It's a strange phenomenon when two people can have two completely differing opinions and yet both be correct. Deace's dismissal of tomorrow night's game against Pitt as a "meaningless exhibition" smacked of ridiculousness and probably twisted the drawers of many an Iowa faithful... but he's not altogether wrong. This non-conference, non-season-opening game with no trophy at stake and no playoff implications is in the strictest technical sense a worthless exercise. Where Steve and I part company is when we move from strict technicalities into the symbolic. Symbolically, EVERYTHING rides on Saturday's game. A win against Pitt means a perfect 4-0 start in a season that badly needs one. A win tomorrow blows the doors wide open for a 9-3 or even a 10-2 season. Beat Pitt and we start making a good case for a little number appearing next to our name for the first time in years. But the most important of all is the chance for a coach to redeem himself. I believe Kirk Ferentz when he claims to have rededicated himself to developing players and winning football games. I believe that he truly understands the importance of this year in restoring the brand's image and cooling his seat. A win tomorrow will silence all but the staunchest critics and make the fan base truly come alive (and Kinnick along with it) once again. A win adds evidence to the notion that Ferentz's focus has returned and there are still some good years left in him. Hitting the conference season undefeated with momentum in bunches and the enthusiasm of your fans sounds awfully important for such a meaningless exhibition and I hope Kirk and the Hawks treat it that way. Good luck and come out with guns blazing, gentlemen.