Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / Iowa falls at Minnesota, Bears/Packers Playoff Matchup, Adam Emmenecker on the MVC & Mitch Holthus puts a bow on the Chiefs Season

Transcript

Iowa falls at Minnesota, Bears/Packers Playoff Matchup, Adam Emmenecker on the MVC & Mitch Holthus puts a bow on the Chiefs Season · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

0:09
Hi, good afternoon. Welcome Miller and Condon on a
0:12
Wednesday midway through the week.
0:14
Boy, seems like a long week. We took all that time off at
0:16
Christmas and into the new year. But anyways, we're here and
0:21
we're glad you're with us as we're going to talk sports with
0:23
you for the next couple of hours.
0:25
And boy, we got a lot to get a lot to get to here during that
0:29
period of time at the bottom of the hour or thereabouts.
0:32
We'll be joined for the first time this basketball season by
0:35
our friend Adam Amenekker, former Player of the year in the
0:38
Valley back in Drake's 2008 run. But Adam will join us every
0:43
single Tuesday. Normally I know today is
0:46
Wednesday, but he had to, we had to pivot this week.
0:49
But Adam will talk about the Missouri Valley Conference and
0:52
he's brought to us by Doco Pizza. 2 locations, the original
0:55
location, 24th and University in the Drake neighborhood and their
0:59
location in the Plaza. Shops at Prairie Trail in Ankeny
1:02
Valley talk and there's a big one in the valley tonight,
1:04
Belmont and Uni coming up, but I believe that's a 6:00 tip at
1:08
Emmenecker kicks off our guest list at 12:30.
1:12
Then Mitch Holtis, we will talk about the Chiefs one more time
1:15
with Mitch. That's 1245, but look forward to
1:19
catching up with Mitch, Papa John throughout the state of
1:22
Iowa. Sponsor that Cappy will kick off
1:24
the second hour of the program. Yes, we're going to talk a lot
1:26
of Bears, but boy, a massive potentially trade worth the Cubs
1:30
as they're getting a starting pitcher and Edward Cabrera
1:33
apparently. And although we haven't seen the
1:35
return yet, a lot of speculation that Owen Casey will be headed
1:39
down South to Florida. So we'll talk to Cappy about the
1:42
Bears and the Cubs trade. They've got the starting
1:44
pitcher, but they had to pay a price for that.
1:46
And then finally, John Walters will join us.
1:48
We'll head to Waco. That's where Iowa State's men's
1:50
basketball program is tonight for a 7:00 tip.
1:54
It's Baylor. It's Iowa State numbers 4 1/2,
1:56
five. Somewhere Baylor women ended the
1:59
Iowa State women's winning streak.
2:00
We'll see what happens tonight. As far as the Baylor men, can
2:04
they do the same thing when it comes to the Iowa State men?
2:08
Lots to get to Trent Condon, John Harbaugh out, But Iowa goes
2:12
on the road, men's basketball, and we should start there with
2:16
Minnesota and I will. Last night we both felt that
2:18
with what lies ahead, this would sure be beneficial if they could
2:22
put it in the win column. It did not happen.
2:24
Did not. And a game that looked different
2:28
than what we've grown accustomed to.
2:29
Certainly early with his Ben McCollum team, they looked out
2:32
of sorts. They looked awful on defensive
2:34
end against the Minnesota team that's not very talented
2:37
offensively. Yes, it's a conference Rd. game,
2:40
but I think this is a bigger loss than people maybe are
2:43
putting on it and I think. Show some warts maybe?
2:46
Or I think so because you're tainted by They came back.
2:51
They had three great looks at it.
2:52
Oh my God, two rattled out. The third one was front rim.
2:56
It was right there. It was just a touch short.
2:57
I mean, you can play that game. You still got to go to overtime
3:00
with him, but right there was 35 minutes, a pretty bad basketball
3:04
in there, 30 minutes at minimum a pretty bad basketball in there
3:08
I want. To say I'm interested, but they
3:09
just look different. Yeah.
3:11
Especially in the first half, I thought.
3:13
They were not locked in defensively.
3:15
They certainly were not crisp offensively. 25 made field
3:18
goals, only 12 assists. That's not been McCallum
3:21
basketball. Now one of the more beautiful
3:22
plays is when Nico said I'm going to go zone here and he saw
3:26
the ball movement lead to the quarter 3 for Tate Sage.
3:28
I don't think many teams are going to be zoning Iowa because,
3:33
boy, the way they move the ball, they really do in that instance
3:35
and. That's what.
3:36
That's what McCollum calling. Yes, they are so good at that
3:39
aspect and teams are going to say, hey, let's knock that off.
3:41
That's not going to work for us in this one.
3:43
But overall, this is a disheartening loss for a myriad
3:47
of reasons. Number one was we've talked
3:48
about the schedule, what's in front of them and Illinois is
3:52
going to be tough. It's a coin flip game yesterday
3:55
at Ken Palm. They're a one point favorite.
3:56
Now they're one point underdog. It's a coin flip.
3:59
Then you go on the road to both Purdue and Indiana.
4:02
We know what Mackie has been recently.
4:05
Historically, it has not been a good place.
4:07
And oh, by the way, yeah, they still have a very good team
4:09
there and it's still a team that they're going to be a decided
4:12
underdog. Indiana, another coin flip, but
4:15
on the road and what we've seen out of this team on the road, 2
4:18
bad performances, Michigan State, Minnesota, and I think
4:20
yes, you consider this a bad performance the way that they
4:23
play. Yeah, I mean, the score says it
4:24
was a three-point game and yes, they had looked and I agree with
4:27
you. They did not play well.
4:28
They did not. Played well against Iowa State
4:30
for long stretches, couldn't find a way, though.
4:33
Had a comeback because they were down double digits and came back
4:36
and made it close and tight at the end.
4:37
Just you look at the resume too, and that's kind of the next spot
4:41
I want to go is you look at this Iowa team, what's their best
4:46
win? Ole Miss?
4:48
I mean, Ole Miss is they're not very good.
4:51
There's not a whole lot on this resume.
4:53
And though the metrics are still OK, chopstick spots are still
4:57
19th in the net. When you dig a little bit deeper
5:00
in there, there isn't a whole lot.
5:01
Now there's going to be grand. Canyon.
5:04
Grand Canyon is looking at the net 117.
5:07
OK. No, that doesn't qualify.
5:09
Ole Miss is 99th, so that's your only top 100 win.
5:12
Maryland's 162, not a whole lot of depth in there.
5:17
UCLA is 45th, so there's your top water, but that's at home.
5:22
Right. Yeah, fair.
5:23
You have to win Rd. games. We mentioned the next two Rd.
5:25
games, Purdue, Indiana. You have to take a West Coast
5:29
trip. No sure things there, as we
5:31
certainly know, not just for Iowa.
5:33
This is a Big Ten thing as a whole.
5:35
At Oregon and then Washington, right?
5:37
Yes. Back-to-back, yes.
5:38
You go to Maryland, that's not going to be a quality Rd.
5:40
victory. You go to Wisconsin, might be
5:43
OK. Penn State, even if you beat
5:45
them as Michigan struggled with, it's not going to be a quality
5:48
I'll. Tell you where it is, it might
5:49
be the last game of the year. And if you're waiting that long
5:52
to get a quality Rd. victory, probably not.
5:54
That's going to be difficult. They're winnable games, there's
5:57
a lot of winnable ones, and if you stack up like 5 road wins in
5:59
the Big 10, OK, you're fine. But if you don't have any
6:02
quality and you only have a couple of Rd. victories, that
6:05
resume goes from where seeing Bracket Matrix had them.
6:08
Six seed, almost across the board, couple of five seeds that
6:11
were out there. Then you start looking to
6:13
getting back into the old 7. 8-9 area somewhere.
6:16
And which is fine in the 1st. Round it is but.
6:18
It's around a 32. Yeah, they'd much rather be a
6:21
six. Yes, I think it's as good a spot
6:22
as there is in the tournament. So it didn't go well.
6:25
Sturtz foul trouble early, Sturtz couldn't make a basket
6:28
early, scoreless in the 1st 20 minutes of the game.
6:31
Did get going late. But as Trent mentioned, they had
6:34
three outstanding looks at it, Sturtz of which had two of them.
6:38
It was Haasen that had the other one.
6:39
I thought Haasen's ball was going in.
6:41
I I still I'm convinced that they need to find more.
6:44
Well, how many minutes did he end up playing last night?
6:46
More than usual? Did he get 10 minutes?
6:48
Let's see here. He got 7. 7 minutes.
6:51
He needs to be doubled that yeah, I'm with him.
6:53
He he doesn't well, 14. I know, I know He's not good
6:55
defensively. I I get it.
6:57
I understand. Well, he's easy to spot on TV.
6:59
Those green shoes, yes. They he just looks comfortable
7:03
out there offensively. Another shooter on the floor.
7:06
That's not Isaiah Howard. Let's not say Tate Sage, at this
7:09
point, you. Know it was good last night
7:10
though, and he wasn't. The other day we'd mentioned
7:12
him. Combs.
7:13
Combs was, yet there were still stretches that try.
7:16
I don't know. There must be something about
7:18
him because he was the only guy that was scoring in the first
7:20
half. He was and then had another
7:22
stretch in the second-half. But they're just times.
7:24
I don't know if it's careless what it is.
7:29
I'm just, I'm not a big kale kale Combs guy, I guess.
7:32
Both blanked on the score sheet last night, and I thought Cooper
7:36
caught boy, you know what? He's going to be a problem, Yes,
7:38
Yeah, Good way. If you're a Hawkeye fan, he's
7:40
going to be a problem because I think he's still growing into
7:42
that body. His He really do.
7:44
And another no show from Fool Garris.
7:46
The inconsistency again. Can't afford it?
7:48
No, Howard was the road in the Big 10.
7:51
Yeah, I thought Howard was really good.
7:53
I loved this game last night. All right, let's get Anthony,
7:55
then we'll we'll move on. So much stuff to get to here.
7:58
Anthony, how are you? Hey guys, Happy New Year to you.
8:03
And to you, Sir? Guys, what a tough loss last
8:07
night. Again, what I didn't see it,
8:12
it's a slow, it's a slow start. It's what hurt the Hawkeye so
8:15
far this season and we need what does they need to do to get bed
8:21
dirt That seems last name but I apologize mispronounced his last
8:24
name again. He starts off slow then he
8:28
starts off hot in the second-half.
8:30
But he needs to start doing more improvement on the shooting.
8:35
And The thing is there guys, what they need to do to bounce
8:38
baskets Illinois on Sunday morning at Carmel Hawkeye Arena.
8:43
And another thing is, is it time to panic by about down at the
8:48
last night's loss at Minnesota? And guys all want to hang up,
8:51
listen to Go Hawk. Thanks, Anthony.
8:54
Appreciate the call. I'm not sure if we're going to
8:55
press the panic. Button just not there.
8:57
No, it's a road loss in the conference.
9:00
It's the Big 10 and you know you're not going to get the
9:02
whistle. And if you're if you think all
9:03
of a sudden you're going to, you haven't watched Big 10 play very
9:06
often. That's what life is like on the
9:08
road in the Big 10. You know what I will say?
9:10
And I thought I was not apoplectic, but I was, Oh my
9:14
God, I can't believe they missed that.
9:16
I thought the play with the with Banks going to the rim and
9:19
Crocker Johnson, I thought, Oh my God, how can that not be a
9:23
fault? And then they showed it from
9:25
underneath the basket. He got him his.
9:28
Last right call. I like that.
9:29
Crocker Johnson, by the way, he came, he came with Nico from
9:32
Colorado State. He's a big butt boy.
9:34
Wish I had the Hawks at that guy.
9:35
Not that guy, but that body type, you know what I mean?
9:39
Another thick body. Yes, another thick body.
9:42
You know who a guy that we thought maybe they had a good
9:44
chance of is that kid that ended up in Virginia, the foreign kid.
9:49
Oh yeah. He's, I saw Virginia over the
9:51
weekend. He's a stud.
9:53
Yeah, you like Virginia? Yeah, I like Virginia a lot.
9:55
And he is imagining that dude at the Five with this Iowa team, we
10:01
would be having completely different conversations as it
10:04
pertains to Illinois. Look #1 they're at home.
10:06
Yep. And as we just talked about
10:08
beyond the road, Illinois will be on the road.
10:11
So show up and be in full throat.
10:13
They're a very talented offensive team.
10:15
Stoyakovich can fill it up from the outside.
10:17
You said you've watched him a couple of times.
10:19
I saw him early. They're not at the best
10:21
defensive unit, correct? No.
10:22
And you know, the metrics have them higher than certainly the
10:25
eyeball test does. I mean, they're 21st in
10:27
defensive efficiency from what I've seen out of them.
10:29
That does not look like a team that plays certainly at that
10:32
level on the defensive end of the floor.
10:35
Like they lost in Nebraska. Everybody listen to Nebraska.
10:38
They lost Alabama and UConn. This is still a really good
10:41
team. They beat Texas Tech.
10:42
We saw last night with Texas Tech did going into Houston for
10:45
the second straight year and getting that one.
10:47
They're gonna knock it down from the outside.
10:50
Strakovich can score around the rim, They're good.
10:53
They get to the free throw line a ton and it goes back to the
10:55
whistle. If Iowa shoots 15 more free
10:58
throws at home than Illinois does, they win the game.
11:00
But if Illinois even kind of plays that even, I think
11:04
Illinois gets the win. And the percentage just say they
11:06
won't because Illinois is on the road and it's, as Chad Leico
11:09
pointed out in his column today, the Des Moines Register,
11:12
usually, and it always does. It's mean it's been the Big 10,
11:15
life on the road in the Big 10. Baylor tonight.
11:17
Speaking of being on the road, Iowa State is there in Waco.
11:20
The men, the women are as well. Cincinnati for them.
11:22
But Baylor, we'll try and knock off Iowa State for the first
11:26
time this year. A fear factor there numbers
11:29
about 5. Baylor coming off a loss on the
11:32
road at TCUTCU, let a big lead slip away last night.
11:36
What do you expect to see tonight?
11:39
I really like the freshman Yasufu.
11:42
I think when you're talking about a freshman in the Big 12,
11:44
he's maybe kind of easy to overlook because there's so damn
11:47
many good ones. But I think Yasufu is a hell of
11:50
a player. I really do.
11:52
What What Have you seen Baylor and your thoughts on this bunch?
11:54
I haven't seen them a ton, it's been a while.
11:56
In fact, I think the only game that I saw them extended was a
12:00
great maybe not even I saw some of that one, but that it was the
12:03
St. John's game where they got
12:04
blown. Out they got.
12:05
Beat And we've talked about the Johnny struggles that they've
12:07
had throughout the course of this season.
12:10
They're not very good. This is not.
12:13
Yeah, they're 10 and three, but this is not a vintage Baylor
12:16
team that we're used to under Scott Drew.
12:17
That was in Vegas, right? Yes.
12:19
Yeah, they're young. This is a winnable game.
12:23
This is a game that definitely when you're looking at stacking
12:26
up Rd. Victories.
12:27
You want to put this in the win column and until or if they get
12:31
their transfer eligible or their portal entry and tell me what
12:35
happens. I don't, you know, I'm not so
12:37
sure it's going to happen. It seemed to be some pushback
12:39
coming on the G League players coming over.
12:42
Yeah, we'll see. We'll see where it goes.
12:44
I think the NC, they got their hands full.
12:46
I mean, this Washington quarterback deal, what they're
12:48
going to do there signs with Washington now.
12:50
He wants out to Washington. Not going to let him out.
12:52
Oh, it's a mess. College athletics, just a mess.
12:55
It truly is your thoughts on what potentially is going down
12:58
on the north side of Chicago at Wrigley Field.
13:01
They want a pitcher as much fantasy baseball as you play
13:05
because I'm guessing you don't watch a lot of the.
13:06
Marlins Why Edward? Cabrera, is he on any of your
13:09
teams? I mean, he, he throws strikes.
13:11
I'll say that about him, but it's just the damn injuries.
13:15
He's got shoulder, he's got elbows.
13:16
Seemingly every year now he's avoided Tommy John.
13:19
But they're going to give up Owen Casey, which tells me if
13:21
that's the key. If that's the case, there's got
13:24
to be another move. Then maybe they're back involved
13:27
with Tucker again, 'cause you need another bat, yes, you need
13:30
a starting pitcher and they don't come cheap.
13:33
I'm not sure how I like this 'cause I was excited to see
13:36
Casey play. The first thing when you brought
13:39
up Cabrera is what you said right away, the injury concerns
13:43
and they are major. A guy that throws consistently
13:46
in the upper 90s, a guy that is in the top 10th, 10th percentile
13:50
of velocity, yet he's always banged up.
13:54
Yet he hasn't had that big injury.
13:57
Even dealing with the number of arm troubles that he's had,
13:59
shoulder impingement, elbow tendonitis, another elbow strain
14:03
that he had back in September, this is an absolute stay away
14:07
from me if you're giving up a guy.
14:09
Three years of control, that's the one thing he has on it.
14:12
I mean, on the Cubs side. But I'm agree with you, Trent.
14:14
It's the injuries. Justin Steele's going to come
14:17
back at some point. Well, not till September,
14:19
apparently. Is it really going to be I heard
14:21
that I. Could I was blown away because
14:23
first time all Memorial Day at the.
14:24
Latest When you said that the first time, there's no way.
14:26
I thought so too, but I've seen him twice now.
14:29
September When would when did he go under the knife?
14:33
Early, right, Like April, wasn't it?
14:36
Yeah. September that's that's a long
14:39
time removed regardless. You got Tayon, you got Horton,
14:43
you got Boyd, you got Shota. Yup, Cali Ray's there.
14:49
Yup. I understand wanting depth.
14:52
Aren't there bigger concerns? We cannot.
14:54
Have the have the year he did last year.
14:55
I mean, I hope he does. Yeah.
14:57
But that that came out of nowhere.
15:01
What was your what was your question on is there what with
15:02
this team? Is there bigger areas of need
15:05
other. Than starting pitching, I think
15:07
they need another bat and I thought it was going to be Owen
15:12
Casey third base. No, I love Matt Shaw there.
15:15
I really do. I think he's a he's more than an
15:18
adequate fielder now. It was his first full year in
15:21
the big so I got to believe that he's you know that the offensive
15:25
numbers will up will take an uptick of some sort.
15:28
But I thought that the concern, what can he call the ball across
15:33
the diamond? I mean, this is the second
15:34
baseman. Yeah, he can, was the answer.
15:36
That's not a problem. That's not a problem.
15:39
Can we anticipate we're going to see the same out of Michael Bush
15:41
this year? Fair, fair.
15:44
He's was that was that the high watermark?
15:47
Is that as good as it's going to be for Michael?
15:48
Bush. Probably so.
15:50
So you expect to step back there, and then you're talking
15:52
about another bat and you're taking a step back there?
15:54
Yeah, Shaw. Shaw's got another level.
15:56
I agree. Offensively certainly does DNC.
15:59
Swanson is who he is. Nico is who he is.
16:03
All these guys. Do you see a next level from
16:05
PCA? I just think there's too many
16:07
holes in the swing. So you think it's more
16:10
second-half PCA than first half PCA?
16:12
Because he was unbelievable. He was in the 1st.
16:14
I would lean towards the back half.
16:16
I mean, I hope that you're wrong.
16:20
Yeah. It's it's it's a fair question.
16:22
It is. It's a fair question.
16:23
And is Bella Steros going to be your full time DH this year?
16:27
Well, honestly, Trent, that's the guy I would try to move out
16:30
of, out of out of the system. Just because he has no position
16:33
flexibility. He's ADH, he's not going to
16:35
catch, he's not going to play in the field.
16:36
Sounds like Kyle. Schwarber.
16:37
In a lot of ways he does. Worked out pretty well for
16:40
Schwarber. Not so much for the Cubs.
16:42
Yeah, not so much for the Cubs. We'll see where it goes.
16:45
Fascinating stuff, but that's going to be the move there.
16:48
All right. Bears and Packers, The number
16:49
keeps going back and forth. Flip flop, Flip flop.
16:52
Hey, I got a question for you. A gambling question in a way,
16:56
but as we're seeing this go from.
16:58
Pickups, Bears and Packers. Bears 1 1/2, Packers 1 1/2.
17:02
Why is it that it just jumps to 1 1/2 now?
17:04
This is a new thing, right? They completely stay away from
17:07
pickups. How many pickups do we see in
17:09
the NFL this year? The 272 games.
17:11
Not very many. I think there's a couple of
17:13
pickups on this game at a couple of spots.
17:15
But you're right, I don't think it'll end up kicking there by
17:18
any means. It never.
17:19
Does, yeah, Yeah. That's different.
17:21
I mean they. Don't want to give half the
17:22
money if they want to give all the money back.
17:25
That is completely different though, than the NFL that we've
17:28
known for years and years and years and the way that well it's
17:31
1 1/2 and then it goes to 1 and then it goes to pick em and then
17:34
it jumps the other way to 1 and 1 1/2 No.
17:36
And this this is across the. Board No pick UMS there are no
17:39
it opened it pick and now it's now everybody has the Packers
17:42
favorite either 1 or 1 1/2. I shouldn't say that Hard Rock
17:45
has the Bears favorite. One, it's so weird.
17:48
I, I don't know, just to me and my gambling mind that that is
17:50
the case. But gambling side away from it.
17:54
The Bears play terribly for 55 minutes and then they get it
17:59
done. Do you believe that the Packers
18:01
health is I guess real? That all these guys are going to
18:04
come back and hit the ground running and Christian Watson's
18:07
going to be fine. And now they gave a lot bunch of
18:08
time that Love's going to be perfect when he comes out there.
18:13
No, but I also don't believe that if they need to do so they
18:16
can get an on site kick. Well, 'cause that just doesn't
18:20
happen in this league. I don't know I, I don't know the
18:27
team. I, I, I'm trying.
18:28
I have no opinion on the game. The Packers are better.
18:31
They're more talented team, I think so, but the Bears just
18:35
seem like that girl with the curl.
18:36
There's there's some fairy dust sprinkled on this team.
18:39
Look at all the comeback wins. But the last two weeks, those
18:42
comeback wins, they weren't. There, they weren't there, but
18:44
they were to get the and all the the turnover differential.
18:47
Yes, it's crazy, that number. Does that continue in the
18:51
playoffs against Jordan, Love? See, there's maybe some flurries
18:55
in the forecast. Is there or are there?
18:57
Awesome. Yes, yeah.
18:58
Absolutely. I like the Bears.
19:01
I think it's going to be a tight game.
19:03
In fact, what it's one of. The Flurries doesn't worry about
19:05
the Packers because I mean, they've, you know, that's no, if
19:07
there's Rams come in there. Maybe it's the last 30 years
19:11
too, of this matchup. It's so good.
19:13
That's going to be so good. And only the third ever playoff
19:15
matchup? Wild.
19:17
It is, yeah. That's that's crazy.
19:19
Not a strong opinion one way or the I.
19:20
Don't either. I don't either.
19:22
Do you have a strong opinion on the six games?
19:24
Of the six, I think the one that I like maybe the most is the
19:27
49ers getting points in Philly. I know things didn't go very
19:30
well in Seattle. Well, it's a good match.
19:32
Well, it's, it's a good match for both teams.
19:33
Maybe I'd be looking at the under because as good as the
19:36
Niners offense is, the Eagles defense should counter that.
19:40
And likewise, as bad as the Eagles offense is, I think the
19:44
Niners defense has been putrid. The Niners played poorly and you
19:50
wonder about Purdy's health. That's going to be obviously at
19:53
the top and figuring this out in the way that it's going to play.
19:55
And that's why I don't have the 4 1/2 numbers yet in my back
19:58
pocket with the 49ers because, oh, Brock party is going to be
20:01
so important to that one. But there's been something off
20:05
all season long with this Philly team.
20:06
Go back to the first game of the year.
20:08
First game of the year against the Cowboys we thought weren't
20:10
going to be very good. They weren't very good and they
20:14
dinked around with them and finally put them away.
20:16
But it was incredibly boring. It was Thursday night.
20:19
Football wasn't it? That was they played won two
20:22
different games this year without a pass completion in the
20:26
second-half of a. Game.
20:26
It's wild in a passing league. In 1954.
20:30
That's what it was. Not, I said, not in 1954.
20:34
In 2025, that happened or a team was able to do that and win in
20:40
the NFL. What about the Monday night
20:42
game? I like the Steelers.
20:44
You really? Too see, we're going to be on
20:45
the opposite side of this one. I know Metcalf is back, and that
20:48
is a huge addition for Aaron Rodgers being with Odeon.
20:53
You know how I feel about this Houston defense.
20:55
But they're not the same defense here lately.
20:57
Recently, they have taken a step back.
21:00
They have not been at the elite level and they gave up thirty
21:03
last week to Riley Leonard. I know some guys were sitting
21:07
out still. This defense has not been at the
21:09
same level. Gave up 21 to the Raiders.
21:11
They gave up twenty to the cards.
21:13
They're they're good and they're still really, really good.
21:16
Maybe the best defense of the bunch.
21:18
I think Seattle, Denver and Houston would be the three.
21:22
Am I missing anybody? And how about the Monday night
21:24
record for the Steelers? They haven't lost a Monday night
21:27
game since 1992. I know Charlie Brister is not
21:31
suiting up for this blood. That was not it will probably
21:34
was 92 probably. The Chargers defense doesn't get
21:37
enough love either. I.
21:38
I agree with that. You got to see them for 60
21:41
minutes on Sunday. Yeah, and, and, and again, there
21:43
was some of their guys were out as well.
21:44
We got to talk. Take a break, come back.
21:46
Adam Eminecker will join us for the first time during this
21:48
basketball season. He joins Us Weekly as we take a
21:51
look at the Missouri Valley Conference.
21:53
We'll do that next. Doko Pizza, 2 locations in
21:56
central Iowa. They are at the 24th and
21:58
University in Drake neighborhood and Plaza Shops, Prairie Trail
22:01
and Ankeny. Eminecker next.
22:03
Miller and Condon, Iowa Sports Radio Network.
22:09
I'm Mory Condon, welcome back. It's the Iowa Sports Radio
22:12
Network. Mitch Holt is coming up here in
22:14
about 15 minutes. We'll put a cap on the Chiefs
22:18
season that ends without the playoffs this year.
22:21
But for the first time this year, normally on Tuesdays,
22:23
couple of times you have to pivot to Wednesdays.
22:25
Adam Emmenecker, former player of the year in the Valley, does
22:28
a lot of games, color analysts on the Valley games and he joins
22:33
us each and every Tuesday and then the boys in the afternoon,
22:37
I believe on Fridays. He's sponsored by Doco 2
22:40
locations serving the best New York style pizza in Des Moines
22:43
and it's really good. The original location, 24th in
22:47
University in the Drake neighborhood and the location in
22:50
the Plaza Shops, Prairie Trail in Ankeny.
22:52
Hello Adam Emmen Ecker, good to talk to you.
22:55
How are you? Ken Trent, great to great to
22:58
spend some time with the two of you.
23:00
And I'm, I'm doing great basketball season in full swing.
23:03
We're already five games in in the Missouri Valley.
23:06
So almost 1/4 of the way through the the conference schedule.
23:09
And you know, it's this, this is my favorite time of year.
23:12
We're wrapping up all the football stuff.
23:14
We're getting into the meat of a lot of basketball stuff.
23:16
Can't beat it. No, you really can't.
23:18
I want to start with Northern Iowa's.
23:20
They are one of what, three teams that are still unbeaten by
23:23
They've got a big one tonight. Belmont come up paying a visit,
23:26
but obviously Jacobson's team is off to a terrific start in the
23:30
conference. Here we go again with the
23:32
Panthers. When you've seen them, what
23:34
catches your eye right off the bat, Adam?
23:37
Yeah. Well, you know, I think first
23:39
and foremost, no surprise to see Northern Iowa where they are,
23:42
not only because of Ben Jacobson, but also a lot of
23:45
roster continuity this year, right?
23:47
And when you look at the top of the Missouri Valley, you look at
23:49
the teams who are in the best standings, Well, it is Northern
23:53
Iowa, it is Illinois State, and it's Belmont in addition to
23:56
Murray State, who maybe we'll get to in a minute.
23:58
But those 3, you and I, Belmont and Illinois State had the most
24:03
returners of anybody in the league.
24:04
So roster continuity makes such a big difference, especially
24:07
when you have senior or experienced guys.
24:11
I think when you look at this Ben Jacobson coach team, the
24:13
unique part, they are so deep. They are so deep versus some of
24:17
the teams that he's had in the past.
24:18
Trey Campbell's been really good all year.
24:20
I think Will Hornseth is really taking a jump.
24:23
And when you have guys like Schweiger and Bond on the wings
24:26
and guys like Tristan Smith really adding a pop of
24:28
athleticism and versus this is a balance team, this is a really
24:32
heady team. And that this is a this is a
24:34
dangerous group like Ben Jacobson's groups always are.
24:37
There's a new name also with this Panther team that came in
24:41
from NC State, Ishmael Dejouf, who didn't play a ton early on,
24:47
but he's been getting more playing time here recently
24:49
during the NBC play. And he's playing at a pretty
24:52
high level form, a guy that can knock down 3 pointers from the
24:54
outside as a little bit of size to him as well at 6 foot 9.
24:58
And Panthers definitely need that.
24:59
What have you seen out of him here is he's starting to feel
25:02
like maybe getting a little bit more run from Ben Jacobson.
25:06
Yeah, you look at the youth and and he is a guy first and
25:10
foremost. I'm still trying to figure out
25:11
how in the heck to pronounce his name.
25:13
But but the the second part of that is, you know, you look at
25:16
over the last couple weeks, he's been in that 15 to 20 minute a
25:20
game range. Will Horns has had some foul
25:22
trouble. He comes in at the five position
25:23
and I think you mentioned it, Trent, he brings a versatility
25:26
on the perimeter to be able to step out and knock down shots.
25:29
That helps this time pace and space, 5 out offense, but also
25:33
he's the guy that is is willing to battle.
25:35
So he is not a finished product yet.
25:37
Sometimes you see him maybe with some silly fouls, which is
25:40
uncharacteristic of Ben Jacobson defenses.
25:42
Sometimes you see him maybe a little out of position from a
25:45
rebounding standpoint, but in his role of a guy that's coming
25:49
off the bench to give some pop to your offense and maybe make
25:52
some hustle plays, he's been really, really good.
25:54
That's the type of thing as you get through the Missouri Valley
25:56
Conference season and maybe into March.
25:59
It's that type of a guy off your bench that can be really a spark
26:02
plug and a differentiator. His growth has been a big part
26:04
of their success. When you look at Drake, what
26:06
have you seen so far from Drake? What concerns do you think Drake
26:10
has right now? You know, I think you look at
26:13
Drake and they're still trying to figure out who they are.
26:15
And part of that is, you know, Coach Henderson, if you look at
26:19
his success at South Dakota State and unquestionably had a
26:22
ton of success. But even as he went portaling
26:25
and bringing new people in like Oscar Clough, who's at Purdue
26:29
right now, even when he went portaling, he had a solid
26:32
foundation of 6789 guys, even if they were red shirt freshman or
26:37
whatever that were the culture setters of his roster understood
26:40
him as coaching staff, as expectation.
26:43
I think as he's reformed a roster this year, you know, you
26:46
go from basically, yes, two guys stayed, Andrew Aaliyah and Eli
26:50
Shettler, and he has the the continuity of Owen Larson coming
26:54
with him. But you're trying to form a new
26:56
roster over the course of three weeks and instill your culture
26:59
in a new place. That's just it's taking a little
27:02
bit of time. Some guys have probably
27:03
performed above expectations, guys like Jalen Quinn, who's
27:07
been really good on the offensive end.
27:09
But I think this team is still finding its identity.
27:12
I think the team is still finding the level of grit and
27:15
unselfishness that they need in order to win together.
27:18
I think the good news, when you look across the entirety of the
27:21
season, there's really only one loss where you felt like the
27:24
team just didn't have it, and that was the second-half against
27:27
Illinois State. Otherwise, of the rest of this
27:30
team's losses, they're all under 10 points.
27:33
Of those 7 losses, they're all under 10 points, and five of
27:36
them are by less than 5. And so they're close.
27:40
Just haven't gotten over that hump.
27:41
As Drake fans, we've been pretty spoiled over the last six or
27:44
seven years that we haven't really had to deal with some of
27:47
that adversity. Illinois State's always a
27:49
program I felt like should have been better than they have been.
27:52
Huge State University in the state of Illinois, and it's
27:55
maybe taking Ryan P down a little bit longer than
27:58
anticipated to get this turned around.
28:00
They're undefeated in the conference.
28:01
They're playing really well. And even look at their three
28:03
losses. I mean, they lost to USC, lost
28:05
to a good Ohio team out of the Mack and Utah State, who's going
28:07
to be a tournament team out of the Mountain West.
28:10
This Illinois State team a real contender to win the regular
28:13
season crown. Without question.
28:16
And part of that is Chase Walker coming back.
28:18
It was the first team. All the guy rumors are he got up
28:21
offers of upward of 506 hundred, $700,000 to go on other places.
28:26
Johnny Kinzinger was an all league guy a year ago.
28:28
And so you have that as your core of your foundation.
28:31
But also most of their bench guys, almost every single person
28:34
that could return from the roster last year that they would
28:37
want to return, return. And then you add in a couple new
28:40
pieces. Boden Scunberg averaged 14 a
28:43
game at North Dakota State a couple of years ago.
28:45
He redshirted last year. Now he's in the fold.
28:48
A couple really good freshman and Tyree Coleman and Mason
28:50
Clabo there. There's really good balance in
28:53
this roster. And and to your point, Trent, on
28:55
the losses, they got off to a little slower start, I think
28:58
that a lot of people expected. And part of that was them
29:02
figuring out how to incorporate all these new pieces.
29:05
This offense is humming now that it wasn't earlier in the year.
29:08
But the biggest improvement from a year ago when this team won 10
29:11
games is their defense is a heck of a lot better.
29:13
They're a lot more committed to that end.
29:15
This is going to be a dangerous team.
29:17
They were the preseason favorite, still my favorite as
29:20
we think going through the rest of Valley play.
29:22
They're deep. They're talented offensively and
29:24
I think they're committed to the right.
29:25
Thing is, there a team in the middle of the pack, Honey, you
29:27
know where Drake resides there. Two and two, A2 and three team,
29:30
A three and two team that maybe for whatever circumstances,
29:34
maybe an injury or whatever, bad bounce, bad whistle that you
29:39
know, if not for that, they might be toward the upper
29:41
echelon. Is there a team that maybe some
29:43
of us are sleeping on Adam? Yeah, maybe 2 comments I'll make
29:48
to that, Ken. I think 1 is Murray State, not a
29:50
sleeper, but A5 and O bringing 15 new guys into their roster.
29:54
First time head coach and Ryan Miller.
29:56
But that is the highest NIL in the Missouri Valley and they
29:59
have dudes. They go 11 deep.
30:01
I worked their game against UIC last week.
30:04
Got to see them live in person. They are big.
30:07
I think they have six guys who are 69 or bigger.
30:10
They can score it from the guard position.
30:12
They play with a ton of pace and they knock down threes as well
30:14
as anybody in the country. That's a team that I've been
30:17
curious to watch. Their resilience.
30:19
They've shown that even when they've been tested, at least
30:21
where we are currently in the season.
30:23
I think you look at them in addition to the Illinois State's
30:26
you and I and Belmont at the top of the league, it's kind of
30:28
separated themselves in the middle.
30:30
You have, you mentioned Drake, Southern Illinois and Bradley
30:34
both kind of fit into that mix. They have some talent.
30:36
They're a little bit younger in their progression overall when
30:39
you look at their total rosters, but they definitely have the
30:43
capability between SIU, Bradley and Drake to over perform.
30:48
As we get into the midpoint and the second-half of conference
30:51
play. The talent is there.
30:53
The togetherness isn't quite yet, but they are definitely
30:56
dangerous to the top half teams. We'll get you out on this and
30:59
it's a big picture kind of thing.
31:01
We're going through a season for the first time with 11 teams in
31:04
the conference, Missouri State departing, they moved up to FBS
31:07
and football and now in Conference USA for basketball.
31:11
Who is that 12th member who would make sense if they're just
31:13
looking to add 1? And a lot of people mention
31:16
South Dakota State still very far removed, the way the
31:19
conference kind of stretches now the other direction, who would
31:22
be the one that you'd put in the top spot if they're just looking
31:24
to add 1 basketball member? Yeah, that's, you know, it's
31:28
tough. It's obviously a great question.
31:30
I know that's one of the things the league office is constantly
31:33
reviewing and talking to the university president presidents
31:36
about. I think you look at Missouri
31:37
State moving on and that was a little bit of a surprise for
31:40
them to want to go to scholarship football and move to
31:43
Conference USA, which honestly, when you look around isn't a
31:46
better conference, right, Especially when you talk about
31:48
basketball. It's not a great Football League
31:50
right now either. Missouri State had a lot of
31:52
success in their first year. I think when you look around the
31:55
landscape and you mentioned it, Trent Conference has moved E,
31:58
right? You used to look at Drake as
32:00
almost being more in the midpoint because Creighton was
32:03
to the West. You had Missouri State that was
32:05
a little more to the West, Wichita, which kind of fits in
32:07
that mix as well. And so where do you go?
32:10
Well, you know, it's all the names that people think about.
32:12
One name that always comes up as like Saint Thomas as a school
32:15
that's up in Minneapolis. So you have the big market.
32:18
They've invested a lot moving to Division One sports over the
32:21
last few years. You hear some of like the UW,
32:23
Milwaukee and do you want to get into the Milwaukee market.
32:27
Then you hear maybe some of the other schools like the the
32:30
Northern Kentucky's and what have you.
32:32
When I look around I don't I don't see anybody that's a shoe
32:35
in fit. Belmont and Murray State both
32:37
were great fits because of their basketball investment, their
32:39
basketball history and lineage. I think when you look around the
32:42
league right now, every person you add when it's a one dead
32:46
league, it means that you are splitting that NCAA tournament
32:49
revenue as a 12th rather than 11.
32:52
So I think the league is being very calculated and trying to
32:55
keep with all the house settlement stuff, with all the
32:58
changes we're seeing across college basketball, not putting
33:01
the schools in a position to keep the budgets as strong as
33:05
possible and really be purposeful about who that new
33:07
member might be. Shop in the A10 and grab the
33:10
Billikens. Yeah, we'll see.
33:14
I, I, I think, I think the league office would love that.
33:17
Absolutely. I think if you, the Slew fans
33:20
would probably look at, they probably have their eyes set on
33:23
the Big East, but I'm not sure Big East is thrilled for Slew
33:25
either. Good stuff, Adam, great to talk
33:27
to you again. Look forward to catching up with
33:29
you next week and every week through the through the Missouri
33:32
Valley Conference run. Thank you, Adam Emmenecker.
33:35
Appreciate it. Yeah.
33:36
Thanks guys. Good to talk to you, Adam
33:38
Emmenecker, as we talked to him each and every single week. 24th
33:42
in university in Drake neighborhood doko.com,
33:46
dokodsm.com and they do deliver Doko pizza to locations.
33:51
Mitch Holtis next Miller in Condon on the Iowa sports radio
33:54
network. Hi Miller in Condon.
33:56
Welcome back Iowa sports radio network.
33:59
Let's get right to our guest Mitch Holtis.
34:00
Final time until August for Mitch unless we can talk him
34:04
into doing something round the draft and I'll try.
34:06
Hello, Mitch Holtis, how are you?
34:09
Yeah, yeah, let's do something around the draft.
34:11
Hell yeah, I'll. Have more time to I'll have more
34:14
time this time to prepare, so we're all good.
34:16
Good stuff. Well, as we look back at this
34:18
season and add to the playoffs that lie in front of us, I can't
34:22
recall the time, Mitch, well, in the last few years has been the
34:25
Chiefs. And of course, the Chiefs were
34:27
on everybody's lips as one of the teams that can get to the
34:29
Super Bowl. It's not as easy this year, is
34:32
it? This thing to me is totally wide
34:34
open. Yeah, I think it's why getting
34:38
the Broncos, getting the one seed and the buy is a big
34:42
advantage for them. But if you look at the AFC stand
34:46
alone for the seven teams that are in it have never won it.
34:51
Never. And that's two teams with the 66
34:54
year history and the Bills and the Chargers.
34:56
Then you look at the Texans, who have never been passed the
34:59
divisional round. The Jaguars have.
35:03
It's been a while since they've been in the AFC championship
35:06
game. You've got the Broncos with a
35:09
quarterback who's never won a playoff game.
35:12
You got a, you know, 50 year old quarterback.
35:16
Then you've got the Patriots, who are a team that's got a
35:20
quarterback that's never won a playoff game.
35:22
Everybody's coming into this with something that's or
35:26
nothing. And so it's going to be, I
35:28
think, a fascinating run in the playoffs.
35:30
And then I've got something that I've I've found that we'll get
35:34
to it, but but ask me about what I found about where the league
35:37
has changed and nobody's talking about it because it's been so
35:40
camouflaged. We look forward with this Chiefs
35:44
team now a top ten selection in the draft, they'll pick at #9
35:49
pass rusher, a lot of talk about that, maybe some weapons for
35:52
Patrick Mahomes, a lot of different areas that they can
35:55
go. It's very, very early in the
35:56
draft process is crazy. But what would you anticipate if
36:00
you're looking at need area makes the most sense to you,
36:02
Mitch? Yeah, Trent, it's really hard to
36:06
to predict that and the fact that who is the most Pro Bowl
36:14
ready type player in the nine spot in any of those categories,
36:19
running back included. So if you get another big time
36:25
offensive tackle, now all of a sudden you've got what the
36:28
Chargers have when they are healthy with a Josh Simmons, if
36:31
he comes back and then somebody that would be look like a Slater
36:34
slash all combination, any of that stuff, wide receiver.
36:40
And so I would say edge rusher if you had to make me, you know,
36:44
pin me to the mat. But they could also trade out of
36:47
that pick and get more. They need to find a 2022 draft
36:50
class here, boys. The Chiefs need a lot.
36:53
I think there's a bigger, bigger redo here than people realize.
36:56
Yeah, fascinating stuff. Reuben Bain.
36:58
Remember the last time the Broncos picked night?
37:00
They got Patrick Sir Tan. So that spot can work out, no
37:03
doubt about that. I'm anxious to hear that little
37:05
nugget that you found Mitch that you teased a second ago.
37:09
I think the league has changed dramatically this year, maybe
37:12
the last couple of years and it's been camouflaged and that
37:17
is the fact that teams are 8 of the top nine teams in time of
37:23
possession or in the playoffs. And the only team that's not
37:26
it's Tampa Bay and they were within seconds of being in the
37:29
playoffs. What's happened in this league,
37:31
can in Trent is that the league is now backed up to being ball
37:37
control, short passing game. The Broncos are exhibit A of
37:42
this play to your defense. Don't turn it over and try to
37:45
win games 21 to 17. That's what this league has
37:49
become and no one's talking about it because people aren't
37:52
doing this lining up in 2 back and running ISIS and leads and
37:56
powers. They're doing it with passing
37:58
formations, but basically doing it to control the game and
38:03
either run the ball or throw a short passing game.
38:06
It's 8 minute drives. You hopefully get a touchdown.
38:09
It's where the Chiefs, I think, had one of their biggest
38:12
deficiencies in the fact that I could walk you through the
38:15
season with teams playing like this against them.
38:18
The Chargers are playing this way, New England's playing this
38:21
way, Houston's playing this way. To some extent.
38:24
Denver's really playing this way in that Kansas City could not
38:29
get teams off the field at the critical moment on 3rd down and
38:32
long. The two Denver games are exhibit
38:35
A&B of that. The there was a Charger game in
38:38
Brazil, the Charger game and home.
38:39
I could just walk you through the season.
38:41
The Chiefs have got to get it figured out to get off the field
38:44
in 3rd and long if teams continue to play this way
38:47
because basically the margin is very thin.
38:49
And that goes back to your point, Ken, because teams are
38:51
playing that way, it is going, it's going to be even more
38:55
unpredictable. I think in the playoffs.
38:57
Grams are an exception. The NFC is not as much this way,
39:00
but the AFC certainly is the way.
39:03
Nobody's talking about it because it's camouflaged.
39:06
Matt Nagy, lot of interviews in front of him, Three different
39:08
teams have already inquired about him from the Chiefs
39:12
perspective. Obviously if guy wants a head
39:14
coaching job, you'd like to see it if he does make a move.
39:17
What happens at offensive coordinator?
39:19
Is there somebody internally or would they be looking outside?
39:23
Well, there was speculation, of course, with Cliff Kingsbury
39:26
mutually parting ways with Washington.
39:29
That's his that's Patrick Sirtans old college coach.
39:31
Patrick, Stan Patrick, you got me going on Sir Tanny, Patrick
39:35
Mahomes old college coach. So I think there's a variety of
39:38
ways you could go if Nags does get offered or takes one of
39:42
these jobs. One thing that's a story that
39:45
people haven't talked about again here, Trent, is that Nags
39:49
and or Kafka have always been there for Pat.
39:52
Nags actually was Patrick's Mahomes, his caddy in 2017.
39:58
We essentially redshirted. He played Augusta without ever
40:00
playing the Masters. They were playing it every day
40:02
in practice rounds. That was Naggy.
40:05
Naggy left. But there was Kafka already
40:07
there. Kafka left.
40:09
Naggy came back fired by the Bears.
40:12
So could this be the first time Patrick hasn't had either Naggy
40:16
or Kafka? Or does Kingsbury come back and
40:19
relive Patrick's college career? That's where I think fans have
40:23
got to understand where the Chiefs go is that who is the
40:28
best going to fit with Patrick Mahomes right now in his career.
40:32
Minute left. Let's give it to our fine
40:33
sponsors at Papa John's throughout the state of Iowa.
40:36
They do so much and they make this possible.
40:38
And Trent and I and our audience are grateful.
40:40
Mitch. Oh yeah, I'm so I just love to
40:43
be aligned with them. You know, we'll give specials
40:45
throughout the year, but they are special and I love to be
40:50
connected with Tom and Matt Donaldson and their managers of
40:54
the stores of Papa John's throughout the state of Iowa.
40:57
They love the state, They love their customers, they love their
41:02
people, there's great retention and they also love sports and
41:07
they love football in specific. So they they're just more to
41:11
those guys than selling pizza and gals and I love it.
41:15
The fact that you guys are talking about them statewide now
41:17
because they are have a statewide influence that as we
41:20
close out this year, I do want to just give a gigantic tip of
41:25
the cap to the Donaldsons and Papa John's of Iowa because of
41:30
what they do for the state in so many ways.
41:33
And so thanks for giving me the opportunity.
41:35
Love being along with you guys. I get tons of feedback about it
41:38
and there'll be a very interesting offseason coming up.
41:41
We'll talk to you.