Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - The latest on the Iowa gambling investigation, Iowa Softball in the Big Ten Tourney

Episode Date: May 10, 2023

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One final show from the road. I'm Trent Condon here on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast live from Stadium Swim at Circa and happy to be with you. We got a lot to get into today. The latest on the investigation of student athletes involved in sports wagering. We'll give you the latest on that front as things start to go quiet. Iowa softball in the Big Ten tournament. That is news. A softball program building its way up. We'll get into that and a whole lot more, including optimism for Iowa football. Boy, it continues to grow. All today on Locked on Hawkeyes. Our Locked on Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network. Your team every day.

Welcome in. I'm Trent Condon, and this is the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast. Thanks for making Locked On Hawkeyes your first listen every day. We're available wherever you get podcasts. Hit us up with a five-star review. And you can also watch us on YouTube. Make sure you hit that subscribe button while you're there. So let's get in front of more Hawkeye fans.

As we make our way now into day three of the investigation into Iowa athletics and what is happening. We're at the point in time now where things are definitely getting much more quiet. We've talked about some of the connections and some of the information that I've been handed out. You can catch that over the last couple of days on the podcast feed and see some more of those details and everydayers. We got you covered on that front and thanks for being with us every single day. But at this point in time, it's a waiting game. It's a waiting game to see if there's going to be more investigation. I have been told that at least when the initial plan by DCI was put together, that this was going to be the first of a couple of waves of investigations that were going to be

happening with sports wagering. What we do know is more than anything, this is targeting under 21 years old. This is what this DCI investigation was about, of finding players, finding, I should say, students and people in general under the age of 21 that are illegally betting on sports. Can't do it. It's as simple as that. And whatever workaround that you have,

be it a fake ID, using somebody else's information, whatever it is, it is illegal. It is a misdemeanor. It is something that is not anything that is huge in that realm. But here's where we step to another avenue, and that is, of course, what happens in the NCAA's eyes. We talked about the Virginia Tech football player. Last summer, they were going through the annual conversation that happens with every athletic program out there. Don't bet.

Can't bet. It's illegal. We do not allow it in the NCAA. Don't do it. And it's a speech that's been given for decades upon decades upon decades. on decades and you can go back for betting scandals way back in the day from what the new york city new york university basketball team ccny way back in the 50s connie hawkins a iowa hawkeye for a year he was involved in wrongly uh thrown under the bus in that but that's a conversation maybe a summer conversation for a number of days it's been around for as long as

there's been sports there's been wagering on it. But you're told in those meetings, can't do it. So the player, not because somebody had information on him, but because, well, he's doing the right thing. He went to the staff and the compliance department said, hey, I was betting on the NBA, total of $400. He made a profit of $41, I believe was the total. And at that time, 41 games, $41, excuse me. And at the time he was told, well, you got to give the money back.

We're going to do that. Okay. And we're going to hand this over to the NCAA. And the NCAA gave him a nine-game suspension. A nine-game suspension for betting $400 on the NBA, a college football player. That is scary when we're looking at the potential impact to the University of Iowa and the athletic department. We're talking about something that is looked at minor in the words of the law. But the NCAA, a place that does not have much teeth anymore. They do not have a whole lot that they can do. Compliance for all intents and purposes is over.

There's just not much that they can do. Well, those guys got to justify their job still, though. Though it is a bare bones operation compared to what it once was. They got to have something. Well, though. Though it is a bare-bones operation compared to what it once was. They got to have something. Well, you can't get players anymore, right? Paying the players is above the board. We've seen other investigations that have come up with absolutely nothing.

You think of Penn State and the football program and the things that were swept under the rug we see North Carolina academics fraud at a university or the most well-renowned public universities in the country in North Carolina and for years upon years upon years they're made up sham classes for guys to keep their grades up to stay eligible nothing Nothing was done. But this, this is unfortunately for Iowa and for Iowa State, this is where they have a problem. This is the NCAA with the power that they have, and they're going to come down, and, and they're going to come down.

And I believe they're going to come down hard. I don't think this is going to be something where we're talking about a one-game suspension for a football player. We just have an instance like this. I don't think it's going to be five, six games for basketball, seven, eight games for baseball. I think it's going to be even more significant than what we're seeing. That's my belief. I do not have anything concrete. I do not have any connections to the NCAA and what it's going to be.

So it is two things, and that's what we have to realize. In the eyes of the law, we're talking about something, a simple misdemeanor in the eyes of the law. In the eyes of the NCAA, though, this is a big-time offense to them. We'll see. We'll see. We'll see on that front. We got more to get into here today on Lockdown Hawkeyes. We're going to talk Iowa football.

Excited to get into this offense and a little deeper dive into things now with the addition of Kayla Brown and what this team could absolutely look like. Plus, Iowa baseball, we await with the four players that did not play last weekend. Will there be any kind of resolution? We will see on that front. The chances are pretty low on there. Also, one more thing. Tweet from earlier today from Gary Barta regarding the gambling investigation. This comes from Scott Dockerman. We had an opportunity to catch up with him. Quote from Gary Barta. There's really nothing more I can say beyond what we put on our website. Unquote.

As for baseball and track and field athletes involved, will they return to competition this spring? Quote, the answer is I'm not sure. Scott Dockerman with the tweet and the conversation with Gary Barta, and that's where we are. Not a whole lot of information, not a whole lot new, The answer is, I'm not sure. Scott Dockerman with the tweet and the conversation with Gary Barta, and that's where we are. Not a whole lot of information, not a whole lot new, and we just await, and we await the NCAA side. You would hope a resolution happens very quickly.

Look, if they're going to suspend the four baseball players for the remainder of the season, just come out and do it. Iowa's got a huge series coming up this weekend, an incredibly important one for them, not only as it pertains to seating in the Big Ten tournament, but also putting themselves in a position to be an NCAA tournament team. And they're going to do it if they don't have those players with your two backup catchers, with a pitcher that has given you innings this year,

and your best hitter. Let them know. If that's what it's going to be, let them know. But don't drag this out. Track and field, same thing. Let them know. If that's what it's going to be, let them know. But don't drag this out. Track and field, same thing. Top 10 program, Keaton has a chance to make a bunch of noise. Let them know.

That's what we need on this front. We continue with more football talk and Iowa softball in the Big Ten tournament. Something that is never a foregone conclusion. We'll do that as we continue here on Locked on Hawkeyes. Looking for

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I'll be back to the normalcy of Iowa life coming up tomorrow. One more afternoon here, some meetings, and hop on the bird, get back home to Des Moines coming up later this evening. So we move on from the gambling investigation and what is happening on that front, and now we await the decision that is going to come down from the NCAA, and at this point, nobody really knows. So we have started up the iClub and jumping around.

They're going to be here on Wednesday evening in Des Moines at the Polk County iClub. And the optimism surrounding this Iowa football team, it's immense. And I can definitely feel it. I can feel it in the fan base. I can feel the excitement. Yes, we await what football players are going to be involved. That is a story for another day. But in the here and now, this football team, just one more addition of what it's meant. The addition of a player that's dynamic, a player that's just different than what Iowa normally gets in Caleb Brown.

Well, this all started in the transfer window. And we knew Iowa certainly needed to be more involved. Iowa did not have, they didn't have the war chest to go out there and to compete a year ago with the programs that were delivering in the NIL space. Well, they have it this year. And though it's not at the same level as maybe a Texas A&M or a Miami, they're in good shape. And it can be better.

Donate to Iowa Swarm. That's what's going to help continue to close the gap as Iowa's out there. But the way they went about this, I think is one of the most amazing stories. Understanding what you needed, targeting guys, and then not just targeting guys, but the way that they delivered. Starting with Cade McNamara. Wheels were in motion for a while.

The rumbling started, and very quickly it came to fruition. You get a quarterback. You knew that there was no doubt you needed to upgrade the room. You went with a guy that you think could work in your system. You went with a guy that's incredibly accurate, one of the most accurate quarterbacks under 10 yards in all of college football, and we know we see plenty of that. And if that offensive line still struggles,

there are not going to be many deep throws in there. Got to be better intermediate throws, but you went out there, you identified a guy, and he got him right away. Then you get his teammate, Eric Gall, a guy that was an all Big Ten tight end two years ago, coming off of health, a back injury, but a guy that is looked at as an NBA, NFL draft pick. That's where you start.

Offensive line. It's been a disaster the last couple of years. And you go out there and you solidify things. You bring in two offensive linemen, along with all the young talent there. You know, most years, yeah, you could go in there, hey, we have experience, they're going to get better. Instead of doing that, instead of resting on their laurels, they went out there and made it better i love that i love that from

the staff and then just wrap it up here with what they've done and the addition of caleb brown seth anderson another nice one a guy that they targeted early makes a whole lot of sense this offense is going to be immensely better and the 25 points per Mark, it's a little bit of a joke. I mean, it's funny. It's a throwaway line. It also has college football fans across the country kind of laughing at Iowa. And it's going to be a big story when we get to the fall. I get that. If Iowa goes out there and they put 63 up on Western Michigan, it's going to be a story. And it's going to be a story because of that. Any other time they score 63 and beat a team 63-7, no big deal. You do it because of these implications that are there for Brian Ferentz, it's different. Brian's not a dumb football coach. He knows what makes a good offense.

And now that the pieces are there, the excuses are over, though. You know, I did the best with what I had. It's an excuse. And excuses, well, we know what they're like. And he's had plenty of them. He's not a guy that takes blame very easily. Well, there's nobody else to throw under the bus at this point. There is nothing else that can be done. You went out, you invested.

You got a quarterback. You got a running back room that is incredibly good. Caleb Johnson, I think, can be a star. An offensive line, you went and you solidified it, along with all the experience that those young guys have got over the last two seasons. You have wide receivers now. You have a top 100 wide receiver from two years ago that has come in there. You got playmakers.

You have everything that you need. You got a two tight end tandem as good as anybody in college football. So the excuses are over. Brian, no more. You need to deliver. You need to deliver a Big Ten West championship. You need to deliver a lot more than what we've got, certainly the last two seasons. Well, speaking of a Big Ten West championship, there are not odds out yet for the division,

but we do have numbers from our fans at friends at FanDuel every day we're going to break these down a little bit more in the coming days and weeks as we get deep into college football but yes the numbers are out there right now win totals are posted at FanDuel including the Iowa Hawkeyes over under win total so if you're new to the gambling space that's what it is very simply you're betting will they win more over or less than the games there and for the most part they put a half unit on there you're saying well if you're new to the gambling space seven and a half you can't win a half a game no you can't but if you bet the over eight wins or more is a winner seven losses or seven wins or less is a loser, or unless you bet on the under.

Regardless, you get what I'm saying. It's over or under, then you don't get a push. You don't have to give the money back to the original bettor. You put up 100 bucks, that original 100 bucks comes back to you. They don't like to do that. So that's why the hook is in there. Iowa, though, at seven and a half,

I'm telling you, I don't know how this number is derived. If you've been listening to a while and every day or so, I am a daily gambler. I wager on sports a ton. And this number was a shock to me. Non-conference schedule. Utah State at Iowa State, Western Michigan. Iowa State, a coin flip game.

That's what the odds makers see it as. Definitely two other wins there. At Penn State, tough. After that, though, when we get into the final eight games of the schedule, home for Michigan State, I'll be favored big. Home for Purdue, I'll be favored even with the struggles that they've had last year. Maybe they got the monkey off the back end. Brom, now he's over in Louisville now.

That's a good thing. At Wisconsin, going to be tough. But Wisconsin going through transition. Going to be throwing the ball. Let's hope that day, October 14th, let's hope it's a windy one. Let's hope that that is one of those days where Tanner Mordecai, he is struggling with the wind and it's cold and it's chilly. Check the ball 50 times a game at Wisconsin.

Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Home for Minnesota. Phil Fleck comes to town. We know Kirk's had his number. By week, then they go to Wrigley to take on Northwestern. Home for Rutgers. Home for Illinois and at Nebraska. Is that daunting?

That team last year was one of the most historically inept offenses we've seen in college football history. They won seven games in the regular season. And now they only have to win one more? With this offense, with the defense, it's going to be really good. With a schedule that's a whole lot easier than it was a year ago. Hey, I got a recommendation. I'm wearing my Hawkeye hoodie, my Hawkeye hat.

Over on Iowa. All day long. Wrapping things up here on the other side, some big news. Something a little bit different for us. Iowa softball has made the Big Ten tournament. We'll talk about the young squad, what they have, and what is in front of them as we roll through on Lockdown Hawkeyes. Trent Conant back with you one final time on the Lockdown Hawkeyes podcast.

Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Every day as we got more coming your way this week on the gambling front. We're going to break down the Big Ten, those over-under totals, and also the odds to win the Big Ten championship. those over-under totals and also the odds to win the Big Ten Championship. And is it worth the dabble with the Hawkeyes to win the Big Ten Championship game? We'll talk about that in the coming days. Wrapping things up, though, a little softball talk for you. Something that we don't touch on very often.

Iowa softball, going back to the Gale Blevins days, they were outstanding, right? Absolutely. College World Series appearances year after year, winning 35, 40 games. They were amazing. They were incredibly good. They had great players from across the country and some homegrown talent mixed in there as well. And then, well, this has gone south

over the last, what, 15 years or so. Well, finally, it appears to be making a comeback. And Renee Gillespie, when she took over, she understood that this was going to be a rebuild. This is kind of a break it down and build it up type situation. A year ago, they were 3-20 in Big Ten play. They were not close to even sniffing the Big Ten tournament, where 12 teams advance.

It's not exactly like it's a really difficult thing to do, you would hope, but Iowa wasn't able to get there. Not the case this year as Iowa is back in the big tournament and the big 10 tournament. This season got off to a really good start this year. We talked about them back earlier this year when they were nine and one, they played UCLA, the number one team in the country at the time, played them really, really well, lost that game by a run, had a lead in the game. They're getting there. They have a very young group. In fact, their group of freshmen right now on this team, there are more freshmen than there are combined juniors and seniors.

There's a program on the come, and a big part of that is what they have in the freshman class with their newest pitcher. That is absolutely huge. As huge as Jalen Adams has come in from Fort Dodge, and she has been incredible. is what they have in the freshman class with their newest pitcher. That is absolutely huge. As huge as Jalen Adams has come in from Fort Dodge, and she has been incredible. Team best ERA just north of two. This team takes on Maryland today.

This afternoon it will be Maryland. BTN Plus, I believe, has the coverage of that one, and you can catch the game. Let's see here. Let me make sure. No, it's on BTN. Good news. 3.30 Central start for that one on BTN.

You can also get it on the Fox Sports app. Number eight seed against number nine seed. Now the winner's got to take on Northwestern. This is not a softball tournament anymore where it is the double elimination. This is one and done. It's a tall task, but good to see Iowa softball back relevant again with that freshman class. Maybe a chance to make some noise here in the coming years. That'll do it for today.

Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Every day there's again more on the football front. And as we get more information on the investigation, sports wagering, we will continue to talk about that as well. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Back to Iowa for me. Vegas, I got to say goodbye as we say goodbye to talk about that as well. Thanks for making Lockdown Hawkeyes your first listen every day. Back to Iowa for me. Vegas, I got to say goodbye as we say goodbye to you here today. Go Hawks.