BIG TEN SHOULD GO ALL OUT

The Big Ten Conference is looking for a 12th member. I say forget 12, let's get 14. I will not take credit for this idea, even though I wish I could. This would mean the Big Ten would need to add 3 more teams. Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas to the Big Ten. Sorry Big 12, and Iowa State you can send the Big Ten a thank you card. This would make the Big Ten a big deal. By adding those 3 schools you bring in Kansas City and St. Louis market to the Big Ten.
NEBRASKA: Big-time football program, rich history, and loyal fans. They bring a smash-mouth style of football to the conference that invented smash-mouth football. This way if Big Ten splits the conference into divisions, Nebraska would bring some weight to the west. Nebraska doesn't bring much to the table for men's basketball, but they would for women's sports.
KANSAS: They have been pretty good of late in football, and would be a decent team. Kansas would be a awesome program to have in the Big Ten for basketball. The thought of Kansas vs. Michigan State, Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin, maybe even Illinois. Would be great basketball conference as well.
MISSOURI: Mizzou has been pretty good in football and basketball at times. They wouldn't make the conference weaker by any means. This is the school that probably wants out of the Big 12 the most. They feel cheated over the Big 12 Bowl policies, and frankly they along with others are sick of Texas having so much power in the Big 12 off the field/court. Mizzou could build on their rivalry with Illinois, and keep rivalry with Kansas and Nebraska.
So what does the Big 12 do if this happens? Add Utah, BYU, and TCU. All 3 can play football at a decent level. You already have Oklahoma, and Texas as National powers. But Utah has proven they can play with the big boys. BYU use to be a powerhouse, and they play in a larger stadium than most Big 12 schools already. TCU has been respectable in football for awhile now. The Big 12 would no longer be a great basketball conference unless Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma could build themselves back up. BYU is fairly good, and Utah use to be good, maybe with new conference they would become great again. TCU does nothing for you in basketball, but the state of Texas doesn't care a whole lot about basketball unless its the Longhorns.
The Big Ten would gain more respect for football and basketball. It would be like the SEC in football, and the Big East for basketball. This would be a hard task, so don't be surprised if its Rutgers or Pittsburgh coming to the Big Ten.

TIME FOR CHANGE

When does Iowa Football Spring practice start? Has a fan base ever been so excited for a scrimmage, a practice of a sport to get their minds off of basketball. As far as I am concerned, if someone told me that Carver Hawkeye Arena was filled in with cement today to add more parking for Football this fall, I would say what a great idea. What a great move by the athletic department. I guess the wrestling team would be a little upset, considering they are the only ones that can actually put people in the seats. University of Iowa has probably saved so much money on janitorial services cleaning up after the men's basketball games. They would only need to clean the first 5 rows. So many people have talked how they got tickets close to the top of the arena, and by tip off they have been able to move down near the court. You shouldn't be able to upgrade by 18 rows at NCAA Big Ten Basketball game like that.
So what does Iowa do? The new practice facility is coming, the recruiting class is coming that is Lickliter's style of play. One analyst ranks the recruiting class #20 in the Nation, we will see about that. If you allow him to coach next season, expect to not sell many tickets again, and have an empty arena once again. I just can't see the basketball team improving that much. If you fire him, then you start all over, and potential have the wrong system players for that coach setting it back a bit too. But if Lickliter stays and its another bad season, then you are one year behind if that is even possible as it feels we are 5 years behind now. Gary Barta has a very tough decision to make. If I was Gary Barta, I would pull the plug now. Iowa just had its worst season in the history of Iowa basketball. Alford didn't leave Iowa in great shape, but I am willing to bet if Alford was still here, it wouldn't be this bad. He didn't do anything to help Iowa basketball either.
So who does Iowa get as the next coach if Barta pulls the plug? I would hope it wouldn't be a mid-major coach that is doing really well, we did that twice now and has gotten us no where. That means I would say no to Ben Jacobson at U of Northern Iowa. He has done well at UNI, but Greg McDermott did very well at UNI too, and it has been a disaster at Iowa State for him. I would get a person that plays an exciting brand of basketball and comes from a good program. Lets take a chance on a guy who has been an assistant at Michigan State, Kansas, UCONN for a bit. It would be nice to get a proven coach that is a head coach as well. My top choice would be Keno Davis from Providence, but it appears he is locked in a long contract and probably wouldn't take the job anyways. I wouldn't want Altman either from Creighton. Krueger from UNLV, former coach of Illinois could be a decent choice, better than what the current choice is. The hard thing about the situation is, Lickliter is likeable. It was easy to say good bye to Alford. Its easier when you dislike the person. Lickliter hasn't done anything to dislike him. It just hasn't worked for whatever reason. That's life.

THE REMATCH

The stage is set, Canada Vs. USA Part II. Last Sunday the US beat Canada in their sport, on their soil. The US will try to do it again on Sunday on NBC at 3pm ET. Hockey to Canada is Football to America. How would we feel if Canada beat us in Football. It would hurt, and wouldn't make sense to us. That is how they felt last Sunday. It received the highest TV rating in Canada history. On paper this Canada team is very impressive, and should beat the US, but the game is played on ice and not paper. After Canada's defeat to the US, they placed Roberto Luongo in goal replacing Martin Brodeur who was struggling. Canada also changed up their lines and played very well against Germany, Russia, and Slovakia. The US went on to beat Switzerland, and Finland. The US came out explosive against the Finns like Canada did against the high powered Russians. The intensity will be real, and the crowd will be unreal. The US will be booed throughout the game, and the crowd will be deafening when Canada scores a goal. This game is a good thing for the NHL, and for the US. I don't remember so much buzz about a hockey game. As a hockey fan I love it, and I get to share it with my family. I never thought I could have a hockey party. I have done it many times for football games, but nothing else. I am excited to have my family over to watch our country play for Gold against the Nation that bleeds it. For the US to beat Canada twice in the Olympics in their country would be like the 24-time Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadiens moving to Kansas City. It would be a blow to all Canadians. The pressure is on Canada, and as Herb Brooks said in 1980, "Tonight, WE are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players. Every one of you. And you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the" Canadians "have. Screw 'em. This is your time. Now go out there and take it."

Quarter Finals Begin in Olympic Hockey

The big game today is Russia Vs. Canada on CNBC-HD at 6pm Central time. If you don't normally watch hockey, but the Olympic hockey has pulled you in a bit, especially with US beating Canada last Sunday. Well, you are in for a treat tonight. Both teams are loaded with NHL stars, and if you pay any attention to the NHL, their has been a rivalry created between the 2 biggest stars Sidney Crosby of Pittsburgh and Alexander Ovechkin of Washington. Now they bring that rivalry to the Olympics representing their countries, and loser goes home. Crosby will lead the Canadians and Ovechkin will lead the Russians in tonight's explosive, high intensity, fast paced game. This will be a very exciting game, and fun to watch.

Team USA will play Switzerland at 2pm on NBC to start the Quarterfinals, The US has beaten them in group play, but its now elimination rounds and the smaller nations play for these type of games, so US needs to be play well today. Last night was an example of scares as 0-4 Latvia took Czech Republic to overtime. Latvia may have had one player on their team if that who plays in the NHL. So US needs a win today to move to the semi-finals.

USA Hockey

How Great was it to see the USA Hockey team beat the favored Canadians 5-3 last night in Vancouver. The US outplayed Canada to the puck, played very focused, and mistake free. Ryan Miller played very well for US in goal, and Brodeur has been struggling a little bit for Canada. Its expected that Canada will be switching to Roberto Luongo as their goalie for their game with Germany on Tuesday. USA has won Group A, and will get a bye as Canada has to play Germany, in which they should win, and then they will play Russia who is a very skilled team as well. If Canada beats Russia, then they would have to play most likely Sweden who is very good as well. Canada has put themselves in a tough situation to win Gold. US will have to deal with Slovakia or Czech Republic along the way which are good teams, but not the Russians or Swedes. This was an upset, beating Canada in their house and their country. But its still nothing like the college players that filled the US team in Lake Placid that beat Russia (USSR at the time). These teams today are loaded with NHL talent. Canada has the flashy names, but US has some solid players as well. The Miracle team in Lake Placid beat a Russian machine that destroyed every team in its path including an NHL all-star squad in an exhibition game. Today marks the 30th Anniversary of the Miracle team in Lake Placid in 1980. Hopefully the 2010 US team will continue to play well, and beat Switzerland later this week. Team USA is a much younger group than what they sent to Torino in 2006, and they are playing a lot better too.

Iowa Basketball

Boy, this is a subject that makes me sick to my stomach. You know that feeling when you go to a good restaurant, have an outstanding meal, and on the way home your stomach starts to turn on you. You start to get warm, you freak out when the stoplights turn red, and the closer you get home, the more your stomach hurts. You get to your front door and bull rush through that door like Adrian Clayborn and hit the bathroom door like it has a cyclone logo on it. Well, that is how I feel when I hear, see, and watch anything to do with Iowa Basketball. You may question my loyalty as a Hawkeye here, and that is fine its a free country, but I am not the only Hawkeye you could question.

I loved watching Iowa Basketball growing up on Wednesday and Saturdays on KDSM. Tom Davis and the full-court press. They would go on runs, making the other team turn the ball over consistently, and Carver was rocking. One game that sticks out to me was Iowa was playing Indiana, probably early 90's to mid 90's and Indiana just kept turning the ball over and Iowa got a huge lead, and it was awesome to see Bob Knight's face. Iowa was consistently making NCAA appearances, and winning at least the first round game. But Iowa wanted more, The University thought Iowa could be a powerhouse, and that they should be in Final Four's and contending. So Tom Davis was shown the door, and still took the team to the NCAA Tournament on his way out. So Iowa went out to get the second coming, the young, good-looking, awesome resume, the one to lead Iowa to the promise land. So Iowa Brings in Steve Alford and everybody in the state of Iowa is thinking, we are going to the Final Four in a couple of years, we just landed the top most sought after coach in the country. I remember being at an Iowa Football game, and Alford walked out of the tunnel by the student section and everybody was chanting Final Four!, Final Four! He hadn't even coached yet, and we were already drinking the Kool-aid. Then he goes to Madison Square Garden and knocks off #1 UCONN. Iowa Basketball is going to be the real deal, we are on our way. Boom, the real Steve Alford shows up. We learn as the years go by, that he can bring in some talent, but go nowhere in the NCAA tournament, struggle in the Big Ten season, but he kept reeling us in on the magical Big Ten Tournament Championships to get us to be very optimistic for the next season, only to be let down again. It was never Alford's fault, it was the players, he threw them under the bus, and took no blame. A legend was replaced by a schmuck. Then he runs out the door on a Big Ten team for a Mountain West team and makes it sound like he has hit the Jackpot because finally he will no longer be at a Football school. Someone forgot to tell him that Iowa can be good at both at the same time, and he had the chance, because Iowa Football wasn't very pretty when he arrived. To me Steve Alford has ruined Iowa Basketball, its not all his fault, but it was the beginning of what we have today. Our facilities are the worst in the Big Ten when it comes to basketball, who would ever think Northwestern would be ahead of us. Facilities are a big part in recruiting and being a top program. The fans started to not show up and care at the end of Alford's era.

So Iowa goes out and gets another coach that is having success at a mid-major conference. Coach Lickliter came into a bad deal, Alford left the cupboard bare, and the facilities are still lacking, but ground is breaking to change that. The other thing that didn't help is coach Lick plays a different style, my comparison to this is look at Michigan football. Coach Rodriguez has totally changed their style, it proved itself at West Virginia, but it has been a struggle for the maize and blue. Coach Lick was successful at Butler with his style, but it has been a struggle at Iowa with players leaving, getting in trouble, and just bad basketball. Can he do it, not sure, but the clock is running out with poor attendance. Even though its very painful to watch, one thing that I have noticed is Coach Lick I believe has done more with less talent than Alford did with a lot of talent. Alford would lose by an avg. of 20 to 30 points a game to Michigan state at East Lansing. Coach Lick can take 6 guys to East Lansing and only lose by 7 pts.

Iowa basketball wanted to be bigger and better after the 1998-99 season because 1st round wins in the NCAA tournament weren't good enough anymore. And now, we would do anything to even make the NCAA tournament.

NHL Takes Break for Winter Olympics

The Olympics get started this weekend, and that means the NHL will take a 2 week break as well as players will represent their respective countries. The NBA, MLB, NFL don't have to deal with this. The NBA is the only other league that uses their players for the Olympics, but the summer Olympics are well after the NBA season. There is a lot of risk for both the NHL and NBA. The NBA could have a player get injured in the Olympics and then not play for the team that is paying their bills until late in the season. The NHL is a different deal. The NHL is in the second half of their season, and each team has about 20 games left to go. Its very much crunch time for the teams. So now they will leave their professional teams and join their nations team for those that are playing which are marquee players especially for Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. These players will start practicing and playing different styles, with better supporting players than what is on their NHL team, and be playing on a bigger sheet of ice as Olympic ice is bigger than NHL. The Olympics could really damage a team that has great chemistry right now and is playing good hockey by this break. I am a hockey fan, so I think its cool to have all these star players playing in the Olympics, but at the same time I wish it wasn't during the crunch time playoff run for these teams. Very odd situation that no other sport has to deal with.

I won't make a lot of predictions here, but some of these teams are loaded with NHL talent. Team USA always looks decent, but struggles every time, so don't get your hopes up for even a top 4 finish. Canada looks very strong, they were a huge disappointment last Olympics, but this time may be different as the Olympics are in Vancouver, Canada. I expect Canada to be in the Finals going for Gold. I think Russia may be the sleeper a bit with Ovechkin and company. The other team that will contend for the Gold with Canada will be Sweden. They always play very well in the Olympics, they play a very smooth style, and appear like they have been playing together since they were kids. It will be interesting to see how it plays out, and hopefully no one will get hurt and affects their NHL team's chances at the playoffs or title shot.