Dordt College Gets a Laugh Out Of My Sally Mason Joke: 'We're Doing Just Fine Without Her, But She's Welcome To Apply If We Have An Opening'

You may recall that I was having fun with the Sally Mason situation the other day at the University of Iowa when I inserted Dordt College of Sioux Center into the picture.

Mason [pictured at the left] is the lady who is obviously in over her head as the school president in Iowa City.

Others evidently feel the same way.

The State Board of Regents denied Mason a pay raise because of her role in the sexual assault mess at her school.

That, of course, is like the pot calling the kettle black. The Board of Regents is an idiotic group that should have been put to sleep the last time Mike Gartner was whacked with a no-confidence vote.

"With the heat on," I wrote, "don't be surprised if you hear that Mason has decided to move to New Hampshire or Estonia so she can write a book about higher education.

"Obviously, the quicker she's gone from Iowa City, the better...I suppose her friends will say she's the victim of bad advice, but she's the boss and the responsibility is hers."

I went on to jokingly say that Mason might be teaching classes at Dordt sometime in the future.

That immediately got the attention of a good guy named Mike Byker, the sports information director at Dordt, who is pictured at the right.

Byker got hold of Scott Pierce, Drake's football and women's basketball radio play-by-play announcer and a frequent contributor to my columns. Byker was trying to reach me, but didn't have my e-mail address.

The next day, I heard from Pierce, who was told by Byker: "I'm a longtime reader of Ron Maly's blog, and you are mentioned several times. In a recent blog he commented Sally Mason would end up teaching at Dordt College.

"I will say I got a laugh out of that. We're doing just fine without her, but she's welcome to apply if we have an opening."

Pierce relayed this comment to me in regard to what Byker said: "If you want to hear from all of Iowa's colleges, rewrite the piece and insert their names. I have a feeling they would say the same thing as Mike."

I even heard through the grapevine that somebody else made this comment about Mason: "Please, please don't send her to Dordt. Maybe an out-of-state college would be willing to take her off the Iowa taxpayers' hands. I wouldn't even wish her on Northwestern."

That's a good one.

Northwestern College in Orange City is Dordt's big rival.

*

I got hold of Byker via e-mail yesterday, and asked him to give me some information about Dordt.

"We have an enrollment of about 1,400," he said. "We're affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church [CRC]. We have varsity sports in football, men's and women's cross-country, volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track, softball, baseball, men's and women's tennis, club hockey and lacrosse.

"Our women's cross-country team is ranked No. 22 in the NAIA, women's volleyball is ranked No. 15 nationally, women's soccer currently leads the Great Plains Athletic Conference with a 4-0 record.

"We just started our football program. We're taking some lumps right now, but we look at it as a building process. We're trying to remain patient."

Dordt's football team is 0-4 and has been shut out in three of the losses.

*

[Photos at the top of this column [bottom to top] are of the B.J. Haan Auditorium, the chapel named after Dordt's first president, and DeWitt Gym, the home of the volleyball and basketball teams. Photos courtesy of Dordt College].

1953 Wilson Class Aids C.R. Czech Village Flood Relief Fund; Plus, Read Jan Joens' Story About George Joens' Chicken Salad!

In a recent column, I wrote that when members of my 1953 graduating class at Wilson High School in Cedar Rapids gathered for their 55th reunion in August, the main topic of conversation was the flooding that ravaged the city this past summer.

Now I'm told that our class did a nice thing financially for the Czech Village, the area where many of Wilson's students grew up and where some still live.

Lyle Matthews, who has done such a fine job of serving as chairman of the last couple reunions of the '53 class, said he sent a check for $259 to US Bank to be deposited in the Czech Village Flood Relief Fund.

"It took forever to find a fund that was specific for the Czech area," Lyle said. "The $259 is the balance of money left from the reunion."

That was a smart move because I got a first-hand look at the damage [pictured] the flooding did to businesses in the Czech Village on 16th Avenue Southwest in Cedar Rapids.

The day I saw what had happened, I wouldn't have bet much on a recovery. But, just like our '53 class, business owners in the Czech Village have shown plenty of toughness in the past -- and I'm sure they'll give it their best to reopen in the future.

*

Continuing on the subject of the flooding, I received this e-mail from Jan Joens, a '53 classmate:

"Ron, that was a very nice article regarding Wilson High School's 55th class reunion," wrote Jan, who is the wife of Frank Joens.

"I am writing to tell you an interesting story about one of our classmates, who was adversely affected by the Iowa flood of 2008.

"Frank’s brother, George Joens, owned a business for 52 years in the Czech Village in the old MeToo grocery store building on 16th Avenue. The back part of the building housed a sports bar called CJ’s which has been quite successful over the years. George converted the front part of the building into four shop spaces that included a Merle Norman cosmetic business, and had recently made his wine shop [selling wines imported from Czechoslovakia] into a tea room called Maria’s, named after his grandmother, who had migrated to America from Czechoslovakia.

"To accomplish this, he used one of the four shop spaces for the kitchen. The fourth shop had just been vacated by a hair salon business. The middle of the building was where George had his floor covering [carpet, linoleum, tile], draperies and furniture. He was also heavily invested in collectible prints which tied into a picture-framing business that he also had there.

"The day before the flood came, he and other shop owners were alerted that they would indeed have 'some' flooding, so he put furniture and carpet samples up about 2 feet, thinking that would protect him.

"The funny part of this story is that on the way home that night, George remembered that they had just bought two containers of chicken salad to use in the tea room and he figured that, if the power went off, that could end up pretty smelly before he could get back to it, so…..he drove back and got the chicken salad……and left the expensive collectible prints in the racks and hanging on the walls. Just like a Bohemie to think of saving the chicken salad first!

"Unfortunately, the floodwaters were up to the ceiling in all parts of his business. He wasn’t able to get into the store for almost a week until all the water receded. It was unbelievable devastation, not to mention the smell. Furniture that had been in one area of the store, floated to the opposite corner, carpet, draperies, pictures, Merle Norman cosmetics, dishes and décor from the Tea room were all covered with a slimy toxic muck and to make matters worse, the ceiling tile fell on top of it all and pulverized so the only way to remove it was with a shovel. Of course, there was no flood insurance, which was the case with most of the store owners on The Avenue.

"The Czechs are hard-working people, so we got right to work with the clean-up. We started with five family members and at times there were upwards of 20 people working in a day. His huge parking lot was covered with damaged goods hauled out of the building. At times the piles were 20 feet wide by 10 feet high. People were amazing in their offers to help. Churches and city groups offered volunteers daily, and the Salvation Army and American Red Cross drove their trucks around several times a day offering face masks, cleaning supplies, bottles of water and sack lunches and the city trucks picked up the debris several times a day.

"One of the church groups sent a family of five from Zeeland, Michigan. It was a couple in their 40s with three children, ages 14, 16 and 17. They drove their motor home to Iowa, towing their car behind that was loaded with a wheelbarrow and tools necessary for the clean-up. They parked their motor home on an empty lot in Fairfax provided by one of the church members and came every day for a week and worked like beavers. It was hot and sticky and no one complained…..even the teenagers. They wouldn’t take any compensation. They just did it out of compassion for others struck by a tragedy. It was truly humbling for George and Frank to witness such generosity and caring.

"The good news is that George is well on his way to rebuilding with the help of his four boys and Frank. He plans to enlarge the tea room, as it was just emerging as a booming business. The Merle Norman shop is returning and George will continue to do business as a floor covering merchant. CJ’s Sports Bar is re-opening as well.

"Frank said, if there is a silver lining to this, George has cleaned up an accumulation of 52 years of 'stuff' and is going to have a brand new interior to re-start his business."

*

My thanks to Jan for providing that information.

In addition, I was told by Connie Dolezal Kullmer, another '53 classmate, that Carol Moneypenny Miller's husband, Arlo, wasn't able to attend the reunion because of a lawn mower accident.

I wanted more information on that, so this is what Jan Joens told me:

"This is what I know. Arlo was on a riding mower, cutting his front lawn. Evidently there is a ditch in front and, as he was entering the decline, the mower tipped and when he fell the blades cut his heel off.

"Carol was in the backyard, unaware of the mishap, so Arlo crawled to the shed [bleeding profusely] and got to a phone to call 911. When the ambulance came, Carol heard the commotion, but didn't realize it was in her own front yard until a neighbor came running to tell her that Arlo was hurt.

"This happened almost a year ago and the doctors were never able to get the heel quite closed up and healed. He started having infections and this last one invaded the bone so they had to do more surgery to try and clean it out. They put it in a cast and had to leave it drain so it could heal. This was done in early September...."

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: I hope Arlo is continuing his recovery, and I'm proud of everyone in the 1953 class for what they did in the Czech Village flood recovery. As I mentioned in the earlier column, our class was made up of lots of strong folks, and I knew everyone would come through when they were needed. I hope all of us stay healthy until the next reunion. My best to everyone]..

Well, At Least the Alumni Band Put On a Good Show

Iowa City, Ia. -- Hey, I didn't see this coming either.

Remember, I picked Iowa to have an 8-4 record heading into a bowl game this season.

I sure didn't think Northwestern would be one of the four losses.

*

So, the way the Hawkeyes are playing now, it could be they'll be more like 4-8 than 8-4 in Kirk Ferentz's 10th season as coach.

The way I looked at it in July, I figured Iowa would be taking a 4-1 record into its game next Saturday at Michigan State.

The only loss, I thought, would have been to Pittsburgh.

*

Heck, it turns out the only way Pitt -- which slipped past Iowa, 21-20 -- could beat Northwestern would be if Johnny Majors was the coach and Tony Dorsett was still playing tailback.

Northwestern is good, my friends.

So good that its record is 5-0 -- the school's best in 46 seasons.

One more victory and the Wildcats will be certain of playing in a bowl game.

*

The same can't be said for Iowa.

At 3-2 and facing an uncertain future, there is unrest.

In their 22-17 loss yesterday, the Hawkeyes couldn't hang onto the ball and couldn't hang onto the lead.

The home team isn't supposed to blow a 17-3 advantage in its homecoming game against Northwestern.

The afternoon isn't supposed to end when the highlight of the day was the appearance of the alumni band.

The team that keeps selling out its games isn't supposed to come up empty when it's driving for the winning touchdown in the final few minutes.

But this Iowa squad hasn't learned how to win.

You've got to wonder if it ever will in 2008.

*

Tell me, now, with games in the immediate future at Michigan State and Indiana, then with Wisconsin, Illinois and Penn State on the schedule, tell me when the Hawkeyes' next victory will come.

The running back's head is hurt and the team's pride is hurt.

People are leaving the stadium and blaming the officials for another loss.

Wrong.

The zebras didn't lose the homecoming game.

This was a full team effort.

*

Speaking of team efforts, how about what happened yesterday to Wisconsin?

The Badgers led Michigan at halftime, 19-0, on the way to their fourth straight victory.

Pasadena? The Orange Bowl?

Bret Bielema and the Badger boys were ready to punch their ticket.

Huh-uh.

Michigan -- yes, lowly Michigan -- scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to win, 27-25.

Pete Carroll at USC knows the feeling.

*

I'd say the Chicago Cubs have a very good chance of keeping Milwaukee out of the National League playoffs today.

Especially since Carlos Zambrano won't be pitching.

Manager Lou Piniella has pulled the plug on Z's appearance in the final regular season game.

Angel Guzman -- now, there's a household name for a Cubs pitcher if I ever heard one -- will get the ball for the Cubs against CC Sabathia.

I'm picking the Cubs, 8-5.

*

One final thought about Northwestern.

I like its no-huddle offense and I think C. J. Bacher, its quarterback, is sensational.

All Bacher did was pass for 284 yards and three touchdowns against Iowa.

The good news for the Hawkeyes and their fans is that Bacher is finally a senior.

*

Cartoon courtesy of www.CartoonStock.com

Back By Popular Demand

A number of my friends from both inside and outside of the newspaper business urged me to read a book titled "David and Liz -- Dancing Through Love."

It's not what you might think. Just because the words love and dancing are in the title, there are plenty of things in the book that are neither graceful nor lovable.

It's a paperback written by Dave and Elizabeth Kruidenier with Beverly Rivera Davis that gives a reader some insight into the newspaper business when people actually thought it had a future.

I mean, when Dave Kruidenier was at the top of his game, circulation and advertising weren't at all-time lows at the Des Moines Register like they are now, readers weren't invited continually to read the paper on their computers and eager young journalism students weren't being told that newspapers are dead.

Davis wrote the 347-page book after interviewing Dave Kruidenier and his wife, Liz.

The late Dave Kruidenier [pictured at the left] was the big boss at the Register during some of the time I worked there. Indeed, I was onboard when Time magazine, in 1984, called it one of the best 10 newspapers in America.

I didn't see much of Dave, and neither did most of the other reporters and middle editors who worked in the newsroom on the fourth floor of the paper at 8th & Locust. I probably would have had more conversations with Kruidenier had I made better use of the elevators. But, in those days, I usually walked up and down the stairs and forgot the elevators. Dave rode the elevators.

However, whenever I did have occasion to talk with Kruidenier, we got along very well.

After I gave the introductory speech for new members of the Register & Tribune's 20-Year Club in 1979, Kruidenier greeted me warmly, told me how much he liked my comments and mentioned that he thought the double-breasted navy blue blazer, white shirt with French cuffs, blue-and-red striped tie and gray slacks I was wearing that Sunday afternoon gave the program a professional look.

More than anything, he liked the shoes I was wearing.

"Are those Johnston & Murphy?" he asked.

"You're close," I told him.

"Nice," he said.

I thanked Kruidenier, told him he was dressed well, too, and mentioned that I thought he was doing a great job of running the paper. I figured that was the least a stockholder joining the 20-Year Club could tell the big boss.

On the "About the Authors" page at the end of the book, Kruidenier is called the "former CEO and president of Cowles Media Company, a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper publisher, and philanthropist."

Dave Kruidenier never really left the building, even after the Register was sold, but the paper has never been the same since he had to cease running the show.

The book says Dave's wife, Elizabeth Woodwell Stuart Kruidenier "is an attorney, civil rights activist, and philanthropist."

Beverly Rivera Davis "is a native Iowan and longtime friend of the Kruideniers. Educated at the State University of New York, she is a former television reporter andand producer, talk show host and wire journalist. Currently, she is a freelance writer and U.S. political correspondent for PROFIL, an Austrian weekly newsmagazine."

The book, published by iUniverse, has a price on the back cover of $24.95. I am indebted to my good friend, Bob Downing, who loaned me his autographed copy so I could read it.

In the book's foreword, Beverly Rivera Davis writes, "David and Liz Kruidenier with this book was their last and best gift to me. When David died before all these pages were completed, our city lost its most generous philanthropist and I lost a dear friend and best mentor....

"We first met in the mid-70s. Already in their fifties, David and Liz were at the height of their beauty and power; known as scions of society and seriously accomplished professionals...."

*

I was particularly interested in chapter 23 of the book, which is titled "Betrayal."

The betrayal part is in reference to Mike Gartner, aka Michael Gartner, a power-hungry little asshole who many people regard as the most hated man in the state of Iowa. At one point or another, Gartner -- who has always had an advanced case of "little man's disease" and is a poster child for the ailment -- finds a way of getting under the skin of virtually everyone he meets.

On page 272 of the book, Dave Kruidenier writes, "I considered Michael a friend and more than that, I'd grown to love him as the son I never had. It was the worst time in my life."

Kruidenier starts the "Betrayal" chapter, "A meeting with two powerful men in Des Moines on November 2, 1984, would set the stage for every fear fantasy of mine to come true. I would be betrayed by the Cowles family, colleagues, and, worst of all, Michael Gartner. My life would never be the same after David Belin and Dick Levitt walked through my office door. I thought they were raising money for some community project. Instead of wanting money, they offered me $112 million.

"Belin had been a member of the Warren Commission and was probably the brightest legal mind in the state. Levitt was a banker in Minneapolis who had lived in Des Moines for years. We weren't close friends, but we knew one another well, often attending many of the same social functions in town and supporting similar causes. When Belin entered my office, he seemed unusually somber and nervous, and I took some small pleasure in that because he was normally so brash and self-possessed to the point of arrogance.

"Adjusting his bow tie and clearing his throat, Belin proceeded to drop the bomb, 'Dick and I have an offer to buy the Register & Tribune.'

"I was speechless for a few seconds...did I hear him correctly?

"I replayed his words in my head, and then shot back, 'The Company isn't for sale.' Like the good lawyer he was, Belin ignored my comment and continued, 'Yes, we know that's been your position, but I think you may change your mind when you hear who's making the offer and the buyout price of $100 per share, approximately three times the current value of the paper, for a total purchase price of $112 million.'

"I don't care who wants to buy it. The company isn't for sale,' I repeated, and then Belin delivered the coup de grace that left me stunned in disbelief.

"It's a fine offer being made by a partnership including Michael Gartner, Gary Gerlach, Dow Jones & Company, Dick and me. If you'd like to continue working at the company, you're more than welcome. Just tell us what position you'd like, and it's done.'

"Belin continued talking, but did I hear right?

"Did he say Michael?

"His name kept ringing in my ears. Michael?

"Michael was a part of this?

"My voice rose, and I said more emphatically, 'This Company is not for sale.'

"Undeterred, Belin continued, 'By making this deal, you can secure the integrity of the paper because Michael will stay on, and Dow Jones has agreed to keep the Register operating as it has for the past 80 years, as an independent newspaper. Our offer stands until November 20.

"I stood up and said coldly, 'I've heard what you have to say, and I'll take the proposal to the Voting Trust. This meeting is over.'

*

"As they left, Belin handed me an envelope with their offer, and I accepted it. Belin held out his hand for me to shake, but I refused. This was an unsolicited, unfriendly offer, and they knew it. With all that I'd done to grow the company in the past 15 years--at a tremendous cost to myself and the family--I wasn't going to shake David Belin or Dick Levitt's hand, not then or ever.

"My knees felt like rubber as I slowly walked back to my desk and sat down. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. My hands shook while reading the letter confirming all that they'd just told me. I dropped the letter. The nightmare was real, and what had just happened wasn't a fragment of my imagination. I was in shock, and I couldn't stop repeating his name over and over--Michael, Michael, Michael.

"How could he have been a party to this scheme to destroy the paper we both loved so much? How could he have betrayed me and the trust I placed in him? There were people I had to call--the other members of the Voting Trust--and there were immediate decisions I had to make about Michael's and Gary's status at the company, but I did neither. I first had to think and try to make sense of all that had led up to this precise moment....

"After I became chairman of Cowles Media in Minneapolis, I resurrected my earlier plan to merge the two companies. Even with my cousin gone from the Minneapolis paper, there was a sensitive dilemma for me to overcome to make the merger a reality--Michael Gartner.

"The Minneapolis team didn't like Michael's brashness, and Michael worried about his future. He wasn't fond of the Minneapolis editorial and management team, either. He didn't have much respect for them and thought a merger would lower the journalism quality at the Register and Des Moines would become the poor stepsister to Minneapolis. He also didn't want to report to Minneapolis and lose the independence he valued and needed to do his job.

"Sometimes, Michael was his own worst enemy. It wasn't hard to see his talent, but his flaws were more difficult to detect. He was insecure, overly ambitious, and also displayed some immaturity. His tremendous energy wasn't always under good control, but he was productive and brilliant. That's a tough combination...."

*

Kruidenier said the offer to buy the Register -- "especially how it was made -- threw me completely off track because I considered [Gartner] a friend, and more than that, I'd grown to love him as the son I never had. After the merger, the increased price of his stock would have made him a wealthy man in addition to his more powerful position. I was still battled that he could have misjudged by reaction to their offer, and worse, how the offer was made.

"I snapped out of my stupor and placed a call to Luther Hill and Morley Ballantine. I asked them to meet at my house on Sunday to discuss what had just transpired, and they agreed. On Sunday, we voted to take their offer to the full board of directors.

"Before I left the building on Friday, I called Michael and [Gerlach] and asked them to come to my office on Saturday and explain their actions. The next day, they arrived with sheepish faces. Michael said the proposal was their effort to protect the company and not for personal gain. With the financial resources of Dow Jones--with its flagship, The Wall Street Journal--and Dick Levitt, the Register could continue to operate independently but the debt would be diminished and the paper would retaiin its high journalistic standard.

"When I asked Michael why he sent David Belin and Dick Levitt rather than coming directly to me with their proposal, he said, 'I thought they would make the offer more professional.'

"I told them, 'I regretted the offer, and I particularly regretted the manner in which it was made.'

"I went on to tell them that they were trying to buy the paper from under me. Michael apologized for their approach but told me that he and Gary shared the same goals and principles they had learned from me. It was almost more than I could bear. I told them that the company wasn't for sale, and I placed them on paid leave of absence. As long as I was running the paper, they would never step foot in the building again....

"In December, Valerie Monson wrote a story characterizing the staff at the Register as 'a palace revolt.' Their editor and the company's legal counsel's bid to buy the paper--and their subsequent departure--stunned the staff and company managers....

"The paper was on the sale block now, and the offers were coming in at a furious pace. Our stock had been trading at $33 to $36 per share and jumped to $92 to $95 a share after news of the first offer. Then, it moved to over $100 a share as the weeks ticked by. Gannett offered the highest bid with an offer of $165 million for the Register and two weeklies, one in Independence, Iowa, and another in Indianola, Iowa, and it was over.

"On July 1, 1985, the Register was sold to Gannett. The day they took over the paper, Gannett's CEO, Al Neuharth, promised 'to help make the Register an even better newspaper.' Time would prove Mr. Neuharth's promise empty, indeed.

"Why had it happened? What had I missed? I'd sold or rather lost the family jewels, and it's the last thing I wanted to do. It was too soon to reflect on the whys and why nots. I was proud that I'd made an extraordinarily good deal for the stockholders--and my family members--but heartbroken over losing the paper and the bright star that had made the Register one of the ten best newspapers in America, according to Time magazine in 1984...."

*

A few other things....

In a way, Dave Kruidenier had nobody to blame but himself for being betrayed by Mike Gartner.

There were dozens of qualified people around the country when Kruidenier and others at the Register were looking for someone to steady the ship, but they made the mistake of hiring Gartner.

It came during a time when there was plenty of unrest in the Register's newsroom. The National Newspaper Guild tried to organize the middle editors, reporters and photographers [something that's not in Kruidenier's book], and there were two spirited votes -- neither of which won.

Too bad Kruidenier backed the wrong horse.

*

Of former Register columnist Don Kaul, Kruidenier wrote, "He was an awful news reporter, but a great columnist whose favorite topic of ridicule was the sacrosanct--and wildly popular--Iowa girls state basketball tournament. In spite of his crusty bravado and natural inclination to poke fun at everyone and everything, he needed lots of elbow room and tender care."

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: One day, Leighton Housh, my boss at the time in the sports department, called me at home and asked if I'd come to the office and write a commentary supporting the girls tournament because Kaul had upset so many readers with what he wrote].

*

Of Diane Graham, whose jobs at the Register included being a very ordinary managing editor, Kruidenier wrote: "I was once awakened at 2 o'clock in the morning by the telephone ringing. It was Diane, asking me a slew of questions about the sale of the Register and wanting a quote. I was pissed off at the time but begrudgingly proud of her. Good journalists aren't intimidated by power or position--even if you're writing their checks!"

[RON MALY'S COMMENT]: I can't imagine Diane Graham calling anyone at 2 o'clock in the morning, especially the boss. Furthermore, I can't even imagine Diane Graham being awake at 2 o'clock in the morning. She was rarely awake at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I wonder if the caller was someone impersonating Graham].

*

Kruidenier wrote, "My nephew, Charlie 'Buzz' Edwards, [became the Register's first publisher after Gannett bought the paper]. After some years, Charlie quit, too. It was an incredibly tense job where the profit motive and mediocre journalism was the order of the day."

*

Although "David and Liz -- Dancing Through Love" has been out a while, I don't think there's been a word about it in the Des Moines Register. That might seem strange but, hell, maybe it isn't. Lots of dumb things happen at that place now. The op-ed and business pages print story after story about books, and here's one written by a guy who for many years was the biggest name at the paper, and a prominent Des Moines lawyer, and it's stiffed by the Register. I guess "Biz Buzz" has been on a two-year smoke-break.

*

I don't think City View has written anything about the book, either. Of course, the weekly throwaway is owned by Gartner, who takes potshots regularly at the Register and people who work at the Register in his paper. But, in a typical gutless, chickenshit style, he doesn't sign his name to those attacks. Kind of like him sending a sneaky little note to one of his two or three friends at the Register -- another activity in which he has expertise.

*

Kruidenier writes in the book, "Our house was party central....I often wrote my favorite black Nehru jacket with black bell-bottom pants, and Liz preferred some flower-child gauzy dress. She looked smashing....Don Lubbers, the president of Central College in Pella, and his attractive wife, Eunice, were regulars at our parties. Fortified by too many cocktails, Don jumped into our atrium pool, announced he was 'Don the Baptist,' and offered to baptize any willing guest. Liz didn't jump in, but several of our female guests did, removing their blouses for the ceremony. I took a pass on the baptism...."

*

Dave Kruidenier wrote, "[In 1994], my vision was getting progressively worse, and I finally made an appointment to see my ophthalmologist, Dr. Christopher Blodi. Along with blurred vision, I had been seeing tiny dark spots floating in my field of vision for about four years before I told the doctor about it. It was an ominous sign, and it didn't take Dr. Blodi but a few minutes before he gave me the worst news of my life.

"'David, I'm sorry to have to tell you this but you've got wet macular degeneration. New blood vessels grow and leak into the pupil. There isn't a cure. We can treat it for a while--keep it from spreding with laser surgery--but eventually, the condition causes blindness.'

"I felt as if I'd just received a death sentence and started to cry. I couldn't help the tears from falling. He kept talking but I couldn't hear what he was saying. Liz took my hand and held it tightly. I walked out of his office and asked Liz to drive home. I was unable to talk. All I could do was obsess about all that I'd miss....

"In a little over a year, Dr. Blodi told me what I already knew. I was legally blind. I still had some peripheral vision but not enough to drive or read or see the fact in front of me.

"A recent study by the Iowa Commission for the Blind echoed my sentiments exactly. 'People would rather be dead than blind.'"

*

More than a few people who worked with Mike Gartner in the newsroom at the Des Moines Register regarded him as a strange little cartoon character of a guy who was always trying to convince himself and others that he was in charge.

You already know by Kruidenier's book that most things Gartner did were for his own benefit.

This isn't something that was going to have a bearing on the journalism world, but it's a typical Gartner decision.

I thought our sports department was getting a huge break when Bob Commings was coaching Iowa's football team from 1974-1978.

Jim Zabel, who then was the sports director at WHO-TV and WHO-Radio in Des Moines, invited one or two of us to participate in the filming of the "Bob Commings/University of Iowa TV Football Show" that was taped on Sunday mornings at the TV station downtown and shown across the state later that day.

We were able to talk with Commings off the air and ask him questions on the air about things pertaining to the previous day's Hawkeye game and about issues surrounding the university's football program.

Then one day, Gartner posted a memo on the bulletin board in the newsroom that said the paper's sportswriters could no longer be a part of the TV show.

Some people in the newsroom joked that Gartner was jealous that no one asked him to be on the show, so he told his sportswriters they couldn't be on it either.

It was a ridiculous thing for him to do. A bush league and grandstand move all the way.

Most newspaper editors would give anything to have their writers participate in a Big Ten coach's TV show.

What Gartner did -- dropping the project after several weeks -- was an embarrassment to himself, his newspaper, the paper's sportswriters, Bob Commings, Jim Zabel and the University of Iowa's football program.

*

Yet at another time, Gartner had a small TV studio built in the Register newsroom.

No one knew why.

For a while, he had people reading the news -- and maybe he even wore a David Brinkley mask so he could have his own show. But it was the kind of station that people needed a tin can and a fishing line to get on their TV screens. The project was dumped quickly.

I could see why.

It was a joke.

Once I had an idea for a sports segment. Damn good idea, too.

"Sounds great," said the guy who had been put in charge of the operation. "Can you sell some advertising for it, too?"

*

Actually, I've tried very hard to wipe any thought of Gartner out of my mind.

A couple of years ago, an eager-beaver reporter from the Iowa City Press-Citizen contacted me twice, asking me if I'd e-mail him things I recalled about Gartner.

"I'm having memory problems -- both short-term and long-term," I told the reporter. "I've forgotten who Gartner is."

*

That worked for a while.

Then Gartner kept pissing off more and more people.

It was difficult to forget the pint-sized sleazebag.

He's been buried under more no-confidence votes than Jimmy Hoffa.

And now, here he is getting hammered in Dave and Liz Kruidenier's book.

Scott Pierce Brings Up Something Else the Register Doesn't Cover These Days--And He Wants You To Take Note Of His Sarcasm

Scott Pierce, Drake's football and women's basketball play-by-play radio announcer, kicked in with these comments as he recalled the Register's long-gone Big Peach days:

Ron:

"You've triggered a couple of thoughts from me.

"1) I remember when the Register would have at least one paragraph from every Iowa Conference football game in the Sunday Peach. Simpson, Central, and William & Penn would get most of the page's coverage, but the whole conference was covered. Of course, being local schools, there is no need to cover them today [note the sarcasm].

"2) Here's an idea for the University of Iowa: If someone, whether they be an athlete or not, commits a crime, call the police and let them investigate. I've watched enough Law & Order to know that police and county attorneys are much better at this than university big-wigs. Granted, it took the university hiring a law firm from St. Louis [home of the 2006 World Series Champions] to get more detailed advice than what I provide. But, all I'm asking is for them to treat me to a nice dinner. There. I've saved the taxpayers of Iowa thousands."

Scott Pierce

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: First of all, Scott, you brought back memories to me and lots of other people when you mentioned the Register's Big Peach sports sections. The Big Peach made the newspaper's sports sections known world-wide -- not just because of the peach-colored paper, but also because of what we wrote about. Iowa Conference athletic events certainly aren't the only things the Register doesn't cover these days. We went to big games nationally -- such as Notre Dame-Michigan games, Oklahoma-Nebraska games, Rose Bowls, Orange Bowls, Sugar Bowls, Cotton Bowls, big NFL games, you name it. Now the paper sometimes doesn't even have the score of a Des Moines high school game. The Register quit using peach-colored paper for its daily sports sections in 1981, and the Sunday Big Peach ended in 1999. People who managed the Register in those days said they made the switch to white paper so color pictures could be used. I didn't believe it then and I don't believe it now. The Big Peach ended for financial reasons. That's why nearly every decision is made at a newspaper. Good luck to the Bulldogs today, Scott].

*

Progress, I guess:

Valley's No. 1-ranked class 4-A football team rolled past Ames, 35-10, in its homecoming game last night at Valley Stadium and got a whopping 11 paragraphs on [pardon the expression] page 6 in this morning's Register sports section.

A week ago, in a 63-12 romp at Newton, the Tigers got a less-than-whopping one paragraph.

All it took was to get Dan McCool assigned to cover Valley. He fixed things, like he always does.

Here & There

Obviously, the clock is ticking on Sally Mason, the woman who is in over her head as president of the University of Iowa.

The next dumb thing Mason does, she'll be teaching classes at Dordt College in Sioux Center.

With the heat on, don't be surprised if you hear that Mason has decided to move to New Hampshire or Estonia so she can write a book about higher education.

Obviously, the quicker she's gone from Iowa City, the better, after the way she's handled the sexual assault mess on the campus.

I suppose her friends will say she's the victim of bad advice, but she's the boss and the responsibility is hers.

*

Frankly, I don't think the Board of Regents went far enough with Mason by not giving her a pay raise.

Actually, what the Regents should've done was cut her pay.

*

Of course, I didn't expect anything different from the Board of Regents.

Any group Mike Gartner is connected to will screw things up.

He's in the middle of every major problem in this state.

Indeed, most of the time Gartner is the problem.

He's been in trouble, and has been ineffective so often that somebody ought to change his middle initials to N.C. -- for "No Confidence."

Hopefully, when Mason leaves for Estonia, Gartner will be on the same plane -- with a one-way ticket.

*

What a wholesome experience it was to watch Valley's homecoming parade [pictured] late yesterday afternoon in and around the stadium.

Now I'll make sure I'm on hand for the No. 1-ranked Tigers' game tonight against Ames.

I've depended on managing editor Randy Brubaker, sports editor Bryce Miller and the Register for the last time to give me the results.

Last week the paper provided its readers with one paragraph on Valley's 63-12 victory over Newton.

*

I hope somebody gives Southern California's football players a urine test today after their 27-21 loss at Oregon State.

That's horrible.

The fact that USC lost, I mean.

USC coach Pete Carroll is another person whose pay should be cut.

*

Paul Delger of Kanawha, who is an expert on everything, will probably call to say Sally Mason isn't qualified to teach at Dordt.

*

Man, they're getting excited again in Milwaukee.

The Brewers are playing the Cubs in a huge three-game series [for them, not Chicago] starting tonight at Miller Park in Milwaukee.

The Brewers are tied with the New York Mets for the National League's wild card lead.

That's because the Mets beat a No-Name Ballteam from Des Moines masquerading as the Cubs last night, 7-6.

I hope the Brewers don't get too giddy. The Cubs play better at Miller Park than they do.

*

I've always wondered why Ames and City High of Iowa City don't change their nicknames.

Dumb nicknames, if you ask me.

Ames is called the Little Cyclones and City High is called the Little Hawks.

I wouldn't want my team to be called little anything.

*

Well, I'm glad they're getting Kay Halloran's problems figured out in Cedar Rapids.

Doctors say Halloran, the city's mayor, has sleep apnea.

She doesn't get enough oxygen when she sleeps at night, and that makes her tired. She's telling people she loses consciousness for brief periods.

Halloran, who is 72 years of age, will wear a mask that should help her condition. It'll help her breath and sleep better.

[I'd like to see that picture!]

Some of my relatives have been telling me that TV stations in Cedar Rapids have shown Halloran asleep during meetings.

People might think that's embarrassing. But, hell, I see 72-year-old people asleep at meetings all the time.

I think Diane Graham used to fall asleep at news conference meetings all the time when she was a managing editor at the paper, and she was a long way from being 72.

More 'Gut Feelings'

R. H. of Des Moines weighs in on a number of topics today, including University of Iowa president Sally Mason, Hawkeye quarterbacks Jake Christensen, Ricky Stanzi and James Vandenberg, plus the Iowa Conference, in this e-mail:

"Ron,

"To quote Charles Dickens, 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times' for the good folks here. We'll start with the bad [so I can get it off my chest].

"I don't think Sally Mason will get whacked. My 'gut' feeling [pardon the pun] is that the guy who runs the No-Name Team at No-Name Ballpark would be the biggest loser of all. After all, it was he who threw out the initial presidential candidates and restarted the process, when the faculty and the students didn't select the person he really wanted. He picked Mason and if his cohorts on the Board asked her to resign, it would be a huge blow to his reputation [and extraordinary ego]. I have another 'gut' feeling that if Iowa had been serious about writing up a sexual assault policy during Mary Sue Coleman's tenure amid the Pierre Pierce fiasco, and did it correctly, none of this b.s. would have come to this point.

"Mason was no dummy, as you wrote. I'm guessing the Board told her that if she didn't fire Jones and Mills, she would be the one out the door. Jones and Mills would have probably kept their jobs and continue to drop the ball on situations like what has taken place. The culture in which the administrators at Iowa, sans President, resides under, has been one of consternation and standoffish.

"We move along to the quarterback woes on the football team. My advice to Hawkeyes fans is simply this: Be careful what you wish for. You nailed it with the line that if a coach is struggling between choosing two quarterbacks, then he has no quarterback to run the offense. I haven't been impressed with either Stanzi or Christensen. Not counting Maine and Florida International, Stanzi didn't do much against Iowa State and was replaced by Jake in the fourth quarter of the game.

"If Stanzi doesn't produce this Saturday, or in that matter in the next few games, the fans will set Iowa City on fire. I don't think Jake or Ricky are strong quarterbacks. The coaches have done all what they could in getting the most of these two guys. As Dennis Green famously said, 'They are who we thought they were!!!'

"It's time for Keokuk's James Vandenberg to start working with the first team.

"Now to more pleasant news. While Iowa and Iowa State fans watched their teams have sub-par games, the best game of the weekend was in Pella. Wartburg paid a visit to Central as the two Iowa Conference titans opened up league play. Wartburg jumped out to a suprising 16-3 on Central in the third quarter, before Central stormed back with two touchdowns to take the lead, 17-16. With a little over one minute left in the game, the Knights get the ball and moved downfield to the Dutch's 24-yard line.

"The Knights elect to kick the FG on fourth down, with :41 left. Spencer Herzberg, who missed a FG in a loss to Augsburg the previous week, comes out to kick a 41-yard FG. Herzberg kicks it and it clears the crossbar...by 1 yard! Central moves the ball to midfield as time ticks away. The Dutch quarterback drops back and Wartburg caves in on him, sacking him as he throws the pass. The ball flails in the air into the hands of a Knight linebacker to seal the upset win, 19-16, in front of a standing-room only homecoming crowd.

"My final 'gut' feeling is that the Iowa Conference race is far from over. Chuck Offenberger's beloved Buena Vista Beavers have looked very good, particularly after dispatching Simpson. Luther College rallied back to defeat Dubuque, and though they are 1-2 and out of a possible postseason bid, the Coe Kohawks could be the home-wrecker for either Central or Wartburg in the next several weeks.

"Let me extend an invitation to my fellow Iowa and Iowa State fans. If you feel dissatisfied on how your team is playing, please consider watching an IIAC game. It's only $6 a ticket, pop, popcorn, and hot dogs will cost you no more than $10. You will get your money's worth watching good, hard-nosed football. Who knows, you could be sitting next to Chuck!!!

"Best,"

R.H.
Des Moines

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: You're right, R. H., that football in the Iowa Conference is one of the best bargains anywhere. The Central-Wartburg rivalry is a tremendous one, and I'm glad you mentioned some other teams in the league that could wind up being spoilers this season. I was trying to get through the football season without mentioning Mike Gartner's name, or even one of his nicknames [the Owner of No-Name Team at No-Name Ballpark], but you're excused for bringing it up in connection with the Board of Regents. Somebody had to do the dirty work, and I let you handle it this time. I still don't know what to make of the Hawkeye quarterback situation. Right now, I think the Hawkeyes are a so-so team with two so-so signal-callers [Stanzi and Christensen]. We were wondering at this week's sportswriters' lunch what the future holds for Vandenberg [pictured at the left], the 6-3, 195-pound true-freshman quarterback who is the most prolific passer in Iowa high school history. It's doubtful he'd be thrown into the heat of the situation for a while, but down the road he could be the best of the bunch. I hope whatever collegiate football game you choose to attend this weekend, R. H., is a good one. Say hello to Chuck Offenberger for me if you're in the same stadium with him. Thanks for your thoughts -- especially your gut feelings].

*

Sally Mason is pictured at the right.

That Empty Feeling. Again

Don't let this photograph fool year. At times, people actually go inside the Ruby Tuesday restaurant in Urbandale, and they actually dine there. In another of its continuing series of pictures of empty restaurants, the Des Moines Register today added Ruby Tuesday to the list. I think the guy pictured in the back is the janitor. Hopefully, it's not the cook. I'm here today to tell you that Ruby Tuesday isn't always vacant. We were there two days ago for lunch, and it was difficult to find a booth. Apparently the Des Moines metropolitan area has been dying to get a Ruby Tuesday. I guess the salad bar is the big attraction. I know it's not the veggieburger, which I ordered, and the fries that went with it. Pretty so-so stuff. But at least I got out of the place for $20, including tips, for two meals. The food was ordinary, the service was overbearing. The waiter, who had a tattoo on the back of his neck, kept asking if everything was all right. Alive In Clive, who sat across from me, cleaned up his plate, so I think his burger was all right. He said he'd eaten at a Ruby Tuesday in Omaha once, and got his belly full. Still, I have an idea he probably wishes he'd gone to the Bohemian Cafe. The reason I'm writing so much about a chain restaurant today is because the woman who reviewed it for the Register did a cop-out, writing, "Preliminary visit--not yet rated" in her Datebook story. No wonder Datebook has become a piece of crap and the Register's circulation keeps plummeting. No courage. The woman said she knew a little bit about Ruby Tuesday because she'd eaten at one in North Platte, Neb. That probably was when she was the Register's travel writer, and her bosses instructed her to find a place that could be labeled "Excitement City." So she picked North Platte. Me? I'm giving Ruby Tuesday in Urbandale a C-minus. The managers still have a chance to clean up their act before the place turns into a Chinese buffet. By the way, I figure the next Datebook review will be of the Hy-Vee deli on 35th Street in West Des Moines. The reviewer can again write, "Preliminary visit--not yet rated." Very heavy stuff.

Like I Was Saying

You can call Sally Mason lots of things, but you certainly can't call her a dummy. In the latest development in the ugly sexual assault mess at the University of Iowa, the school president showed that she's on top of things by quickly firing Philip Jones and Marcus Mills. Mason dumped Jones, the vice-president for student services, and Mills, the vice-president for legal affairs and general counsel, before somebody could fire her. Obviously, Mason is in over her head and is the one who should get the ax. But, like Yogi or Alive In Clive always says, it ain't over yet.

*

Now that the Iowa Supreme Court says former Hawkeye Pierre Pierce can go to France so he can play professional basketball, I'm saying it's a decision closely resembling one that would give the fox a free six-month pass to the hen house.


*

You've got to hand it to the University of Iowa. Folks there have shown they mean business by hiring Chigozi Ejiasi as director of player development for the Hawkeye football team at a salary of $44,000 a year. That's a pretty cheap way to make sure there won't be any more arrests of football players.

*

There's some thought that this will be Lou Piniella's last season as the Chicago Cubs' manager if his team wins the World Series. Even though Piniella is tired of dealing with second-guessing from reporters and fans, he'll evidently be back as the skipper in 2009 if the Cubs don't win the Series. My prediction: Piniella will manage the Cubs in '09. Which means the California Angels will win the World Series.

*

Face it already. Tempers flare and there are disagreements galore on the field and on the sidelines during collegiate football games. Some of you may remember when Hayden Fry got himself in hot water with fans by grabbing then-Iowa quarterback Matt Rodgers by his facemask during a game at Ohio State that was televised nationally. Miraculously, everyone survived another week.

*

I sure can't imagine any quarterback having a problem with Hawkeye offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe during a game. I don't know why anyone else would. As far as I'm concerned, O'Keefe is a cordial, up-front, always-available coach who gets along with the players as well as any assistant in America.

*

I can't help but recall what some football sage said many years ago: Whenever a coach can't decide between two quarterbacks, it usually means the coach doesn't have any quarterbacks. Not that I'm referring to Iowa or Iowa State, of course.

*

I don't think the White Sox are going to make it to the American League playoffs.

*

Nice e-mail from Don Clasen, a retired newspaperman who once worked at the Des Moines Register & Tribune:

"Ron, I received your book in the mail yesterday, started reading it and couldn't put it down. As usual, a great job. It brought back memories. After 4 years in the Navy I returned to go to Iowa, but didn't graduate after being offered a job at the former Davenport Democrat. I vividly recall the huge 6-0 victory over the Buckeyes. Page 1 of the Democrat the Sunday after the victory included an 8-column picture of Jim Gibbons hauling in the touchdown pass. The shot was snapped by Harry Boll from across the field. It was grainy--I believe he took it using a Speed Graphic. I have gotten to know some of those you quoted through the I-Club. Brooksie and Dolph have become friends. I'll never forget Bob telling of a remark made by Bobby Knight when they met after 'The General' left Indiana. 'Aren't you dead yet?' Brooksie asked. Great book, Ron. It brought made a lot of names and memlories. Thanks for writing the book."

*

Photos of Cedar Rapids radio broadcaster Bob Brooks, aka Brooksie [right] and former Indiana and Texas Tech basketball coach Bobby Knight [left] courtesy of the Internet.

Strong, Proud People

A number of years ago, one of my kids asked, "How did it happen that the high school you graduated from is no longer a high school?"

"Just lucky, I guess," I answered.

I was being facetious, of course.

It's been 55 years and a few months since I left Wilson High School in Cedar Rapids for the last time.

The proud building still sits there on the top of the hill at J Street and Wilson Avenue, but it hasn't been a high school since 1958.

I guess it was a middle school for a while, and even an elementary school. Now it may be both.

But the public high schools in Cedar Rapids are now named Jefferson, Washington and Kennedy.

No Wilson, Roosevelt, McKinley and Franklin.

They said that was progress.

Maybe. Maybe not.

*

However, the fact that Wilson is no longer a high school doesn't keep the folks who attended classes and got their diplomas there from throwing a party.

My '53 class had another reunion a few weeks ago, even though Cedar Rapids had suffered through the worst summer in its history.

Flooding like no one had ever seen ravaged my hometown, and the place is still trying to recover.

I couldn't make it to the reunion, but I've heard from Colleen Dolezal Kullmer, who told me a few things about it.

"Sorry you missed the reunion," Colleen wrote. "The flood damage in C.R. was a main topic of conversation."

Colleen said 35 people attended the reunion, which consisted of a dinner at the Longbranch restaurant.

Folks from as far away as Santa Lope, Calif., Sierra Vista, Ariz., Seattle. Wash., and Hauser, Idaho, showed up. Of course, there were others from Cedar Rapids, Marion, Fairfax, Solon and Garner.

No. 21 on the list was Carol Moneypenny Miller. Of her, the information page said, "Her husband, Arlo, was unable to come because of a lawn mower accident."

I hope Arlo is doing better now.

Of Lyle Matthews, the sheet said, "Lyle has been the chairman of the last two reunions, has put in a lot of work, and has done a great job!"

Well, I guess.

Nice going, Lyle.

But I would've expected nothing less from Lyle. He and I not only attended Wilson together; before that, we also went to Lincoln Elementary School at the same time.

Lincoln has changed, too. I guess they teach community education classes to adults there instead of spelling and basic math to kids.

*

I'll tell you this about my '53 class at Wilson.

Those people are the proudest and the toughest of any you could ever imagine.

They grew up in neighborhoods filled with families of Czechoslovakian descent, and they were the hardest workers on this planet.

They got jobs in the city's factories, and they gave you 40 hours of work for 40 hours of pay. They went to the union meetings, too.

A lot of them did their shopping on The Avenue -- which everyone in Cedar Rapids knew as 16th Avenue, where you could get a ham, a poppyseed kolache, a haircut, a tooth pulled or a cold one.

Six days a week anyway. Closed on Sundays. That was the day you went to church, not to the meat market.

You know by now, of course, that The Avenue took a tremendous hit from the 2008 flooding in Cedar Rapids. I'm hoping it will spring back to life.

Knowing people on The Avenue, I'm betting it will.

*

We were smart kids, too.

God meant for me to go to a high school at the top of a hill.

That way, I could park my 1937 Ford coupe -- the car I bought for $75 in the summer of 1952 -- in a place where I could let it coast downhill to get the motor running if it wouldn't start.

After all, I had to get to my parttime jobs at Martin's and the Gazette in downtown Cedar Rapids so I'd have enough money to get through my first year at the University of Iowa.

*

A lot of the old gang is still around.

But some aren't.

"Twenty-five classmates are deceased," said the information sheet that Colleen sent me.

Hard to believe.

A few of us went on to college after our high school years at Wilson. A few of us moved away and never came back, even though we had chances to come back.

Meanwhile, not much was said at the 55th reunion about a possible 60th. I guess the flooding was on everyone's mind.

But I hope someone decides to organize a 60th when the time approaches.

I think it'll happen. Like I said, these are strong, proud people.

*

Photos of the poppyseed kolache [right] and baked ham [left] courtesy of the Internet.

'The Second Coming Of Ray Nagel'

Longtime University of Iowa sports fan Al Schallau, who now lives in California, writes that he's planning to revise the way he handles future telecasts of Hawkeye football games:

"I cannot stand watching Jake Christensen quarterback the Iowa Hawkeyes. For the rest of the 2008 football season, I am going to videotape each Hawkeye game. Then if the news tells me that Iowa won, I will watch the videotape of the game. But if the news tells me the Hawkeyes lost, then I will spare myself the pain of watching the 25th best quarterback in the Big Ten as he leads Iowa to another loss.

"Coach Kirk Ferentz tells us that choosing his quarterback involves 'going with his gut.' Please see attached article from Sunday's Cedar Rapids Gazette."

[Schallau inserts a link to Marc Morehouse's story in the Gazette of Iowa's 21-20 loss Saturday at Pittsburgh].

"This brings back memories of coach Ray Nagel. I never thought I would see a worse college football coach than Ray Nagel. But now I am starting to wonder.

"In 1966, after Nagel's Hawkeyes played their first game against Arizona, Ray told the whole world on his Sunday television show that he chose his starting quarterback [Ed Podolak over Chuck Roland] by flipping a coin. At the time, I thought two things of Ray Nagel, which were:

"1. If he actually chose his quarterback by flipping a coin, he is the dumbest coach in America; and

"2. If he didn't really do that, but tells his TV audience that he did, then he is insulting the intelligence of Iowa Hawkye football fans.

"My opinions of Ray Nagel's coaching skills went downhill from there. I am now starting to see coach Kirk Ferentz in 2008 as the second coming of Ray Nagel."

Al Schallau

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Schallau joins an increasing number of Hawkeye followers who are unhappy with the play of Christensen. The last thing Ferentz and his offensive staff needed was a so-called quarterback controversy to screw up what could be a decent Iowa season. The Hawkeyes take a 3-1 record into Saturday's homecoming game against Northwestern, and the Wildcats are certainly a beatable team. And there are a number of other opponents remaining on Iowa's schedule that are waiting to be defeated -- Michigan State, Indiana, Wisconsin, Purdue and Minnesota among them. I feel Ferentz shouldn't wait much longer before deciding on his best quarterback. I've yet to win my first game as a collegiate football coach, but if I had to choose a No. 1 quarterback right now it would be Stanzi. By the way, I covered a number of Ray Nagel's games when he coached at Iowa from 1966 through 1970. and memories of that dark era in Hawkeye football history still leave me with headaches and an upset stomach].

*

Also questioning Ferentz's decision to give the bulk of the playing time at quarterback to Jake Christensen is Jeff Valadez, a Hawkeye fan from Bend, Ore.:

"The Pittsburgh game was very winnable. Interesting that your perspective on the coaches' handling of the QB situation is same as mine, I thought I was just being a harsh fan that wasn't seeing the whole picture and was 'missing something.' I think the only thing that is missing from Stanzi that perhaps Kirk likes from Jake a little bit of 'edge' or sense of urgency in tight games. That is only way I can explain it to myself.

"Anyway, I'm sure we'll be back on track this week vs. Northwestern. I'm sure you'll be there, enjoy the game!

"Best,"

Jeff Valadez

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Saturday's Iowa-Northwestern game, which starts at 11 a.m., will be shown on the ESPN Classic network. I know Hawkeye fans like homecoming games, but I think it's a little early to call this one a classic. Whatever, I'll be there Saturday to find out].

*

The state of Iowa lost a tremendous sports booster Saturday with the death of 90-year-old Ron Kenyon of Urbandale.

Over the years, Kenyon could be seen at countless sports events, particularly those involving Iowa and Drake.

The last time I saw him was during the Hawkeyes' 2007 season football finale against Western Michigan. I visited Ron and his family in his luxury box at Kinnick Stadium that day, and took the above photo of Ron with his daughter Rhonda and son-in-law Derek Hill.

Here's what I wrote in a column after the game, which Iowa lost, 28-19:

"Among those who suffered through the game was longtime Hawkeye booster Ron Kenyon.

"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 in his luxury box on the first level of the press box."

*

Funeral services for Ron Kenyon will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church in Des Moines.

Ferentz and other members of Iowa's athletic department were among those who attended the visitation tonight.

It's Hard for This Retiree To Accept That the TV Stations Now Provide Better Coverage Of High School Games Than the Register

Bud Appleby, a retired Des Moines Register editor and reporter, writes more about the irresponsible way the paper has been handling coverage of high school athletics in recent years.

Here's his e-mail:

"There wasn't anything on the Hoover game in the edition I saw at McDonald's.

"I suspect the Register relies on somebody on the coaching staff to call in the results of the games. That way they don't have to pay anybody a few bucks to cover the game for them.

"If I was a high school coach, I would get the other coaches in the conference to agree not to call the Register. Instead, I would designate a student to provide the Register with all the information it needed, as long as that student got paid.

"It's hard for me to accept that the television stations now provide better coverage of high school games than the Register."

Bud Appleby

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: I wrote yesterday that the Register's coverage of a 63-12 victory over Newton Friday night by Valley of West Des Moines, the state's No. 1-ranked class 4-A team, amounted to one paragraph. Horrible. After reading that, Appleby wrote, "A one-paragraph story on the Valley football game is one paragraph more than Hoover got." I looked at my Saturday paper and saw a brief story on page 6C on Hoover's 39-0 loss to North Sioux City in a game that was played in Des Moines. However, there were no statistics of the game published -- the explanation being that no one provided the paper with them. However, Appleby says there wasn't anything on the Hoover game in the paper he read. I agree with Appleby that the TV stations cover high school athletics better than the paper, which is difficult for most people to believe. The attitude of bosses at the Register in recent years has seemed to be, "Screw the high schools. We'll concentrate on the football teams from Iowa and Iowa State. We've told the high schools to call us with their results. If they don't, it's their fault the results aren't in the paper, not ours." Yet, it's the kids playing high school football, and fans of the teams, who are [or should be] future subscribers to the newspaper. Obviously, it's a sad state of affairs in the newspaper business. With cutbacks and layoffs, the industry is in the worst shape ever. And, with circulation plummeting nationwide, there's no improvement in sight].

Pop the Champagne -- Cubs Are N. L. Central Champions!

Photo of Chicago's players celebrating after their 5-4 victory today over St. Louis courtesy of the Chicago Tribune.

Best Team In the State Gets One Paragraph In the Paper

The Des Moines Register did another unbelievably-horrible job of covering a football game played last night by Valley High School of West Des Moines.

The No. 1-ranked Tigers improved their overall record to 4-0 by manhandling Newton, 63-12, at the dedication of thr renovated H. A. Lynn Stadium in Newton.

Despite the overwhelming victory by a high-profile high team in the fastest-growing area of the state of Iowa, the game got a one-paragraph mention in this morning's Register.

No wonder Register circulation figures are in a freefall.

Of course, a one-paragraph summary of a game is an improvement over some Register coverage of Valley in the past.

Several years ago, Randy Brubaker -- then the paper's sports editor and now the paper's managing editor -- for some reason didn't assign a reporter to a Valley game played 9 miles away at old Valley Stadium, and didn't arrange to have someone associated with the school or the team call in the results to the sports desk.

As a result, there wasn't so much as the score of the game in the paper the next morning.

Bryce Miller is now the sports editor.

Because of such lousy coverage, I'm reprinting the story of last night's Valley-Newton game from the Newton Daily News.

At least the players who participated in the game will have a clipping to put in their scrapbooks.

Here's the story:

Newton coach Ed Ergenbright expected top-ranked West Des Moines Valley to be very good Friday. They were very good and then some as the Tigers spoiled the Cardinals’ home opener at new H.A. Lynn Stadium.

Valley scored on its first play from scrimmage, led 49-0 and rested its starters the entire second half in the 63-12 victory.

“They are better than I thought,” Ergenbright said. “And I thought they were really good. I have not seen a team that efficient on offense. They do everything well. You just have to tip your hat to them and move on.”

Zach Cutkomp zig zagged his way to a score on the first offensive play from scrimmage as he scampered 80 yards for the touchdown. Cutkomp added two short scores later in the first half and Valley quarterback Taylor Nelson ran for a 39-yard score and threw for two more as the Tigers dominated from the opening kickoff and remained unbeaten on the season.

“The kids aren’t happy with their performance tonight, but they will come back,” Ergenbright said. “They want to do well.”

In other games from the area, No. 8 Collins-Maxwell-Baxter defeated arch rival PCM, Lynnville-Sully crushed Martensdale-St. Marys, 52-6, and Bondurant-Farrar delivered a 50-7 home win over previously unbeaten Colfax-Mingo.

Tigerhawk senior Shadow Ross was injured during the game and taken to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

Newton managed two scores against Valley’s second-team defense in the second half. Gavin Rodewald scored from 1-yard out and Josh Illingworth added a 15-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.

However, the Cardinals managed just two first downs in the first half and turned it over four times for the third straight game. They are now 1-3 on the season and play at Fort Dodge next week.

“We were ready to go,” Ergenbright said. “I am frustrated most with the mistakes. You give it away against Valley, they’ll turn it into points. We better fix that or we are in trouble the rest of the way.”

*

In other Valley news you likely won't find in the paper, the school's Marchmasters [pictured, courtesy of Valley High School] participated in the Johnston Marching Invitational today at the Johnston High School Stadium.

The Tigers' marcching band followed Dowling of West Des Moines on the field.

Valley played "The Music Of Evita" and it sounded great to these ears.

Roxanne Classen, Tony Garmoe, Joe Turner and Chris Stroahmaier are the Valley Marchmasters' directors.

Drum majors are Amy Meyer, Sara Holmes, Marian Marturello and Jared Giunta.

Other bands participating were from Johnston, Des Moines Roosevelt, Waukee, Cedar Rapids Washington, Southeast Polk, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Urbandale and Dallas Center-Grimes.

*

A reader e-mailed me with this message: "A one-paragraph story on the Valley football game is one paragraph more than Hoover got."

Actually, there was a tiny story on Hoover's 39-0 loss to North Sioux City on page 6 of the sports section.

However, the last line said, "Complete stats were not provided to the Register."

Another irresponsible, bonehead thing in the Register, obviously.

Especially since the game was played in Des Moines!

However, the Sioux City Journal published statistics of the game this morning. Here they are:

Des Moines Hoover 0 0 0 0 -- 0

Sioux City North 7 26 6 0 -- 39

First Quarter

North: Josh Folchert 15 run (Danny Norby kick) 6:02

Second Quarter

North: Folchert 60 pass from Danny Rudeen (run failed) 10:24

North: Josh Erickson 47 pass from Rudeen (Norby kick) 7:01

North: Folchert 13 run (Norby kick) 0:48

North: Folchert 20 pass from Rudeen (pass failed) 0:33.

Third Quarter

North: Folchert 3 pass from Rudeen (kick blocked) 7:44

TEAM STATISTICS

North Hoover

First downs 21 10

Rushes-yards 34-255 29-41

Passing yards 201 40

Passes 8-10-1 3-12-0

Total plays-yards 44-456 41-81

Punts, avg. 0-0 4-34.8

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1

Penalties-yards 11-88 5-35

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: North -- Josh Folchert 10-162, Josh Jensen 8-46, Zung Tran 8-27, Cody Ahrendt 3-20, Spencer 1-4, Jonathon Pitts 1-1, Nick Longtin 1-(-1), Danny Rudeen 1-(-4). Hoover -- LaRon Wilson 14-30, Nate Clark 8-6, Will Brazzle 6-4, Michael Hart 1-1.

PASSING: North -- Rudeen 6-8-1--162, Longtin 2-2-0--39. Hoover -- Clark 3-12-1--40

RECEIVING: North -- Folchert 4-104, Jawad Njdawi 2-33, Josh Erickson 1-47, Josh Jensen 1-17. Hoover -- Brazzle 1-19, Dana Delafield 1-13, Lam Chol 1-8.

*

Disappointing football loss for Iowa today.

The Hawkeyes had a chance to make a statement heading into its Big Ten schedule, but still is surrounded by uncertainty.

Instead of being 4-0, they're 3-1 after a 21-20 loss at Pittsburgh -- an underachieving team that's poorly-coached.

The TV announcers made it sound like Pittsburgh had beaten a top-10 team or something. I guess that's why they work for ESPN2.

Actually, Iowa looks like a team that's going to have a battle on its hands nearly every Saturday in the Big Ten.

And the quarterback situation is far from solved. I guess I'd start Jake Christensen in the Big Ten opener against Northwestern, but I'd have a short leash on him. I mean, I'd want Ricky Stanzi always ready on the sideline./span>>

*

An e-mail from Jeff Valadez of Bend, Ore., following Iowa's loss:

"I don't understand. After Ricky Stanzi brought us back, went 7-for-10 and we give Jake the keys to the game. Yes, he did make one really great throw, but I am convinced that Ricky gives us much better consistency... What am I missing?"

Jeff Valadez

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Like I said, Jeff, this quarterback situation is far from settled. Today's loss is proof of that].

*

Of his decision to go with Christensen in the last half, Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz told reporters in Pittsburgh, "It's a gut feeling. I thought he gave us the best opportunity to win the game."

So there's your answer.

The Ideal Way To Celebrate

The Chicago Cubs won't be able to clinch the National League Central championship during their present series with second-place Milwaukee.

I consider that a good thing.

I prefer that the Cubs celebrate the division title while the St. Louis Cardinals are in Chicago.

The Cardinals play Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Wrigley Field.

My idea of a great celebration is one that comes after beating the arrogant Tony LaRussa and his St. Louis team.

I'm targeting Saturday as the day it'll happen.

Get the champagne, the hats, the horns and the foolishness ready.

*

You gotta continue loving Datebook, the Thursday supplement in the paper.

Datebook is the part of the Register that specializes in publishing large photographs of empty restaurants.

Sometimes Datebook even gets the review of a restaurant in the paper before the place closes.

On its Datebook Diner page today, just under a picture of the usual empty dining room [shown at the left], there's an editor's note that says, "Diners who would like to try this restaurant will find that time is limited. Co-owner Irina Khartchenko has told Datebook that Irina's will be closing in October so she and her husband can concentrate on a restaurant they are opening at 2301 Rocklyn Drive in Urbandale."

That immediately tells me Irina's wasn't doing all that well financially.

Bankruptcy likely was the next step.

Also, there's a curious paragraph in the review.

"It appears that all patrons, regardless of their level of sophistication or socio-economic status, receive special service," writes D. V. Wagman.

Huh?

*

I'd say the paper has the Iowa Latino Heritage Festival pretty well covered. It's featured on the cover of Datebook and the front page of the Iowa Life section. That's a can't-miss deal if I ever saw one.

*

It says in the paper that injured Ohio State football player Chris "Beanie" Wells "has not been given permission to speak to reporters."

Ridiculous.

My advice to reporters in Columbus is to find Wells on the campus and talk to him. There's nothing in the regulations of his football scholarship that says Ohio State can decide if a player can or can't talk to a reporter.

After all, it's still just a game, even though places like Ohio State would like you to think otherwise.

*

Des Moines had 105 chances to hire the right assistant city manager, and wound up with Randy Wetmore. That's what's called being lucky.

*

Lots of guys driving red pickup trucks are nervous today.

*

Walt Shotwell asked me at yesterday's sportswriters/reporters/columnists/copy editors lunch what I've got against the Cubs' Bob Howry [pictured at the right].

"Nothing, other than he's a terrible pitcher," I said.

If Howry is on the Cubs' playoff roster, Lou Piniella should go into treatment.

And Howry should think about taking night school classes in welding.

*

Speaking of shockers, I was reading that there are prostitutes in Denison.

Here Are the Things 'Z' & I Want

It has come to my attention that the Venezuelan man who is an expert on everything relating to life in America thinks the Chicago Cubs need a new ballpark.

That man would be Carlos Zambrano, who is being paid $16 million this season to pitch for a team that will win the National League Central championship, then not score a run in the playoffs in October.

Zambrano has suddenly become the answer man when it comes to anything related to the Cubs.

He decided the team needed a new catcher last season, so he punched Michael Barrett -- then the squad's resident backstop -- not just once, but twice during a home game.

The stitched and bandaged Barrett was soon dispatched to San Diego for some garbage the Cubs disposed of later in the ssason.

The 6-5, 250-pound Zambrano [pictured at the left] not only likes to tell people how to do their jobs; he likes to suggest to them how to spend their money.

After pitching a no-hitter Sunday for the Cubs in Milwaukee, he told reporters he thinks Chicago should think about replacing Wrigley Field.

"This is a beautiful ballpark," the man they call "Z" said of the domed Miller Park. "Gosh, I wish we could have a new ballpark."

Yes, and I would like to have a 21-year-old body, oerfect health, seven new cars [one for each day of the week, of course], a home in Hawaii where I can go in January and February and an unlimited expense account

It's nice that "Z" wants to spend money owned by zillionaire Mark Cuban or whomever winds up to be the Cubs' new owner -- just so he and the other players can have a bigger clubhouse, a bigger weight room and bigger restrooms.

Other Cubs players -- most of them, like "Z," being paid millions of dollars by present owner Sam Zell -- also said it would be nice to have a replica of historic Wrigley Field built on the same site.

Tear down the old place, build a new one. Make it comfortable for the players.

Keep those spoiled brats happy. They haven't won a World Series since 1908, but let's give 'em a new stadium.

*

By the way, if the new Cubs owner decides to build a replacement stadium for Wrigley Field, I think he [or she] should put a roof over it, like Miller Park in Milwaukee.

That way, the wind won't influence home games and there will never be a rainout or snowout. Also, providing there are enough other indoor stadiums, there can be a winter baseball league so the new owner can make even more money.

Zambrano can then spend 12 months a year in Chicago, run for mayor, then governor. The sky's the limit.

No Joe Six-Packs will be able to afford to buy tickets to the games, but corporate beer sponsors -- Budweiser and Old Style, to name two -- will be able to purchase space in the skyboxes smd bleachers to keep Chicago's economy afloat.

*

You've probably had enough of Steve Alford.

I know I have.

But the guy keeps shooting his mouth off, which means he's always in the news in a state where he outwore his welcome five years before he left.

"Alford's departure from Iowa after eight years was necessary," wrote Andy Katz of ESPN. "Both parties had essentially worn each other out. His tenure was marred by star guard Pierre Pierce's being charged with assaulting and terrorizing his former girlfriend. Pierce was jailed for 11 months in 2005-06. He was dismissed from the basketball team by Alford once police confirmed that he was being investigated. Pierce was the Hawkeyes' leading and the fifth-leading Big Ten scorer as a sophomore in 2003-04.

"Alford said the Pierce situation and case were 'truly out of my hands.' Alford finished with a 152-106 record at Iowa, 61-67 in the Big Ten with three NCAA appearances, including two Big Ten tournament titles. He was 17-14, 9-7 -- finishing fourth in the Big Ten with no postseason -- in his final season with Iowa in 2006-07.

"'The last couple of years at Iowa, it didn't matter how hard I worked,' said Alford, 43. 'We were going up against [Big Ten teams] that had more bullets in their gun.'

"'This was absolutely the perfect timing for me at a really good time in my career, he said. 'I don't want to go anywhere.'"

It's Dangerous Down There

You've maybe been wondering about the physical condition -- as well as the sanity -- of Charlie Weis.

Weis is the former offensive guru from the New England Patriots who now is the head football coach at Notre Dame.

Obviously, he could have stayed in the National Football League and made lots of money without the worry of losing his job or his health.

Had Weis remained at New England to mastermind an offense led by quarterback Tom Brady, he wouldn't have had to endure the frustrations of trying to uphold the longtime football traditions made famous by Knute Rockne, Frank Leahy, Ara Parseeghian and others at South Bend.

Now Weis has learned that coaching at Notre Dame can be a very painful experience in more ways than one.

His 3-9 record with the Fighting Irish last season was bad enough.

Now Weis [who is pictured] is on crutches after being taken down on the sideline by one of his own players.

He could be facing season-ending surgery on his left knee if he were a player. But because he's a coach, he doesn't plan to undergo surgery right now, and may not at all, despite tearing both major ligaments in his left knee during Notre Dame's 35-17 victory over Michigan last week.

Now Weis and Brady both have knee injuries. Brady won't be able to play for the Patriots all season, and Weis will evidently be hobbling for quite a while.

I guess Weis has been careful to stay away from players [his own and the opposition's] on game-day since suffering nerve damage in his legs from complications from in his 2002 gastric bypass surgery.

In the game against Michigan, he had no way of getting out of the way late in the first half when Notre Dame linebacker John Ryan was pushed out of bounds after a punt.

Weis was walking behind the play when Ryan rolled into the back of his legs. Weis went down hard, tearing the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his knee.

Weis used crutches and wore a brace on the sideline during the second half.

''We're not going to be in a rush to do anything other than wear a brace, a stiffer one for the first couple weeks, then a little looser, then a little looser,'' he said. ''We'll just move on.''

I don't know what the plural "we" means. I'm pretty sure Weis just means "I."

Weis received calls from some friends, including Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid and several players from the Patriots -- including former Michigan player Brady after being injured.

"Tommy gave me some advice from firsthand experience," Weis said. "He told me, for about a week, you'll be struggling. After that, it gets better."

The day after being hurt, Weis had a brace on his knee and walked with a four-pronged cane. He said he needs the cane only for balance, and he hopes to be off it by the end of the week. He plans to be on the sideline for Saturday's game at Michigan State and said he would be more careful. He said he will probably sit more during practices, but doesn't think it'll change much.

"They didn't hire me for my body, they hired me for my mind," he said.

I've often wondered why more coaches and others not in uniform aren't injured in sideline mishaps.

I've been on the sidelines many times during collegiate football games, and it's dangerous down there.

I recall an incident that happened a number of years ago to a guy who was a high school referee, and also moonlighted a member of the sideline crew during Iowa State's games at Jack Trice Stadium.

The guy was rolled out of bounds by a player during a Cyclone game, and came away with a broken leg.

Not good.

It would be so easy for a 300-pound player in pads to run into a coach or someone else on the sideline, and do some bigtime bodily damage.

The coaches are often wearing head-sets and are talking to other members of the staff who are sitting in the press box.

It's easy for them to not be paying attention to well-conditioned athletes who are making tackles, or being tackled.

Surrounded By Talent

Iowa City, Ia. -- One of the pleasures of watching my 30th Iowa-Iowa State football game yesterday was being able to have John Carlson on one side of me in the Kinnick Stadium press box and Thom Cornelis on the other side.

Carlson, of course, is the standout newsside columnist for the Des Moines Register, and Cornelis is the longtime and talented sports director at KWQC-TV in the Quad Cities.

If I anticipated having any problems figuring things out in this game, I knew Carlson and Cornelis would be able to come to my assistance.

Both guys, you might say, have been around the block.

I mean, Carlson has been to Oakville and Iraq, so you can figure he knows how way around everywhere.

"Have you heard that there's a graveyard under this stadium?" he asked me during a lull in the action.

[By the way, there a number of lulls in the action in a game Iowa won, 17-5, before a sellout crowd of well over 70,000 at Kinnick Stadium.]

"That's what I understand," I told Carlson. "I guess there are horses buried under there."

Well, that's the story I've been hearing for years anyway, although there are doubters.

Long before Kinnick Stadium got its present name, it was called simply Iowa Stadium.

Historians tell us the stadium was built in just seven months, which is a story in itself.

The story goes that workers used lights at night and horses and mules [pictured, courtesy of Special Collections, UI Libraries] as the primary heavy-equipment movers.

There was a rumor for many years that horses that died during the process were buried under what now is the north end zone.

However, Wikipedia reports that others say the animals that died during the process were thrown into the Iowa River before the round-the-clock construction came to an end in July. The first game was played there Oct. 5, 1929.

If Al Grady were still alive, I'd check all of this out with him. Grady, the longtime sports editor of the Iowa City Press-Citizen, knew everything there was to know about Hawkeye football.

I suppose I could check with Jim Zabel. "Z" probably broadcast the first game at Iowa Stadium, and maybe was on hand when horses were being used to carry equipment there in 1929. It could be he even rode one of them.

*

I had my laptop computer in front of me in the press box, acting like I was a real working guy in Row 3 between Carlson and Cornelis.

But I closed the computer up shortly after I began my conversation with the two guys.

Then I was convinced I was keeping Carlson from doing his job by talking to him.

After all, he was there to write a page 1 story for Sunday's paper.

"No problem," he said, "I've got most of the story finished."

John told me he was writing about 94-year-old John Brockway, who watched his first Hawkeye game in 1922.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading his story in today's paper.

Of course, I enjoy everything Carlson writes.

He's a pro, and always has been.

He's been a reporter, an bureau guy in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City and now a columnist.

He's one of the best in the business, and he's a good guy.

As far as I'm concerned, he's the heart of the newsroom in a business that's facing difficult times.

*

John and I talked about Ken Fuson, the tremendous former Register writer who recently accepted a buyout and is now out of the newspaper business.

"Ken is writing a book," Carlson told me.

Great.

If Fuson is writing a book, I know it'll be a good one. If he has a book-signing when it's published, I'll try to be the first guy in line to get a signed copy.

I think Kenny might have misinterpreted some things that I wrote about him a couple of weeks ago when he announced he was taking the buyout.

I used the words "rats leaving a sinking ship" when I described Kenny's bailout.

I don't think he liked those words, but I meant no harm.

I had always heard that rats were smart and they were always the first to leave a ship that was going down in the sea.

That's all I meant by my reference to rats.

Kenny, if I ever run into you in a coffee shop, I'm buying. You're the best.

*

Jake Christensen has to be Iowa's starting quarterback in Saturday's game at Pittsburgh.

The way I look at it, coach Kirk Ferentz has no other choice.

*

It was good seeing Tom Kroeschell yesterday in the press box.

He's the longtime sports information director at Iowa State, and I told him I think the Cyclones will do all right this season.

Indeed, they could do better than the 4-8 record I predicted.

And Iowa is well on its way toward reaching the 8-4 record I predicted. The Hawkeyes will go to 4-0 Saturday at Pitt.

*

Jeff Valadez, a former Iowan who now lives in Bend, Ore., e-mailed me this message about the Hawkeye quarterbacks:

"Well, it's great to have two decent quarterbacks, as long as we get the 'W.' That is all that counts!!!! Oregon looks like they are down to their No. 3.

"Please don't say that Pitt is not all that good....you know the story!!!

"I'm going to try to go to the Wisconsin game this year. My cousins from Des Moines always have the tailgating going on (Villalobos family with the best Mexican breakfast in the parking lot!!!) and the last time I went to a game in Iowa City was when we beat the Buckeyes, 33-7. So I think I need to take the good luck to that game!

"Glad to hear you had a good time with your family and enjoyed a good win. ISU is always a good one!!!!"

Jeff

[RON MALY'S COMMENT: Jeff, I'll see you in the parking lot at the Wisconsin game. You're making me hungry with talk of that Mexican breakfast].

It's Either Too Late Or Too Early for April Fool's Jokes

Scott Pierce, my inquiring radioman, has some questions on this football Saturday:

Ron:

"In a story about my high school alma mater from my local newspaper, The Southern Illinoisan, in Carbondale, Ill.:

"'Tyrone ran for 51 yards and scored the team's only touchdown in a 41-0 loss to a tough Anna-Jonesboro squad in Week 2.'

"I'd like to know how he scored a touchdown in a 41-0 loss?

"And Bob Dyer tells me he saw in a Des Moines Register story from John Naughton [pictured at the left] that Dowling was going to neutralize Valley's all-state offensive lineman by double-teaming him. Bob wonders, correctly, how the hell you double-team an offensive lineman?"

Scott Pierce

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Scott, I think we're dipping into the "Believe It Or Not" book. If I wasn't sure the story out of the Southern Illinoisan was written during the football season, I'd have guessed that someone was playing April Fool's Day tricks on readers. And, of course, it's always April Fool's Day at the Register. Incidentally, my friend and yours Bob Dyer is a former Register sportswriter, recruiting expert and local sports talk-show announcer].

*

George Wine tells me Bob Post has died. Bob was Maury White's nephew, and represented the late Des Moines Register sports columnist at the Wall Of Fame ceremonies at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City a couple of years ago.

*

From Bob Nicholas, aka Uncle Bob:

Dear Ron,

"Scott Chandler was injured near the end of the last preseason game. He has been placed on injured reseerve and will miss this whole season [damage to big toe]. He had surgery this week.

"Scott is sure he will be back.

"Big game today. I'll be watching with the Orange County [Calif.] Iowa Club near Angels Stadium."

"Go Hawks."

Proud Uncle Bob

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Bob Nicholas is the uncle of Scott Chandler [pictured at the right], a former tight end at Iowa who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL draft. Here's what the Chargers said about the 6-7, 265-pound Chandler: "The Chargers have placed backup tight end Scott Chandler on the injured reserve list with a serious toe injury. Chandler played in all four preseason games for the Chargers this year and he caught five passes for 37 yards. The Chargers were planning on giving Chandler a lot more playing time than last year when he only played in ome game and didn’t catch a pass. This injury will really hinder Chandler’s development as an NFL player."]

*

A guy I know, who gets upset with newspapers a lot, wishes the people who put papers out and report for them would start the football season by printing the entire rosters from Iowa and Iowa State. He likes to know where the players are from.

I obtained the rosters from both schools and e-mailed them to the guy.

After he looked them over, here's what he wrote to me:

"Ron, I had the chance to look over the rosters you sent. No real surprises there. Iowa State is overloading on Texas and Florida, but with a new coach from Texas I think that is expected.

"This list shows Iowa has four from Florida; five from New Jersey and five from Texas. There is the usual sprinkling of Bettendorf, Cedar Rapids and Valley. But also Belle Plaine, Osage and Prairie City. That's good. In total, 50 of those names appear to

"Iowa State, on the other hand shows 21 from Florida; 19 from Texas. But as I said, with a coach coming out of Texas he should attract some talent from there. You have to like the fact his two QBs are from Ames and Omaha.

"Thanks for sending the names."

Here are the rosters as the teams get ready for today's game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City:

IOWA

No. Name Ht./Wt. Pos. Year Hometown (Last School)

1 Daniel Murray 5-10/185 PK SO Iowa City, IA (Regina HS)
1 Justin Greiner 5-10/190 DB SO Washington, IA (Washington)
2 Harold Dalton 6-1/201 DB SR Camden, NJ (Woodrow Wilson HS)
3 Diauntae Morrow 6-0/195 DB SO Cleveland, OH (St. Edward)
4 Jordan Bernstine 5-11/203 DB SO Des Moines, IA (Lincoln)
5 Ryan Donahue 6-3/180 P/PK SO Evergreen Park, IL (St. Rita HS)
6 Jake Christensen 6-1/215 QB JR Lockport, IL (Lockport HS)
6 Eric Guthrie 6-6/205 P RS FR Nevada, IA (Nevada)
7 Marvin McNutt 6-4/210 QB RS FR St. Louis, MO (Hazelwood Central)
8 Kyle Steinbrecher 6-3/200 WR RS FR Davenport, IA (Assumption HS)
8 Trent Mossbrucker 6-0/190 PK FR Mooresville, IN (Mooresville HS)
9 Tyler Sash 6-1/210 DB RS FR Oskaloosa, IA (Oskaloosa HS)
10 William Lowe 5-9/165 DB FR Cleveland, OH (Glenville Academic Campus)
11 Don Nordmann 6-5/210 WR SO Hopkinton, IA (Maquoketa Valley)
12 Ricky Stanzi 6-4/225 QB SO Mentor, OH (Lake Catholic HS)
13 DeMarco Paine 5-10/175 WR FR St. Louis, MO (Hazelwood East)
13 Tom Donatell 6-2/201 QB RS FR Atlanta, GA (Peachtree Ridge HS)
14 John Wienke 6-5/225 QB FR Tuscola, IL (Tuscola HS)
14 Devan Moylan 5-10/201 DB SR Panora, IA (Iowa Central CC)
15 Derrell Johnson-Koulianos 6-1/205 WR SO Campbell, OH (Cardinal Mooney HS)
16 James Vandenberg 6-3/195 QB FR Keokuk, IA (Keokuk HS)
16 Drew Gardner 5-10/186 DB SR Cherry Hill, NJ (Widener Univ.)
17 Jayme Murphy 5-11/207 RB SO Dubuque, IA (Senior HS)
18 Lance Tillison 6-2/213 DB SO Seffner, FL (Armwood HS)
19 Amari Spievey 6-0/190 DB SO Middletown, CT (Iowa Central CC)
20 Nick Kuchel 5-11/195 WR SO Kingsley, IA (Kingsley-Pierson HS)
20 Joe Conklin 5-11/200 DB SO Davenport, IA (Iowa State)
21 Nate Guillory 5-10/185 RB JR Houston, TX (Coffeyville, KS CC)
22 Colin Sandeman 6-1/200 WR SO Bettendorf, IA (Bettendorf HS)
23 Shonn Greene 5-11/235 RB JR Sicklerville, NJ (Milford, CT Academy)
25 Paki O'Meara 5-11/210 RB SO Cedar Rapids, IA (Washington HS)
26 Paul Chaney, Jr. 5-9/170 WR SO St. Louis, MO (University HS)
26 Nick Nielsen DB FR Humboldt, IA (Humboldt)
27 Jewel Hampton 5-9/200 RB FR Indianapolis, IN (Warren Central)
28 Shaun Prater 5-11/172 DB FR Omaha, NE (Central)
29 Bradley Fletcher 6-2/200 DB SR Youngstown, OH (Liberty HS)
30 Brett Greenwood 6-0/200 DB SO Bettendorf, IA (Pleasent Valley HS)
30 Kyle Spading 6-6/245 TE JR Belle Plaine, IA (Belle Plaine HS)
31 David Cato 5-11/190 DB FR Arlington, TX (Summit)
32 Adam Robinson 5-9/195 RB FR Des Moines, IA (Lincoln HS)
33 Brian Mungongo 5-9/180 WR SO Mansfield, TX (Summit)
33 Jeff Tarpinian 6-3/231 LB SO Omaha, NE (Millard North HS)
34 Chris Rowell 6-1/197 DB JR Warrensville Heights, OH (Warrensville HS)
34 Jeff Brinson 5-11/215 RB FR St. Petersburg, FL (Northeast)
35 Jared Oberland 6-0/240 FB SR Whitefish Bay, WI (Whitefish Bay HS)
36 Brett Morse 6-3/235 FB SO Willowbrook, IL (Hinsdale Central HS)
36 Taylor Herbst 6-1/218 DB JR Dubuque, IA (Senior HS)
37 Gavin McGrath 6-2/235 LB SR Cedar Rapids, IA (Washington HS)
37 Bryce Griswold 6-1/244 FB JR Masonville, IA (Iowa Central CC)
38 Brad Herman 6-5/225 LB FR Metamora, IL (Metamora HS)
38 Jordan McLaughlin 6-0/230 FB SR Belmond, IA (Belmond-Klemme HS)
40 Jack Swanson 5-11/180 DB FR Naples, FL (Naples HS)
41 Dezman Moses 6-2/240 LB SO Willingboro, NJ (Willingboro)
42 Jeremiha Hunter 6-2/230 LB SO York, PA (Harrisburg Science & Technology HS)
43 Pat Angerer 6-1/232 LB JR Bettendorf, IA (Bettendorf HS)
44 Greg Castillo 5-11/175 DB FR Mount Laurel, NJ (St. Joseph's Prep (PA))
45 Tyler Nielsen 6-4/228 LB RS FR Humboldt, IA (Humboldt)
46 Christian Ballard 6-4/284 DE SO Lawrence, KS (Lawrence Free State)
47 Wade Leppert 6-0/235 FB RS FR Wauconda, IL (Mundelein HS)
47 Mitch King 6-3/280 DL SR Burlington, IA (Burlington HS)
48 Troy Johnson 6-2/230 LB SO Lakeland, FL (Lakeland HS)
49 A.J. Edds 6-4/244 LB JR Greenwood, IN (Greenwood Community HS)
50 Khalif Staten 6-3/219 LB FR Brooklyn, NY (Lincoln)
51 Tyler Blum 6-6/285 DL JR Walnut, IA (Walnut Community HS)
52 Rafael Eubanks 6-3/285 OL JR St. Paul, MN (Cretin-Derham Hall HS)
53 Matt Kroul 6-3/281 DL SR Mount Vernon, IA (Mount Vernon HS)
53 James Ferentz 6-2/265 OL FR Iowa City, IA (City HS)
54 Steve Bigach 6-3/220 DL FR Cleveland, OH (St. Ignatius)
55 Jacody Coleman 6-3/240 LB SO Beaumont, TX (Beaumont West Brook)
56 Markus Zusevics 6-5/255 OL RS FR Arlington Heights, IL (Prospect)
57 Mike Morio 6-2/233 LB SO Palo, IA (Cedar Rapids Kennedy HS)
57 Bruce Davis 5-11/235 LB RS FR Cleveland, OH (Glenville)
58 Rob Bruggeman 6-3/287 OL SR Cedar Rapids, IA (Washington HS)
58 Lebron Daniel 6-2/253 DE RS FR Cleveland, OH (Glenville)
59 Nick Murphy 6-2/220 LS RS FR St. Paul, MN (Cretin-Derham Hall)
59 Anton Narinskiy 6-4/270 DL SR Chagrin Falls, OH (Kenston HS)
60 Matt Tobin OL FR Worthington, IA
60 Kyle Calloway 6-7/317 OL JR Belleville, IL (East HS)
61 Travis Meade 6-2/285 OL JR Iowa City, IA (West HS)
63 Julian Vandervelde 6-3/300 OL SO Davenport, IA (Central HS)
64 Cody Hundertmark 6-4/276 DL SO Humboldt, IA (Humboldt)
65 Andrew Schulze 6-6/255 LS SO Woodridge, IL (Downers Grove South HS)
66 Casey McMillan 6-4/295 OL FR Billings, MT (Central Catholic)
67 Josh Koeppel 6-1/265 OL SO Iowa City, IA (City HS)
68 Andy Kuempel 6-7/300 OL JR Marion, IA (Linn-Mar HS)
69 Kyle Haganman 6-5/277 OL SO Osage, IA (Osage HS)
70 Austin Postler 6-5/285 OL SR Iowa City, IA (West HS)
71 Tyrel Detweiler 6-4/300 OL RS FR Williamsburg, IA (Williamsburg)
71 Seth Olsen 6-5/305 OL SR Omaha, NE (Millard North HS)
72 Mark Mahmens 6-3/266 DL JR Goose Lake, IA (Northeast HS)
73 Adam Gettis 6-4/270 OL RS FR Frankfort, IL (Lincoln Way East)
74 Dan Doering 6-6/300 OL JR Barrington, IL (Barrington HS)
75 Wesley Aeschliman 6-8/318 OL SR Bloomfield, IA (Davis County HS)
76 Ben Thilges 6-4/260 OL FR Humboldt, IA (Humboldt)
77 Riley Reiff 6-6/250 DE FR Parkston, SD (Parkston HS)
79 Bryan Bulaga 6-6/301 OL SO Crystal Lake, IL (Marian Central Catholic)
80 Andy Brodell 6-3/202 WR JR Ankeny, IA (Ankeny HS)
81 Tony Moeaki 6-4/255 TE JR Wheaton, IL (Warrenville South HS)
82 Allen Reisner 6-3/235 TE SO Marion, IA (Marion)
83 Steven Staggs WR FR Oksaloosa, IA
83 Brandon Myers 6-4/250 TE SR Prairie City, IA (Prairie City-Monroe HS)
84 Ben Evans 6-0/180 WR SO Iowa City, IA (City HS)
85 Michael Sabers 6-5/245 TE SR Iowa City, IA (City HS)
86 Trey Stross 6-3/200 WR JR Avon Lake, OH (Avon Lake HS)
87 Zach Furlong 6-5/230 TE RS FR Xenia, OH (Xenia)
87 Thomas Nardo 6-3/260 DL RS FR Lancaster, PA (Catholic)
88 J.D. Griggs 6-5/225 TE FR Piscataway, NJ (Piscataway HS)
89 Shane Prater 6-1/170 WR FR Omaha, NE (Central)
90 Tyler Gerstandt 6-6/248 TE JR Cherokee, IA (Washington HS)
90 Jason Semmes 6-3/218 DE FR Clarkston, MI (St. Mary's HS)
91 Broderick Binns 6-2/250 DE RS FR St. Paul, MN (Cretin-Derham Hall)
92 Jonathan Gimm 6-3/235 TE FR Houston, TX (Westfield)
93 Mike Daniels 6-1/261 DL RS FR Blackwood, NJ (Highland Regional)
94 Adrian Clayborn 6-3/282 DE SO St. Louis, MO (Webster Groves HS)
95 Karl Klug 6-4/255 DE SO Caledonia, MN (Caledonia HS)
97 Ross Petersen 6-1/235 TE SO Durant, IA (Durant HS)
98 Chad Geary 6-3/261 DE JR Tipton, IA (Tipton HS)
99 Joe Gaglione 6-5/230 DE FR Novelty, OH (Lake Catholic)

IOWA STATE

1 Linder, Judah DB 6-0 170 Fr. Miami, Fla. (Miami Edison)
2 Johnson, Sedrick WR 6-4 188 Fr. Troup, Texas (Arp)
2 Smith, James DB 5-9 189 RJr. Council Bluffs, Iowa (Jefferson)
3 Bass, Jamicah RB 6-0 200 Sr. Altamonte Springs, Fla. (El Camino) (Lyman)
4 Arnaud, Austen QB 6-3 222 RSo. Ames, Iowa (Ames)
4 Sandvig, Zac DB 5-10 186 RSo. West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley)
5 Sumrall, R.J. WR 6-1 202 RSr. Orlando, Fla. (Winter Park)
6 Scales, Jason RB 5-9 212 Sr. West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley)
7 Banks, Kennard DB 5-10 193 Jr. Boynton Beach, Fla. (Dodge City CC) (William T. Dwyer)
7 Bates, Phillip QB 6-1 218 So. Omaha, Neb. (Omaha North HS)
8 Brown, Chris DB 5-10 172 Sr. Gainesville, Texas (Gainesville)
8 Bueker, Brett QB 6-4 197 Fr. Bettendorf, Iowa (Pleasant Valley)
9 Messiah, Euseph WR 5-10 170 RSr. Bettendorf, Iowa (Bettendorf)
10 Bell, Cameron LB 6-2 237 So. Round Rock, Texas (Stony Point HS)
10 Range, Lonzie WR 6-3 174 Fr. Carrollton, Texas (Creekview)
11 Singleton, Chris DB 5-10 194 Sr. Fort Myers, Fla. (Dunbar)
11 Tiller, Jerome QB 6-4 179 Fr. San Antonio, Texas (Robert E. Lee)
12 Bell, Allen DB 6-1 190 RJr. Tallahassee, Fla. (Independence CC) (James Rickards HS)
13 Brandtner, Mike P 6-1 206 RJr. Bettendorf, Iowa (Davenport Assumption)
14 Bibbs, Michael LB 6-1 234 Sr. Atlanta, Ga. (Copiah-Lincoln CC) (Booker T. Washington HS)
15 Jones, Houston WR 6-1 196 RJr. Oklahoma City, Okla. (Northeast Academy)
15 Land, Dustin DB 6-0 202 Fr. Milton, Fla. (Milton)
16 Kuehl, Daniel PK 6-0 192 So. Sioux City, Iowa (Heelan)
16 Raven, Josh LB 5-11 216 RJr. Fort Myers, Fla. (Mariner)
17 McDowell, Devin DB 5-9 180 RSo. Garland, Texas (Garland)
17 Zitek, Joel WR 6-2 199 RJr. Ulysses, Neb. (East Butler)
18 Franklin, Wallace WR 6-3 172 Sr. Beaumont, Texas (Butler CC) (Ozen HS)
19 Matthews, A.J. DB 6-3 206 RFr. Clearwater, Fla. (Countryside HS)
20 Hunley, Brandon DB 5-11 207 Sr. Grandview, Mo. (Grandview)
20 Powell, Chad P 5-11 186 Fr. Parker, Texas (Plano East)
21 Mahoney, Grant PK 6-1 151 Fr. Marion, Iowa (Linn-Mar)
22 Harris, Jason RB 5-11 212 Sr. Clearwater, Fla. (Clearwater)
23 Johnson, Leonard DB 5-10 179 Fr. Clearwater, Fla. (Largo)
23 Schwartz, Jeremiah RB 5-11 230 Fr. Orlando, Fla. (Edgewater)
24 Schmidgall, Derec LB 6-1 221 Jr. Lincoln, Neb. (Lincoln)
25 Frere, Nick DL 6-2 253 Sr. Muscatine, Iowa (Muscatine)
25 Guyer, Zach PK 6-4 169 Fr. Urbandale, Iowa (Johnston)
26 Mansfield, Taylor FB 6-1 255 RSo. Decorah, Iowa (Decorah)
26 Moser, Seth LB 6-2 217 RFr. Alvord, Iowa (West Lyon)
27 Johnson, Steve DB 6-0 210 Jr. Denver, Colo. (Montbello)
27 Romey, Michael PK 6-6 184 RFr. Templeton, Iowa (Kuemper)
29 Ekwelundu, Brian FB 5-11 232 RJr. Corpus Christi, Texas (Corpus Christi)
29 Parker, Rashawn DL 6-0 246 Jr. Ponca City, Okla. (Ponca City)
31 Rumple, Justin LB 6-3 210 RSo. Casey, Iowa (Adair-Casey)
32 Benton, Ter'ran DB 6-0 185 Fr. Arlington, Texas (Summit)
32 Burke, Hunter WR 6-0 178 Fr. West Salem, Wis. (West Salem)
33 Robinson, Alexander RB 5-10 182 RSo. Minneapolis, Minn. (De La Salle)
34 Harklau, Nick DB 6-0 190 RJr. Humboldt, Iowa (Humboldt)
34 Williams, Johnny RB 6-1 213 RFr. Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. (Florida) (Northeast)
35 Cicciarelli, Joe DB 5-11 210 Fr. Peoria, Ill. (Dunlap)
35 Ewald, Vince TE 6-6 220 Fr. Taylor Ridge, Ill. (Rock Island-Alleman)
36 Mulcahy, Patrick WR 6-5 180 Fr. Dyersville, Iowa (Beckman)
36 Walker, Kyle DB 5-6 169 Jr. Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Cedar Rapids Jefferson)
37 O'Connell, Michael DB 6-0 200 RSo. Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Iowa City Regina)
38 Campbell, Chris WR 5-10 170 Fr. Cherokee, Iowa (Washington)
38 Maggitt, Roosevelt DL 6-2 217 Fr. Riviera Beach, FL (Dwyer)
39 Thompson, Jr., Rickey RB 5-9 204 RSr. Ames, Iowa (Nebraska-Omaha) (Ames)
40 Tucker, Zac DS 6-5 190 Fr. Johnston, Iowa (Johnston)
41 Ferguson, Ernest LB 6-1 217 Fr. Palm Beach, Fla. (Royal Palm Beach)
42 Weymiller, Frank LB 6-2 210 Fr. New Albin, Iowa (Waukon)
43 Garrin, Fred LB 6-1 221 Jr. Shepherd, Texas (Shepherd)
44 Hamlin, Kevin LB 6-3 210 Fr. Jupiter, Fla. (Dwyer)
45 Blaes, Joe TE 6-2 287 Sr. Cherryvale, Kan. (Coffeyville CC) (Cherryvale HS)
46 Zimmerman, Dakota DS 6-0 223 Fr. Wichita, Kan. (Haysville Campus)
47 Taylor, Kurtis DL 6-2 255 Sr. Fort Dodge, Iowa (Fort Dodge)
48 Smith, Sean OL 6-4 274 RSo. Wildwood, Mo. (Lafayette)
49 Wonders, David DS 6-0 253 RSo. Waukee, Iowa (Waukee)
51 Haughton, Scott OL 6-4 335 Fr. Sanford, Fla. (Seminole)
52 Knapp, Mike OL 6-3 272 RJr. West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley)
53 Vencil, Evan OL 6-3 243 RJr. Ankeny, Iowa (Ankeny)
54 Smith, Jesse LB 6-0 231 RJr. Altoona, Iowa (Southeast Polk)
55 Lyle, Christopher DE 6-3 249 Jr. Waldorf, Md. (Butler CC) (Westlake)
56 Weir, Chris DL 6-1 269 Sr. Miami, Fla. (Independence CC) (Miami Beach HS)
58 Hicks, Hayworth OL 6-3 330 So. Palmdale, Calif. (Antelope Valley) (Palmdale)
59 Kaufman, Preston LB 5-10 221 So. Lincoln, Neb. (Nebraska-Omaha) (Southwest)
60 Johnson, Brandon OL 6-4 322 RSr. Rushville, Neb. (Rushville)
61 Slobidsky, Nick OL 6-2 290 Sr. Naperville, Ill. (Waubonsie Valley)
62 Frere, Nate DL 6-1 291 Jr. Muscatine, Iowa (Muscatine)
63 Lamaak, Ben OL 6-5 315 RSo. Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Kennedy)
65 Steinbach, Patrick OL 6-8 299 RSo. Albia, Iowa (Albia)
66 Slifka, Kyle DL 6-2 262 RSo. Cresco, Iowa (Crestwood)
67 Hulbert, Matt OL 6-7 286 RSo. Ankeny, Iowa (Ankeny)
68 Bergan, Tadd OL 6-3 240 Fr. Grinnell, Iowa (Grinnell)
70 Davis, Drew OL 6-9 330 Fr. Dubuque, Iowa (Wahlert)
71 Baysinger, Trey OL 6-6 315 RFr. Dallas, Texas (Carter)
72 Osemele, Kelechi OL 6-5 330 RFr. Houston, Texas (Langham Creek HS)
73 Stephens, Reggie OL 6-4 313 RJr. Rowlett, Texas (Jesuit College Prep)
74 Vanstrom, Joe OL 6-6 301 RSr. Ham Lake, Minn. (Blaine)
75 Dedrick, Doug OL 6-4 301 Sr. Tempe, Ariz. (Scottsdale CC) (Corona Del Sol HS)
77 Alvarez, Alex OL 6-2 291 RSo. League City, Texas (Kilgore CC) (Clear Creek HS)
78 Klerekoper, Joseph OL 6-5 278 RFr. Longview, Texas (Pine Tree HS)
79 Burris, Brayden OL 6-6 263 Fr. Wichita, Kan. (Bishop Carroll)
80 Darks, Darius WR 6-0 167 Fr. Austin, Texas (Connally)
80 Tuetken, Todd WR 6-1 180 RFr. Monticello, Iowa (Monticello)
81 Carlson, Jason WR 6-0 192 RSo. New Hope, Minn. (NDSCS) (Robbinsdale Armstrong)
81 Tate, Michael DL 6-4 285 RJr. Tulsa, Okla. (Blinn JC/Arkansas) (Washington HS)
82 Hamilton, Marquis WR 6-4 220 Jr. Oklahoma City, Okla. (Edmond North)
83 Ferguson, Travis DE 6-5 244 RSr. Waterloo, Iowa (East)
83 Williams, Jake WR 6-2 200 RSo. West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley)
84 Catlett, Derrick TE 6-4 241 RJr. Fort Collins, Colo. (Fort Collins)
85 Johnson, Bailey DL 6-3 276 RSo. Homewood, Ill. (Homewood-Flossmoor)
85 Lillie, Justin WR 6-5 220 RJr. Earlham, Iowa (Earlham)
86 Hammerschmidt, Kurt TE 6-6 237 Fr. Chesterfield, Mo. (DeSmet)
87 Sandvig, Alex WR 6-1 179 RFr. West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley HS)
88 Franklin, Collin TE 6-6 247 RSo. Simi Valley, Calif. (College of the Canyons CC) (Simi Valley HS )
89 Mitchell, Andrew WR 6-2 213 So. Fort Dodge, Iowa (Fort Dodge)
90 Laing, Cleyon DE 6-3 250 Fr. Edmonton, Alberta (Holy Trinity)
91 Neal, Patrick TE 6-0 224 RSo. West Des Moines, Iowa (Valley)
92 Black, Jerrod DL 6-0 281 RFr. Houston, Texas (Cypress Falls HS)
93 Bykowski, Carter TE 6-8 254 Fr. Eden Prairie, Minn. (Eden Prairie)
94 McDonough, Jake DE 6-6 264 Fr. Urbandale, Iowa (Valley)
95 Zegers, Spenser DL 6-4 225 Fr. Ankeny, Iowa
96 Alburtis, Austin DL 6-2 275 RSo. Dallas, Texas (Tyler Street Christian Academy)
97 Ruempolhamer, Stephen DL 6-3 285 Fr. Tulsa, Okla. (Union)
99 Hurtig, Chase DL 6-3 263 RSo. Hull, Iowa (Rock Valley-Boyden)
Maggitt, Roosevelt DL - Fr. Riviera, Fla. (Dwyer)

Like I Was Saying

First of all, the only thing I know about floods is that I want to be as far away from them as I can.

I got a first-hand look at the flooding that took place in Des Moines and West Des Moines in 1993, and I never want to see it again.

I heard my friends and relatives from Cedar Rapids talk about the flooding that took place there in the summer of 2008.

I saw the devastation in person in late-July, and it was depressing.

Now Cedar Rapids is trying to figure out how to avoid more floods in the future, and I have confidence the city's leaders will make the correct decisions.

However, I hope one of those decision is not to turn 16th Avenue SW -- otherwise known as the Czech Village -- into a park.

I'm being unrealistic, I know. I want Polehna's meat market to reopen, I want Sykora's Bakery to again make kolaches and I want to go in the saddle shop sometime in the future.

I want things to be like they were when I was 15.

I also know it probably won't happen.

The Avenue will turn into a green space and the only place a guy will be able to get a kolache will be in the kitchen of some lady of Czech descent.

One more thing.

If they really want to make progress in Cedar Rapids, do something about what we used to call "The Fourth Street Problem."

I mean, get those freight trains out of downtown that hold up traffic for 45 minutes at a time.

*

Sure, it's a gloomy Friday, but the Cubs won last night in St. Louis.

*

We're all waiting to see who the winners will be in tonight's and tomorrow's football games.

But there are already some big winners this week.

They are the diabetics -- both present and future -- of the world.

Something wonderful happened when the Fraternal Order of Eagles announced on its website that it will partner with the University of Iowa on the Eagles Diabetes Research Center in Iowa City.

In an announcement from Grove City, Ohio, the Eagles said, "In a unanimous decision by more than 700 voting Fraternal Order of Eagle delegates from across the United States and Canada , the Eagles will partner with the University of Iowa in a five-year fundraising project that will culminate with the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center at the university.

"The Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center will be a dedicated center for diabetes research within the Institute for Biomedical Discovery Building at the University of Iowa. Money fundraised by the Fraternal Order of Eagles will go directly to medical research, while the university will supply funding for the building and ongoing maintenance of the facility."

As Cubs announcer Ron Santo keeps saying, a cure is coming. And it could happen in Iowa City.

*

If the Chicago Cubs win the World Series this year -- or even if they get in the Series -- pitcher Ted Lilly will deserve two shares of player money, not just one.

Lilly showed me something when he barreled into Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina at home plate the other night.

Lilly was trying to score, but Molina had the plate blocked.

Molina was armed with all sorts of catchers' padding, and Lilly had no pads at all. The last thing the Cubs needed was for Lilly to risk hurting his pitching arm by rolling into Molina.

Yet Lilly sent Molina reeling backward when he collided with him [photo at the right], and the catcher missed last night's game because of his injuries.

If Lilly didn't motivate his teammates for the rest of the season with that bone-jarring collision, nothing can motivate them.

*

The headline in Datebook said, "Lively piano show stars at Blue Moon."

Lively?

You could've fooled me about the Blue Moon piano bar and restaurant.

If that place looked lively in Christopher Gannon's photograph that was in the paper, a graveyard is lively.

In another classic Datebook picture [left], the Blue Moon was shown with nobody sitting in the seats.

And nobody was sitting at the piano.

I'm not completely sure if the reviewer got there, either.

Naturally, the review said: "Preliminary visit. Not yet rated."

Absolutely blockbuster stuff.

No wonder newspapers are going broke.

*

The Milwaukee Brewers not only are caving in on the baseball field, their brainpower has gone south, too.

Outfielder Corey Hart told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he actually feels better playing at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia than at Miller Park in Milwaukee.

Philadelphia, of course, is where everyone gets booed--even the hometown Phillies.

After the Brewers lost, 6-3, last night at Philly, Hart said, "Actually, it felt more like a home game than playing in Miller Park. We didn't hear the boos that we sometimes hear at home. That's the way it goes. Everybody's expecting [the team] to win. I guess they have a reason to be frustrated because we haven't been winning.

"'It's not a lack of hustle or effort. A guy makes an error, a guy strikes out and you hear your home town booing you. It makes you ready to get out of there and go somewhere else for awhile. I think we're all looser here.'"

Milwaukee's fans are going to love that.

Sadness

Sometimes the things going on around us are fairly easy to understand.

At other times, that's simply not the case.

Our prayers today are with Larry and Julie Vogt of Dubuque, whose son, Grant, has joined the Lord in Heaven less than a week after the crash of a small airplane in Cassville, Wis.

I didn't know Grant, but I know his father, Larry.

My son, Mark, became a friend of Larry when both of them were freshmen at the University of Iowa in the late-1970s.

Larry was a great young guy, and he was always telling me he thought he was good enough to be a placekicker for Hayden Fry's Hawkeyes.

For all I know, he was.

But he never got the chance to prove it.

Mark and Larry have kept in touch over the years.

Unfortunately, they had to have a couple of telephone conversations in the past week that were very difficult.

Larry called Mark shortly after the plane in which Grant and another University of Dubuque student, Clory Alsip of Glendale Heights, Ill., crashed in Cassville.

Grant [photo courtesy of KCRGTV.com] died Tuesday of his injuries, and the funeral is Saturday. Cory Alsip remains in critical condition.

Grant's funeral is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph The Worker Catholic Church in Dubuque.

My son, Mark, is a pilot. He was supposed to be at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City on Saturday morning, watching four fellow pilots from the 132nd Fighter Wing of the Des Moines Air Guard do a flyover prior to the Iowa-Iowa State football game.

Instead, he'll be in Dubuque, attending Grant Vogt's funeral.

Here's part of what assistant city editor M.D. Kittle of the Dubuque Telegraph-Herald wrote about Grant:

"Grant Vogt was a driven young man, confident but not cocky, his high school coach said. He was the kind of guy who could bring people together just by his example of hard work.

"The Dubuquer went through life with a smile on his face.

"'And whenever you talked about flying, he had a bigger smile. It was one of those things he loved to do,' said Tom Witry, Vogt's baseball coach at Hempstead High School.

"It was that love that claimed the young man's life.

"On Tuesday afternoon, Vogt, a junior in the University of Dubuque's aviation school, died at University of Wisconsin Hospitals in Madison. His death, at 3:40 p.m., came six days nearly to the hour of a UD plane crash in Cassville, Wis., that critically injured Vogt and fellow UD aviation school junior Cory Alsip, of Glendale Heights, Ill.

"The students were badly burned when the Socata Trinidad TB 20 Alsip was piloting crashed into a tree and exploded in a resort cabin near the Cassville airport. No one else was in the plane, and no one else was injured in the fiery crash.

"'A piece of me has died,' Witry said of Vogt's death.

Witry saw his former high school catcher the other night for the last time. Vogt never regained consciousness.

"'To see all of his friends who came in, how they felt about him, it was one of the worst things I'd ever done, and one of the most [up]lifting,' Witry said.

"Witry said Vogt has donated his organs so that others might have life, a final act of charity from a young man who has spent his life giving, even in death...."

This Kid Knows How To Spell

Spelling bee:

Adult: "How do you spell the word 'panic?'"

Child: "C-H-I-C-A-G-O C-U-B-S."

Perfect answer, kid.

*

The sports news out of St. Louis says Cubs manager Lou Piniella [pictured at the left] flew into a rege, or tried to anyway, after his team lost [again] in the ninth inning of a game last night.

This time it was the St. Louis Cardinals who rallied to whip the Cubs, 4-3.

Everybody is doing that to the Chicagos these days. They could lose in the ninth inning to the School of Ditch-Digging amateur team.

Last night's loss was Chicago's eighth in its last nine games, and it further tightened the noose around the players' necks.

You'd never know that the Cubs have a 4 1/2-game lead in the National League Central.
That's because second-place Milwaukee is also not only choking on all the big ones, but the little ones as well.

*

"We're playing like we're waiting to get beat," Piniella told reporters loudly after the game at Busch Stadium.

I guess Lou wanted his players to be able to hear what he said. The trouble was, most of them had already cleared out of the clubhouse.

Today's managers -- Piniella included -- have difficulty getting messages across to players who are paid many millions of dollars more than they're paid.

When players lose a game now, it's always, "Well, we'll try to win tomorrow."

*

Tomorrow has arrived.

And the black cat that walked past Cubs third baseman Ron Santo in a September game at Shea Stadium in New York in 1969 [pictured at the top] has been given a new life.

These Cubs of 2008 are just as dead as Santo's Cubs were in 1969.

For me, the official end to the season can't come soon enough.

Unofficially, it's already over for me.

*

My good friend Walt Shotwell [pictured at the right] called attention to the guest commentary he has written for this week's edition of Cityview at http://www.dmcityview.com/guest.shtml.

After reading it, here's what I wrote to Shotwell, a retired reporter/columnist at the Register:

"Walt, thanks for sending me a link to your guest commentary in Cityview. It's very good reading, but that's what I'd expect from a veteran reporter/columnist like you. I like your idea of "Breakfast with Barack," and I like it that you tied my friend and yours Bob Ray into the column. Keep up the great work."

*

By the way, I'm picking Iowa to slip past Iowa State, 24-21, in Saturday's game at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City.

I picked the Hawkeyes to win last summer -- even when most of us still thought Jake Christensen would be the No. 1 quarterback -- and I haven't changed my mind. With Ricky Stanzi now the Hawkeyes' quarterback, I continue to favor Iowa.

But not by the 13 1/2 points Las Vegas says.

*

The Gannett Co. is eliminating 100 executive jobs at its newspapers.

Unfortunately, the Des Moines Register isn't one of those affected, according to the paper.

There's a bus loading at the Greyhound terminal here now, and a few Register folks deserve to be on it.

First the Thai Food, Then Ferentz

One of the things I like about my life these days is that I can go to the Cool Basil restaurant on a Tuesday, have a Thai lunch [left], then come home and be furnished the text on my computer of what Kirk Ferentz [right] said during his press conference a couple of hours earlier in Iowa City.

The things the Iowa football coach told reporters today about a matchup that's often called the Big Game, but only occasionally is played like a big game, is right there in an e-mail attachment, thanks to Phil Haddy, Steve Roe and others in Iowa's sports information office.

That sure beats the old days.

Because this is the week Ferentz's Hawkeyes play Iowa State in their first important game of the season, I printed out what he said during his press conference.

"My week has been off to a big start already," Ferentz began. "Yesterday, I got to open the paper and saw a little picture of my face, nice smile on my face, cited like a 2-and-20 record against Iowa Since since I've been here.

"And then the highlight of my day today, I got off the Big Ten....whatever they call it....media call-in or whatever it's called, but it's like a call-in show, and we wrapped it up with a question about the tight end at Wisconsin...."

*

Ferentz may have thought he was off to a good start.

I'm not sure I was.

*

First of all, Ferentz isn't 2-20 against Iowa State. He's "only" 3-6.

In all, the Cyclones have won seven of the last 10 games of the series with Iowa.

*

Everybody wants to talk about Iowa's quarterback these days -- or, I guess, anytime. So the first question Ferentz got concerned starter Ricky Stanzi and backup Jake Christensen, the player some Iowa fans booed last week.

"So far, [Stanzi has] played well," Ferentz said. "I think both guys have done a good job in all the situations they've been in, and the thing that motivated us to start Rick last week, we didn't have a chance to see him as a starter.

"There are a lot of things we don't know about him yet....It's not like we're ready to crown him king or anything. It's kind of like our football team. We've played hard, but we really haven't done anything yet, either."

Someone even asked this question: "Do you have any concerns with Ricky, like him getting a big head, that type of thing?

"I don't, but I've never seen him in this situation," Ferentz said. "He's a lot like our team; it's not like we've done anything yet. I mean, we've won two games. We won two games last year and the season didn't have a happy ending."

*

Someone asked if tight end Tony Moeaki, who has been injured, will be available Saturday.

"Yeah, if he gets through the week," Ferentz said. "He's making progress. Two questions--how effective will he be, then how long can he go?

"Do you like [split end] Trey Stross also this week?" Ferentz was asked.

"He's got a chance. He gained ground during last week, and if we can get him through the next three days, you'll see him Saturday. If you don't see him Saturday, that means we didn't get him through the next three days."

*

Asked if his players understand the significance of the Iowa-Iowa State game, Ferentz said, "Yeah, I think probably the only people that don't would be the first-year freshmen that haven't been involved in this game...."

A follow-up on the Iowa State game: "When you're walking around in public, do you get asked if you're going to beat Iowa State this year moreso than any other game?"

"Not really," Ferentz said. "Not to ruin your story, but it does come up, I'm not going to iminmize it. A few other things come up, too, especially after last year [a 15-13 Iowa loss at Ames]."

Someone wanted to know what kind of relationship Ferentz has with Iowa State coach Gene Chizik.

"It's very casual," he said. "We attended a dinner together a year ago April, and I saw him last September,. I think that's about it. But professionally, I'm well aware of what he's done and I think we're probably both in tune to what we do program-wise, and I've got great respect for the job he's done all throughout his career. Certainly he's doing a great job there...."

*

Asked about the emotions after last year's loss at Iowa State, Ferentz said, "Yeah, you know, more prominent to me is just the ride home. That's a long ride home. I remember that ride home.

"I remember riding home from Northwestern [a 28-27 Iowa loss]in 2005. I remember the week or so after the last ballgame last year [a 28-19 loss to Western Michigan that kept Iowa from going to a bowl game]. I rememeber the last week or so after our last ballgame the year before that, the [loss at] Minnesota.

"There are certain things that just -- snapshot memories you have, and they're not pleasant thoughts. If those motivate you, great. They should motivate you to work harder."

This Week's Iowa-Iowa State Game At Least [Temporarily] Ends Any Talk About 'Powder-Puff' Non-Conference Scheduling

Native Iowan and longtime Hawkeye football booster Al Schallau has seen enough of teams such as Maine and Florida International on Iowa's schedules.

In an e-mail titled, "Iowa Hawkeyes Scheduling Powder-Puff Opponents," Schallau writes:

Ron,

"My No. 1 gripe about the Iowa Hawkeye football program is their scheduling powder-puff non-conference opponents.

"In 2008, Iowa played Maine and Florida International at home; and in 2009, Iowa opens the season against Northern Iowa at home. Meanwhile Ohio State scheduled home-and-home games against the USC Trojans in 2008 and 2009.

"According to the future Hawkeye schedules posted on the internet, Iowa presently needs an opponent for Saturday, October 3, 2009. Boise State also has a present opening on its schedule the same date.

"For 2010, Iowa presently needs an opponent for its opener on Sept. 4; and on Sept. 25; and on October 9, 2010. Boise State also has present openings on its schedule on Sept. 4, 2010 and on October 9, 2010.

"ESPN would jump at the chance to televise an Iowa vs. Boise State game from Kinnick Stadium.

"Will Iowa schedule Boise State for any of those dates? NOT A CHANCE.

"Best,"

Al Schallau

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Here's an update, Al. The Hawkeyes will play Arkansas State on Oct. 3, 2009 at Kinnick Stadium. It will be the first-ever game between the schools. That game probably doesn't trip your trigger, either. I wish Iowa would've had a more difficult opponent than either Maine or Florida International, too, but scheduling like that has become the norm in conferences such as the Big Ten and Big 12. Northern Iowa probably doesn't like it that you call it a powder-puff team, but the Panthers -- like a lot of other schools -- are constantly looking for a big-money game or two each season. And universities like Iowa are always willing to oblige. UNI has improved its program greatly, but lost to Brigham Young, 41-17, Aug. 30 in a mismatch. I think the so-called powder-puff scheduling is a disappointment to season ticketholders of Division I-A schools, but they continue showing up in droves to stadiums across America. By the way, Iowa received four votes in this week's coaches' poll, despite playing a couple of patsies early in the season. The Hawkeyes didn't get a vote in the sportswriters' Associated Press poll. And another thing...I doubt anyone will be knocking the schedules of either Iowa or Iowa State this week as they await Saturday's game against each other in the battle for the fantastic [at least to the team that wins it] Cy-Hawk Trophy at Kinnick Stadium].

*

Good luck to Ken Fuson and Jerry Perkins now that they've left the Register's newsroom. The paper needed them more than they needed the paper.

*

My good friend Don Lund, the journalist who is an Iowa graduate and Iowa fan [the late Al Grady, of course, proved it's possible to be both], reflected in print on the booing of Hawkeye quarterback Jake Christensen:

"The fans who booed him not only showed no class, but what will some of the future Iowa recruits think? He got beat up enough last year by the opposition; he doesn’t need to hear it from the Iowa fans."

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Don, you've seen the good and the not-so-good in your years in and around Iowa City. Keep telling it the way it is. I enjoyed visiting with you before last Saturday's game, and I'll look forward to seeing you this week at Kinnick Stadium].

Finding a Way To Solve the World's [Football] Problems

Iowa City, Ia. -- While I was solving the world's problems with friends such as Mike Hlas, George Wine, Steve Roe, Bob Brown, John Bohnenkamp and plenty of others yesterday in the Kinnick Stadium press box [pictured above], another guy I know was viewing the Iowa-Florida International football game on TV in Oregon.

"Hey, Ron, I'm watching the game right now in Bend," Jeff wrote in an e-mail I read when I got back home. "I like Stanzi's touch and composure. Jake still looks too jerky and doesn't have very catchable balls when a bit of touch is needed.

"But the Hawkeyes are looking like they can be decent. Let's see next Saturday
against the Cyclones. It's actually looking like a good year to play Michigan and Ohio State."

*

The Stanzi and Jake referred to by Jeff were, of course, Iowa quarterbacks Ricky Stanzi and Jake Christensen.

Stanzi, who is looking more and more like he's the best quarterback on Kirk Ferentz's roster, caused a stir among everyone in the press box and the stadium seats by starting the game.

The buzz in the press box was evident when word began circulating that Stanzi would be starting.

"I hear Christensen will be transferring to Eastern Illinois," a guy said to me while I was drinking my first cup of coffee.

*

We'll see about that.

Right now, I see no reason why Ferentz would change anything for Saturday's game against Iowa State.

I figure Stanzi, who completed eight of 10 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns in Iowa's 42-0 cruise yesterday, will be the starter again Saturday when Iowa tees it up against a Cyclone team that sailed past Kent State, 48-28, last night and will be hard for Iowa to beat.

For some reason, Iowa State is usually more prepared for the Big Game than is Iowa.

*

Incidentally, Christensen was booed by some of Iowa's fans yesterday.

Being a quarterback in Iowa City is sometimes not easy.

He's not the first quarterback to be booed here, and he won't be the last.

There have always been lots of football experts in Kinnick Stadium.

*

Iowa State has its own indecision at quarterback, of course, and I'll leave figuring out the Cyclones' and Hawkeyes' depth charts to others -- the folks being paid to determine what it is that newspaper readers want these days.

Something called "liveblogging" is the newest idea racing through the business, and it was taking place in a big way yesterday at Kinnick.

Three writers covering the game for the Gazette -- which puts out papers in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City -- were liveblogging in a manner that no one has ever seen.

I mean, on this crisp autumn morning and pleasant autumn afternoon in Iowa City, Grantland Rice and Bert McGrane would have thrown up their hands and shouted, "Put us on the police beat!" if they'd been asked to respond to readers' comments on a computer during the game.

Rice, who wrote for a number of newspapers a long time ago, including the New York Herald Tribune, authored sports stories that sang. McGrane tried to do the same thing for the Des Moines Register.

In 1924, Rice wrote the famous "Four Horsemen" lead in describing a Notre Dame-Army game.

It began, "Outlined against a blue-gray October sky the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are only aliases. Their real names are: Stuhldreher, Miller, Crowley and Layden. They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Army team was swept over the precipice at the Polo Grounds this afternoon as 55,000 spectators peered down upon the bewildering panorama spread out upon the green plain below..."

In those days, the score of the game might not have appeared until the ninth or 10th paragraph. Nobody cared. Rice didn't care, neither did his editors or his readers.

Actually, I sometimes miss that kind of writing. But evidently today's newspaper readers and editors don't.

They want liveblogging.

*

When the Gazette started its liveblogging in the Iowa-Maine season opener, it evidently caused a mini-controversy with the NCAA -- which evidently doesn't have enough to do these days.

The NCAA wanted to limit how many liveblogs the Gazette and other papers could send during a Hawkeye game.

Why there should be any limit is something I don't know and don't care to know.

The NCAA should be trying to find out how Southern California's football and basketball players keep getting paid millions of dollars every year when all they're supposed to be getting is board, books, tuition and the game plan.

*

I guess the situation has been solved now.

The Gazette guys could liveblog all they wanted to yesterday during a game that was a real yawner.

I had to go outdoors at halftime to make sure I didn't fall asleep. When I went out there, three guys were lying on the ground near the stadium.

My guess is they'd had too much Bud Light.

If it wasn't that, it was too much Florida International.

*

I talked to Hlas [pictured at the right], the Gazette sports columnist, for a long time before the game about liveblogging.

So, when I got home, I read what he wrote in his liveblog.

I quickly determined that Mike attracts a group of very intelligent, very clever and very witty liveblogging participants.

Guys who know football as well as the news business provided him with some outstanding comments.

Just to keep things lively, one guy even told Hlas that he was starting a campaign to get Jim Ecker involved in liveblogging during a game.

Ecker was, and still is, an outstanding sports reporter at the Gazette.

When he was covering Iowa, he treated it like the police beat. Something he wrote one time caused former Iowa coach Hayden Fry to devote an entire press conference to criticism of Ecker.

That took some doing.

All I know is, I'll be looking for some liveblogs from Ecker any day now.

*

All but one of the Wall of Famers whose plaques are displayed in Kinnick Stadium would think liveblogging is a foreign language. I think I'm the only Wall of Famer who has an idea about what it is.

*

As enjoyable as the game and the entire press box scenario was, the highlight of the day was the pregame tailgating I did with my son, daughter-in-law and two of my granddaughters [pictured at the left].

*

By the way, Hlas tells me just half of his worktime these days is spent writing sports columns.

He's also writing a book on the horrible flooding that took place in Cedar Rapids this summer.

"Steve Buttry, our new editor, asked me if I'd write the book," Hlas said. "When the boss asks, you do it."

Knowing how well Mike writes, the book will be a good one and I'll be anxious to read it.

*

As for the comment made by my friend Jeff that that it's too bad Iowa isn't playing Ohio State and Michigan this season, I agree with him.

Neither team is a world-beater. Ohio State had to score 14 last-quarter points to beat Frank Solich's Ohio University team, 26-14, and Michigan struggled to beat Miami of Ohio, 16-6, in a game that likely caused Bo Schembechler to roll over a couple of times in his grave.

*

It was good to see Forest Evashevski's photo on the cover of yesterday's game program.

Evy's 1958 team was the best Iowa has ever had.

That team was honored on the weekend of the season opener against Maine, but Evashevski couldn't attend because of health problems.

*

Final thought: I'm wondering what Maury White would say about all this liveblogging crap.

I know one thing. His comments wouldn't be suitable for a newspaper. The only thing they'd work in would be a blog or on Twitter.

That's how much the writing business is changing.

I'll see you at this week's Big Game.

Tom, They Didn't Hear You

You'll find Drake's men's basketball schedule for the upcoming season at the bottom of this column.

Basketball?

Yes, even though the collegiate football season has barely started and the NFL season hasn't started at all...basketball.

It's going to be an hour or so before I'll have my game-face on for tomorrow's Titanic football struggle between Iowa and Florida International.

I realize the eyes of America will be on that game in Iowa City. My problem is, my eyes aren't open yet.

So I thought I'd pass along a few thoughts on what's going to be ahead in and around the Knapp Center after the weather changes:

First of all, I notice the crack Missouri Valley Conference schedule-makers have assigned Drake a Dec. 28 game at Evansville to open the league season.

Strange.

This comes not long after former Bulldogs coach Tom Davis told me and Drake boosters that he thought the school usually got screwed by the conference on scheduling and officials.

Davis, who had worked at such places as Boston College, Stanford and Iowa, couldn't figure out why Drake always had to open the Valley season on the road end the Valley season on the road.

Tom also didn't think the league sent premier officials to games at the Knapp Center. Judging by some of the calls that have been made over there in the past 10 years, I think some of the zebras were fresh off refereeing games in the noon league at the downtown YMCA.

I think Davis was trying to get the message across that Drake's basketball program didn't get the respect it deserved from the league office.

The Bulldogs' 2007-2008 team certainly showed that respect is something the school should get.

Drake was the biggest story in collegiate basketball last season under Keno Davis, Tom's son.

Everyone knows that story. Keno was in his first season as a head coach, yet he got his players to believe they could beat any opponent in any league.

Kids shooting baskets in alleys around America all wanted to be guard Adam Emmenecker of the Bulldogs.

The feel-good story finally ended in the first round of the NCAA tournament, and Keno broke the hearts of Drake fans everywhere by bailing out of the coaching job and going to Providence after one season.

So now Mark Phelps is the guy who must battle the schedules and the officials at Drake.

The good thing about the Dec. 28 game at Evansville is that Drake will have more than a week to prepare for it after the Dec. 20 confrontation with Iowa at the Knapp Center.

An interesting scheduling feature sends the Bulldogs against Missouri State on New Year's Eve at the Knapp Center.

Well, actually, the game is during the day on New Year's Eve. It will be played at 2:05 p.m.

I guess by scheduling a New Year's Eve game, we'll find out how interested Drake fans are in their team.

I figure athletic director Sandy Hatfield Clubb could urge them to bring hats, horns and champagne in an attempt to do things up right the day before 2009 begins.

Some things never change. I wrote earlier about how Tom Davis didn't particularly like it that Drake regularly had to play its regular-season finale on the road. That didn't seem to be a good way of getting ready for the league's postseason tournament in St. Louis.

Same thing this season.

Drake's last regular-season game is Feb. 28 at Bradley.

The beat goes on.

By the way, Phelps will find out very quickly what he has on this team.

Following two exhibition games, Drake's regular-season opener is Nov. 15 against Butler, a team the Bulldogs defeated on the road last season.

That's not exactly the same as playing Dordt, Grinnell or Des Moines School of Ditch-Digging in the opener.

Whatever, I'll be ready. Tom Davis won't be sitting next to me at press row during the games like he was all of last season, but I'll see if I can figure out what's taking place regardless.

Meanwhile, I'm still working on getting my football game-face on for this weekend.

THE SCHEDULE

Sat., Nov. 1 Truman State at Drake (EX) 7:05 PM

Sun., Nov. 9 Arkansas Tech at Drake (EX) 2:05 PM

Sat., Nov. 15 Butler at Drake 7:05 PM

Cancun Challenge
Wed., Nov. 19 Morehead State at Drake 7:05 p.m.

Sun., Nov. 23 South Dakota State at Drake 2:05 p.m.

Sat., Nov. 29 Drake vs. Vanderbilt Cancun, Mexico TBD

Sun., Nov. 30 Drake vs. VCU or New Mexico Cancun, Mexico TBD

Wed., Dec. 3 Lincoln at Drake 7:05 PM

Drake/Iowa Realty Tournament

Fri., Dec. 5 Drake vs. North Carolina Central 7:30 PM

Sat., Dec. 6 Drake vs. Furman/Texas Pan American 7:30 PM

Tues., Dec. 9 Drake at Iowa State 8:05 PM

Drake Invitational

Fri., Dec. 12 Drake vs. Georgia Southern 7:30 PM

Sat., Dec. 13 Drake vs. North Dakota State/Stephen F. Austin 7:30 PM

Sat., Dec. 20 Iowa at Drake
TBD

Sun., Dec. 28 *Drake at Evansville 2:05 PM

Wed., Dec. 31 *Missouri State at Drake 2:05 PM

Sun., Jan. 4 *Drake at Southern Illinois 6:05 PM

Wed., Jan. 7 *Indiana State at Drake 7:05 PM

Sun., Jan. 11 *Wichita State at Drake 6:05 PM

Wed., Jan. 14 *Drake at Illinois State 7:05 PM

Sat., Jan. 17 *Northern Iowa at Drake 11:05 AM

Wed., Jan. 21 *Drake at Missouri State 7:05 PM

Sat., Jan. 24 *Drake at Creighton TBD

Wed., Jan. 28 *Evansville at Drake 7:05 PM

Sat., Jan. 31 *Drake at Wichita State 7:05 PM

Wed., Feb. 4 *Creighton at Drake 7:05 PM

Sat., Feb. 7 *Bradley at Drake 7:05 PM

Wed., Feb. 11 *Drake at Indiana State 6:05 PM

Sun., Feb. 15 *Illinois State at Drake 6:05 PM

Wed., Feb. 18 *Drake at Northern Iowa 7:05 PM

Sat., Feb. 21 ESPNU BracketBusters at Drake TBD

Wed., Feb. 25 *Southern Illinois at Drake 7:35 PM

Sat., Feb. 28 *Drake at Bradley
7:05 PM

March 5-8 Missouri Valley Conference tournament, St. Louis, TBA

*Missouri Valley Conference game

Name the Cure, Not the Disease, After Me

Al Schallau sent me an e-mail, wondering how I'd like it if a disease was named after me.

Frankly, I hadn't given it much thought, but I suppose I'd rather have the cure for a disease named after me, not the disease.

You know, something like "Ron Maly Cure for Diabetes" or "Ron Maly Cure for the Common Cold."

Anyway, here's Al's message:

Ron,

If you had a very rare blood disorder, would you want that to be known forever as "Ron Maly's Disease"?

It has always grated on me to read and hear about "Lou Gehrig's Disease."

I think it is terribly insulting to Lou Gehrig that he is best remembered for having an always-fatal neurological disease named after him.

That disease is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as ALS. Why doesn't the sportswriting profession just call it ALS?

Nobody has any trouble referring to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome as AIDS.

This comes to my attention every time I hear a baseball announcer tell us that a pitcher underwent "Tommy John Surgery." That surgery is "ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction," known in the medical profession as UCL. The surgery involves replacing the ulnar collateral ligament with a tendon taken from elsewhere in the body.

Why doesn't the sportswriting profession refer to it as "tendon transplant surgery" --- rather than "Tommy John Surgery"?

I have no problems with the label "Alzheimer's Disease," which is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German physician who first wrote about this brain disorder in 1906.

Also, I have no problems with the label "Down Syndrome," which is named after Dr. John Langdon Down, a British physician who first wrote about this in 1866.

I don't think I would want some surgical procedure or fatal disease named after me.

Best,

Al Schallau

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Al is right that the horrible disease Lou Gehrig died of is often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Gehrig, of course, was an outstanding first baseman for the New York Yankees who gave a touching speech July 4, 1939 after he had been diagnosed with ALS. The photo of Gehrig speaking at Yankee Stadium is printed with this column. I suppose sportswriters and others in the previous century thought nothing of simply referring to the disease as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Perhaps they even thought Gehrig's family wouldn't mind it. Anyway, here's the text of Lou's speech: "Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for 17 years and I have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans. Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn't consider it the highlight of his career just to associate with them for even one day? Sure, I'm lucky. Who wouldn't have considered it an honor to have known Jacob Ruppert? Also, the builder of baseball's greatest empire, Ed Barrows? To have spent six years with that wonderful little fellow, Miller Huggins? Then to have spent the next nine years with that outstanding leader, that smart student of psychology, the best manager in baseball today, Joe McCarthy? Sure, I'm lucky. When the New York Giants, a team you would give your right arm to beat and vice versa, sends you a gift, that's something. When everybody down to the groundskeeper and those boys in white coats remember you with trophies, that's something. When you have a father and mother work all their lives so that you can have an education and build your body, it's a blessing. When you have a wife who has been a tower of strength and shown more courage than you dreamed existed, that's the finest I know. So I close in saying that I might have had a bad break, but I have an awful lot to live for."]

Gloom & Doom At the Register

Here's the latest from Jason Hancock, who has done such a good job of covering problems at the Des Moines Register for the Iowa Independent:

It’s been a month since Des Moines Register editor Carolyn Washburn told a gathering of newsroom employees that layoffs were coming.

Expenses were up and revenues were down, and despite a great deal of effort to avoid turning to job cuts, Washburn said there was nothing more she could do.

Since then, the paper’s parent company, Gannett Co., announced that 1,000 jobs would be eliminated companywide, including 600 layoffs. Two weeks after Washburn’s announcement, Laura Hollingsworth, president and publisher of the Des Moines Register, delivered the news everyone had been dreading: 12 fulltime and three part-time positions would be eliminated. Another 11 vacant positions would not be filled.

The first to go were farm editor and 30-year Register veteran Jerry Perkins and award-winning feature writer Ken Fuson, both of whom took buyouts. Next up were Jane Norman from the Register’s Washington bureau; S.P. Dinnen, a senior business writer; Jeff Bash; the paper’s multimedia graphics editor; Mike Malloy, a sports reporter; and community newspaper contributor, and Carl Benskin, who worked in the newsroom’s production department.

With friends and colleagues leaving, many inside the newsroom of “The Newspaper Iowa Depends Upon” are feeling the strain, and morale has sunk to what some say is an all-time low.

“We’ve been through cuts before, but we run a pretty lean newsroom and have made money for Gannett,” said one veteran Register reporter. “Also, The Register has historically been a strong, award-winning paper with a national reputation. Those seemed to insulate us from the drastic cuts they did to some of the other papers they downsized. We thought that Gannett wouldn’t dare gut us so badly, that they wouldn’t want to be seen as destroying a great paper. Wrong assumption.”

Register executives did not respond to attempts to get comments for this story.

Most of the newsroom employees contacted for this story said they appreciated the fact that Washburn has been candid with them from the beginning about the challenges the paper faces. But the reality of the situation, as well as the way in which the layoffs were handled, has some upset.

“I’m glad they said something to us early on,” said a reporter who has been with the paper only a short time. “But when the memo came out on a Friday, we were left with the weekend to wonder if we had jobs on Monday when we came back. This dark cloud was hanging over our heads, and really, it hasn’t gone away.”

Another employee said he witnessed a young staffer led down to the Human Resources Department by their boss.

“The employee thought, this is it; I’m being fired,” he said.

But as it turns out, the staffer was simply being given a different job assignment, and when the employee asked why their boss didn’t say something beforehand, his response was reportedly, “I was told not to do that.”

In the memo to staff, Hollingsworth said that while there were no plans for further staff reductions at this time, she could not say definitively that the layoffs were over. One newsroom employee said most understand that it’s no longer a matter of whether more cuts will come, but when.

“People who have poured their lives into the newspaper for a couple of decades now are wondering when the axe will fall on them,” he said. “A decade or two back, they never would have wondered that, because they worked hard, never worrying whether they were putting in more hours than they were being paid for. Now they are wondering whether the next round of job cuts will come before Christmas or right after Christmas.”

Fuson, a 24-year Register veteran, said the atmosphere in the newsroom is just what most would expect.

“There’s a lot of sadness about colleagues who lost jobs, and plenty of fear and concern for the future,” he said, adding: “What I don’t see is any less commitment to the work. People here are working like crazy to adapt to this new age. I recently covered a story at the State Fair. A photographer was shooting the event with a video camera and a still camera - at the same time. I joked that he’ll have cymbals on his legs next year. I’m not sure how we could have done much better covering the Postville raid, the Parkersburg tornado and the spate of floods. I was as proud of our effort as anything I’ve ever seen here.”

When describing the mood inside the newsroom, several longtime employees brought up the closure of the afternoon Des Moines Tribune in 1982, a move that cost 60 journalists their jobs when the staffs of the Tribune and Register were merged.

“There’s always been a feeling that corporate cares more about profit margins and taking care of the top executives than editorial excellence and taking care of the rank and file, but the gloom and doom now is unprecedented in my time,” one newsroom veteran said. “I can only compare it to the cuts made when the Tribune folded. The way things are going, that period might turn out to be the good old days.”

Another employee described the newsroom as much quieter than it used to be.

“And it’s not like when the Tribune closed. That one blindsided us,” he said. “This time, everyone is aware of circulation problems and we have, I think, come to accept the realities of corporate America.”

While morale is certainly low, the newsroom is still committed to putting out a quality paper.

“People are busting their behinds to do good work,” one employee said. “It would be a lie to say morale is good this week, but I’ve seen it worse. The pendulum always seems to swing back, and I’m thinking it will again.”

In July, Gannett reported a 36-percent plunge in second-quarter profits. The company earned $233 million in the second quarter, compared with $366 million in the same period a year ago. After announcing the job cuts, the stock immediately jumped 11 percent, but then just as quickly dropped back 10 percent.

Gannett does not break down earnings by individual paper, so the financial solvency of The Register is hard to quantify. But the paper’s circulation figures, like those of newspapers around the country, are pointing downward. Circulation has fallen virtually every year since 1994, when the Register’s daily circulation stood at 184,959 and Sunday at 318,542. By 2007 those numbers had fallen to 146,050 daily and 233,229 on Sundays.

Fuson, who has been quick to point out that it was his choice to take a buyout and that he wasn’t forced to leave, said the resilience of the newsroom in the face of a difficult time is inspiring.

“It’s not as bad as when the Tribune closed, but it’s close,” Fuson said. “At the same time, you’ve got people trying desperately to maintain and enhance the Register’s quality and role, not knowing what they’re job is going to look like, or even if they’ll have a job, in six months. It’s actually inspiring to see how much people here still care about the Register.”

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: This is a well-written story about a once-proud, now-very-sick newspaper].