The Times-Delphic

Hey, Zach, love to see you at an alumni event

2007-04-08T21:11:00.000-05:00

If you were watching the Masters today, the guy breaking his clubs was Tiger Woods. The guy winning was Zach Johnson, a Drake graduate.

Now for me, it's already pretty cool because Zach is a fellow eastern Iowan, but to be a Drake alum, too. Woo hoo.

I've posted a little update about him on here

I also have TD archives back to 1997, so I put those on the site as well. Zach had a good career at Drake, but he was never the top golfer. In fact, he cost the Bulldogs the D.A. Weibring Invitational because he signed the wrong scorecard. Oops. Oh, well, Zach. We forgive you. Just stop by and see us sometime.

Now that Tom Davis is in charge of athletic fundraising, maybe he'll put together a golf outing and invite Zach. As an Iowa fan, too, Zach is still a fan of Dr. Tom so if he can fit it in, I'm sure he'll say yes.

Keno takes the reins

2007-03-25T22:35:00.000-05:00

Dr. Tom announced his retirement last week. His son, and head assistant coach, Keno Davis will take over as head coach per an agreement signed by the university last year.

Dr. Tom steps down from his head coaching position after leading the men's basketball team to it's first winning season since 1987. He will stay with Drake, however, to serve as a special assistant to the athletic director.

What do you think about Keno taking over the program? What about Dr. Tom stepping down?

Drake women are dancing!

2007-03-12T12:21:00.000-05:00

Hop on the bandwagon; there's always room for one more. Put on your Drake blue and sing the praises of the women's basketball team because it's going to the NCAA Tournament.

The Bulldogs were certainly down this season without Jill Martin and Jordann Plummer, but never out. Their current leading scorer, Brandy Dahir, is out for the rest of the year with mono. So Lauren Dybing stepped up and earned herself a spot on the Valley all-tournament team.

The selection show is on a 7 p.m. tonight on ESPN. Don't miss it.

Thanks!

2007-03-11T01:42:00.000-06:00

Thank you to the Drake Bulldog, who underwrote the cost of tickets for students. Normally, $15, students can now attend Sunday's Valley championship for $1.

Hopefully students take advantage and cheer on the women to their first NCAA Touranment berth since 2002. About six Evansville students had the Drake student section beat at Saturday's game.

Honestly, I haven't followed women's basketball this season, but after watching these ladies play three games, there is more to basketball than what happens above the rim.

See you at the Knapp Center at 2 p.m.

Valley women's touranment

2007-03-08T03:30:00.000-06:00

In Thursday's issue of The Times-Delphic, columnist Angie DiSalvo makes a good point: you can spare $10 and attend the first round of the Valley women's tournament at the Knapp Center.

Eighth-seeded Drake faces No. 9 Wichita State at 6:05 p.m., and you can stay for the 7-10 game if you want, too. Five dollars per game isn't a bad deal.

I know $10 seems steep because tickets to games are already built into tuition payments, but it'll be money well spent. It'll give you a chance to appreciate basketball beneath the rim, and you'll make the women's basketball players happy. Seriously. Nick Grant has told me twice that he and his teammates notice when people are in the stands and they truly appreciate it. Not to mention, the host of previous Valley tournaments, regardless of the seed, has done some major damage in the bracket.

You'll see me in the stands, wearing my Drake blue and sans $10.

Tom Davis — I think he's staying

2007-03-05T03:51:00.000-06:00

Tom Davis has led Drake to its first winning season in 20 years, and has helped the Bulldogs have win two tournaments and add a third trophy to its case after beating Iowa, Iowa State and Northern Iowa. He's 68 years old, and his son, Keno, has already been named his successor. Mission accomplished, right?

It is according to the many media reports brewing rumors that the Doctor will retire. But, seriously, I don't even think Tom Davis knows whether or not he will retire, which is what he told the media following Drake's loss to Southern Illinois at the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. He said he'll take some time off and consider his health and whether or not he's still having fun.

I still think Tom wants to continue working with players like Josh Young and Klayton Korver along with his new recruits. He doesn't seem to be as concerned with milestones and records when making up his mind. Davis' record is currently 598, but I don't think getting No. 600 will factor into his decision.

Reason for him to go include the golf course, his health and Keno, of course. Davis seems to be in good shape and enjoying his job, but he did miss his first game of his 32-year career this season because he was ill with the flu. Keno almost lead the team to a victory at Wichita State that night.

Despite that, I vote for stay. What do you think?

In other news, Evansville and Indiana State are looking for new coaches. The Purple Aces' Steve Merfeld resigned and the Sycamores' Royce Waltman's contract was not renewed ... sounds familiar.

Travel to St. Louis for $20

2007-02-26T01:46:00.000-06:00

Drake is finally starting to get it. A winning basketball team needs a fan base.

This year the athletics department and Student Senate have ponied up some serious funds to allow students to travel to the men's Missouri Valley Conference tournament for $20.

Twenty bucks buys a bus ride, one or two tickets — depending on how Drake does — a stay in a hotel and breakfast. What a bargain.

Drake basketball on the plus side

2007-02-22T02:29:00.000-06:00

Drake's 82-79 win over Evansville secured its winning season in 20 years. Right now the Bulldogs are 16-13.

Odds are against them at Missouri State on Saturday, so that'll put them at 16-14.

My estimations say Drake will play Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament as a No. 8 or No. 9 seed. Tip-off is at 6:05 p.m. on Thursday, March 1. A win bumps the Bulldogs to 17-14 and gives them a date with Southern Illinois.

If Drake lost, it'd still be one game over .500, and it would be unlikely for them to receive an invitation to the NIT.

If the Bulldogs were invited, they'd be at least games over .500, and, well, you can only lose once.

No matter what happens, it's been a fun season. What was your favorite memory from the regular season? How do you think Drake will do in St. Louis?

State champs/Poll question ideas

2007-02-09T13:19:00.000-06:00

Sorry I've neglected this blog for so long. Since I'm no longer enrolled in a blogging class, it's not a requirement that I make weekly posts on it.

Anyway, I happy to report those of you who voted in The Times-Delphic poll were right. Drake swept Northern Iowa on Thursday with a 62-57 win at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls.

I'm going to leave the poll up for a little bit to let viewers know the voters were right.

Do you have any suggestions for the next poll question.

Face it, Jamie Pollard...

2006-12-17T20:24:00.000-06:00

The whole state is not going to cater to your needs.

And thank you Sean Keeler for telling him this. http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061214/SPORTS05/612140411

Jamie Pollard's Cyclones didn't fare to well against Northern Iowa and Drake this season. As of now, the Missouri Valley has a higher RPI than the Big 12, but the Valley is still regarded as a mid-major conference ... that just so happens to have one of its teams in the top 10.

The Iowa State athletic director think he boost Iowa State programs to the national level. He also needs to raise funds for all of his improvements to the Iowa State facilities. So, his solution: play Drake and Northern Iowa on a neutral court. Of course, Iowa and Iowa State can keep its home-and-home series.

Pollard came to Iowa State to make a splash and, well ... they don't call it the Hawkeye State for nothing. So he has to go after the smaller Division I schools. He already rained on the Panthers and Bulldogs' season football opener.

Luckily, the idea won't fly. Drake's Sandy Hatfield Clubb and Northern Iowa's Rick Hartzell gave him a collective, "When pigs fly," response ... just a little nicer. Playing in Wells Fargo Arena is expensive, and Drake and Northen Iowa aren't going to give up a chance to control the funds coming in.

Jamie, some advice, less billboards, more people skills.

Next up: Iowa

2006-12-10T00:26:00.000-06:00

To quote my dad: Greg McDermott got the loser hat trick Friday night in Iowa State’s 77-59 lose to Iowa at Carver Hawkeye arena.

It’s not too surprising, though. Iowa and Iowa State are both rebuilding, Iowa State a little more so. The Cyclones are working with a new coach and lost its two best players from last season to the NBA.

Iowa is working with new players, too, but it still most of its starters were reserves last season. It’s also getting a huge boost from newcomer Tyler Smith.

Here's my analysis that was in Monday's Times-Delphic. Scouting the Hawkeyes - Sports

Who do you think is going to win. People I've talked to said the stars are aligned this year, so if Drake doesn't do it this year, it's going to be a while before it is able to do it again.

Are you going to the game? It was announced Monday evening that tickets are sold out.

The Valley flexes its muscles

2006-12-05T21:14:00.000-06:00

Northern Iowa beat Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena 57-55 — the first time in 21 years. Illinois State beat Miami of Ohio 64-46. Bradley got a 88-49 win over Wright State, and Evansville squeaked by Valparaiso 69-65. No to mention, Wichita State is 10th in the AP poll. Tenth!

Hopefullly the Drake men's team watched the Panthers beat the Hawkeyes and will now think, "Hey, we can do that, too."

Northern Iowa cracked the key for Drake already. Contain Adam Haluska, get Tyler Smith into foul trouble and get the big men to score some points. Aliou Keita had a great game against the Hawkeyes in 2004. So hopefully he can do it again. He shouldn't have any trouble going against Hawkeye center Kurt Looby. He had more fouls against the Panthers than points.

Are you going to the Dec. 16 game?

On the women's side, the Valley wasn't so muscular. Drake lost to Iowa State 70-62 in Ames. The Bulldogs, who were a preseason pick to finish atop the Valley, will be challenged to live up to those expectations without senior forward Jill Martin, who will miss the rest of the season due to a back injury. Luckily for Martin and Drake, there's always next year. Martin received a medical hardship redshirt from the NCAA and will be able to play for the team next year.

How do you think the Drake women will fare now without its star forward who averaged 20 points per game?

Happy Birthday Dr. Tom

2006-12-05T01:26:00.000-06:00

The Drake men's basketball team gave coach Tom Davis a win for his 68th birthday on Dec. 3 at Hilton Coliseum with an 80-78 win. It was the Bulldogs' first win in Ames 1978.

The Doc's day almost ended in heartbreak though. Iowa State's Dodie Dunson sunk a 3-pointer that would have given they Cyclones the win, but he got it off too late and it was waived off.

Phew. Drake finally got a break!

I was sitting on press row trying to restrain myself. Luckily I was sitting next to a member of Drake's sports information department instead of one of the media regulars. I have a great respect for the basketball players. My heart was pounding, but they all stayed cool enough to win.

What did you think was going to happen down the stretch?

The Bulldogs need to carry this momentum into their tournament and get some revenge against Troy.

And fans, you need to buy tickets to the Drake-Iowa game. I know $27 is a lot, but it's going to be a great game, and Drake has a fighting chance. I've said this before, but seriously, this is the year. Drake has veteran players and some great newcomers. And Iowa has ... Adam Haluska. That's it, really. So show up and wear blue. Make the Hawkeyes stay home.

Predictions for the other Big 4 games?

Northern Iowa is at Iowa on Tuesday. Iowa State is at Iowa on Friday.

The Drake-Northern Iowa series starts next year.

Big 4 basketball

2006-11-30T13:29:00.000-06:00

Northern Iowa got a little revenge on former coach and alum Greg McDermott on Wednesday night in the form of a 70-57 win at the UNI-Dome. The Panthers hosted the Cyclones in its football venue instead of its new basketball arena in order to sell $30-tickets to about 3,000 more fans.

Both coaches, Iowa State's McDermott and the Panthers' Ben Jacobson, said they weren't worth the money, but maybe the game was. It was closer than the score indicated.

Missouri Valley Conference member Northern Iowa's beating the Big 12's Iowa State isn't much of a shocker. But the Valley is shaking its mid-major term. Wichita State is No. 17 in the AP poll, and Creighton, Missouri State and Southern Illinois have also received votes.

Next up on the Big 4 slate is Drake at Iowa State on Sunday ... tickets for admission into the Hilton Coliseum are $11.

Do you think the Valley can record another win over a "major" conference?

New Iowa State coach: Howdy, partner!

2006-11-28T13:36:00.000-06:00

I wanted to put "Howdy, partner" above a photo in Tuesday's Des Moines Register, but I was shot down.

The guy is from Texas, after all. Gene Chizik was a co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Longhorns, the defending national champions.

Chizik wasn't on anyone's Iowa State-replacement radar. Probably because no one knew he was looking for a new job, and who would think a guy from Texas would want to come to Iowa State. But to the delight of Cyclone Nation, he's here and Jamie Pollard sure made a splash.

For the most part, Pollard was the search committee, so when he made the announcement to Cyclone fans that a new coach Â the No. 1 pick from Day 1 Â was hired, the media scrambled in vain.

And if you're wondering, Chizik earns more of a McCarney salary than Ferentz one.

Do you think the former national champion will lead Iowa State to the BCS one day?

Waiting Part 2

2006-11-19T13:26:00.000-06:00

Some of the waiting is over and some has just begun.

The Dan McCarney era at Iowa State is officially over, and it was nice of the Cyclones to send him out in style. A 21-16 win at home over Missouri, the game ball, and McCarney was carried off the field by his players.

The next waiting game in Ames is how long until McCarney’s replacement is named. Athletic director Jamie Pollard interviewed San Diego’s coach Jim Harbaugh and Nebraska offensive coordinator Jay Norvell on Nov. 16.

Drake learned Sunday that its season is over. San Diego was not selected to the 16-team NCAA football championship field, so the Toreros will represent the Pioneer Football League in the Gridiron Classic on Dec. 2.

Northern Iowa, which beat Illinois State 38-27 on Saturday, was also not selected. Illinois State was, though, along with Southern Illinois and Youngstown State, also from the Gateway Conference.

Iowa fans are waiting for their winter travel plans. Iowa’s 34-24 loss at Minnesota knocked Orlando out of the picture, but San Antonio and Tempe, Ariz., are still choices. An Iowa vs. a Texas Big 12 team matchup at the Alamo Bowl is a likely outcome, but stranger things have happened when it comes to college football bowls.

Guess it’s time to start thinking about college basketball.

The waiting game

2006-11-15T22:36:00.000-06:00

No one knows what’s going to happen to three of the Big 4 schools, so to kill time until we do know, we sit around and guess.

And we’ll start with the only school whose season wasn’t a disappointment: Drake.

I wrote about the Bulldogs’ 47-28 win at Jacksonville and detailed how they’re likely to play in the Gridiron Classic.

You can read about it here: After win, Drake football waiting - Sports

To sum it up, San Diego, now ranked No. 14 in the I-AA poll, has an excellent shot at making the I-AA playoffs.

The Toreros’ chances are better than No. 20 Northern Iowa, which lost 47-23 at Southern Illinois. The Panthers might convince the selection committee to give them an at-large bid, though, if they upset No. 6 Illinois State at the UNI-Dome on Saturday.

Iowa earned its postseason game by beating Northern Illinois, last Saturday’s 24-21 loss to Wisconsin is slimming their chances of a designer bowl. The choices right now are all in December … I know we already knew that. There’s Champs Sports in Orlando, Fla., Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, Insight in Tempe, Ariz., and Motor City in Detroit, Mich.

Iowa fans travel well, so it’ll likely get a warm-weather bowl, and then Hawkeye fans can think about next year. The Jake Christiansen-era looks bright so that should keep the Bumblebees warm through the winter.

Where do you think Iowa will go bowling? Are you ready to say goodbye to the Hawkeye seniors?

Iowa State will try to earn its only Big 12 win for its seniors and outgoing coach vs. Missouri in Ames. The Cyclones will still finish at the bottom of the Big 12 North, but a win would be a little consolation for a team that hasn’t won since September.

A breaking news buzz

2006-11-09T13:43:00.000-06:00

Democrats, Dan McCarney and Tom Vilsack have created quite a stir in Iowa this week.

Sports and politics go great together as well. It's all about who won and why.

This weeks winners were governor-elect Chet Culver (D), incumbent congressmen Steve King (R), Tom Latham (R) and Leonard Boswell (D), newly elected congressmen Dave Loebsack and Bruce Braley, Drake football, Northern Iowa football and many Democrats nationwide.

Losers include: Congressman and candidate for governor Jim Nussle, 30-year congressional veteran Jim Leach, Iowa State football, former Cyclone coach Dan McCarney, Iowa football and lots of Republicans.

Lets start with the winners.

I've been preaching for the last half of the football season that Drake will go to the Gridiron Classic because San Diego will go to the NCAA I-AA playoffs. The Bulldogs secured their second-place finish in the conference with a 35-15 win over Davidson. And the I-AA selection committee has a little bowl selection committee in it ... meaning in addition to looking at San Diego as a team, it will also look at its appeal, i.e. Jim Harbaugh.

Northern Iowa, seen to some as the savior of football in the state of Iowa, beat Western Kentucky 31-20. Those people aren't paying any attention to Drake, though.

As for politics, have you ever seen the movie "A Year Without a Santa Claus?" The kids sing a song to Santa Claus after they find out Santa is too sick to deliver toys. It's called "Blue Christmas," and it reminds me of the elections.

"It'll be a blue Christmas without you ..." The tune is a little somber, which would make it fitting for the Republicans, but Dems could give it a jazzy makeover and it'd work for them, too.

I think the biggest loser in politics is former second-district Rep. Jim Leach. The moderate Republican Congressman has been in office for over 30 years. But as a Republican, voters saw him as part of the problem and sent him packing.

Iowa dropped a shocking 21-7 decision to Northwestern, also know as the worse team in the Big Ten. The explanation is simple, really, Northwestern played like it wanted to win and Iowa just showed up. You can blame me for the loss if you want. It was my first game in the Iowa pressbox, and the media regulars blamed me ... something to do with being from Drake ... even though Drake football and men's basketball won that day.

Iowa State ended its bowl hopes with a 41-10 loss to Kansas in Ames. The lack of a Big 12 loss this season also prompted 12-year coach Dan McCarney to resign. What do you think about that?

On one hand, he was making over $1 million, but McCarney has done some great things with the Cyclones' program. Our buddy Jim Harbaugh is on the list to replace him. I'm rooting for him!

As for Tom Vilsack, we're not sure if he's a winner or loser, yet, but we know he's probably crazy. Vilsack has submitted his name as a presidential candidate. He's the first to do so, so we don't know who the competition will be but we have an idea. But for Vilsack, I guess it's now or never.

Happy Election Day!

2006-11-07T02:59:00.000-06:00

Why do you have a fake ID? …So I can vote.

In the movie, "The Breakfast Club," I’d be Brian, the nerdy character, who made himself a fake ID, so he could, duh, vote. I’m very excited about today, Election Day!

When I was younger, my dad used to take me to the polls and I got to pull the the little levers in the old voting machines. And if it was a low-profile race, say county board of supervisors, I got to pick the candidates. I even got to wear an “I voted” sticker.

Now, I’m all grown up and I get to go to the polls all by myself. Not only will I be voting for Iowa’s next governor and third-district representative, I also get to change my party affiliation.

Currently, I’m registered with the wrong party. I developed a soft sport for a candidate running in the primary elections this summer, so I switch my affiliation to vote for him. I never bothered to switch back, which has turned in to an annoying mistake. I can handle the pre-recorded phone calls from party leaders, but I’ve gotten two live calls that have been slightly awkward.

I received the first call a week ago. That Other Party wanted me to volunteer because this election is a team effort. I didn’t bother to say I was rooting for the other team. Instead I told him The Des Moines Register doesn’t allow its newsroom employees to openly support a political party or candidate. That means no volunteering. No campaign donations. No yard signs. I don’t think he believed me, but oh, well. Seriously, it’s true. It goes along those lines of the newspaper being unbiased. So, just because the Opinion people want a Democrat for governor and four Democrats to represent Iowa in the House of Representatives, doesn’t mean the rest of the paper is trying to push that stance. Democrats.

On Sunday, a woman called and asked if That Other Candidate could count on my vote. I cringed as finished her question because I knew what was coming and I didn’t know how to answer. She sounded so nice, so I blurted out “Sure!”

So I screwed up That Other’s Guy’s poll. Oops. Today it’s meaningless because in the voting booth, it’s just you and the ballot. Choose wisely.

Register's voting guide

Aside from the endorsements, here is a non-partisan Web site to help you figure out where to vote, and if you need it, whom to vote for. The information doesn't judge the candidates, it just tells you where the politicans stand on issues important to you.

Fun with Web polls and politics

2006-11-01T02:20:00.000-06:00

If you haven’t noticed, I finally changed the poll question on timesdelphic.com, and because of it, we had a record 966 page views. That’s triple of what a normal “issue-day” is.

The poll question asks: who are you going to vote for in the Iowa governor’s race. Currently Republican Jim Nussle has 86 percent of the vote.

A few notes about the Web polls.

1. In short, they are just for fun and the results will not be printed in The Times-Delphic.
2. As the disclaimer on the Web site says, the results only reflect the opinions of those who have chosen to participate. There is no way of tracking who has voted and how many times a person has voted.
3. It is possible to vote more than once on the same computer.

… And about politics
1. The Times-Delphic strives to cover all newsworthy events on campus based on the importance of the event and the availability of staff. So if it appears on party is getting more publicity than the other, it’s probably because one party is sponsoring more events than the other.
2. The Times-Delphic editorial board does not form a collective opinion regarding whom readers should vote for in any government election.

Just be sure to go out and vote Tuesday, Nov. 7. Hopefully, you'll have better luck than me and your polling place will have "I voted" stickers.

Bowl bound

2006-11-01T01:35:00.000-06:00

Iowa earned its sixth win Saturday with a 24-14 decision over Northern Illinois. The Hawkeye made it interesting at the end, but a win’s a win. Also, freshman quarterback Jake Christensen shows promise as Iowa’s future offense leader. Christensen bounced back to throw two touchdown passes after his first collegiate pass was intercepted. He tried to hit 6-foot-7 Scott Chandler, but the tight end bobbled the pass.

Iowa hosts Northwestern on Nov. 4. One of my friends, who is a Northwestern alum said the Wildcats shouldn’t be a problem for the Hawkeyes, but Northwestern isn’t a pushover. Remember what happened in Evanston last year?

Next in line to go to a bowl in the Big 4 is Drake. Yes, I’m serious. The Bulldogs defeated Dayton 21-7 in Ohio to hang on to second place in the Pioneer Football League. The Bulldogs also moved up to No. 3 in the mid-major poll, and San Diego moved up to No. 16 in the NCAA I-AA poll. Improving the Toredoes chances of being selected to the NCAA playoffs. Drake plays Davidson on Nov. 4 and ends its regular season in Jacksonville, Fla. Both of these games will be challenging for Drake, but the Bulldogs have a good shot at winning both of them.

Northern Iowa dropped to No. 14 in the I-AA poll after losing to unranked Western Illinois 24-13 in the UNI-Dome. The loss is the Panthers’ first in the Gateway Conference and it drops them from first to a tie for second place.

Iowa State looks to be Iowa team least likely to make post-season play after a 31-10 loss to a not-so-impressive Kansas State team. The Cyclones sport the most sacked quarterback in the Big 12 and they were without their best receiver Todd Blythe, who had the flu.

They Cyclones will have to win their remaining three games to earn a trip to a bowl game. And if they want to protect their coach’s job, they should probably win at least one conference game. Dan McCarney has a few years left on his contract and the buyout isn’t cheap, but athletic director Jamie Pollard has already shown the state of Iowa he likes to surround himself with winners.

What does your post-season lineup look like?

Big 4 football: bright purple

2006-10-24T23:05:00.000-05:00

It looks like football fans of Iowa will put aside their differences — yellow and red or black and gold — and don Northern Iowa purple.

The Panthers were the only team to win this weekend, a 31-23 decision at No. 5 Youngstown State. Northern Iowa also jumped from No. 14 to No. 7 in the NCAA I-AA poll. The Panthers are 3-0 in the Gateway Conference and look to protect that mark when they host Western Illinois in the Dome on Saturday.

Another team that was in the NCAA I-AA standings was San Diego, which handed Drake a 37-0 loss at Drake Stadium. The Toreros are ranked No. 20 in the scholarship teams’ poll and No. 1 in the Sports Network Mid-Major poll.

Makes one think about how Northern Iowa and San Diego would match up … and it could happen. San Diego could earn one of the at-large bids to the NCAA tournament. It’s a long shot, though.

If San Diego were selected for the tournament it means the second-place Pioneer Football League team would play in the Gridiron Classic.

Drake travels to Dayton this Saturday. Normally this would be a big game, but the Flyers don’t seem to be the power they once were because they have yet to win a PFL game.

After Dayton, No. 4 Drake hosts No. 9 Davidson in its final home game and it closes out the regular season at No. 10 Jacksonville. So on paper, the Bulldogs could pull off second place in the conference.

So with a lot of good luck for San Diego and a little bad luck for Iowa State, Drake could go to a bowl game while the Cyclones stay home. Iowa State lost its homecoming game 42-26 to Texas Tech, and it needs to win three of its last four games to get six wins in order to make it to a bowl game. The Cyclones travel to Kansas State this Saturday and host Kansas the following week.

Coach Dan McCarney said he isn’t worried about his job even though athletic director Jamie Pollard has already shown he isn’t afraid to terminate jobs after missing post-season play. Remember what happened when the Iowa State men’s basketball team didn’t even make the National Invitation Tournament last season. Yup, bye bye Wayne Morgan. Hello, Greg McDermott.

Well, Jamie, if you’re in the market, I hear Jim Harbaugh can create a winning program. And he’s an ex-Bears hero in the state of Iowa. You’ve got to love that.

Anyway, McCarney can avoid this situation if he can get his offensive line to protect his quarterback, and if he can get his quarterback to throw the ball to Todd Blythe. Iowa State quarterbacks have already been sacked 23 times this season by opponents and Bret Meyer has taken most of those hits.

Iowa quarterback Drew Tate won’t be taking hits or snaps when Iowa faces Northern Illinois this Saturday at Kinnick. Tate injured his non-throwing hand at Michigan where the Hawkeyes lost 20-6. Tate will have surgery on his thumb and will be expected back in practice next Tuesday. Register reporter Andrew Logue said it isn’t clear whether Tate will be in the lineup for the Iowa-Northwestern game the following week.

Iowa is 2-3 in the Big Ten Conference, and it needs to win its last three league games to keep its hope alive for a “good” bowl game. Luckily for the Hawkeyes, their fans like to travel to warm destinations during the winter months, and bowl reps like that when selecting what teams they want.

How do you think the Big 4 teams will fare for the rest of their schedules?

And the winner is ... find out in two weeks

2006-10-24T21:23:00.000-05:00

We’re hitting the home stretch of the races for U.S. representatives, state legislators and the next governor of Iowa.

The two candidates, Republican Jim Leach and Democrat Chet Culver, debated at Drake last week about heath care. You can read more about the debate at Drake and the Gubernatioal debate sponsored by The Des Moines Register and KCCI here.

Gubernatorial debates take place at Drake before election - News

Culver led in the last poll result taken, but Nussle suggested his opponent had a secret plan to bring back the controversial TouchPlay machines that were yanked from stores in May. The TouchPlay machines are controlled by the Iowa Lottery and look similar to slot machines, but a computer chip that pre-determines winners differentiate them from the machines you’ll find at Prairie Meadows. Casino slot machine winners are determined by random.

Nussle accused Culver of this because the Republican’s funding started going to Culver after he announced he was against the machines and would not bring them back.

Both men attended Drake for their graduate work. Culver earned a master’s degree and Nussle obtained his law degree.

Are you planning to vote? If so, for whom? Are you also following the Congressional races? What are some other issues you think are important to the election in these final weeks?

Big 4 football: two week update

2006-10-10T13:35:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry about missing last week's football update ... midterms. I did, however, fulfill a request for a non-sports post.

But now it's back to sports. Drake faces its biggest challenge of the year on Saturday as it hosts San Diego. The Bulldogs are fresh off wins vs. NAIA Waldorf and a 29-0 decision at Butler. Saturday’s game at Drake Stadium pits No. 1 vs. No. 2. The Sports Network Poll released Monday kept San Diego as the top-ranked team, but moved the Bulldogs up to No. 2. Both teams are undefeated in the conference, and the winner will likely take the conference crown and advance to the Gridiron Classic, a “bowl game” with the PFL winner and the Northeastern Conference Champion.

For this level of football, this is as big as it gets … and you’re invited. Seriously, the Drake athletic administration wants to sellout Drake Stadium, so they’re selling tickets for $1. They figure 14,000 fans will help the Bulldogs beat Jim Harbaugh’s squad (yes, THAT Jim Harbaugh, the former NFL player). So if $1 tickets, $1 hot dogs and $1 popcorn aren’t enough for you, I guarantee an upset Jim Harbaugh is quite entertaining and will be well worth your dollar.

Are you going to the game? Why or why not? Do you think Drake will get its sellout Saturday? How do you think the Bulldogs will do against the Toredos?

Kickoff is at 6 p.m., and that gives you plenty of time to watch the other football games around the state. … Like Iowa at the Big House. It’s a shot at redemption … a long shot. After the Hawkeyes finally showed they were able to deliver a sound pounding — 47-17 over Purdue in Iowa City on Oct. 7 — Iowa drops a 31-28 decision at Indiana on Oct. 14

The simplest explanation is Indiana wanted more, and while the Hawkeyes were missing some key players, the Hoosiers were sporting mostly underclassmen. The quarterback is a freshman. And Indiana made Iowa pay for its mistakes — a fumble in the red zone and an interception in the 2-minute warning.

Hopefully the loss will inspire Iowa to win at Michigan this Saturday. The Hawkeyes will need the ‘W’ if they’re still looking to go to a January bowl.

Do you think Iowa can pull off the upset in the Big House? Do you think they need the win to go to a January bowl or is it still too early to tell.

However, Iowa State will need a win over Tech Tech this weekend at Jack Trice in order to go to any bowl. The Cyclones are 0-3 in the Big 12 and need to win three of their last five games the get the magic six wins to be bowl eligible.

Iowa State lost 28-14 vs. Nebraska at Ames and 34-9 at Norman, Okla. The Red Raiders are beatable, though. They just gave Colorado its first Big 12 win last week. After Texas Tech, Iowa State’s best chance at wins No. 4 and No. 5 are Kansas and Missouri at Ames. The Cyclones also have Colorado at Boulder and Kansas State at Manhattan.

Do you think Iowa State can win six games to get to a bowl? If not, do you think Jamie Pollard will fire coach Dan McCarney? McCarney got a raise last summer and is now a millionaire, but Pollard booted the men’s basketball coach shortly after Iowa State did not make post-season play (nope, not even the NIT). Yes, there was that issue with the D-I Scheduling, but McCarney’s past isn’t squeaky clean either.

Since nearly beating Iowa State, Northern Iowa has won its last two games vs. Missouri State on Oct. 7 and Indiana State on Oct. 14. The Panthers travel to Ohio this weekend to play Youngstown State.

How do you like Northern Iowa’s rebound since losing to Division II North Dakota State. Do you think the Panthers can keep it up and get back to the I-AA playoffs?

Finally, did you notice that basketball practice started. The season starts in two weeks.

Citizens for Tight Borders: Official Drake club

2006-10-09T02:00:00.000-05:00

Citizens for Tight Borders offended a lot of people last year by posting fliers around campus that described negatively described immigrants who illegally enter the United States. Many thought the group was anti-immigrant.

Those feelings continued as Student Student agreed to grant the organization full club status with a 13-10 vote with two abstentions.

Members of La Fuerza Latina expressed concern that the group was anti-immigrants, but others interjected the group had the right to free speech regarding its political views.

Read the story Citizens for Tight Borders becomes official organization

What do you think about illegal immigration? CTB's views certainly aren't unique. The Des Moines Register published a feature story on western Iowa Rep. Steve King who suggested the United States build a wall across the Mexican boarder that would even keep the cockroaches out. He also wants to make English the official language of the United States. King has said that Joseph McCarthy was a great American hero, as well.

Shameless promotions

2006-10-04T10:06:00.001-05:00

www.timesdelphic.com!

www.timesdelphic.com!

www.timesdelphic.com!

I update it every Sunday and Wednesday night, so it's ready to go before you can get a print edition of the paper. How cool is that? And even cooler, you can have The Times-Delphic delivered to your inbox, so It'll be the when you wake up! Just register at — you guessed it — www.timesdelphic.com!

The Times-Delphic is quietly making its triuphant return to the Web, but we've still got a ways to go. About 40 people visit the site everyday and view about five pages while he or she is there. No one has commented on an article yet. You don't have to register to post your thoughts, although I encourage it so you can get that e-mail edition.

So, in the words of Elwood Blues, "Tell your friends" about www.timesdelphic.com!

My other promotion of the day is Local writer publishes teen novel This is a Quad-City Times article so local is Davenport, Iowa and writer is my grandpa, Jon Ripslinger.

I haven't read it yet (the Post Office has seemed to have misplaced my copy) but I've read his other two books — Triangle and How I Fell in Love and Learned to Shoot Free Throws — and they are both excellent.

And for more information, visit his Web site www.ripslinger.com

The good, the bad and the ugly: Big 4 football

2006-10-02T10:28:00.000-05:00

We'll start with the good. Drake beat Morehead State 33-7 in its homecoming game to improve to 2-0 in the conference. More good news for the Bulldogs. Dayton lost at Butler, although Drake travels to Ohio to face the ranked Flyers this season. But a blemish on Dayton's record will help Drake's chances of claiming the Pioneer Football League championship, which is awarded to the team with the best record in the conference. The league is now a round robin format, so there is no more PFL championship game. New this year though, the winner of the PFL will meet the Northeastern Conference champion in the Gridiron Classic. While not sponsored by the NCAA, it's the closest thing to a DI-AA nonscholarship championship game. The Bulldogs have a tough road ahead of them as it was just announced rookie quarterback Derek Retherford will be out for the rest of the season with an injury from the Morehead State game.

Maybe the Bulldogs will get the luck Iowa State had on Sept. 30 when it squeaked by I-AA Northern Iowa 28-27. The Panthers' kicked broke his streak of almost 20 made field goals by booting a 51-yarder wide right with 6 seconds remaining. The win would have been great for Northern Iowa but detremential for Iowa State and possibly could have cost Dan McCarney his job.

Do you think it was a good thing for Northern Iowa to make Iowa State squirm a little bit, especially after the Cyclones' AD Jamie Pollard made the Panthers and Bulldogs share the state stage earlier this season?

Iowa did not have any luck at all vs. top-ranked Ohio State, even with the College GameDay crew in town, the largest crowd at Kinnick Stadium and Lee Corso's nod donning the Herky head. Drew Tate threw three interceptions and Scott Chandler let one get away for a fumble.

Do you think Iowa learned any lessons? How do you think the Hawkeyes will fare against Purdue at home? Iowa State faces Nebraska. Lets hope the Cyclones were preparing for the Cornhuskers when they were supposed to be focusing on the Panthers. Drake host Waldorf — it's last nonconference game of the season. And Northern Iowa is back on its conference schedule vs. Gateway foe Missouri State.

The Times-Delphic now online

2006-09-28T21:33:00.000-05:00

Great news! The Times-Delphic finally has a functional Web site that will be updated on Mondays and Thursdays ... when the paper comes out.

One of the neat things you can do with the Web site is include a link in your own blog with a single click, so adding a link to my story on Zach Johnson's performance at the Ryder Cup was a snap.

Johnson's personal victories highlight U.S. Ryder Cup action - Sports

I'll be working on the site all year long to make it as interactive as possible. Right now, one of the best features is our new e-mail edition. If you register on the site, you'll receive an e-mail when the site is updated. It's a great way to keep up with all the news at Drake.

Let me know what you think of the site.

You win some, you lose some

2006-09-25T21:44:00.000-05:00

Iowa and Drake both won on the road Saturday, but Iowa State and former Drake golfer Zach Johnson lost in their weekend contests.

Iowa State lost at Texas 37-14. The beginning of the game was ugly. Texas quickly put 7 points on the board and added a 2-point safety when Iowa State's long snapper missed the punter and the ball sailed in the endzone. The Cyclones rallied two touchdowns, and at one point only trailed the national champs by two points. Not a bad showing for Iowa State, which travels to Cedar Falls this Saturday.

How do you think the Cyclones fared vs. the Longhorns? Do you think Northern Iowa will give Iowa State trouble like it did last season in Ames?

Iowa has a stiffer test this Saturday, as it will face top-ranked Ohio State under the lights at Kinnick Stadium ... not to mention College GameDay will be in town and the game will be televised nationally. Sure the Hawkeyes are 4-0, but they didn't look like the No. 14 team in the country with their 24-7 win over Illinois. The Illini are counting down the days until basketball season and have only won one Big Ten Conference game in three years.

How do you think the Hawkeyes will handle the Buckeyes ... or do you think it'll be the other way around? Do you think the extra publicity will detract the team from preparing for Ohio State?

Drake started its Pioneer Football League season with a 21-7 win at No. 10 Valparaiso. The Bulldogs are No. 7 in the Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major poll. Linebacker Phillip Williams sealed the win with a 14-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Rookie quarterback Derek Retherford completed 12 passes for 166 yards, while Drake rushed for a total for 129 yards (net) — running back Scott Phaydavong had 128 of those yards.

Do you think Drake can continue using a balanced offense this season?

The Bulldogs host Morehead State this Saturday at Drake Stadium where Johnny Bright Field will be officially dedicated.

Across the pond, Zach Johnson earned 1.5 points in the American's 18.5 to 9.5 loss to Europe in the Ryder Cup. Only Tiger Woods posted more points — 2.

What do you read most about Zach? That he's from Cedar Rapids, Iowa? He graduated from Drake? or He's a Hawkeye fan?

Thanks, Zach

2006-09-22T01:43:00.000-05:00

Drake alum Zach Johnson, a rookie member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, recently donated $100,000 to his alma mater. Members of the Ryder Cup team get $200,000, half goes to a charity or charities of their choice and the other goes to universities.

Zach, who grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is the first Iowan to make the Ryder Cup team. Ten of the men on the team were chosen through a points system. The golfers earn points for top-10 finishes at PGA events and major tournaments.

The Ryder Cup starts today in Ireland today, although Zach isn't playing in the first round of competition. U.S. captain Tom Lehman said everyone on his 12-man team will play at some point during the tournament.

The United States, as of late, has not fared well in the Ryder Cup against the European team, but amid the college football, NFL, pennant races and such you can follow Zach here. The Des Moines Register's Rick Brown is reporting on the every-other-year tournament from Ireland. The link will take you to his articles and his blog. The Rick also covers Drake basketball.

Good luck, Zach and Team USA.

Times-Delphic Web site update

2006-09-19T20:15:00.000-05:00

If you've visited The Times-Delphic Web site lately, you'll notice it still doesn't work. But after a long wait, the newspaper plans to have a functional site up late this week or early next week.

We apologize for the inconvenience of not having a Web site for almost a year. The Times-Delphic decided to work with a company called College Publisher to help manage the site. The delay came from moving this idea through the chain of command to get it approved.

We appreciate your patience and hope you'll visit the TD Web site once it becomes available.

Football weekends

2006-09-19T18:45:00.000-05:00

Drake and Northern Iowa won quietly this past weekend, while Iowa loudly defeated Iowa State at Kinnick Stadium. For those who went, I hope you had fun. Sorry, about the Bloody Mary puke, Jumpin Joe.

Three of Iowa's Big 4 teams are on the road this weekend, and Northern Iowa has a bye. Panthers' coach Mark Farley said he plans to use the off week to work on fundamentals. Northern Iowa and Iowa State face off in two weeks.

Do you think Iowa and Iowa State are showing improvement? One could argue the Cyclones are improving because they gained an early lead on a top-20 team. However, Iowa showed it could finally get past the pesky Cyclones and the team is off to a 3-0 September start, a rarity in the Kirk Ferentz era.

What about Drake and Northern Iowa? The Bulldogs' beat Division-III Wisconsin-Platteville 35-7, and rookie quarterback found receivers Tyler Putnam and Shea Moroni for scores. Willie Cashmore ran in two touchdowns and DeCarlos Love scored once. Running back Scott Phaydavong had 26 carries for 106 yards, and Putnam had five catches for 120 yards.

The Bulldogs will need more go-to players than just Phaydavong when they open Pioneer Football League play at Valparaiso, ending their three-game homestand.

Iowa also opens its conference season at Big Ten doormat Illinois, while Iowa State starts Big 12 play at Texas, which won the national championship last January.

Drake football gets first win

2006-09-10T19:05:00.000-05:00

The football team improved to 1-1 Saturday after beating Division II Upper Iowa 40-7 at Drake Stadium. To the right is a photo of running back Scott Phayvadong looking to elude some Upper Iowa defenders.

Out of the four Division I schools in Iowa, Drake arguably had the best showing. Northern Iowa lost to Division II North Dakota 35-31. While the Fighting Sioux are transitioning to Division-IAA status, the Panthers haven't lost to a DII foe since the 1980s.

Iowa and Iowa State both won, but the games were too close for comfort. Iowa took Syracuse into double overtime before clinching a 20-13 win. While the game was in New York at the Carrier Dome, the Orangemen were riding a 10-game losing streak —— now 11 games.

Iowa State beat Nevada-Las Vegas 16-10 at home after a controversial final play. UNLV thought its receiver had made a catch in the end zone with time expiring, but officials reviewed the play and said the Rebel player was out-of-bounds.

Neither Iowa or Iowa State have been spectacular in the first two outings. What do you think is going to happen when the teams meet up at Kinnick Stadium on Sept. 16?

Drake also meets stiffer competition at home: Wisconsin-Platteville, a Division III team. The Bulldogs have a 1-2 record vs. the Pioneers.

What game are you going to on Saturday? Or, if you don't have ticket, what games are you going to watch?

First issue

2006-09-08T00:44:00.000-05:00

The first issue of The Times-Delphic hit campus Thursday. The online edition is coming soon. The Times-Delphic is doing something different with its Web site, which is still under development.

What did you think the big news stories were in Thursday's paper?

Hosting the 2008 NCAA Track and Field championships will be a great opportunity for Drake to show off to the rest of the country and to the NCAA. The event is in June so most students probably won't attend, but Drake and the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau expect the community to turn out.

If the track championships are a success, it could help Drake land a bid to host the first two rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. Drake recently submitted a bid, but it was turned down. The NCAA also turned down Iowa State's bid to host the NCAA wrestling championships at Wells Fargo Arena, but it successfully secured the bid to host the first two rounds of the women's NCAA Tournament.

Is anyone interested in attending the track and field Midwest regional at Drake Stadium in May 2007 or the 2008 championships? How about the women's basketball tournament hosted by Iowa State?

Civil rights crusader on campus

2006-09-06T00:52:00.000-05:00

I learned today through a non-Drake source that investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell is going to be on campus later this week. Mitchell works for the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., as the civil rights beat reporter. With his reporting, he has sent four members of the Klu Klux Klan to jail. If you've ever seen "Ghosts of Mississippi," he's the pesky reporter.

He's visiting Drake on Thursday to receive an award, although I'm not sure what for. There's no information posted on Drake's Web site. I'll post the information once I receive it.

I'm surprised no one — especially the School of Journalism and Mass Communication — has taken the initiative to get the word out about this event. The media get a bad reputation for being invasive and being the bearers of bad news. Mitchell's work brings out the good in journalism. He's helped the state of Mississippi, as well as his own newspaper, shed light on its dark past to make amends and a better tomorrow.

Visit www.clarionledger.com to read his latest articles and let me know if there are any reporters you admire.

Drake football

2006-09-01T12:30:00.000-05:00

The Bulldogs opened their season in remodeled Drake Stadium with a 48-7 loss to Division-IAA scholarship power Northern Iowa on Thursday night. The Panthers were fresh off a I-AA title game appearance.

More than 10,100 fans sporting purple or blue flocked to the game, leaving less than 4,000 open seats at Drake Stadium. Although its hard to tell if the game would have had more fans if Iowa State hadn't moved its Sept. 2 home-opener with Toledo to Aug. 31 so it could get the game on TV.

The move certainly put a dent in Drake coach Rob Ash's strategy to create more buzz around the Bulldogs' season openers. Ash likes to schedule the first game of the season against a Gateway Conference opponent — like Northern Iowa — on a Thursday night. It's an easy way for Drake to improve its billing in the media because the team has a much better shot at making the sports cover in Friday's paper instead of Sunday's paper.

Do you think it was unfair for Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard to move the Cyclones' home-opener after the Drake-UNI game had been set for a year?

Join the TD

2006-08-31T13:37:00.000-05:00

The Times-Delphic is still looking for writers, photographers and copy editors to help with the first issue coming out Sept. 7.

Getting involved in with The Times-Delphic is a great way to build your resume and get clips to show potential employers. These are much more valuable than classroom work samples.

Contact me for more information on joining the TD.