Final Hawk Talk

As one who is unable to attend a Hawk Talk during the Iowa Football season, I decided I would take the family to the final call-in show of the 2009-10 athletic season. And in the main room of the Mexican restaurant Carlos O'Kelly's, Iowa play by play man Gary Dolphin and engineer Kevin Dolan were joined by Hawkeye basketball coach Todd Lickliter. It wasn't a large crowd, but the basketball version of Hawk Talk has never been a huge draw, but it was some of the most loyal fans and friends of the program.

Tommy from Des Moines was one of the earliest callers. And as he was introduced to the patrons a few applauded as they knew whatever was on his mind would be heartfelt. Tommy lives for the call-in shows, whether they are with the coaches of the state's universities, or of the general post-game variety. Tommy doesn't miss an opportunity to speak his mind to the entire listening area.

And there sat Dolph. Every week Gary drives ninety minutes from his Dubuque home in all sorts of weather to take questions from the most loyal of fans, some educated, some not. But after a while what is left to be asked. He knows on this night there may not be as many calls. The team is enduring its worst season in years and the passion for the basketball team wanes, but Dolph put on his best broadcast face and knows he will have to carry much of the ninety minute show. Gary can find a way to turn a simple question into an in-depth, thoughtful prose covering many different angles.

On this night Todd walked in with his wife who sat with friends. He found his way to the head table during a caller who felt the head Hawk needed to adjust his strategy for not only the upcoming Big Ten Tournament, but into the upcoming season. Todd listens and knows the questions won't be easy, but what is when he is as disappointed as anyone with a team at 10-21 with the Michigan on the horizon in round one at Indianapolis.

This was the final Hawk Talk and the next one will have a more festive atmosphere to it. It will feature Kirk Ferentz as he talks with the fans about the upcoming football season. Although the Hawks will not have played a game the expectations will be high. The Iowa fan base is expecting great things. They want to put this basketball season behind them. And Tommy will be busy in the next five plus months to put together his first question...first out of many.

Being the Coaches Son

The responsibility of being the child of a coach can be difficult. When times are good, the player is just another member of the team. However when times are tough, scrutiny abounds.

Recently there has been much criticism of the playing of John Lickliter, the son of Iowa Men's Basketball coach, Todd Lickliter. An argument is that John isn't good enough to play at the Big Ten level. Another is that Todd plays his son too much making it difficult for him to compete in the rugged Big Ten.

No matter what the level of competition, when times may be rough, the role of the coaches son is a difficult one. The son is an easy target. It gives fans another person to vent their anger at for disappointing times. And the same fans can criticize the coach for favortism. It happens at all levels.

A year ago was my first year of coaching T Ball, allowing me the opportunity to coach my son Colin. When I was his age, my dad was the girls basketball coach at our high school. My two sisters were each coached by him, making me jealous not getting that same chance. But I did whatever I could to assist him at practice as well as on the bench. My sisters didn't want to disappoint their father and would practice more than some on the team. One would put their letter jacket, stocking cap and mittens on and get some extra shooting in on the gravel driveway outside our home. Of course having our dad as the coach, we also had the access to the school's gym throughout the year. We took it seriously. But when times were tough, my sisters would have to listen to fans and parents complain about their amount of playing time compared to those of the others on the team. Some parents would find any way to vent their frustration. The practice of videotaping games was something new, but the moms and dads quickly learned that they could voice their opposition onto the built in mic on the camera. Of course my dad found the volume button could be used to his advantage as well.

Now was my turn to coach my son and that relationship isn't lost with the younger ages. Before my first game I was to hand out jerseys for every member of the team. Small sizes were #s 1 - 8 and medium sizes were #9 - 14. Without thinking I handed the first jersey to the closest person, which was my son and now for the rest of the year he was #1. By the time the second shirt was handed out I had heard the first comment, "Oh, sure, the coaches son gets #1." And the comments didn't cease there. I was reminded when he would be stationed at the pitcher's position.

The criticism doesn't change at the college level. Todd and John are dealing with it. A satirical story ran on a Des Moines television station on John's talent level. Todd is also dealing with the possible favortism on Todd's part to play his son. If this season had been more successful, there would've been less talk, and satirical pieces such as this one may have brought some smiles to faces rather than frowns. But after years of watching other parent's sons play for his team and those he recrutied, he now has the opportunity to spend time with John, whose playing time should diminish in the following years as Todd builds his team with upcoming recruits. John will continue to be on the bench, travel with the team, and more importantly spend time with his dad that he has missed growing up.

John will continue to hear the criticism. Whether it is from the media, fans, or friends who look for a way vent their anger at the losing record of the team, John will work to improve and play an improved role on the team. And despite this growing experience, do you think John regrets signing up for this? Definitely not. I'm sure he would do it all over again.

(Special thanks to the Des Moines Register for the picture)

Hawks vs the Conference

The Iowa basketball team has had their share of obstacles recently. Some players have decided to transfer for reasons outside of head coach Todd Lickliter's control, and the fan support in Carver Hawkeye Arena has brought some of the worse crowds during its history. But the Big Ten hasn't done Lickliter or its fans any favors with the advent of the Big Ten Network. The Network dictates the start time of many of Iowa's games which has resulted in home tip offs that began at 7:30 or later. This late start time has kept people at home to watch on tv. But the latest issue has to do with a basketball school that rarely sells out its own football games.

This Sunday the Hawkeyes travel to Bloomington, Indiana to take on the home town Indiana Hoosiers. Originally the game was to start at 4pm CT to be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. However there is a conflict in the Hoosier State as the NFL team just up the road, the Indianapolis Colts will be close to finishing their game for the right to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. The move in start time is to accomodate fans of both teams. Now the Hawks and Hoosiers will tip it off at 5pm CT.

A similar situation occurred earlier this season as the Hawkeyes travelled to Champaign for a match-up with the Illinois Fighting Illini. That same night the Hawkeye football team played Georgia Tech in the 2010 Fed Ex Orange Bowl. The Iowa administration requested a change in dates to allow their fans to watch both games, but since the game's rights belonged to Illinois, there was no change in date for the basketball game.

One could argue there isn't a big difference in starting the Iowa - Indiana game an hour later, but the Hoosiers aren't the team that's travelling. This means the Hawkeyes will spend another hour in a hotel while Indiana can relax in their familiar surroundings. And Iowa will also arrive in Iowa City at least an hour later than originally scheduled. And that hour can mean much during the dead of winter. All so fans of a basketball school, who cannot sell out their own home football games, can watch the Colts in the AFC Championship game.

The Big Ten allows its network the authority to start the games whenever viewership permits, even if that means at the worst possible time for the Hawkeye fans. But when a conflicts arises, the Big Ten conference takes a step back and tells the institutions to work it out themselves, yielding the final verdict to the home team. That is what is unfair. The conference office needs to do what is in the best interest of the student-athletes and the fans as well as giving each school a fair opportunity,