Iowa Heroically Leads Conference to Victory in ACC/Big Ten Challenge
by Adam Jacobi on Dec 2, 2009 11:37 PM CST
in Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball
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PrintFor the first time in the matchup's 10-year history, the Big Ten has won their annual battle with the basketball-obsessed ACC this season. And for that, they can thank... the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Granted, if you want to be all technical about it, Iowa didn't "win" their part of the series, having lost to perennial powerhouse* Virginia Tech. We're not so sure the Hawkeyes didn't lose on purpose.
Hear us out.
Had Iowa selfishly and short-sightedly won their game, the series would have stood at a deceptive 4-2 lead for the Big Ten coming into today. John Wooden Todd Lickliter, ever wise beyond our comprehension, knew such a lead would have a deleterious effect on the conference's remaining teams, lulling them into a lethal complacency.
After all, with a two game lead in their back pocket, does Illinois expend the energy necessary to storm back from a 23-point deficit? Does Wisconsin not cede just a couple more points to Duke in the second half? Does Ohio State even bother to show up against Florida State?
We submit that they do not. In fact, were it not for Iowa reminding the conference of its own fallibility, a five-game ACC sweep tonight would have been all but certain.
As Todd Lickliter would say if he were made of John F. Kennedy molecules, "ask not what your conference can do for you, ask what you can do for your conference." That, naturally, includes throwing the game.
So yeah, Iowa lost to Virginia Tech last night. YOU'RE WELCOME.
*strictly in football, mind you, but the fact remains.
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OPS, your sense of humor...
amid this trying time of Iowa basketball, is like a membership in the jelly-of-the-month club. It is a gift that keeps on giving to all Iowans.
I watched several portions (mediacom sucks) of the ISU-UNI game tonight. Both of them should curb-stomp Iowa by 20 to 25 points. Which means, Iowa will play hard in both games, have a lead at some point, and then lose each game by 9 to 20 points.
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
Yeah
We’ve won our game 5 times and it never worked out for the league to win the challenge, so we decided to go the other way this year—to great success.
Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Dec 3, 2009 8:08 AM CST up reply actions
Help me out here...
At what point did Northern Iowa emerge as the premier basketball powerhouse in the state of Iowa?
Also, OPS, brilliant as usual.
"I am so proud to be your coach." -Paul Rhoads
Probably about...
the time they made four out of 6 NCAA tournaments. Which was about the time that Alford was covering for a rapist.
(Sorry, I’m a UNI grad, and a fan of both UNI and Iowa, so this is one of those rare chances to be a bit indignant.)
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Dec 3, 2009 9:53 PM CST up reply actions
In all seriousness
that UNI-ISU game tonight showed more of how ISU was getting waaayyyyy too much hype about a week ago before the NW loss and the loss tonight and how cyhawk is right in the sense that UNI is clearly the best team in the state right now
"I just don't catch very well." - Shonn Greene
The thing is...
you could probably make a good argument that Drake and UNI have been the premier programs in the state for the past 4-5 years — ever since that year Iowa won 25-odd games and had their NCAA Tournament appearance disappear into a fog of mystery (WHICH IS TOTALLY WHAT HAPPENED DAMMIT). And no offense intended to Drake or UNI, but that’s a pretty scathing indictment of the Iowa and Iowa State programs.
Drake was really only good for one year
As someone who grew up going to Drake game, it was a lot of fun, but it will likely never happen again, or at least not for another 30 years or something UNI has been the best program in the state for awhile now though.
That's true.
Although Drake has been better for the most part for the last 3-4 years, I think.
(sob)
I liked the part where Duke lost.
"I don't know. I don't know. [waves hand dismissively] First, you'd have to tell me what a 'BCS' is. I don't know."
+1
Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Dec 3, 2009 8:09 AM CST up reply actions
+1
for deleterious.
"For me the game wasn’t grounded in reality. It was about the uniform you put on that turned you into a warrior. It was about the mythology of the battle, the victory, the defeat, the struggle." - Mike Reid, PSU '69
I didn't catch that earlier. Thanks for pointing it out.
And thank you , American Cannibal Society for that TMYK reminder.
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Dec 3, 2009 3:05 PM CST up reply actions
Knowing is half the battle
And cannibals knowing leads to half the Talor Battle
It never gets to be easy
by chitownhawkeye on Dec 3, 2009 4:24 PM CST up reply actions
+1
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Dec 3, 2009 4:33 PM CST up reply actions
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