TCF Bank Stadium Univ of Minnesota

The first time the Hawkeyes have played football outdoors in Minnesota since the 1980 season. The comforts of the Metrodome weren't looking too bad as workers were shovelling snow from the seats of the new stadium, and ice was being picked at on the mid-field logo.

New TCF Bank Stadium

The Iowa Hawkeyes didn't end the 2010 season where many had predicted them at the beginning of the season. Their fifth loss of the season took place at the newest stadium in the Big Ten, TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of Minneosta. Below are some of the images from the new venue and the surrounding area.

One of the only college stadiums that doesn't run North - South. TCF runs more East - West to allow spectators a view of downtown Minneapolis.

Williams Arena is home to Gopher basketball, wrestling and volleyball. One of the oldest basketball facilities in the Big Ten.

Mariucci Arena is home to Gopher men's and women's ice hockey.

TCF is located across the street from William Arena and Mariucci Arena.

Not the real Floyd. Apparently they have missed him for quite some time that any pig would do.

Me and Goldy. The only reason I can give you for why I did the above picture is that he was there and I already had my picture with the Syracuse Orange.

Gary and Ed ready to take to the air on the Hawkeye Sports Network.

A more entertaining game taking place at half time.

Located throughout TCF Bank Stadium is a list of all of the credentials handed out on a gamely basis, and where each pass allows to the holder to roam. So throughout the lower level of the stadium the picture of Mike Grimm is everywehre. Grimm, former WMT announcer and play by play voice of the Iowa Women's Basketball team, he is now calling the action of Tubby Smith and the Minnesota men. Above is Mike showing everyone at TCF what a credential looks like.

Sun sets on downtown Minneapolis. The Hawkeyes lost and Floyd of Rosedale will reside in the Twin Cities until October of 2011, if not later.

Floyd Heads to Minnesota.

To the chants of "Who hates Iowa?...We Hate Iowa" Floyd of Rosedale was paraded around TCF Bank Stadium by the Golden Gophers following a 27-24 victory over the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes finish the regular season at 7-5 and await their bowl future.

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TCF Bank Stadium

Workers were busy clearing the snow from the seats of TCF Bank Stadium on the campus of Minnesota. Saturday's game with the Iowa Hawkeyes is the first played outdoors between the two schools in Minnesota since 1980--as the warm indoors of the HHH Metrodome played host for the Gophers between 1982 and 2008. Sunny skies and temps in the 20s are expected.
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Happy Thanksgiving

Three F's are common on Thanksgiving--Food, Family and Football. For the first time since 2001 the Iowa Football team plays the Saturday after Thanksgiving meaning a working holiday for players and staff of the Hawkeye team. Those members of the video staff who can't make it home will join us for some turkey and football on the tv. Above, Floyd is thankful he gets to spend another Thanksgiving in Iowa.

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

College Football Week 12

Photo Courtesy nbcsports.com

This week we'll add a picture of the Nebraska Cheerleaders. We want to make sure Bo Pellini is unhappy with us....If Nebraska thinks the Big 12 isn't giving them any breaks in their last year of football with the conference, the Big 10 didn't do them any favors withe the scheduling in 2011. Games against Kansas and Colorado are replaced with Wisconsin, Ohio State, Penn State as well as in-division rivals such as Michigan, Michigan State and Iowa. After that, Lawrence and Boulder may not look so bad.....Wisconsin has had the opportunity to put style points up against a few teams this year. It isn't a given this Saturday when Northwestern travels to Madison. But Ohio State hosts a porous Michigan Defense, and it shouldn't surprise anyone if the Buckeye Offense looks to impress against the rival Wolverines......This is the first year the Big Ten has extended their regular season until Thanksgiving weekend. Among the reasons for doing this is to help prepare conference teams for bowl season. Once the 2010 bowl season is over, it will be interesting to see how different the conference teams look compared to that of past years.

Night Out on the Town

Since the Gophers and Twins have left the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, the popular stop on the way to the games may have taken a hit in popularity. Huberts was the place to stop before or after many of the events at the downtown sporting venue.

Generally a packed place prior to most of the sporting events, Huberts is a great place to grab a sandwich with a cold refreshment while waiting for kick off or the first pitch.

Many photos of Minnesota's greats line the walls inside. Outside during the Summer months has various tables to enjoy the Minnesota Summer air.

Senior Day for Video Students, too.

Saturday at Kinnick Stadium was Senior Day for 26 Iowa Football players. But they weren't the only ones experiencing their last trip to Kinnick as a member of the Iowa Football team. The Iowa Video Staff also had two students who were shooting their last game in Iowa City.

Erick Tjarks of New Sharon and Kyle Yoder of Lone Tree were recognized at the Johnson County I Club breakfast on Friday and again in front of more than 70,000 over the replay board.

Erick has spent over two years as a member of the video staff, with Yoder concluding his third season. These are the ones who spend the fall afternoons shooting practice from one of the many lifts at practice as well as braving the elements on to give the coaches the video necessary to teach and coach from.

A Video Guy in the Making

After observing the video guys shoot practice at Kinnick Stadium last Thursday, my son Colin decided he could be like one of Daddy's video guys. However he was missing a valuable piece - the tripod. We decided to make a trip to Best Buy to price one for him, letting him know that Santa would arriving soon and he could ask for one from him. That wasn't good enough as he was willing to spend his own money. The next night Mom took him back to Best Buy where they found one originally opened, and now discounted. He proudly walked grabbed the tripod and proceeded to the check out stand.

Now with his still camera attached to it, he is preparing to "shoot a video" when the video guys come over for Thanksgiving dinner.

Gary and Ed IA v OS '10 Highlights

A few of the highlights from Saturday's Iowa - Ohio State game as seen from the Iowa Learfield Radio Booth. Gary Dolphin and Ed Podolak on the call.

A Big Thank You to Hawkeye Sports Properties for allowing me to place a camera in their booth.

Hawkeyes lose for second straight week.

The Ohio State Football team celebrates their Kinnick Stadium win with their fans and leave Iowa City with a 20-17 Big Ten victory. The loss for the Hawkeyes take them out of title consideration and will be playing Minnesota in one week to hold onto the Floyd of Rosedale trophy.

College Football Week 11

This TCU cheerleader looks like she knows her team will make the BCS Title Game. One thing we have learned is that it is a long season, and games played on Championship Saturday (1st week of December) find a way to make things interesting....Heisman ballots were mailed to the voters today. If Cameron Newton is the favorite to win the award, will voters select him now, or wait until the end of the season to see fi he is eligible.....This week Northwestern takes on Illinois is a game that is crammed into historic Wrigley Field. While I have been a propenent on this site for Iowa to be the first team to play in Wrigley Field, it may be the best idea to let someone else break in the Friendly Confines. Locker rooms were built in the early 1900s with little room expected for the participating footbal teams.
ball teams. The walk for the team is long from the locker room and the home team is dressing in Evanston riding the "EL" to Wrigley.

Senior Week

The last home week of every Iowa Football season is a sentimental one. It is the last time the senior class will play in front of their adoring fans at Kinnick Stadium and there are many events that lead up to that final day. Today the Senior class sat down in front of the camera to record a video that will be shown to the team the night before this week's Ohio State game. The video has every senior answer, "What Does It Mean to be an Iowa Hawkeye?"

This is a tradition that started in the second year for Head Coach, Kirk Ferentz. On Monday each senior takes a few minutes to answer the question, it is edited during the week and then shown at the team meeting Friday night. The video is also shown at the annual Iowa Football Awards Banquet in December. This year's highlights the 26 seniors which will also be honored Saturday before the game.

Night Out on the Town

No trip to Evanston is complete without a stop in Mustards Last Stand. Mustards is across the street from Ryan Field and has become a must-stop for football fans.

A small little shop, it produces great hot dogs big on taste. It will create the hot dog Chicago Style or just with ketchup or mustard. It doesn't matter either way, each gives full flavor, and one doesn't seem to be enough.

In a day when Northwestern ranked among the worst in Division I football, visiting team personnel would find a way to get in a hot dog or two before travelling out of town following another convincing win.

Photos from Ryan Field

Saturday's Iowa road game wasn't one of the more memorable trips to the Windy City. It was a rainy, windy, dreary day on Chicago's North Side which found the Hawkeye on the losing side. But it was the first time since 1985 Ryan Field was a sell out for a team other than Michigan or Ohio State, and the Hawkeye fans showed up in full support of their favorite team. Below are some of the sights from the day.

Early in the day the Chicago skyline was bearly visible over the top of Ryan Field in Evanston.

I called them the One Tree Hill gang, but (R-L) it was Chad, Michael, Derek who accompianied me on Saturday from the video staff. I'm off to the left.

It was the Chicago Skyline to the south, but Lake Michigan was only a few blocks to the east of Ryan Field. Just beyond the field past the Northwestern locker rooms is Welsh - Ryan Arena, the home to the university's basketball teams as well as the annual Midlands Wrestling Tournament. On top of the Northwestern football locker rooms is a scaffolding that lets ESPN and each visiting team shoot an end zone shot. Before the locker room was built, that shot was taken from the top of Welsh - Ryan Arena, and in 1995 it was a cold spot to shoot from as the game time temperature was 2F.

At halftime Rob Brooks of Learfield Radio Network interviews Iowa Football Coach, Kirk Ferentz.

A closer look at the scaffolding. On the lower level is the Northwestern replay board camera with ESPN on top in the middle. Northwestern takes the far top position as Michael is on the near side.

Aside from the bowl game, the Iowa Marching Band and Dance Team makes one road trip a year. Saturday the Iowa Dance Team had to deal with the rain and wind.

Northwestern students stormed the field following the upset of #12 Iowa. It was the last game of the 2010 season at Ryan Field. This Saturday Northwestern hosts Illinois at Wrigley Field

Cats over Hawkeyes

Northwestern students storm Ryan Field following the 21-17 upset of the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes dropped a ten point second half lead evaporating conference title hopes.

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Sights of Bloomington

From my first trip to Bloomington in 1992 until 2008 the Iowa Football team would stay at a resort just to the south of town near Lake Monroe. In 2008 the team moved closer to the stadium, only a block away. But this last trip the Hawkeyes stayed just off the downtown square at a Hilton Garden Hotel.

It was definitely an eye opening experience to see what the downtown square had to offer. And it is a sqaure much similar to one found in many Iowa small towns. Walking around I wouldn't know if I was in this college town or Oskaloosa, Iowa. At the center of the square is the county court house, reminiscent to the courthouse seen in Back to the Future.

Many college towns are known for their lively art scene. The Indiana Theatre is just off the square but home to many smaller productions and muscial acts. Surrounding the theatre are many coffee shops, speicalty food shops and book stores. 

On the square are different clothing store options for all ages, sexes and  attire. Many different restaurant options are available. Italian, sandwich, and family restaurants are also shared by the many small bars and pubs.

But the college atmosphere isn't far away. Only a few blocks away is Nick's English Hut, one of our destinations in 2008. It is the oldest bar in Bloomington and the center of the student crowd.

End of an Era

Monday ESPN announced the Sunday Night Broadcasting Team of twenty years will not return for 2011. Jon Miller and Joe Morgan have been the voice of the weekly game of the week since NBC lost its rights after the 1989 season. Back then many of us became accustomed to the sounds of Vin Scully and Joe Garigola (or Tom Seave in '89) as one broadcasting team or Bob Costas and Tony Kubek as the other. Following that year, ESPN was the only network that promised a game of the week with a broadcasting crew that remained consistent.

Whether or not you liked the controversial Joe Morgan, Jon Miller became the voice of baseball. The Saturday game of the week on Fox brings us Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, but Miller is the voice of ESPN as well as the San Francisco Giants. Buck and McCarver have no other local team responsibilities which makes Miller special. He takes us back to someone like Scully who also worked the Dodger games with his NBC responsibilities.

Morgan will not be missed and can be replaced, but Miller is a baseball voice that will hard to be replaced.

Night Out on the Town

There is nothing like a small town bar. And the smaller the town, the more important the bar becomes to the members of the community. It takes on more of an identity than just a place for the adults to relax at the end of the day, but it can be a place of all ages to congregate. The Melsha Tap in Swisher is a place much like that.

Melsha is the ideal place to watch the Hawkeyes with friends, play cards, or to escape from the annual Swisher Days in August. My experiences have always been welcoming; relaxing with common Iowans.

College Football Week 10

It was Senior Day Saturday for the Indiana Hoosiers as it was their last game of the season at Bloomington's Memorial Stadium. Their last "home" game is against Penn State at Fed Ex Field in Washington D.C. Judging by the late arrival this past weekend, I don't foresee the home of the Redskins providing much of a home field advantage for the Hoosiers...The month of November will be full of Senior Days for the Iowa Hawkeyes. This past Saturday was the final game at Memorial Stadium for the Hoosiers. This upcoming Saturday will be the final game for the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field. Their final "home" game is at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs a week later. The Hawkeyes return home for their last game at Kinnick Stadium, followed by the season finale at Minnesota for both teams....And the Hawkeyes have played the most games against top 25 teams in 2010. They are 3-2 with wins over Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State; losses to Arizona and Wisconsin...

Hawkeyes Escape Bloomington

A fourth quarter touchdown and a stop on fourth down allowed the Iowa Football to leave Bloomington, Indiana with a 18-13 win.
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Friday in Bloomington

A cool cloudy windy day greeted the Iowa Football team as they visited Memorial Stadium in Bloomington Indiana. On Saturday the Hawkeyes take on the Hoosiers in a Big Ten battle at 11am on the Big Ten Network (Direct TV 612). Here Iowa Head Coach, Kirk Ferentz talks with Athletic Director Gary Barta outside the Iowa locker room.

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Iowa City Game Days

Football Saturdays are special whether you visit a college campus in the Big Ten or the Iowa Intercollegiate Conference. Alumni, boosters, students and fans come out in support of their local team. In the Midwest, the crisp Autumn afternoons with the leaves turning their colors and collecting on the grassy lawns that also collect cars and host the hot grills is a trademark of many college campuses. Iowa City is no different creating a special feel for a home Hawkeye game.

Kinnick Stadium sits off Melrose Avenue, the main artery which brings Big Ten fans to watch their top 20 team. Melrose lines a small neighborhood called University Heights consisting of many residential houses and condos as well as a church and a corner restaurant. Since my first day of attending Hawkeye Football games in the 1970s, the walk down Melrose hasn't changed to today. Fans continue to use St. Andrews Presbyterian Church for parking, tailgating and restrooms, and small souvenir shops line the final block before seeing the giant venue for the first time.

Across from Kinnick Stadium to the south is a long line of various food stands. The Iowa State Fair lasts for ten days in August, but the food booths continue every Saturday during the football season. While corn dogs on a stick may be the popular item at fair time in Des Moines, in Iowa City Hawkeye fans prefer "Meat on a Stick."

Grills constantly crank out burgers, dogs and brats with the smoke rising above the University Heights tree line. Hawkeye fans have a wide variety of meats to choose from as well as those that publicize them as the state's largest.

The long line of stands begin at the corner of Melrose Avenue and Melrose Court where the WMT Bumper Brigade grills the best home grown pork sandwiches from the local pork producers of Eastern Iowa to the Game Day Iowa clothing stand near the entrance of the Hawkeye Express.

However the most notable of tailgating fare are the "Big Ass Turkey Legs." Iowa fans proudly walk Melrose Avenue enjoying the large legs of turkey meat. Obviously Iowa fans don't buy the motto of "You are what you eat."

While the University of Iowa may not be the agricultural school in the state, the Hawkeye tailgating scene doesn't pale in comparison to the food stands found at the Iowa State Fair.

Bernstein: Why Are We Not Angrier At Brian Kelly? « CBS Chicago – News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, and the Best of Chicago

Bernstein: Why Are We Not Angrier At Brian Kelly? « CBS Chicago – News, Sports, Weather, Traffic, and the Best of Chicago

College Football Week 9

Courtesy SportsIllustrated.com

The Oregon Football team earns it high ranking atop the College Football world, but these ladies look determined to earn a high ranking as well...After watching the Oregon - USC game last Saturday, did anyone else think what the post-season bowl ban of Southern California will do to the USC Song Girls?....If TCU wins at Utah this Saturday, are we setting up a third straight year Boises State plays the Horned Frogs in a bowl game? In 2008 the two met in the Poinsetta Bowl, and a year ago they met in the Fiesta. Assuming the BCS will pair two teams from qualifying conferences, we may see a rematch of the top two from the non-BCS conferences....Confident Hawkeye fans are cheering hard against Wisconsin every week....Can anyone tell me why the Big East and ACC automatically receive BCS bids? Winners of those two conferences should be paired against each other in the Poinsetta.

Night Out on the Town

Not necessarily thought of as a restaurant you would go for a night out, Crepes de luxe Cafe may be the ideal location for either breakfast or lunch.

Formerly a transit cart located in Iowa City's Pedestrian Mall, this little crepe shop moved to its current location of 309 E. College St in Iowa City nearly a year ago. And unless you weren't looking for it, you would pass it by as it blends in with the other specialty shops in the downtown area.

A wide variety of crepes are offered, but I went with the basic Nutella. Made to order while you wait, it had the smell and look of any one of the shops you would purchase the same crepe in Paris. But if you are willing to try something a little more daring fillings can include PB&J, Spinach, Cheese, Egg, Chicken, Ham, Turkey, and Ground Beef.

Look for them on Facebook along with the other housewives that frequent the little shop.