Good-Timey Radio Hour

I said it was over last week. Sports internet guy, his name is Sam, said, dude, people read this stuff, so, you know, do what people want.

I love logic, but I really hate it sometimes.

All right. Let's try to get out of this with what little sanity we have left.

This is your weekly Kirk Ferentz radio show highlight show post. It's stream of consciousness. Just know that going in.

My iOS 8.0 finally updated!

Gary Dolphin is energetic. The man is a tornado. I don't know how he does it. I kind of hate it. His energy level puts me to shame.

Dolph is eyeing Purdue as a team to watch. I agree. I just finished the 2-Minute Drill. This isn't going to be easy. I say that and, yes, I know that Purdue lost to Central Michigan (stop me if you've heard that one before).

It's an 11 a.m. kick this week from Ross-Ade Stadium. The TV is Big Ten Network. The announcers are three dudes I've never heard of.

Hey, Dolph is going to talk to Zach Johnson about the Ryder Cup.

First Craig from Sioux City, speak to the man!!!

He asked about LeShun Daniels, who's not had a carry in the last two games. Dolph said the four-man wrecking crew at RB is over and Daniels is the odd-man out. (I will say that it's Iowa RB, everyone will have a say eventually.)

Craig wants to know about RB Jonathan Parker. Is there a chance he'll be back for kick returns?

Dolph said no more running back this season for Jonathan Parker. Dolph is right. He's got to wait his turn.

Back in the day - I can say that totally unironically now - I used to cover golf for the Gazette. I used to cover Zach Johnson, who is 6-4-1 in his four Ryder Cup appearances.

Check this out from 2007, when I knew how to write:

I watched Zach Johnson tee off during the 2002 Greater Cedar Rapids Open pro-am and just kind of chuckled. The pro-am that year was at Airport National, a short course by any standard.

This was like watching Michael Jordan dunk on a 6-foot hoop.

What the heck was this guy doing here?

This was when Zach was on the verge. In April 2002, Zach - we're going with 'Zach” here, you know darn well who I'm talking about - finished in a tie for 17th at the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta, his second PGA tournament and the first time he made the cut. He picked up a $57,000 check and was interviewed on Sunday afternoon by NBC's Jimmy Roberts.

In June 2002, Zach also was the points leader and top earner on the NGA/Hooters Tour.

Zach almost had to pass on the 2002 GCRO. He finished one shot from advancing in U.S. Open qualifying. Had he made it out of the local, he would've been in Purchase, N.Y., for the sectional. Maybe Zach should've been protecting his points lead on the Hooters Tour.

He should've been anywhere on the golf map than here. What the heck was this guy doing teeing off at Airport National in the GCRO pro-am?

'I'm Zach Johnson, and I'm from Cedar Rapids, Iowa,” Zach said an hour or so after he won The Masters on Sunday. 'I'm a normal guy, as normal as they come.”

That's why.

For some reason, I vividly remember that day out at Airport.

Zach stood on the first tee with his dad, David, and good friend Jim Petersen. He wasn't impatiently checking his watch, ticking off the money that could be made at another venue. He was genuinely happy to be at Airport, playing a round with dad and friends.

The cynic wants to say this was Zach doing the GCRO and Cedar Rapids golf cronies a favor. He won the GCRO the previous year, pocketing $10,000. But knowing Zach, even just the little bit that I do, that's not true.

He's Zach Johnson. He's from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

In the 1999 GCRO, I remember tooling around St. Andrews with Zach and his caddy, Andrew Ekland, then a 15-year-old kid.

'I would've offered a few suggestions, but Zach didn't need any,” Ekland said. 'He was playing so well today, I didn't want to do anything to mess him up.”

Johnson, who shot a 5-under that day, gave credit to Ekland.

'He's going to get a nice tip,” Zach said.

I remember calling Zach on his cell during the week of that 2002 BellSouth.

'I just have a routine that I'm used to,” Zach said. 'Whether it's the PGA or a one-day pro-am, I don't get too hyped. I have a routine, and I'm not superstitious. I just relax and try to chill.”

'My putter sure helped,” Johnson said. 'It's called SeeeMore and it was seeing a lot.”

You could clearly see it after the 2001 GCRO. Zach had a path and it was going a long way from Cedar Rapids.

I admit I didn't see Augusta that day in June 2002. But I saw PGA Tour card. I wouldn't have bet the pinks on the pickup on it, but you didn't have to squint to see Zach graduate from the Greater Cedar Rapids to the Greater Milwaukee.

'We're glad we got Zach this year,” Petersen said that day. 'It's going to be tougher and tougher to get him.

'Yes, Zach will outgrow us ... Players come here, play well, finish well, build some confidence and, hopefully, move up the ladder. You can see the path Zach is on. It's going up.”

That wasn't Jim Petersen 10 minutes ago. That was Jim Petersen in June 2002.

Zach was a celebrity in June 2002, at least on the local golf circuit. Everyone knew and kind of wondered, what the heck is this guy doing here?

'A lot of people are patting me on the back and thanking me for being here, but I'm here to win,” Zach said that June day. 'This isn't a favor. Yeah, I have a lot of fun with friends and family at this tournament and it's great, well-run and first-class.

'But it's a competition, and I want to win.”

Zach didn't win. He finished fifth.

It was a tough day. He was the 'Tiger” of the GCRO and he was outdone by Greg Petersen, a former South American Tour player.

I remember Zach sought me out, talked about a tough day with the putter and was completely gracious.

'I want to be on the PGA Tour,” Zach said. 'Whether it's through playing my way on in PGA events or via Qualifying School, I don't really care. I've tasted the best tour in the world, and I don't want to play anywhere else.”

I kind of figured it was goodbye.

But you know, we know, that he'll always be Zach Johnson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, normal guy.

Dolph just said, 'A little history from the Dolph, here.” He clearly was being facetious, but I'm going to totally call him 'The Dolph” from now on.

Zach just said he's getting old. Tell me about it, bro.

- Dolph just mentioned QB. He said Rudock has a hip injury. I'm here to tell you he has a hip pointer. That's a seven-to-10-day injury. Here's a link. It sounds like a vacation in H-E-Double Hockey Sticks.

- Here's what Iowa has left for tickets this season: Indiana 2,500, Northwestern 4,500, Wisconsin 2,000 and Nebraska 4,500.

- Dolph says Rudock and C.J. Beathard took about the same amount of snaps in practice today.

KF said Rudock has made a lot of progress. He's not 100 percent, and they'll see at the end of the week.

So, don't know. I still think Beathard and then Iowa goes into a bye and Rudock has a chance to fully heal. Read that link and, please, consider that pain before you blithely snark out about Rudock. He stayed out on the field and chipped in when he must've been in great pain.

Bryce in Marshalltown, hello, good sir.

Loved the playcalling at Pitt (plant, is this a plant?). He asking KF about TV timeouts.

KF said TV timeouts were a record all-time high. Really disruptive and especially hard on the players. He doesn't dig them. No reading between the lines there.

- Dave in Bettendorf, talk to the man!

Dave's first time getting in this season. Quick comment and two questions. Lost his friend John Leiser, who passed away recently. These gentlemen are Dubuque Wahlert grads. My condolences, sir.

Dave wants to know about the OT from Dubuque Senior and a walk-on. Question on throwing the ball deep. Four or five 20-plus passes a game? Well, they had three last week.

Lucas Legrand - KF said impressed with multi-sport athlete. Redshirting. Enthused. Good future. Good frame.

Jake Gervasse - Had a shoulder repair after baseball and probably won't do much this fall.

On the deep ball - Good to finally connect on one. Called the pick last week a 'freak play.” Says Rudock is owed 60 yards. Iowa does carry a couple of those plays into every game. Need a higher percentage.

- On Marshall Koehn: Very strong leg. Ferentz said neither Iowa kicker had played, so the elevator was in full force. Said the 52-yarder could've gone another 10 yards.

Commercial break now.

- TOMMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He's breaking up. Had to pull the cord on Tommy.

Sad trombone.

- Bill from somewhere, speak into your talkinator!

Bill has a frosh daughter at the UI. He's a new Iowa fan. Sounds like he's more of an Oklahoma fan. Asks, very respectfully, about the QBs. Said CJ thinks a little faster, reaction times are a little faster and a little more creative.

KF said he agrees. Goes into the 'two good QB” line. When CJB went in, KF was worried about the circumstance, but not about CJB. He was a big part of the comeback. Did a good job with the decision making.

- Kenny, from Shawshank (?????).

He's made about ISU. Another LeShun Daniels question. Drink.

KF said he hopes it doesn't affect the recruitment of his brother James, a highly touted O-lineman. Good things to say about LD. Too good to be true. Has improved. Iowa is thrilled. KF said you'll see more of him, but it's tough to play four RBs. Trying to work that out. Said he'll be a very valuable member of the team.

- Frank in Des Moines, speak to the great Oz.

Comments coming. Frank sounds familiar. Great enthusiasm. Overpowered Pitt lines. Pretend the second half is the first half. Wants more play-action (good call there, Frank). Compliments KF.

KF on the second half: Goes back to the ball that was picked. It was a fluke play. (Wipe it off, move along.) KF says Paul Chryst is a great coach (absolutely agree, he'll be in the Big Ten real, real soon).

- Bob from somewhere in Florida. He's the 'Florida Man.”

Compliments KF on the players and the men they are. Nicely put, Bob.

- Dolph notes Iowa played 20 on defense. Notes that Iowa is building depth.

KF: Some of it was planned and some unplanned. 'None of our teams have played their best football in September.”

- Brent from Rockville.

Depth comment. Kids genuinely into each other. Team chemistry seems extremely high. Mentions Rudock sticking around. Same with running backs and defensive backs. Great chemistry.

KF: There are few things I can complain about, but not work ethic. Unselfish attitudes. Older guys passed that down.

- TOMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!

Comments on . . . and he totally broke up. Again. Oh, karma karma karma chameleon

- Steve from a desert island.

Iowa State joke. Three mental notes: Great kick by Koehn. Mentions Heinz Field and the difficulty kicking there. Said something else. And then couldn't remember the third. Sounds like a great guy. I like Steve a lot. He remembers, how about that Scherff play.

The second one was John Kenny.

I met his dad in Pittsburgh briefly. Very nice man. Very proud of his son. I admit, I've kind of marveled at what Kenny has done. He was a linebacker before Ball State week. Macon Plewa (shoulder) should be back soon, but out this week.

- Pat from Sigourney, talk into your talking machine!

Loved the blitzes (a lot of you said that).

KF: Iowa did disrupt. Pitt kept a lot of players in protection. Disruption isn't always sacks. When you bring the pressure, can you hang on in coverage? Thought the secondary moved around better in the second half. Best team defense of the year. Don't forget the formula, because 'we had it going pretty good.”

- Scott from Marshalltown, former home of my son's drum set.

ISU something something. How do you respond to that?

KF: Upset people are part of the deal. ISU is an extremely important game for Iowa, he said. That has been portrayed that it's not as important to Iowa. KF said that's not true.

'We can cry in our beer after the season is over . . .” KF said beer.

- KF knew Zach Johnson was in the Ryder Cup and it sounded as though that was the extent of KF's Ryder Cup knowledge (that's true for me, too).

- Doplh is stalling.

- Chris from Nebraska, he is on the air!

Said hello to Gary and Ed. Ed is Kirk, Kirk is Ed.

Something something, running out the clock here. Didn't like the questions on Tuesday. Said people asking questions probably didn't know who Gordy Bohannon and Pete Gales were.

KF is talking Brad Banks. 'One of the best stories ever in college football.” I'm with KF there. Mentions Banks' performance against ISU in ‘02 and how he pulled it together after that.

- Guy from earth.

Tired of Sound Off calls. Don't listen, guy from earth. Pretty simple there, guy from earth.

Stuff, stuff, stuff. Purdue . . . tapping my foot . . . Play full 60 minutes.

60 something minutes. That rings out to me this week.

Good night.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@sourcemedia.net