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!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
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.
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.
Friday, April 10, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
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.
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.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
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!
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!
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