SB Nation User Blog: StoopsMyAss

Analyzing the 2009 schedule...

StoopsMyAss — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:00:36 -0000

I’m bored so here goes a super early analysis of the Iowa 2009 schedule.

The first thing that pops out when you're looking at the schedule is that Iowa has seven…seven!…home games! We should be favored in all and all are very manageable:

- Northern Iowa – Iowa will be a big favorite as usual. And win. Drawback, UNI is an FCS team.

- Arizona – this will not be an easy win. But Arizona has to find a QB and they lost most of their OL. I expect the Iowa defense to wreak havoc. Arizona will have a fast and effective defense and Stanzi will need to play clean.

- Arkansas State – quick, what is their team nickname? Buzzzzz…times up, it’s the Red Wolves. We are not losing to the Red Wolves. Thankfully they are NOT an FCS team.

- Indiana – this team is in disarray. I expect a routine, potentially massive victory. At this point, Indiana should probably be an FCS team!

- Northwestern – revenge game, as thus could be ugly for jNU.

- Minnesota – did they get any better since the blowout last year? Not bloody likely, and it is at Iowa. And we might have gotten better. Expect another crush.

Now for the, so called, brutal road schedule:

- Iowa State – this is too often a tough game. I don’t know why. You don’t know why. It will probably be a tough game yet again. Although I would be shocked if we found a way to fuck it up.

- Penn State – no publications that I have read thus far give us a chance in this game. I can see why. It is on the road, at night. After what could be a tough Arizona game. But, I think Arizona will be good preparation. Iowa will have faced an athletic, fast team so Penn State will not surprise them in these areas. Meanwhile, Penn State should be healthy and well rested after three straight home games against Akron, Syracuse and Temple. Expect Penn State to have revenge on its mind. This is a toughy. Expect a loss but a win is not completely out of the question.

- Wisconsin – Wisconsin will be coming off a road game (loss no doubt) at Ohio State. It is possible they will enter the Ohio State game undefeated and thinking big things, only to be buried. We can easily steal this game unless Wisky gets a Zoloft prescription filled in Columbus before the ride home.

- Michigan State – Jesus, we should have beat them last year, and I expect them to be a bit worse and us to be a bit better. They will be coming off five straight weeks of tough games. It’s an early evening game which is...weird. I mark this game as a must road win.

- Ohio State – Ohio State will be coming off a road game at Penn State. We never play them well, anywhere, under any conditions. This will be one tough game to win. Expect a loss.

So….best case scenario is an improbable 11-1 season with Ohio State being the lone loss.

Second best case scenario is 10 – 2 with a loss at Penn State as well.

Third best scenario is 9 – 3 with an additional loss also at either Wisconsin or Michigan State.

Now for the worst case scenarios. This is really a disaster case scenario (a Fire Kirk Ferentz student march on campus case scenario) , a 5 – 7 season with no road wins as well as home losses to jNU and Arizona or Michigan.

If I were wagering, and I do like to do that, I would bet we will go 9 – 3 and finish third in the Big 10 and go to the Outback Bowl and play Alabama or Ole Miss. Not great but certainly not bad.

Dream Scenario – we finish in a three way tie for first in the Big 10 with Penn State and Ohio State and have an overall 11 – 1 record. Assuming we lose at Ohio State, that would come late in the season and have negative consequences on national hopes and cost us any shot at a National Title. But, since USC will likely beat Ohio State early in the season, they will have 2 losses. Assuming Ohio State losses at Penn State for their other loss and we beat Penn State earlier on, then we would be Rose Bowl bound thanks to Penn State’s most recent BCS participation.

Okay, that was fun.

Newest Jughead

StoopsMyAss — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:01:41 -0000

Vincennes University (a junior college basketball program in Indiana) forward Devon Archie (6-foot-9) has signed with Iowa. Archie started 19 of 30 games at Vincennes, averaging 6.8 points and six rebounds a game. He hit 54.5 percent of his field goals but sank just 43.8 percent of his foul shots.

It has come to the point where are only able to lure back-up junior college players.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.

The University of Profligate

StoopsMyAss — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:10:33 -0000

[EDIT: Bumped.--OPS]

By now some of you may have read this post at Doc's Office, a blog by Cedar Rapids Gazette sportswriter Scott Dochterman. Doc reveals the revenue figures for every Big 10 team, as well as expenses and cost of recruiting specifically for 2007 - 2008 season.

I was stunned to see that only Ohio State spends more money on thier football operations than Iowa. In fact, Iowa spends more on their football operations than Georgia, Alabama and, get this, Notre Dame -- and significantly more than Iowa State (in fact $17 million more annually) but given their product that comes as no surprise to anyone.

Iowa football hands a $12 million check to the University every year. And given the state of other Iowa athletics, save wrestling, it's a damn good thing. BUT...our other Big 10 football program brethren hand back much larger checks to their schools . For example, Ohio State hands back $32 mil, Michigan hands back $41 mil, even lowly Iowa State hands back a check for almost $8 mil. Folks, among all Big 10 teams only Indiana, Purdue and Northwestern are more profligate than Iowa.

Apparently Indiana doesn't like football or know how to manage it, and we all know about jNU.

So I sat around for about an hour trying to answer this question: What the fuck is costing so much? Okay, salaries are pretty hefty as we all know, with Ferentz leading the way. And...then...what?

The only thing I could think of was that Iowa was paying for the renovation "over time" with some crafty accounting, which they must "report" as part of the annual operating budget? But that seems like a stretch.

Thoughts? I'm stumped on this one. And a bit embarrased. UConn basketball hands back a $17 million dollar check for God's sake. This seems odd to me.

Football Transfer Rumor(s)?

StoopsMyAss — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:10:20 -0000

[Bumped. We've heard some really sketchy stuff over the past month or so about this, but like Morehouse, if it was solid enough, we would have attached a name to it long before now.--OPS]

I was reading Marc Morehouse's blog On Iowa today where he was assessing the 2009 defensive back positions for the Hawks. Then in the middle of his posting he threw this out:

A name or two in the secondary has come up with transfer rumors. I don’t feel comfortable bringing those names up because we really don’t know what’s fact at this point.

Does anyone know who he might be talking about? I would be shocked if he is talking about Bernstein, Prater or Lowe.

[Purely editorial statement: If any of the three players SMA listed were considering a transfer, we too would seriously question their sanity.--OPS]

College Basketball's Newest Mid-Major: Iowa

StoopsMyAss — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:44:19 -0000

Butler, Gonzaga, Davidson, Siena and Wisconsin-Green Bay...all mid-majors that are ranked higher than Iowa in the latest RPI. In fact, Iowa is coming off a 135 ranking in 2008 and is currently 85. So there are potentially a number of, so called, mid-majors who might be ranked ahead of us. And I even think our current ranking is a bit high. The bigger issue though is this: Is Iowa, for all intents and purposes, becoming a mid-major in basketball?

If you look at the way mid-major teams are built in comparison to the manner in which Iowa must (re)build, there seem to be a lot of similarities. Teams that are often defined as “mid-majors” are dependent upon the 3-point shot, limiting turnovers, ball control, and often reliant upon a schedule filled with “good match-ups.” They often DO NOT have lots of great b-ball athletes (i.e., long, tall players who can post, drive or hit threes, all in the same game), or large rambunctious crowds, or very many games broadcast nationally on any station other than ESPNU.

Moreover, Iowa’s schedule can look very similar to a mid-major schedule. Although, mid-majors do it despite efforts to schedule big games in big venues. We also have mid-major level attendance at games these days (or worse). I watched a bit of the Davidson vs. College of Charleston game over the weekend...actually, we could only hope to have a crowd like that Davidson crowd. They were loud, active, and jacked-up.

Bottom-line: Are we becoming MORE of a mid-major or LESS?

I can’t tell.

The Talented Mr. Palmer

StoopsMyAss — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 15:27:42 -0000

[Late getting to this, but bumped anyway. Some curious personnel move so far from Lickliter.--OPS]

We've seen this before from Todd Lickliter. Squeezing the line-up tight, dumping minutes on no more than six players over the course of an important game. Clapping on the bench wildly and yelling, "let's go!" as they run ragged into the later moments of the game, only to crumble down the stretch. Lickliter, I imagine, has the old "practice" rule. If you can't show it in practice, then how on earth can you expect to show it in a game? So goes the old adage and so goes Lickliter.

Well, Todd, there are some extenuating circumstances sometimes my man. Um, hmmm, height, for example, might be a factor you want to input into the equation. You are running out five two-guards and a small forward each game and shooting the most 3's in America--to middling results. It's a fine offense when you're making the 3s. But on too many a night, you're not making enough or at a high enough percentage. At least not enough to overcome the interior pounding you are taking from teams that, sadly, on many occasions, are not much taller than your own.

I expect a Todd Lickliter practice is a shirts and skins game run at a 100 miles an hour up and down the court with the occcasional drill to create movement around the arc. I would not be surprised if there was VERY LITTLE practice spent posting up or working half-court interior sets. In such a practice environment I can see how David Palmer might look ordinary, misplaced, outshined and just downright unappealing.

I live in NJ and, in fact, a few miles from the campus of Seton Hall. When Palmer transferred people were upset there. They felt they lost a good one. As an Iowa fan, I, on the other hand, was excited. But, soon after he became eligible I wondered what all the fuss was about. Well, now I am beginning to see.

Hopefully this is another Iowa athletic version of the (riches to) rags to riches story (ala Shonn Greene) in the making. Or just maybe it is not, but instead, unlike in the Greene version, a failing of coaching to see light in time.

I am still high on Lickliter and he certainly deserves two more years to get this ship righted. But, it is the little things that drive me nuts with him. Like not using Palmer until he was without any other option. Playing ONLY six guys any meaningful minutes in a close, tough game in a season where NO ONE expects him to win the Big 10, make the NCAA or the NIT tournament or even have a winning record. Play these damn guys Todd, give them serious minutes, test them in an environment other than practice, see what you have, develop your talent! It troubles me greatly when every player on the team has recently been quoted like this: "No, it does not surprise me what he [Palmer] is doing. He is really talented."

As for Palmer, what a great attitude. And I'll give Lickliter credit for keeping the team together emotionally. They do appear all for one and one for all. I hope Palmer rips it up over the next month and becomes Todd's turning point, his come to Jesus moment, and we see better personnel moves the rest of the way.

Truth in advertising?

StoopsMyAss — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:01:34 -0000

According to the latest at Rivals.com, the Iowa Hawkeye 2009 football recruiting class is #73 in the land. In other words, Rivals thinks we are recruiting guys like this.

via www.dailyhaha.com

That places us ahead of, well, no one in our own conference. That's right, we are ranked dead last in the Big 10 in recruiting so far, and it really is not even close...that is tough stuff, assuming you even buy these rankings in the first place. Well, at least we have a higher ranked class than Iowa State...ooops, sorry. Strike that. We are two spots lower than our in-state rivals.

What are we to make of these rankings? Are there any last minute commitments of note out there for us? This is a remarkably low ranking, even for us. I realize we don't have a lot of scholarships (although one just became available!)...and perhaps we were targeting positions rather than the best possible ranked players.

Anyone follow this?

Last man standing...

StoopsMyAss — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:02:31 -0000

Josh McDaniels will be hired by Denver sometime today or tomorrow. In the meantime, Scott Pioli is about to ink a contract with Kansas City to be the new GM. He will be told one of two things:

1) honor Herm Edward's contract and give him one more year. If it doesn't work out, then go get your man.

2) go get your man...now.

It is pretty clear that Kirk Ferentz will be No. 1 on Pioli's hitlist of new coaches. Everything I read says that working for Kansas City is as close to NFL sanity as it gets. So, when you combine that fact with working for someone you trust, someone who even hired your son into the business (Brian works for the Pats now), and someone who will give you about as much opportunity to win as he possibly can, it just might be too difficult to pass this up--unless--you don't want to make that jump at all.

The KF goodbye watch has begun.

Terrell Pryor my ass!

StoopsMyAss — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:34:35 -0000

Color me not impressed. Great athlete? Sure. Great QB? Not even close. Serviceable QB? Maybe, with a lot of work.

I can't wait to play them next year. He is so freaking vulnerable. Just stay in your rushing lanes, keep your hands up (he plays like a 5' 10" QB!) and wait for the sloppy passes.

Boeckman should have gotten way more snaps last night. And if he would have, The Ohio State walks away with the win. Pryor is nothing more than a change of pace, Wildcat type QB -- at best. He has a better future as a wide out in my opinion.

Very unimpressed. Those receivers were wasted on Pryor.

So the Big 10 embarassment is complete. Thanks Ohio State for showing how to squander good talent. Thanks Minnesota for throwing in the towel. Thanks jNorthwestern for finding a way to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. Thanks Michigan State for blowing into a million pieces everytime you even thought a touchdown was in sight. Thanks Wisconsin for being the most overrated team in years.

Kirk, if you are reading, this is your lucky year my friend. This conference is in disarray and I don't see anybody that overly concerns me for 2009. We'll have our hands full with Penn St. but they can be had, and everyone else is there for the taking. Particularly OSU.

The Long Goodbye?

StoopsMyAss — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:28:35 -0000

[Muy bumpido! I don't know Spanish.--OPS]

Will we ever see Anthony Tucker play for the Hawks again? I am conflicted on Lick's approach here--assuming I even understand it.

Clearly, coaches are going to do what they need to do to get their players, indeed their team, to mind their Ps & Qs (yes, and the J&B--Truman Capote's drink of choice by the way); but, am I alone here? I don't understand playing Tucker signifcant minutes at Drake, then DNP-coaches decision, then one minute of court time at Ohio State, and now the end of the bench.

Is this the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning? If he doesn't see the court soon I think he is out of here. I just don't know if it will be his choice or Lick's.

By the way, how many games did Dan Bohall go into purgatory with Lick after his binger last year? Is that the standard?

I don't want to resurrect the whole issue. I just don't get the methodology of the punishment here, unless it isn't punishment anymore.