IOWA VS. ISU WEEK

The Hawkeyes got through a crazy game last week as it seemed like Kinnick was going through the car wash for most of the day. The hawks looked good at times, especially Marvin McNutt scoring 2 TD's. Marcus Cooker on the other hand could not hang on to the ball, and his replacement McCall was averaging 7 yards a carry until he broke his ankle and is now out for the year.
ISU struggled all game long as their QB was running for his life, and played an ugly game versus UNI. But we have seen this story so many times before. Hawks win big, ISU struggles or even loses, and then all of a sudden come game day, ISU plays like its a Bowl game. The Hawks need to establish the run which will open up the passing game. The Hawks defense needs to be consistent and make Janz make mistakes. The front 4 will need to apply pressure to the QB. The hawks need to stop ISU's run game. All in all, the Hawks need to Not turn the ball over. Iowa has the better team, the better athletes, but it doesn't mean that they will be better on that day. So the Hawks need to go into Jack Trice, and prove it.
This game always makes me nervous every year. If the Hawks win, its no big deal. If the Hawks lose, its a huge deal. Its always an upset when ISU wins, yet ISU fans don't understand the concept that Iowa has more to lose than gain. I just said it, its always an upset when ISU wins this game. I said it again for you clone fans.
Hopefully the Hawks will make it 4 in a row! GO HAWKS!!

2011 Big Ten Conference Prediction

Obviously this is just a prediction, doesn't mean that its going to happen. There are some very intriguing match ups this season, and Nebraska happens to be in a lot of them just because of their schedule. Their are several push games that could go either way, but their has to be a winner. Here is the 2011 Big Ten Conference prediction in the Leaders, Legends, and B10 Conference Championship game in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

LEADERS DIVISION
1. OHIO STATE: (11-1 (7-1)
Lets be real here, OSU lost Pryor and some players will be ineligible for the early part of the season. We are not talking about Indiana here, OSU is loaded with talent. They have depth at every position. They have players riding second string that would start at other B10 Institutions. OSU will play Miami in week 3, which has a feel to it that it should be played at a Prison instead of a stadium. Here is my big shock for OSU, they go undefeated all year, winning at Nebraska even, but stumble at Michigan. Michigan rises to the challenge on the last weekend of conference play at home and beats OSU.

2. WISCONSIN (9-3 (5-3)
Wisky loses some good players, including their QB, and yes they are getting the NC State QB that transferred over, but I just don't see them having the season they had last year repeat its self. They will lose to Nebraska at home, they will lose at Michigan State who does really well against them, and then they lose at the Horseshoe. You really think Ohio State is going to let Wisky come in there, and push them around after what happened last year?

3. PENN STATE (8-4 (5-3)
PSU will lose to Alabama at home in week 2. The PSU defense will need to improve, and so will the QB play. I have PSU losing at Northwestern, at Ohio State, and at Wisconsin. I think this is the year that PSU finally beats Iowa at home. Iowa has some ? marks. 

4. ILLINOIS (5-7 (2-6)
If this is correct, the Zooker era ends in Illinois. They will lose to Arizona State in week 3, and they will lose to Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Wisconsin, and by that point Zook will be done, and the season will be extremely disappointing and they will fall to the golden gophers the last game of the season in the Twin Cities. It will be cold, they won't even want to be there, and Minnesota will take advantage for their program's sake. 

5. INDIANA (4-8 (1-7)
Indiana will start off ok with a weak schedule besides the lose to Virginia. But after that its all down hill until Purdue comes to town the last weekend of the season. Hoosiers blast Purdue and look to the future to improve.

6. PURDUE (3-9 (0-8)
Purdue will start off 3-0 until they lose to Notre Dame which will then start the cycle downward. They may beat Minnesota and Illinois to improve the record, but still at Penn state, at Michigan, at Wisconsin, Ohio State and Iowa at home. That is brutal. Purdue is a victim of schedule, and they may finish 5th or even 4th if Illinois completed collapses, but its still not going to be pretty.

LEGENDS DIVISION
1. NEBRASKA (10-2 (6-2)
Their is a strong chance that Nebraska won't finish first due to their schedule, but they have a very good defense, and defense wins games. Nebraska will be 4-0 going into conference play, they will lose to Ohio State at home, and at Penn State. They may lose at Wisconsin instead of Penn State, I just have a feeling that they will struggle at Penn State, and will frustrate Wisconsin's offense.  Michigan State or Iowa could beat them as well, but both games are in Lincoln.

2. IOWA 10-2 (6-2)
Iowa comes in with a new QB, but a very good QB, new RB's and one that destroyed Missouri. Iowa will have a great Offensive Line, and will be very strong at TE, and good at WR. Iowa's big question is the defensive line. But Iowa proves every year in the past decade that they can grab kids that came into the program as TE, LB and turn them into NFL defensive lineman. In the past 10 years, Iowa has 12 defensive lineman in the NFL. Iowa goes 4-0 through non-conference, and loses at Penn State. Iowa will beat Northwestern for the first time in 4 years, that game is at night in Kinnick. Iowa will win out and lose to Nebraska the last game of the season on Black Friday. Iowa could win that game as well as Penn State, but also lose to Northwestern and Michigan state for that matter. Iowa has their best seasons when they fly under the radar, and nobody has them this high.
 
3. MICHIGAN STATE (9-3 (5-3)
MSU has question marks on the defensive side of the ball. They return Cousins at the QB position. MSU could be a sleeper in the Legends division, they could easily be #1 if things go right for them. MSU will be 4-0 in non-conference play and will lose at Ohio State, at Nebraska,  and at Penn State. If they win some of those and win the others, then they will be headed to Indianapolis instead of Nebraska.      

4. NORTHWESTERN (9-3 (5-3)
Northwestern has to improve on defense, they return a lot of their starters on offense including QB Dan Persa. Northwestern is another team that could be up towards the top. Here is my issue with Northwestern. They are a good team, but if the passing game gets shut down by a Nebraska along with MSU, then they are done. The other issue is they have no home field advantage. Its one of the worst stadiums, its not intimidating at all.

5. MICHIGAN (8-4 (4-4)
Great for Michigan they got a new head coach who brings back the Michigan style of old, and some passion. Bad news is your program was in transition from pro style to the Rich Rod spread. I know the O-lineman are trying to get back to being physical and not agility, but it doesn't happen over night. The QB Robinson is now in a style that is new and odd to him. There has been so much hype about Michigan all of sudden going to be a player this year, and I don't buy it. I know they have talent, but that defense was horrendous last year. Maybe they will surprise all of us, I'm not drinking the Kool-aid yet. Michigan will beat Notre Dame this year, I was going back in forth on it, but its a night game, the first one ever at the Big House, so you got to think that Michigan will play crazy good that night. I see Michigan losing at Northwestern, at Michigan State, at Iowa, and to Nebraska at home.

6. MINNESOTA ( 5-7 (2-6)
Minnesota opens their season at USC, that is tough. They will lose at Michigan, to Nebraska and Iowa at home back to back weekends, then lose to MSU, Wisconsin, Northwestern, and then they beat Illinois in the last game. Minnesota has a stretch of some really tough games. Iowa will reclaim Floyd of Rosedale will be motivated after a horrendous game their a year ago. 

The Legends Division is really wide open, where as the Leaders is really down to Wisconsin and Ohio State. 

BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP
OHIO STATE VS. NEBRASKA
Ohio State wins the B10 title proving everybody that they are still the elite team of the conference, they battle every week to prove themselves and adversity. Obviously if Ohio State can't play in title game due to Bowl ban, then Nebraska would play Wisconsin, and that could go either way as it would be another rematch. 

   
 
   

First Annual Big Ten Dislike Standings

As a Hawkeye fan, these are the teams that I dislike in order. I will start with the teams that don't bother me and go down to my #1.

11. PENN STATE: As a Hawk fan, Penn State is the team that is furthest away from Iowa, has great tradition along with a legendary coach. Iowa pretty much owns Penn State. We knocked them out of National Title contention in 2008, we then went to Happy Valley and beat them in 2009 with an unbelievable punt block by Adrian Clayborn, and then again in 2010. Iowa has a nice record of late on PSU.

10. MICHIGAN STATE: Sparty doesn't bother me much, and we took them to the wood shed last year and they were a pretty good team coming into Kinnick. I think Kirk Cousins thought he was a Hawkeye that day, because he threw some nice passes to the black jerseys. McNutt came up huge in 2009 at MSU on last second TD. MSU fans don't bother me, seem respectable.

9. PURDUE: This is our new cross over rival, whoop-to-do. Iowa and Purdue have had some slug matches, and the game is usually close between the 2. Purdue doesn't bother me, and I actually look forward to them bringing their band as they have the largest bass drum in the land. I think who ever wins the game should get the drum, that would be a cool trophy.

8. INDIANA: Does anybody in Indiana care about Hoosier football? They pass like crazy, and their band plays a very annoying song when they get a first down, but I'm not ranking the bands. Their fans don't care, so I don't care.

7. ILLINOIS: They are suppose to kind of be a rival to the Hawks do to geography, but the Hawks hardly play them despite the closeness in proximity. Playing Illinois to me is no different than playing Indiana, other than Illinois has the Zooker running up and down the sideline.

6. MICHIGAN: Oh big Blue. You love to beat them, and if you lose to them, well they are the winningest program in college football, so what can you do. Iowa plays Michigan tough, and Michigan fans have respect for the Iowa program. 

5. MINNESOTA: This is where we start to turn the heat up a bit. Minnesota's fan base talks a lot of smack, but then when you go up to the Twin Cities, they are pretty quiet. Then again in my history of invading the Twin Cities the games were always at Kinnick North, people in Minnesota call it the metrodome. Hawk fans would fill the upper deck in black and gold, and most likely outnumbered the gopher fans, but they pumped crowd noise in so it would appear that they actually were the home team. Minnesota is a lot like Iowa State, the Hawks should win, and if they don't, it looks very poorly as Iowa is typically the better team.  

4. OHIO STATE: Look, we know that you are good, we know that you  know that you are good. OSU fans come to town, and you can't tell the difference between OSU fans or car dealers. The all look like snakes, talk like snakes, and think they are the best thing ever to walk onto your campus.Very arrogant fanbase, but when you win the conference almost every year, maybe that is what happens.

3. WISCONSIN: I have always disliked Wisconsin. The students of Wisconsin come to Kinnick, march around the stadium like they own it. They think they can just bring in their 250 pond running backs every year and just run down your throat. They play very similar to Iowa, and makes it a good old fashion smash mouth football. Its a great rivalry, and its even better when Iowa wins. I can't tell you how disappointed I was last year when the Hawks stopped them and they ran a fake punt for what seemed like 50 yard gain.That is the one play that replays in my head all off season and stung for quite some time.The Hawks had them, and let them off the hook, and they go on to win the B10 and got the Rose Bowl berth. If the State of Wisconsin decided to join Canada, I would be all for it, they can take those stinkin Badgers and those cheesehead Packers in Green Bay too.

2. NORTHWESTERN: Yes, the little school from Northern Chicago. This team annoys me like no other. There dink and dump passing game drive me crazy and gets my blood pressure going as they march up and down the field on the bend but don't break defense of Iowa. For whatever reason, Iowa struggles to beat Northwestern. They beat Iowa back to back years at Kinnick, and then last year at their place. They have our number like we have Penn State's. They remind me of when Iowa State started to beat Iowa, and it was so frustrating because you know that we are a better program. Northwestern can't fill their stadium unless they play Iowa, Michigan or Ohio State. Nobody cares in Chicago about the wildcats.    

and No shock here,
1. NEBRASKA: They are the new kid that comes to your school, thinks he is better than you, tries to steal your girlfriend, take your starting position on the football team, everybody adores them, but you can't stand the sight of them. Welcome Nebraska. The most arrogant fan base in all of the land. I can't even imagine what a Nebraska vs. Ohio State game would be like. The fans will miss the game because they will be arguing out in the parking lot about who has more trophies than the other. Nebraska has won some National titles, it has been over a decade, but they will make you believe they have won ever title ever known to man. They only buy red cars in Nebraska, they feel that every thing has to be the color red or its no good. They invented football if you didn't know(Rutgers is the birthplace of college football for the people who actually know what they are talking about), and they will beat your team solely because they are just too good, and if you do beat Nebraska, well to them they beat themselves therefore they really never lost.

Big Ten, NFL Previews to Come!

Slacker sports will be doing a prediction of the up and coming football seasons in the Big Ten Conference and NFL.

2 years ago Slacker Sports completed a Big Ten preview that was not too far off from what happened, and lets be honest, it was pure luck. I like to think I know a little bit about the Big Ten, yet I can't get my head around why my Hawkeyes can't beat Northwestern and how Michigan has fallen so far. So I will break down the Legends and Leaders, and who will play for the 1st Annual B10 Championship. Oh yeah, and there is this team to the west of Iowa who thinks they are a pretty big deal too, so I will get to break them down as well. Slacker sports is also going to list the most hated teams in the Big Ten from this Iowa fan's perspective, again its just my opinion of who I hate the most in the B10.

Slacker Sports will tackle the NFL, and predict the outcomes of each division, and this won't be easy with all the changes in the league, but Slacker Sports will throw it out there anyhow. I can tell you this, Buffalo and Cincy have no shot at the playoffs, so they can tune back into the Red Sox/Yankees, and the Reds cause their is no good football in there area.

Slacker Sports will not be doing a Big 12 Football preview this year as I just don't care, and Texas has ruined the conference. But if you are disappointed about that, I will do a quick one for ya

1. Oklahoma
2. Oklahoma State
3. Texas A&M - a lot of hype, but has A&M ever lived up to hype? one day I will do a story on the two most disappointing football programs in the Country, and A&M is one of them, stay tuned for that.
4. Texas
5. Missouri
6. Kansas State
7. Texas Tech
8. Baylor
9. Iowa State
10.Kansas

Not much explanation on that, its just the way I see it!

The Heat Can Talk The Talk, But Can't Walk The Walk!

Where did it go wrong? Was it The Decision? Maybe calling yourself King James when you haven't been the King of anything really. Or maybe having a celebration in October like you won the title already and go on to say that you are going to win 7 championships. Like I said back in my article in October, MJ and the Bulls had parades and celebrations too, they just had them after they won the title. Maybe it was Slacker Sports, I did state this back in October: Maybe if the Heat don't win the title this year it will be because on Oct. 1st Slacker Sports wrote bad things about Baby Lebron.
I think one thing that stood out to me in the Finals was that Lebron likes to stand around on the court when he doesn't have the ball. Wade would get in trouble, and Lebron might as well sat next to Mark Cuban and enjoyed some popcorn. I know alot of that is Lebron's issue, but I think their head coach doesn't know how to coach either. That half court offense looks like a bunch of Junior High kids playing on the playground. The Heat are dominant in transition basketball, Wade and Lebron make it look like the video game NBA Jam.
Another issue I have with Lebron is he looks like a middle linebacker and not a basketball player. He is a good athlete, but he isn't smooth or have any flow to his game like Kobe, and others. He looks like Brian Urlacher playing basketball.
I would like to apologize to Chris Bosh. I always thought he was the soft one, and that the Heat should have traded him mid-season. It turns out he is more valuable than Lebron when it comes to the Finals. The Heat should trade Lebron for some good role players. Wade and Bosh would be better off without Lebron because when it comes to the 4th quarter in the NBA finals, its difficult to win 4 on 5. Seriously Lebron, 2pts per game in the 4th quarter in the Finals. Anyone who compares you to MJ is embarrassing themselves. Its not even close.

P.S. Congratulations to the Dallas Mavericks on being the 2011 NBA Champions. Very classy organizaion to wait to win the title first before having a parade and other celebrations for their achievements.

No Shocker Here! Barcelona FC Dominates Manchester United 3-1!

Barcelona FC Wins UEFA Championship, and it wasn't even close. It may have been 1-1 at the half, but Barcelona was controlling the ball like a video game. Watching Barcelona FC is not much different than watching the World Cup Champions (Spain). Barcelona has 8 players from the Spain National team, plus Messi from Argentina who some say is the best player ever. He dominates at the age of 23, and plays every game like its his last. Early in the second half, Messi took the ball and drove a strike right by Manchester United Goalie. Messi made it look easy, and Manchester United, the great and powerful English Premiere League team had no answers for the methodical chess match that Barcelona FC plays. They hold the ball with short passes, wear you down, and strike when you don't expect it. Barcelona FC finished the game with 70% possession leaving Manchester United just 30% possession time. Something they do not ever experience.
Barcelona FC defeated Manchester United 3-1, total domination, with goals from Pedro, Messi, and David Villa. I think its a forgone conclusion that the Spanish League is the top league in the World. I believe that Barcelona FC and Real Madrid would have been a better match up than Manchester United. After all Real Madrid and Barcelona FC are like the Yankees and Red Sox of the Spanish League.

Just Another Athlete Cheating, But Different

A lot of people are making a big deal out of the 60 Minutes story on Lance Armstrong using performance enhancing drugs to win 7 Tour De France Titles. Here is my take on the whole deal. Barry Bonds most likely used substances to become a machine, and they took him to court and he basically got nothing with tons of evidence against him. How much money did that cost taxpayers for California or the city to go after him? Its not like Barry Bonds was selling illegal drugs to neighborhood kids. He did it to himself, ban him from baseball, but leave it in baseball. With Lance Armstrong, he participated in sport that is notorious for cheating. Have you ever seen the route and the course for the Tour De France? I am pretty sure you have to cheat just to complete it. Its no Ragbrai for those Iowans reading this. I really don't care if Lance cheated, and here is why. Lance Armstrong is basically a company or a brand, not just a name. He is also hope, and when I say hope, I mean hope for cancer patients. Lance has met a lot of cancer patients, and may have even given them some new energy to keep fighting when they felt like they couldn't go on. But he inspired people. Cycling and sports is something to do, cancer and life is real. So I don't care if he cheated or not, because in the end of the day, the real life, he has made a world of difference and has donated millions of his own money for a great cause. So I say who cares if Lance cheated or not, its not going to change the way I think of him as a person. Saving lives and giving people hope is way more important than cycling in France.