Iowa Everywhere. >> This episode is brought to you by IMS Pet Food. When you choose IMS Dry Dog or Cat Food, you can see a difference in your pet with your own eyes. Healthy energy in five days, healthy digestion in ten days, and healthy skin and coat in just 25 days. Satisfaction for you and them. Guaranteed are your money back. Feed IMS Dry Dog or Cat Food and see a visible difference. Visit IMS.com/difference to learn more. >> When you share your food, you share your heart. So what's on your table this holiday season? Save on your festive feast at King Supers with delicious deals on all the holiday classics. Or wow, the crowd was something new, like a quinoa stuffed butternut squash. It's sure to add a pop of color to your spread. How about a sweet potato casserole with a crunchy oat streusel topping made with care for the sweet tooth and the savory tooth? With King Supers, fill your table with love and watch as your guests' hearts get as full as their bellies. King Supers, fresh for everyone. >> We recommend listening to the CW pod with a glass of steeple-rich bourbon. Grown distilled, well-rested and bottled in Erling, Iowa. Now from the Channel Seed Studios, this is the CW pod fueled by steeple-rich. [MUSIC] >> It is championship week. It's so much fun being able to say that. And I had to bring in, I called an audible. I actually had another interview lined up for this week. And I was like, I got to get air-capped in here. How are you, sir? >> I'm great. I'm great. It's great to have a championship week, but they happen every year. >> You don't get a participation is great. >> It changes everything. That bottle of steeple-rich bourbon in front of you is yours, my friend. Thank you for coming in today. >> You know me. I like my bourbon. >> I said it to Aidan before he came in. I'm like, I have to actually drink the whiskey we're about to give him. Because I think a lot of people are just like, it's a cool bottle, right? >> Oh. >> It's our Iowa Everywhere bottle. It's ingrained there and it's a cool. I'm like, no, I think I have to actually drink this. So enjoy that. >> I'll sample it tonight. >> Thank you, my friend. I'm glad. We are presented by steeple-rich bourbon. Remember this for your holidays? I love getting a bottle of whiskey for the holidays. And you can support a great local business who, the cool thing about steeple-rich, everything in this bottle is made on Pat's farm out in early. Everything from the water to the grains to everything. It's a really neat, neat product. And you can buy it, most liquor stores in the state of Iowa have this. If not, request it. That's how you can help our friend, Pat Hoffman and his family grow. Eric Haft is with me and, yeah, we're kind of getting ready for Dallas. But on Saturday night, the win was awesome. We've had like cool wins where we all get to experience like fun things. But like the last time anything like that happened was during COVID. The West Virginia game. And it was just different because it was like half the stadium. >> Not even. >> Yeah. You're right. I mean, it was like a quarter of the stadium. How special was Saturday night for you? And, you know, not to be ages, but the old timers who have been around for so many painful years, your stories about you and Pete and calling these one-in-eleven seasons. How cool was that for you? >> Oh, it was really cool. But it's been cool even in the one-in-tens or whatever. Because just love being around it. We've always had, for the most part, great people to work with. I've only worked with two play-by-play guys, Pete and John and two, my best friends ever. So, I've been lucky there. But the coaches we've worked with and even when things didn't go well, whether it's Jim Walden, or whomever at Paul Rhodes at the end, you know, still love those guys. And love the players and just wanted the best for them. Always disappointing that they didn't have more success in the long term. But since Matt's been here, I mean, and Matt's just an awesome guy, for sure. >> Yeah. >> And his whole staff, just so happy for them. And obviously, the guys who put in the work every day, just thrilled for them. I'm just along for the ride, and I'm a fan, I enjoy it. But yeah, it was pretty special. >> It's a lot more fun when they win, though. >> Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I've always said, I shouldn't tell Learfield this, but it's like, I'm underpaid in a one-in-ten season. And I'm overpaid in a ten-and-two season. >> I understand. >> Yeah. I actually started off our podcast on Saturday night. I said something similar. Like, with the Vikings, I'm a die-hard Vikings fan and a Braves fan. And I'm a fan of the team. It doesn't matter who's playing for it. Like, I'm just a fan of the team. With Iowa State, I've just become such a fan of the people. And that's not limited to the coaches and the people in the Jacobson building. It's the fans that I've got to meet along the way, and just the amount of just quality human beings. That's what I was so happy for on Saturday night. Absolutely. I mean, the people, I mean, I don't know, we were inside, but it was cold. My wife and friends sat out. >> Good for her. >> And just for them to show up the way they showed up, the way they showed the support, it obviously means a lot to a lot of people, not just us. And so that was fantastic. Happy for them, too. It's like, they've had to wear that cup a long time. >> Oh, yeah. And didn't need it Saturday night. I thought we might for a while. >> Well, he missed that field goal at the end. He got a little place like what went through your mind. >> It's never easy. >> He said that on the air. >> Well, Dave Starr was a former sports information director and going back to the '80s and early '90s. And that was a saying he always had it safe. Never easy. >> Even the BYU game afterwards, they had to put us through hell. >> Yeah. I'm driving home and taking Capo, my buddy who spots for us, driving him out into a clive. And we're listening and it's coming down right to the end. And of course, he's like, "Oh, we're going to blow this. I've got to lose this game." I said, "Are they -- is BYU even trying?" >> I was getting a lot of that. Your mark called in because he wanted Colorado to be in the championship game. My Twitter feed was blowing up about that. >> Yeah, I'm sure the network's really wanted that too, but -- >> Well, this Iowa State team -- >> It was true that -- >> Yeah, no kidding. I don't think we probably -- I think after the season look back on the defensive injuries, probably more. When you're in the season, it's kind of like next man in, right? But man, like, they've lost a lot of guys. >> Lost a lot of guys, you know? >> It's crazy. >> It's kind of -- you know, every team has injuries. In some years, it just goes where it's -- for Iowa State this year, two position groups. >> Yeah. >> Obviously, linebackers and tight ends. >> Yeah. >> I mean, and other injuries elsewhere, too. But I mean, decimated where you're down, you know, farther than you wanted to be. And so that's the way Iowa State's been able to come through. And the word I've used, you know, after every game, because we have a thing at the end of the game call. What's the story of the game? And for a lot of games, it's been resilience. >> Mm-hmm. >> I mean, just keep playing. Play harder, longer, and find a way to win. And I think that's one of the things I love about this group. But yeah, the linebacker thing certainly has heard Iowa State. I mean, there's no question you take your best guys out. There's a reason why those guys were starting. >> Mm-hmm. >> And so, but the guys that come in have given tremendous effort. And they've improved greatly over the course of the season. Big story of the last few weeks has been Jackson Osky. >> Yeah. >> The guy who started every game is a true freshman last year. And he's given Iowa State a real boost in the middle. And I think that's helped. Obviously getting Wilma Glothlin back, speaking somebody close to Erling. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, you're right. >> And magnifying. But those things have really kind of helped that and Dom Orange step it up. >> Oh, man. It's been so good. >> And after, you know, just kind of under, you know, somewhat underperforming for a guy of his physical ability. And now he's kind of taking it, taking the bull by the horns and the center by the horns and the guard and everybody else and throwing them in a backfield. That's made a huge difference. And that has really made life for the linebackers a lot better too. >> Yeah. Did you feel on Saturday night, the crowd was, we always call it the sicko crowd. Like when these cold weather games. >> The no shirt guys. >> Oh, yeah. That was one of my buddies. Chronicle that. >> We had bed up in the booth. >> What was that? >> How many guys are going to be out there and sure. We never got a final count, but the over would have won. >> Oh, yeah. >> Because it's like, no, it's too cold. There might be a couple guys, but there was more than a couple. >> Oh, yeah. I never understood why the players will warm up. You're an old athlete. >> Mm-hmm. >> Is that purely psychological to warm up without a shirt on? On a night like, because it seems stupid to me, but I'm not. I'm not exactly tough either. >> I tell you what, I would be bundled up, okay. But some guys, you know, have that, you know, that mentality of like, you know, I'm going to show the world how tough I am. And if they back it up on the field, go for it. But for me, I'm going to stay warm when I can stay warm and then do what I have to do after that. >> The, okay. So the, a lot has been made of, I don't know, I can, Hilton Coliseum. You've called a million games there. The crowd always believes that they can win, that Iowa State can win, and the crowd will often will you to a win. If we believe in that or not. >> Mm-hmm. I believe in it. >> Did, did you feel, did you feel that in Jack Tris Stadium on Saturday night? Because I think that you could make an argument that's been like nervous energy in the past because you expect bad things to happen. Even when, can I already miss the kick, it was kind of like, we all got nervous, but I, it didn't feel like a well was me type crowd. What did you, did you have a feeling? >> Well, I don't have the sense of the crowd as much because I'm sitting up in a booth with a headset on and so I don't really catch the crowd vibe. However, I'd have to believe that things changed this year, and they changed because of the way Iowa State's been able to come back, what Rocco's been able to do in those final drives. I know he didn't have his best game the other day, but he still played well enough. >> Boy, clutch and clutch spots. >> Yeah. >> Which has been his, his DNA throughout this season, just go back to the Iowa game. I mean, UCF game, even the tech game, even though Iowa State didn't win it, since the data game, getting the late score to put that game away, all those things, I think that kind of changes, I mean, Hilton Magic wasn't Hilton Magic when I played there. I mean, it was a great place and great crowds, but not like it is now. Things happened that created Hilton Magic, you know, sometimes the success they had fueled the crowd and the crowd started believing and it's this huge snowball rolling down the hill. And I think we're starting to see that in football with like, hey, you know what, we can come back and win a game. If you go back to Brock Purdy, I mean, how many times was he able to lead us back at the end of games? I mean, not a lot, you know, Rocco has done, has done that. And I think that's one of the things, sometimes it doesn't show up in the numbers, but you watch him and you see, and you believe that he's going to be able to do it. Now, he's got some great weapons for sure. But the belief that that team has in him, I think, and I think the crowd is, I'm sure it's picking up on that too, it's like, you know, we got a chance. It also, these teams constantly just take on the personality of their coach and I feel like the crowds kind of do that too. I think that's fair, right? I mean, I always use Finley as a great example, like, like the women's basketball crowds in Iowa State are crazy, right? Yeah. Because Bill was very like early on in his career, much more so than now, very demonstrative and yelled a lot and he'd be the first to admit it. We've talked about it with him. I don't know. Campbell, to me, just the way that he has conducted himself and spoken publicly during how he's just solid, right? Like there's just a sea of message, right? Like, do you think Iowa State fans are following along now? When it comes to that, like, it's not always the end of the world when something bad happens and you're not the best team in the country when you get, when a game either? Well, I think so. I mean, nine years is proof in the pudding, you know, Iowa State has had winning records in the big 12, you know, seven of those nine years. I never thought I would say that, seven of the last eight. I mean, first year, obviously, was a reset, but seven of the last eight years had a winning record in conference play. I mean, the fact that in his first, what, five years, he defeated every team in the league home and away. Did you think that was going to happen? No. No. I didn't either. And they were playing that big 12 round robin too, which is really tough. Exactly. I mean, there were no, yeah, you played everybody. So I mean, those things, I think that kind of inspires a real belief and you kind of embrace it. Hey, this message is one, everybody's got a message. Everybody's got a culture. Some are better than others and Matt's, Matt's has been terrific, but I go back in my mind to the one thing that stood out to me as I've been around coaches. I mean, not so much, you know, Johnny Majors and Earl Bruce, but some really, really outstanding coaches that we've had here. I think this is my position that Matt Campbell is the first coach that Iowa State has had, that in his heart of hearts, I believe that he could win the conference. I don't think anybody else really thought, I mean, we can, we can be good. We can be up there. We can, you know, in eight games, nine games, whatever, but I don't know that anybody ever really thought, okay, in their heart of hearts. I believe that they were going to win this league, the big eight, the big 12, whatever league it was. And Matt's, in my mind, Matt's believed it since day one, we can find a way, figure out a way to do it. We have a system we believe in. Now, some coaches may have come in that first year, but I'll say this after maybe two, a year or two, they're kind of like, oh buddy, this is, this is going to be really hard. So. Well, the other thing about Matt that I find really interesting and I haven't been around nearly as long as you have, but I've been, I've had a cup of coffee here and I've always noticed in every sport other than women's basketball because that like Bill's just been here forever. But the coaches generally seem like when they come in and I would think that this is the case at most places too. I don't think this is limited Iowa state, but this is what differentiates Matt TJ. It's still too early. I think he hasn't been here long enough to be able to tell, but when they come in, they're very open, they're very happy, they're, everything's optimistic, right? Because you haven't, you haven't had a chance to prove yourself right or wrong. You're selling a vision. You're selling a dream. And then usually there's a spike. Everybody's in love with you. And then it's easy, I think, to become jaded because you know how hard you're working. All these guys and men and women are working really hard. You have to be really talented to get to the point where you're a head coach in the big 12. And then you can become jaded because it's like, well, they're not appreciative. And then they can shut down. I've just, I've seen this so much where they almost become better a little bit. I don't know. Towards the end and then you get kicked out and then we just start the cycle over again. Matt has just been, he's just been steady the whole time. I haven't felt the peak or a valley. I think that's, I think that's fair. Is it? Okay. So sometimes people get defensive and two years ago, Matt could have gotten really defensive. Some fans were unhappy with him. I mean, you know, it's like something my wife told me a long time ago. And this is true of fans of any team. I don't want much, just more. And if you, if you win, if you win seven games, well, gosh, how about eight? Yeah, he went eight, now we've won ten. How about eleven, you know, and next year, you know, I mean, all those things and those things aren't always deliverable and they don't always happen. And so that's when, so somebody, some segment of your fan base, you know, and everybody has the right to their own opinion, but it's like, I think, I think he's kind of peaked here. And, but Matt doesn't let that bother him, you know, and I think, I think that once again, I go back to the consistency of his message and the story he believes in, what he believes in, how you win football games, knowledge of what Iowa State is. I mean, he's, he's never wavered from the statement that Iowa State, you know, is a developmental program. I mean, we were not going to have top 10 recruiting class doesn't mean we can't be top 10 teams, but we have to do it a different way than some other schools and that core belief that he's never wavered from. I think it's served him well and I think it serves it, it served him well in a tough year a couple of years ago. I almost wondered too, if it's going to be an advantage going forward, just going off of this year, because it looks like around college football, there's still really good teams. None of them seem as deep as they were because the portal part of it. Yeah, right. But Iowa State, I would make it argument that the reason that they're 10 and two going to play for the big 12 championship is because of depth. When you look at the amount of guys they've had to go through this year, and I just wonder, I don't know, I'm just spitballing here and see what you think about it. The fact that they haven't had to go crazy in the portal for one reason, because they can't, right? Iowa State can't go out and buy 20 players like Ole Miss can. It's just, but they've kept younger guys and developed them and, you know, a guy like Ryland Barnes, sure he's not playing right now, but he played some really good reps for Iowa State in the middle. They're not going to win a couple of those games if he's not ready to go in, right? Like I just wonder if it's an advantage going forward. I think that's part of it, but I think great staff, I think this is Matt's best staff that he's had. And he never had a bad staff here, but I think this is like a super cohesive staff that has 100% buy-in from all the coaches, they're all pulling in the exact same direction, don't allow debates about how we're going to do this, and that consistency also resonates with the players, and I think you have players who are hungry to be here, whether it's Ryland Barnes or Bo Goodwin, young guys who've come in, they know they have to get better. The coaches command their attention just because of who they are, and so that's how your depth is developed. I mean, obviously, Ryland Barnes was practicing with the scout team three days before he stepped in against Baylor, and it was ready to do the job, but I think that whole, just the whole coaching thing is tremendous, and that is how you build depth. You're right, Iowa State can't get, doesn't want to get a ton of players in the portal. We're playing a team tomorrow night in Marquette in basketball, and the number five team in the country, Chaka Smart doesn't take anybody in the portal, he develops them. So he understands who he is, and who Marquette is, and just like Matt understands, but in our case, I mean, we've done a good job in the portal. TJ has done a great job in the portal, you know, Matt's done a great job in the portal. Not everyone's a hit, you know, but without Dylan Barrett, Jalen Travis, you know, we're not playing Saturday. Correct. You know, I mean-- It's got to be choosy. You got to be choosy about-- and the guys who fit who you are, fit your culture, you know, and-- I'm glad you mentioned them, because the linemen don't get enough play, but, I mean, you're dead on. Both of those guys have just been massive. Huge, you know, and they've really helped, you know, up Iowa State's ability to win football games. Everyone hasn't been a hit, you know, a couple of receivers, maybe not as much, for sure. Canard Steider's been hurt, so we don't know-- he's still got another year, so we don't know long-term about some of those guys, but, you know, it's the selectiveness of who they've picked up. Jake Higgins was a pretty good pickup, too. I don't know if you've picked up on that. He's so good. He's a cheat code. He is so good. And so, I mean, so the hits there, just like-- Nice guy, too. Just like TJ has done a basketball, you know, find the guys who are the right fit, good players who could maybe thrive in this system, but understand who we are, and be willing to embrace it, and I think both Matt and TJ have done a tremendous job of that. I wanted to pick your brain on something. Again, it's why I like hanging out with you, because I like-- I will often think things, and I just say it even-- remember when I was up in the press box a couple of weeks and you called me out on it, when I said, "I'd rather lose a game, 55 to 50 than 20 to 19," and then after the Kansas game, you're like, "You still mean that? You keep me in check. This is good." I said the other night, and this is a massive statement, and I probably didn't have any business saying it, but it's just my opinion of what I-- and I think-- I think John Haycock's the best position or assistant coach I've ever seen come through Iowa State in any sport. I mean, I don't know how you can argue. Do you agree-- like, the guy like 19, James, right, and Veeam Broomfield gets a lot of credit for this. Sure. He-- you know, look at him in that Kansas game, and then look at him on Saturday night against Kansas State. He was phenomenal. Like, the development, like, it just-- when I saw Verdon in street clothes, I said to aid, and next time it's over, at 9 and 3, the good season. Not much of a-- not very reactionary there at all. See, this is my problem. I just got learned to shut my mouth. I just-- I want to give Haycock his-- his love. I just-- I think he's so special. You know, I think one of the hardest things for people who aren't around the program, and I'm not around it as much as maybe I should be or could be, but it is to really understand the impact of assistant coaches and what they bring to the table. How good are they? I mean, people-- that is a really hard thing to quantify. However, 9 years here, and this defense has been outstanding virtually all the time. If you look at second half scoring, you know, so the true measure is, okay, we give up a touchdown, and I wish you wouldn't do that. Well, yeah, everybody wishes you wouldn't do that. But the ability to adjust and shut a team down in the second half-- I mean, even in a Kansas game, they scored one offensive touchdown in the second half. Go through the 2020 season. I think the last five games or something it was like they scored gave up like 28 points in the second half of all those games combined. Even the 4 and 8 year of 22, the defense was really good. Exactly. You know, and puts you in position. And you're doing this without, I think, one of the scarce-- I mean, without a plethora of the scarceest commodity in football, and that is big athletic defensive lineman. You've done it with some guys who are good. Now, Dom Orange, this is one of the best groups we've had, for sure, in the last few years. But that has always been-- I mean, first of all, who is going to be a great defensive lineman? Well, it's got to be big. He's got to be athletic. And he's got to have just a touch of crazy at the gene pool. There's not many out there. And Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, they got a whole bunch of them. They're hogging that gene pool. And so we've had to do it with a bunch of guys who are good and tremendous scheme. And everybody understanding you're one of 11, and you have to do your job. And I think that is a message. First of all, how many guys have we ever had at Iowa State as a coach who has put in a system that's unique to college football? I mean-- And now they're stealing it in the pros? They're stealing it everywhere. No. And eventually, he'll adapt. I mean, he's tweaked it over the years, and he'll have to tweak it going forward. Who knows? Maybe next year will be this-- we do something completely different. I doubt it, but he's the guy who could do that. Because that's what he did eight years ago, and it's turned our program around. So-- That's one of the best stories, isn't it? It was the Akron game that-- I mean, Iowa State won by like 21 points, 25 points, something like that. But Campbell was just pissed because they had so many third down conversions, right? Wasn't that it? I just remember like the game's over, and you know, I'm an Ohio guy, of course, obviously so's Matt, and my sister, and her husband, and her family lived in Akron, you know. Anyway-- I didn't know that. It was a big-- it was kind of a big-- well, actually, my grandparents lived in Masselin. OK. Really? Yeah. And that's where Matt's from, for the audience who may not know. Yes. Yes. But anyway, crazy. And it's like the game's over, and I'm just happy we won. I go down to do the locker room, and you're right. He's like-- Hurt, yeah. He's ready to throw everybody under the bus, man. He is Matt, and I'm like, wow, rarely have a coach. Even as though it's a Mac team to win by 20 or whatever it was on the road, and you know, that's not how we're going to win here. That's not it. And it's like, well, the result was good. But at the same time-- But he was looking at where is this going? Where-- Yes. Yeah. And some of the things in that game, he didn't feel were sustainable in the long term unless it got corrected, which it did. But still, yes, I definitely remember that. It was kind of a lot. I was kind of surprised, to be honest. Well, and that's-- you do want to talk about culture change. I mean, there are not many, I would guess, times in your career prior to that where Iowa State football would win a game by double digits, and the coach is upset. Oh, definitely. You know, I can't remember. I mean, for me, at the end of the game, if we win, I'm happy. Yeah. I mean, never had a bad win barring, you know, losing, having a season in the injury or something like that. Great game test, you? [LAUGHTER] I'm just saying, like, oh, man, playing on that. It was like, you know, playing in Greece's lightning. I mean, just a greasy field. Oh. You know, my story from that game, my press box seat is right next to the away radio guy. I wanted to go and strangle our friend Chuck Reed. [LAUGHTER] He was calling the Drake game, right? Sure. Sure. I had to get up and leave. Oh, man. Yeah. That one. He was excited. I don't blame him. Well, yeah. I mean, that was like unbelievable. Yeah. Yeah. I'll give a shout out to Drake football basketball, too, by the way. They're doing great. Terrific coach. They won the league twice in a row. And they're new basketball coach. Yeah, they're cooking. They're cooking. They're solid, too. So I'll give a shout out to the Bulldogs there for sure. Yeah. No doubt. But no, that game-- wow. That was just-- Ah. Oh. Yeah. I'm sorry. I brought that up. This is supposed to be a fun podcast. That was stressful, way more than it obviously should have been. But once again, got the win and Matt wasn't necessarily happy after the game. He was happy it was over and done with. That was one of those just relief, relief type moments. Yeah. The other thing was Mauser I wanted to bring up because the offense is so interesting. It hasn't been-- if you would have asked me pre-season, I think I would have expected like bigger, like, sexier numbers, it's been so substantive, right? Like, I was really doing a deep dive on the numbers from the whole season last night. And I think that it's just been rock solid across the way, I don't know, like with basketball, it's like, oh, we expect a top five defense the last five-- none of that, but they're good at everything. I don't know. What do you think of Mauser in the first year? Well, I think he's done a great job. I mean, number one, you don't win 10 games without doing something right. And offensive coordinators, I mean, that's the easiest target for fan bases. As like, play doesn't work, it's a bad call, and a lot of plays don't work. You're playing against some teams that are pretty good at stopping what you're trying to do. So I think his creativity has been good, you know, sometimes what you're doing is trying to set something up later too, you know? He does that a lot. He believes, I mean, and I think most coaches believe that you have to find a way to run the football. You have to have the threat of running the football. And even if you're not having success, Saturday night was a great example, how much success did we have early? And if you'd have told me at the end of the first quarter, midway through the second quarter, that we were going to outrush Kansas state, I just said, you're crazy. But we did. Yeah. You know, I mean, just stay with it and keep pounding away finding. And then, you know, if you can get a little run game going, play action is a wonderful friend. And when you've got the weapons on the outside that Iowa state has, man, that has been absolute gold. Good point on the. And first of all, Mouser's call with the Hanson to burkel throw that I was going to go because like, but to your point, like that was, it was brilliant, right? What have Hanson overthrows him by a, by an inch? Then we're all like, why is he having the running back throw it? Right? Like it's a, it's a terrible job when it comes to people judging you. Absolutely. Yeah. That's a great play call set up was so perfect. You showed a look that you, you know, it's third and short and showed a look that we have done, you know, now countless times and even earlier in that game. And then except burkel just kind of acts like he's going to block and misses. Oh, it's great. With the block and oh, by the way, I'm wide open. I love the creativity that he has. It feels like every game he just adds something to it and it's just, I'm an offensive geek. I love, I, I think I know more than I do, but I, but you can see like sprinkles of like mesh in the air raid in there and then he's got three tight ends and then it's just, it's so much fun to watch what they come up with. That triple high. Yeah. I mean, that was that. It's like, you know, it worked early. They kind of figured out, okay, so they haven't really gone to it much lately. But, you know, it's, it's still there, but you know, Taylor, like he, I could, he's like a mad scientist and he reminds me of these old school offense guys that you could just see him in there cooking things up. I can see him in there on Sunday afternoons watching these NFL games and taking notes. The other thing too, I talked about staff and this, I mean, the fact you have a number of guys on that offensive staff who have been offensive coordinators, you know, and he, he asked him about it. It's always, his answer is always pretty much the same. It's such a collaborative process that all these guys, some really good minds in that offensive room get together. So it's not just him. I mean, it's that whole staff and what they're able to come with. Now, play calling now, that's a different animal. Yeah. And I think that would be incredibly hard. I mean, but I think he's done a great job. One of my favorite things too about his staff is how he promotes guys. I just think it builds, you talk about getting everybody moving in the same direction. It's not always the case, but when you, when you reward a guy and promote it and then the younger guys on your staff see that it's just like that, that carrot, right? It just, it, the wonder they're all so loyal to him. And you know, when you hire these guys that they know what they're getting in, in for, you know, it's like it's not, is this guy going to be a good culture fit or not? It's like, well, he's already shown that he is. So absolutely that's been great, you know, and, and bringing the guy like, you know, an Iowa state guy back like broom, you know, I mean, what a great fit that's been. So that, that's been a great fit too. So in Colby Cratch, who was gone and, you know, after he went to North Texas and, you know, had an opportunity to be a full time, you know, guy, position coach, you know, and he comes back. He knew the system too. I mean, he knew what Iowa state culture was all about. So and talk about a guy's head challenge, probably an underrated job he's done this year. I mean, yeah, when you consider, you know, he's the linebacker coach and this has been like, he's, I mean, I'm sure, I'm sure he knew all those guys names before, but he got to know them up close and personal as they come into games. This is the energy of electrification, available type desk high performance variant, nearly 500 horsepower and 278 mile EPA range range. Choose from our complimentary charging packages so you can charge how you want the all-electric Acura-ZDX. This is the energy of innovation, Acura, precision crafted performance. This is your local Acura dealer to lease the all-electric ZDX for $389 a month. This episode is brought to you by JCPenney. The holiday season is here and at JCPenney, everybody gets more. Like for your loved one, designer perfumes from Versace or Carolina Herrera or the exclusive messy fragrance for the foodie in your life, a cast-iron Dutch oven or cured coffee maker. Or for the kids, all the toys they love from Disney, Barbie, Lego and more. JCPenney, make it count, shop in store or online. Well, a really interesting game, we're in the Channel Seed Studios, of course, presented by Steeple Ridge Bourbon. Arizona State is, we had an idea, I always stayed at a chance to be in this game at the beginning of the year. I think we all believed that this team was good enough to be in this spot. Not a shocking man, they were buried in the big 12 preseason rankings, which turned out to mean absolutely nothing. The single worst preseason poll in any sport by anybody, ever, ever. You know what? I didn't vote in it this year because I said this, I'm on the record, Aidan, you can go back. I don't know anything about these. I don't, in the portal era, we don't know. It's impossible. Right. Like it really is impossible. You look, and it's like, what, for the top five teams in preseason are the bottom teams. They're the worst in the league and obviously the worst or the last place pick is playing for the championship. It is crazy. I want it. What happened at Oklahoma State? I mean, because not everybody talked about Iowa State having, you know, however many started 18 or whatever it was back, Oklahoma State was equal. They had like 20 players back or something. I mean, they had, I mean, they had all these guys back and they were, they were good last year. That they're with their running game with Ollie Gordon. It's like, I mean, they're in like the 115s in rush offense. It's one of the most staggering statistics I've ever seen in Alan Bowman. Yeah. I mean, just wasn't good enough. I mean, that's part of it. But just to quit, I mean, the whole team, I mean, that's, and that's one of the problems you can run into. I've heard a senioritis, you know, they have a lot of guys with experience and lose success and then they're thinking, okay, what's, what's next for me and, and next thing, you know, the whole, the whole season circling the drain and that's, but that was just, to me, that was the show. In Utah, I could see a little bit because of everybody was banking on cameraizing who was an elite quarterback and there was nobody semi-elite after him, after, after he was out. I put them in a hole, still a little surprised that they finished where they did. But the Oklahoma State one is the biggest one to me. And Kansas, to some extent, although they redeemed themselves a little bit, not quite enough to get the bowl of eligibility, but they, you know, won three tremendous games in a row with, and they had a lot of other games they could have won. So sometimes that's how your season goes, a little bit how Iowa State's went a couple of years ago. And that says a lot about, um, like to the fact that he could keep that train on the track. One of the things I was looking at though, and of course, they're, they're significant portal players too, like they have like 18 seniors starting, I mean, and a lot of two deep guys that are senior. So I mean, where do they go next year? Jaylen Daniels is not coming back. I'm pretty sure that would be probably be Ballard a quarterback. But I wonder where they're going. I mean, I think they're in a kind of a precarious situation going forward. The, the Arizona State team that Iowa State is about to get has one of the premier running backs in, in college football and a great story. And he's an amazing story, doing him is top five guy on the podium. You know, don't miss that guy's press conference. He was awesome yesterday. If you're an Iowa State fan, go and watch that press conference. He was up on Matt Campbell. He did. You know, I had no idea that he had been at Iowa State. I mean, been to Iowa State too, you know, so apparently he's like friends with Tyson bite is right, that's what I got out of that and Tyson invited him to near. He came over and watched, watched practice for a couple days. Yeah. So coaches will go and spring to see other places, but the thing got me was how impressed he was with Matt. I mean, it's just, you know, he's just, he's a good guy who can have fun, enjoy things and then still command, you know, but the consistency. That's why I wanted to visit Iowa State was how has he done it here in a place without all the traditional assets and how has he done it? And he is super impressed and I think certainly he's taken some lessons. He was using the be the best version of yourself line. He kind of sounded like Matt up there. Yeah. It just said a little more of an animated voice. I say a little more energetic, like the podium anyway, and certainly very energetic on the sideline too. Well, they're a great story and they're a really good football team. I'm kind of just starting to dive too deep on them, but what do you think of the matchup for Iowa State? You know, I haven't gotten real deep into it yet, but they're going to be aggressive. I mean, they're going to try to play physical, but they're going to try to play fast defensively and Iowa State's going to have to have answers, answers for that. Love their quarterback. Freshman who started Michigan State, Michigan State, a couple of games. And then so, Richard Freshman, he can make all the throws and he's got good wheels losing their wide out though. That's big. I mean, Tyson was fantastic. I mean, he was there, Jaden Higgins, and they didn't have a jail in all to go with him. Yeah. He had twice as many receptions as the next guy on the team. Right. 1100 yards and big play, man, the games I've seen, a couple of games that I saw. And frankly, I saw two games that they were fantastic. So I haven't, haven't had a chance yet to look at the games that they lost. But boy, they, and their offense is just so dynamic. We have to find a way, once again, to slow down the running game and something Iowa State's gotten better at the last couple of weeks. They're going to have to be really good at that, because Scataboo is a man. He is a he deserves to be on some Heisman ballads. He's John Riggins. Yeah. He's going, going way back, but he's the guy he just hard to get down, but he's super aggressive and finishes plays tremendously can catch it out of the backfield. And he's a tough one-on-one tackle out in space. The other thing I noticed, both of these teams really possess the football a lot. Absolutely. Turnovers are going to be really critical because I, I, this feels like a low possession game to me. It could be, you know, in, you never know. Both teams play a top 15 in time of possession. I saw. Right. And say they want to run the football, they want to play action pass and get the quarterback involved in the run game for Iowa State. I mean, we're not going to get the quarterback involved in the run game a lot, but we're going to have to figure out a way to have some success on the ground and then see what they do. I mean, teams have, have really scheme defensively so much against the combination of Higgins and Noel. We have to have that third guy. Burkel's been, it has been good. And he's come on really well. Yes. He'd been a huge, a huge boost for Iowa State offensively in an area where I kind of thought he was just going to be that blocker, you know, and catch a pass or two. But he's really developed into, you know, a guy that you can go to. And I go back and even, you know, well, a year ago, started to fall and I'm asking some of the guys, so who do you think is going to merge it tight end? I said, well, a brainer kid's good, which I'd seen and that was pretty obvious. But they said, no, K. Burkel is going to be, he's going to be the guy, you know, although he was kind of hurt and dinged and then brainer came on, but they've had high hopes for him for a long time. And it's great to see that come to fruition, especially at a time when somebody had to step up and, you know, he certainly was able to do that. Well, it'll be special, I kind of wanted to as well, just reflect on how many years have you been doing this now? This is my 46th year of basketball, 41st of football, though, a while. That's incredible. I started when I was seven. But you still, I mean this, not just because you're one of my heroes, like you, you haven't lost a step, like I'm serious, like you, you're very sharp. You look great playing golf all the time. Not enough. But clubs right now, not much right now. They say they're there in hibernation. It's kind of off-season golf, but no, I love what I do and I never take for granted ever how lucky I am to be able to do this for a school that I love. Yeah. Well, and obviously you played basketball at Iowa State, but you don't want shocking to me though, because I'm kind of becoming an old guy in the business. It happens. I know. I mean, look. Well, a lot of these kids don't know like that you used to play basketball at Iowa State. Like, did you know that, Aidan? Did you, Aidan's probably a little bit different because he's, he's a, he's a nutty, like crazy. But like the amount of like our interns and stuff that we have who don't know anything about the Paul Rhodes era, like a shocking to me, because it just feels to me like it was yesterday. You know, I'm going to tell a little story on you. Oh boy. I mean, it's not really on you. But I just remember when you first started and you and Bloom, of course, Tina, I've known Bloom's dad since before there was a Brent. Oh, yeah. Okay. So, but anyway, and so I knew Brent just a little bit, but you guys are starting out. And one of the things I thought at the time, I mean, I appreciate that here's somebody out here really trying to push this all this Iowa State. But when I would hear you say something like, oh, this, he, he's, he's the best defensive man in Iowa State history, I think, well, you've seen three, you know, and I think it's, you know, I go back to some of the guys that I was in school with and I'm thinking, a lack of perspective. Oh, I get it. Yeah. And the recency bias, if you will, I don't like even reading my old stuff. Yeah. And I single you out only because where you're, but it, but it happens everywhere. And I'm sure I was a victim of that too, because you don't know what you don't know. Exactly. Now that you've had a chance to see more, you realize, wow, there was, I mean, I go back in the 70s, I mean, my sophomore year was the first bowl game in Iowa State history. They went back my junior year and then 76, 77, 78, three consecutive eight and three seasons. There were a lot of really good football players. And you go back when, when I was in school, I came in, Johnny Majors was here and he was a, it was a splash hire, kind of a, maybe risky hire a little bit. Sorry. Dippy's messing with the camera. If you saw the old shake right there, we got the dog in the studio. But I go back and the players that we got out of Florida and Georgia, because frankly, you know, the SEC schools didn't take black players and we were able to get, you know, guys, you know, like Barry Hill, Lonnie Coleman, Willie Jones, some guys that were tremendous, big daddy hunt, tremendous players, I care, I mean, guys that played in the NFL that, that, you know, frankly, today we'd have a really very difficult time landing any of those guys. And that, that's where I, I love the internet. I'm obviously very passionate about, it's not new media anymore, but it was when, when we were getting started, I wish that we had more literature on that era. Not much video. There's not much out there. There's the dirty 30 documentary that cyclones TV did with Creschelle and all, you know, Rod and Jeff, and it was, it's great. I've watched it a bunch. It, it's so hard to learn about Iowa States past and I don't know what the answer is. We just need, I, so I put that upon myself with cyclone fanatic. We need to get Creschelle on the record, you on the record, and really chronicle some of this stuff. Yeah. When I go back and my love for football was early, I mean, and, but being around those guys, the guys I knew, the Barry Hills, the eye carers, and the guys that came in the same group. Jerry Moses was the number one running back in the country that Iowa State signed, it's the same year that I was signed, it keeps us from Waterloo. And while things never worked out for him, because of the injuries, but that was a sign meant. It is a coming program. And then, you know, when Johnny decided to leave for Pitt, you know, about the time we're trying to get a new stadium and then Earl comes in and, and really did, did a terrific job, but completely different style. I mean, one, you know, I would, Johnny Major's time would have been considered the modern guy. I mean, he's going to try all different things and then Earl came in and he's out of the Ohio State, Woody Hayes, you know, three yards and a cloud of dust, you know, or, and it was a real hard, hard adjustment for our fans until we won eight games, three years in a row. And then, of course, Woody Hayes had to, had to punch a guy and then Earl went to Ohio State, which is the only place he would have left for. I always try to kind of call like McCartney on the modern era in anything before that. It's just, it's just hard. I know enough about Walden. There's a lot of Walden guys who were still around who have told me great stories, but there's just that little pocket in between like 75 to McCartney, where I just, I feel like there's just not much out there for fans to be able to learn. Yeah. I mean that the Donnie Duncan era was one of, you know, not quite good enough and followed by Jim Kreiner, who once again, not quite good enough, and also got us on probation. And then Walden came in who was a breath of fresh air, left Washington State where he'd had success to come here, which was, and he had some success. But again, he just kind of got bogged down and he was not, he didn't recruit Iowa. I mean, if Iowa offered somebody in Iowa, who played in the state of Iowa, he kind of conceded it and it's like, that's tough, because he was a very innovative coach and a guy who, I always kind of believe, kind of thought that he believed he could outcoach the other guy. Well, at this level, I mean, Barry Switzer, Tom Osborne, this guy's a pretty hard to outcoach. They're pretty good. They got the Jimmy's and the Joe's on top of it. It was, you know, and finally, it just went to the point where, but Dan McCarny came in and he changed, he changed that mindset that took a while to get real traction, but, but it happened. Well, I'm props to the administration for not firing him, you know, no question. I still remember 98 and so TCU had been like one in 10 the year before, and that was our opener. And that was Gary Patterson, right? Wasn't he just getting started there? I think so. I'm not sure whether he was still DC there or head coach, but either way, they weren't, you know, like Pat Sullivan was the head coach, actually, a guy who'd been runner up Heisman at Auburn, his quarterback, but anyway, he, after that game, which we lost, we were up 21, 14 and a half and think, okay, here we go. And then we lose the game. Well, turns out TCU was not a one in 10 team. They ended up like nine and two and had a cat named, a freshman named Lydalia and Thomas on that team and some other good, some other really good players. So the loss really wasn't that bad in hindsight, but at the moment it was bad and we're going to Iowa the next week and like a 30 point underdog or whatever, yeah, whatever, and I'm thinking, man, I remember seeing Margie McCartney the night before the game and she can't, and I just said, let's keep it, let's keep a good thought, something good could happen. And we won, okay, now still was not a phenomenal year, they were four and seven maybe, but the Iowa game, after you've lost 15 in a row, you beat Iowa and Iowa City, that counts as two. Yeah, that counts as an extra win for sure. So that and the next year, just a little bit better and set up to 2000 year. And then once again, hadn't been to a bowl in 22 years. I mean, how could you not, I mean, that was, that was one of the most, even though a couple of the losses were bad in 2000. That was a glorious year. I mean, just because, I mean, how many teams hadn't been to a bowl game in 22 years? Yeah. And to this is back in an era where bowl games were huge, but they were absolutely the post season. And I remember going to Phoenix for that one, that was just, that was just so fantastic and the win, you know, once again, doing it with my best friend, you know, with Pete. And I'm still remember the, I can still hear his call of Jermaine Billop's punt return for a touchdown. Oh yeah. Which was crazy. You know, J.J. Moses got dinged, he was our punt returner, Jermaine Billop's never returned a punt before. Really? So I didn't know that. And he was a, he was a freshman, I think he was a freshman and true freshman. And anyway, put him in and boom, it was unbelievable. Was the, was the win in 98, your favorite or would you have preferred 2002 with the Seneca Whitford comeback in Kennick if you had to pick one? I mentioned earlier, recency bias. Yeah. That was Kyle Conrad. He's kicking off. So I'm guilty of that. No, I would say both are, but 98 and 2002 are just so iconic because it was the building of everything, you know, it, you know, 2002 was unbelievable, you know, and because that game was over. I can still still remember, well, I remember Brad Banks dropping the ball in Tim to Brink right there. But the one plate that just sticks out is our buddy Jack Whitford hits from Seneca Wallace in, in the end zone, running to his left and picking up an enormous first down. I mean, that was just, what an iconic play that, that, that is the play that stands out to me pretty much in all the Iowa state football game. I mean, just that one play, it wasn't a scoring play, no, but it was a game changing play and it was just fantastic. Yeah. And it was in Jack two were very biased, but former walk on Iowa kid and we didn't realize at the time how good Iowa was. No, no, we kind of like that TCU team you're talking about. Exactly. I mean, you look back. I mean, it's just like when you talk at, look at all the rankings now, you say, how many top 25 wins do you have? Well, were they top 25 when you play them or you look back, you know, and maybe you'd be the team who's a top 25 team now. I mean, all those things, you know, are different. You don't really know what's going to play out, but that was definitely a case where I thought, you know, that was, that was our, what, fifth straight win in the series, you know, from 98 to 2002. So it was like, you know, we've kind of, we've kind of owned these guys anyway. Mm hmm. The holidays are here at the Home Depot. So let's get to decorating, find your perfect tree in our huge assortment of shapes, sizes and styles like the easy to assemble Jackson noble fur, but pre-lit branches perfect for styling with all your favorite ornaments or the flock starry light Fraser fur with over 1900 pre-lit memory wire branches that keep their shape. So it's ready right out of the box. Find the perfect tree now at the Home Depot. So the last thing I wanted to, you, because you brought up Pete and I'm a, I'm a media geek admittedly, but I do think the audience will find this pretty interesting too. It's got documented a really good piece on Iowa's situation for the athletic, like four or five years ago. But so it, it didn't used to be like, so the cycle and radio network, which you've been on for 44 years, it didn't used to be a Learfield thing, right? Like it was clear channel and but there would be like any like local radio station could just show up and call an Iowa state game. How did that work? Yeah. They couldn't just show up. WY used to have the network, but also Karen T in 1970, Johnny McElle, that was Pete's first year. WY was TV five, right? Public radio. Oh, they had radio too. I didn't know that. Right. It was WY FM. They still have it. You know, I don't know. You're not a public radio guy. Apparently not. I'm a, my radio days, I think are behind me. I'm pretty much all digital now. But I always said W.O.I was like, what, ISU TV is now, right? Like it used to be channel five and then they moved it down to the point, but they still have public radio. Okay. I didn't even know that. Well, yeah. Check it out. Okay. Good stuff. But anyway, but I have NPR on my podcast. Okay. So okay. NPR. Okay. That's WY here. Okay. In central. I didn't even know you could listen to it on the radio. Oh, absolutely. So WY learnin' somethin', the WY did the games in 1970. Pete did football for the first time for K R N T radio and the next year he did basketball for the first time, which was my first varsity game. So he was an employee of K R N T. He was sports director at K R N T. And they're out of where? Des Moines. Oh, so that's ESPN radio now. 1350. Gotcha. Okay. So they broadcast the games. You guys in your call numbers, I didn't. Yeah. KMA. Yeah. Also. Warren Swain. Warren Swain. Yeah. Icon. Then later Chuck Morris. Yeah. Yeah. So those guys. My old boss, Chuck. Yeah. So those guys, Chuck used to be our sideline guy. Yeah. That's awesome. Going back. Yeah. Oh. He used to tell me stories about you guys in your old Skyrider tours and stuff like that back when I worked with him. Yeah. That sounds like a hell of a time, by the way. He never went on this guy. Really? No. But man, yeah. That was literally flying an old DC three, I guess. I just heard the stories there too. But anyway, so there were three originators in the same. And even then when I played WHO would broadcast Iowa State basketball. Really? So they would do Iowa and they would do select Iowa State games. And sometimes pretty much all the big aid games. Who called those? Well, if Iowa wasn't playing, Jim Zobble. Really? If Bob Burrell, if Jim was doing an Iowa game, sometimes there would be a half hour difference between the start of their game and our game. So they would air the first half of the Iowa game and then our game would start and then they would do the... Wow. Yeah. It was kind of a crazy... It was a crazy time, then it must have been 1980-ish. Iowa State said, "You know what, we're going to do, so we're going to go to an exclusive rights deal." And the winner was KIOA, which is based in Des Moines, 940. The general manager there was a guy named Ed Wodka. I don't know if you know the name Jeff Wodka. The son ended up being a tight end here, but Ed had played big sports guy, played basketball Bradley with Chet Walker and anyway, loved sports. And so they won the rights and so they had it for three years. And so no other station could broadcast, you know, originated a cycle and broadcast. So and then after that, after the three years were up, Ed had gone to Seattle. And so the new GM wouldn't have known a football from a tennis racket, so they weren't interested. And that's when Learfield had the rights. So Learfield had the rights for five years and then after five years, Clear Channel got the rights. So I mean, I did the games for all these. So you just were going from one to the other. Right. And Pete was played by play guy anyway, so and then so when he was doing that, was he still at Krenthe? I'll say he was well, KCCI, I mean, it was carrot back then. It was Krenthe TV. They didn't change the KCCI. Oh, okay. Later. But so he, oh, that all makes sense. He never worked at your care. And that's where Walters gets involved later on, right? Exactly. Yeah. So John was at Drake, I mean, Pete hired him and Chuck Reed and Jeff Johnson, the three musketeers. Yeah. Absolutely. So they worked, they worked with Pete there. So that was, that was that connection. But and then so Krenthe channel had the rights from 1989 until I think spun us off Krenthe channel spun the sports off to Learfield, like in 2006, maybe six or so somewhere in there. And Learfield's had it ever since. So Learfield's had it twice. Clear channel once in the middle, but it started with care away. Yeah. It's fast. So Pete was the first voice of the cyclones. Oh, no, well, I mean, like exclusively. Correct. Yeah, that is correct. So, but there were, but back before the exclusive, there were like three or four guys that would just be calling these games, George Turner, you know, Frank Snyder, I mean, these guys. So we've only had two officially. That's correct. I like the historical aspect. That's correct. So like Iowa, like there's only been Zobble and Gary, like officially, but you had, you had Brooks, you had Ron Gonder. Yep. And yeah, you had all these guys. Frosty Mitchell. I mean, yeah, I've heard him, you know, they had, you know, Frosty his first name or was that a nickname? I assume it was a great name, but he was one of the, he was one of the guys that started Adventureland. Wow. That voice you've heard over the years that he used to hear anyway was him on the commercials. Wow. Yeah, I long like I'm, I'm such a media geek that I, I just really appreciate the grind of it. I got my, I was the best thing I ever did was go and work at KMA because it's just the great radio station. Oh, phenomenal. Locally owned. The May family. Awesome. Yeah. But the whole having to be on the air at five, me and Chuck Morris would start the day off for everybody. With that. Yeah. But though, you know, it sucked. Oh, this was horrible. It back killed me and I didn't have kids or a wife at the time, but I'd be out calling a high school basketball game, get back, cut up my audio, write the script. I'd be in bed at 12, if I'm lucky, and then have to be back in there at 4.30 to be on the air at five. But in, in, in that area, this is why I always say these, these local radio guys are the hardest working people in the industry. They, they don't have anyone to set up their equipment. They do it all. They're playing their own commercials. They don't have anyone bringing them stats. They're doing stats at the same time. It is a grind. And it's getting worse. Yeah. I mean, local media in general is, I mean, it's phasing. I mean, you're talking about the electronic, the digital world that we live in, and it's kind of phasing out a lot of things that I think are really essential to, not just sports, but to democracy. Yeah. I mean, we need somebody cut over in city council meetings. Has there ever been a scandal that was found out about without local media, you know, shining a light on it? And the answer is no, and at least that, that's my opinion. And that's something that, that I think is a little distressing going forward with this loss. So many people in the local media who, who performed not only entertaining things, but a tremendous public service. I hope, you know, my real hope here is that a lot of these stations will get bought up by local people in some capacity that the I hearts and cumuluses of the ones like, I mean, it's, it breaks my heart that KASI is basically no longer in service. It is. It's technically on the right, but they don't have a single, like the Ames Tribune, like isn't it crazy that a city like Ames doesn't have local media really anymore? I mean, technically it's there, but it's owned and run by the register. They're not, not covering Ames School Board and, you know, maybe they are, but it's not what it used to be, but it that way. And once again, no, and so much of this is hard to find a, what's up, Diffy. That's the dog, if you hear a squeak toy in the bottom. But yeah, that's, it's driven by economics, obviously, you know, and that's like some things are, you know, are, are, it should be more important, but then at the end of the day, well, it's hard to quantify and hard to fund these things that, you know, revenue has gone away. What we're doing here at Iowa everywhere, put it this way. Right now we're pretty much exclusively sports. We're dipping into some other things. I could promise you, right? My goal is in 10 years that we're going to have people doing that. I promise you one thing though, it's going to be a hell of a lot harder to monetize than what we're doing right now. Nobody, you guys, the amount of people who are willing to pay $10 a month to get sports content is pretty good. The amount of people willing to do it so that we're covering our local city council meeting, there's not many people who will do it. Right. They don't even click on it. Right? But you're right, and then therein lies the problem where if it's not monetized, like a Genet is like a hedge fund now, they're not really worried about what's going on in the Fort Dodge school district, you know? Yeah. Or it used to be like the KMA's of the world, they live there, right? Their kids go to school there, it's just so different. I mean, your idea of local people buying these radio stations and that sounds good. I still see it happening. I don't either. That's my hope. Yeah. It's a good thought, I just don't know how workable. What will have to happen is the big companies will just have to be to the point where we just want to unload them for pennies on the dollar and say we're completely getting out of this. And then you have people who, I mean, that kind of happened over in Shenandoah, where Ed sold the station, but he didn't want to sell it to a big one of the big dogs. I don't know if he could have anyways, but a bunch of like five or six people from Shenandoah got together and just bought it. And now they're operating it. So there is hope. Is Mark Enos still? Mark's not there anymore. Okay. Yeah. He was great to deal with. Favorite people I've ever got to work. I hear from him about once a year. Yeah. I love the love my time there and Don Hanson and that we have a lot of paths that crossed in that deal. Yeah. I mean, Don Hanson was a producer at Learfield the first time in the early 80s when I did the games for Learfield. He actually, yeah, he was our, he was back when Learfield had like four schools. So he taught me everything I know about any, I'm not a very good play by play. He was a guy, but he taught me every, because he, he didn't do it, but he was a, he was a geek about it. I mean, that guy would sit and listen to hundreds of guys do play by play and he was really good at coaching it. And cause I didn't want to ever be a play by play guy. And I still don't, but like I, I, we did okay in Bahamas. Yeah. All right. Yeah. You're easy to work with the, I enjoy doing it, but he was the one who made me do it because back there, you can't really well be a sports director at a station like that if you're not out doing games. And I, I had never done it before and he was the guy who kind of just pushed me into that world. It just, just a great, I can't say enough positive things about, about my time there. Yeah. That's why I long for it. And I, I, I try and what we're doing here, we really want to pay homage to what came before us and not, we're not trying to be a vulture and, you know, kick all these people when they're done. It's a tough time out there. Yeah. We're, we want to help. Yeah. I mean, just kicks and all, yeah. It's tragic. Yeah. I don't want that. No. No. Anyways, well, hopefully, hopefully we can talk maybe in a couple of weeks and do a playoff preview. Okay. Love it. What absolutely love it. Well, I'm happy for you too. I know you're very keen on not making it about yourself, but it's a special deal and, and, and, and even Pete, right? I don't know. Like, it's pretty cool. Yeah. He was up there with you. I'm, I'm sure on Saturday night and hopefully we can go and get one and, and the godfather as well. Just everybody involved. It's just, you guys, we, we, I know you heard it, but like it, what's funny, I'm sure that you've experienced this for four decades is that you and John and, and Hark now and, and of course, Brunzy back in the day, people feel like they know you, even if they don't. Yeah. I guess that's, I've heard that. Yeah. They feel like they're your best friend because you're just, they're going through it with you. You know, one of the things that, that struck me was this summer and somebody came up to me and kind of said that same thing and, and repeated a couple of things that I had said on the air, which, you know, I didn't really remember, you know, I just kind of make it up as I go. But, but I just thought, you know, we're sitting there just like we are here today. We're doing a game and we're talking into a microphone. We have no, maybe no one is even listening. We have no idea, you know, and to have people who come up and say something to you. It's not annoying to me at all. It's just, I, I really appreciate it because it validates. I remember when I was a kid, I was in a Ohio State fan and listened to the radio and man, I knew those guys, you know, football, basketball, whatever, you know, and West Virginia too. I was kind of halfway between, I can go to West Virginia and my high school coach played at West Virginia and he was from my hometown and he played with Jerry West there. So I had a little connection there. So I could listen to their games. I could listen to Ohio State games, but, you know, but I, baseball, baseball is the play by play guy who Pittsburgh Pirates. I mean, I've been a Pittsburgh fan of Pirates Steelers ever since once again, I grew up 100 miles from, from Pittsburgh man. Love the Pirates. I would listen to every game. They played night games that would start at 11 o'clock Eastern time in LA and I had that transistor under, and listening to Bob Prince and Jim Woods doing the game. I mean, it's just. Denny Matthews was my guy. Yeah. That guy put me to bed every night. I mean, so, so I, I kind of get, you know, having, having lived that when I was younger and I still like to listen to play by play guys. Yeah, the it's, it is amazing. It is amazing how that works. Like I, I can almost recite you and John's call of the 2011 Oklahoma State game off the top of my head, like how those things will like stick with you. Yeah. Yes. Absolutely. Yeah. I like just random P Taylor calls from the four and seven season. Like he's an encyclopedia with those things. It's cool. We're lucky to have you, sir. Thank you for coming in. I appreciate your time. I enjoy it. I appreciate all you do for Iowa State and I know it's a, it's an act of love for you. Absolutely. Well, it's the people and in your part of that. So hopefully we'll get Eric back in here and maybe we could do a playoff preview or something. We'll see. He is the great aircraft. That producing is always go out and buy yourself or a friend, a bottle of steeple rich bourbon. There you go. He's going to take one home and we'll be next. We'll be back next week here on CW Pod on Iowa Everywhere. Iowa Everywhere. All right. [MUSIC PLAYING] [ Silence ]
Chris Williams is joined by Iowa State Color Analyst Eric Heft to discuss the special season for the Cyclones, how Matt Campbell built his program, and looking ahead to the Big 12 Title Game. Touching on the media landscape and more. Presented by Steeple Ridge Bourbon.
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