Tag Archives: football

Penn State: To cheer or not to cheer

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There’s an interesting tie between a fan and their team. It’s fascinating to hear a normally logical person lose all sense of reason when speaking about the quality of their favorite team on and off the field, court, ice or stadium.

It’s like listening to a mother speak about how good their kid is, while visiting them in prison.

The NCAA came down hard on Penn State. Bowl games, tens of millions of dollars, 111 Paterno victories and the warm, fuzzy feeling Nittany Lions’ fans had when using the “Success With Honor” motto PSU generously bestowed on itself were all taken away.
I’m not here to question the penalty. I’m here to ponder the idea of cheering for a program which has committed such atrocities.

Before we crucify any fan who continues to cheer on Penn State, one must ask what it would take for their own beloved team to be so despicable, cheering for them to win would hurt.

Could the Minnesota Twins do something so awful, it would require backs to be turned on them? After all, they are responsible for one of the most horrifying acts in all of baseball. The Twins allowed Nick Punto to have a career and people still keep showing up.

I digress.

But, honestly, is the Nittany Lion uncheerable thanks to an athletic department becoming blind and deaf for a couple decades?

College is a whole different ballgame. Fans not only see a team, but a place where they found a calling, grew up and called home for four or so years. It is tough to suddenly stop cheering for the success of something like that.

I know of people who wouldn’t say, “White Sox” because they lived during the Black Sox scandal, but I wonder, if they were alive to see the 2005 World Series, if their voices came back.

It’s one thing to make sure a team does not get a dime out of one’s pocket by not buying merchandise or going to games. But to say fans shouldn’t want a team they loved for years to win is easier said than done.

There are bounties in all professional sports

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I hate to be the bearer of bad news to all those wholesome thinkers out there, but athletes in contact sports get paid to do horrible things.

A boxer gets paid to literally knock a person unconscious, a hockey player gets paid to smash another person’s body against glass and football players get paid to knock one another to the ground.

What is the difference between a hit meant to hurt and a hit meant to…well…hit?

The New Orleans Saints have gone a tad overboard what with having a ledger apparently commending players for “cart offs” and “whacks” in their bounty scandal. Didn’t they learn anything from “Casino” or “The Untouchables”? Never keep a book.

Nevertheless, is a safety or linebacker really thinking, while a play is developing, whether or not the tackle they are about to make is going to get them a “cart off” or a “whack”? These are split-second decisions and moves by NFL players, not mobsters planting a car bomb.

It’s sick to think that people would get paid for hurting other people, but what if that’s your job? Athletes do things the average person physically cannot do or mentally can’t stomach, so where do we draw the line between an athletic play and a play meant for pain?
The whole Saints scandal smells like it is going to go around in circles with pointed fingers and players saying, “Hey, it wasn’t me,” just as the steroids issue in MLB has played out.

So, let the long annoying games begin.

Players involved in the Saints scandal would be smart to follow their roided brethren and deny, deny, deny until proven guilty.

If proven guilty, and for some reason you believe you still have a chance at the Hall of Fame, see Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds for further instructions on how to lie in a court of law.

If you’re insane, speak another language and feel you have a chance to get in the Hall of Fame, see Sammy Sosa for further instructions on how to forget the English language. Bleach may be required for that transformation.

If you’d like to just own up to your mistake and move on with your life, see Andy Pettitte or Jason Giambi on how to just admit to doing something wrong.

Either way, I’m sitting this one out. I’ve seen this movie before.

The NFL draft is out of control

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The NFL draft has simply lost its mind. It’s too long, too loud and too obnoxious.

It’s bad enough the sporting world must choke down the NFL year-round via the NFL Lives of the world, but now we have a three-day footballapalooza breaking down players we may never hear from again. I’d rather turn off sports and watch NASCAR than hear how a tall player is “long,” how a good wide receiver has “soft hands,” how an offensive lineman has “quick feet,” how a quarterback has “football sense,” how a running back is “elusive” or have Jon Gruden idiotically inform me of just how much of a “football player” each athlete, who literally just got selected to be paid to play football, actually is.

I also can do without New York Jets’ fans booing any pick the Jets take, along with offensive linemen never receiving any kind of reaction because no one at the draft knows who they are.

Give us a breather from the season and perhaps the NFL draft would justify taking three days, but that is not the case.

We’re told the NFL is the biggest and most followed sport in the country, which is true. Baseball may be the country’s love, but football is the country’s blood. But why is that?

Could it be because no sport is easier to be called a “fan” of than the NFL? Dedicate three hours a week, learn the coach and quarterback’s name and you are suddenly a diehard NFL fan.

Here is every call in it to a radio show regarding the NFL:

“Boy, I can’t stand (insert quarterback or coach’s name here). They should bring back (insert old quarterback or coach’s name here).”

The NFL draft is too loud and too obnoxious because it plays to its audience. There is no worse following than the NFL following (cue comments with the word “passionate” in them).

Of course there are many intelligent NFL fans, but, as a whole, the general population of fans is just looking for something to talk about at the water cooler the next morning. We’ve all had the awkward conversation with a fellow football “fan” where you know the person doesn’t know what they’re talking about (usually they will say things like “Yeah, but he’s a winner” or talk about trading the quarterback of his team referring to the team as “we” and incorrectly pronouncing the name of the quarterback) and you can either choose the high road and kind of agree or start an argument. It isn’t enjoyable.

In order to talk about a football team, you should have to name three offensive linemen on the team. Unfortunately, since that is not the case, we will continue to have things such as the judgement of quarterbacks solely by looking at interceptions rather than wide receivers, offensive linemen and coaching and things of that nature because the dumber fans always look for the easiest answers rather than the correct ones.

And the dumb fans are always right because they are louder and there are more of them.

With irritating things such as the NFL draft, the NFL is making it easy to hate the NFL.

Minnesota West students give back to the community

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Jeff Linder thought something strange was going on.

Three of his Minnesota West football players were in his office, asking to borrow jerseys — months before football season begins.

“They all three came to me one day and asked if they could borrow a jersey,” the Minnesota West head football coach said. “I looked at them, and asked, ‘Why?’ I had no clue what they were getting at here, and it’s something you just don’t give out. They said, ‘We would like to clean up your community for you and show that the program is behind the community.’ I’ll be honest with you, I about fell over. You don’t just have kids — kids that have no ties to the community other than the college — want to do something to help the community. I’m sure it was to let the community know that the football program and its players are behind the community. I’m so proud of them.”

Demetrius Nealy, DeCarlos Wood and Sebastian Ordonez spent two hours Saturday morning cleaning up around Lake Okabena.

“We took it upon ourselves to ask coach if we could get our jerseys to show more recognition to let people know that we are really here,” Wood said. “We really want to do something to help the community, and not just to go school and play football. We make a name for ourselves and show what the Bluejays are really about.”

The trio of college students spent from 10 a.m. until noon on a gorgeous Saturday to give back to the community.

“It’s a Saturday. You want to sleep in and chill and relax and stuff like that,” Wood said.

But the three weren’t sleeping. Instead, they were picking up trash.

“We picked up some trash and took sticks out of rocks and stuff,” Wood said. “We kept everything looking smooth and looking like it was new. We saw dead animals and fish and stuff but we didn’t touch those. We let them know and let somebody else come get them. We did a lot of cleaning and stuff.”

The trio didn’t find anything too unusual, but did have their share of dead animals.

“We found a big bass and a dead bird,” Wood said. “Last year, they told me they found a dead beaver, which surprised me. I was like, ‘They have beavers over here?’ It was crazy.”

The three are freshmen on the Bluejay football team. And all three are from Florida.

“I’m so proud of them,” Linder said. “To have young men who want to do something like that just because, to help out a community they are a part of because of college, but have no ties here other than the college. It says a lot about these young men. It’s just exciting to have kids like that. It’s more than just playing football. It’s more than just getting an education. It’s about fitting in and showing people in the community they are now living in, that they do care.”

While the clean-up efforts were taking place all around Lake Okabena, the three MW students were concentrated on the grade.

“It’s funny because they’re not local and using the term grade around Worthington, they kind of looked at me funny,” said Genny Turner, who helped get the volunteers organized. “Eventually I sent a couple more of the lake association volunteers down in that direction, and so what’s really nice is they kind of walked along one side and really kind of went down and cleaned right along the shoreline, even in the water. At one point, I drove by and I had to chuckle because they said, ‘Man, there’s a lot of dead fish.’ I don’t think they really expected they would find that.”

Campus marketer Amber Luinenburg sent an e-mail to everyone in the Worthington campus, planting the idea into the player’s heads.

“The e-mail said that anyone could come, whether it be athletic teams, so me and the rest of the guys were like, ‘We might as well do that, too,’” Wood said. “We could get our names out there and get more fan support during the games next year and let them know that we are involved in the community like they are and try to get some support for next season.”

At home in Florida, Wood had done other community projects.

“Back home, I was in a group leadership club,” he said. “I learned that from back home, and it’s good to have community. It’s better to give than receive. That’s something I’m used to and like doing.”

And their willingness to help and volunteer is just an example of what Minnesota West as a college — and Linder as a coach — try to instill in their student-athletes.

“I’m proud of them. I tell them that every time I’ve seen them in the last two days,” Linder said. “Even when they picked up their jerseys on Saturday morning, I about started to give them hugs. It just says a lot about their character, and that’s the kind of character we try to instill in all of our young men.”

A BCS approach to life

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The NFC won’t have a representative in the Super Bowl this year.

Instead, the AFC will play a championship, with the winner taking home both trophies.

Sure, the lowly NFC teams can play for their own trophy. But everyone will know it’s the second tier. It’s not “the real thing.”

Would anyone actually agree to that?

Absolutely not.

But, in the same sense, that’s what college football is doing to Boise St.

For the past two weeks, the Broncos have held the No. 2 spot in both polls.

But, in the only poll that matters — the BCS — they are on the outside looking in.

Here’s the kicker. Boise St. is undefeated.

Apparently, the competition they play isn’t good enough.

What would happen if that philosophy would be applied to other sports?

With Super Bowl favorites like the Vikings, Saints and Cowboys struggling, and the plain debacle that is the NFC West, the NFL playoffs would look a little different than they do now.

Let’s take the top eight teams, regardless of conference, and let them play for the Super Bowl.

After the Giant’s win on Monday night, the NFC has a mere four of the top 12 teams in the league. Well, since that means the NFC has teams with worse records, obviously those teams with four and five wins don’t mean too much.

The AFC has 54 wins this season, including an 0-for from Buffalo. The NFC has 50. By using the BCS formula, the NFC wins aren’t good enough. Sure, some NFC teams have beaten AFC teams, but that doesn’t seem to matter here.

Shoot, Boise St. beat Virginia Tech — which is 6-2 overall and 4-0 in the ACC — even Oregon St. — which defeated Arizona — but those aren’t “good enough” wins.

Let’s look at the baseball playoffs using the BCS formula.

Instead of taking the division winners and the wild card teams, lets handicap the divisions as well.

 Divisions with “better” wins get more playoff teams.

For example, in the American League, the East division averaged 86.2 wins amongst the teams. The Central was at 79.8 and the West at 78.

In the National League, the East averaged 83.2 wins, the West 82 and the Central — thanks to the Pirates — 77.

So, by using the same concept, the NL East gets two teams, the Phillies and Braves. The West gets two teams, the Giants and the Padres.

 The Reds, who actually qualified for the playoffs? Sorry, your 91 wins were comprised of too many victories against the Pirates, Cubs, Astros and Brewers — all teams with losing records.

In the AL, the East gets two, the Rays and Yankees. The Central gets two, the Twins and White Sox.

The West? None. Because you play in a division where only one team is above .500, you’re wins aren’t “good enough” either.

Of course, the Rangers won that division. And look, they are in the World Series.

Interesting concept. The best team plays in one of the worst divisions.

What would actually happen if this was real? Teams would jump ship. They wouldn’t want to play in a division with the Royals, Mariners or Pirates anymore. Instead, they would join “super divisions” made up of only the best teams.

Sound familiar? It should. That’s what’s happening to college football. Boise St. is jumping ship. The Pac 10 and Big 10 are expanding to become even more relevant in the college football landscape. And why not? The BCS forces teams like Boise St. to bigger and better conferences.

We all love an underdog. Who doesn’t love seeing an upset during March Madness, or get a little misty-eyed when watching “Rudy”? College football doesn’t let us root for the underdog.

Boise St. doesn’t deserve to be No. 1. I’ll admit that. But when they were No. 3, and Oklahoma — which previously held the top spot — falls, the Broncos should be No. 2. They shouldn’t have been jumped by Auburn.

Are the Tigers a good team? Yes, no doubt about it. Is Oregon (which lost to Boise St. a year ago) deserving of a No. 1 ranking? Possibly. The Pac 10 isn’t what it used to be, but they are beating up on teams like they don’t belong in the same league.

Sound familiar? It should. Boise St. is doing the same thing.

The Broncos have done everything asked of them in the past few years. They have done nothing but win, and win big. This year, they already have wins against Virginia Tech and Oregon St. A game with ranked Nevada awaits, but if something isn’t corrected soon, a one-loss team — like Alabama — could even overtake Boise.

Bottom line, the system in flawed.

My only hope is they find a long-term solution soon, something that gives every team a chance, just like the NFL or MLB playoffs.

But before that can happen, the Broncos need a chance.

They deserve it.

Final football polls released

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Minneapolis (AP) — The Associated Press 2010 season final state high school football polls, first-place votes in parentheses, record and total points as voted upon by a statewide panel of prep sports writers:

Class 5A

School Total Points Prv

1. Wayzata (4) (6-0) 49 2

2. Blaine (8-0) 41 3

3. Eden Prairie (7-1) 39 1

4. Rosemount (1) (8-0) 37 4

5. Cretin-Derham Hall (7-1) 33 5

6. Mounds View (7-1) 18 8

7. Rochester Century (8-0) 17 9

(tie) Brainerd (8-0) 17 7

9. Stillwater (7-1) 15 6

10. Shakopee (8-0) 9 10

Others receiving votes: None.

Class 4A

School Total Points Prv

1. St. Thomas Academy (7) (8-0) 79 1

2. Mankato West (1) (8-0) 68 2

3. Rogers (8-0) 58 3

4. South St. Paul (8-0) 54 4

(tie) Totino-Grace (7-1) 54 5

6. Becker (7-1) 37 6

7. St. Paul Central (8-0) 35 T7

8. Mahtomedi (6-2) 16 9

(tie) Bemidji (7-1) 16 10

T10. Delano (7-1) 9 NR

T10. Sartell (6-2) 35 T7

Others receiving votes: Marshall 5.

Class 3A

School Total Points Prv

1. Albany (6) (8-0) 60 1

2. Rochester Lourdes (8-0) 54 2

3. Dassel-Cokato (7-1) 48 3

4. New London-Spicer (7-1) 40 4

5. Holy Family Catholic (8-0) 35 5

6. De La Salle (7-1) 29 6

7. Virginia (8-0) 24 7

8. Pine City (8-0) 20 8

9. Glencoe-Silver Lake (6-2) 12 9

10. Pequot Lakes (7-1) 5 NR

Others receiving votes: Fairmont 2, St. Anthony 1.

Class 2A

School Total Points Prv

1. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown (6) (8-0) 60 1

2. Eden Valley-Watkins (8-0) 54 2

3. Moose Lake Willow River (8-0) 45 3

4. Caledonia (8-0) 44 4

 5. Breckenridge (8-0) 35 5

6. Triton (8-0) 31 6

7. Ottertail Central (8-0) 23 7

8. Jackson County Central (7-1) 20 9

9. Pierz (7-1) 9 10

10. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton (7-1) 5 NR

Others receiving votes: Luverne 2, Morris 1, Braham 1.

Class A

School Total Points Prv

1. Springfield (3) (8-0) 39 2

2. Barnesville (1) (8-0) 36 1

3. Browerville (8-0) 32 3

4. Mahnomen (8-0) 29 4

5. Dawson-Boyd (7-1) 22 6

6. Minneota (7-1) 21 5

7. New Ulm Cathedral (7-1) 17 7

8. Blooming Prairie (6-2) 10 9

9. East Central (7-1) 9 8

10. Le Center (7-1) 3 NR

Others receiving votes: Barnum 1, Warren-Alvarado-Oslo 1.

Class 9-MAN

School Total Points Prv

1. Nicollet (5) (8-0) 59 1

2. Goodridge Grygla-Gatzke (1) (9-0) 53 2

3. Edgerton Ellsworth (8-0) 50 3

4. McGregor (8-0) 40 4

5. Stephen-Argyle (9-1) 34 5

6. Wheaton (8-0) 32 6

7. Ada-Borup (7-1) 24 7

8. Cook (7-1) 12 9

(tie) Grand Meadow (7-1) 12 8

10. Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley (7-1) 10 10 O

thers receiving votes: Spring Grove 2, Mountain Iron-Buhl 1, Lanesboro 1.

Football polls, Oct. 13

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Minneapolis (AP) — The Associated Press state high school football polls for the week of October 13, first-place votes in parentheses, record and total points as voted upon by a statewide panel of prep sports writers:

Class 5A

School Points Prv

1. Eden Prairie (9) (6-0) 90 1

2. Wayzata (5-0) 80 3

3. Mounds View (6-0) 70 4

4. Rosemount (6-0) 57 5

5. Blaine (6-0) 54 6

6. Stillwater (5-1) 40 10

7. Cretin-Derham Hall (5-1) 39 2

8. Brainerd (6-0) 26 8

9. Rochester Century (6-0) 25 9

10. Shakopee (6-0) 7 NR

Others receiving votes: Andover 6, Hopkins 1.

Class 4A

School Points Prv

1. St. Thomas Academy (7) (6-0) 98 1

2. Mankato West (1) (6-0) 85 2

3. Rogers (6-0) 76 3

4. Mahtomedi (1) (5-1) 71 4

5. Totino-Grace (5-1) 64 6

6. South St. Paul (6-0) 50 7

7. Sartell (5-1) 33 8

8. St. Paul Central (6-0) 23 9

9. Becker (5-1) 22 5

10. Bemidji (5-1) 13 10

Others receiving votes: Northfield 8, Delano 7.

Class 3A

School Points Prv

1. Albany (9) (6-0) 100 1

2. Rochester Lourdes (6-0) 89 3

3. Glencoe-Silver Lake (5-1) 77 4

4. Norwood-Young America (6-0) 63 5

5. New London-Spicer (5-1) 58 6

6. Holy Family Catholic (6-0) 48 7

7. Dassel-Cokato (5-1) 42 8

8. De La Salle (5-1) 23 10

9. Virginia (6-0) 21 9

10. Pine City (6-0) 14 NR

Others receiving votes: Pequot Lakes 10, Sibley East 3, Thief River Falls 2.

Class 2A

School Points Prv

1. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown (8) (6-0) 90 1

2. Eden Valley-Watkins (6-0) 80 2

3. Luverne (6-0) 70 3

4. Moose Lake Willow River (6-0) 58 4

5. Caledonia (6-0) 57 5

6. Breckenridge (6-0) 44 6

7. Triton (6-0) 36 T8

8. Ottertail Central (6-0) 26 T8

9. Jackson County Central (5-1) 14 10

10. Pierz (5-1) 9 9

Others receiving votes: Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 3, Maple Lake 3, Braham 2, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 2.

Class A

School Points Prv

1. Barnesville (2) (6-0) 64 2

2. Springfield (3) (6-0) 62 3

3. Browerville (6-0) 46 5

4. Mahnomen (6-0) 43 4

5. Minneota (1) (6-0) 39 1

6. New Ulm Cathedral (5-1) 37 6

7. Fosston (5-1) 28 7

8. Dawson-Boyd (1) (5-1) 23 NR

9. Adrian (5-1) 18 8

T10. Blooming Prairie (4-2) 12 10

T10. East Central (5-1) 12 NR

Others receiving votes: Le Center 1, Cedar Mountain/Comfrey 1, Red Lake County 1.

Class 9-MAN

School Points Prv

1. Stephen-Argyle (8) (6-0) 80 1

2. Grand Meadow (6-0) 67 2

3. Nicollet (6-0) 64 3

4. Edgerton Ellsworth (6-0) 58 4

5. Goodridge Grygla-Gatzke (6-0) 49 5

6. McGregor (6-0) 42 6

7. Wheaton (6-0) 32 7

8. Littlefork-Big Falls (6-0) 20 10

9. Ada-Borup (5-1) 15 NR

10. Underwood (5-1) 5 9

Others receiving votes: Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 4, Spring Grove 2, Floodwood 1, Hillcrest Lutheran 1.

Football polls released for Oct. 6

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Minneapolis (AP) — The Associated Press state high school football polls for the week of October 6, first-place votes in parentheses, record and total points as voted upon by a statewide panel of prep sports writers:

Class 5A School Record Total Points Prv

1. Eden Prairie (5) (6-0) 68 1

2. Cretin-Derham Hall (2) (5-0) 64 2

3. Wayzata (4-0) 55 3

4. Mounds View (5-0) 48 4

5. Rosemount (5-0) 37 6

6. Blaine (5-0) 36 5

7. Andover (5-0) 29 7

8. Brainerd (5-0) 17 9

9. Rochester Century (5-0) 15 10

10. Stillwater (4-1) 8 NR

Others receiving votes: Shakopee 5, Edina 2, Eastview 1.

Class 4A School Record Total Points Prv

1. St. Thomas Academy (8) (5-0) 98 1

2. Mankato West (1) (5-0) 86 2

3. Rogers (5-0) 75 4

4. Mahtomedi (1) (4-1) 70 3

5. Becker (5-0) 61 5

6. Totino-Grace (4-1) 51 6

7. South St. Paul (5-0) 40 7

8. Sartell (4-1) 21 10

9. St. Paul Central (5-0) 15 NR

10. Bemidji (4-1) 9 NR

Others receiving votes: Alexandria 8, Delano 4, Northfield 4, New Prague 3, Chisago Lakes 2, Grand Rapids 1, St. Michael-Albertville 1, Waconia 1.

Class 3A School Record Total Points Prv

1. Albany (10) (5-0) 100 1

2. Pequot Lakes (5-0) 86 2

3. Rochester Lourdes (5-0) 82 3

4. Glencoe-Silver Lake (4-1) 70 4

5. Norwood-Young America (5-0) 53 5

6. New London-Spicer (4-1) 44 6

7. Holy Family Catholic (5-0) 36 8

8. Dassel-Cokato (4-1) 32 9

9. Virginia (5-0) 15 10

10. De La Salle (4-1) 14 NR

Others receiving votes: Milaca 9, Pine City 4, Thief River Falls 2, Blue Earth 2, Sibley East 1.

Class 2A School Record Total Points Prv

1. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown (8) (5-0) 80 1

2. Eden Valley-Watkins (5-0) 71 2

3. Luverne (5-0) 65 3

4. Moose Lake Willow River (5-0) 54 4

5. Caledonia (5-0) 47 5

6. Breckenridge (5-0) 39 7

7. Triton (5-0) 28 T8

8. Ottertail Central (5-0) 24 10

9. Pierz (4-1) 18 T8

10. Jackson County Central (4-1) 5 NR

Others receiving votes: Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 2, Maple Lake 2, Southland 1, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 1, Braham 1, Lewiston-Altura 1, Hawley 1.

Class A School Record Total Points Prv

1. Minneota (6) (5-0) 60 1

2. Barnesville (5-0) 53 2

3. Springfield (5-0) 46 3

4. Mahnomen (5-0) 42 4

5. Browerville (5-0) 39 5

6. New Ulm Cathedral (4-1) 30 6

7. Fosston (4-1) 19 7

8. Adrian (4-1) 16 10

9. East Central (4-1) 6 NR

T10. Blooming Prairie (3-2) 5 NR

T10. Le Center (4-1) 5 NR

Others receiving votes: Dawson-Boyd 3, Cedar Mountain/Comfrey 2, Royalton 2, Red Lake County 1, Barnum 1.

Class 9-MAN School Record Total Points Prv

1. Stephen-Argyle (6) (5-0) 60 1

2. Grand Meadow (5-0) 49 3

(tie) Nicollet (5-0) 49 2

4. Edgerton Ellsworth (5-0) 43 4

5. Goodridge Grygla-Gatzke (5-0) 33 6

6. McGregor (5-0) 31 7

7. Wheaton (5-0) 23 10

8. Floodwood (5-0) 10 NR

9. Underwood (5-0) 9 8

T10. Littlefork-Big Falls (5-0) 6 NR

T10. Spring Grove (5-0) 6 NR

Others receiving votes: Hills-Beaver Creek 4, Ada-Borup 3, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 2, Hillcrest Lutheran 2.

A Cyclone shootout?

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I hate to even admit it.

As a die-hard Iowa Hawkeye fan, I’ve been trying to keep my weekend activities a secret.

But I suppose there’s no reason to hide it anymore.

I went to an Iowa State football game.

A college roommate of mine still lives in Ames, Iowa, and with his wife away for the weekend, wanted to have a “guy’s weekend.”

Of course, how could I say no to that?

We had talked earlier this year about the possibility of going to a game sometime. Although I’m not a Cyclone fan per se, I don’t root against them.

Except when they are playing the Hawks, of course.

But the problem with college football is the timing.

Most games begin at 11 a.m. Unless, of course, they are on TV, which can push the start time back to 2:30 or even a night game.

Let’s just say that Iowa State is very rarely a national game of the week, so I had kind of lost hope I would attend a game at Jack Trice this season.

Until, this weekend.

It was family weekend. Great for all the college kids who get to see their parents and (hopefully) get a free meal at a nice restaurant out of the deal.

But it was even better for me. With the activities going on that day, it meant Saturday’s game would begin at 6 p.m.

The problem with an 11 a.m. game in Ames was the drive. To make kickoff, I’d have to leave before 8. With the full slate of prep football games on Fridays, I don’t usually return home until 1:30 or 2 a.m. I don’t do mornings very well the way it is, but after a late night, being up and on the road before 8 would be impossible.

Instead, a 6 p.m. game allows me to work on Friday, sleep and still make the trip to Ames.

I arrived in the city of ISU around 3 Saturday afternoon, where a bean-bag game awaited me.  A quick meal and we were off to the game.

ISU was hosting Texas Tech. I knew I’d be in for a high-scoring, exciting game.

I figured it would be from the Red Raiders.

I was wrong.

I was correct when I assumed I’d see a shootout.

There were 90 combined points and more than 900 yards between the two teams.

But what shocked me — and everyone else in the stands — was the final score:
ISU 52, Tech 38.

Quarterback Austen Arnaud threw four touchdown passes for the Cyclones and two different running backs had more than 100 yards rushing.

Both shockers.

The game was closer than the score indicates. Late in the game, Red Raider quarterback Taylor Potts (who threw for 377 yards) led his team to a score.

But what happened was something no one could believe.

On the ensuing onside kick, ISU somehow came out of the pile with the ball. But that wasn’t the end of it. They not only recovered the football, but returned it for a touchdown.

In the end, the Cyclones scored 50 points for the first time in eight years, and 52 was the most they’ve ever scored in a Big 12 game.

And I was there, five rows up in the balcony on the 45-yard line.

I just hope the home-team victory is something that continues for me this fall.

Because, in a couple weeks, I will be in Kinnick, watching my beloved Hawkeyes face Wisconsin.
And on that day, I hope I again see a 50-point effort from the home team.

New football polls released

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Minneapolis (AP) — The Associated Press state high school football polls for the week of September 29, first-place votes in parentheses, record and total points as voted upon by a statewide panel of prep sports writers:

Class 5A
School Total Points Prv
1. Eden Prairie (7) (5-0) 88 1
2. Cretin-Derham Hall (2) (4-0) 82 2
3. Wayzata (4-0) 72 3
4. Mounds View (4-0) 62 4
5. Blaine (4-0) 49 5
6. Rosemount (4-0) 48 6
7. Andover (4-0) 33 7
8. Minnetonka (3-1) 24 8
9. Brainerd (4-0) 18 9
10. Rochester Century (4-0) 9 NR

Others receiving votes: Hopkins 4, Champlin Park 2, Stillwater 2, Shakopee 1, Moorhead 1.

Class 4A
School Total Points Prv
1. St. Thomas Academy (7) (4-0) 88 2
2. Mankato West (1) (4-0) 77 3
3. Mahtomedi (1) (3-1) 68 6
4. Rogers (4-0) 66 4
5. Becker (4-0) 53 5
6. Totino-Grace (3-1) 47 1
7. South St. Paul (4-0) 30 7
8. Waconia (4-0) 25 8
9. Alexandria (4-0) 15 10
10. Sartell (3-1) 12 9

Others receiving votes: St. Paul Central 5, Chisago Lakes 5, Delano 2, Bemidji 1, St. Michael-Albertville 1.

Class 3A
School Total Points Prv
1. Albany (11) (4-0) 120 2
2. Pequot Lakes (4-0) 107 3
3. Rochester Lourdes (4-0) 92 5
4. Glencoe-Silver Lake (3-1) 76 6
5. Norwood-Young America (4-0) 63 7
6. New London-Spicer (3-1) 50 1
7. Milaca (4-0) 44 9
8. Holy Family Catholic (4-0) 37 10
9. Dassel-Cokato (3-1) 34 4
10. Virginia (4-0) 12 NR

Others receiving votes: De La Salle 5, Breck 5, Staples-Motley 4, Pine City 3, Thief River Falls 2, Sibley East 2, Minneapolis Washburn 2, Waseca 2.

Class 2A
School Total Points Prv
1. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown (9) (4-0) 100 1
2. Eden Valley-Watkins (4-0) 88 T2
3. Luverne (4-0) 72 T2
4. Moose Lake Willow River (4-0) 65 4
5. Caledonia (4-0) 58 7
6. Lewiston-Altura (4-0) 51 9
7. Breckenridge (4-0) 44 10
8. Pierz (3-1) 19 5
(tie)Triton (4-0) 19 NR
10. Ottertail Central (4-0) 10 NR

Others receiving votes: Southland 5, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva 5, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 4, Jackson County Central 3, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 3, Windom 3, Braham 1.

Class A
School Total Points Prv
1. Minneota (8) (4-0) 80 1
2. Barnesville (4-0) 68 3
3. Springfield (4-0) 63 4
4. Mahnomen (4-0) 59 5
5. Browerville (4-0) 49 6
6. New Ulm Cathedral (3-1) 34 9
7. Fosston (3-1) 29 2
8. Royalton (3-1) 25 T10
9. Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City (3-1) 18 T10
T10. Adrian (3-1) 4 NR
T10. Canby (2-2) 4 NR

Others receiving votes: Blooming Prairie 3, Le Center 1, East Central 1, Fillmore Central 1, Barnum 1.

Class 9-MAN
School Total Points Prv
1. Stephen-Argyle (8) (4-0) 89 1
2. Nicollet (4-0) 77 2
3. Grand Meadow (4-0) 70 3
4. Edgerton Ellsworth (1) (4-0) 65 4
5. Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley (4-0) 56 5
6. Goodridge Grygla-Gatzke (4-0) 43 6
7. McGregor (4-0) 37 7
8. Underwood (4-0) 22 8
9. Hills-Beaver Creek (4-0) 17 9
10. Wheaton (4-0) 11 10

Others receiving votes: Floodwood 6, Littlefork-Big Falls 1, Ada-Borup 1, <