I'm Going To the Valley Game Tonight, And I Hope Bobby Hansen Is There, Too, So I Can Ask Him How Iowa Could Miss 19 Straight Shots Against Wisconsin

I plan to attend the Valley-Marshalltown girls/boys basketball doubleheader tonight at Valley's Bill Coldiron Fieldhouse.

And, while I'm there, I'll be looking to see if my friend Bobby Hansen is in the crowd.

The last time I was at a Valley game, I sat a couple of rows away from Hansen [pictured on the right] -- who has a daughter playing for Valley's unbeaten team.

I want to ask Hansen, the analyst on radio broadcasts of Iowa's basketball games, how any major-college team can miss 19 consecutive shots like the Hawkeyes did last night in their 66-52 loss at Wisconsin.

I also want to ask him how a team like Iowa -- which has guys such as Jeff Horner, Adam Haluska and Greg Brunner, who are supposed to be talented shooters -- can score only 18 points in the last half.

Amd I want to ask him how a team coached by Steve Alford -- one of the best shooters in the history of collegiate basketball -- can perform like that.

Come to think of it, my questions to Hansen might take a while.

It might require two Valley games to get my answers.

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"Central Iowa Ivan" sent this e-mail to me today:

"Something to think about.....

"OK, I hear Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz is in Texas recruiting through the weekend.

"I hear that the Houston Texans are looking for a new coach, and making sure anyone within shouting distance knows that they would like Ferentz as their next coach.

"For all those Hawks upset that the Texans may be courting Ferentz, take a moment to reflect on what a great recruiting tool that kind of 'interest' can be. Especially when another school in the state [albeit a darn big state] just won the national championship.

"There is probably only one thing that a Texas high school football star wants to be part of more than a national championship team, and that is the NFL.

"When you are a coach....you HAVE to play the game. Kirk just does it better than most.

"See you at a game."

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: You're right, Ivan, Ferentz [pictured above] knows how to play the game -- both on and off the field. Although he's not saying a word publicly about his thoughts on jumping to the NFL, he's no doubt telling all the Hawkeye prospects' parents that he's staying in Iowa City. Like every other coach, he loves the attention a hot coaching prospect gets, but also adores the security he has at Iowa. Look for him to be coaching the Hawkeyes in 2006. You know it, I know it].

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I mentioned that longtime Iowa fan Barry Crist was probably exercising both arms while warming up to throw something at a dummy dressed as a collegiate football official.

Here's his response:

"Ron,

"I have a rotator cuff problem with my right shoulder, so I would have declined throwing. However, I can still pee several feet."

"Thanks for the pub."

[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: That tells me one thing, Barry. You probably don't need to make an appointment with your urologist [pictured on the left] for a while. As long as you can keep the stream alive, you should be all right].

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