Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / Bill Bender talks College Football, Maury Hanks on the Iowa basketball game in DSM & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports

Transcript

Bill Bender talks College Football, Maury Hanks on the Iowa basketball game in DSM & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

0:00
I'm Miller Condon. Welcome back to Iowa Sports
0:02
Radio Network. Trenton, Ken, Miller and Condon
0:05
with you until 2:00. The drive coming up at that
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time, Heather and Lucas take you until 5:00.
0:11
Overtime, Iowa from 5:00 until 6:00.
0:15
Maury Hanks coming up at the bottom of the hour.
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He's the one behind the Bucknell, Iowa game coming to
0:21
Des Moines on the 20th of December.
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More info on that coming up here in 20 minutes or thereabouts.
0:27
Bill Bender, our guy from the Sporting News, he joins us and
0:32
he joins us a whole bunch during the regular season and maybe a
0:35
couple of weeks as well. Journey offseason.
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Bill, you're a great resource for us.
0:39
Thanks for coming on. How are you, Bill Bender?
0:42
Hey, I'm doing well, thanks for having me on.
0:44
Good to good to have you. I, I wanted to talk about your
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coach rankings because I find those fascinating in some
0:50
respects. I'm also anxious to talk about
0:53
the the Big 10 power rankings. Matt Campbell was certainly a
0:57
mover from last year where you had a what, 44th ranked coach
1:01
in, in your eyes all the way up this year to 16.
1:06
So that's a pretty big jump for the Iowa State coach.
1:09
What was behind that in your mind?
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So he's bounced around a lot. His ranking has fluctuated and
1:14
obviously he's a meant so much to that program and the
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sustained success, the consistent success that they've
1:22
had. So we bumped him back up.
1:24
I'll be honest with you, Ken. I, I was flipping him and
1:27
parents around back and forth quite a bit and it was, you
1:32
know, you can weigh it both ways.
1:33
But I think in terms of the Big 12 coaches that made the top 25,
1:37
it we didn't get much pushback where where we put Matt
1:40
Campbell. So that tells me we've got him
1:42
about right. What about what you do with Bill
1:46
Belichick? I mean, talk about a difficult
1:48
choice and you can argue you can put him #1 on the list.
1:51
You could not have him ranked in the list or somewhere in
1:53
between. Just the thought process of went
1:55
into that one. Well.
1:58
I I think for Belichick, it was the literally the conversation
2:03
with my editor was no matter what we do, we're right.
2:06
No matter what we do, we're wrong.
2:07
I thought it was kind of fitting to put him in between parents
2:13
who they have a history, obviously from their time in
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Cleveland together and Signetti, who was sporting these courses a
2:19
year last year and 30 and six, you know, like he crushed it in
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three years between came to Madison and Indiana.
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So I don't know how you ranked him, honestly, because he hasn't
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coached the college football game.
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I mean, if we were doing an NFL all time list, he'd be #1 but
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has he accomplished more than could be part of the college
2:41
football level? Not yet.
2:43
No, I agree with you. In fact, he would be #1 over the
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guy that has his name on the trophy that they give out in
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February. But you're, you're 100% right.
2:51
I'll tell you, guy, I'd like to buy some stock in Bill and your
2:54
rankings kind of back this up because Kenny Dillingham came in
2:58
last year. Nobody knew him, very few at
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Arizona State. We were, Trent, and I say this
3:04
all the time, but it's true. We were in Vegas for Big 12
3:07
Media Days and we talked to everybody that, you know, we
3:10
know media wise. Oh, the parody, the parody,
3:12
parody. This team's going to win.
3:13
That team's going to win. Nobody said nobody said Arizona
3:16
State. They were picked 16th seemingly
3:19
by all. Yet there they were at the end
3:21
up to #22 I would like to buy some stock because I don't think
3:25
that's as high as he's going to achieve As his career unwinds,
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Bill. Yeah, I mean, and, and he's one
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of the top. OK, so there were four coaches
3:34
under 40 years old that are in the Power 4 if you include
3:39
Freeman. So Marcus Freeman, obviously #4
3:42
Dillingham Lanning, Shrone Moore and I telling him that was one
3:47
of the best coaching jobs in the country last year.
3:51
But we were, I was joking last time I came out here, I had Sam
3:53
Levitt last in our big pole quarterback rankings last year
3:56
because I just didn't know that he would be this good.
3:59
So I think Kenny Dillingham's one to watch and how they
4:02
continue to evolve this year in that wide open Big 12, where as
4:07
the sources were telling you, parody could still rank pre
4:10
because we have four or five Big 12 schools ranked and I can see
4:15
any one of them holding up the trophy.
4:18
It's the new reality. There was a a name our neighbors
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to the West met rule down that list a little bit further.
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Then I I think maybe certainly some red clan fans would expect
4:29
out there trying to wrap around Matt rule.
4:31
But he did a temple incredible. But he did a Baylor really good.
4:34
Still work to be done at Nebraska, but got him back to
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bowl eligibility, which is at least a step there.
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If we're all puts together a really good season, 9 and three,
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not elite, but nine and three, just outside looking into the
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playoff this year, what does that do of your thoughts of him
4:51
and kind of Nebraska going forward?
4:54
Yeah, you know, 2526 three 50 is probably the hardest part of
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that list, Trent. You know, you you start
5:01
splitting hairs between guys like Bill O'Brien.
5:03
And I mean, I thought we had when I clicked it up, two things
5:08
I regretted when I clicked it first time when I saw it live.
5:12
I was like, maybe I should add Dion a little bit higher on a
5:14
flake. And two was I probably should
5:18
have flipped Hypo and Kiffin because Hypo has been in the
5:21
playoff and Lane haven't. And that's minor, right?
5:25
That 10 and 11 Earl's done a fantastic job in two seasons.
5:30
And you know, obviously he got them to a bowl game, got the
5:32
bull win. That is the big year, though.
5:34
OK, So what his track record shows they get to 9 or 10 wins
5:38
that third year. Can they actually do that in the
5:41
Big 10, where they do have a pretty favorable schedule with
5:44
some huge games at home this year?
5:46
A coach, a Big 10 coach that I've always I've not been a fan.
5:50
That's not the right, but his career intrigues me and I and I
5:53
hope to see Brett Bielema have success.
5:56
I am disappointed that I in Illinois don't play every year
5:59
anymore for whatever reason. I like that game.
6:01
But that's just the the reality of where we're in college
6:04
athletics. Bielema at 25, I think he's
6:06
going to have a really good team back again this year.
6:09
This team, I think they kind of overachieved for for Illinois.
6:13
Your thoughts on Bielema at 25? But as you see, we got a Big 12
6:18
schedule rankings up and I have a formula that I do where you
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know, I take how many ranked teams are they playing home or
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Rd. etcetera. 2 times on traveling.
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Illinois is the easiest schedule in the Big 10 by this formula.
6:32
Anyway, they they only have one ranked team on the schedule as
6:36
of now. Ohio State, they have a lot of
6:38
experience. It's not to say they don't have
6:39
other tough games. They got to play USB and Indiana
6:42
and all that. If they want to beat this year's
6:44
Indiana, they they've got to win those games.
6:47
But they have a lot of experience around Luke Goldmeyer
6:49
coming back. It it really does come down to
6:52
do you believe they got lucky last year in 110 or is this a
6:55
solid team where Bret Bielema continues what he normally does
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and he he knows how to win in that part of the country?
7:02
I got a kick out of your rankings here, going through and
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sliding through getting to Iowa. They're at #12 in a year that
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includes Penn State semi finalists from a year ago,
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Oregon, the number one team from a year ago.
7:15
Iowa State went away from being in the playoff last year.
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Indiana, who was a playoff team a year ago.
7:21
And that's the 12th most difficult schedule in the Big
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10. Think it says a lot about the
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Big 10 and the way the schedule certainly looks for a lot of
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teams this year. Well, it also says there's an
7:30
opportunity for Iowa here where, you know, one of the first
7:34
things we do when we look at the schedule is what we used to do.
7:40
This was the exercise. And yes, I'm Big 10 biased from
7:42
central Ohio, but he's not playing Ohio State, Michigan.
7:46
That was the first thing we always used to work at start
7:49
picking that team to win the Big 10.
7:50
I remember that didn't go so well when we tried that with
7:53
Purdue one year. But the opportunity there,
7:57
knowing that they have a good history with Iowa State, you win
7:59
that one in Indiana, which they should, I think they will beat
8:03
Indiana this year. And then you split those other
8:07
two. Can you steal one of Penn State
8:09
and Oregon? And if so and you avoid upsets,
8:13
then you're talking about what the bar is in the Big 1010 and
8:16
two Big 10 teams are going to the playoffs.
8:18
I think it's a lot. It's when you get to 9 and three
8:20
that you get in trouble. How much pressure on James
8:24
Franklin this year to finally, finally get over the top?
8:27
Seems like he's got the team to do it.
8:30
I, I, I'm not in love with the quarterback like a ton of people
8:33
are. Your thoughts on Penn State and
8:36
Franklin? Is this their year and where did
8:38
you have them ranked in the as far as toughest schedule?
8:42
Got to be near the top, Brett. Well, I mean, they're right in
8:45
the middle. One number one.
8:46
What is over the top though, Ken?
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Is it winning a big 10? Yes.
8:50
Is it Ohio State for the first time since 2000?
8:54
6 Let's start there. Let's start there, beating Ohio
8:56
State. I think that's where the every
8:59
that unlocks everything else. Yeah, that's what unlocked
9:01
everything else for Michigan. So, yeah, good point.
9:04
Beat Ohio State in Columbus with Jim Knowles as their defensive
9:07
coordinator and Jim Knowles probably going to get heavy
9:10
round of booze when he walks in the stadium even though he led
9:12
them to help them to win a national title.
9:14
But that's another story is over the top getting back to the
9:19
semifinals is over the top winning Penn State's first
9:22
national title since 1986. It's a loaded question with
9:25
Franklin because as we pointed out, you know, he's a guy that's
9:29
29 and O against unranked team for the last three years, but
9:33
he's five and eight against ranked team.
9:35
So that's that's why the criticism has continued.
9:39
Can he knock off some of these ranked teams and and achieve
9:42
some of those goals and the program great, they're fine.
9:45
It's, but this is that next really difficult step for the
9:48
program to take. Since we're talking big 10A,
9:51
team that I don't think we've talked much about is Michigan.
9:55
Champions two years ago, 7:00 and 5:00 last year.
9:57
Yet it concluded the regular season with the win against Ohio
10:00
State in shocking fashion, Then beat an Alabama team that wasn't
10:03
sitting. Everybody.
10:04
They were playing almost everybody and they physically
10:07
manhandled them. You're #2 for Sharon Moore.
10:10
They believe they got a quarterback in Price Underwood.
10:12
We're at your expectations for Michigan in 2025.
10:18
They're going to be ranked at we got our I took a look at the
10:21
consensus top 25 that's coming out tomorrow.
10:25
I looked across all those publications like I normally do
10:27
and give credit to everyone else.
10:28
They're ranked between like 13 and 18, right?
10:32
And, and so that tells me that they could be 9 and three.
10:37
That's a really tough game early in the season.
10:39
Go down to Oklahoma with a freshman quarterback if if Bryce
10:43
Underwood starts, I think they've got enough pieces on the
10:45
defense to do well. And I'm wondering, Trent and
10:49
Ken, how much does, how much did wins against Ohio State and
10:54
Alabama late in the year mask what was kind of going on with
10:58
the horrible passing attack And you know, some really bad
11:02
offense is that cured and you lose Mason Graham and Kenneth
11:06
Grant. So they do have questions.
11:08
I think they can get the nine and three though.
11:11
Bill, from where you sit in Ohio, what was the
11:13
disappointment factor like when Texas said no, we don't want to
11:16
move to a stand alone Sunday night here we got two top five
11:19
teams pre season ranked. I'm guessing that's where
11:22
they'll be. Could have had the the entire
11:24
country watching that game. A lot of people watch it
11:26
anyways. But how?
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How disappointed was Ohio State? I feel like that game belonged
11:32
in prime time. It does.
11:34
And I know it was 20 years ago now, but I I classify the last
11:42
time Texas came to Ohio State, it was the Vince Young game
11:45
throws A touchdown to Lima Swede late in the game.
11:48
They were Ohio State was the only defense that really clamped
11:51
down on that Texas offense that year that won a national title.
11:55
That's where I know where all my buddies were moment.
11:58
I I you know, we know where we all were and we were watching in
12:01
that game. Whether you were a fan or not,
12:05
you knew where you were when Lima swing scored that
12:08
touchdown. That's what this game should be.
12:10
You have arch manning, yes, Sillian Fein prime time ratings.
12:14
I mean, I really wish it would have come to some sort of
12:17
agreement rather it was do that or can't we just break the rules
12:21
with big noon and put it at 8:00?
12:24
And I mean that that there is some disappointment about that
12:28
here. It'll be special at noon, but
12:32
you guys, you guys get that more than the SEC guys do that.
12:34
I know too. We the prime time games in the
12:38
Big 10 are special occasion. I've always treated them like
12:42
that and and this feels like one that should be.
12:45
Now granted they're playing my alma mater Ohio and prime time 2
12:48
weeks later. I would trade that if I could.
12:52
Yeah, I know. I get that.
12:54
On the heels of last week, SEC Media day or conversations as
12:59
the as the athletic directors were media being, of course, we
13:02
got Sankey up there ticked off that people are questioning his
13:06
love of college football as a whole.
13:08
Your take away? Was it soapboxing?
13:11
Was it something deeper? And the 511 model is, is that
13:15
where this is trending to now with the new 16 team playoff?
13:19
Yeah, the last time I talked to you guys, I believe we talked,
13:21
it was I was in a good mood because we we didn't playoff
13:24
seeding and you guys were happy. All the three of us seemed
13:27
happy. And then a week later we started
13:30
fighting again. And I think the 511 model makes
13:33
the most sense. And the one tweak to it is so
13:37
we'll play with Ohio again. So the Ohio wins the Mac and
13:42
they're ranked 19th and they bump out the 16th team as the
13:46
fifth highest ranked conference champion.
13:48
I'm OK with that. I don't know if everybody will
13:51
be. Otherwise.
13:52
I think the 511 model works and you know you get the at largest.
13:56
If there's a year where the Big 12 has 6 teams in the plat,
13:59
that's fine. If there's a year where they
14:01
have one team in the plat, that's fine too because that's
14:05
what we're trying to do is get the 16 best teams in the
14:08
country. And conference strength can
14:10
vary. Maybe not as as much in football
14:12
is basketball, but it can't. Yeah, I, I listened to some of
14:16
Joel Klatt's argument and he's dead set against it.
14:19
But I'm with I just get the best 16, you know, and like you saved
14:23
11 conference one year gets, you know, 5 or 6 the next year, they
14:27
may get one. What's wrong with that if
14:30
they're if they don't deserve to be there?
14:32
Bill, what have you got coming up next?
14:33
What can we look forward to next@sportingnews.com?
14:37
Well, you know, I I got funny coming.
14:39
We got SEC and big 10 schedule rankings.
14:41
I love consensus top 25 and talking through some summer
14:45
ideas. You know what, Vegas and Media
14:48
Day isn't all that far in the In my planner, which, you know,
14:54
annoys me a little bit, but excites me on the other level.
14:57
I can't wait. Can we have a little bit of
14:59
summertime first? I hope so.
15:01
Nope, run out here in Ohio. Yeah, so you're going to Vegas?
15:06
I'm thinking so. So, you know, my editor lives
15:09
out that way, too. I'd love that.
15:11
Maybe we could hit you guys if you're out there.
15:14
We'll be there. Great.
15:16
Then, then, then I'll definitely.
15:18
I would rather do a segment with you in Vegas than staring out at
15:21
my overgrown lawn that I'm looking at right now.
15:24
We can make that happen, but you've got to bring some of your
15:27
friend. We've got a couple of the
15:29
private booths at Circa on Tuesday night, the world's
15:32
largest sports book. The drinks are on Trent and I,
15:34
so we'll talk more about that as we get there.
15:37
But that's Tuesday night in Las Vegas at Circa Sports, and
15:41
you'll be able to just get to see for yourself what we talk
15:44
about when we talk glowingly about Circa.
15:47
So Bill, we're planning on you being there all.
15:49
Right. Sounds great.
15:51
Thanks so much for having me today guys.
15:52
This is a lot of fun. Good to talk to you, Bill.
15:54
Thank you, Bill Bender from The Sporting News.
15:56
We catch up with our buddy on college football we have.
15:59
Breaking news in the world of realignment.
16:02
No in the state. Of PAC12O in the big in the
16:04
state. Of Iowa, In the state of Iowa,
16:05
well. There's only four schools that
16:07
matter so. Luther College, Oh no, is
16:09
leaving Formerly the Iowa Conference.
16:11
I meant 5 schools that matter. They are now heading to the
16:15
Midwest Conference. When does it end?
16:17
I know the North. No more match ups against
16:21
Warburg, the Co gone. No more.
16:25
Luther is joining. Well, two other Iowa schools.
16:28
Grinnell, Cornell, along with schools in Illinois, Chicago,
16:32
Lake Forest, Beloit, up in Wisconsin, a few others.
16:36
So good move. I don't think so, but I grew up
16:39
in that area. I grew up in the old Iowa
16:41
Conference. So personally, even as somebody
16:43
that did not go to school at one of the Iowa Conference schools,
16:46
I hate it. But it's not even called the
16:47
Iowa Conference anymore because I think they added somebody like
16:50
Nebraska Wesleyan or something like that.
16:52
I'll take your word for. It it's heading now to Decorah,
16:56
IA Realignment has hit Decorah. Well, take your time out.
17:00
We're going to talk about Bucknell and Iowa.
17:04
They're coming to the Wells Fargo.
17:07
No, it won't be. It'll be the.
17:08
Casey's the Casey Center. They're coming to the What do we
17:12
call? It the Pizza Hut.
17:13
No, that's. You can't call it that.
17:15
The slice no. We'll keep workshopping it.
17:19
That's not it. That's not the answer, it's the
17:22
well and that's where they'll be and we'll talk more about that
17:25
when we come back. Maury Hanks is going to join us.
17:28
He's the promoter behind it, Miller and Condon on the Iowa
17:30
Sports Radio Network. Welcome back Miller and Condon
17:33
coming up on 1:30 here on the Iowa Sports Radio Network.
17:37
Wherever you are listening in the state of our grateful that
17:40
you are. This time tomorrow, Joe
17:41
O'Donnell, the radio voice of the Minnesota Wild, will join
17:45
Trent and I to help us out with the Stanley Cup Final if it gets
17:50
underway tomorrow. Florida and Edmonton right now.
17:54
Let's get the Maury Hank. He is the president of Global
17:56
Sports Management. They are behind Bucknell and
17:59
Iowa getting set to play downtown Des Moines on the 20th
18:02
of December. And Maury joins us.
18:05
Maury, Trent Condon, My name's Ken Miller.
18:07
Good to talk to you again. Maury, how are you?
18:10
I'm fine. Thank you Ken and Trent for
18:12
having me on. I greatly appreciate it.
18:14
As do we. We love these events that come
18:16
to the capital city and want more information on it.
18:19
So how I guess kind of take us behind the scenes, if you will,
18:23
When did these discussions, obviously, I'm guessing had to
18:27
have taken place after McCaffrey was let go and McCollum was
18:31
hired? Or is that the case?
18:33
Had these discussions been ongoing prior to Fran McCaffrey
18:38
moving on? Yeah, they've been, I've been
18:41
discussing that with Coach McCaffrey and his staff and
18:44
that, you know, things got finalized and then the new
18:47
coaching staff came on and we'd had the date held at the arena.
18:50
We're very excited about being back there, as you said,
18:52
December 20th. Great to work with Chris
18:55
Connelly and and his crew there. And then we just kind of
18:58
finalized the the opponent about two weeks ago.
19:03
And tickets will go on sale this Friday at 11 AMA.
19:07
Fun event, certainly for the people here in the capital city
19:09
too. Be able to see the new Hawkeye
19:11
program with Coach McCullum, the non conference scheduling.
19:14
I'm always so interested in the way that these things come
19:17
together. You also work with the exempt
19:19
tournaments and we'll talk about that a little bit later on.
19:22
But with what you guys do with Global, is that something where
19:26
you're in contact constantly with head coaches?
19:28
Is it kind of that next year you're talking to assistants who
19:31
eventually is the one who is ultimately the head coach has
19:34
final say? Yeah.
19:35
Who is that person though, that kind of your first point of
19:37
contact when you're coming up with these different ideas?
19:40
It varies from program to program.
19:42
I've been doing global sports since 1991.
19:46
And so, you know, I'm 63 years old.
19:49
I'm glad I'm not 43, as crazy as the business is.
19:52
But sometimes it's the head coach.
19:54
Sometimes I call the head coach directly.
19:56
Sometimes it's an assistant coach, sometimes it's the
19:59
director of basketball operation.
20:01
But ultimately, at the end of the day, the head coach is going
20:04
to, you know, give the approval, hey, we want to play this game
20:07
against this team on this venue. And scheduling has really,
20:12
really changed again. I've been doing this, as I said
20:14
a long time with the, the collectives and the, you know,
20:19
money going to nil and things like that.
20:22
Again, it's, it's, it's really changed the business in the last
20:25
two or three years. I, I imagine, I mean, and I'm
20:27
guessing perhaps none more so than the players era event.
20:31
I believe that's what is called out in Las Vegas with the NIL
20:34
that seemingly, I mean, it wasn't that many years ago,
20:37
maybe like 2, where the tournament in Hawaii was always
20:41
kind of the unofficial. The Alaska shootout has come and
20:44
gone. It is changing.
20:46
But now, how does the Players Era tournament kind of affect
20:49
some of those other Thanksgiving tournaments, Maury?
20:52
Oh, they're, they're, I mean, in the back in the day, everybody
20:56
wanted to go to Maui. Now people, now people are
20:59
turning Maui down because it, it, it, it's expensive to get
21:04
there. They don't give you the, the
21:06
tournament promoters do not give you a lot in terms of teams.
21:09
So it's very costly to fly there.
21:13
So, you know, I, I've been doing these individual games or as I
21:17
call them one off. I've got a number of them.
21:20
I'm not sure if you remember, but I put together the last time
21:23
the Hawkeyes played, they did a double header with their woman's
21:26
team a few years ago. And yes, you did.
21:30
Yes you did. Thank you for that.
21:32
And so, but the business has really changed.
21:36
It's going to continue to change as the rules, I believe in a
21:39
year are going to change. Now you can play 31 games and
21:44
you can play 28 games and a three-game MTE or 29 games and
21:48
A2 game MTE. I think they're going to change
21:51
it to where it can go to 32 games and it doesn't matter how
21:55
you get to 32 games. You can do whatever you want.
21:57
And I really think you're going to see a lot of teams that
22:01
really, really draw well not leave campus unless they can go
22:07
someplace and get a lot of money for their collective because
22:10
they'll stay at home and they'll draw 15, 16,000 people and all
22:15
that money will go to the coffers.
22:16
So the only time they'll really leave is when they're able to go
22:19
outside and get money for their collective.
22:21
Maury, are you seeing that a lot more when you make those phone
22:24
calls to those coaches, basketball OPS, whoever it is,
22:27
what's going to be in it for the players?
22:29
And we know that the players event happening in Vegas, it's
22:32
happening is that is it going to trickle down to almost all the
22:34
other exempt tournaments? They're going to have to pay to
22:36
get anybody with any name recognition.
22:39
One way or another, yes. And that's why, you know, I, I
22:43
try to stay in my lane. I don't try to, you know, get
22:47
out over my skis. I kind of know what I do and
22:50
what I can do. I don't want to take huge risks.
22:53
I mean, there's a lot of people that, you know, I get calls all
22:56
the time about doing games like this with Iowa and Bucknell.
23:00
And, you know, the reason I'm confident about coming to Des
23:03
Moines with the University of Iowa because they've got great
23:06
Hawkeye fans throughout the state.
23:07
They've got a lot of people over in Des Moines or in West Iowa,
23:11
northwest Iowa, maybe don't get over to Iowa City much, you
23:14
know, because a lot of their games are at 8:00 at night and
23:18
it's, you know, during the winter and they don't want to
23:20
drive back home. Well, that's, that's why we try
23:22
to put a game there in Des Moines, so those fans can at
23:24
least see them live, you know, once a year.
23:27
But that's, but I, I get calls all the time from people going,
23:30
hey, how about a neutral site game with Team A and TB here?
23:34
And I'm like, OK, so how are we going to make any money?
23:38
You know I. I don't need to make $1,000,000
23:41
on an event, but I sure don't want to lose money.
23:44
No, it makes sense. And here's the other thing.
23:45
I think you catch lightning in a bottle in some respects because,
23:49
you know, Drake fans fell in love with this team last last
23:51
year, fell in love with their, you know, their head coach and
23:55
and was such a great run for Drake.
23:57
And now that rosters and their head coach are now wearing
24:01
Hawkeye uniforms and patrolling the Hawkeye sideline.
24:03
So I think you'll get a lot of crossover with Drake fans coming
24:07
to see this time and, you know, show their appreciation one more
24:10
time to the last year's Bulldogs, who are now Hawkeyes.
24:15
Yes, I would agree with that. You know, coach McCollum and,
24:17
and, and the players that are coming back, they had a special
24:20
season last year. And again, it's kind of a
24:22
homecoming for a lot of them. And we're hoping that, you know,
24:26
the the, the not only the Iowa fans, but the the fans that like
24:30
following this past year will come out.
24:32
And you know, again, as I said, tickets will go on sale this
24:35
Friday at 11:00 central time at hyveetech.com.
24:40
Same place. They did it last two years ago
24:42
when the Hawkeyes played there and you can go on.
24:45
We've got tickets starting as well with $20.
24:48
And so there's all different price, price points of tickets.
24:52
Speaking of Drake, they're going to be heading down to Florida
24:55
for their exempt tournament. Give us the details on that one
24:58
for Bulldog fans making maybe a little trip S come Thanksgiving
25:02
time. Yeah, Destin, FL is a great
25:05
place to go. You know, usually the
25:07
temperature Thanksgiving weekends in the low 70s.
25:11
Right now in the field we have Drake, DePaul, LSU and Georgia
25:15
Tech. Nice field for Drake to be in
25:19
and we will announce the bracket sometime next week.
25:23
But those games are Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving.
25:27
And for Drake fans, a lot of easy ways to get to Fort Walton
25:31
Beach. A Legion Airlines flies that out
25:33
of of Des Moines. You can also get there on, you
25:36
know, Delta United and Americans fly right into Fort Walton Beach
25:39
to Fort Walton Beach airport is only about 8 miles from the
25:43
arena and a lot, lot of great hotels.
25:47
It's like going, I tell people it's like going to the Caribbean
25:49
without needing the passport. That area has the best beaches
25:53
in the continental United States, you know, hands down.
25:57
You have a television partner, CBS Sports.
26:00
PBS Sports Network show both semifinals and the final for
26:04
that tournament that we've been we've been lucky enough to have
26:07
them as a television partner since we started the event.
26:10
Iowa State was in the event a number of years ago and the
26:13
University of Iowa have been in the have been in it twice in the
26:18
past. Best of luck Bucknell Iowa
26:20
tickets go on sale hyveeticks.com on on Friday.
26:24
The event is December the 20th. Different price points depending
26:27
obviously, where you want to sit and how close you want to be,
26:30
but that's where the game will be played and when it will be
26:32
played. And Maury Hanks is here to tell
26:34
us about it. Maury, thanks for coming on.
26:36
Best of luck in the event and reach out anytime OK?
26:40
Thank you guys very much. You have a great day.
26:42
Yeah. Appreciate it.
26:42
Good to talk to you. Maury Hanks, the president,
26:44
Global Sports, the entity behind the event, coming to Casey's
26:51
Arena. Casey Center.
26:53
Casey, Center. The Casey Center.
26:55
The Casey Center, downtown Des Moines.
26:57
Yeah, it's that doesn't sound daunting.
27:01
What does named after a bait does that?
27:03
Because there's more than one Wells Fargo out there and
27:06
they've got some big Wells Fargo building.
27:08
Don't think the. Philadelphia has Wells Fargo.
27:09
That's what I mean, we're we're just copycats here now.
27:12
We got our own. Oh yeah, you.
27:13
Could look at it, yes. I like an Iowa company.
27:16
Yeah, maybe. I like me.
27:17
I mean, no, no, no. I think the Canadians bleeding
27:19
through. I like And you know what?
27:22
That's a point and a point for you.
27:24
That's good. I like it.
27:25
This got an Iowa company behind. No, this Iowa company's doing
27:28
pretty well. Yeah, that's true.
27:29
They've expanded outside our border, but they'll always be an
27:32
Iowa company. No doubt.
27:34
So Drake is going to Florida. Awesome.
27:37
And I mean, you got three power conferences.
27:40
Yeah, they do. That's good.
27:41
Regardless of how the bracket plays out, you're in good shape
27:43
there. Iowa State, we've talked about
27:46
their tournament and it is a who's who now they.
27:49
Just pretty deep. Now they have not announced how
27:52
the structure of that thing is going to be.
27:53
As to what? Who the winner take all?
27:55
Do you get money just for showing up?
27:57
No, I don't care about that. You know me and muddy like that
28:00
part of it. Kids get your money, fine.
28:02
They don't need to know, right? What I care about is the actual
28:05
basketball. Yeah.
28:06
So is this going to be? Yeah. 18 brackets?
28:08
Is it a 16 break? Is it mini 14 brackets?
28:11
How are they divvying this thing up and nobody has an answer to
28:14
that? Well, they have to play a couple
28:16
of games I would think, before they get there, right?
28:18
Do they? Is that going to be Saint Joe's
28:22
and who else who that group is travelling?
28:25
It's a great question. Because none of those teams are
28:28
signing up to go on the road. No, you're.
28:29
Not going to have Auburn that's going to make their way to
28:31
Hilton. Sadly, no.
28:33
You're not. Likewise, you're not going to
28:34
see Notre Dame going to Syracuse in the ACC.
28:39
So that makes for a pretty long four days if that's how long
28:42
it's going to be. I wonder if it's going to be 218
28:45
brackets, if that's how they're going to divvy it up.
28:48
And then I mean, it depends because you got multiple Big 12
28:50
teams there. You put up on opposite sides of
28:53
the bracket and hope that they don't meet.
28:54
They still could. This is a wonderful June topic
28:58
for us to do a little. Yeah, we can make our own.
29:00
Right. Well, that or we can reach out
29:01
to who running. Who's running this event?
29:04
I'd love to know that. And then we have the other two
29:06
in state schools that are both going to the same event.
29:09
They're going to Palm Desert, CA, same thing.
29:11
And in November, Iowa and you and I are both going there.
29:15
There are 21 teams all told that are signed up for.
29:18
Who had the best program going there?
29:20
Let's see. Here's major conference teams.
29:22
Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Stanford.
29:28
And that's in Washington. So those are your power
29:31
conference teams, but then you also have good programs.
29:34
Grand Canyon, Loyola, you and I, Nevada.
29:37
How about that? Let's call it in right now.
29:39
Iowa, Nevada against Steve Alford.
29:43
You tuned in for that one, aren't you something.
29:44
Oh yeah. No, the promoter of that one, he
29:47
has to make that happen. Make that, absolutely.
29:50
Do they have a television partner?
29:52
Does it say? It does not say on this list
29:55
that I. Have a feeling that would would
29:56
make TV. Yes.
29:59
Steve Alford, Be awesome, Trent. What let's we're really getting
30:02
a good summer topics here putting together brackets for
30:05
the players and motor hat on yes and I then maybe have you and I
30:09
on the other side if it's a 14 bracket you and I against
30:13
Colorado. Why not?
30:15
Ole Miss. Or Nico Medved.
30:19
Nico Medved No, not too bad. The Gophers they're.
30:22
Not going to put Iowa and Minnesota though in the same.
30:24
No, no, no, no, that's probably true.
30:26
Yeah, they won't. But we don't know if are they
30:28
many, Is this the same thing? They're going to put together 18
30:31
brackets or they're going to be buys involved, figuring this all
30:34
out in this new era. But that's when it comes full
30:36
circle. How much am I getting?
30:38
Paid the rainbow classic. That's what it's called right in
30:41
Maui, that. Used to No, no no.
30:42
Rainbow was in Honolulu. OK.
30:44
What was the big one that? Maui was just Maui.
30:47
That Walton was wearing the thing.
30:49
Around this. That was just the Maui classic,
30:50
yeah. That used to be it.
30:53
Well, and before that, the great Alaskan Shootout.
30:55
Was huge. Duke was there every.
30:56
Year I will play Duke, I will play UConn, I will play some
30:59
monster opponents there. When they made their great run
31:02
in 8687, it started in. Alaska, and it's gone.
31:08
It does not have D1 teams anymore.
31:09
I believe there's still maybe some D2 teams that play up
31:12
there, yeah. Good luck, Yeah.
31:14
Not the same, but I'm scrolling through.
31:15
So if you're wondering about these exempt tournaments and
31:17
your college sports fan, our friend Chris Dobertine, who runs
31:21
bloggingthebracket.com. It's part of SP Nation.
31:24
He's a bracketologist and we talked to him from time to time
31:26
about that. We need new bracketologist
31:28
Shelby Mass, retired. Yes, he is, though.
31:30
The guy that puts together every exec tournament that is out
31:33
there, the teams that are involved.
31:34
So if you are interested in where everybody's going, but it
31:38
just looks so much different and there's so many of these.
31:41
It felt like for the last 15 years we kind of knew, yeah,
31:43
there's new ones that pop up, but we at least have a general
31:45
understanding. Is the Bahamas 1 still on or did
31:49
it's still on? Is it?
31:50
It's still on, but it is the battle for Atlantis, which for a
31:54
while that was the biggest one, now has Colorado State, St.
31:58
Mary's, South Florida, Vandy, VCU, Vatech, Western Kentucky,
32:05
Wichita, All solid, nice programs in their own realm, but
32:10
a little bit different than the year that they had Louisville
32:12
and Duke that both showed up and I think they were both in the
32:15
top five. I think Kansas was there that
32:17
year. Just a ridiculous field.
32:19
That was when you and I was there.
32:20
It was like. Kevin Lehman, call those games.
32:22
That's a different one. That's a different.
32:24
One, that's a different one. That's the Cayman Island one
32:26
that Kevin is at. Or was it Virgin Islands?
32:29
There's two. I thought he was in the Bahamas
32:31
for some. Reason.
32:31
Not Bahamas. No Bahamas.
32:33
That's Battle for Atlantis. OK.
32:35
Yeah, a little bit different, but yeah, I think one of those 2
32:39
is where Kevin? Goes well.
32:40
We'll take a time out, come back, finish up the program.
32:43
Trent's plays of the day or next.
32:44
There are three WNBA games. It's the end season.
32:49
Tournament. What It's are they having one
32:51
too? Oh, yeah?
32:52
Well, no. They've had one.
32:54
This is year 2 of it. I These are the most ridiculous
32:57
things, Trent, I I think that have ever.
32:58
Crossed doesn't do it for you. Nothing.
33:00
Neither did the NBA, who won it this year, right?
33:05
I remember year one, the Lakers play the Pacers.
33:08
And the Lakers wanted to have a hang a banner.
33:12
You're the Lakers, Yeah, Maybe the NBA wanted them hang a
33:15
banner. I think that's more.
33:17
Worse, we'll come back Trent's plays of the day, our next
33:20
Miller and Condon on the Iowa Sports Radio Network.
33:22
I'm Miller and Condon. Welcome back.
33:24
Our final segment here on a Tuesday.
33:27
Some NBA breaking news. The Knicks of Fire Tom Thibodeau
33:33
led the Knicks to the first final in 25 years.
33:35
Made the playoffs 4 out of five years.
33:37
Led the Knicks to consecutive 50 win plus 50 plus win seasons for
33:41
the first time since the 1990s. Not good enough?
33:45
Out the door he goes, and Brunson gave him a vote of
33:48
confidence who wanted him back. Says it's crazy to even talk
33:52
about behind closed doors though.
33:57
You always wonder. Well, it's, it's the, it's the
34:00
what's the guy's name that owns the garden?
34:01
Why can't I think of it? Dolan, James.
34:03
Dolan, James Dolan. I mean, ultimately, he's got the
34:06
final say he. Does.
34:08
Regardless of your superstar player wants Thibodeau to or
34:11
whoever to coach your team or not, so he's out the door.
34:15
Not sure how much it moves the needle in Iowa, but nonetheless.
34:18
Does with Lucas. Oh, he's a Knicks fan.
34:21
I don't think we'll be seeing that jersey for a while, putting
34:25
that one in. I think maybe for years it'll be
34:27
back. You think it will?
34:30
Thibodeau didn't try to build his bench because that's when he
34:33
does and then all of a sudden he's behind the 8 ball in the
34:35
Eastern Conference finals. And did like you think back,
34:38
well, he had 82 of these games to maybe figure some things out
34:42
and go a little bit deeper. Fireball offense, though?
34:45
Probably not. Well, no, not when you consider
34:48
it's been so long since they've been there.
34:50
You know who's taken all the arrows for the loss?
34:52
I mean, I'm just evidently Tiburro now, but Cat?
34:55
Of course I told you. Dude's a loser.
34:57
And there's lack of defence. Yes, he's he's a rebounding
35:02
wizard. But in a big moment, who do you
35:05
not want? The ball, I mean.
35:07
Yeah, apparently the the T Wolves thought that they got
35:10
better with without him being on the team.
35:12
Both of their teams made it to the respective conference
35:15
finals. We shall see.
35:16
And both. Teams, they'll be well.
35:18
We know Randall likely will be moving on.
35:19
He won't be there. I don't.
35:20
Know about that? Do you think he will?
35:23
He's got money coming his way, he does.
35:24
Somebody's going to pay him. I don't know if the Timberwolves
35:27
can. Pay the only thing and and I
35:29
could be totally off beat here, but he fell in love with the
35:31
Twin Cities, even the winters and his wife did too.
35:35
And they did not think that that was going to be the case.
35:37
They were dreading coming. Now they love it.
35:39
Yeah. What winners?
35:41
I get it. I get it and 50 million or
35:43
whatever it's gonna be. I love a lot of cities.
35:45
Absolutely right. Maybe except 1.
35:47
You know that one that I'm. From yeah, Winnipeg.
35:50
Where no one wants to go anyways.
35:52
Your plays of the day and Corbin Birds.
35:54
The other news Corbin Birds is, at least for the time being,
35:57
avoided the Tommy John surgery. So if you had Diamondbacks,
36:01
futures made a little bit glimmer of hope.
36:04
Light them on fire. Yeah, I think you're probably
36:05
right. What are you betting today?
36:08
Speaking of things to light on fire by tickets.
36:09
Here we how did you do yesterday by.
36:11
The one and two. All right, so you're starting
36:13
off the week on a losing note, very rare.
36:16
Well, we've been hot lately. We over our last 30 days.
36:19
How about this plus 6.1 units? You'll take it. 5851 and one not
36:24
too shabby. Last week we're up 1.1 units,
36:27
yesterday lost .8. Let's get back on the positive
36:31
side of things. 2NBA, WNBA and two in MLB.
36:37
Paul Skins is going tonight for the Pirates against Mccullers,
36:41
who has not been very good. However, you're going to give me
36:44
the better team by a mile, a wide margin, and you're going to
36:47
give me plus 136. Yeah, give me the Astros plus
36:51
136 against Skins and the Pirates.
36:54
I'm laying it tonight against your Blue Jays.
36:56
Give me Philadelphia. It is.
36:58
Sanchez, Bowden, Francis. You know how much I loved him.
37:01
Last year. He has been dreadful.
37:04
You're right. North of 5 -, 130 with the
37:06
Phillies. To the NBAWNBA we go.
37:09
Give me the links tonight against Phoenix.
37:11
It's going to be a big number. 12 1/2 Phoenix coming off of
37:14
back-to-back last night they were in LA, now they're in the
37:17
Twin Cities tonight and the links are really, really good.
37:20
I'll leave the 12 1/2 there with confidence and give me the
37:22
points with the Mystics +6 in Indiana.
37:28
Anything, any potential that Caitlin Clark plays on Saturday,
37:32
I know she's already been ruled out tonight.
37:34
So Sophie Cunningham, they're, they're holding out hope.
37:37
Maybe she can play nationally televised CBS.
37:40
We know that yes, the WNBA as a whole wants that to happen.
37:45
Don't push it. Don't I agree with you this?
37:47
Team is good and has. She does enough for the league.
37:49
She has enough. This team has upside that they
37:52
can make a run. Don't worry about a game in the
37:54
middle of the beginning of June. Look, they they proved their
37:57
medal, I thought, when they played every bit as well as the
38:00
Liberty, the defending champs and a really good team and that
38:03
was a very entertaining basketball game.
38:05
And it was a winnable game. It was, absolutely.
38:07
And it wasn't just because they hit 22 threes.
38:10
It was just they played well. Yeah, both teams did.
38:12
The Liberty's a bit a little better.
38:15
At this point, at this point, yeah.
38:16
Long season. Indeed it is.
38:18
The drive is coming up next. Will Lucas be wearing his now?
38:23
He won't. Heather will be here, so will
38:25
Lucas. They'll take you until 5:00 and
38:27
then overtime. Iowa 5 until 6.
38:29
Miller and Condon, Trent and I are with you every Monday
38:32
through Friday from noon until 2.
38:34
Thanks for listening to us on the Iowa Sports Radio Network.