Don't Want to Pay $65 for Iowa-ISU Ticket? Game Will Be On ABC-TV

ABC-TV announced today that it will televise the Sept. 10 Iowa-Iowa State football game to a regional audience. The game, which will be played at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, will begin at 2:30 p.m.(CDT).

"That means Iowa at Iowa State is the 'sandwich' game in the ABC tripleheader that day," a reader points out. "Notre Dame at Michigan will lead it off, then Texas at Ohio State will be the night game.

"What a day to be in front of a high-definition TV!"

Both the Cyclones and Hawkeyes are expected to have strong teams. Iowa is already ranked among the nation's top 10 and likely will be favored to win the Big Ten Conference championship. Iowa State is picked by some to win the Big 12 North.

All 12 of Iowa's games were televised last year and most, if not all, figure to be on the tube this year. The Hawkeyes' Oct. 8 game at Purdue will also be carried by ABC-TV. Forty straight Iowa games have been televised.

Iowa State's Sept. 23 game at Army will be televised by ESPN2.

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: It certainly doesn't surprise me that another Iowa-Iowa State game is being televised. It's a classic series. Count on it that this season's game will be be sold out, so those who don't want to pay the stiff [$65] ticket price will now have a chance to watch it on the tube. Some people may be impressed that ABC-TV is doing the game but, frankly, I'd just as soon have it be on ESPN or ESPN2. That way, it would be called a national telecast and more people would see it. The ABC telecast will be shown only regionally--which, in this case, will be the midwest. Of course, people without cable TV or satellite dishes can now relax. They'll be able to watch the Cylones and Hawkeyes play without going to their Uncle Charlie's house 100 miles away, or to the corner bar].

'BASKETBALL JUNKIE' OR 'BASKETBALL JERK?'

It didn't take long for some nerves to start sizzling after yesterday's column hit the Internet.

"Eastern Iowa Reader" got a jolt by reading what someone who goes by the handle "Basketball Junkie" wrote about Drake basketball coach Tom Davis.

I printed "Basketball Junkie's" e-mail yesterday. Here's "Eastern Iowa Reader's" e-mail:

"I thought 'Basketball Junkie's' comments about Tom Davis were rude and uncalled for. I think his handle would more appropriately be 'Basketball Jerk.' Everyone is entitled to their opinion. He expressed his, and I did likewise."

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: "Basketball Junkie" wrote that people could forget about Drake's basketball program excelling under Davis, who is heading into his third season at the school after becoming Iowa's winningest coach. Davis' recruiting class has been billed as the best in the Missouri Valley Conference, and the upcoming team should be Davis' strongest. Hopefully, he'll give the Bulldogs their first winning season since 1986-87. The university desperately needs a turnaround].

MORE ON GARY CLOSE, RAEF LAFRENTZ

In yesterday's column, George Wine of Coralville wondered if Tom Davis would still be coaching at Iowa if Gary Close, then one of his assistants, had recruited Iowa high school standout Raef LaFrentz.

A central Iowa reader sheds more light on that topic with this e-mail:

"Gary Close did recruit Raef LaFentz. However, he spent most of his time
with Mike Street in Indanola, mourning Chris. That was told to me by an Iowa
basketball staff member at the time of the recruitment. In other words,
Close dropped the ball."

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Iowa fans were extremely disappointed when Davis and his staff didn't land LaFrentz, a sensational high school player from Monona who went on to stardom at Kansas and is now in the NBA. Chris Street was the Hawkeye who was killed when his car collided with a snowplow. He lettered in 1991, 1992 and 1993. Close is now an assistant coach at Wisconsin].

LOOK WHAT CASTRATION DOES FOR RATS!

In response to the e-mail I received regarding castration, coach-turned-author Gordy Scoles gave me some assistance.

Here's his e-mail:

"Ron,

"I did some research for you that might help you with the questions you got from
a recent reader. Castration prolongs life in castrated male rats. The article
didn't say anything about what the procedure does for humans, but you don't see
human males lined up at hospitals to get the job done so they will live longer.
Maybe it proves there is something worse than jogging to live longer.

"--Gordy Scoles"

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: You're right, Gordy. I made a fast check at all Des Moines-area hospitals this morning and found no men holding their insurance cards while eagerly waiting to be castrated. I guess they were all at Hy-Vee, buying soy milk].

IT'S ALL OVER FOR RUTH CROWE AT IOWA STATE

These are not the best of times for Ruth Crowe.

She's out.

In an announcement sent to reporters today, Iowa State said it "will not retain softball coach Ruth Crowe for the 2006 season."

Athletic director Bruce Van De Velde said, "We appreciate the work Ruth has done at Iowa State, but we are ready to make a change in our softball program."

Crowe's team had an 18-32 record this spring, 3-15 in the Big 12 Conference. She has a 166-244 (.377) record in nine seasons.

"We will start an immediate search to find the best person to take over our softball program," Iowa State senior associate athletic director Calli Sanders said. "We want the right individual to lead this group of student-athletes and we will move as swiftly as possible to name a successor."


Vol. 4, No. 349
June 2, 2005