Memories

Here are my top 10 2009 Iowa Hawkeye football moments:

#10 - The Wegher Bomb (@ Iowa State): Brandon Wegher saw his first action against the Iowa State Cyclones and made it a good one. 101 yards on 15 carries and 1 leaping-over-the-pile touchdown. This became known as "The Wegher Bomb".

#9 - NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (vs Northwestern): Sadly this is one that really hurt the season, but might have helped the team long-term. With the ball deep in their own territory the Hawks called a pass to get some field position. Instead they lost a QB and 7 points went on the Northwestern board. I had a perfect view of Ricky Stanzi as he laid on the ground in pain. At first I thought it was a shoulder as I didn't see the foot/ankle get bent around. Stanzi's injury definitely changed the game.

#8 - The Pig (vs Minnesota): Floyd of Rosedale must love living in Iowa City. Two years in a row the Hawks shut out Minnesota in the battle for the bronzed pig. This year's game wasn't as high scoring as 2008's (55-0 Iowa) but the outcome was the same. It had to be a huge confidence boost for a team that had lost 2 games in a row and was in danger of dropping from BCS bowl consideration. Luckily the defense carried the team and the team carried Floyd off the field yet again.

#7 - The Bull (@ Wisconsin): The battle for the Heartland Trophy is always a tough match up between Iowa and Wisconsin. As we were accustomed to Iowa got down 10-0 before playing their game. After a FG cut the score to 10-3 Ricky Stanzi bought some time in the pocket and made a perfect (on-the-run) 24 yard pass to Tony Moeaki in the corner of the endzone to tie the game. The Hawks put the game away in the 2nd Half and went to 2-0 in Big 10 road games this year.

#6 - Big Hits (vs Michigan): Night games at Kinnick are amazing as it is. Throw in Michigan as the opponent and Kinnick goes crazy. You could tell that both teams were amped up for this game. Iowa's defense and special teams were really hitting Michigan hard. In particular Jeff Tarpinian and Adrian Clayborn. Tarp had an amazing, um tackle I guess, on kick coverage where he flipped the return man in the air. It happened so fast that you couldn't tell what exactly happened. And then there's Clayborn. He was hitting everything that moved harder than I have ever seen. At one point he hit Michigan QB Tate Forcier so hard that Forcier got up a little wobbly, and it wasn't because his head hit the ground.

#5 - "It's blocked", Part 1 (vs Northern Iowa): This is what started it all. Iowa has been known for good special teams play during the Kirk Ferentz era. It has been a while since blocked kicks/punts and kick return TD have been seen but something felt right this day. UNI had a chance to win AT KINNICK but had 2 field goals blocked on consecutive plays (first attempt was on 3rd down and the ball did not cross the line of scrimmage and was recovered by UNI, by rule it is equal to an incomplete pass). This started the run of insanely good luck for the Hawks.

#4 - The comeback (vs Indiana): With Iowa down 21-7 at half things looked bleak for the Hawkeyes. Enter Tyler Sash. Indiana drove inside the Iowa 10 and was looking to put the game away when the Iowa defense sent a blitz and the game was changed. The pass was tipped around many times behind the line of scrimmage before falling into the waiting hands of Sash, who went 86 yards untouched for an INT TD. The Hawks then scored 28 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to win 42-24.

#3 - Battle for Roses (@Ohio St): James Vandenburg was starting his first game at QB in a very hostile environment. No one expected Iowa to be in this game at all. Vandenburg played amazing and the defense rose to the challenge again. There were two huge offensive plays in this game. The first was a TD laser to Marvin McNutt to tie the game at 10. Then Derrell Johnson-Koulianous decided to bobble a kickoff before taking it 99 yards for an Iowa TD after all had seemed lost. Iowa battled back to tie the game at 24 after being down 24-10 (prior to the kick return) before losing the heart breaker in overtime.

#2 - The drives (@ Michigan St): Iowa went up 9-6 late in the game. It was a classic Big 10 defensive battle between two almost identical programs. The offenses for both teams decided to finally wake up. Michigan State knew they needed something big so they ran a perfectly executed hook-and-lateral to get into Iowa territory. The next play was a perfectly thrown TD pass putting MSU up 13-9 with 1:37 left in the game. Next it was Iowa's turn. No trickery here as Stanzi completed passes and moved the ball down to the Michigan State 7. On 4th down, with only 2 seconds left, Stanzi threw a bullet to a slanting McNutt for the winning score, and a 3-0 Big 10 road record.

#1 - "It's blocked", Part 2 (@ Penn State): After giving up a big play right away the Iowa defense buckled down and went into the 4th quarter down 10-5. Then the everything seemed to change. Clayborn was left on the field for a punt return (punt safe formation) and ended up blocking the punt and returning it 53 yards for the TD. That was all that was needed as the defense was simply dominating all night long. This game put Iowa back on the national radar.

Those are from the regular season. Hopefully 2010 will start with another magical moment!

Buckeyes, Roses, Gophers, Fiesta, Credit Cards, and Oranges with Yellow Jackets!

The 2009 college football regular season is in the books and the bowl games have been announced. The season seemed to fly by; I couldn't believe that I was walking out of Kinnick Stadium for the last time in 2009 on November 21. The season was filled with a lot of memorable moments for the Hawkeyes, most of which were good but there were some bad. The Northwestern game was the low point of the season. But it was short-lived.

Iowa went into Columbus, Ohio with their backs to the wall. Winner gets the Big 10's automatic BCS bid (Rose Bowl). Iowa played with a red-shirt freshman quarterback who was making his very first collegiate start. James Vandenburg came into the Northwestern game after Ricky Stanzi was lost for the rest of the regular season and showed some promise. A lot of people were worried about Iowa's chances against Ohio State but I wasn't one of them. I saw a young QB being thrown into the file against Northwestern. I knew having a week to prepare would do wonders for the youngster. It sure paid off! Iowa pushed Ohio State to overtime only to lose by 3 points. Vandenburg played a great games and made some passes that Stanzi can't (including a laser to Marvin McNutt for a touchdown). The defense played very well but gave up a few big runs that really hurt the Hawks. The better team did not win that day (Iowa shot itself in the foot with dropped passes, missed field goal, and sloppy defensive play), but the Hawks showed that they are for real.

Next up was the final game of the year against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Last year Iowa beat Minnesota 55-0 in the final college football game played in the Metrodome. Minnesota tried to erase that game by not including a reference to it in their spring media guide. This year the outcome was the same, but the score was a little different as Iowa won 12-0. Minnesota hasn't scored on Iowa's defense in 2 years! It was a fairly sloppy game but it was an old school defensive battle. Minnesota was much more aggressive on defense than Ohio St was the week before. Minnesota sent defensive backs on blitzes and that really confused Iowa's pass protection. Minnesota had chances to get on the board late in the game but they went for some 4th down plays and Iowa held, including one from the 2 yard line. This victory got Iowa to the 10 win mark on the season.

Then the waiting game. Which bowl would Iowa be going to? If the Ohio State game ended differently Iowa would be on their was to the Rose Bowl. Since it ended the way it did the debate and guessing was on. Would it be the Capital One bowl (which gets the first pick of non-BCS Big 10 teams available)? Would it be the Fiesta Bowl (a BCS game)? Would it be the Orange or Sugar Bowls (other BCS games)? A lot of "experts" were thinking it would be the Fiesta Bowl due to the number of Iowans living in Arizona this time of year. After the conference championship games were played the picture still wasn't clear for Iowa. Penn State also had a shot at the BCS, which would have knocked Iowa to the Capital One bowl. Instead the Orange Bowl (Tuesday Jan 5, 2010) jumped all over Iowa, mainly due to Iowa beating Penn State head-to-head. The Fiesta Bowl decided to take Boise St and Texas Christian as they were undefeated. Iowa was a no-brainer for the Orange Bowl. Iowa's opponent will be Georgia Tech, the ACC champion. This will be an intriguing match up as Georgia Tech runs the very rarely seen triple-option. The key to defending the triple-option is disciplined assignment defense, which is what Iowa has done all season. Georgia Tech doesn't have a great defense and Iowa's offense has been less than stellar most of the year (lone exception: 4th quarter against Indiana). I will preview the game in more detail as it approaches.

I will also be compiling a list of my 10 most memorable moments of the season. I don't like specific plays because there are usually "hidden" plays that make the big play possible. Look for the preview and the memorable moments soon!

The Tiger Effect

Tonight I am going to take a break from Iowa Hawkeye Football (don't worry it will come back soon with a recap of the final two games and a look at the Orange Bowl) and touch on a subject that has been all over the media. Tonight we look at what I believe is the beginning of the end of an icon.

In the mid 1990's Tiger Woods was blazing his way through amateur golf. He was being called "the next big thing" for the golfing world. He stormed the PGA tour and opened the game to the golfing minorities. Keep in mind that golf is played primarily by white folks, most of which are men. Tiger did great things for the people who normally wouldn't follow the sport but got into it and realized how enjoying it is. I am a golfer and have been playing since the mid 90's but I can honestly say I have never cared for Tiger. With that being said some of my dislike of him may come across. I will try to say subjective.

Every icon takes the same path: they are called "the next big thing", then they arrive and take icon status, and then they start to fade away (some more quickly than others). Tiger's once bright star is starting to fade. He constantly wins PGA tournaments and has some very lucrative endorsement deals. He is the wealthiest athlete on this planet. I'm sure he gives back in many ways and the public sees him as a nice guy. The latest allegations do come as a shock due to the way he presents himself in public. After his car wreck my dad wondered if he was on a sleep medication and that caused him to sleepwalk and then sleep drive. By some of the accounts this could be possible as it has been said that he was snoring and shoeless when authorities arrived. However, it's not the wreck that is going to hurt him, rather it's all of the talk of extramarital affairs is what will do him in.

A lot of my dislike in Tiger comes from his actions on the golf course. I will not argue that he is a great player but I don't think he's the greatest of all time. I still think that title belongs to Ben Hogan. His on-course actions are not that of a role model. If you can read lips you can easily see him say things I could print here but chose not to. There are a lot of 4-letter words. If he mishits a ball he slams his club to the ground. These actions are not respectful of the game at all. I'm not a professional golfer (not even close right now) and I get frustrated when I make a bad shot but I don't slam my club or say something I shouldn't. I brush it off and go to the next shot (kind of like Ricky Stanzi after throwing an interception, or 4). He is making millions playing a game that most of us have to pay for, and it's not cheap when you figure in green fees/memberships, clubs, balls, and other equipment. I see no reason for him to carry on the way he does while on the course.

My biggest issue with the affairs allegations is that the public knows about them. I know the media exists to pass along important information to the general public. I really don't think the media needs to show pictures of the alleged mistresses or even tell us that he had affairs at all. This is a private matter and the media may be the cause of his downfall. He may have a sex addiction and he needs to deal with it on his own. He may have started doing that as it is. Now the public knows way too much about his issues and will form damaging opinions of him. Affairs are nothing new and, unfortunately, they are fairly common. The reason his are amplified is because he is Tiger Woods, world's richest athlete. He's human and has human tendencies just like everyone else. It would be nice if the media would let him be during this time of turmoil so that he can get his life together peacefully and, maybe, be able to show up on the PGA tour next year and play golf rather than answer questions.

Reader Q&A

Today I have decided to do something a little different.  I have been receiving emails with questions from some of my readers.  I am going to answer some of those questions to the best of my ability.  Here goes.

Our first question comes from Kenneth in Iowa City, Iowa.
Kenneth writes:  I have one of the best jobs in the world!  I really enjoy the people I work with.  The problem I’m having is my boss doesn’t let me use my creativity to its fullest potential.  I know I have a lot more potential and would like to put it to use. What should I do?

Well, Kenneth, I know that the job market is somewhat bleak right now but I’m sure that, with your creative talents, you should be able to find a job elsewhere.  I strongly suggest you begin looking for a new job sometime after the beginning of the year.  I am not able to promise that any jobs will be available as I do not know what field you are in but you should still take a look.  Experience may help a lot too.  If you’ve held your position for, let’s say, 10 or 11 years you should have very little problem moving on.  Good luck in your search!

 Jim from Keokuk, Iowa writes:  Hi.  I’m in the second year of my position and last week I was told that I will be taking over a huge project that will last two weeks.  I guess my first assignment this week will have huge implications for the team I’m on.  People are saying that there is no way I will be able to handle the pressure that will come my way.  I got some training last week but I don’t know if that will help.  Do you have any suggestions?

Congratulations on you’re new opportunity Jim!  That’s great that your boss thinks you are ready to handle an assignment of this magnitude.  I suggest looking over all of your data and notes leading up to the deadline for your assignment.  I assume you will need to do some sort of presentation.  Hopefully you aren’t the only person from your team to take part in the presentation.  Sometimes it helps to have someone to “hand off the ball to” and let them run with it.  That should help take the pressure off you so that you can perform to your best ability if things start falling on your shoulders.  I wish you all the luck in the world and I hope that this week makes things easier for next week.

Blaine from Des Moines writes:  I am having strange feelings about a co-worker.  We spend some time together outside of work and during these "outings" I get very excited.  There are times that I need to excuse myself from the area so that my excitement doesn’t burst.  What should I do?

Well Blaine that can be kind of touchy.  There are a lot of variables out there that you need to get a firm grasp on.  First I want to assure you that these feelings are fairly normal and natural for a person like you.  I assume that you would like to start a relationship with this co-worker.  If that is the case you will need to make sure that the co-worker is open to a relationship.  Let the person know how you feel but be gentle as it may cause some unwanted friction that could lead to some uneasy feelings at the work place.  Otherwise I’d say ‘go for it’!  What do you have to lose?

Eugene from Auburn, Alabama writes:  I spent two years of my life living in Iowa.  My family loved it there but I couldn’t stand it.  The people are idiots.  How can you stand living in a state that smells like hog s*** and that has nothing but corn.  Winter is terrible too!  I hate snow and ice.  There’s nothing to do in Iowa either.  I was extremely happy when another job came calling and I could get out of there.  Another great thing about getting out of Iowa is being able to watch REAL college football where the teams score 40 or 50 points a game!  I have been able see, first-hand, a lot of those types of games.  SEC rules!

I really don’t know how to respond to Eugene’s rant against the great state of Iowa.  Something terrible must have happened to him while he was here in order to drive these emotions that he has built up.  I wonder if he was living and working in an area that works with a lot of livestock because the air doesn’t smell bad all of the time (or maybe I’m just used to it).  The winters aren’t as bad as they could be (again I might be used to it).  I’m not going to comment on his ‘REAL college football’ remark as I’m sure he knows what he’s talking about.  I bet he’s a “fan” that thinks he can be a highly paid college football coach that can field a winning team every year.

Bobby from Tampa, Florida writes:  I remember prior to the start of the 2008 college football season that a true freshman offensive lineman was arrested for getting naked in public.  Can you remind me who that was and if he has kept out of trouble this year, assuming he’s still on the team?

Bobby, that was Reily Reiff, and yes he is still on the team.  He had to fill in for Bryan Bulaga as Bryan battled an undisclosed illness for a few weeks.  Since then he has moved to guard as Dace Richardson suffered yet another injury.  So far Reily has done a good job and he has, in fact, kept his clothes on.  There was a point of time after the victory at Penn State where a man was seen without a shirt on.  Originally it was thought to be Reily but it turned out to be a fan.

Hayden from Minnesota writes:  What is the deal with Iowa struggling against teams that wear purple?  Beating Northern Iowa by 1 and then losing to Northwestern (for the 5^th time in 6 years even)?  That never happened when I coached against them.  They were always an outstanding team and played well against us.  I’ve been away from the game for a while and would like to know what has changed.

I saved the best question for last.  I have no idea why the Hawkeyes struggle against teams that wear purple.  My favorite NFL team (Green Bay) lost both of their games against a team in purple as well.  It truly is baffling when I think about it.  Maybe our coaching staff is mesmerized by the color and can’t focus on anything else.  Regardless, I really hope Iowa doesn’t get to play Kansas State in a bowl game anytime soon!

Thanks to my readers for the great questions!  I apologize to those of you who sent questions in and they went unanswered.  Please keep sending them and you might see an answer soon!

The 130

For the first time this season (and in a calendar year) the Hawkeyes did not score more points than their opponents.  Not surprisingly the loss came to the Northwestern Wildcats, who have beat Iowa 5 of the last 6 games and have not lost in Iowa City since 2002.  This truely is the biggest game of the season for them, and Pat Fitzgerald always has the team ready to play.  Unforturnetly the loss wasn't just a loss in record.  QB Ricky Stanzi left the game with an ankle sprain early in the 2nd quarter.  As he laid on the field I thought he hurt his shoulder as I wasn't able to see his foot get rolled.  Some people are saying his facemask was grabbed and that the fumble that resulted in a NW touchdown shouldn't have happened.  From the replays the ball was out before the facemask occurred.  All the penalty would do is push NW back 15 yards on either the PAT or the kick off, and I doubt either one would have mattered much in the outcome.  One positive thing is that we got to see how back-up QB (and red shirt freshman) James Vandenberg handles Big Ten play.  Critics are saying that he wasn't prepared, that he made bad throws, he was indecisive.  What I saw was an outstanding arm, excitment, nervousness, and good decisions.  It has been pointed out that he threw the ball away, which Stanzi doesn't do very often, when nothing was there.  Maybe he was being called indecisive because he was scanning the field and looking off his WRs, again something Stanzi doesn't do very well right now.  I'm not saying that Vandenberg is better than Stanzi.  Each one has strengths and weaknesses. Stanzi is much better at leading the team and bouncing back from adversity.  Vandenberg will need to step into the leader role and take command of the offense.  I do not envy him for being in the position he is in this week.  Playing at Ohio State for a trip to the Rose Bowl would be tough for any college QB, yet Vandenberg gets to be in that situation for his first colligate start.

Luckily he still has the outstanding defense behind him.  The Iowa defense has been phenominal this year.  The system isn't flashy but it gets results and it has gotten results consistently for years.  There are the critics of "bend but don't break" but so far it has worked and that makes an argument against it tough.  The entire defense has been consistent all year long.  Everyone is doing their jobs and even the reserves are stepping it up a notch.  Joe Conklin has been filling in for Brett Greenwood at free safety very nicely since the Michigan State game.  Conklin made a nice diving interception in the endzone to end a NW drive.  There is a chance that Greenwood will play at Ohio State but that is not 100% yet.

Everything has fallen into place nicely for the Iowa vs Ohio State game this weekend.  The winner of the game (and their fans) get to pack their bags for Pasadena on January 1 while the loser gets to (most likey) get ready for Florida.  I can see the loser of this game having a let down on November 21 in their last game of the season.  There is a lot at stake in this game and I know that the coaching staffs at each school will have their team ready to play.  I don't think it's going to get out of hand and I think that Vandenberg will be prepared and ready to go.  I'm hoping that I will be making my plans for Pasadena on Saturday night!

The 130

Wow.  Two more weeks, two more wins.  Iowa has now set a school record with 9 consecutive victories to start the season.  Say what you want about the margin of victory but the bottom line is Iowa is 9-0 (5-0 in the Big Ten) and has a one game lead in the Big Ten race.

The Michigan State game was one of the hardest hitting games I have ever seen.  Michigan State's program was built to model Iowa's and that always makes for a close game.  In 2007 Iowa won in OT; in 2008 Michigan State won by 3, and in 2009 Iowa needed a last second 7 yard TD to win, 15-13.  It was one of those magical moments that you will remember for a very long time.  Even my wife, who is not a huge football fan, was jumping around the living room screaming.  Surprisingly we didn't wake the kids.  Even in defeat Iowa suffered some major losses.  On offense Dace Richardson broke a bone in his lower leg and is done until the bowl game, Adam Robinson sprained an ankle and is out for a while, Brandon Wegher took a shot to the ribs, and Colin Sandeman got laid out by a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit that drew the ire of the Michigan State "faithful" (I really hope they were booing the penalty and not the injured player, although multiple sources, say they were booing the loudest when Sandeman walked off the field).  On defense Brett Greenwood was laid out by a friendly fire helmet-to-helmet hit that was delivered by Tyler Sash.  Luckily Sandeman and Greenwood were not seriously hurt; Greenwood was carted off while Sandeman walked off on his own.  I, personally, feel the worst for Dace.  Luckily he didn't hurt his knees as he has spent a lot of time trying to come back from knee injuries that were thought to be career-ending.  He will be missed over the next few weeks but Iowa has linemen that are more than capable of filling the void.  Dace's injury makes Bryan Bulaga's illness earlier in the season look like a blessing in disguise as it gave Reily Reiff some playing time.  When all was said and done, the offense finally showed up with 97 seconds left in the game and was able to score the winning touch down with no time left, on a 4th down no less.  This was also Iowa's first victory in East Lansing, MI since 1995.

Out of the players injured against Michigan State only Wegher and Greenwood started against Indiana.  Unfortunately Greenwood only lasted a few plays before taking himself out.  Wegher was able to play the entire game and had a career day as the primary back.  He gained 118 yards and had 3 touch downs in the big victory over Indiana.  The Hawks started slowly again, falling behind 21-7 at the half.  After halftime Ricky Stanzi went off, in a bad way.  Stanzi threw 4 interceptions in the 3rd quarter, but Indiana could only muster 3 points in the quarter.  Tyler Sash grabbed a batted Ben Chappell pass and returned it 86 yards for an Iowa touchdown.  At the end of the 3rd it was 24-14 Indiana.  Prior to Sash's return Kinnick Stadium was dead quiet.  The pick got the crowd, and the team, back in the game.  Iowa took over in the 4th quarter, scoring 28 unanswered points to pull away.  Stanzi hit Marvin McNutt on a intermediate crossing route that McNutt turned into a 92 yard touch down.  At this point I noticed Indiana's defense was tired.  On the next Iowa possession a similar play was called and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos caught the pass and went 66 yards for a touch down.  Brandon Wegher then added his second and third touch down runs to put the game away.  Iowa committed 6 turnovers on the day and only forced 3.  The big difference is that Iowa capitalized on those opportunities while Indiana did not.  The Iowa defense stepped up big time in the second half allowing only 3 points.  One of these days Iowa will put a whole game together and we will all see what they can do.

I got to thinking about how the last few games have gone.  I don't know if it's more about adjustments made during the game or halftime as much as it is conditioning of the players.  It seems that Iowa is always fresh later in the game than the other teams.  Today's game was a great example of that as Indiana couldn't do anything and looked fatigued.  The first part of the body to be affected is the mind (blown coverage, penalties) and then the body.  Indiana couldn't do anything in the 4th quarter this week, or last, and I really think it came down to conditioning.  Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Doyle has done a marvelous job with this team and should be given a lifetime contract, along with Coach Kirk Ferentz and Coach Erik Campbell.

Up next are the Northwestern Wildcats.  Last year NW came into Iowa City and left with a victory after forcing 5 Iowa turnovers and holding Iowa out of the end-zone (after a 1st and 8) to win the game.

The 130

Three weeks ago I ended with "This is shaping up to be a special season. I'm glad I'm along for the ride!" What a ride it has been. In the three games (read: victories) since that statement it has been a wild roller coaster during the games. The Hawkeyes are 7-0 (3-0 in Big Ten Play, 4-0 at home). For whatever reason the Hawks have played their best football away from Iowa City. I don't know if they are trying to get people to visit the University hospital for blood pressure and heart related ailments after the games or if Kinnick is losing some of it's luster as a tough place to play. What it all comes down to at the end of the day is Iowa is 7-0 for the first time since 1985 and is ranked in the top 10 in the major polls and #6 in the initial BCS ranking.

I knew that the Michigan and Wisconsin games would be tough, especially with going to Madison, but I didn't think the Arkansas St game would be as close as it was. I'm not blaming it on Iowa turnovers because there was only one mistake and, while it lead to 7 Ark St points, doesn't mean that they wouldn't have scored 7 points on that drive had it not been returned. All it did was get their 100 fans cheering for a minute. Too bad Iowa gave them more to cheer and hope for later on in the game. Luckily a win is a win no matter if it's by 1 point or 100 points; style points don't matter. One thing that really struck me as odd was how out of the game the crowd was. My area of the stands is always loud but when Iowa crosses the 50 we usually quiet down and let the south end do some of the work. When that happened it got quiet, almost eerily quiet. Iowa just came off a big win AT Penn St and everyone forgets how to make noise? Made no sense to me, however.....

For only the 4th time in the history of Kinnick Stadium a true night game was played (true as in i started in the evening rather than ended in the dark but started in the afternoon). This game was billed as the biggest home game of the season and the opponent was the Wolverines of Michigan. The last time Michigan was in Iowa City the game went to overtime and Michigan won. I will go on record as saying the officials had a rough game and helped with the outcome. That game also ended a 30+ game home winning streak for Iowa. After a 2 year break from each other the series started back up to an electrified crowd dressed in black and waving gold poms in the air. It wasn't the most electric crowd I've been part of, but it was fun (my vocal cords and throat beg to differ). This game also put Iowa at 6-0 and bowl elidgible for the 9th consecutive season (8 bowl apperances during that span). The defense made Tate Forcier look like an 18 year old and the Iowa offense made the Michigan defense look good. Michigan has some good athletes (Forcier is the next Tebow, and I don't mean that in a good way) and is a decent team, but I don't think the game should have been that close. The Hawks left with a close victory and started the most grueling two week stretch of the season with trips to Madison and East Lansing.

Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin is a rough place to play for most college football teams. However, Iowa usually goes in and plays well. Even in 2007 (the season that shall not be discussed more) Iowa lost 17-14 with Andy Brodell destroying his quadricep muscle and Tony Moeaki losing his arm. Wisconsin was ranked at the time and was rolling along. That game was the coming out party for Derrell Johnson-Koulianos who stepped up big time. This year it didn't seem anyone in particular had a coming out party. The real Ricky Stanzi finally showed up. He was throwing perfect passes both from the pocket and on the run and he didn't have any interceptions (although he did lose a fumble, Wisconsin missed a field goal after the recovery). I still think he throws one of the best deep balls in the nation. Tony Moeaki makes the offense 1,000,000 times better when he's in the game, DJK is Stanzi's go-to guy, and the two-headed running back approach seems to be working for one of the two every game. The biggest weakness is the offensive line. The perrenial strength of a Kirk Ferentz team is the o-line but this year they have been terribly inconsistant. Thankfully it looked as destructive as ever in the second half against Wisconsin. On the other side of the ball the defense has been getting run on a lot this year. I'm surprisingly ok with that as most college teams pass a lot more than run this year, and Iowa has done a great job in the pass defense department. Like the offensive line, the defense appeared to take the first half off but really came to life in the second half. The line was getting better penetration and the back 7 were doing their jobs nicely. 3 more interceptions (lead the nation) helped tremendously. I was sweating in the first half but I have now come to realize that Iowa is 7-0 this year when having to come from behind. If the team can start showing consistency from the offense and defense for 60 minutes it will be a scarry thing.

The outlook is starting to look Rosy for the Iowa Hawkeyes. All alone at the top of the Big Ten standings sure feels good but there are still 5 tough contests coming up. Iowa has not won at Michigan State (Oct 24) since 1995 and have not won at Ohio State (Nov 7) since 1991. Those are the last two road games of the season and could be stumbling blocksl; I don't see Iowa losing to Indiana, Northwestern, or Minnesota. If Iowa makes it through those two road games the road to Pasadena will be paved with Black and Gold. The only thing that will need to be determined is the day Iowa will play their bowl game; it will either be January 1, 2010 (Rose Bowl) or January 7, 2010 (BCS title game).

Thoughts from the 130 (aka My Couch)

Sadly I had to spend my weekend at home rather than travel to Pennsylvania. The good thing is that HD TV is available and I was able to watch the rain come down in Hawkeye Valley from the comfort of my living room couch. The weather appeared to affect the game a little bit but not quite as much as I expected at first. I had a feeling the team that could run the ball effectively would win. That feeling almost went out the window within the first few minutes of the game.

As usual for this season, the offense didn't look like the well-oiled machine of 2008. Of course it doesn't help when impact players are not available (graduation, injuries, etc) but I still think the offense is much better than it was 2 years ago. Ricky Stanzi didn't have his Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde routine going. Instead he was Capt Game Manager, which is what he is supposed to do. His final stats don't look great, but he didn't give the game away. A lot of the incomplete passes were on the WRs (dropped balls) and the first interception was from a dropped ball. The second interception looked more like Ricky's fault but the DB also made a great play after the ball was tipped. "Big Play" DJK was back in the lineup and was much needed. It seems that he and Ricky are on the same page and that they complement each other very well. The running game got off to a slow start but then started taking off behind Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher. The offense had 163 yards on the ground, which I found fairly impressive. I am left wondering right now what will happen to Jeff Brinson and how will the running game look when Jewel Hampton returns. The line also did a decent job, but it will be nice to get Bryan Bulaga back.

For all of the shortcomings of the offense, the special teams play made up for (some) of it. Ryan Donahue continues to be the most effective punter in the Big 10 (if not the nation). At one point ABC showed a comparision of the punters. PSU's punter had a 50-some yard average while Ryan had a 30 some yard average. What they didn't show was probably (read: in my mind) the biggest punting stat that is never shown: opponent's average starting position after a punt. Ryan put a punt right inside the 10 and PSU started on their own 3 yard line. This led to the safety that got Iowa on the board. He has been doing that consistently all season. The kicking game got the job done as well. Daniel Murray (aka The Lion Tamer) booted a couple of field goals (missed one terribly) and did a fair job on kickoffs. I couldn't help but wonder what the PSU players were thinking when Murray lined up for the FG attempts...

Once again (the theme for the season) the defense won this game. Thankfully 1 play doesn't decide a football game. After getting behind 10-0 I realized that we are 3-0 after being behind so far this season. The defensive line were animals! Todd McShay (an "expert" for ESPN) said in a video preview that Iowa doesn't have a very athletic defensive line; oddly enough that preview was removed right after the game while other previews were left up. You could tell that the national media hasn't paid much attention to Iowa, especially the defense, yet this year. That all changed. Adrian (Predator) Clayborn truly is showing how much of a beast he is. That kind of scares me as he may be enticed to go to the NFL a year early. Broderick Binns assaulted the linemen on his side. Karl Klug was a monster, and Christian Ballard made some nice plays. This line is getting up there with the 2004 line as the best ever. Strong line play sure helps the LBs and DBs. There were 2 decent length pass plays (79 and 39) for PSU but that was it. The running game never had much consistency (109 yards total), and Daryll Clark was clearly frustrated. I have a feeling that he is glad he will never have to face Norm's boys again. Clark was picked off 3 times, and the Hawks had at least 2 players in the back field all game long (so it seemed). All 3 LB played fairly well too. They were swarming the ball (as usual), picking off passes, and forcing fumbles. Pat Angerer made the pick that put the game away; 39 yard return and set up Adam Robinson's TD to make it 17-10 (PAT made it 18-10) after PSU had a 10-5 lead at the half. The play of the game didn't officially come on defense but it was the normal defense that was on the field. PSU had a punt formation and Iowa called "Punt Safe" (leaves the base defense on the field in case of a fake punt attempt) and Adrian Clayborn bull rushed his way to the punter, stuck his hands up and blocked the punt, and then scooped up the ball and glided in for the go-ahead TD.

Saturday night was a great all-around effort from the Hawkeyes. The coaches had the team prepared very well, and the players executed very well (minus the dropped passes). You could tell the demeanor of the team was very relaxed as they were cracking jokes all week, even the coaches were joking with the media.

The Hawks were "rewarded" with the number 13 ranking in the AP poll. Two Hawks also received Big 10 POW honors: Pat Angerer for defense (which I thought should go to the whole team but I'm still ok with it) and Adrian Clayborn for special teams.

This is shaping up to be a special season. I'm glad I'm along for the ride!

Thoughts from the 130

I was planning on doing a recap of every Iowa Hawkeye football game during the 2009-2010 season (that's right, Jan 1 bowl game here we come). Sadly the UNI game left me less than enthused and the "I State" game spoke for itself. Luckily Arizona provided to be more of a challenge than "I State" did and less resistance than UNI did.

I'll start by looking at the offense. Coming into the season I had very high hopes for the passing game as I knew the running game would take a hit with Jewel Hampton being hurt early in the summer and Ricky Stanzi really came on strong in the latter part of 2008. It also helps to have a great receiving corps like Iowa has. That being said, Stanzi needs to figure out how to be a lot more accurate in the first half of the game. He is like night and day (or day and night would be more accurate) during the game. First half he is off but he turns it on in the second half. I think it helps that the offensive line has started opening holes for the running game so that the pressure doesn't fall completely on Stanzi. It was nice to see Brandon Wegher go over 100 rushing yards against "I State" and then Adam Robinson get over 100 yards against Arizona. Our running game seems to be hitting its stride just in time for Big Ten season. If Stanzi can start connecting on passes in the first half (and keep it going into the second half), and the offense can limit turnover to, let's say, none per game I think they will be unstoppable. The line needs to get some sort of continuity but that will come (fingers are crossed).

As the story has gone the last 10 years special teams have been key to Iowa victories. Daniel Murray is starting to show the he can consistently make field goals making Trent Mossbrucker stay on the sidelines. It's my hope that TMoss takes a redshirt this year so that he will be around an extra season after Murray is gone. The kick off coverage has been less than stellar this year, as have the kick and punt return teams. It's hard to believe that Iowa has not had a kickoff return for a TD since the 2002/2003 Orange Bowl. I have a feeling that it will happen sometime this season. The punt coverage has been really good this year, in part to the great punts by Ryan Donahue. He has to be the best punter in college football right now. He has been very consistant this year, with both accuracy and distance. So far Donahue is the team MVP.

The best unit is undoubtly the defense. They held a team averaging over 300 rushing yards per game to 148 rushing yards (85 came on two plays). The longest rush of the day was 58 yards, but helped by an Arizona WR holding Shaun Prater and the Linesman not knowing how to call a penalty (the first dozen or so rows of sections 130 and 129 let him hear about it all game after that). Thankfully the defense buckled down and kept Arizona from punching it in from the 1. 3 points is a lot easier to take than 7, or even 8. I still think the defense gave up 0 points when it mattered. The first 7 came from Stanzi throwing a pick-6, the 3 came from the non-call on the long run (credit the points to the officials), and the last 7 was in garbage time. Player of the game was Adrian Clayborn; he was destroying that poor left tackle for Arizona. Iowa's moto for defense is 6 seconds of hell. Clayborn must not have gotten the memo because he was giving Arizona 3 seconds until he was making a play. Best play was when Clayborn chased down Arizona's RB from behind and brought him for a loss. It wasn't a straight ahead run either, it was a run to the outside, opposite Clayborn. I have to give a mention to the secondary as well. Tyler Sash (The Vulture) made another great play on his 4th interception of the year and the rest of the defensive backs played extrememly well (thank you to Shaun Prater for being off suspension). The linebackers also played a good game but I don't think they were needed to often and the line was controlling the flow of the game.

I am very happy with a 3-0 start to the season. UNI was a close one and I still think they are a top 30 Division 1A team. Weird things happen when Iowa goes to Ames, yet it was like the good old days when Iowa could do no wrong and "I State" could do no right. Arizona seemed like an unknown since we haven't played them in a fairly long time. It felt good to walk out of Kinnick knowing Iowa dominated the game (it wasn't nearly as close as the 27-17 final showed).

To be 4-0 heading into a two game homestand would be ideal. Winning at Penn St is a challenge for almost every college football team except for Iowa. Coach Ferentz seems to own Coach Paterno and Penn St. The game is set for Saturday night and there will be a "White-out" in Happy Valley. No doubt Penn St will be looking for revenge for last year's loss in Iowa City, but Iowa will also be wanting to show that it wasn't a fluke and that they are for real.

Wow it's been a long time

Today's blog is in regards to what some consider an act of treason in an industry that has become big business. If the CEO of AMD became the CEO of Intel it would look weird. Unfortunately the NFL has become a big business more than entertainment.

As a fan of the Green Bay Packers since the mid-90's, when I really started to understand the game of football, I watched Brett Favre lead the team to the playoffs, and a couple of Super Bowls, year after year. I saw 3 MVP seasons in a row, numerous "how'd he do that" type plays, and numerous "why'd he do that" plays. For the last few offseasons I also saw a teetertotter of "do I play or do I retire?". Yes he has the right to make that decision when he wants to. The problem is the team has executives and coaches that need to start working on making the team better right as March 1 hits. It wouldn't help the improvement process when you have a franchise player who can't make up his mind. It is especially concerning when that player is a QB. If he can't make up his mind about playing or retiring how do you know he will be able to make up his mind on the playing field?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of the Packer fans who is angry that he went to Minnesota. In fact I don't blame him. Minnesota has coaches that he is familiar with, they have a pretty good defense (wouldn't be as good without Chad Greenway of course), and the top RB in the NFL (assuming he doesn't get hurt). It also gives him 2 shots at beating the only team that he has yet to beat, the Green Bay Packers. He has said repeatedly that he's not playing to break records. If that is the case I want to know why he is still playing. His shoulder is still ripped up (yesterday he disclosed that his rotator cuff has a tear) and he isn't 26 anymore. It was evident in the NFC championship 2 years ago that he didn't want to be playing anymore. He looked done as the game went into the 4th quarter, and then overtime. I really hope Minnesota realizes what they are getting: a legend who is on his last legs, or shoulder tendon in this case.

What I don't like are the "fans" who are changing their alligence from Green Bay to Minnesota because he is on the team and they feel he was done wrong by the front office in Green Bay. I always say the player is not greater than the team. Was he forced out? Not really. He was given a timeframe to make a decision and he made one. The team moved forward. That is what you are supposed to do. There is no reason to think otherwise. Aaron Rogers is poised to become a great QB in the league. He has plenty of young weapons around him. There will be growing pains but it appeared they were gone last year. The bad record last year was on the defense and the injuries to the defense. The offense didn't miss a beat. Prior to the defensive collapse the offense was, again, one of the best in the league. I have no doubt in my mind it will be the same thing this year. This shows that, while Brett was an integral part, the team still had success without him. It was only a few years ago that he threw more interceptions than touchdowns and cost the team some games.

I wish him well, but I will still enjoy watching the green and gold knock him around on October 5 and November 1.

Some football news!

We are fresh off of the biggest media circus of the NFL "season": the NFL draft. I don't know a single event that is more hyped than the draft. There were a few years of my junior high and high school life where I would glue myself to the television for the entire first day as if I were a prospect waiting to hear my name called. Over the years I grew more and more bored by it. The only picks I cared about were Green Bay and whoever was smart enough to draft an Iowa Hawkeye (yes even the Vikings were smart once). My dislike of the draft stems from the number of "draft busts" we have seen and the massive contracts that are given to guys who have never put on an NFL uniform. Why should a rookie QB be making more money than Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, or even Kyle Orton (yeah, I went there). One thing I really like about the NBA is the rookie pay scale. Give them a few years on a contract and then load up the next contract if they deserve it. Sadly I think the NFL salary cap dictates the pay scale a little too much. I feel for the teams that blow top draft picks (see Lions, Detroit and Raiders, Oakland) because it sets them back financially and makes them have to find replacements.

This weekend also signaled the end of an era, I decided to retire from fantasy football after 6 years of playing. I can retire happy knowing that I have one championship, multiple "division" titles, and many playoff appearances in different leagues. The last few years have been a struggle for me. After winning a championship in 2006 I have not put in as much time and effort into my team. Yes I made the playoffs with 2 of 3 teams in 2007 and 2008 but the "game" is no longer fun for me. I don't enjoy watching the NFL anymore. I have become more obsessed with how my players are doing. I don't like watching Green Bay and thinking that someone on the other team needs to get me X points. I felt like now is the time to walk away, somewhat like Barry Sanders did when he retired. I was at the top of the game and now I walk away knowing that I haven't ruined my liking of the NFL.

Back to the draft. 4 Iowa Hawkeyes were drafted (Shonn Greene, Bradley Fletcher, Seth Olsen, and Brandon Myers) and 4 were signed as free-agents after the draft (Mitch King, Matt Kroul, Rob Bruggeman, and Andy Brodell). Here is my analysis of how they will do with the teams that picked them up:

Shonn Green (3rd round/65th overall, NY Jets): I think Shonn has a very solid chance of being a productive player for the Jets. I doubt he will get much playing time this year, unless Thomas Jones is gone, but he should flourish behind a good offensive line. I can see him being used inside the red zone and grabbing some touchdowns and the tough yards this year and then he will slowly become the featured back within a few years. I also think he could be a Jet for life as he grew up 2 hours away from the Meadowlands.

Bradley Fletcher (3rd round/66th overall, St Louis Rams): Watching Bradley play as a junior in college I never would have guessed he would be a pro. Watching him play as a senior made me forget all about his junior year. He is going to make a very good nickel corner but I doubt he will be anything more than that. He may get some special teams experience, and he may do well with that, but I think he needs to work hard to see the field. Even with the defense (if you can call it that) in St Louis, Bradley had a challenge. I can see him moving on to another team in the future but still being only a good nickel back.

Seth Olsen (4th round/132 overall, Denver Broncos): This could be a steal for Denver. I didn't think that Seth was NFL material during his senior year but I was wrong. I think I was too infatuated with Bruggeman and Bulaga to keep an eye on Olsen. He is a physical lineman who can play guard or tackle on either side. He has very good football senses and will be around for a while. It will be interesting to see what Denver does as far as offense with the new staff in place.

Brandon Myers (6th round/202 overall, Oakland Raiders): I feel terribly sorry for Brandon. I think Oakland is a place that players go to die (see Walker, Javon). I really hope he works out. He's a great receiver but needs to work on his blocking. If he can get into a system similar to Indianapolis he will do well. Otherwise I see him on a practice squad or as a #3 TE on special teams.

Mitch King (FA, Tennessee Titans): This is going to be a great fit and will be a steal for the Titans. Jeff Fisher loves players like Mitch. He is going to work hard and become a good pass rush defensive end in the NFL. He may start off on the practice squad but by year 2 he should see the field and make an impact. I can't see him playing much DT but I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

Matt Kroul (FA, NY Jets): I like this mainly because it will give Shonn Greene a familiar face during camp. I can't see Matt making it to the active roster this year but he is a very smart player and works extremely hard. He has practice squad written all over him right now. If he is ever given a shot during a game he might be able to play his way onto the roster full-time. Until then he will be on the practice squad or out of football. He was a good college DT but I don't know if his skills will transfer to the pros.

Rob Bruggeman (FA, Tampa Bay Buccaneers): The anchor of the great Iowa offensive line in 2008. He didn't come into his senior year with a lot of hype (thanks to the terrible job the line did in 2007) but he emerged as the leader of the line. He is very underrated, as most centers are, but has a VERY good chance of making the team and even fighting for playing time. I know that he will get his chance to see the field and the players above him on the depth chart had better hope that they aren't out of multiple games. Bruggeman will get better with time and he will be a starter sometime down the road. This could be an amazing steal for TB.

Andy Brodell (FA, Green Bay Packers): Of course I really like this signing since my favorite NFL team signed a Hawkeye. Andy is just getting back to full speed and might be a solid contributor on special teams and as a 5th receiver. Donald Driver isn't getting any younger and Andy might be able to fill the 5th slot when Driver is gone. He does have an uphill battle to make the team but I can see them keeping him on the practice squad so that he doesn't get away. Hopefully he keeps working hard and gets his speed back. Then there is no way the coaches can keep him off the field.

The Great Debates

Right now the state of Iowa is going through an interesting time at the statehouse in Des Moines. Let me start off by saying that I consider myself a Republican. I prefer politicians to be fiscally conservative and socially liberal. I also like to see the Constitution, both of the state of Iowa and the United States of America, followed as it is written.

There are two debates raging through the state government that has people divided. One deals with the state Supreme Court ruling last Friday that a law banning homosexual marriage goes against a section of the state Constitution. The other deals with a change in Iowa's tax code; the legislature wants to remove the deduction of our federal taxes from our state return. I will touch on that one first.

I am not a tax professional and in no way do I know much about the tax code. I do know that something smells a little fishy about this change. The Democrats in Des Moines have created a budget that includes a $600 million "short-fall" (aka over spending) and they need to figure out how to balance the budget. Unfortunetly the government has two options, raise taxes or cut spending, while families only have one option when faced with this scenario, cut spending. The Democrats are telling the people that the planned change will create a tax cut for 60% of Iowans and another 15% will see no change in their taxes. I'm sure that Molly and I will land in the 60% in 2009 but will this really be a tax benefit in the future? And why do the "richest" 25% of the population have to pay for the shortfall? This is one of the most unfair tax changes ever. There is no reason to single out a group of people to pay for excess spending. What this will end up doing is driving the higher earners from the state and then the government will have to lower the threshold and it will affect people who might have a harder time affording things. I still stand behind the thought of getting rid of the income tax altogether and making the money from a higher sales tax that is charged on NEW non-grocery items (used items other than vehicles are exempt).

The other big debate is the legalization of homosexual marriage. This is where I am somewhat socially liberal. I agree with the Supreme Court's ruling 100%. Everyone in this great country has the right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If a man's pursuit of happiness involves the marriage to another man why should it be stopped? The biggest benefit of this ruling is that it now provides homosexual couples with the same "benefits" that heterosexual marriages have (taxes, employment benefits, etc.). I cannot stand hearing the church people that are against the ruling. Yes I am a Christian minister and I am for this ruling. My belief is that all people are created equal by God. The minute you make a law that discriminates in any way, shape, or form you have defied God. Yes the Bible defines marriage as one man and one woman but, honestly, to some people the only entities that matter with the marriage are their employer and the state. Last I knew church and state were supposed to be separate. If your church and/or pastor/minister doesn't think two men or two women should be wed then they should refuse to do the service. I have the option to perform a homosexual marriage but the Community of Christ will not recognize it as a marriage on the church level (last I knew). There is also the argument that this will compromise the covenant of heterosexual marriage. How can that be? I feel my marriage in no way has been compromised by this ruling. None of the arguments that can come from the opponents can sway me and none of them make much sense on a governmental level.

I truely hope that both of these issues die with the end of the legislative session approaching. We have a lot of other things to worry about in the state than trying to make up for excess spending and whether two men, or two women, should be able to legally be married. Maybe I should run for office so that I can right some of the wrongs. Then again I don't need that kind of stress. We'll see what the future holds.

Already???

Today marks the one week mark of my triumphal return to the place called work. Last week was fairly rough as I had a tight deadline on a brand new program, my body was still readjusting to being up and functional at 5:00am, and the 8 hour day seemed like forever (thanks to working no more than 5 hours per day the week before). My motivation was also somewhat low due to the dramatic change in weather. I have no way of seeing the outside world but I knew it wasn't as nice out as what I experienced the week before. Thankfully I took Monday off to recover and spend time with the girls, otherwise I would have gone insane by Friday.

This week, so far, has gone pretty well. Originally I was scheduled to have my new program done on April 9, then my boss asked if it could be done earlier and I said that I could have it done by the end of March (most likely the 31st), and then my boss asked if I could have it done on the 30th and I thought I could. I had the coding done and started on testing on the 30th but too many little things came up and I couldn't get it done (which was not a problem). Thankfully I didn't have much to do on it today and got it done before the afternoon hit! I am very relieved that it is done and I can take some downtime (aka work older tasks) before I HAVE to get on the next step of this task.

As for life outside of work (who knew that existed), things have been going fairly well at home. Yes the kids still get on my nerves sometimes but they are kids. Molly and I have gotten along much better. I think that the sharing of responsibilities (and not having to ask each other to do something) is helping a lot. I also think that the appearance of our house is helping Molly's outlook more so than mine. I am very happy with how things look around the house and I am very excited to see how the bathroom will turn out. The problem with that is I have no motivation to get started on it. I know that the first step is to run the new plumbing lines (but don't hook them up yet) and that will be fairly easy. Then I will need a really nice day so that I can knock the window out and fill in the hole with drywall and insulation. The exterior will look weird for a little while but it will be worth it on the inside.

Molly has kind of gotten on me for how much I would talk about the New Orleans trip and how I would spend hours looking at the pictures. I don't know if she was getting upset or giving me crap (I hope it was the crap). I kept telling her that there were over 2,000 pictures to go through and I was trying to find some that I wanted to have since I didn't take our camera. I think she understands that aspect. I do miss some of my new friends but thankfully we are all on Facebook so we can keep in touch and give each other crap somehow. I am very excited to go visit them in Lamoni this weekend, and I think they are excited that I am coming down too.

Aside from all of that I have another challenge to face (but I'm not alone). Our church congregation is dying (not the people) and someone needs to save it. Molly and I seem to be the only people that are optimistic that it can be saved. Other members know it's dying but are just accepting that fact and there are some who think we are fine the way we are. I think we took a step in the right direction when I was given the opportunity to cook lunch on March 1 rather than doing a potluck. We need to try these new things so that we could generate more interest in our congregation. It also helps if we need to recruit helpers. Molly and I are asking our friends to help when possible, hoping to get them in the doors. We have some more ideas and hope to get the ball rolling with them. We have been met with resistance but we are fighting it to get our way. We have also brought our concerns to the Young Adult Minister for the mission center and he is behind us 100%. It's going to be a long fight, and there will need to be some sacrifices made by everyone, but we will come out victorious! I have the honor of giving the sermon this week and on April 26 so hopefully I will be able to preach a little bit about the need to change things, as long as it fits with the theme.

The Final Rundown

Cue Europe (it's the final countdown)!

At the beginning of the trip we were asked why we came on this trip. We were not supposed to answer out loud as the question was rhetorical. At the end, we were asked, rhetorically at the time, what the trip meant to us. Well it is now time to make my final feelings known!

When I first thought about making going on this trip it was for three reasons: first was for the construction/demolition experience, second was the chance to visit New Orleans (another place I have never been to), and finally was the chance to help someone in need. I had no thoughts about how humbling the experience would be and the great relationships I would take from it. Another thing that I didn't think of was how it would affect my relationship with my wonderful wife Molly.

This was the first time Molly and I have been apart for more than a couple of days since we have been married. I honestly didn't know what to expect when I returned home. I came back to a completely different house; Molly and her parents spent a lot of time, and money, making our house finally feel like home. I am extremely grateful to all three of them for everything they did. The biggest thing in being apart and being around college kids made me realize that I have been kind of uptight about a lot of things. I used to live by the expression "if you take life too seriously you won't make it out alive." I now know how true that statement really is. Taking life too seriously affects you in ways you will never know. Our marriage may have been saved by this time spent apart.

The relationships I took from this trip were another great surprise. I met a lot of people that I wouldn't have otherwise met. I am very grateful for the chance to meet so many new people. My only regret was not getting to know more about everyone. That is 100% my fault as I kind of went into my anti-social shell a few days into the trip. If Molly was there I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to go into my shell as she wouldn't have let me. I am looking forward to talking to everyone now that the trip is over, and I am planning on visiting Graceland before school is out for the year.

All of my primary objectives (construction/demolition experience, visiting New Orleans, helping others) were met. I didn't get construction experience as much as I hoped but I did learn demolition. New Orleans is an amazing city; I can't fathom how difficult the rebuilding could have been. Helping others was extremely gratifying and humbling. Nothing could prepare me for what I was about to see. I could not imagine having to leave memories behind. Photo albums and baby books would be very difficult to leave. Having to start over would be even more difficult. I can understand why people wouldn't want to come back as it's bound to happen again. It might not happen during my lifetime but it will happen again somewhere.

On Wednesday I was talking with Eric about the destruction and I had the thought that this was a repeat of Noah's 40 day flood. God wanted to clean up the city and decided that the best way to cleanse it was to cause a great flood. It is my sincere hope that the caring response of God's children is either as great or greater than it was for this tragedy when it happens again, either in the same area or a different area of the world.

It was an amazing opportunity to witness, first-hand, God's power and His children's generosity. Molly and I are very excited about the next young adult mission trip. Thank you once again to Dan and Maggie for letting older "kids" go along. Thank you also goes out to my new friends, you are all wonderful people and will lead very fulfilling lives as long as you keep along this path. God bless you all!

The Last Days

It's over! I'm at home! The weekend seemed like it was a never ending car trip, mainly because it was. Friday was spent away from the house and then we were on the road all day Saturday and Sunday.

On Friday we visited some Louisianan swamp land and took a boat tour with Louisiana Swamp Tours. We arrived just before our departure time and we packed the boat. Our guide, Reggie, was very knowledgeable of the area as he has lived there all of his life. He took us to a lot of parts of the swamp and knew where to find the alligators (the most popular part of the tour). We were able to come across many alligators during our tour, but Reggie had a guarantee that we would see a gator one way or another. Halfway through the trip he pulled out Elvis, his pet gator. We all got a chance to hold Elvis, who is estimated at 1 1/2 years old. We ended our tour and stopped for lunch before heading to the Mississippi Gulf coast, Pass Christian, MS to be exact. When we arrived the college kids were ready to hit the beach. Some got in the water, some sun bathed, and some stood around in their clothes not wanting a sunburn (Eric and I). We ate supper at a great restaurant (picked by Eric since he used to live 2 miles away) called Pirate's Cove, which specializes in Po Boy sandwiches. We ended our time away from "home" with sharing of what the trip meant for us while on the beach. We ended the night at "home" with devotions and sharing thoughts with each other.

Saturday and Sunday could be summed up with one word: road. We drove from New Orleans to St Louis on Saturday. We left NO at 7:30 am and my van got to the Bel Nor Community of Christ in St Louis at 7:30 pm. We ate a good dinner with soup and salad (no pizza!) and stayed in a house with real beds! Being a driver I got to sleep on a bed rather than the floor. Saturday was the most difficult driving day as almost everyone slept for the first few hours. It was pretty boring but I made it through. We again led the church service on Sunday, had a potluck, and then hit the road. We left around 12:30 pm and I arrived home at 9:48 pm. All 3 of my girls tackled me right when I walked in the door. It was a great feeling to be home!

Last Day Of Demolition

Today was the day everyone was shooting for, the last day of demolition. We got a lot done in the four days of demo. All but 3 or 4 of the apartments' first floor was gutted. We didn't feel safe starting on the second floor and decided that the next group can tackle that. The full dumpster was still there when we arrived. I was thinking to myself "yes, let us go back" but we ended up pulling nails and cleaning up the "living room" floors. The dumpster was then picked up and unloaded so we were able to take our piles and throw them away. It was an amazing feeling to be done, knowing that we helped someone who needed it and how 30 kids (even Eric) from different places were able to come together for this one goal.

After "work" we went to a "project" area and spent some time playing with kids. It was a blast. I got in a football game with the kids and they loved playing with and against us old kids. One of the kids has some serious NFL potential and I even said "you are going to be on an NFL field someday if you keep working at this" to him. He responded with "I know". It was great!

After that we went back to "Frenchie Land" as I call it (that's the French Quarter for those of you who don't understand my humor). We ate at a really nice restaurant that is only in the Quarter. After supper we walked up and down Bourbon St. Nothing too exciting from this trip.

Tomorrow we will be rewarded with a swamp boat ride and a trip to the Mississippi Gulf coast and a beach (sorry Molly). Tomorrow will also be our last day in the New Orleans area. I seriously can't wait to come back, this city really is amazing.

I have also started to have my anti-social feelings kick in. I have been in this group of people all week and I need a small escape. This blog helps with that but there are still 15-20 people in this room. I realized that my escape will be the 10 hour drive on Saturday. Yes I would like to sit in the back rows and converse with the others but I like the isolation of the driver's seat. I have become quite the popular driver. I have 7 other people in my van and NONE of them want a different van. There have been 3 people that have been in the van since we left Lamoni and there is no way they are changing vans. Right now I think that the 7 that were with me today will be with me for the rest of the trip.

Day three

Today was a little different than the previous two days. Instead of doing the demolition work I came back to the house with Eric to start working on supper and my berry mix for tomorrow. Supper was wonderful (it would have been better if we could have added spices). My berry mix looks a lot better than it did the first time I made it. I can't wait to try it.

The day began with a small breakdown in the communication between Dan and Eric. It got sorted out but it was the beginning of what was to come. It seemed like today was the roughest day for the group. Today was planned as laundry day. Once the crew returned from the apartments a group went to a laundromat to clean the clothes. The drying machines didn't want to dry the clothes very effectively. The group that did the laundry had to go back after supper to finish up. The rest of us went to a Baptist church for bible study. It was very interesting. The topic was the creation of man through the exile of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. It was definitely a different experience. I think I would enjoy a service but I don't think I could be a follower as some of their beliefs are completely different than mine. The reverend asked for all of the visitors to stand up to be recognized; he also asked where we were from. I still want to deliver a sermon in the way of a southern Baptist minister.

A group of us went to Wal-Mart to get some stuff and once we got back our clothes were spread out on all of the tables in the "group room". We had to hunt for our clothes, and the socks had to be the hardest to find. To top it off, they were still damp since the dryers didn't want to cooperate. I really hope my socks will be dry in the morning as I can handle other clothes being damp but socks are unacceptable to wear!

Before we went to Wal-Mart another group decided to go to a movie. We will need to wait for them to get back before doing our nightly devotions. After devotions I am kicking everyone out of the "Group Room" so that I can go to sleep!

Two for the price of one!

Since it's late I am going to do two days at once.

Yesterday was the first day of demolition. We are working on a 2 building apartment complex on the east side of New Orleans that has been empty since before Katrina. Each building has 5 apartments. Our first mission was to get the furniture, carpet, electronics, and other debris out. We then could focus on the drywall, insulation, and cabinets. You could tell how high the water was as the drywall would crumble when you tried to pull it. There was black (color, hopefully not type) mold all over the walls. The stentch was terrible. Overall I would say that we have a little over half of the first floor done in each building. We have not started on the second floors of the buildings. Those could be a little tricky as there could (and will) be leaks in the roof, causing soft spots in the floor. Some people would stop and look at the items that were left behind. It is really a shock to see so much stuff ruined and you feel for the people who had to leave. From what I have been told, the owner of the apartments did not have flood insurance, which explains why he is having a non-profit group gut the buildings after they have been sitting for almost 4 years. Quite a bit of the buildings in the area have been rebuilt and they are really nice. I cannot fathom living in New Orleans since most of it is below sea level and it is between a major river (Mississippi) and a huge lake that is connected to the gulf.

Our original plan for later in the day consisted of going to a youth shetler and spending time with children and then helping feed some homeless people. Turns out that the schedule got mixed up and the children weren't told to go to the shelter. We assumed we were going to a soup kitchen to feed the homeless when, in fact, we were supposed to prepare the food and take it to them. Since it had rained our facilitators said the people would be in buildings. We had to decline since we didn't have money in the budget for that and it would be dangerous for us to walk around with food and go into a building, that we have never seen, and look for homeless people. We then talked about going to the French Quarter, but that idea was pushed back to today. We ate supper (Muffelattas, an Italian New Orleans sandwich that is amazing) and then were given two options for entertainment. One was to walk to the Garden District and the other was to stay in and relax. I chose to stay in so that I could go to Wal-Mart with one of the other guys.

This day made me very thankful that I have the job that I do. I know there are people who like demolition, and I probably would too if it wasn't in the situation I am working in. I don't think I will get the bathroom and window demolition experience that I want/need but there are still 3 working days left.

Today we started at the house a little before 10:00. We were off the job site by 1:00 as we filled the dumpster and they only bring one per day. We mostly pulled drywall from the walls and ceilings. We will most likely start the second floors tomorrow afternoon. It is going really well and everyone is doing very well. Tomorrow we also get our laundry done!

After we were done with "work" we came back to the house to clean up and eat lunch. We then hung out until 3:00, at which time we left for the French Quarter. We ate at Bubba Gump Shrimp, which was decent. After supper we broke into groups and traveled to the party known as Bourbon Street. Every block had at least one bar with live music playing. I received 3 strands of the famous beads and I didn't have to do anything terribly naughty to get them. Thankfully I got 3 so that all of the gils can have a strand when I get home. We also got to see part of the St Patrick's Day parade that travels through the Quarter. It was really interesting to see and hear the history of this great city. It is amazing to think at what happened under 4 years ago and how the city has come back to life. I really want to bring Molly down, just for a day on our way somewhere else, so that she can experience it as well.

Speaking of Molly, I wished she could have been here today as she would have really liked the atmosphere that the French Quarter and Bourbon Street have to offer. It would have been interesting to see if she would have gone with me or if she would have gone with some of the new people she would have met had she come along. I feel sorry for Clarissa and Kimberly because Daddy isn't coming home like he normally does. I know they will be very excited to see me on Monday morning. I can't wait for them to come in and wake me up!

That is all I have for tonight. Tomorrow will be another fun filled day of destroying things!

Day two

I know this is a little late but I had no internet connection last night. Here is an update of yesterday:

We started off the day by getting donuts from Wal-Mart for breakfast. We then attended Sunday school (most of us attended a class being taught around John 3:16). We then led the worship service. Everyone did a great job with their parts. It was great to meet the members of the Memphis congregation and see their wonderful church. After the service we had an outstanding potluck. Our time in Memphis was amazing!

We then set out on our last 6 hours on the road. Thankfully it didn't feel like 6 hours! I spent a good part of the first "leg" of the trip talking to Ryan Holler about a lot of things. He was very interested in the professional IT world as he is studying to be a system administrator. Everyone in the van was awake for the entire trip (I couldn't say that about Saturday's trip). We were able to talk a little bit and joke around.

We arrived in New Orleans around 8:30 last night. We were greeted by the directors of Youth With A Mission at one of their youth lodges. The building is amazing! The main floor has been remodeled after some damage sustained during Katrina. We were then given our instructions for our day and a general outline of our week. The day starts at 9:00 this morning; we are leaving the lodge around 8:45. Today is filled with excitement and anxiousness. It will be nice to get in the house and get going!

Day one

Today was the first official day of the New Orleans trip. We went from Pleasanton, Iowa to Memphis, Tennessee. We left at 7:00 am and, after some initial issues, arrived in Memphis at 7:30 pm (the van I was driving got to the church 10 minutes before the next van). I drove the entire trip and was ready to get out of the van when we got here. Of course the first thing I did was sit down when I got inside, but I had a couple pieces of pizza staring me in the face. Tomorrow we will be leading the church service and then there will be a potluck so that we will be stuffed for the next 7 hour leg of our trip as we get to our final destination. I'm sure tomorrow will be much more eventful as it won't be a full day of driving. The real stuff begins at 9:00 am Monday; that is when we will be getting down and dirty.

I have met a lot of great people. I have realized that they truely want to be here, for whatever reason, and that they will enjoy it. I look forward to getting to know as many of them as I can. I know that I won't get to know everyone but I will do my best.

I am already anxious to get back home to see the great job Molly will be doing to the house and getting a lot of stuff organized and cleaned up. I can't wait to see all 3 of the girls too.

Departure Day

Today is going to be a day with a huge first. This afternoon I will be leaving for a church service trip to New Orleans. It will be the first time since Molly and I have been married that one of us will be away from the family for more than a day. In fact, I will be gone for 9 days. Molly and I have left the girls for a week while we went on a cruise last year (we can't wait for the next one), but this is going to be a lot different. I have complete confidence that everything will be fine. Molly has some projects that she is going to be doing to pass the time and I am excited to see the results when I get back. I know that the girls will miss me but the will understand, in time, what I will be doing. I think Molly will deserve at least a weekend away sometime after I get back.

I will hopefully be able to provide some updates of our journey next week. I am excited for the opportunity but also a little apprehensive about the organization of the trip. I know everything will be fine once we are there.

First!

This is my first attempt at blogging. My plan is to have my blogs consist of my opinions on different subjects, ranging from sports to religion to politics to work-life to family-life and some others in between. Keep in mind that these are only my opinions and I don't intend to start an argument about anything. Stay tuned, there is a lot to come.