All I can say is, in my experience as a player -- Little League, high school, in a D-1 conference, and as a long-time coach at various levels, beating a weak team meant squat. I hated to play or coach against a team that I knew had no business on the same field with us. Michigan plays Notre Dame Saturday night. Iowa plays Missouri State. If I'm an Iowa player or coach, I see no way I can take any joy, any solace of any kind, from whatever success may come against such a vastly out-manned team as Missouri State. Frankly, a game-like intrasquad scrimmage would mean more....but Barta wouldn't be able to collect $60 a ticket... No, try to spin it any way you wish, but as an Iowa player, I wouldn't feel like I had accomplished anything no matter what happens on Saturday. But then, I do have some pride. I don't know how much of that there is in Iowa's football program right now.
If I were Ferentz, I'd be a rich man... Oh, sorry, got sidetracked. If I were Ferentz, I'd refuse to count this in the won-loss record. It would be an exhibition only, like when the Iowa basketball team plays Augustana in November. We know our head coach is a man of great character, so this would seem the right thing to do. In fact, some might say to count this game would be something a bully might do.
The "W," if Iowa can manage it, will mean less than nothing to any fair-minded human being. Or do you think Indiana's 73 points against hapless Indiana State means something?
