When I Asked Tom Davis If He Misses Coaching, He Said, 'Oh, Yes. Very Much'

It was 3:30 on a Wednesday afternoon and Tom Davis was keeping his distance from the basketball court at the Knapp Center.

But he was close enough to see what was going on during Drake's practice.

Davis was visiting with trainer Scott Kerr as the Bulldogs were in the early stages of their workout.

I waited for their conversation to end, then greeted the 68-year-old Davis.

He had a big smile on his face -- something that was good to see.

Retirement can do that to a guy.

The smiles, I mean.

Tom Davis still has a job title at Drake. He's called a special assistant to the athletic director.

But helping out at an alumni golf outing in Chicago is much less stressful than flying off to no-man's-land while trying to recruit a power forward who's wanted by six or seven other major-college coaches..

The way I see it, having Tom Davis around the Drake scene is a very good thing these days.

To me -- even though he's no longer drawing up game plans and charting X's and O's on a clipboard -- he provides a comfort zone and an identity with success.

After becoming the winningest coach at Iowa from 1987 through 1999, Davis coached Drake to its first winning season in 20 years in 2006-2007.

His Bulldogs had a 17-15 record and won the mythical state championship by beating Iowa and Iowa State once each and Northern Iowa twice.

Something like that was what Drake fans were waiting for.

You can be sure that some of them reached old age and/or died while wondering if it would ever happen. They and others suffered mightily through the frustrating Tom Abatemarco, Rudy Washington and Kurt Kanaskie years.

Now Keno Davis, Tom's only child, is Drake's coach.

Obviously, because if that, Tom still has a strong interest in Bulldog basketball.

He still says "we" when he refers to the team.

And so far he likes what he's seen from a squad that has a 3-1 record heading into tonight's game against North Carolina Central in the Iowa Realty Invitational.

"I've been to all the home games, and I've been very pleased with what they're doing," Davis said. "I think they're playing good, sound basketball.

"We lost five talented guys from last year, and that was a worry. But we've done a good job of replacing them in different ways. I've been very happy for the coaches and players."

I asked Davis if he misses coaching.

"Oh, yes. Very much," he said.

Well, why not? After a 32-year stay in the same profession, it's only natural to miss it when you're no longer in it.

"I think I miss it more now than I did when I left Iowa, and then was out those four years because of the way the separation went down," Davis said. "I sort of stepped away."

After winning 269 games and losing 140 for the Hawkeyes, Davis' contract was not renewed.

That didn't please a segment of the Iowa fan base, and even more of the Hawkeye faithful were soured when Steve Alford -- who replaced Davis -- was so unsuccessful.

I mean, what did Iowa gain by replacing Davis with Alford?

Worse basketball, that's what.

Alford closed that chapter in Hawkeye athletic history by fleeing to the New Mexico coaching job after last season.

"You [meaning himself] feel some closeness to this Drake team partially because Keno is here and partially because of how the program was put together over the last few years," Davis said. "You miss the practices and getting the players organized.

"Coaching is a pretty neat career. It has its downsides, but it has its positives, too."

Of his responsibilities at Drake now, Davis said, "I have a small, parttime job. If there's something they -- athletic director Sandy Hatfield Clubb or President David Maxwell -- want me to do, I'm there.

"For instance, they had the alumni golf thing in Chicago, and I helped out on that."

Meanwhile, Keno Davis' first season as a head coach marches on....

Looming is a Drake game at Iowa on Dec. 14.

I asked Davis if he plans to be there.

"I doubt it," he said. "I've thought about it. There are some possibilities, but I think I'll pass."

Davis knows he'd be a center of attention if people saw him walk into Carver-Hawkeye Arena as a spectator.

"Maybe in another year," he said.

"This will be the first time Keno will have gone back there [as Drake's head coach]. He's an Iowa graduate and I'm sure he has some feelings about the place."

Take It From the 'Iowa Boy:' UNI's Mark Farley Is a Hotter Coaching Commodity Than the Hawkeyes' Kirk Ferentz

I heard from my columnist buddy Chuck Offenburger, who had a good question:

"Ron, as I hear and read the speculation about whether Kirk Ferentz is under consideration at Michigan, it occurs to me -- heck, wouldn't UNI's Mark Farley be a hotter commodity right now?"

Offenburger [pictured at the right] is on the mark.

I think Farley [pictured at the left] might be the hottest coach in America, and so do some other people. After all, he's a candidate for the national coach of the year award. His Northern Iowa football team has a 12-0 record heading into Saturday's playoff game against Delaware [9-3] in Cedar Falls.

Farley, who once was billed as UNI's "Walkon from Waukon," has a 63-24 in his seventh season with the Panthers.

His bosses are going to give him a pay raise and a contract extension, but the $200,000 a year -- maybe $250,000 with incentives -- won't compare at all with some of the unbelievable salaries the bigtime coaches are making these days.

I mean, Iowa's Ferentz is being paid an overwhelming $2.8 million a season.

I keep hearing that Farley hasn't been approached about any other jobs, and I can't understand why. One of his victories this season was over Iowa State in Ames, but I'll bet he didn't get one telephone call from Jamie Pollard about the Cyclone job after Dan McCarney was sent packing following the 2006 season.

*

By the way, I'll repeat what I wrote a week or 10 days ago:

Kirk Ferentz is not going to Michigan.

Forget it already.

*

I went to a couple of Mt. Olive kids' basketball games in Boone last night, and a guy asked me if Iowa is going to a bowl.

I didn't know if he'd been in the sauce or if that kind of question was the result of an old football injury.

"I hope not," I said. "Why be embarrassed again?"

Anyone in his or her right mind knows Iowa doesn't deserve to be in a bowl.

I know a sportswriter might occasionally ask some weak-willed bowl committee guy if Iowa could somehow slip into a bowl. But don't totally question the reporter's sanity. He's only doing his job, and -- what the heck -- he doesn't want to be home for the holidays, even if Ken O'Keefe does. The sportswriter obviously would prefer spending the company's money in Boise.

The thing people should be talking about when it comes to Hawkeye football these days is why the 6-6 team was so bad in 2007 and what needs to be done to improve in 2008.

Bottom line: Hawkeye fans should be sent to a bowl, but the team should stay home so it can spend the holidays looking at videotape of the Iowa State and Western Michigan games.

*

Al Schallau sounded off on Iowa's football season in one of my columns earlier this week, and blamed the offense for the problems.

He said seven assistant coaches and quarterback Jake Christensen should be replaced before the 2008 season starts.

That prompted this response from a guy who watches Hawkeye football closely. I'll call him Tiny from Tiffin:

"Al, no doubt Iowa's offense had serious deficiencies, but the defense has to take some responsibility for six losses. Iowa had fourth quarter leads in two games it lost because the defense gave up big plays. And Iowa scored three touchdowns against Western Michigan, which should have been enough to win (WMU scored two points against Eastern Michigan).

"How about the Bullshit Championship Series? Does college football cry out for a playoff or what? USC might win a playoff, but so might Florida. And if Ohio State gets into the BCS title game you will be watching Illinois in the Rose Bowl. The Trojans should be licking their chops at the thought of that."

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Face it already. Iowa was not a good football team in 2007, and the offense and defense should share the blame equally. As for Illinois playing in the Rose Bowl, this is the same Illinois team that lost to Iowa, 10-6, on Oct. 13. Say what you want about Illinois' Ron Zook, he can't coach].

*

In response to what I wrote yesterday about Iowa's lackluster basketball team, Sam from Shueyville writes:

"This is a tired and undermanned team that is playing seven games in 14 days. Alford left the guy with a bad roster and a bad schedule. I really like Lickliter and his coaching credentials are superb, but he has got to get some players."

[RON MALY'S COMMENT: Like I said, blame Steve Alford for all of this mess].

Blame This Mess On Alford

Face it, folks. This is going to be a long basketball season at Iowa. I mean very long. I was going to say the mess I saw last night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena set collegiate basketball back 75 years. After thinking about it, the 56-47 loss to a very ordinary Wake Forest team that won't do well in the Atlantic Coast Conference took me back to just the early-1970s when Dick Schultz had a four-season 41-55 record as the Hawkeyes' coach. This Iowa team can't shoot, can't rebound and can't play defense. So I'm taking the easy way out and blaming it all on Steve Alford, who recruited most of the players. Alford is an easy target He got blamed for everything else, didn't he? If Alford hadn't fled Iowa City for New Mexico, people would have been calling for his neck now. Basically, Iowans -- even 45 percent of Hawkeye fans -- are reasonable folks. Because Todd Lickliter is in his first season, they'll tell themselves that Lickliter isn't in over his head and give him some time. I guess that's why they're staying away from Carver-Hawkeye Arena. To me, though, the attendance figures are a cause for concern. Iowa's home crowds in a 15,500-seat arena have been 10,201, 8,483, 9,183, 8,583 and 9,120. Before last night, the teams Iowa played at Carver-Hawkeye couldn't compete in a noon YMCA league. But more than 6,000 vacant seats for a game in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge [and I use the word Challenge loosely here because the ACC always wins it] is not good. What I'm worried about is Lickliter keeping his sanity. What he's seeing these nights are things he didn't see at Butler, one of those so-called mid-majors that people talk about. More often than not when the ESPN2 cameras zeroed in on the frustrated Lickliter last night, he was either holding his head in his hands or shaking it [his head, I mean] negatively. Lickliter would never say it, but he might have been thinking, "How could Alford have recruited this team?"

*

Photo of Todd ["I Can't Believe What I'm Seeing"] Lickliter on the Iowa bench courtesy of the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Iowa's Football Problems Aren't So Big That 7 New Assistant Coaches And a Different Quarterback Won't Solve Them In 2008

Ron,

I went to the Big Ten Conference website and found the following statistics which tell us why the Iowa Hawkeye football team was so lousy in 2007:

SCORING OFFENSE: Iowa ranked 11th in the Big Ten. In 8 conference games, the Hawkeyes scored only 17 touchdowns. Minnesota ranked 10th and scored 24 touchdowns.

PASSING OFFENSE: Iowa ranked 9th in the Big Ten.

PASS DEFENSE: Iowa ranked 9th in the Big Ten.

PUNTING: Iowa had the dubious honor of ranking first in the Big Ten in punting. Iowa punted the ball 63 times for a 42.1 avg. Illinois punted only 36 times, and Ohio State punted 37 times.

RUSHING OFFENSE: Iowa ranked 9th in the Big Ten.

TOTAL OFFENSE: Iowa ranked 11th in the Big Ten.

PASSING EFFICIENCY: Iowa ranked 10th in the Big Ten.

FIRST DOWNS: Iowa ranked 11th in the Big Ten

PENALTIES: Iowa ranked 11th in the Big Ten, with an average of 52.4 yards in penalties per game. Penn State was the least penalized team with 36.5 yards in penalties per game.

THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: Iowa ranked 11th in the Big Ten.

OPPONENTS' THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS: Iowa ranked 10th in the Big Ten. Only Minnesota was worse than Iowa.

SACKS AGAINST: Iowa ranked 11th in the Big Ten. Iowa gave up 35 sacks in 8 conference games. Indiana (which ranked 10th) gave up 27 sacks. Illinois gave up 5 sacks, and Ohio State gave up 9.

CONCLUSION: When the Hawkeyes performed so terribly in so many crucial categories, that tells me that the coaching was awful. I sure hope Iowa brings in about seven new assistant coaches and a different quarterback in 2008.

Best,

Al Schallau

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Indeed, it was a sad season for the Hawkeyes. When I talked to a guy at the final game -- a loss to, of all teams, Western Michigan -- who said he thought Iowa should hire the head coach from 2-A state high school champion Solon to draw up some offensive plays next season, you know it's a bad year].

*

Photo of coach Kevin Miller and his Solon football players courtesy of the Iowa City Press-Citizen

VIP Day, 2007

 

 

 

I Know Some Disgruntled Iowa Fans Would Like Ferentz To Get the Michigan Football Coaching Job, But It Won"t Happen

They're talking about Iowa's Kirk Ferentz maybe being the next football coach at Michigan.

We all know that Ferentz [pictured at the left] has been unimpressive lately -- having a 6-7 record last season and 6-6 in 2007 -- so it's obvious that a number of Hawkeye fans of the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately? variety wouldn't mind it at all if he jumped ship.

But, honestly, I can't see a Ferentz-to-Michigan move happening.

I mean, would you pick Ferentz and his 12-13 record the past two seasons instead of LSU's Les Miles or Cincinnati's Brian Kelly if you were Michigan?

Like a guy I know -- someone who has his pulse on the Iowa situation -- says,
"Would Michigan hire a coach to beat Ohio State who can't beat Iowa State?"

Ouch!

Being rumored for the Michigan job might get Ferentz yet another pay raise at Iowa [as if he needs one], but I never think it's a good idea for a coach to change jobs within the same conference.

Besides, I know how loyal Ferentz is to his assistant coaches, and I just can't see Ken O'Keefe being the next offensive coordinator at Michigan.

Bo Schembechler might come out of his grave and put a stop to that.

Who's to say the Michigan job is better than the Iowa job anyway?

I know I'm not saying it. I mean, I sure can't see our man wanting to take a pay cut.

What's Michigan done lately besides lose to Appalachian State once and Ohio State lots of times?

The main reason Ferentz's name is even connected with a possible move to Michigan is that Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman once had the same job at Iowa.

Hey, when was the last time a school president had any influence in who is named the football coach at her school?

Actually, Iowa fans went through this kind of stuff a half-century ago when Forest Evashevski [right] was the Hawkeyes' coach.

Evashevski's name kept coming up as a possible coach at Michigan. After all, he was a standout player for the Wolverines when he was a blocker for the legendary Tom Harmon.

Evashevski loved it that his name was connected with Michigan as a possible coach, but nothing ever materialized.

So I don't expect anything to materialize on a Ferentz-to-Michigan move either.

There Was An Alarm, But No Smoke And No Fire -- At Least From the Hawkeyes

 

Iowa City, Ia. -- A fire alarm went off three times Saturday afternoon in Kinnick Stadium.

At the same time, an announcement was read over the loud speaker system in the press box.

It said the elevators wouldn't be able to be used.

Anyone who wanted to get out had to use the stairs.

Rumor had it that four working sportswriters, two retired sportswriters and two bowl scouts ran to the stairway during Western Michigan's 28-19 victory over the Hawkeyes.

Suddenly, the announcement came that it was a false alarm.

Six of the eight guys on the stairway reluctantly decided to return to their seats in the press box. The two others kept walking. They needed air.

*

Saturday's game wasn't just the worst in Kirk Ferentz's nine seasons as Iowa's coach.

It maybe was the worst in Hawkeye football history, which dates back to 1889.

Say what you want about the 63-7 loss to Michigan in 1971.

At least it was to a Big Ten team, not one from the Mid-American Conference.

*

Among those who suffered through the game was longtime Hawkeye booster Ron Kenyon of Des Moines.

Ron and Margaret Kenyon financed Iowa football practice complex that sits next to the Richard Jacobson Athletic Building. The $1.8 million practice facility was completed in August, 2002, and features three fields -- two natural turf and one artificial.

Kenyon is 89 years of age and doesn't get to many Hawkeye games these days, but it was a pleasure for me to visit with him [photo at the right] in his luxury box on the first level of the press box.

In the photo at the top are Kenyon with his daughter Rhonda and son-in-law Derek Hill.

*

Buck Turnbull was a no-show in the press box.

"I decided early in the season that I wasn't going to that game," Buck told me earlier in the week.

I now know why he didn't want to see the game.

*

Overheard in the press box:

"I watched Solon win the Class 2-A state high school football championship on TV.

"Solon's coach [Kevin Miller] used a spread offense, had his running back throwing passes and generally had a wide-open attack all day. I think Iowa should hire him."

If that was meant as an indictment of Hawkeye offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe, so be it.

*

Jake Christensen obviously isn't the answer at quarterback.

*

Did somebody say bowl game?

Why?

The Hawkeyes didn't play all season like they even wanted to be in one.

And they don't deserve to be in one.

 

Coach's Husband Gives Away Tickets, Iowa Women's Team Still Sags At the Gate

I'm told that David Bluder was giving away basketball tickets in an Iowa City suburb yesterday.

Frankly, I'm glad David was out there trying to get something done.

I'd definitely label it family spirit. At least David was doing something to help out the wife.

You see, David is the husband of University of Iowa women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder, who is pictured at the right.

And, these days, Lisa needs all the help she can get.

The University of Iowa has the reputation of being a place that really supports its athletic teams.

You know it, I know it.

I mean, Hawkeye football games are always sold out.

At least that's what we're told.

There have been plenty of empty seats in the student section late this season, so I'm assuming the kids have found something more interesting to do on Saturdays than watch the football team.

Leave it to the kids. They always find interesting things to do at the expense of the football team.

Heck, I was in the press box in all those years when Iowa lost all the time. When Jerry Burns, Ray Nagel, Frank Lauterbur, Bob Commings and even Hayden Fry were coaching the Hawkeyes, there was 19 straight non-winning seasons.

Even in those years, the team drew big crowds.

And bowl games absolutely love the Hawkeyes. At least the people who manage the bowl games love 'em.

Those bowl scouts who run around in idiotic, brightly-colored blazers always say the Hawkeyes "travel well."

That's bowl-speak for saying Hawkeye fans love to go to places like Florida, Texas and Arizona for games in December and January.

A big reason for that is that Iowans don't have anything else to do at that time of year. I guess they haven't learned yet from the kids.

The planes carrying fans are always old out. Money seems to be no issue. Schedule a bowl game and Hawkeye fans will be there.

But now back to David Bluder.

I told you about how he was trying to give away basketball tickets yesterday to the Iowa-Drake women's game last night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Evidently, there weren't many takers. At least not enough of them.

The game -- which was won by Iowa, 62-50, attracted only 2,580 customers at 15,500-seat Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

At least that's what the "announced crowd" was.

In other words, the 2,580 included season ticketholders and maybe even no-shows.

I don't know what you think, but I think a gathering of 2,580 for an Iowa-Drake game is pretty sad. Bad, too.

It makes me wonder about the future of the Hawkeye women's program under Lisa Bluder, who is paid nearly a half-million dollars to coach the team.

But, of course, I've been wondering that for several seasons, and she still keeps her job.

I keep hearing that the main problem with Hawkeye women's basketball is apathy among people.

That's different, of course, from how folks felt about Iowa men's basketball when Steve Alford was the coach.

Apathy wasn't the problem with Alford. People just didn't like him.

Lisa Bluder's team averaged only 4,132 for 15 home games last season.

I've always been told that this state is a hotbed for girls' and women's basketball. I mean, I was there when Denise Long used to score a thousand points a game. I was there when Wayne Cooley opened the doors at Veterans Memorial Auditorium and entire towns spilled into the place.

But you'd never know Iowans care about their women's basketball by those Hawkeye attendance figures.

I'd say David Bluder had better get more aggressive.

When he goes to Solon or whatever town around Iowa City in the future to give away tickets, he maybe should offer fans a ham for Christmas along with the ticket to the next game.

I remember a time once when they let people in free to an Iowa women's game so they could set a record.

I think the famous Vivian Stringer was coaching the Hawkeyes then.

Maybe they should try that again.

Let's let profits from the football team pay for Lisa Bluder's basketball scholarships.

Hell, I don't know. Maybe they already do.

*

Sometimes I'm not very patient.

I'll tell you another women's basketball team that better get it going.

I mean Drake.

The Bulldogs, coming off that memorable finish last season when they won the Missouri Valley Conference's postseason tournament at the Knapp Center, are favored to win the regular-season championship this season.

But so far they haven't shown me much.

They lost their home opener to Wisconsin-Green Bay, 78-66, before 2,732 fans at the Knapp Center before losing at Iowa last night.

I think Drake's program under Amy Stephens should be at a point where the Bulldogs beat teams like Iowa.

Like I said, sometimes I'm not very patient.

Now, Nathan, About That Full-Ride Scholarship

Obviously, it's never too early for Nathan [right], my 10-year-old grandson, to start putting together his Christmas wish list.

Among the things on the list was this:

"A full scholarship to Iowa State to study architecture."

That prompted his 8-year-old sister, Megan [left], to tell him:

"You know, Nate, that's the ONLY thing you would get!"

Versatile Dick Dietl, 77, Is Saying Goodbye To Iowa Again

I'm sure there have been others, but Dick Dietl is the only guy I know who made the progression from major-college sports information director to major-college athletic director.

That's an unlikely move for anyone, but it was a sign of Dietl's talent and versatility 30 years ago that he became the athletic director at West Texas State.

Dietl, now 77, spent three years at the university in Canyon, TX. West Texas State was then in the Missouri Valley Conference -- a league Dietl knew a lot about.

After being the sports information director at Northern Iowa from 1963-1970, he handled the same job at Drake from 1970-1977.

Drake and Northern Iowa have had some good ones over the years, and Dietl was one of the best.

He was the athletic director at West Texas State in 1977, 1978 and 1979 at a time when the school was undergoing considerable change.

I recall being on a trip with Drake for a game in Canyon -- a depressing place in the panhandle -- when Dietl was West Texas' athletic director.

I was walking outside the arena on a Saturday morning while the Bulldogs were finishing a morning practice session when a guy dressed in ragged clothes and a beaten-up straw hat was sitting on a curb.

"Hey, do you want to split a pint?" he asked me.

I assume he wasn't talking about sharing a pint of orange juice, even though my watch said it was about 11 a.m.

The reason I'm bringing Dietl's name up now is that he contacted me in the last couple of days to tell me he's on the move again.

"I'm going back to work in sports with the Oregon Ducks," he told me. "I fly to Eugene, Ore., on Thursday and will reside in the same apartment complex as before on Cal Young Road."

Dietl has lived in Cedar Falls the past six months after suffering a stroke Sept. 10, 2006.

"I had spent 10 years in Oregon," he said. "I moved to Cedar Falls because two of my children were living here.

"Why the quick switch [in deciding to move back to Oregon?] My health has improved in the past six months. I still can't drive [because of the stroke] and it is very difficult getting around in Cedar Falls without a car. Also, there's poor bus service that stops before 6 p.m. and isn't in service on weekends.

"Dave Williford [a former Drake sports information director who is now in that job at the University of Oregon] was kind enough to accept me back working basketball, football and possibly softball with the Ducks.

"I have appreciated being with Rick and Carrie [his children] and their families, but they have built their own lives."

The timing is perfect for Dietl in his return to Oregon. The Ducks' football team is presently ranked No. 2 nationally and could be playing for the national championship later this season.

By the way, Dietl is still writing.

"The novella I am attempting to write is coming along, but will improve when the lady involved in the story is closer at hand," he said. "Pat Hilton is a strong Christian lady who has a powerful story to tell.

"She also is a No. 1 baseball nut and we met at a high school game in Canby, OR. No romance here, just mutual respect and the love of baseball. She has two talented grandsons -- a pitcher and a catcher. Power students to boot. Duke material in the classroom. They're in college now, but should transfer to Oregon to be a part of the new team."

Dietl said the book he's writing "will turn out to be religious. It's basically about murder and rape. I haven't picked a title for it yet."

Dietl says he's "using a power chair now for long trips, but I can get by with a walker or a cane for short trips until the pain gets too great. I hope to get some help on this, something I did not find from doctors in Cedar Falls."

Let Me Tell You About My Adventures With Dish Network

I guess I haven't given you an update on my adventures with the Dish satellite TV situation.

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I planned to dump Mediacom and switch to Dish because I thought the satellite operation had more things beneficial to me.

I could get the Big Ten network now and I could get more Chicago Cub games later. What a deal.

And, the way I had it figured, I'd be paying about $10 a month less for Dish than I now pay Mediacom.

Besides, I had already dropped Mediacom's Internet service, in favor of Quest, because -- for some reason -- I seemed to be without the Internet more than I had it.

So, after thinking I was all set to have Dish for my TV service, I called an 800 number to set up an installation appointment.

Immediately, I had problems.

I was telling the guys at my sportswriters' lunch group about all of this earlier this week, and they thought they'd heard a similar story in some kind of movie or TV show.

Well, I'm glad I'm not the first guy to have this stuff happen.

Still, it doesn't make it any simpler.

Anyway, those guys thought I should share the story with my readers.

So here goes....

After calling Dish's 800 number, a representative of the company who seemed to be a nice enough person said a truck would pull into my driveway "sometime between noon and 5 p.m." last Thursday.

We've all been through that before, haven't we?

You call a guy out to fix your dishwasher and you're told he'll be there between noon and 5.

Even the Friendly Maytag Guy can't do any better than that.

Fine enough.

So last Thursday morning I got a call from a guy, who I assume was using his cell phone.

I'll call him Ben because I later found out he had the name Ben printed on his business card.

"Can I come over there and do my installation work this morning instead of this afternoon?" Ben said.

Oh, good, i thought. I'll be getting this job done earlier in the day.

"How long will it take you?" I asked.

"About three hours," he said.

"Well, there's just one problem," I said. "I've got to leave the house at 11 a.m. and I'll be gone for a couple hours."

It turned out our lunch group was meeting that day with Drake football coach Steve Loney, Drake sports information director Mike Mahon and Drake historian, 90-year-old Paul Morrison.

Drake was buying, so that's why all the sportswriters were eager to be there.

So I figured I'd wait at home until Ben arrived in his big white panel truck.

But I didn't see him or hear from him before I left for the 11:30 lunch.

No problem yet. I figured Ben would show up after I got home at 1 p.m.

Again, I didn't see him or hear from him.

But at 5 p.m., there was a knock at my door.

I looked outside and the white panel truck was sitting there in the driveway.

Ben was at the door, another guy was sitting in the passenger side.

"I'm here to install Dish," Ben said.

"You're not going to have time, are you?" I asked. "You said it would take three hours."

"I'll have time," Ben said.

But I felt twilight approaching. And, don't forget, we still had Daylight Time then. I knew it would be dark by about 6 p.m.

Frankly, I didn't want two guys crawling around on my roof after dark.

Not unless one of them was Santa Claus.

Ben sent the other guy to my backyard with a big ladder.

That's the last I saw of the other guy for a while.

Ben came into the house. He began asking me questions about telephone lines and where they were installed.

"You're asking me things I know nothing about," I said. "I'll have to call my son to tell you that stuff."

Ben didn't realize he was dealing with someone who had spent most of his life trying to avoid having anything to do with phone lines, electrical outlets and duct tape.

I also tried to avoid nuts and bolts, but Ben was starting to come across as one of the biggest nuts I've ever had to deal with.

"You know what," Ben said, "I still have a job to do in Bondurant. Do you want to put this job off until Sunday?"

"Why Sunday?" I asked.

"Because they've got me heavily scheduled every other day of the week," Ben said. "Sunday is the only day I don't have any jobs."

I figured Ben's problems with his company shouldn't influence when he installed Dish at my home but -- again -- I went along with him.

All right, I thought. Ben can be here early in the day and get the job done during daylight hours.

"That's fine," I said, "but we're going to church Sunday morning and we have something scheduled at 3 p.m."

The 3 p.m. spot on the schedule was the wedding reception for Nancy Clark and Dave Stockdale in downtown Des Moines.

"I'll be there at 10 a.m.," Ben said. "But will you do me a favor and call me at 9 a.m. so I make sure I wake up?"

"Sure," I said.

I should've known better.

I stayed home most of Saturday, watching various football games on TV. Obviously, I still hadn't cancelled my Mediacom account.

Thank goodness.

But in my e-mail Saturday was a statement for my first month's charges with Dish. I had subscribed to a premium account, so I knew what to expect on the statement -- but I didn't think I'd get a bill before the installation was complete.

That didn't get the weekend off to a real good start.

And it didn't make me feel any better when someone from the Dish home office called Saturday afternoon to ask why the installation wasn't complete.

"Because the guy was late getting here," I explained.

So, when Sunday morning arrived, I knew what I was going to tell Ben when I saw him--or if I saw him.

I was going to tell him to shove it.

I can be good at that kind of stuff.

At 9 a.m., I called his phone number, as instructed.

No answer.

I left a message.

"Don't come over here until you talk to me," I said.

Ben called me at 9:30.

He began calling me "Sir" right away. He must've called me "Sir" a half-dozen times.

I think he knew I was pissed.

"Listen, I don't want you coming over here today or any other day," I told him.

"I'm cancelling this order and I'll be calling your home office to tell them."

I still have two large rolls of telephone wire in my home that belong to Dish. They can have 'em whenever they want to pick them up.

But I don't expect to see Ben.

At least I hope I never see him again.

'The Most Important Decision You Will Ever Make'

With the collegiate basketball season about to open, the timing of this is perfect.

I was doing some cleanup work around my home today and came across a pamphlet the late Maury John authored after he had become ill with inoperable cancer more than 30 years ago.

Maury then was coaching at Iowa State. He had gone there in 1971 after building a 211-131 record at Drake from 1958-1971.

Without a doubt, John was the finest coach Drake ever had, as well as one of the best in the nation.

I considered it a privilege to cover many of his games.

Drake has been playing basketball for more than 100 years, and John owned the best five records in school history -- 26-5 in 1968-69, 22-7 in 1969-70, 21-7 1963-64, 21-8 in 1970-71 and 19-7 in 1960-61.

His 1968-69 team finished third in the Final Four at Lousville, Ky., after almost upsetting John Wooden's UCLA team on opening night. The Bruins won, 85-82.

In addition to his incredible coaching ability, John was also a very spiritual man. That was clearly illustrated in the pamphlet he wrote that was titled "The Winning Way."

Here's what he wrote:

"The Winning Way"

By Coach Maury John

Coaching basketball and working with young men has been a way of life for me. It was a privilege to coach high school and junior college teams but my ambition in life was to ooach on the college level. When I was hired as the head basketball coach of Drake University in 1958, it was an answer to my prayers. Nothing was too difficult. I worked hard and long.

Coaching big time basketball, winning conference championships and playing in the world series of collegiate basketball was a tremendous thrill. Coaching the Drake University basketball team, one of the four top teams in the nation along with UCLA, Purdue and North Carolina, was the goal in life I had been striving for. Then to top it all, I was slected the National College Coach of the Year by the "Basketball Writers of America." I was on "Cloud Nine." My success gave me personal satisfaction. At times I found myself setting my affections on the things of this world. I have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour and so had my wife, Jean. She always managed to remind me that the Lord was directing my life as well as my work.

In the spring of 1971, I had accepted another coaching position at Iowa State University. After two years of rebuilding the program, I felt that as the 1973-1974 season opened, we had a team that was capable of competing for the Big Eight championship. What I didn't know was that a much greater and personal challenge was facing me.

In December of 1973, I was preparing for an important ame. I felt rather tired and hadn't been sleeping well. I decided I'd better have a physical examination. During the course of the tests the doctor discovered a tumor at the base of my esophogus that was malignant and inoperable. My only alternative was chemotherapy. I had not experienced any pain or discomfort whatsoever. I will never forget my thoughts. This can't be happening to me! Please help me God! I remembered the first Bible verse I ever learned, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," John 3:16.

Through all the misery and uncertainty of my illness, I had much time to think and pray for understanding of God's will in my life and courage to face it. I have had excellent doctors and nurses, but the greatest Physician of all is in charge. He will decide if I am to win the most important game of my life.

Ask yourself if you were to have a fatal accident or a terminal illness, do you know that you would go to Heaven? My prayer is that you are not depending on your goodness, position or church membership. The Bible says: "Ye must be born again," John 3:7. "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast," Ephesians 2:8-9. "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved," Romans 10:13.

One day we will all stand before God and give an account of ourselves. I urge you to invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart. Ask Him to forgive you for your sins and to be the Lord of your life.

This is the most important decision will you will ever make.

Tom Davis Stays Home From Son Keno's First Game--But He'll 'Probably Be Yelling At the Radio For What Play To Call'

 

Keno Davis' first official game as Drake's 24th men's basketball coach is Friday against UC-San Diego in the Saint Mary's Classic at Moraga, Calif.

Keno [pictured at the top] was named the Bulldogs' coach last March 21 after his dad, Tom, took Drake to a 17-15 record that was the school's best in 20 seasons.

"Keno, is your dad making this trip?" I asked the New Kid On the Block this afternoon.

"He's not going to make this trip," Keno said. "But I hope to see him on many trips [later this season]."

Paul Morrison, the 90-year-old Drake historian who said Keno Davis is the 13th basketball coach he has observed at the university, said it doesn't surprise him that Tom [right] is staying away from his son's opener.

"Tom wants to remain as low-key as possible," Morrison explained.

"He was at both of our exhibition games," Keno said of his dad. "He was hesitant to tell me what he thought of the games, but when I was driving home I called him to have him tell me what he thought of every perspective -- the newcomers, the offense, the defense and where he thought we were compared to last year.

"I'm open to all advice he wants to give because he's been through it more than a couple years. He's been very helpful in this transition year."

"So you're saying he plans to listen to the radio to get the results of this game?" I asked.

"I'm sure he'll be listening intently, and probably will have some ideas," Keno said. " He'll probably be yelling at the radio for me to put some substitutions in, or what play to call."

Seriously....

"It's been fun not only working for him the last four years, but now having him around," Keno said. "It's fun bouncing ideas off any coach, but to have that coach be your father is a great experience for me."

Tom Davis won 598 games in a 32-season collegiate career. He was the winningest coach at the University of Iowa before going into a short retirement that ended when Drake needed a coach.

So Long, Heidi Soliday. But, After 31 Years, Channel 8 Should've Sent You Out the Door More Gracefully

Well, adios, Heidi.

It was good working alongside you on the sports beat all those years.

You were a class act, and you gave it your best shot at channel 8.

But the TV business can be cruel.

You know it. I know it.

At 54 years of age, you're supposed to know more than you knew at 24, 34 or 44.

But it never seems to work that way -- especially, and unfortunately, when you're a woman.

You were on the same set with white-haired Kevin Cooney for all those years, and he's evidently home free until he decides working the 6 and 10 newscasts is starting to seem like work.

Channel 8 always leads the ratings, so they obviously won't run Cooney off --just like they didn't run Russ Van Dyke off or Paul Rhodes off.

It didn't help that you had to work in the same town as Keith Murphy, but I still think the station could have found a more graceful way to send you out the door after 31 years.

Good luck in the future, Heidi.

You did it as well as anyone could have done it.

*

I've heard from two or three guys who think they know why Lute Olson is taking a leave of absence as Arizona's basketball coach.

If they're right, it's not pretty, and Olson's ego takes a pretty good beating.

*

R. H. of Des Moines had some football and non-football thoughts on his mind when he sent this e-mail:

Hi, Ron,

I have a smile on face today, now that Detroit will not be on any destination lists for Iowa Hawkeyes fans. Always leave it to Ron Zook and Sparty to find a way to shoot themselves in the foot when it comes to winning games. Oh, about those Michigan State Spartans, it doesn't matter who is the coach, the culture of "playing not to lose" will continue to the the motto in East Lansing.

I wanted to pass this along, courtesy of the Des Moines Register. It seems as though Gannett is sending another Register guy out to the Burlington (VT) Free-Press:

Brad Robertson, vice president of advertising at the Des Moines Register, has been named president and publisher at The Burlington Free Press in Vermont. He will be replaced at the Register by Kevin Hall, retail advertising director.

Hall, who has been with the Register since 2003, was a Gannett Award for Excellence winner for outstanding contributions as a retail advertising director during 2004. He also received The Des Moines Register Publishers Special Achievement Award in 2007.

Robertson became director of business development at the Des Moines Register in 2003, and vice president of business development in 2004. He was named vice president of advertising for Des Moines a few months later.

The Gannett mafia must love sending folks from Des Moines to Burlington, because the good folks over there doesn't deserve another ogre. Here's hoping that Mr. Robertson has some humanity and humility to the Free Press staff.

The Iowa Conference title is on the line this Saturday as undefeated Central (9-0, 7-0) travels to Waverly to play Wartburg (8-1, 7-0) to close out the regular season. This will be the first time since 1989 that two teams will meet without a loss in conference play. The winner will be the Iowa Conference champions, and receive the automatic bid to the Division III playoffs.

Kickoff at Walston-Hoover Stadium is 1 p.m.

I'm anticipating a full house in Waverly for this big game!!

(Though I'm wondering how much coverage this game will get here in Des Moines with the Register and our fine television stations on Saturday? Time will tell.)

R.H.
Des Moines

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: R. H., thanks for the news. Robertson joins Register alumnus Mike Townsend at the Vermont paper. Unless he was run off recently, Townsend is the editor at Burlington. In Des Moines, he was a managing editor who was disliked by everybody, including the night janitor and the guy who washed windows on weekends. We'll see how he gets along with Robertson. I expect the capacity crowd Saturday at Waverly to see a tremendous game between Wartburg and Central. Regardless of which team wins, I hope both teams advance to the playoffs because they've had such a strong season].

Lute Olson's Absence Results In More Questions Than Answers

 

The most intrigung piece of sports news floating around today is the leave of absence Lute Olson is taking as the basketball coach at the University of Arizona.

The reason it's so intriguing is that the former Iowa coach [pictured at the right] hasn't said why he's taking a break just before the season is starting.

He says it's not health-related, and I'm sure that subject has been brought up by more than a few people who know Olson.

After all, it was just a few months ago that some were wondering if Olson, who is 73, was having some physical problems because he seemed to be displaying some shakiness that resembled Parkinson's Disease.

People thought they noticed Olson's hands shaking. I even thought his face was shaking when I saw a close-up of him during an Arizona game on TV last season.

Olson denied he had Parkinson's or any disease like it.

He indicated those rumors were brought up by people who wanted to sabotage his recruiting.

The fact that Olson hasn't said why he's taking a leave makes everything all that mor mysterious.

Kevin O'Neill, who was hired to replace longtime loyal assistant coach Jim Rosborough -- a former Iowa staff member -- last spring, will be doing the coaching while Olson is out of action.

O'Neill figures to be the guy who will succeed Olson whenever old Silver Hair decides he's finally had enough.

I think Olson was unfair to Rosborough in dumping him, but I've disagreed with a lot of things Lute has done over the years.

However, I hope Olson isn't facing a problem now that can't be corrected, and that he'll be able to return as Arizona's coach if that's what he wants to do.

*

I get sick a lot easier than I used to -- and I'm not talking about illnesses related to my overall health.

I'm talking about preseason collegiate basketball games.

If a basketball team goes to a postseason tournament, it already plays more than 30 games a season.

Add a foreign trip and a few preseason games into the formula and you've got maybe 40 games.

That's ridiculous.

Right now, I'm sick of all these preseason games that are being played.

The major-college men's and women's teams in our state load up on games against Coe, Cornell [the college, not the university], Central and any vagabond team coming through town in an SUV it can find that'll schedule a game.

The worst thing those major-college programs do is charge people an admission price to come to the games.

I mean, having to pay to see Iowa sleepwalk through a 56-30 victory over Simpson sounds like spending a month in a torture chamber.

If Iowa has to play Simpson or if Iowa State has to play something called EA Sports [which sounds more like a vitamin pill company than a basketball team], schedule the games for a Saturday morning before a football game and let people in free.

Let's end this silliness.

*

We had a good time yesterday at the wedding reception held for Nancy Clark and Dave Stockdale at the Plaza Condominiums in downtown Des Moines.

Nancy and Dave were married Oct. 23 in Miami Beach, Fla. The photo I took of them yesterday is at the top of this column.

Dave is a retired Des Moines Register sportswriter and sports copy editor. Nancy is a former Register sports columnist who is now a sports copy editor at the paper.

It was good to see such folks as Gene and Mary Raffensperger, Buck and Mary Jay Turnbull, Dave Randall, Bryce Miller, Larry and Linda Lehmer, Andrew Logue, Dave Peterson, Suzanne Nelson, Marc and Jody Hansen and others from the Register.

Assorted others from the paper weren't invited. That was a good thing, too.

Hawkeye Fans Can Cross Detroit Off Their Holiday Travel Plans

The way I look at it, the best thing that happened to Iowa's football team yesterday was that the Hawkeyes are no longer candidates for the Motor City Bowl.

Hey, listen, Iowa with a 7-5 record is going to be able to thumb its nose at the Dec. 26 game in Detroit in a bigtime way.

The Hawkeyes will certainly finish the regular season 7-5 now that they escaped Northwestern, 28-17.

Was that a classic choke job by the Wildcats or what?

I prefer to look at it as a case of Kirk Ferentz outcoaching Pat Fitzgerald.

Minnesota and Western Michigan come to Iowa City on the next two Saturdays, and I'd be betting the farm -- if I had one -- that Iowa will win both games.

So, goodbye Motor City Bowl and hello Insight Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., or some other warm-weather postseason game.

*

The best part of Iowa State's 31-20 victory over Kansas State was that it showed the Cyclones haven't given up on the season.

It's a tribute to the coaching job Gene Chizik is doing in his first season that his team hasn't quit.

It would've been easy to throw in the towel after successive losses to Toledo, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri.

But Chizik and Co. cranked it up yesterday to beat a Kansas State team that should have been ashamed of itself with the way it played -- or the way Iowa State made the Wildcats play.

Let's hope Bill Snyder, the former Iowa assistant coach who worked so hard to build K-State's program into one a national presence, was on a cruise in the south Pacific.

Having to watch that debacle from a Kansas State perspective would have shortened a man's life by 10 years.

*

Neither Iowa nor Iowa State is going to finish the regular season the way I predicted, but they'll be close.

I said Iowa would go 8-4. Instead, the Hawkeyes will go 7-5.

I predicted a 4-8 finish for Iowa State. I figure the Cyclones will beat Colorado next Saturday and lose to Kansas for a 3-9 finish.

*

It's hard to tell which team should be embarrassed more -- Nebraska or Notre Dame.

The end of the season can't come soon enough for both of those sad-sack teams.

By the way, goodbye Cornhusker coach Bill Callahan, in the event you were wondering.

Preferably sooner rather than later.

And Notre Dame's Charlie Weis? He now knows how Bob Davie felt.

Hey, pretty soon there aren't going to be enough TV jobs open to ex-Notre Dame coaches.

*

Iowa [right] and Iowa State [left] photos courtesy of the Associated Press.

Cloris Leachman, 81, Returns To Des Moines --- And She Looks Like a Million

Sometimes a busy schedule has a way of paying off.

We weren't able to attend "Tuesdays With Morrie" at the The Des Moines Playhouse on our scheduled night this week, but we were able to trade in our tickets for Friday night's performance instead.

Talk about getting lucky.

Everyone in the building received a bonus before and during the play.

Des Moines native Cloris Leachman, the Academy Award-winning actress, put in a surprise [to me anyway] on-stage performance.

Dressed in a million-dollar dress -- well, I'm sure it really didn't cost a million, but on the 81-year-old Leachman it looked like a million bucks -- she had fun with the audience for several minutes after being introduced by Playhouse executive director John Viars.

I'm certain Leachman's performance was tied in with the the appearance of Mishler, 83, in his outstanding role as Morrie Schwartz in "Tuesdays With Morrie" -- which is in its final few performances at the Playhouse.

Mishler made his Playhouse debut in 1942 with Leachman in "Ah, Wilderness!"

The acting careers of Mishler and Leachman took opposite routes after that.

Leachman went to Hollywood, Mishler stayed in community theater.

Leachman was born April 20, 1926 in Des Moines, and began performing at 7 years of age. She worked at the Drake Children's Theater, and -- as a teen-ager -- appeared on three local radio shows. She attended Roosevelt High School and Northwestern University.

She won the 1971 best supporting actress award for her performance as Ruth Popper in "The Last Picture Show."

*

Photo of Cloris Leachman [above] courtesy of Google. Photo of Craig Petersen [right] in the role of Mitch Albom and Jack Mishler as Morrie Schwartz in "Tuesdays With Morrie" courtesy of The Des Moines Playhouse.

'We're Not the Same Team,' Loney Says After Drake's 33-0 Loss

Morehead State forced Drake into six turnovers as the Eagles spoiled the homecoming of former coach Steve Loney with a 33-0 Pioneer Football League victory today.

"We haven't played well in our last three road games," said Loney, who served as Morehead State's coach from 1981-83. "We're not the same team."

Morehead State limited Drake to a season-low 111 yards total offense.

Meanwhile, the Eagles rolled up 399 yards total offense, while controlling the line of scrimmage with 38 minutes six seconds in time of possession.

"We fought field position the entire game and some of that was our own doing," added Loney, whose team fell to 6-4 overall, including a 3-3 league mark. "We never got good field position. Our ball security was bad and we didn't do a good job with pass protection."

Morehead State, which entered the game leading the Football Championship Subdivision in rushing defense allowing opponents only 22.5 yards per game, held Drake to minus five yards rushing in 22 carries.

Drake ball carriers rushed for 41 yards, but the Bulldogs had minus 46 yards in team rushing because of two poor center snaps on punts.

For the second consecutive road game a miscue in Drake's special teams proved critical.

On the Bulldogs' first possession of the game punter Brandon Wubs had the snap from center Travis Klatt at the 26 Drake yard line sail over his head into the end zone, resulting in a safety.

Then the Eagles parlayed a interception thrown by Drake quarterback Derek Retherford into their first touchdown.

Behind runs of 13 and seven yards by Scott Phaydavong, the Bulldogs marched to the Morehead State 37-yard line late in the first quarter before safety Bryan Gray halted the drive by picking off a Retherford pass at the 33 yardline.

Six plays later Jerrod Pendleton scored on a one-yard burst to push the Eagles' lead to 9-0 with 14:02 left in the second quarter.

Pendleton added a two-yard touchdown run with 1:10 left in the second quarter.

Senior tight end Daniel Marx had a game-high five receptions for 30 yards for Drake, while junior receiver Zach Brower caught four passes for 73 yards.

Senior fullback Willie Cashmore led Drake with 31 yards on the ground in five carries. Scott Phaydavong rushed for 23 yards in seven carries.

Linebacker Stephen Platek led Drake with 11 tackles, while senior safety Andy Green had 10 tackles. Freshman linebacker Matt Murphy and senior cornerback Tyler Marley had interceptions for Drake.

Drake will close the season at home next Saturday against Dayton at 1 p.m.

"We need to learn from this and come back," said Loney. "We have a lot of seniors who have played a lot of good football for Drake and will be closing out their college careers next week."

*

This story was written for Ron Maly's web page by Drake sports information director Mike Mahon.

Hawkeye Basketball Player Tony Freeman Will Miss 4 To 6 Weeks Because Of Foot Injury

University of Iowa junior guard Tony Freeman suffered a fracture to the fifth metatarsal in his left foot during Iowa’s exhibition basketball victory over Simpson last night.

The surgical screw was inserted today by Dr. Brian Wolf of the university's sports mediciine clinic. Freeman is expected to be out of action four to six weeks.

The native of Maywood, IL played in all 31 games a year ago, with 17 starts. He led the team with an assist average of 3.7 while averaging 7.5 points and 2.9 rebounds. per game.

Freeman was in the starting lineup against Simpson, collecting four points, one rebound, one assist and one steal in 8 minutes before leaving the game.

“It’s unfortunate for Tony and we all wish him a speedy recovery,” said Iowa coach Todd Lickliter. “Injuries are a part of athletics and a part of life. Tony has worked extremely hard to be ready for the start of the season. Our staff and players will have to make the necessary adjustments until Tony returns for the majority of the season.”

Iowa opens the season Nov. 9 against Idaho State in Carver-Hawkeye Arena at 8:05 p.m.

*

This story was written for Ron Maly's web page by Steve Roe of the University of Iowa sports information office. The photo of Tony Freeman courtesy of Google.