Best wishes to the UNI Panthers vs. Kansas in the NCAA 2Nd Round!

The sole banner carrier for the MVC in the 2010 NCAA Tournament is the University of Northern Iowa this year. The Panthers won a first round game 69-66 with a three pointer with less than five seconds to knock off #8 seed UNLV.

Next up: #1 seed Kansas in the Midwest Region 2Nd Round game from Oklahoma City in the NCAA Tournament.

Column: UNI looks, plays different - Topeka Capital Journal
All seven of UNI's previous NCAA Tournament games were decided by five points or less. But KU also will be the first No. 1 team the Panthers have ever faced ...
Keeler: UNI's Eglseder to face Kansas' lane clogger - DesMoinesRegister.com
Center stage: Big men Eglseder, Aldrich ready for battle - KUsports
Kansas' Cole Aldrich finally has to pick on someone his own size - USA Today

Recap of Thursday's UNI men's win over UNLV in Oklahoma City ...

Northern Iowa Ekes One Out Against UNLV - New York Times ‎
Northern Iowa extended its lead to 58-51 with 6:31 left. Just when it looked as if the Panthers would build a lead too big for a Rebels' comeback, UNLV ...
Final: Northern Iowa 69, UNLV 66 - ESPN (blog)
Farokhmanesh's long-distance dedication rewarded in UNI upset - SI.com

Battle of former Creighton teammates in Women's NCAA Tournament kicks off. Nebraska coach Connie Yori and UNI coach Tonya Warren were teammates of coach Bruce Rasmussen's Creighton women's teams in 1983 to 1986. The #1 seed Nebraska Cornhuskers will face #16 seed UNI Panthers in the women's tournament this weekend. Both, Iowa and ISU women will play as well.

NCAA women's basketball: Nebraska's Yori shares past with UNI's Warren -Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
In college, they shared a backcourt at Creighton and became the only women's basketball players to have their jersey numbers retired by the school. ...
(Neb.)-#1 Seed Lady Huskers Face #16 UNI In NCAA 1st Round Sunday - KCSR
Notes: Huskers welcome unfamiliarity - Omaha World-Herald

peace

Final comment: The Todd Lickliter era is over in Iowa City at the University of Iowa. It has not been a pretty three years in the Big Ten for the Hawkeyes. The women played well, but the men's program experienced the poorest overall season in Hawkeye history and finishing #9 in the Big Ten and capturing home-home wins over the Indiana Hoosiers wasn't enough for another year for Coach Lickliter in Iowa City. The coaching search is on.

Sagarin Ratings for Week 2: Iowa #23 and UNI #65 in Football

Okay, do we will think Florida is only #11 in the Country after Week 2?

Nope, but Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa get love. - Sagarin Ratings

USC #1

BYU #2

Florida #11 what?

PSU #17

Iowa #23

Arizona #29

UNI #65

Michigan State #67 ouch!

Iowa State #122

peace

Iowa adds in-state verbal commitment to Class of 2010 in Football

HawkeyeReport.com reports in a headline titled Hawkeyes add in-state commit.

"The Iowa coaching staff seems to have a knack for finding players that are
flying a little under the radar. That is exactly what Huxley athlete Austin Vier
was doing until this past week when he put on a show at the Hawkeyes' camp
earning himself a scholarship offer. Shortly after, the 6-foot-7, 220-pound
Vier, who runs a 4.65 forty, gave his verbal commitment." - Luke Feddersen

Austin Vier becomes sixth verbal commitment for the Class of 2010 and second in-state commitment for the class.

The Iowa Hawkeyes open the 2009 season at Kinnick Stadium on September 5, 2009, when the Hawkeyes face the University of Northern Iowa. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 9-4 season overall (5-3 in the Big Ten). UNI was 12-3 in '08 and finished runner-up in the FCS division.

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After 20 seasons on PAT natural grass, Kinnick Stadium unveils FieldTurf for '09

In 1989, Coach J. Hayden Fry's Iowa Hawkeyes opened the season on new P.A.T. natural grass vs. Oregon. In 2009, Coach Kirk Ferentz's Hawkeyes will open the season vs. the University of Northern Iowa on new FieldTurf. Kinnick Stadium will unveil a new surface for the first time in twenty years.

Link from Hawkeye Sports site

The Gazette wrote an article on May 29 titled "PHOTOS, VIDEO: New-look FieldTurf unveiled at Kinnick Stadium" by Scott Dochterman.

A look at the old PAT field:

The construction at Kinnick Stadium this past May. Some fans wanted to see more logos on the field. The marketing department unveiled a jig saw picture earlier in the month piece by piece on the official web site for the football program.

The Hawkeyes will look to have a stronger performance than past upgrade seasons, like 2005, 1989 and 1972, when Kinnick Stadium made major upgrades to the stadium, including new press box and sky box seating (2005), returning to natural grass (1989) and putting in an artificial surface (1972).

Of course, improvements in the 1950s at Kinnick Stadium provided some outstanding dividends, as Iowa won two Rose Bowls, during that era. After finishing 5-3 in the Big Ten, 9-4 overall in '08, the Hawkeyes will work to move up the conference ladder this fall for Coach Ferentz and his staff. Iowa's last BCS appearance was after the 2002 season under Coach Ferentz and their last Rose Bowl appearance was after the 1990 season under Coach Fry.

peace

January 25, 2009 - One Week from Super Bowl XLIII

Leaving church this morning, I visited briefly with a women, who like me was heading out to her car... I commented about the weather and said hello, her initial response was...

"What are we going to do with no football?"

So, I asked her who she was rooting for for the Super Bowl? She said, "I am University of Northern Iowa graduate." We didn't' have to say anymore about that one.

I have always enjoyed the Pittsburgh Steelers back during the 1970s and early 1980s under coach Chuck Noll. But, as a Cedar Rapidian and Iowan, I have to go with the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII (that's 43, if you don't know your Roman numerals). After all, Arizona starting QB Kurt Warner is a native of Iowa, a Cedar Rapids Regis graduate (now a middle school) and one-year starter for the University of Northern Iowa Panthers (now home of my oldest).div>

What are we going to do with no football?

I'll leave that for another day, since we have college football signing day approaching in early February. And, we still have the game of the year in professional football next Sunday. Let's welcome in Super Bowl XLIII week tomorrow.

Today, I'll relax with some classical music and the arts tonight.

peace