kathy and the Des Moines Register. Six years later, son Tod was born.

Otto was employed with the Des Moines Register for 33 years, serving as Science Editor until he retired in 1981. His columns were popular with Iowans in every part of the state, reflecting not only his outstanding skills as a writer but also his complete commitment to the people and topics he reported on.

Beyond his work, Otto enjoyed biking, canoeing, traveling, and generously sharing his vast knowledge of Iowa and the outdoors with others. He especially enjoyed his later years spent with his wife and children at the family's summer cabin on Madeline Island, WI.

Otto is preceded in death by his wife Dorothea, his parents, a sister and a brother. His survivors include his daughter Kathleen Knauth of Minneapolis, MN; his son Theodore Knauth, daughter-in-law Jennifer Larson Knauth, and grandsons Oliver and Theodore, all of Madison, WI; his sisters, Christine Arndt of North Bethesda, MD, Sybilla Pfeiffer of Fishbourne, England; and many extended family members both in the United States and Europe.

Otto belonged to our country's "greatest generation" and his death brings a special sadness. His memory is cherished by his many friends who knew him to be a consummate gentleman who was consistently the finest conversationalist at the table - temperate in his opinions, modest about expressing his knowledge, and ever deferential to others. He will be remembered as a great friend and missed by the many Iowans who knew him.

If desired, memorials may be made to the Madeline Island Historical Preservation Association (MIHPA), Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, or Planned Parenthood of Iowa.

A memorial gathering is being planned for a Fall date. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/desmoinesregister/obituary.aspx?pid=166578107#sthash.0emtnFpf.dpuf

Otto W. Knauth

Des Moines

Otto W. Knauth, 97, died as he lived, with great dignity, on August 22, 2013, at Scottish Rite Park in Des Moines, IA.

Otto was born May 3, 1916, in Leipzig, Germany, the son of Theodore and Gabriele Knauth. He spent his childhood living in New York City and Pleasantville, New York, before returning to Europe for his secondary education. Following high school graduation in Berlin, Otto worked as a tour guide at the 1936 Olympics and then, motivated by his love of flying, attended flight school in northern Germany.

Returning to the United States in 1938, Otto enrolled in the University of Illinois, and then initiated his career as a journalist working at his Uncle Victor's magazine "Sea Power" in New York City. It was there that he met his beloved wife Dorothea (Dot). However, their wedding plans were delayed when Otto joined the Army Air Corps Reserve. After receiving his "wings," Otto and Dot married in 1943 and moved to Danville, VA, where Otto worked as a flight instructor.

Otto served his country in both World War II and the Korean War. Being fluent in German, in WWII Otto was assigned to the Army Counter Intelligence Corps where he worked as a special investigator at the Supreme Allied Headquarters in Germany.

In 1946 he returned for a joyful reunion with his wife and new daughter Kathy, and then moved to St. Joseph, MO, where he worked for that city's local paper. Two years later, Otto and family moved to Des Moines, and Otto began his career with the Des Moines Register, first as a copy editor and then as assistant city editor.

With the outbreak of the Korean War, Otto returned to military service in the Counter Intelligence Corps, this time stationed at the MacArthur headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.

When at last his enlistment ended in 1951, Otto returned to Dot, Kathy and the Des Moines Register. Six years later, son Tod was born.

Otto was employed with the Des Moines Register for 33 years, serving as Science Editor until he retired in 1981. His columns were popular with Iowans in every part of the state, reflecting not only his outstanding skills as a writer but also his complete commitment to the people and topics he reported on.

Beyond his work, Otto enjoyed biking, canoeing, traveling, and generously sharing his vast knowledge of Iowa and the outdoors with others. He especially enjoyed his later years spent with his wife and children at the family's summer cabin on Madeline Island, WI.

Otto is preceded in death by his wife Dorothea, his parents, a sister and a brother. His survivors include his daughter Kathleen Knauth of Minneapolis, MN; his son Theodore Knauth, daughter-in-law Jennifer Larson Knauth, and grandsons Oliver and Theodore, all of Madison, WI; his sisters, Christine Arndt of North Bethesda, MD, Sybilla Pfeiffer of Fishbourne, England; and many extended family members both in the United States and Europe.

Otto belonged to our country's "greatest generation" and his death brings a special sadness. His memory is cherished by his many friends who knew him to be a consummate gentleman who was consistently the finest conversationalist at the table - temperate in his opinions, modest about expressing his knowledge, and ever deferential to others. He will be remembered as a great friend and missed by the many Iowans who knew him.

If desired, memorials may be made to the Madeline Island Historical Preservation Association (MIHPA), Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, or Planned Parenthood of Iowa.

A memorial gathering is being planned for a Fall date. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/desmoinesregister/obituary.aspx?pid=166578107#sthash.0emtnFpf.dpuf

Otto W. Knauth

Des Moines

Otto W. Knauth, 97, died as he lived, with great dignity, on August 22, 2013, at Scottish Rite Park in Des Moines, IA.

Otto was born May 3, 1916, in Leipzig, Germany, the son of Theodore and Gabriele Knauth. He spent his childhood living in New York City and Pleasantville, New York, before returning to Europe for his secondary education. Following high school graduation in Berlin, Otto worked as a tour guide at the 1936 Olympics and then, motivated by his love of flying, attended flight school in northern Germany.

Returning to the United States in 1938, Otto enrolled in the University of Illinois, and then initiated his career as a journalist working at his Uncle Victor's magazine "Sea Power" in New York City. It was there that he met his beloved wife Dorothea (Dot). However, their wedding plans were delayed when Otto joined the Army Air Corps Reserve. After receiving his "wings," Otto and Dot married in 1943 and moved to Danville, VA, where Otto worked as a flight instructor.

Otto served his country in both World War II and the Korean War. Being fluent in German, in WWII Otto was assigned to the Army Counter Intelligence Corps where he worked as a special investigator at the Supreme Allied Headquarters in Germany.

In 1946 he returned for a joyful reunion with his wife and new daughter Kathy, and then moved to St. Joseph, MO, where he worked for that city's local paper. Two years later, Otto and family moved to Des Moines, and Otto began his career with the Des Moines Register, first as a copy editor and then as assistant city editor.

With the outbreak of the Korean War, Otto returned to military service in the Counter Intelligence Corps, this time stationed at the MacArthur headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.

When at last his enlistment ended in 1951, Otto returned to Dot, Kathy and the Des Moines Register. Six years later, son Tod was born.

Otto was employed with the Des Moines Register for 33 years, serving as Science Editor until he retired in 1981. His columns were popular with Iowans in every part of the state, reflecting not only his outstanding skills as a writer but also his complete commitment to the people and topics he reported on.

Beyond his work, Otto enjoyed biking, canoeing, traveling, and generously sharing his vast knowledge of Iowa and the outdoors with others. He especially enjoyed his later years spent with his wife and children at the family's summer cabin on Madeline Island, WI.

Otto is preceded in death by his wife Dorothea, his parents, a sister and a brother. His survivors include his daughter Kathleen Knauth of Minneapolis, MN; his son Theodore Knauth, daughter-in-law Jennifer Larson Knauth, and grandsons Oliver and Theodore, all of Madison, WI; his sisters, Christine Arndt of North Bethesda, MD, Sybilla Pfeiffer of Fishbourne, England; and many extended family members both in the United States and Europe.

Otto belonged to our country's "greatest generation" and his death brings a special sadness. His memory is cherished by his many friends who knew him to be a consummate gentleman who was consistently the finest conversationalist at the table - temperate in his opinions, modest about expressing his knowledge, and ever deferential to others. He will be remembered as a great friend and missed by the many Iowans who knew him.

If desired, memorials may be made to the Madeline Island Historical Preservation Association (MIHPA), Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, or Planned Parenthood of Iowa.

A memorial gathering is being planned for a Fall date. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/desmoinesregister/obituary.aspx?pid=166578107#sthash.0emtnFpf.dpuf

84-82 Overtime Loss Ends Iowa's Perfect Record In Europe

Toulon, France--Iowa's basketball team tied Hyeres-Toulon at the end of regulation, but ultimately fell, 84-82, in overtime Monday night in an exhibition game.  The loss was the Hawkeyes’ first in five games of their European tour.

After forcing a turnover with 0.8 seconds remaining in regulation after a Zach McCabe basket, Iowa had one final opportunity to even the score. Roy Devyn Marble lobbed a perfect in-bounds pass from the sidelines just above the rim, where Aaron White caught it and scored to send the game to overtime.

“I had multiple options on that inbounds pass,” explained Marble. “I had Peter (Jok) going to the corner, I had Josh (Oglesby) at the top after a screen, and I saw Josh’s man follow him so I was able to find Aaron (White) on the lob.”

The Hawkeyes trailed by as many as five points in the extra session, yet continued to fight to the end. Marble sank a 3-pointer with 90 seconds left to pull within three points (82-80). After a pair of defensive stops, Jarrod Uthoff drained a jumper with 18 seconds left to tie the contest. Hyeres-Toulon scored in the final seconds to post the two-point victory.

“It seemed like the game was over when they made a three with a minute left,” said coach Fran McCaffery.  “But we kept attacking, made couple shots, forced some turnovers and of course made the shot that sent the game to overtime with under a second to play.  We made mistakes tonight and tried to recover from those mistakes, and that’s how you grow.”

Trailing by six with 30 seconds left in regulation, McCabe drained a 3-pointer to pull within 70-67. After Hyeres-Toulon split a pair of free throws, McCabe scored again with two seconds left to make the score 71-69.  Intense defensive pressure on the in-bounds forced a turnover, which led to the game-tying shot after a Hawkeye timeout.

Marble nearly posted a triple-double tonight, scoring 18 points, grabbing nine rebounds and being credited with eight assists.  McCabe scored eight of his 11 points in the final 25 minutes, while also clearing a game-high 10 rebounds for a double-double.  Starting frontcourt duo Gabriel Olaseni and Melsahn Basabe combined to score 26 points, bolstered by 12-of-18 (.667) shooting from the field, and nine rebounds.  Josh Oglesby contributed 10 points and dished out five assists.

“This will help us get better, especially when the season starts because we have already been in a battle,” Marble said.

Iowa will play its final exhibition game Tuesday against Fos-Ouest at 7:30 p.m. local time (12:30 p.m. CT) before returning to the United States on Thursday.

[This story was written for Ron  Maly by Matt Weitzel of Iowa's sports information staff ].

Hawkeyes Stay Unbeaten In Europe With 93-74 Victory

PARIS, France -- Four players each scored 12 points to lead Iowa's basketball team to a 93-74 victory over St. Quentin Saturday night to remain unbeaten after four games of its European trip.

Josh Oglesby, Aaron White, Anthony Clemmons and Roy Devyn Marble all led the Hawkeyes in the scoring column with 12 points each. In fact, nine Hawkeyes netted seven points or more. Melsahn Basabe had nine points, while Jarrod Uthoff, Peter Jok, Adam Woodbury and Gabriel Olaseni all contributed seven points.

The first quarter was back-and-forth and finished in a 20-20 tie.  The Hawkeyes began to distance themselves from St. Quentin in the second period, due in large part to the play of Iowa’s second unit.  With Iowa leading 29-28 with 6:58 left in the half, Iowa scored 15 straight points to go up double digits. Iowa took a 48-33 advantage into halftime.

“I thought our defense translated into our offense tonight,” said Oglesby, who was named game MVP.  “We played really good defense, especially in the second quarter.”

A 3-pointer with 9:39 left in the fourth period pulled St. Quentin to within eight points, but a 10-0 scoring surge put the game out of reach.

The Hawkeyes owned the glass for the second consecutive contest, this time out-rebounding its opponent by 18 (53-35).  Basabe cleared a game-high 11 boards, while White snagged eight.  Iowa was aggressive on defense, yet again, tonight blocking nine shots, forcing 19 turnovers and collecting 12 steals. Olaseni rejected a game-high four shots, while White had a game-high three steals.

“When you look at the scoring, rebounding and assists numbers, we were unbelievably balanced and unselfish,” said coach Fran McCaffery. “We got offense, size and versatility coming off the bench and it’s great to see it come together.”

Saturday was the Hawkeyes’ last day in Paris. The team will depart Sunday morning for Marseilles, southern France, by train before continuing its exhibition tour on the court Monday night against Hyeres-Toulon at 6 p.m. local time (11 a.m. CT).

[This story was written for Ron Maly by Matt Weitzel of Iowa's sports information staff].

No Football Teams from Our State In This Ranking

AP Top 25 preseason football ranking
Rank	TEAM	RECORD	Points
1	Alabama (58)	0-0	1498
2	Ohio State (1)	0-0	1365
3	Oregon	0-0	1335
4	Stanford	0-0	1294
5	Georgia (1)	0-0	1249
6	South Carolina	0-0	1154
7	Texas A&M	0-0	1104
8	Clemson	0-0	1083
9	Louisville	0-0	1042
10	Florida	0-0	894
11	Florida State	0-0	845
12	LSU	0-0	802
13	Oklahoma State	0-0	755
14	Notre Dame	0-0	748
15	Texas	0-0	677
16	Oklahoma	0-0	579
17	Michigan	0-0	531
18	Nebraska	0-0	382
19	Boise State	0-0	328
20	TCU	0-0	323
21	UCLA	0-0	286
22	Northwestern	0-0	199
23	Wisconsin	0-0	185
24	USC	0-0	134
25	Oregon State	0-0	129

• Others receiving votes: Michigan State 95, Baylor 92, Virginia Tech 86, Miami (FL) 85, Arizona State 53, Kansas State 43, Fresno State 36, Vanderbilt 19, Washington 17, Northern Illinois 16, Ole Miss 11, Utah State 8, Georgia Tech 6, Cincinnati 3, Arizona 3, North Carolina 3, Penn State 2, Brigham Young 1
•  
• [ESPN.com].

On the Road With the Hawkeyes

This morning we managed to leave the hotel at around 10 a.m. to travel to the Palace of Versailles. Saying the palace is gorgeous would be an understatement. The palace is the largest in the world and its property covers 25 square miles. I think the most amazing thing about the buildings we see is imagining how they built these massive structures hundreds of years ago. We walked around inside with a tour guide for about an hour and a half and saw centuries of king's bedrooms, famous paintings, and many other ancient artifacts. Almost everything in there is still original and not replicas. 

After we got back from the Palace, we got a few hours to rest before our pre-game meal. I'm pretty sure most of us slept during that time. The combinations of the time change, touring, and playing games is very exhausting. I am still unable to play because of my hand but I am still excited for our second game in Paris tonight. As a team we played really well last night, which is awesome to see in August already. We also got to meet a couple Hawk fans before last night's game and take a picture with them. They were great people, as all Hawk fans are! 

Pre-game meal went well. Overall, I think the food is a lot better in America, but it was still good. The language barrier makes it tough to order sometimes and makes for some pretty funny situations, but the local people are very nice and understanding. In my opinion, we have the funniest team in the nation and it would be impossible to describe all the funny moments that happen, but the moment of the day was Whitey trying to put his plate of spaghetti in a to go box and instead dumping the entire thing on his lap/floor. 

We now have about an hour and a half to relax before we leave to our game tonight to get another W. We are having a great time over here and appreciate all the support you guys continue to give from hundreds of miles away. 

GO HAWKS!
Mike Gesell 

[Iowa basketball player Mike Gesell wrote this blog for hawkeyebasketball.com via Twitter].

Good for Ryne Sandberg, the new interim manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. Sandberg replaced the underachieving Charlie Manuel today. I hope Sandberg does well in Philadelphia but, frankly, I wish he was replacing the Cubs' Dale Sveum as either the interim manager or the fulltime manager. Oh, well. It could be that Sveum will be the next major league manager fired.

Ryne Sandberg

There's no Williamsport, Pa., dateline on the story in today's paper about Urbandale playing in the Little League World Series tonight. So I'm assuming the paper couldn't [or wouldn't] come up with enough money to send a reporter to the game. That's unlike the TV stations--or station. I don't watch much local TV, but noticed last night that channel 8 has a reporter on the scene in Williamsport. I guess it wouldn't look good for the paper to be flying [hey, the place wouldn't make a guy drive out there, would it?] to Williamsport, considering the deputy sports editor was canned a few days ago, and there are more layoffs and firings in the newsroom. All the paper managed to do as far as Williamsport is concerned is make the pictures big and the story long. Same old stuff.

Ii'm In Full Agreement With Ex-Drake Basketball Player and Assistant Coach Dan Callahan On This One--Bob Tealer Deserves To Be a 'Double D' Award Winner At the University

Whenever I receive mail from Dan Callahan, I'm sure of a couple of things:
 
1. Callahan is still doing well.

Dan Callahan

 
2. Something regarding Drake basketball is the subject of the mail.
 
Callahan is a former Drake player and assistant coach. He wasn't just any assistant coach, either. He was a member of Maury John's staff when the Bulldogs had a 26-5 record and finished third in the 1969 NCAA tournament at Louisville.

Callahan should have been named Drake's head coach when John left for Iowa State, but that's a column for another day. 

Dan is now retired and lives in Sioux City. He maintains a strong interest in collegiate basketball---especially Drake basketball
 
He's in his 70s now, and one of his goals is to get former Drake player Bob Tealer, who played for the Bulldogs in the 1957-58 and 1958-59 seasons, recognition as a "Double D" Award winner at the university.
 
In a letter to Drake athletic department official John Brown, Callahan wrote:
 
"I'm sure Bob Tealer's experience at Drake took place before you were born. The reason [this letter] is so late in coming is because no one thought of the nomination process. We are still in the ballgame because we have a living witness, Paul Morrison, who was Drake's sports information director, when Tealer played.

"I forwarded to Paul the recommendation on Feb. 17, 2013. I thought this would be the process until I received the 'Bulldog Sports Update.' I found out there is a proper procedure. I am hopeful that Bobby Tealer will be considered a serious candidate. We are not getting any younger. Ask Paul Morrison [who now is 96 years of age].
 
"Bobby would have scored more points in his first season [when I was the point guard]. I tried to throw him the ball, but Red Murrell would intercept it and, of course, score..."

I have never met Bob Tealer. He played before I began paying any attention to Drake basketball.
 
But I'm a big fan of Dan Callahan, and when he says Bob Tealer or anyone else deserves a Drake "Double D" Award, I'm all for it.
 
I'll be on hand the night when Tealer gets his award at the Knapp Center. I'll be hanging around Callahan and Tealer, hoping some of their basketball savvy rubs off on me.
 
Great hearing from you, Dan.

6,000 Fans Watch Iowa Roll To Another Easy Victory In London

LONDON, ENGLAND -- Iowa's basketball team topped the century mark for the second consecutive game Wednesday, this time dropping the London Lions 107-72 in front of a capacity crowd of more than 6,000. The Hawkeyes defeated the Lions, 102-58  Tuesday.

Once again, it was the Hawkeyes jumping out to an early advantage, leading by as many as 11 points in the first quarter.  The Lions closed the period on a 6-0 run to cut the Iowa lead to 28-19.  Josh Oglesby provided the early spark for the Black and Gold, scoring six of his 17 points in the first 10 minutes.  The sophomore scored 15 of his 17 points via the long ball, draining five 3-pointers.

The Lions made another charge at the Hawkeyes in the second quarter, going on a 9-0 surge to close to within 39-36.  However, Peter Jok scored six of his team’s final 10 points during a 10-2 run to end the first half.  For the second straight night, Jok led all scorers with 18 points.

The second half was all Hawkeyes after opening the second stanza on an 11-2 run to extend their advantage to 21 points and never looked back.  Iowa outscored the Lions 68-35 the final 20 minutes.

London native Gabriel Olaseni had a nice game finishing with 14 points, including a couple thunderous dunks in front of family and friends. Seniors Melsahn Basabe and Roy Devyn Marble contributed 12 points and six points tonight, respectively, while junior Aaron White tallied 16 points, 11 in the second half.  Sophomore Adam Woodbury chipped in eight.

“Once Gabe settled down after making a couple early mistakes, he became a dominate player,” said head coach Fran McCaffery.  “It was great to see him get confidence as the game went on and I’m thrilled for him that he was able to do it in this atmosphere.”

“This meant everything to me,” said Olaseni.  “I couldn’t have dreamed for a better atmosphere. Every time I stepped off the court all I could think about was my teammates and family. I’m forever grateful to the coaching staff for giving me an opportunity to play here.”

The Hawkeyes will have an early departure for France on Thursday, as the team leaves for Paris via train at 8:30 a.m. local time. Iowa returns to the court Friday when it plays the AMW All Stars at 1:30 p.m. (CT).

[This story was written for Ron Maly by Matt Weitzel of Iowa's sports information staff].

Ex-Valley Standout Peter Jok Leads With 22 Points and 8 Rebounds As Hawkeyes Roll to 102-58 Victory In London

LONDON. ENGLAND  -- Iowa's basketball team opened its European tour Tuesday with a 102-58 victory over the London Lions.. Both teams rested a number of their key personnel in preparation for Wednesday's  rematch that is slated to be played in front of a sold out crowd.

Iowa’s two newcomers, Jarrod Uthoff and Peter Jok , combined for 36 points and 14 rebounds. Jok led all scorers with 22 points on 7-of-13 shooting from the field, including 4-of-8 from 3-point range. The rookie also pulled down eight rebounds and assisted on four baskets.  Uthoff finished with 14 points and grabbed six rebounds.

“Jarrod and Peter were terrific,” said coach Fran McCaffery.  “I wanted to get those two a lot of minutes in this game and let them play through any mistakes they may have made.”

“It felt good to play with my teammates in a game against another opponent,” said Jok, who was a standout at Valley High School in West Des Moines. “We’re an unselfish team and tonight we found the open person and executed on offense.”

Iowa jumped to an early advantage and never looked back, leading by as much as 49 points.  Sophomore Adam Woodbury scored seven of his nine points in the first quarter.

Five Hawkeyes scored during a 15-5 scoring surge late in the second quarter that helped increase Iowa’s advantage to 51-33 at halftime.  Senior Zach McCabe netted six of his 13 points in the second period.  The forward was an efficient 5-of-7 from the floor, including 2-of-3 from 3-point territory, and was also collected with five assists, three steals and four rebounds.

London native Gabriel Olaseni was perfect from the floor the first 20 minutes of action, making all four field goals and one free throw, scoring nine first-half points.  The sophomore, whose family was in attendance watching him in a Hawkeye uniform for the first time in person, finished with 11 points, two blocks and four boards.

“We really pushed the ball tonight,” McCaffery said.  “We got the ball inside on the break to Gabe and Adam, in particular. Once we got it going with the break, then our offense was really smooth.”

The Hawkeyes continued their stellar play in the third, closing the third quarter on a 10-0 run with back-back buckets by Uthoff and consecutive triples by Josh Oglesby.  Oglesby was 4-of-8 from the field, including 4-of-6 from behind the arc, finishing the contest with 12 points and six rebounds.

“We played well tonight,” said Oglesby.   “We found our rhythm early and I’m glad I was able to knock down some shots and help my team.”

As a team, the Hawkeyes shot 42 percent from 3-point range, while Oglesby, Jok and McCabe were Iowa’s top sharp-shooters combining to shoot 10-of-17 (59 percent) from distance.

Hawkeye seniors Melsahn Basabe and Roy Devyn Marble, and junior Aaron White did not play in tonight’s 44-point win, but will tomorrow.  Sophomore Anthony Clemmons had a game-high nine assists to go along with four points and seven rebounds. Junior Darius Stokes had nine points; redshirt freshman Kyle Meyer had five; while junior Kyle Denning contributed three points and four assists.

“Tomorrow will be a completely different kind of game in a totally different kind of atmosphere, so that’s what we have to get our guys ready for mentally,” said McCaffery.  “Their top five guys did not play tonight because they have 6,000 fans coming tomorrow. They wanted to play their young guys tonight; we played our young guys.”

[This story was written for Ron Maly by Matt Weitzel of Iowa's sports information staff].

There can't be much of a sports section remaining at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. You read here last week that sports editor Ryan Suchomel was fired last week as part of a Gannett Co.-purge, and now I hear that Susan Harman, the paper's high school sportswriter, is retiring. Harman spent 10 years at the Iowa City paper after bemg sports editor of the Ames Tribune before that. Prior to going to Ames, Harman covered high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Her departure from the Press-Citizen makes sense after rumors began spreading that Pat Harty, sports columnist at the paper, was being demoted to the high school sports beat.  I wrote then that Harty should be writing columns for the Gannett-owned Register, which had just dumped Mark Emmert as a sportswriter. Emmert, who had covered the Olympics and was scheduled to be on the Iowa State football beat this fall, was shown the door after being sent to Dallas for the Big 12 Conference media meetings and just before Iowa State began practice. I've been saying for years that the newspaper business in this state and every other state is on its death bed, and all of these happenings prove it.

President Of Pat Harty Fan Club

An e-mail from Bobby Burchfield [which may or may not be his real name] of Bondurant:

Pat Harty

"Hi, Ron,

"With all of this talk about Iowa City Press-Citizen sportswriters not covering Hawkeye sports anymore, I have a suggestion. I think all Des Moines Register sportswriters--not just Mark Emmert--should be canned, and Pat Harty of the Press-Citizen should cover the Hawkeyes for both the Register and the Press-Citizen. Harty is the best Hawkeye writer [other than you, of course] in the state. His stuff is much better than any writing done by Register sportswriters. In fact, I'd read Harty if he wrote about Iowa State,too. The Register's Cyclone writers suck when compared to Harty's style."

Bobby Burchfield
Bondurant, IA

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Good hearing from you, Bobby, and thanks for the kind words, It looks like you've become president of the Pat Harty Fan Club].

Iowa City Press-Citzen Sports Editor Fired

Ryan Suchomel

@RSuchomel

No longer affiliated with http://HawkCentral.com  or http://Press-Citizen.com . Unfollow. Seriously. Get out while there's still time.

{Putting it another way, Suchomel has been fired by the Iowa City Press-Citizen]

Tweets

1. Vaclav Too ‏@WesleyVaclav 

   Strange that Drake would want to schedule its football media day on the same day as UNI's.

   
   
2. Vaclav Too ‏@WesleyVaclav 

   Overheard at Village Inn pie day: It's a tough season for sportswriters. Ryan Suchomel fired by Iowa City Press-Citizen, Mark Emmert dumped by Des Moines. Register.

Cyclones Appear Twice On ESPN Big Monday Games

The Big 12 Conference has announced its schedule on ESPN’s Big Monday platform for the 2014 conference season, highlighting a slate that will include more than 100 games on the ESPN networks.
The continuation of the long-standing and popular arrangement with ESPN will tip off on Monday, January 13 with Kansas traveling to Iowa State for a rematch of one of last year’s top league matchups. The Jayhawks then host Baylor the next Monday, January 20.

Big Monday will showcase Bedlam on January 27, as Oklahoma State travels to face Oklahoma. The Cowboys will play back-to-back Big Monday games when they host the Cyclones on February 3.

A meeting in the Sunflower State Showdown will take place in Manhattan on February 10, followed by OSU traveling to Waco to face Baylor. The Sooners will make their annual trip to Allen Fieldhouse for a game with KU on February 24, while the Big Monday schedule wraps up on March 3 when K-State travels to Oklahoma State.

The Big 12 is the only conference in the nation where every coach has guided a team to the NCAA tournament. In addition, nine of 10 teams have been ranked in the top 25 since 2009, with seven squads welcoming incoming classes this season that rank among the top 40 of the ESPN.com recruiting rankings for the class of 2013.

2014 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Schedule On ESPN’s Big Monday

All games televised on ESPN and available on WatchESPN

Date	Game	Time (CT)
January 13	Kansas at Iowa State	8:00 p.m.
January 20	Baylor at Kansas	8:00 p.m.
January 27	Oklahoma State at Oklahoma	8:00 p.m.
February 3	Iowa State at Oklahoma State	8:00 p.m.
February 10	Kansas at Kansas State	8:00 p.m.
February 17	Oklahoma State at Baylor	8:00 p.m.
February 24	Oklahoma at Kansas	8:00 p.m.
March 3	Kansas State at Oklahoma State	8:00 p.m.

This Is What the Newspaper Business Has Come Down To: Iowa City-Press Citizen Sportswriters Will No Longer Cover Hawkeye Sports, and Will Rely on D.M. Register Stories Instead. Veteran Writer Pat Harty Will Now Cover High School Sports

Iowa City radio station KCJJ reported Monday that the Iowa City Press-Citizen will stop covering University of Iowa Hawkeye sports and run stories from Des Moines Register sports reporters. (Both papers are owned by Gannett.) The Press-Citizen’s Pat Harty, who has covered the Hawkeyes for decades, will be reassigned to prep sports, according to the station’s report.

I called the Press-Citizen and was told by a newsroom leader who didn’t want to be identified — by name or title — that the paper will neither confirm nor deny the report.

KCJJ owner Steve Soboroff says the paper wants his report retracted, “but we have multiple sources confirming this.” (Harty also does work for the station, but he isn’t named as a source of the information.)
“If the paper ends up not doing this [outsourcing the coverage], it will only be because of the reaction to our report on Twitter and Facebook,” says Soboroff. “This is a Big Ten town! I think we’d be the only Big Ten town that doesn’t have the local newspaper covering college sports.”

I’ve also asked Des Moines Register sports editor Chad Leistikow about the radio station’s report.

--Jim Romenesko via Twitter.

Good Riddance

By Bill Savage
Chicago Side

 

Paul Sullivan Talks About Leaving The Cubs Beat After Ten Years

Few jobs in sports journalism compare to being the beat writer for a major league baseball team. From catchers and pitchers reporting in February, through Spring Training, then a marathon 162-game season across six months, then (for the lucky few) the playoffs and the World Series. Unlike writers covering other sports, there’s no two or three or seven days off between games: The relentless pace of baseball demands writers who can get to know a team, turn out game and feature stories day after day.
At the Chicago Tribune, Paul Sullivan has been on this job for almost two decades. After starting his career as a freelancer in 1981, he became a city reporter, and then legendary columnist Mike Royko’s legman in 1984, before moving to sports in 1987. From ’94 to ’96, and again from 2000 to 2002, Sullivan covered the White Sox. From ’97-’99, and from 2003 until today, he has been the Cubs beat writer.
Last week, while covering the suspense attendant upon the non-waiver trade deadline at 3 p.m., Sullivan sent some cryptic Tweets:
Well, there’s no place like the Internet to keep secrets. So I asked Paul what was up, and he agreed to an interview. We spoke by phone and over email, and what follows is a condensed and edited version of those conversations.
Bill Savage: So, what’s changing over by the Tower for local baseball coverage?
Paul Sullivan: Mark Gonzalez will be taking over the Cubs beat, and Colleen Kane will handle the White Sox, along with Fred Mitchell covering both when the regulars are off, and Phil Rogers still doing national stuff. I’ll be a baseball generalist, writing longer feature stories about both teams, baseball in general, the minors, the sort of thing we haven’t had since Dave Van Dyck retired. I won’t be a columnist, opining on whether to fire someone, I’ll be a baseball reporter, just not the beat guy.
BS: How do you understand the job of the beat writer, and how will your new job differ?
PS: A beat writer gives you daily information as quickly as possible via Twitter, blogs, print. My new role will allow me to take more time and hopefully give a longer, more detailed, analytic take on a story that may have fallen through the cracks otherwise. I won’t be involved in the daily reporting of the teams, as I have been for the last 20 seasons (since ’94). So I won’t be able to tweet in-game sarcasm and snark. Everything’s a trade-off.
BS: How has the beat writer’s job changed since ’94? As a reader, I’ve noticed the many shifts. Back in the day, a game story always had to have the two teams and the final score in the lede. A decade or more ago, that information was put in a subhead. Nowadays, it seems like the papers assume that readers already know the score via MLB.com or ESPN, and so beat writers really produce three feature stories, one of which will have the game story buried in it somewhere.
PS: True, the Internet has changed everything. The running game-story is long gone; you know the, “Then Sosa singled with two outs. Alou brought him around with a double into the left field corner before Ramirez struck out on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning. Then, in the top of the fifth…” et cetera. But styles for telling game stories have always been in flux. I’ve written in six or seven different styles. From the old-fashioned game story to the USA Today 8-inch front-pager, with a longer notebook inside the section.
BS: How have things changed in just the last few years, say since the Tribune Co. sold to the Ricketts family?
PS: There is less clubhouse access, but that was something negotiated between the Baseball Writers Association of America and MLB and is not a Cubs issue. Generally, the half hour after batting practice is gone so players can “focus” on the game. And there are more places for players to hide than the old days when they were stuck sitting at their lockers. Cubs players have been cooperative recently, though they are coached at a young age not to say anything controversial.
BS: Yeah, it’s like that “clichés” scene in Bull Durham is now the actual training film for ballplayers. But at least one player’s wife hasn’t gotten the memo. You frequently re-tweet Kim DeJesus. On trade deadline day, she tweeted images of herself drinking champagne out of the bottle, presumably to celebrate her husband, centerfielder David DeJesus, not being traded. What’s your take on her?
PS: I retweet her because I follow her, which is what Twitter is all about. Seeing what other people think, engaging in conversation. I love her because she doesn’t care, which is unusual for a baseball wife. David clearly doesn’t mind. She’s a Hall of Famer, what can I say?
BS: Some people aren’t too fond of what you say and write, but you seem unfazed. You recently retweeted a Deadspin story where they solicited nominations for the “Worst Beat Writers” by baseball division. Some of the locals treated you the way the brutally loud Wrigley Field PA system treats my eardrums. What’s your take on the Cubs bloggers?

PS: Most of the bloggers hate me, but it’s hilarious to me and I enjoy it. They think they can do this job, but they can’t or they would. I read Desipio.com and HireJimEssian.com, mostly for their humorous take on the Cubs. Most of the other blogs blatantly copy and paste information/quotes provided by me and the other beat writers and then rewrite it with their own opinions. I’m not really interested in their opinions. I think Mark Twain once said 95 percent of Cubs fans are intelligent, rational people, and the other 5 percent write Cubs blogs.
BS: Did you grow up a Cubs fan? I know you’re a local guy, but what’s your baseball background?

PS: Well, I’ve been a Cubs fan since I was about 8 or 9. I was actually brought up in a Sox household. My grandmother was the original Charles Comiskey’s secretary in the 1920s and ’30s. She drank with Babe Ruth at McCuddy’s. My dad had season tickets to old Comiskey from the 1950s on. I came over to the Cubs side through games on Channel 9 and I went to a game with a friend in ’69, when I was nine, the day after Holtzman’s no-hitter. There was no turning back. I attended probably a few hundred games in the bleachers alone in ’70s and ’80s before becoming a sportswriter.
BS: What should Chicago baseball fans, Cubs or Sox, rational or bloggers, do for the rest of this dismal season?
PS: This is a really interesting time to be a Chicago baseball fan. Watching two teams try to rebuild, that’s fascinating.
BS: “Interesting time” as in the legendary Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times”? Seems like that applies to your new job as much as to the general state of Chicago baseball.
PS: Yes. It’s gonna be weird, but I’m looking forward to it.

Cyclones Will Wear 1923-Style Uniforms Against Iowa

By Rodger Sherman @rodger_sherman on Aug 5 2013, 2:15p.m.@SBN Nation CFB via Twitter.

 

Iowa State will throw all the way back to 1923 with its football uniforms for the rivalry game against Iowa, to commemorate the man after whom their stadium is made.

Iowa State revealed some throwbacks that it'll wear for the annual Cy-Hawk game against Iowa, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the 1923 team, and oh boy, are they cool.
Here's a look at the unis, unveiled in a video on the team's website:

Old-timey football is the coolest, and these uniforms are just lovely. The colors are muted in comparison to Iowa State's sometimes garish gear, and the shirts do a pretty sweet job of mimicking the sweaters that used to get worn back in the day.
Obviously, they can't rock leather helmets like they did in the 20s, but the helmets with jersey numbers on the side are pretty decent:

They eventually went out on the field to take some very staged pictures:
1923 was the year Jack Trice played for the Cyclones. The namesake of Iowa State's stadium, Trice was the first black player in Iowa State's history, but passed away after injuries suffered in his second college game against Minnesota after spending the night at a racially segregated hotel.

Incidentally, Iowa and Iowa State didn't play that year, but they have played every year since 1977 after a gap of over 40 years. Although the Hawkeyes lead the series 39-21, including a 15-year run of wins from 1983 to 1997, the Cyclones have taken two in a row. They play Week 3 this year in Ames.
Things introduced in the Iowa series are not always received well. (Yes, they got rid of that trophy.)

'Junk All Over the Place'

The Chicago Cubs are worse than lousy these days. They've got rookie outfielder Junior Lake and that's about it. Oh, yes, they also have Jim Deshaies, a first-year commentator on their telecasts. Deshaies tells it like it is. Thank God somebody does. The Cubs are rotten and so are their games. Today, in a horrible 6-2 loss to the Dodgers, Deshaies [pictured] said,  'This game is like a yard sale--junk all over the place." 

Drake Women Play Iowa, Iowa State, Creighton

Drake's women’s basketball program has released its 2013-14 non-conference schedule, coach Jennie Baranczyk said today. The challenging 11-game slate features dates with 2013 NCAA tournament qualifiers Creighton, Iowa and Iowa State
 

Drake, which returns nine letterwinners from last year’s squad, welcomes former Missouri Valley Conference rival Creighton to the Knapp Center on Friday, Nov. 8 at 7:05 p.m. for its regular season opener. Following the matchup against the Bluejays, the Bulldogs hit the road for their next three contests with matchups at Wisconsin on Sunday, Nov. 10 and at Colorado State on Saturday, Nov. 16, before closing the road swing at South Dakota on Thursday, Nov. 21.

“I think it’s a great, challenging non-conference schedule for us,” said Baranczyk. “We made it a priority to continue to schedule games against Creighton and it’s important to continue playing the in-state schools. All three made the tournament last year and will be good again this season.” 

Drake returns to the Knapp Center to host owa State on Sunday, Nov. 24 before traveling to the Seattle University Thanksgiving tournament Nov. 29-30. The Bulldogs play Cornell University Friday night (11/29) then face either Seattle or Coastal Carolina the following day (11/30).

Drake has four games scheduled for the month of December with all four taking place in-state as the Bulldogs host Idaho State and SIU-Edwardsville on Thursday, Dec. 5 and Tuesday, Dec. 17, respectively. Their lone road contest is a trip to Iowa City to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday, Dec. 21 before wrapping up non-conference play with a home game against Milwaukee on Sunday, Dec. 29. 

“I’m excited for our senior class to have the opportunity to play these non-conference games,” said Baranczyk. “We have had a strong summer and we are excited for the season to start.”

The Bulldogs will play a single exhibition contest on Friday, Dec. 1 against the University of Dubuque at the Knapp Center starting at 7:05 p.m.[This story was written for Ron Maly by John Meyer of Drake's sports information staff].