FRESHMAN MIGHT BE THE KEY TO HAWKEYE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM 2025-26 SEASON

Last week I traveled to Iowa City to see the Hawkeye Women showcase their last summer practice session and media opportunity for the summer.  It was Coach Jan Jensen's last of four such looks at what the upcoming season might offer.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect with five new faces on the roster.  I will say, it was eye-opening.  

After an hour-long work on fundamentals, the doors were opened to the media to see the team run through different sets, i.e. passing to the post and half-court defense.  Coach Jensen spent a good deal of time fine-tuning what she was going to demand from her second-year squad.  I expected to spend much of my time watching Hannah Stuelke (just back from her Team USA Gold Medal win at the AmeriCup Tournament in Santiago, Chile) and highly touted freshman, Addie Deal.  Boy, was I wrong.   

What I was most intrigued by was the amount of work done with post players Ava Heiden and Layla Hays.  Heiden was a huge factor in Iowa's late season success.  She showed she'd arrived and was ready to play some big-time basketball.  The early season looks like she is ready to explode to another level.  The real bonus, though, might be freshman, Layla Hays.  Hays, a highly touted 6-5 post player from Alaska could be the biggest surprise of all.  Let me tell you, she will be a hard move off the block for any Hawkeye foe.  She is big, smooth, tough and has some of the biggest legs I've seen on a player not named Audi Crooks of Iowa State.  Hays can hold her own, for sure, and the practice time with her and Heiden going at each other will be a plus for both.      

Another freshman, Journey Houston, a solid wing player from Davenport, was also impactful.  In taking an early look at this season's roster, Houston might have been the 11th player off the bench.  I'm not so sure about that now.  She is completely recovered from a devastating knee injury she suffered late in her junior year.  She is not a slight built player.  She is a solid, 6-0 wing that has a great three-point shot and is known for her slashing ability.  She might make it tough on Coach Jensen to not find her playing time.   

So, by watching Heiden, Hays and Houston, I almost completely forgot the other freshman phenom, Deal.  The 5-Star recruit from California is going to be special.  She might not wow you every minute she's on the court, but she has in her arsenal, a unique ability to hit the court length pass or long distance three-pointer.  That will make her extremely dangerous.  She's going to lull people to sleep....then take over.  Where Iowa was once heavy on Caitlin's efforts, the depth of this year's team and big-time skill at every position on the court, will make the Hawkeyes dangerous.   

Heck, I haven't even mentioned the two transfers into Iowa's program.  Point Guard Chit Chat Wright from Georgia Tech and wing Emely Rodriquez from UCF.  Wright is super quick, is a great passer and has the ability to go outside and hit the 3.  Rodriquez was making the transition at practice of learning a completely new offense.  She seemed a little robotic, but that will all but be eliminated by Big Ten season. Rodriquez has a skill set that hasn't been seen in Iowa City for some time.  That's not to say she's the next coming of Caitlin Clark, she isn't.  But she is only in her 4th year of playing big-time basketball.  Her abilities are endless.

Hayes will be a tough move off the block for Hawk Women

I haven't yet made mention of four contributors from last season.  Taylor McCabe, Kylie Feuerbach, Taylor Stremlow and Teagen Mallegni.  Do McCabe and Feuerbach factor into the starting lineup this year.  I'm not sure.  I think the safest thing to say, it might very well depend on the opponent. If it calls for outside shooting, it's McCabe, if it's defense, it's Kylie.  McCabe is a dangerous three-point weapon and Feuerbach is as tough a defender as there is.   Stremlow will get minutes because she is a dynamo when she plays.  She does so many things so well.  Mallegni has shown a few glimpses but might very well give up some playing time to Houston.  All that will sort itself out in the pre-season games.  By Big Ten season, a shorter rotation will appear.  Injuries though, always present opportunities.  

And then there's Hannah.  She could be primed to return to her early years when she and Clark ran the fast break to perfection.  If she adds a mid-range to her game, she could be destined for a great senior season.     

The remaining players on the roster PG Callie Levin, PG Kennise Johnson and F Jada Gyamfi will be the bench frenzies.  Their job will be to keep the group on task and offer great team chemistry.  And if duty calls, be ready.  

Now that I've had a couple of days to reflect on what I saw last Tuesday, I've come to these thoughts.  Iowa's non-conference season will be tough.  They play UCONN, Baylor, Miami (FL) and Iowa State.  These will be learning opportunities.  It will make them tough and seasoned and I believe, a team that will be hard to defend.  They will be able to play up-tempo, slow down and anything in-between.  Get ready Hawk fans.  Could be an interesting ride in 2025-26.

And don't forget the new faces.  You're gonna like them.

 

   

FINALLY SOME SMARTS WHEN IT COMES TO NATIVE AMERICAN TEAM NICKNAMES

I've watched this nonsense for some time now when it came to renaming teams with a reference to the Native American.  As a Chicago Blackhawks fan, I had dog in the fight.  Sunday, President Donald Trump weighed in with his big stick.  Perhaps he can cause those who felt they were being pushed to making a name change, to wise up.  

"President Trump implored owners of the NFL's Washington Commanders and MLB's Cleveland Guardians to revert to the organizations' old nicknames in a social media post.

Daniel Snyder changed Washington's team name from the Redskins to the Washington Football Team before the start of the 2020 season amid a summer of racial tensions.  The team eventually became the Washington Commanders, and Snyder sold the team to Josh Harris. 

In July 2021, team owner Paul Dolan announced the Cleveland Indians would become the Cleveland Guardians.  Cleveland had been known as the Indians since 1915.  Dolan previously said the decision to explore the name change came from "an awakening or epiphany" after the death of George Floyd".

All of these excuses are bunk.  How can you take a proud nickname of a professional sports team and treat it otherwise?  Both the Redskins and Indians were such. They represented the Redskins and Indians with class.  Their city deserved better.  Their fans deserved better.  And so did their sport. 

    

The Redskin logo designed by a Native American

As a Blackhawks supporter I had some real uneasy moments when this nonsense hit fever pitch.  Despite the uproar, Chicago management remained staunch. They didn't cave to change their nickname and the support they got from the Blackhawks nation was overwhelming.    

"Regardless, the push to keep the Native American team names has been strong, particularly with the Commanders' organization.  Trump already expressed his belief that the Commanders made a mistake when they changed the name from the Redskins. The Washington 'Whatevers' should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team.  There is a big clamoring for this, wrote Ttump on Truth Social on Sunday.   Likewise, so are the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a stored past".  The Redskins logo was inspired by Blackfeet Chief John Two Guns White Calf.

I would only hope with Trump jumping into the fray that some strong consideration to change comes.  It's time to take back the names of a couple of proud sports franchises. Actually, it's way past time because it never should have happened.  Trump might have an upper hand in this matter.  He has said he might not support a new stadium being built if a name change doesn't occur.  The new stadium deal involves federal land, though Congress transferred control to the city in January.  However, Congress retains control over the District of Columbia's budget.  

It doesn't make any difference if you're a fan of Donald Trump to agree with what he's suggesting.  It's simply Common Sense.  

"Our great Indian people, in massive numbers want to this to happen.  Their heritage and prestige is systematically being taken away from them.  Times are different now than they were three or four years ago.  We are a Country of passion and common sense.  OWNERS, GET IT DONE!!!"       

Washington officials remain a hard sell on changing the nickname back.  Cleveland remains mum. 

We'll see who blinks.  

IS THIS CAITLIN CLARK BERATING EVER GOING TO END?

I truly hope this is the last time I have to write about the Caitlin Clark saga as to how the WNBA players hate her and try to impose their physical play on her each and every game.   I said I hope, but I know it's not going to happen.  The real question is, where will this mindset take the league?  

"Caitlin Clark is a phenomenon that has changed women's basketball, women's sports and sports, Period", according to USA Today sports columnist Christine Brennan.  Brennan hits the issue spot on.  No ifs, ands or buts.  "But what makes her tick?  How did a kid from Iowa become one of the most recognizable athletes in the world?  And what does her presence mean for the future of the WNBA and how we talk about it?"  Brennan's new book, "On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women's Sports", is a classic read.  Brennan's words were calculated and gave a truthful look into what's at stake if changes don't take place in the league.   

"Reports and social media posts indicate that Brennan has been critical of the WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the league's handling of Clark, particularly concerning the physical play she has faced.  Her criticism mainly focuses on what she perceives as a lack of protection for Clark and a missed opportunity by the league to fully embrace and support its rising star".   

For me, the Brennan book further supports my belief that the league should fire Engelbert and completely dismantle and rebuild its officiating crews.  The officials are horrendous, and safety has now become an even bigger issue.  To think the WNBA has a greater issue in this regard than the NBA is mind boggling. 

To see how Ms. Clark is impacting the league, take a gander at this:

"ABC had its most watched WNBA game ever on Sunday when Paige Bueckers and Dallas faced Clark and the Indiana Fever.  Indiana won in a blowout, 102-83, in the first pro matchup between the two-star guards.  The game averaged 2.1 million viewers".  Clark clearly is working her way back from a quad injury but still managed a double-double with 14 points and 13 assists.   

Clark is not only the face of the league on the court, but she is also a slam dunk off it.  Clark has an innate way of being one and two steps ahead of any competition she faces.  She is a marketing guru. Case in point, the upcoming WNBA All-Star game.  At the conclusion of the drafting of players by the captains from each team, Clark and Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx, Clark fired off a jaw-dropper.  

She did what?  Traded me?

"Clark announced on the WNBA Countdown show, she was trading head coach Cheryl Reeve to Collier (who is, of course, her coach in Minnesota) in return for New York Liberty head coach, Sandy Brondello.  While Clark didn't go into too much detail as to why she wanted this trade, it obviously makes sense for Collier to have her own head coach.  But fans were quick to notice that Reeve was notoriously critical about the amount of attention Clark received compared to the rest of the league heading into the Fever's star rookie season.  Not to mention that Reeve was coach of Team USA Olympics squad, from which Clark was infamously snubbed.  Reeve asserts having played no role in that decision.  Her continued criticism of Clark says otherwise.  The look on Reeve's face of Clark's actions definitely will add to their fiery relationship.  I'm not sure if it would be wise to take on Clark.  Caitlin is truly the much bigger commodity.           

When the WNBA season ends and contract talks begin for 2026, it will be interesting to see who carries the biggest stick regarding the league's future.  I have a pretty good idea.  Hey, and if there is a big blowout, Clark can always go start her own league.  I wouldn't put it past her

Enjoy your sports day!!!

    

CARVER-HAWKEYE SEATING GETS A BIG BUMP....FINALLY!!!

Well, it's about time! Let's see if we can have one word express something long, long, long overdue...FINALLY.

The University of Iowa made a decision this past Thursday to change the seating arrangements in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.  Now, students will be closer to the floor and be able to rain down their great support for the Iowa Athletic teams.

"There is nothing like the roar of Carver-Hawkeye Arena", said Director of Athletics Beth Goetz.  "Our fans are the heartbeat of every season, and their unwavering support is felt by our student-athletes and coaches.  We are excited for the upcoming seasons and creating the next wave of unforgettable Hawkeye moments".     

"While the announcement provided the various seating prices for the three winter sports at Car-Hawkeye Arena (Men's and Women's Basketball and Men's Wrestling), potentially the most exciting news in the release was that students will now have the ability to sit behind the south baseline.  

Carver-Hawkeye Arena became a little more rabid

"This will be made possible by installing a courtside riser with a capacity for over 200 individuals, which enhances the in-game atmosphere by bringing students closer to the action and providing additional floor-level concession opportunities. Previously, students were seated far behind the south baseline due to the oval-shaped seating configuration of Carver-Hawkeye Arena". 

This move has been a much-debated topic over the years.  Fans, sportswriters and reporters bought up the home court disadvantage the Hawks have had over the years. Former Athletic Director Gary Barta never seemed to want to address the situation.   Fans were less than satisfied with Barta's complacency.  Their chief argument had to do with Kinnick Stadium that sits south across campus of the basketball arena.  For years, Kinnick has been known as one of the toughest stadiums to play in across the country.  It's known for its raucous crowds and small sidelines which has been a great boost for Hawkeye Football.  "Why can't we make Carver-Hawkeye as tough to play in as Kinnick", was the chief cry from the fan base.  They now have their wish.  

The Women's Basketball team has enjoyed several years of unbelievable support.  The sellout crowds they've enjoyed these last few years have put Iowa on the map of a place to come watch a game.  With added student craziness, look out.  Waiting, waiting is a new and improved Men's Basketball Team.  The seating chart move should help increase their attendance.  

AD Beth Goetz continues to address the sports department in so many good ways.  Was it the perfect marriage when she became AD in 2024?  I'm beginning to think so.   

There are a few items that are moving up the Goetz's ladder for attention.  Will Kirk Ferentz retire at season's end?  Will becoming the top man in Big Ten Football wins and a victory total at years end that would enable him to be elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, finally be enough?   

And then there's Tom Brands.  He might be in the final run of his Hawkeye career as head wrestling coach.  Much bad news these past few weeks are showing cracks in the program.  A once proud Iowa team is finding it real hard to remain in the top 5 nationally.  

FINALLY, I'd love to be a fly on the wall of Dan Gable's sauna at his Iowa City acreage.  He can't be happy.  

AND...may your team play passionately this week and be deserving of your love in SportsRealms.