It says here (and has all along) that Cubs win it all

I wrote in the Gazette back in February — before the last snowstorm of the winter in Iowa, before the flood, before Wall Street cratered — that the Chicago Cubs would win the World Series this year. Twenty-four challengers have fallen by the wayside. Seven remain.

Naturally, I project the Cubs to vanquish the pesky Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League playoffs. They will then dispose of the Phillies of Philadelphia in the NL Championship Series, and will dethrone the defending world-champion Boston Red Sox in the World Series.

The Hlog’s preference would be a Cubs-White Sox Series. I have no allegiance to either team, but would love to see Chicago hog the Fall Classic.

If somehow, the Cubs fail, I hope it’s the White Sox vs. Milwaukee in a World Series that will require relatively little fuel consumption for the teams involved. That would be a Series that no one more than a two-hour drive from Lake Michigan will watch, by the way.

If it’s Tampa Bay against Philadelphia in the Series, well, good luck with that.

But it won’t be. The symmetry is too good to be true. The Cubs’ last World Series triumph was in 1908. They’ll win in 2008, too. It is the way things must be. Long championship droughts were resolved by the Red Sox in ‘04 and the White Sox in ‘05. Those cleared the path for this year, this 100th-anniversary-of-futility season for Chicago’s North Siders.

Enjoy these 11 postseason wins, Cubs fans. Don’t get too nervous along the way. Victory is your destiny.

The Hlist: A Look Back at Last Week in College Football

Opening kickoff

“Lloyd’s of London has just refused to insure Ringer’s legs. Forty-four carries in a single game means Ringer deserves a sedan chair to get around campus for the next week in between practices and workouts.” — Spencer Hall, Sportingnews.com. Michigan State running back Javon Ringer rushed 44 times for 198 yards in MSU’s 42-29 win at Indiana.

First downs

1. Victors Valiant: Michigan Stadium sits nearly three-fourths underground. The Wolverines dug out of quite a hole in their 27-25 win over Wisconsin.

In the first half they had 21 yards, one first down, and five turnovers. They trailed 19-0 at halftime and were booed off the field.

“If you were anywhere in the Ann Arbor vicinity,” Michigan Coach Rich Rodriguez said, “you heard that.

“If there was a hole to crawl into, I’m sure a bunch of us, including myself, would have liked to crawl into it.”

Wolverines receiver Greg Mathews: “Their strength-and-conditioning coach was talking about how we were soft and out of shape, and ESPN was talking about how this was a warm-up for the Big Ten for Wisconsin. We take that personally. Michigan is nobody’s doormat, especially in the Big Ten.”

2. Biggest 12: The SEC faded into the sunset as superpowers Florida and Georgia lost at home. Looking westward, America finds its football power conference to be the Big 12.

Four of the top seven teams in the Associated Press rankings are Big 12 bullies. Oklahoma ascended to No. 1 after throttling previously unbeaten TCU, 35-10.

The Sooners rushed 36 times for a measly 25 yards — and still dominated. In the first half alone, OU had pass plays of 38, 24, 73 and 55 yards.

“Some teams are great stopping the run,” said receiver Manuel Johnson, who had an Oklahoma-record 206 receiving yards. “Other teams are great in the back end. If they’re going to give you an apple you’re going to eat it.”

3. Rebels With a Cause: The University of Mississippi hosted a rather important debate Friday night. The next day, its football team ended the debate over whether Florida was a strong contender for the national title with a shocking 31-30 triumph.

“I still can’t believe it,” a giddy Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden told a bunch of writers when talking about Florida’s shocking loss after FSU’s win over Colorado. “I’ll have to read your newspapers just to make sure.”

The game effectively ended when the Rebels stopped Florida quarterback Tim Tebow on a keeper on 4th-and-1 at the Ole Miss 32 with 41 seconds left.

“(Tebow) was saying, ‘I got it, I got it.’ I said, ‘No you don’t,’” said Ole Miss defensive end Kentrell Lockett.

4. High Tide: Before the season, Georgia was the chic pick to win the national championship. But national champs don’t trail 31-0 at home, at halftime, to anyone.

Alabama bulldozed the Bulldogs, 41-30.

“They had probably never been hit in the mouth like that,” said Crimson Tide offensive tackle Andre Smith.

“Forget Corso and Herbstreit,” wrote Mark Bradley of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Forget Holtz and May. Forget, for that matter, anything you might have read in this space about Georgia being really good this year. For guidance in matters concerning college football, you had only to read the financial magazine Forbes, which last month proclaimed Nick Saban ‘the most powerful coach in sports.’

“Here’s how mighty the Alabama man actually is: He came to Sanford Stadium and outflanked (Georgia Coach) Mark Richt in a way nobody has since … since ever.”

Fumbles

1. Choked Cheddar: Wisconsin blew a 19-0 lead at Michigan in the game’s final 18 minutes, allowing three scoring drives of 75 yards or more.

“It was embarrassing,” Badgers linebacker DeAndre Levy said. “I didn’t know how to react. I couldn’t believe this was happening, how we basically gave the game away in the second half.”

“This isn’t something that ever goes away,” Wisconsin defensive tackle Mike Newkirk said. “No matter how much time passes, it’s going to haunt you.”

Thanks for participating in National Title Derby, Badgers. Off you go.

2. Fla-Fla Flooey: Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has a Heisman Trophy. He won’t get a second.

Tebow’s top speech of this year won’t be given at New York’s Downtown Athletic Club. Instead, it was delivered after the Gators’ stunning loss to Ole Miss.

“To the fans and everybody of Gator Nation, I’m sorry. Extremely sorry,” Tebow said. “We wanted an undefeated season. That was my goal, something Florida has never done here. I promise you one thing, a lot of good will come out of this.

“You will never see any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season. You will never see another player push his team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of the season. You will never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season.

“God bless.”

3. Black Eye: Georgia went to black jerseys for its game against Alabama, and had its fans wear black as well. It was a blackout, all right.

Alabama strength coach Scott Cochran told Crimson Tide players in a practice last week “They’re wearing black because they’re going to a (expletive deleted) funeral.” Somebody caught Cochran’s comment on video, and it showed up on YouTube.

Georgia’s players were so upset by that insult to their competitive spirit that they rolled over and played dead.

4. Ooooh! Scary!: Nebraska running back Marlon Lucky issued a warning for unbeaten Missouri as the Tigers get ready for their game at Lincoln this week.

“Missouri … they need to watch out, because we’ve got a lot of anger right now,” Lucky said after the Cornhuskers’ 35-30 loss to Virginia Tech.

Lucky had eight carries for 17 yards in that game. The Hlist thinks it’s better to be good than Lucky.

Final gun

“There’s a certain emotional fragility about (Coach Joe) Tiller’s recent teams. They simply don’t bounce back, after a bad break, after a bad loss. After Notre Dame came out in the third quarter and scored a quick touchdown to go ahead 21-14, Purdue became deflated. Just like that.

“The Boilers routinely put up big numbers against lesser teams, but routinely fall short against better teams.” — the Indianapolis Star’s Bob Kravitz on Purdue’s 38-21 loss at Notre Dame

Go Ahead and Vent Right Here, Hawkeye Fans

You know you’re upset. You know things seem to have completely spiraled away this season, already. You need to express yourself.

Let this be your refuge. Just keep it clean and don’t leave yourself open to something a battery of lawyers will need to unravel.

I’ll be checking in later this evening and again Sunday to OK and pass along your thoughts on the Hawkeyes’ 22-17 loss to Northwestern. Go ahead and vent. The Hlog is listening.

LIVE BLOGGING FROM NORTHWESTERN-IOWA FOOTBALL

Go to the http://www.gazetteonline.com main page for the link. John Riehl will be the moderator, and Gazette sportswriters Marc Morehouse and Scott Doctherman will chime in. Me, too.

Paul Newman. One of the great ones.

Aplington-Parkersburg Football Team on National TV Sunday Night

(Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

The Hlog normally isn’t in the habit of giving free plugs to major corporations. It should be the other way around, and they know it.

But this is well worth an exception. During the Sunday Night Football Halftime Show this Sunday and next Sunday on NBC’s telecast of NFL games, video pieces will be aired on the Aplington-Parkersburg football team and how it has dealt with the May tornado that ripped Parkersburg and its high school apart. The above photo is of what had been A-P’s weight room.

All year, the Sunday Night Football telecasts are profiling what they deem to be the eight “gutsiest” high
school football teams in America. The Falcons have never lacked for the right stuff, that’s for sure. They were 4-0 going into their game tonight (Friday). There are some people and places that even tornadoes can’t defeat.

For more information:

 http://www.lineofscrimmage.com/

If This Guy’s Any Good, Hawkeyes Got a Bargain

 

This week, it was announced Chigozie Ejiasi will earn a salary of $44,000 per year in his new role as director of player development for the Iowa football team.

“I’m confident this approach and this position can help us reduce the likelihood of having another off-the-field year like we had in 2007,” said Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta.

Ejiasi is 26 and the job is in his third year of working on the Iowa staff after playing football at the school. So, 44 grand is nothing to gripe about. And who’s to say the job isn’t merely cosmetic, a public-relations move?

But if Ejiasi has a positive effect on the Hawkeye players and helps keep the team out of the police logs and news sections of newspapers, 44 grand is a steal.

It isn’t as if Iowa throws nickels around like manhole covers when it comes to the football staff. By my math, Iowa’s nine full-time assistants were to earn a combined $1,626,700 in 2008. Strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle’s salary is $220,000, and his assistant, Raimond Braithwaite, earns $85,000. The base salary for head coach Kirk Ferentz was $1,470,000, with his total compensation about twice that.

Hey, if the market bears it, fine. I’m not the one paying for it. Which is good, because given the way things are going in Washington and Wall Street, you and I will be paying for a lot more things very soon.

I’m just saying if Ejiasi helps keep two or three Hawkeye players from going wayward in their personal lives, he’s earning his paycheck. And he’ll be helping all of the aforementioned to continue to earn theirs.

Northwestern-Iowa football on ESPN Classic???

 

Will someone please explain how or why Saturday’s Northwestern-Iowa football game is on ESPN Classic? Does ESPN know something about this game that we don’t?

No offense to either team, but doesn’t an event have to prove itself to be a classic before it can be defined as one? And frankly, how likely is it that the Wildcats and Hawkeyes will team up to play a game that ranks among the best Kinnick Stadium has ever hosted?

Here’s ESPN’s description of ESPN Classic:

ESPN Classic is a 24-hour, all-sports network devoted to telecasting the greatest games, stories, heroes and memories in the history of sports.

It seems an exaggeration based on Saturday’s programming. Take a look. All times are Eastern, and all of these links are dead.

11:00a – Billiards – 2005 Men’s Trick Shot Magic, First Semifinal
 12:00p – College Football – Northwestern at Iowa
 3:00p – Drive to the New York Auto Show
 4:00p – Drive to the Los Angeles Auto Show
 5:00p – Drive to the North American International Auto Show
 6:00p – Drive to the Chicago Auto Show
 7:00p – Drive to the New York Auto Show
 8:00p – Boxing – 2001: Acelino Freitas vs. Alfred Kotey
 9:00p – Boxing – 2005: Diego Corrales vs. Jose Luis Castillo
 10:00p – Boxing – J.C. Chavez
 11:30p – Boxing – 1988: Tyson/M. Spinks
 12:00a – 2007 World Series of Poker

If Iowa and Northwestern play the Game of the Year in college football, or even the Game of the Day, it probably will be the most “Classic” event ESPN Classic airs all day.

But doesn’t it have to establish itself as a classic first? It seems like a lot of needless ressure to put on the two teams.

Go out there and play one of the most stirring football games mankind has ever seen, men. Don’t just play hard. Do amazing things, things that far transcend anything you’ve ever done in your lives.

No, this game looks like Big Ten Network material. You know, where the league’s many so-so games are shown each week.

 

The Hlist: Terrelle Pryor is the Man

Opening kickoff

“This was billed as a statement game at Pitt, but the only statement one could decipher afterward was this: ‘We’re not as bad as Iowa.’” — Joe Starkey, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

First downs

1. Pryor Engagement: So this is how the Terrelle Pryor era began as Ohio State’s starting quarterback. Four touchdown passes and 66 yards rushing in a 28-10 win over Troy.

“I’ve been making plays all my life,” said the freshman.

But Pryor doesn’t sound like a total braggart.

“I thought I messed up a lot,” he said. “When we sit down in the film room, I’m going to get yelled at a lot. That’s a good thing.”

Even with Illinois’ Juice Williams, Purdue’s Curtis Painter and Penn State’s Darryl Clark, Pryor may already be the Big Ten’s best quarterback.

2. Excess of SEC-cess: The Southeastern Conference plays a little football.

This week in the AP rankings: 3. Georgia, 4. Florida, 5. LSU, 8. Alabama.

Florida mauled conference rival Tennessee in Knoxville, 30-6. Gators head coach Urban Meyer lauded his defensive line coach, someone well-known to Iowans.

“I just look at our D-line and they hung with a very good offensive line,” Meyer said. “Dan McCarney is a special coach. He’s energetic and you see it translating onto the field.”

Vanderbilt (4-0 overall, 2-0 in the SEC) hasn’t had a winning season since 1982. It climbed into the AP poll at No. 21, its first appearance in the rankings since 1984 and second since 1958.

“I think it’s a pretty good reward for a good start,” Vanderbilt Coach Bobby Johnson said of the ranking. “Our guys are pretty smart. They realize it won’t help you win games.”

3. JoePa Can’t Kick: Penn State is 4-0 after a 45-3 drubbing of Temple. The Nittany Lions have beaten the Owls the last 26 times they met.

PSU Coach Joe Paterno watched the second half from the Lions’ coaches’ box in the press box. He hurts. His right leg has been sore since he made an onside kick to close the Thursday practice before his team’s first game. That’s a ritual Paterno had long had, for fun. No more.

The media wanted news about the leg after Saturday’s game.

“I’ve got a bunch of guys out there fighting all kinds of adversity with different lineups, hanging in there together, all right?” Paterno said. “And you’re worried about my leg. Now, if you were a bunch of good-looking girls, I’d feel better about it.”

4. Ball of Fire: Ball State had lost all 43 of its games against teams from the six BCS conferences. Then it won at Indiana, 42-20, to improve to 4-0.

Sadly, Ball State receiver Dante Love’s football career is expected to be over because of the back fracture he suffered in the game. Love entered the game as the nation’s leader with 144.3 receiving yards a game.

The good news is, according to a Ball State spokesman, that Love is expected to be able to live a normal and healthy life after rehabilitation.

Fumbles

1. Peanut Gallery is Nuts: Booing college quarterbacks has become a national phenomenon.

Ohio State senior quarterback Todd Boeckman took just two snaps against Troy in a reserve role. He got loudly booed at Ohio Stadium when his lone pass was incomplete. This was the guy who threw 25 touchdown passes for last year’s Big Ten champions.

“Hey, we’re just kids,” said Buckeyes defensive lineman Lawrence Wilson. “We’re not professionals. There is no way adults should treat us that way.”

Boston College quarterback Chris Crane got jeered in the second quarter in his team’s home game against Central Florida.

“You hate to see that,” said BC Coach Jeff Jagodzinski about the booing. “Especially at home. But I guess it’s all part of (the game).”

Crane proceeded to play very well in the second half, leading the Eagles to 31 points in their 34-7 win.

Presumably, the fans cheered him.

2. Rocky Top Rocked: Losing 30-6 at home to Florida isn’t playing well in Tennessee.

Volunteers Coach Philip Fulmer is 5-12 against Florida. Since winning the 1998 national championship, he’s 20-25 against ranked opponents.

The booing was loud at times in Knoxville on Saturday. “There’s probably not anybody happy with me right now,” Fulmer said.

Jimmy Trodglen of the Clarksville Leaf Chronicle is one unhappy Tennessee sports editor.

“The Vols lack discipline, there’s no leadership on or off the field, play-calling is questionable and Fulmer continues to be outcoached,” Trodglen wrote.

“It’s time for Fulmer to pull onto Cumberland Avenue with his belongings carefully packed and not stop until he reaches his home.”

3. Irish Lapped: Notre Dame got caught with a laptop computer in the coaches’ box during its game at Michigan State.

Irish Coach Charlie Weis said the incident was a matter of an improperly located student manager recording down-and-distance information for game-tape dubbing.

“You’re allowed to do that,” Weis said. “But the one area where you’re not allowed to do that is in a coaching area.”

Michigan State caught the violation during the game, but Spartans Coach Mark Dantonio shrugged it off.

“I’ve never seen a computer or a camera make a tackle, catch a ball or anything,” Dantonio said.

No computer and few Irish defenders slowed MSU back Javon Ringer. He had 39 carries, 201 yards and two touchdowns in MSU’s 23-7 win.

4. Dark Knights: Rutgers was the feel-good story of college football when it went 11-2 in 2006. But the Scarlet Knights are again lousy. They fell to 0-3 for the first time since 1999 after a 23-21 loss to Navy, and looked stupid doing so.

Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel threw a punch at teammate Glen Lee as Teel came off the field late in the game.

“I apologize for losing my cool,” Teel said. “He was telling me to keep my head up and to get off the field. He was doing the right thing and what I did was so totally wrong.”

“It’s just in-house family stuff,” Lee said.

To which Tom Luicci of the Newark Star-Ledger replied, “Maybe if the family is Archie and the rest of the Bunkers.”

OK, the reference is a bit dated.

Final gun

“Call it whatever you want: courage, guts, confidence, arrogance, fearlessness, stones. Doesn’t matter what you call it, only that LSU Coach Les Miles has it.” — John DeShazier, New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Miles’ Tigers used a halfback pass for a TD and recovered an onside kick in the third quarter in their 26-21 win at Auburn.

Hawkeye Fans, the Hlog is Listening

 

Feeling a little hang-dog about Iowa’s 21-20 football loss at Pittsburgh?

Go ahead and vent. The Hlog will compile your emotions and present them here Sunday. 

Keep it clean, please. The Hlog doesn’t work blue.

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