Black Heart Gold Podcast

It's a two-parter today. First, we talk about Chris Kingsbury with BHGP favorite The Kingsbury Factor (before you listen to the podcast, you're going to want to watch and read this). There's discussion of the essence of Kingsbury, roster exaggeration, haircuts, the Kingsbury pythons, and Ol' Grand-Dad whiskey.Later, we discuss about three bowl games with Graham Filler of Off-Tackle Empire before his date gets restless and tears him away from the show, probably to go see Bright Eyes. It's one of the oddest moments in podcast history, and completely standard for Graham's previous appearances on the show.

A couple of years ago, Maize n' Brew Dave and I put together a podcast called Maize Pants. In retrospect, it should have been called Black and Brew, because that's a far better name. In any case, it was short-lived and a lot of fun, but neither of us do this as a full-time job, and we ran out of time, and Maize Pants went away.We've now reached Michigan week, and while Maize n' Brew is under new management (Dave's still there, but he's not managing things anymore), the connection remains. We're joined by Zach Travis to talk about just how it is that a blubbery gentleman who likes to point at things turned Michigan around so fast.

A quick note: We're going to change the format of the podcast a bit. During football season, we usually previewed games with bloggers from opposing sites, but Ross was already previewing games, usually with the same bloggers asking the same questions. The podcast got a little boring. So we're going to leave the previews to Ross, and the podcast is going to be for conversations about other stuff.For today, "other stuff" is Iowa basketball. We talk about the pending hoopyball season with Justin VanLaere (@storminspank), basketball reporter/analyst for Hawkeye Nation and former BHGPer. It includes discussion of Roy Devyn Marble's outside game, Aaron White's resemblance to a certain All-Star forward who doesn't know the words to Born in the USA, the weaknesses of Iowa's non-conference schedule (SPOILER ALERT it's the whole thing) and how close we are to getting mad again.

It's Penn State week, so we're getting the band back together for the old Slow States podcast. They are confident. It's an odd feeling.

The Black Heart Gold Podcast returns this week to discuss the upcoming Iowa-Michigan State, the icy Ferentz-Dantonio relationship, Jerel Worthy's resemblance to a fainting goat, and Michigan State's susceptibility to the screen pass with Chris Vannini, managing editor at The Only Colors.  In between, there are phones ringing, dogs barking, and possibly someone playing a guiro.  If you can get past the ambient noise of a very festive farmer's market, it's a pretty good podcast.

We've had a lot of things on this podcast: Reporters, broadcasters, bloggers...well, that's pretty much it.  We've not had a rocket scientist until now.  Of course, the rocket scientist isn't the Minnesota fan, because rockets don't run on snow and unwarranted smugness, but still.  It's a fucking rocket scientist.  That's Paradigm, who is a Florida resident but comes from Minnesota stock, and we have wanted him on a podcast for a while, so why not. Also, our old nemesis MV from Fringe Bowl team fills us in on the Gophers (and if you haven't read his post on Floyd, you aren't properly prepared for Saturday).  He's trying to reduce expectations, as much for himself as anyone else, but it's hard to be humble when you're from Minnesota.  It's just the way they're raised.

For Black Heart Gold Podcast 90, we're previewing this week's game against Central Michigan with Ron Balaskovitz,the resident CMU writer at Hustle Belt, the SB Nation blog dedicated to the MAC. We talk about the Legend of Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan's obscenely huge offensive line, and why head coach Dan Enos might be on his way out.

HATE WEEK PEOPLE HATE WEEK WIDE RIGHT NATTY LITE BUT I DON'T CARE BECAUSE I'M FILLED WITH ALL THIS HATE SO PROUD SO PROUD OF THE HATE

For this season's inaugural HATECAST*, we're talking Northern Illinois Huskies football with Mike Breese of Red and Black Attack, the SB Nation Northern Illinois blog.  We talk spread offenses, Northwestern influences, MACtion, and something about a Red and Black Chant.

It's the week before the first game week, so it's time for an annual BHGP tradition: Marc Morehouse is here to drop a knowledge bomb on the Iowa depth chart.  But, before that, Brent Yarina of the Big Ten Network drops by to just talk about some stuff, like why Shonn Greene was missing from his list of the top five halfbacks of the BTN era.  Yarina's on for about the first half-hour, with Mas Casa taking the last hour.  What I'm saying is, it's a long podcast.

We close up Previewpalooza by talking Big 10 football with Graham Filler and Ted Glover from SB Nation's Big Ten blog, Off Tackle Empire. Find out why Michigan State's recent form is only a semi-fluke, why watching Penn State football is like dating a crazy chick, and nineteen other metaphors and analogies that Graham used over the course of the podcast. Podcasting with Graham is like reading the Book of Exodus. When our resident Michigan Man wasn't comparing things, Ted provided far better insight than we ever could.

As our conference preview podcasts continue, as we discuss SEC SPEED with our good friend Kleph, editor of Roll Bama Roll, supporter of Hayden Fry, and closet Iowa fan. We discuss Alabama -- a lot of Alabama -- as well as John L. Smith's impact on southern football, Mark Richt's lack of control, Tennessee's batshit insanity, and just how many books will be present for Vandy-Northwestern in September.

Our series of conference previews continues, with Joe from The Key Play(@thekeyplay) joining us to talk about the ACC and scipiotex of Barking Carnival(@barkingcarnival) previewing the Big XII. We also shoehorn in some Greg Davisdiscussion, because, well, why the hell not.

Nine months ago, we podcasted with Chris and Kevin.  The topics of conversation included whether Joe Paterno would retire, whether Jay Paterno had a chance of inheriting the throne, and what was wrong with the Nittany Lion offense. Nine months later, Joe Paterno and Jay Paterno are both gone, the offense is just about the least offensive thing about their reign, and Bill O'Brien presides over the smoldering rubble of a once-great program now reduced to, if not death, then intensive care.  So on the day where we all found out that the Penn State we've known forever is gone and quite unlikely to return anytime soon, we brought Kevin and Chris back to discuss the fallout.

We like all different conferences, we like every kind of fair.  Look around, you bet we'll be there.  Hot metal in the sun, pony in the air, MAC and Big East at the fair. What I'm saying is, we're going to loosely preview the other conferences over the next few weeks, starting tonight with a podcast favorite -- Alan of Over the Pylon -- to discuss the Mid-American Conference and a first-timer -- Mark Ennis of Big East Coast Bias -- to talk BEAST FOOTBALL.  They're both excellent.  Trust us.