Basketball on a Ship II

Last April, I wrote a blog about North Carolina and Michigan State playing basketball on a carrier ship. Tonight, the game becomes a reality.

I think it’s a unique and great way to honor veterans on Veteran’s Day.

These are two historic programs and a great way to kick off the college basketball season. Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson will be in attendance. The two starred at North Carolina and Michigan State respectively.

Of course, we Iowans will pay close attention to North Carolina sophomore Harrison Barnes. The Iowa native had a productive first season for the Tar Heels and is posed for a banner second-year campaign. It will be interesting to see how far he can elevate his game.

The college sports world really needs this contest at this time. With the fallout at Penn State, it’s great that this game will steal some coverage from that ugly mess. For a while anyway, we can focus on the true spirit of competition and receive North Carolina against Michigan State too. It will be a special night.


I want to say thank-you to all the veterans on Veteran’s Day. We are honored and certainly blessed by your service. My dad served in Germany in World War II. I remember him on this day too.

Cam Newton Story is Sad

In a perfect world, Cam Newton would be leading the Auburn Tigers to the national championship game and become the Heisman Trophy winner.

But Newton’s world is far from perfect these days. The march to the national championship game and the Heisman is marred by a huge cloud over Newton’s college career.

Did he and his family seek money from Mississippi State during the recruiting process? Was there a cheating problem when he was enrolled at Florida? These are a couple of the serious allegations involving this gifted athlete.

This stuff has yet to play completely out and it’s already ugly. Somebody did something wrong, it’s just finding out who and what.

Taking Newton and his family out of the equation, imagine the public relations mess at Auburn, Mississippi State and Florida.

I can just imagine the tone of the athletic departments at these schools. It’s stressful. People are on edge. What will happen? The athletic media relations departments’ job now is to put out fires.

Auburn appears the school with the most to lose. Auburn says it has done no wrong. Coach Gene Chizik says Newton will play Saturday. But the situation appears fluid.

Bottom line: the real dark and ugly side of college athletics marches to the front of the news cycle again. Sad, sad and sad.

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A salute to all the veterans out there today. Good job and thank-you. My dad served in Germany in WWII and I think of him on days like today. He passed away in 2000.