Their caucus sytem is based on barbeque and violates every tenant of democracy. The inmates (apes) run the asylum (research facility). The 80 acre enclosed rainforest that was supposed to save the state’s economy was a bigger failure than the former state slogan. If pigs gained a few brain cells, Des Moines would look something like London in 28 Days Later. And today, in late breaking news, ethanol may actually be worse for the environment than fossil fuels. At least the basketball team isn’t as bad as they were supposed to be.

Really, the Iowa Hawkeyes aren’t that bad. Of course, back in November things were ugly. After 5 straight wins over teams that aren’t quite good enough for D-II, the losing began, and continued for four straight games culminating with a double overtime loss at home to Louisiana-Monroe. A week later they went 0-Iowa losing to Iowa State and Drake. With the conference season right around the corner, they should have been ready to pack it in right?

Hardly. Todd Lickliter must be Tony Robbins, because with no reason to keep trying, the Hawkeyes actually stayed motivated and have continued to improve. In their first game of the Big Ten season, it was obvious that although the Iowa might not havee a season to remember, it wouldn’t be a season Iowa fans will soon want to foget. In that game, Justin Johnson became youtube famous.

A week and half later, they took winning ugly to a whole new level.

And just a week ago, they proved their win over Michigan State was not exactly a fluke.

What looked like an automatic W a few months ago now looks to be another tough test for a Minnesota time struggling with consistency and finding an identity.

Unfortunately for people who like offense and Big Ten fans trying to convince anyone who will listen that there is interesting basketball in the midwest, Iowa’s 43 points against Michigan State were not a fluke. They play slow ball, and make Northwestern look like Tennesee. They have scored less than 50 points (5 times) more than they have scored more than 70 (once, in their loss to Indiana). Even when they do get the ball up the court, they don’t shoot particularly well. But on defense, look out. They rank in the top 50 in the country in about every statistical catagory. A lot of this has to do with their pace of play, but still, you can’t score without the ball. For a team with a new coach and without their top three scorers from a year ago, the Hawkeyes have found a way to win in just about the only way they could.

Despite their low scores and often boring brand of basketball, there have been some quite remarkable offensive explosions for individual Hawkeyes this year. Preventing these should be enough for the Gophers to win, but if someone gets hot, not even the predicted -30 windchill at game time will be enough to cool them down.

Tony Freeman, who missed the first ten games of the regular season with injuries is the primary reason for the Iowa resurgency. He leads the team in scoring, assists and turnovers, but has provided a steadying presense for a team once on the verge of collapse. He scored 28 points in a win over Michigan and has made 4 or more three pointers 4 times, and missed 4 or more 11 times. The Gophers haven’t seen a fearless shooter like this since Chris Kingsbury. Luckily Freeman isn’t the most accurate shooter in the world.

Joining Freeman is the consciousless back court is Justin Johnson of youtube fame. Every one knows about his 8 three pointers against Indiana, but fewer know about his 8 against Ohio State. As Johnson goes, so go the Hawkeyes ( the Michigan State game, at least statistically, shouldn’t count).

In the post the Hawkeyes aren’t much to write home about. Don’t expect Spencer Tollackson to be perfect on either end of the court, but he along with Dan Coleman and Damian Johnson should be able to hold their own. Jarryd Cole leads the Iowa big men in rebounding, but is undersized at 6′7″ and might be wider than he is tall. Kurt Looby is the latest anorexic farm boy to suit up for Iowa, and Seth Gorney is tall, but not particularly skilled.

On paper, the Gophers should win. However, if they don’t control the pace of the game, it will be a long day for the Gophers and everyone who has to sit through the game. Minnesota should do everything they can to get Iowa out of their comfort zone, make some easy lay ups, and avoid the point a minute pace that has knocked off teams that are much better than the Gophers.

This is the last rivalry game that they Gophers have a realistic chance to win, and will be the responsiblty of the senior s to make it happen. I have no idea how ready to play the Gophers will be, or if they will even bother to play hard, but I still think they will win. This team has to get a win they can be proud of at some point, so why not against their southern neighbors.

Prediction: Minnesota 65 - Iowa 55

And the game is on ESPN. You all can watch, and maybe even discuss the game!

Just an update in case you haven’t been able to make friends with someone who gets the BTN.

Alright From The Barn readers, it is your turn to step up. Like many of you, I don’t have the Big Ten Network, and unlike some of you, I couldn’t get it even if I tried.

So where is a good place to watch those Gopher games that aren’t on channels that most people can actually watch? I’d especially appreciate suggestions near the U. Good televisions and good food are a must. So…where to go?

Special thanks to Dave for asking me about this, as I have been wondering the same thing the last few weeks.

and no one can watch, and its a Friday night between Christmas and New Year’s, and its part of a round robin “tournament,” and one of the teams would struggle in Division III, does anyone care?

Hoping that the answer is no to the above questions, I’ll only be writing a preview for the upcoming UNLV game which I actually do want to watch (and can via a sort of online pay-per-view). Until then, I hope to spit out another preview or two of woeful Big Ten teams.

If you do really want to read about the multiple basketball games taking place in the same arena at similar times PJS and Gopher Nation have stepped up. I’ll be back with a review of the stat sheet and whatever the main stream media decides to write.

I can’t help but ask myself why I’m not in The Vegas right now.

As if Comcast and The Big Ten Network hadn’t already caused enough misery in Gopherland, there is even more Gopher related TV that cable subscribers won’t be able to see. It seems that the Gophers will star in their own reality TV show, and it has nothing to do with the writer’s strike. Could Dan Coleman be the next Flavor Flav? Can Spencer Tollackson eat pounds of disgusting food? Is Ryan Saunders in love with Tila Tequila? We may never know.

The press release:

Travel ‘The Journey’ With Minnesota BasketballBig Ten Network to air 8-episode all-access series with coach Tubby Smith

CHICAGO – As the highly anticipated first season of the Tubby Smith era at Minnesota continues, the Big Ten Network will introduce viewers to the personalities that make up the Golden Gophers through the original series, MINNESOTA BASKETBALL: THE JOURNEY.

The 8-episode series debuts with an hour-long episode Friday, December 21 at 6 PM CT.

MINNESOTA BASKETBALL: THE JOURNEY will follow the Gophers’ entire season, including activities on the basketball court and beyond. The show will take viewers on campus and deep inside the Minnesota basketball program with the players, coaches and support staff. Big Ten Network cameras will travel with the Gophers on the team plane, capture practices, pre-game shoot-arounds and time-out huddles, as well as many of Smith’s pre-game, halftime and post-game speeches in the locker room.

“As Tubby Smith brings his history of success north, the transformation of Minnesota basketball will undoubtedly be an interesting story to tell,” said Big Ten Network Executive Producer Leon Schweir. “We plan to capture it all.”

As of Dec. 18, Smith’s Gophers are 7-1 and off to their best start since the 2000-01 campaign. Four Minnesota players average in double figures led by Dan Coleman’s 13.6 points per game.

“The Big Ten Network has an opportunity to bring Big Ten fans closer to their favorite programs than ever before,” network president Mark Silverman said. “MINNESOTA BASKETBALL: THE JOURNEY is an example of how we are creating original, compelling programming that people will want to see.”

New 30-minute episodes of MINNESOTA BASKETBALL: THE JOURNEY will debut starting in January and follow the Gophers through the remainder of the season. Check local listings for dates and times or the programming schedule on BigTenNetwork.com.

Earlier this fall, the Big Ten Network became the first new network in cable or satellite television history to reach 30 million homes in its first 30 days. The network is available through DIRECTV, DISH Network, AT&T U-Verse, Insight Communications, WideOpenWest, RCN, Service Electric and more than 180 other cable operators.

About the Big Ten Network: The Big Ten Network is dedicated to covering the Big Ten Conference and its 11 member institutions. The Big Ten Network provides unprecedented access to an extensive schedule of conference sports events and shows; original programs in academics, the arts and sciences; campus activities; and associated personalities. Sports programming includes live coverage of more major men’s and women’s events than ever before, along with news, highlights and analysis, all complemented by hours of university-produced campus programming. The network is available to all cable and satellite carriers and television distributors nationwide, with most programs offered in stunning high-definition television (HDTV). The Big Ten Network is a joint venture between subsidiaries of the Big Ten Conference and Fox Cable Networks. For more information regarding the Big Ten Network, visit: www.BigTenNetwork.com.

I’ll do my best to find these online somewhere, or if you are lucky enough to have The Big Ten Network and feel like sharing, please let me know.