The GRAHAM-COOPER Cup Chronicles

Talk about your glaring and embarrassing omissions.  I failed to include The Wisconsin Badgers in my prior post.  That is like forgetting an extra pair of underwear for the drive home after your first sky-diving excursion.  [Still looking for that simile/metaphor primer.]  If I were less classy I would blame this mistake on my proof-reader but I think it is more honest and apropos to pin guilt on my own Herculean consumption of beer and cheese ... it's a Wisconsin thing. 

One thing is certain ... I did not neglect to include Wisconsin per their conduct between the end-zones.  To the contrary, the Badgers are considered by some [not just Jules] to be the team to beat in this year's competition.  This year marks the last go round for accomplished quarterback Scott Tolzien and depending on how well he performs this season the Camp Randal faithful could lose all 255 pounds of running back John Clay when the NFL comes calling.  As most of you are already aware the Big10 has recently succumbed to a restructuring that drives a wedge between IOWA and the Badgers.  I will most certainly miss facing off against this worthy foe on a regular basis and not just because their coach has a Hawkeye tattoo.

OK ... I think that is a sufficient amount of groveling.

ALERT ... this just in ... per the ESPN ticker ... IOWA Coach Kirk Ferentz signs a contract extension through 2020.  How sweet it is ! 

Welcome back and how ya doin' ? 

All is well in my world.  Scratch that ... things are fabulous, outstanding, spectacular even.  If you are old enough to remember Snagglepuss you undoubtedly read that sentence with the correct inflection and are grabbing your side in an attempt to quell your laughter pains.  I will allow you a moment to collect yourself ... are we good now ?  Excellent.  For while we are dealing with a joyous topic here it is also a serious one.  I won't go so far as to say "serious as a heart attack".  For many reasons but mostly because if you are old enough to remember Snagglepuss chances are likely that the big one is around the bend.

OK, now that we have weeded out the easily offended among you ... let's get down to business.  The business of COLLEGE FOOTBALL.  It has been a while since I typed at ya about such things.  In fact I need to take a moment to wrap up last season before we can look ahead to this year

As many of you are aware, The Cup has been residing in its rightful place for the last eight months.  That place is ... of course ... HAWKEYE Country.  A land not just of corn and beer but rather a black and gold utopia of winners!  A hamlet of hard-nose, smash-mouth football.  A burg of competent quarterbacks, tight ends built like tanks and running backs that defy all odds.  After defeating all G-CC contenders [aside from Purdue ... but only because they were not on the schedule] the Hawks proceeded to put the wreck on Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl.  I gotta be honest with you ... I would have preferred a January One game.  While it is true that the games swell in prestige as the schedule builds toward the crescendo that is the national championship game [the GMAC Bowl being the exception that proves the rule] there is something nice, traditional and respectful about a New Year's Day game.  Then again ... considering the Christmas vacation that we had last year the few extra days might have been a blessing.  Hopefully this year the boy will want to watch more of the game.

Following that deftly crafted transition we look ahead to the 2010-11 season of the Graham-Cooper Cup ...

Let's start by looking at the Nittany Lions of the Pennsylvania State University.  Do not worry faithful readers ... my residence in Happy Valley is not softening my Hawkeye resolve.  On the contrary, bedding down in enemy territory has only bolstered by allegiance to the Black & Gold.  I only lead off with Paterno's boys as they provide the best fodder.  For example, I offer the following for your reading pleasure:  It appears that the Nittany Lion mascot is single-handedly attempting to elevate Dear Old State's standing in the party school hierarchy.  One does not have to look too far to understand where these student athletes and athletic supporters [tee hee] learn such   deplorable behavior.  Forty [40] dollars for game day parking ... now THAT is criminal!  Ok back to the field.  One would not think that replacing a QB the likes of Darryl "can't win a big game" Clark would be much of a hurdle but if the spring scrimmage was any indication, the Lions have their work cut out for them.  I will give props to whomever is responsible for putting Alabama on the schedule.  The game against the defending champions of the SEC and the nation is a dramatic deviation from the cream-puff adversaries that traditionally pepper PSU's pre-conference schedule.  I am guessing that when the deal was made nobody on the Penn State side was banking on the Crimson Tide rolling in with a pre-season #1 ranking.  I have to assume that the game is going to be an ESPN Gameday event as I can't imagine there is a bigger matchup that early in the season.  I know ... with a little research I could confirm such an assumption but I am just trying to ease back into this.  I will be pulling for Penn State when they travel to Birmingham.  Just think ... if they can get over on Alabama it will be that much greater when they lose to IOWA this year. 

Purdue & Indiana ... I am going to lump these chumps together.  Why?  Well for one it is almost dinner time and two ... these are football teams from a basketball state and they play like they know it.  I kid ... and I mean no disrespect but I am going to make this brief because the tomato pie is starting to smell really good.  We are talking fresh garden tomatoes here ... mmmm.  OK sorry ... back to football.  I was really impressed with Boilermaker Quarterback Justin Siller and looked forward to seeing him develop.  Unfortunately the young man had trouble with the student part of the student-athlete equation and was asked to move on prior to the 2009 season.  So it goes.  This year we may see 210 pound junior Robert Marve at the helm of the good ship Boilermaker.  I know ... it's a train but please allow me the wordplay.  It will be interesting to see what the Coral Gables transplant can accomplish.  Purdue dodges the Hawkeye bullet again this year and PSU is also absent from the schedule.  The team travels to Columbus for their showdown with Brutus and open the season on the road against Notre Dame.  Of course all these games are just a preamble to the inevitable face-off with Indiana for the Old Oaken Bucket.

Speaking of the Hoosiers ... wow I am dropping golden segues like a thumb-less man with greasy fingers.  OK ... my similes could use some work.  Indiana does not have Purdue's scheduling fortune, with Ohio State, IOWA, Wisconsin and Penn State on the docket.  What is interesting to note here is that the game against Penn State is not being played at Beaver Stadium nor the recently expanded Memorial Field in Bloomington.  Rather the contest will be held at FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins.  Not to be confused with the FedEx Orange Bowl which as we already discussed was won most recently by ... you guessed it ...

THE IOWA HAWKEYES !!!  What can I say about this glorious group of guys that the pre-season rankings has not already said ?  Number nine [10 per the USA Today] ... not too shabby.  The Hawks have lost some key players to the Sunday game and I am very anxious to see how they reload, especially in the area of the offensive line.  Behind center, the wily veteran Slick Rick Stanzi stands as the field general.  The senior quarterback will be looking to connect with the pass catching duo of DJK [that is Derrell Johnson-Koulianos for those not in the know] and Marvin McNutt.  Toss in Betterndorf, Iowa standout Colin Sandeman and tight end Allen Reisner and you got yourself quite an offense.  I know what you are thinking ... what about the RBs ?  I can tell this is not your first rodeo.  While Shonn Greene continues to receive handoffs from Mark Sanchez with the grace and power of Mike Tyson on ice skates [seriously ... I gotta get a copy of similes for dummies] there is some uncertainty in the IOWA backfield.  Rising star Brandon Wegher has left the team to address "undisclosed personal issues" leaving former back-up Adam Robinson and the injury-plagued Jewel Hampton to handle the ball rushing duties.  It should be noted that the latter will be unavailable for the Hawkeyes season open against perennial powerhouse Eastern Illinois as he had some ... how do you say ... public urination issues in the off-season.  Boys will be boys.  Hampton should be back on the field for the contest with the vile Cyclones of Iowa State in week two.  The Hawkeyes open conference play by welcoming Penn State to Kinnick Stadium.

That's all I have for you kiddies.  The season starts tonight with 18 games of Division 1-A action.! So let's all root for Marshall to upend Ohio State, Indiana to start off with a win against Towson and for all of the action of the USC/Hawaii game to come in the first quarter because I won't be seeing much more than one quarter of a game that starts at 11 in the PM.

Enjoy your games and until next time ... GO HAWKS !

Sorry folks ... I have been silent for too long.  I can't wait until this kid arrives and I have more free time and nights of restful sleep.  That is my cute way of suggesting that the lack of posts is not entirely a result of the derailment of the Hawkeye's season.

It is not easy to do but it is time to face the two [2] losses.  It is easier to do so when one considers them in the context of what is still a great season.  Another significant achievement to ponder is the performance of back-up quarterback James "Dawson" Vandenberg.  The kid showed some real moxie in his first start ... taking us to overtime in Columbus.

Now we must look forward ...

The Hawkeyes end the regular season at home, against the Golden Gophers.  This is a must win game for IOWA and their rapidly-improving young play caller.

The Nittany Lions have only lost one contest [to Ohio State] since falling to the Hawkeyes.  As such, they have crept past IOWA in all rankings [aside from the BCS].  Penn State finishes their season on the road against Michigan State.  Considering how tight things have become in the Big10/G-CC race, one could consider this a "big game" for Penn State.  It will be interesting to see how senior quarterback Daryll Clark handles the pressure in his final collegiate outing.

Wisconsin is continuing a similar climb of its own.  After losing to IOWA in mid-October the Badgers have taken care of business three times [Purdue, Indiana & Michigan] to the tune of a combined 113 points scored and 52 allowed.  This weekend Wisconsin will do battle with the Stanzi-slaying Wildcats of Northwestern. 

Last but not least ... the Old Oaken Bucket is once again up for grabs.  One may assume that Indiana has the upper hand in this match-up as the game will be played in Bloomington.  However the Hoosiers have only been victorious against the Boilermakers twice in the last decade [2001 & 2007].  Let's not forget the fact that Indiana has already exceeded the expectations I set for the program at the start of the season.  Who knows ... anything can happen when two teams battle to be one win shy of bowl eligibility.

Perhaps it was too good to last ... maybe ... all things [good & bad] must come to an end.

... my fault ? 

I might have [in jest & questionable sportsmanship] asked a buddy if his team [PSU] would put a hurt on Pryor.

... the curse ? 

I was hoping we had avoided that.  The cover we [mid-atlantic region?] received displayed an image of the World Series champion Yankees.  The Hawkeyes were pushed to the banner.  It seems that was not the case in more far-flung areas.

 

Whatever the cause ... the past is the past and Vandenberg is the now.  I am looking forward to this weekend's game.  I know that winning in Columbus as a redshirt freshman quarterback is a monumental challenge.  But this has been the season of miracles ... blocked field goals [2 in a row], game-changing turnovers and last minute drives.

The Ohio State defense is the real deal.  I expect that they will bring some serious pressure to the un-tested IOWA play caller.  When they do ... Vandenberg has to get rid of the ball [we know he has a strong arm] and find McNutt, Moeaki, Stross, etc.  If the Hawkeyes can strike early and play defense the way they have all year ... anything can happen.

GO HAWKS !!!

Ricki ... I love you and I always have ... I never doubted you for a second ... don't believe those stories you hear about me nearly giving up on the season and running from the game broadcast when it appeared that we were a play away from being down by three touchdowns. 

My second retraction is aimed at the Penn State student section ...

Throughout the season I have been repeatedly disappointed by the self-described "Best Student Section in the country".  I am not referring to the snowballs directed at JoePa or the Nittany Lion mascot nor how quiet the section became during the loss to IOWA.  Rather, I have been shocked by the student body's inability to occupy their seats until darn near halftime.  Don't get me wrong ... I enjoy an adult beverage or three as much as the next guy.  But if you can't shake off Friday's nights debauchery in time to make a noon kick-off ... perhaps you need to re-evaluate your priorities.

Sadly I did not appreciate college football [to the extent that I do now] while I was a student at IOWA.  I never had student tickets and did not attend as many games as I should have. 

To the PSU student ticket holders I wanted to say "wake up and take advantage".  Years from now you will be talking with your grandkids [or perhaps even sooner with a prospective employer] and upon learning that you attended Penn State during the Paterno-era they will want to hear all about your experiences.  Are you going to tell them that you were unable to hoist your worthless butt out of bed before noon or attend games in less than perfect weather?  Shame on you.

I have decided NOT to say those things.  I have decided NOT to judge the entire student body based on the poor actions of what on many weeks appears to be the majority.  Rather I choose to commend the whole for the actions of the minority ... for the select few who comprise the proud community that is Paternoville.

Bless you crazy kids and all that you do to contribute to the glory of college football.

A.  Herky
B.  4
C.  Awesome
D.  Pumpkin

• Of course the correct answer is [B] 4. 
  
• Florida is number one in the BCS standings and IOWA is 4.

Speaking of rankings ... Wisconsin "moved up" in the USA Today poll.  By NOT playing, they were able to garner an additional 23 votes ... not too shabby.  Unfortunately, the Badgers do not have the luxury of another bye week.  Instead, the Boilermakers are charging into Madison with the goal of extending their winning streak.  It hardly seems fair ... two weeks ago Purdue was beating Ohio State while Wisconsin was losing to IOWA.  Bragging rights are up for grabs here people.  This is what The Cup is all about! 

There is one more G-CC battle on tap for Saturday ... Indiana @ IOWA.  After suffering a one-point loss in Evanston, the Hoosiers' road trip seems bound for additional punishment as the team heads toward Iowa City.  The Hawkeyes will need some players to step up in the absence of their brothers who were bruised in the thrilling victory at Michigan State.  We've got cracked ribs, sprained ankles and worse.  On the plus side we have two home games before heading to Columbus ... not that I am looking past Indiana or Northwestern.  Perhaps I am kinda looking around them but can you blame me?  I mean ... did you see that amazing finish?  1:37 left, Ricki picks up the team and shoulders the load all the way to pay dirt!  Hold on ... I need to wipe these tears of joy and pride from my eyes. 

an interesting sociological note: College football fans are more likely to recognize the greatness of your team ... when it is not being demonstrated through a defeat of their team.  All of a sudden I have Penn Staters jumping on the IOWA bandwagon.

As four of the G-CC schools are battling each other, Penn State is shut out of the reindeer games [too soon?].  The Lions continue their tour of the upper-midwest with a stop on the banks of Lake Michigan for a game with Northwestern.  It is not likely that Paterno or Clark will be dazed by the bright lights of Ryan Field and PSU's biggest road adversary [the weather] should not be a factor.  All indications point to another victory for Penn State ... next week ... Ohio State.