Iowa sends some quality players to the NFL again

By Jeff Orvis

Okay sports fans. Our long, dreary wait is almost over! The scanning of the TV dial for coverage of the combine, draft, reruns of last year, etc. is about to come to an end. The NFL begins its ultimate trek to the 50^th Super Bowl with the first preseason game a week from now in Canton, OH.

Aside from my total allegiance to the Chicago Bears, when I am watching a game with other teams involved, I try to scan the team rosters to find players who played their college ball in the state of Iowa. As the teams began opening their preseason camps, they published their 90-man rosters, showing who would be vying for spots on the regular season roster. The preseason rosters include the player's position, years pro and the college he attended. So for the past several years, I have poured over these rosters, in an attempt to answer the age-old question, “What ever happened to...?”

Each year, Iowa and Iowa State square off on the football field and for the week leading into the big game, there's a civil war waged in our fair state. I want to see all of our state teams do well, but I freely admit that my main loyalties lie with the Hawkeyes. I don't hate Iowa State, I just know which has historically been the dominant college program in our state and I like to go with a winner. How's that for firing the first volley across the bow?

But if you are visiting your favorite watering hole and a debate begins on which program is the better one, consider this: There are 52 players on preseason pro rosters who played college ball in our state. Thirty-nine are former Hawkeyes. Eight are from Iowa State, four are from Norther Iowa and one is from Coe. If you measure a program's success by the way the coaching staff prepares young men for a possible pro career, Iowa wins, hands down. Of course, if you want to see a team with the best potential for national recognition in the postseason, check out the guys at UNI.

The 52 players with Iowa ties attempting to earn a paycheck in the NFL this season are on 25 teams. Baltimore and Atlanta lead the way with four players each. There are 16 rookies listed. The gray beards with Iowa ties are Atlanta's Jonathan Babineaux, in his 11^th season and Minnesota's Chad Greenway, entering his tenth year. Both played at Iowa.

This state turns out a quality crop of linemen each year. The list this year includes 15 offensive linemen, seven tight ends and nine defensive linemen. There are also eight linebackers, three running backs, one quarterback, one wide receiver, six defensive backs and one kicker.

This is the time of year when dreams are made and dreams are shattered. If a team has 90 men in camp this week, by the opening of the regular season in September, more than 35 of those players will be looking for another profession. Multiply that by the number of teams in the league and you get some idea just how tough it is to make a pro career.

Historically, this state has provided some quality players who have had lengthy NFL careers. Heck, there are probably enough former pros in the Aplington-Parkersburg area alone to have an alumni group!

Here's hoping most of this year's group will cash those nice pro checks for several years to come!

The week that was

By Jeff Orvis

What a week we just experienced! Who would have thought when we began the week that by the end, our Supreme Court would have the courage to affirm what many of us already understood as the right thing to do, not once, but twice. Then our president represented all of us, whether we like it or not, in mourning the deaths of nine folks who were in a Bible study when they were gunned down by a young segregationist.

Such important events. So much to comment on. So many views and I already know that some of my friends will not share my opinion, but that's what makes this country great.

I don't pretend to understand all of the ramifications of the Court's decision on the Affordable Care Act. But it would seem that it at least partly affirms what has been in effect since the passage of what even the President now fondly calls “Obamacare.”

I believe that basic health care is a right, not a privilege. If you want a plastic surgeon to try to take a few years off your face, you should pay for it. If you are the victim of a fire and that surgeon works to restore your appearance to something similar to what you had before your accident, you should get that care, whether you can afford it or not. If you get cancer and you are facing drug costs of $100,000 a year to extend your life, you should have it.

Most of the rest of the modern world knows this. Why don't we? While this may be an over simplification, don't you think if we didn't have all those commercials and print ads touting every drug under the sun, prices would go down? If there were reasonable limits to malpractice awards for those drug companies and health care professionals, wouldn't there be less money needed in the system? If training for those health care workers was free and malpractice insurance was paid for, their salary structures could come down to a more reasonable level.

And of course, if we were all issued a health card by the government, the complicated, bloated health insurance industry would just fade away.

I've already written enough to make a lot of folks mad and just maybe more than a few of you are nodding your head in agreement. But time to move on to my next topic of the week.

When the Court ruled in favor of gay marriage, the reaction was immediate and loud. Some devout believers mourned the ruling. Some candidates who unfortunately use religion as a prop for their campaign were the most vocal, while they were secretly smiling because they now had more ammunition to gain campaign contributions and support.

When I heard the news, when the shock subsided, I was very happy. I should say here that I am a lifelong heterosexual. Some of my best friends and were and are female. But I also have some friends who choose a different lifestyle. Putting aside the Biblical questions for a moment, I recognize that they find most comfort with members of their own sex. Not for a moment do I question their devotion to their partners.

Amid the hundreds of people who instantly appeared on the steps of the Supreme Court to celebrate the ruling, a couple of moments made me tear up a bit. One of the men who sued the state of Ohio to allow his name to be placed on his partner's death certificate as his immediate next of kin, held up a picture of his departed partner and tried to explain what this ruling met to him. The other emotional moment came when an all-male chorus broke into a splendid spontaneous rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner.” It was their way of saying they were still proud to be Americans.

The ruling which seems to say we can no longer discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation brought to mind another time in our history. There was a time when women were not allowed to vote. There was also a time when people of different races were considered second class citizens in parts of this country. The Court's ruling blasted another stumbling block toward equality.

The other major event in this country this past week was a gathering of more than 5,000 mourners in South Carolina for the funeral of a young pastor. The funeral was attended by the president and vice president and their wives, along with several members of congress and other officials.

The President delivered a very moving eulogy, capped by his singing of “Amazing Grace.” It was a fitting tribute to the victim and his family and hopefully a comfort to a stricken community, state and nation. It also delivered a message to those misinformed folks who still maintain that our president is a Muslim. How many Muslims do you know that can sing that old spiritual with such emotion?

While President Obama may have been the first president to sing while speaking at a funeral, he is not our first Mourner in Chief. Unfortunately, wars and other tragedies have forced our presidents of both parties to be our spokesmen. We may not agree with their politics, those that I have observed over the years have represented us well.

We are in the last 18 months of this administration. This week showed that President Obama has a chance at a positive legacy. But that can only happen if the opposition will abandon its smokescreens regarding gay marriage and affordable health care and concentrate on dealing with the real problems we still face.

Some thoughts on Facebook posts

By Jeff Orvis

One of the gifts my parents left with me is the ability to see both sides of most issues. Another is the gift of optimism, what I like to call “The Glass is Half Full” outlook. These gifts served me well when I was in the news game. They have also helped when presidential election season comes around, which, unfortunately, has become a full-time thing.

I am fortunate to have many friends on Facebook. Quite a few of them don't share my political beliefs, some do. Sometimes I have been surprised at someone who finally comes forward to unveil a political belief that I never imagined they would have.

What has alarmed me recently is the venomous tone some who post on Facebook use when commenting on political figures. Sometimes they cite sources they are sure are truthful, while it shouldn't take more than an elementary education to realize its propaganda, not fact. Fox News comes to mind immediately. My remote finger skips right past that channel on my TV, because I truly believe that much of what they say is right wing junk. To be fair, I also realize that the apparent goal of MSNBC is to counter the Fox plague by going too far in the other direction. I don't spend much time on that channel either.

Getting back to Facebook for a moment, some of the posts look like they have been pulled off the front covers of such stellar pillars of the printed word as the National Enquirer and The Globe. One of the most recent posts indicate that First Lady Michelle Obama is about to be charged with treason. Another indicates that President Obama is the worst president we've ever had. Other posts long for the days of the second Bush administration, evidently posted by those with very short memories or those who still believe we should be fighting in the Middle East.

One post says Laura Bush was a classy first lady. I don't doubt that. She knew how to smile and stay in the background, raising her family. She is a stark contrast to our current first lady. Michelle Obama is not only very intelligent, a woman of the 21^st century, but she is serious about serving her country in partnership with her husband.

Remembering my mom's belief that there's usually more than one side to most stories, I respect some of those who don't agree with me. They are the ones who are undoubtedly more intelligent than I am and state their beliefs well.

Those opposed to my beliefs that make me sad and can even scare me are those who don't even try to contradict my beliefs with solid arguments. They're easy to spot. They're the ones who quite often misspell some of their posts. I suspect these folks went running for the nearest computer the night President Obama was elected. Had we elected a white man with the last name of Smith or Jones, you probably would not have heard from some of these people.

Remember what I said, I respect some people who don't agree with my political leanings. They are the kind of people I hope and pray are elected, if there is a changing of the guard in 2016. But as you begin to listen to the dozens of candidates over the next few months, please try to stay informed. Listen to the ones who, if they don't think the country is going in the right direction, will put forth ways to make things better, more prosperous and peaceful for all of us.

Maybe we will realize that President Obama was not the greatest president ever. But while history is the best judge, it's clear we've had worse. And don't expect to see his wife led out of the White House in handcuffs any time soon, despite what American News or Fox may tell you.

Prescription drug companies, are you listening?

By Jeff Orvis

In the past, I've commented on how corporations are cutting quantities of products, most notably in the grocery stores, in an apparent sneaky attempt to boost profits at the expense of consumers. When was the last time you were able to buy a one-pound can of coffee, apart from those trendy natural food places? Major brands have been cutting the number of ounces in their least expensive sizes for a number of years now.

There seems to be more water in a can of vegetables, more liquid in soup cans and even air bubbles in toothpaste tubes.

I realize companies are in it to make money. But what about integrity? Is this any way to reward customer loyalty?

My near constant companion these days is TV. It's the first thing I turn on when I walk in the door after being gone. I may not pay constant attention to what's on, but I've learned how to multitask with a baseball or hockey game on.

I have become a bit amazed at the number of ads for prescription drugs on shows at any time of the day or night. We've all heard horror stories about the high price of some prescription drugs. Big Pharma will try to tell you that those increasing costs are due to the costs of research of new medications. But I would bet we would all be amazed if suddenly these companies were forced to open their financials to public inspection. What do you think it costs to produce a thirty second TV ad on the nightly network news? Then how much does it cost to buy the commercial time?

What is especially appalling is how you will see an ad for gastrointestinal distress, for example and after spending 15 seconds extolling the qualities of the product, complete with a happy couple frolicking in a meadow on a picnic, you hear a voice telling you that certain people might die if they take this stuff, or at the very least, you will quit breathing or your nose will fall off. Of course, the companies were undoubtedly advised to say these disclaimers in their ads to avoid nasty lawsuits in the event that something goes horribly wrong.

What I've noticed is even as they are running through the possible side effects of their product, you still see the couples frolicking in the meadow, or paddling in a canoe or moms baking cookies with their kids. That way, the visual effect will make you want to use that drug and make you forget the warnings that are playing in the background.

I think somebody ought to make these companies hire actors to simulate the possible side effects of their drugs, while these warnings are being read. The first time a drug company has to portray certain bodily functions or show a person's nose turning black and falling off, the TV networks would have to decline to sell them air time.

At the end of these ads, you are urged to ask your doctor if this miracle drug is right for you. With the dwindling number of general practice physicians, they often have little time to explain what is wrong with you, let alone explain to some woman why a product to improve erectile function is probably not right for her. I've asked doctors if there is any good reason for their patients to suggest a drug they have seen advertised. The doctors usually shake their heads and roll their eyes.

The point is we are not doctors. We may know that we are not feeling well, but if you trust your doctor, wouldn't it make more sense spending his or her valuable time briefly explaining how you are feeling, then let the examination commence? Drug companies are trying to put pressure on doctors, through their patients, to sell drugs. If the TV and print ads suddenly disappeared and the drug companies went back to giving doctors free pens, an occasional meal or maybe even a vacation, I'll bet the cost of prescription drugs would plummet. The companies could also use part of their savings on some of that expensive research, giving their investors a dividend and bribing a congressman or two.

A little bit about a lot of sports

By Jeff Orvis

Anyone who has known me for any length of time will not be surprised with my admission that sports has and still does play a very important part of my life. As I begin my retirement adventure and realize I will have to watch my budget, I know that one of the last things I will be cutting is cable TV and internet access. As long as I have a roof over my head, a warm place to lay my head, batteries in my TV remote and my Kindle close by to keep track of my friends, I'm content.

Unlike some of the so-called “experts” I see on ESPN and other sports networks, I was never a star athlete. The extent of my participation included one season on the high school tennis team and another season on the high school golf squad. But even if I quickly realized I didn't want to spend Friday nights knocking heads in the fall on the football field or if I also realized I would never dunk a basketball (quit laughing, readers!), I maintained a strong interest in sports via working as a manager for the high school football, basketball and track teams.

I admire folks who spend years as devoted fans of specific sports, sometimes at the expense of much interest in other sports. As May approaches, we will once again discover that some people live and breathe horse racing. We are currently in the midst of college lacrosse season, drawing at least a few thousand spectators to some of their games. Those are two sports which interest me only slightly.

So I started thinking about what I like or dislike about my favorite sports. For what it's worth, here are my thoughts on some of them.

Baseball – If you think you could ever become interested in major league baseball, I prescribe a trip to Wrigley Field on a sunny, June day. Along with Fenway Park in Boston, it might be the last of what I call a “baseball cathedral.” Even with the many changes the park is undergoing, the ivy will soon be green on the outfield walls and the grass is already in midseason form. The players are young and hungry for a winning team.Third baseman Kris Bryant, one of the newest members of the Cubs, is a joy to watch as he plays the game with not only natural skill, but plenty of enthusiasm, respect and awe.

Football – In just a few days, the NFL will be hosting the annual draft of collegiate talent. Speculation on which team will draft which player has been running rampant for months, which should please the owners and commissioner, as the NFL is one of the biggest businesses going in this country. It still amazes me that on any given Saturday in the fall, there are undoubtedly millions of us in the stands at college games across the country. Several of the stadiums of the major teams seat 100,000 and are sold out far in advance. College game day is one of the best days of the week in the fall, whether you are tailgating in a stadium parking lot or making sure your refrigerator is well stocked for a full day of viewing on television.

 

Basketball – I really like watching college basketball. It was easy to watch this past season, as all three of the Iowa major universities had super seasons. In fact, two of the three women's teams also had exciting seasons. A lot of people like to watch the NBA. I haven't been very interested since Michael Jordan and his teammates retired. The pros, who play in excess of 82 games a year, just don't show much enthusiasm as their younger counterparts. Of course, they are paid to display what would be considered spectacular plays on the college level and do it each night.

 

Hockey – I am still not a big fan, although I am trying to be. It's hard for me to follow the fast moving little figures gliding on the ice on TV. In fact, I believe the best thing that has happened in recent years in making the sport more popular is instant replay and HD TV. Some commentators can spend hours each day discussing the play of certain players. The only thing I know so far is if a goalie lets the puck get by him very often, he's not having a good day. I really admire the abilities of good hockey players. I never could ice skate (again, quit laughing, readers!). The game moves fast and in recent years, there has been more good skating and stick handling and fewer silly fights in the game. And perhaps the best two singers of the National Anthem in sports are Wayne Mesmer for the Cubs and the guy who sings at Chicago Stadium.

Horse racing – With the Triple Crown about to begin with the running of the Kentucky Derby, my brief interest in this sport is piqued again. Great race horses and their jockeys are incredible athletes and I appreciate their abilities. Perhaps one of the best sports songs I've heard was sung by the late Dan Fogelberg. His “Run for the Roses” should be played all day on the radio on Saturday race day.

Auto racing – I've started watching NASCAR more often in recent years. I especially like to watch action on the super speedways, while I'm not really a fan of 43 cars racing 500 times around an asphalt half-mile track. You can't follow who's in the lead. Too many cars going too fast on a track more suitable for half the number of cars on a dirt surface at a county fair on Saturday night. The Indy car season will come into prominence later next month with the Indianapolis 500. Those cars aren't much bigger than some go-carts, but they go frighteningly fast. As with NASCAR, drivers and their crews must know much more than how to turn left. Many crews have engineers on their staff to make their cars go faster.

Golf - There was a time in my life when I could play 18 holes in 85 degree heat, walking the course. That was several decades ago. Then for several years, I attended the Quad-City Open, which became the Ed McMahon QC Open, then the Hardee's Open and most recently, the John Deere Classic. As a member of the press in those early years, I got to interview Tom Watson when he was a little known pro from Kansas City. I followed Fuzzy Zoeller and Lee Trevino around the course during a practice round. I even shook hands with the late, great Ed McMahon, as jolly in person as he was for years on the Tonight Show. Fast forward several decades and though the body will no longer allow me to tramp around the green meadows, I still appreciate the game. Televised golf is a good thing to watch while you are also doing a jigsaw puzzle on your Kindle or reading the Sunday paper. Again, instant replay is a godsend.

Soccer – It's supposedly the most popular sport in the world, mainly because it is played in many other countries besides the U.S. Any given weekend, you can tune into a European match, where up to 100,000 folks are maintaining a roar throughout the match. I'm convinced that enough beer and wine are consumed at those matches to float a small yacht. Soccer is another pasttime that is best watched while you are also doing something else. Don't worry, the announcer will scream “GOAL!!!” when something interesting happens. Trouble is, you might not hear that scream more than once or twice in a two hour telecast.

Of course, these are just a few of the sports in the world. Every four years, many of us become fans of snow skiing, figure skating, speed skating, track and field and numerous other sports at the Olympics. I think I'll save discussion on these and other sports for another time. Right now, the Blackhawks and the Predators are playing in a Stanley Cup playoff game out in the livingroom. I think it's time to go see if the Hawks can keep going on their bid for another Cup.

Fearless prediction time

By Jeff Orvis

Tradition is a great thing. There are a lot of traditions in the world of sports, but maybe none so anticipated as Selection Sunday leading up to the NCAA Men's basketball championship. This past Sunday seemed like an eternity as I waited for the announcement of the 68 teams that made the tournament field. After church, there were a couple of conference championship games, some NASCAR and even a little golf to fill the time until 5 p.m.

In past years, fans of teams in Iowa had to wait to see if their teams qualified for the tourney. This year, it was a bit easier, since all teams had such special seasons, we knew they would all be included. The only suspense came in trying to guess where, when and who they would play in the first round.

Iowa State will kick off the action of local interest when the Cyclones play the University of Alabama-Birmingham on Thursday at 11:40 a.m. That game will be on TruTV, one of four networks carrying the tournament. The Cyclones play at Louisville, which should enable a lot of their incredible fan base to make the road trip. I am first and foremost a Hawkeye fan, but I have to admit that the best fans in the state, by far are the Iowa State fans. When CBS was broadcasting the Big 12 Tourney finals last week from Kansas City, Brent Musberger had one of the best lines I've heard all season when he observed, “The City of Ames is on its feet in Kansas City!” A friend who travels to Kansas City each year for the tournament observed that Interstate 35 should have been renamed Iowa State 35 on the day after the tournament.

Our other two state teams will be playing in Seattle. Northern Iowa, a darkhorse for a Final Four spot, will face Wyoming on Friday at 12:40 p.m. The game will be on TNT. Then at 6:20 p.m., Iowa faces Davidson, also on TNT. Winners from Thursday games will play their second round games on Saturday and the Friday winners play on Sunday.

In a strange twist, if both Iowa and Iowa State win their first two games, they will face each other next week. Don't ask me to explain this. For some unknown reason, the first round games in the South Region will be played in Charlotte, Portland, Louisville and Seattle. First round games in the East Region will be played in Pittsburgh, Columbus, Charlotte and Seattle.

Although it's fun to download brackets and make guesses on who will be the eventual winner, it has been several years since I've had the courage of entering any bracket pools. When I lived in Independence, I would join a community pool, conducted by the former city clerk. By the end of the first weekend, he would stop by my office and thank me for “my donation,” his not-so-subtle hint that I had made enough wrong choices to be well out of the running for the contest.

So while I no longer make the mistake of wagering, it's still fun to guess who might be playing in early April in Indianapolis. Rather than risk making a wrong pick, or the danger of an early upset, I've decided to predict only the first two rounds of the tourney in this writing.

The selection committee appears to have made some safe choices for the top four seeds in the field, as Kentucky, Wisconsin, Villanova and Duke should easily advance to the second round. Iowa, Iowa State and UNI should also be around for weekend play. But out of the first 32 games, there's usually at least one surprise. Based on no scientific reasoning but simply instinct, I am predicting Valparaiso over fourth seed Maryland and Texas over sixth seed Butler.

If our three local teams make it into the second round, I am hoping and predicting that all three will make it into the Sweet 16. That would mean UNI would probably have to upset Louisville and favored Iowa State would have to get by probable SMU. Iowa's advancement would be the biggest news of the second round, as they would no doubt have to beat second seed Gonzaga, which is entering the tourney with a super 32-2 record.

On Monday, the NCAA Women's Championship bracket was announced, which will mean a busy Friday. Iowa State will face Dayton at 11 a.m., followed by Iowa against American at 1:30 p.m. Both games will be on ESPN 2. With the aforementioned UNI and Iowa men's first round games, that means four games with local importance on Friday.

This is an exciting time of the year for those of us who still believe there is some worth in collegiate athletics. As you search the internet for brackets and schedules, keep in mind that most of them list Eastern Time Zone starting times.

I leave you with one true confession: I am glad I live by myself, because it might be a bit embarrassing to see an almost senior citizen get teary-eyed after the final horn of the championship game, as CBS plays “One Shining Moment” as the network shows a collage of highlights of the tourney.

Enjoy the next three weeks. Then we can quickly turn our attention to the Masters Golf Tourney and the Cubs' bid for a World Series appearance.

Belle Plaine is state tourney bound!

By Jeff Orvis

In a couple of days, the Belle Plaine boys' basketball team will begin a journey never seen in this town before. Being a relative newcomer to this city, I don't know how long we've had a high school here. I'm sure someone will be able to tell me. But in the several genrations there has been a high school in this town, there has never been a state boys basketball qualifier.

When I first heard this, I couldn't believe it. Belle Plaine has a proud athletic tradition. Of course, when folks think about sports and Belle Plaine, for many years it was the wrestling program that took centerstage. Heck, they even started penciling in a day off from school to coincide with the first round of the state wrestling tourney because there were often so many local qualifiers, there would have been a lot of empty classrooms if they had held school that day.

Other sports have had their moments of state glory over the years, including track, volleyball, football, golf, etc. But never a state tournament qualifier in basketball, despite some great players and coaches of the past.

So that makes this year even more special. The Plainsmen enter the tournament as the fourth seed, with an awesome 24-1 record. When they clinched the tourney berth, their reaction made the social media, for its understated celebration. It would have been understandable if the kids had swarmed the court and piled on each other in total jubilation. But while there were plenty of back slaps and high-fives, the team soon trotted off the court to the locker room. It was almost as, to a man, they were saying, “Okay, what's next?”

It would be totally understable if the team walked onto the court at Wells Fargo in Des Moines Monday afternoon, just happy to be there. But because of how they fought to establish this super record, including several exciting come-from-behind performances, it should surprise no one if they play several games in Des Moines.

I've been to the state tournament to cover teams in the past. I was telling someone that I remembered covering the Independence team one year when they advanced to the consolation game on Saturday. I also remembered covering the Independence St. John's team another time. I remembered two years, but in checking state records, I actually covered those teams a total of five times, three for the Mustangs and twice for the Eagles. I have an excuse for forgetting about those other three years. The last tourney I covered was 25 years ago!

My high school, Pleasant Valley, didn't qualify for state while I was there. But the Spartans have been there three times prior to this season, first in 1988, when they finished fourth, then in 2001 and in 2006, when they finished second. PV is back in the tourney field again, facing Cedar Rapids Kennedy in the first round. GO PV!!!

This year's Class 1A field is a strong one. The top seed, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, is 25-0. The second seed, Danville, is also undefeated. In fact, in other years, Danville was such a formidable opponent that it successfully petitioned the state association to allow it to play up a class in the tournament.

Earlham is the first round opponent for the Plainsmen. It enters the week with a 23-2 record and it is also a first-time state tourney qualifier.

I've had the privilege of seeing quite a few state qualifiers over the years of standing at the end of the court with a camera in hand. There's a different feel, a different temperment of state-caliber teams. The feeling spills over to the fan base, where the town buzz over a successful season erupts into a loud roar once the fans descend on Des Moines.

It's an exciting time for Belle Plaine. All of us are proud of what you have accomplished and wish the players, coaches, parents and fans a fun week ahead.

GO PLAINSMEN!!!