posted on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 11:21 AM by marc.morehouse

Big Ten Network guy last night . . .

I've heard that some of you might not have the Big Ten Network. Kidding, sorry if it's still a sore spot.

Anyway, last night the BTN's football analyst Howard Griffith did a segment called "Let's go Bowling." He handicapped the Big Ten's bowl pecking order.

I'll skip right to the Hawkeyes (although, you should know that he has Michigan in the Alamo).

He has Iowa in the Insight. He has Purdue losing to Indiana this weekend and falling out of the Big Ten bowls. He has Michigan State clipping Penn State and earning the Detroit Bowl. But then he has Purdue landing quite nicely in the Las Vegas Bowl and Indiana in the Helicopter Bowl in Fort Worth.

In Griffith's predictions, Northwestern would be the only Big Ten bowl-eligible that gets left out in the cold.

It all makes sense.

Okie State, K-State or, gasp, Nebraska would be the likely Big 12 opponents.

I'm not saying golf won't cut into my production, but I will say this:

Fore!

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Comments

# re: Big Ten Network guy last night . . .

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 1:28 PM by comment52402
Big Ten Network Scorecard

WINNERS
Iowa State -- Especially men's basketball. More games on TV in Iowa than the Hawks by about 5-to-1. (UNI and Drake probably have more games on TV, too.)
Sports bars -- Enough said.
Satellite TV -- See above.
Radio broadcasts -- Some days, the only game in town.
Big Ten field hockey fans -- TV viewers (18) double actual attendance.

LOSERS
Big Ten football fans -- Last year, fans could watch almost every game on TV. This year, maybe half.
Big Ten basketball fans -- See above. Only worse.
Iowa Hawkeyes -- Enough said.
Gary Barta -- Forced to make lemonade out of lemons ... and bash one of his corporate sponsors in the press.

# re: Big Ten Network guy last night . . .

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 3:42 PM by marc.morehouse
A few times this season, I've found myself conducting interviews next to a guy with a Mediacom logo on his shirt. On the Kirk Ferentz TV show, one of the big logo sponsors is Mediacom. I think they have signage at Kinnick and Carver. We've done a story on their advertising deal. I'm guessing there won't be a re-up. Now, if Iowa State football could make it to the tube on a regular basis on a regular channel, touchdown Cyclones. If I were the Big 12, I might be hooking into the cable systems that were left high and dry by the Big Ten Network. Offer some sort of Big 12 regional thing. It might not work geographically, but it might be better than Vs.

# re: Big Ten Network guy last night . . .

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 7:02 PM by hawkfan
It only takes a phone call and no more cable.

# re: Big Ten Network guy last night . . .

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 9:56 PM by marc.morehouse
I'm impartial here, but I made the switch about three years ago now and haven't looked back. I had to call to get my cable fixed and ended up trying to explain to a guy in New Jersey where I lived in Cedar Rapids. That was it for me. I got DirecTV the next day. I get the NFL Sunday Ticket and NHL Center Ice. It isn't cheap. I will admit that, but it's what I want.

# re: Big Ten Network guy last night . . .

Wednesday, November 14, 2007 9:12 AM by comment52402
Because of apartments / condos / home associations / etc. not everyone can get a dish. And I've heard horror stories (just like cable) from dish folks, too.

# re: Big Ten Network guy last night . . .

Wednesday, November 14, 2007 10:54 AM by marc.morehouse
You're right. I have heard that. I think the dish needs a direct view to the southwest sky. It doesn't always work. That would suck. I've been luck with my dish. It bops out on the occasional thunderstorm, but it's solid otherwise. Service has been good, too. But I think I've been lucky there.

# re: Big Ten Network guy last night . . .

Friday, November 16, 2007 4:14 PM by DPP1
On word from a reliable source that sits on the Fiesta Bowl committee (also selects Insight), Purdue is their favorite at the moment...

# re: Big Ten Network guy last night . . .

Friday, November 16, 2007 6:55 PM by marc.morehouse
That begs the question, do you want this headline coming to your bowl game?

The Fiesta committee includes between 30 and 50 people.

If it comes down to Iowa and Purdue, I don't know. Iowa has the fans; Purdue has the 31-6 win over Iowa.