The Mike Hlas Podcast

Welcome to the debut episode of the Hlastradamus Odds Pod, The Gazette's sports betting podcast with Mike Hlas and Tim Sullivan. Every Friday we'll discuss the college football games of the week, including Iowa and Iowa State, and make our picks. Also on this episode: Special guest Jay Rood, the chief risk officer for Bet.Works.

The Mike Hlas Podcast has returned with this fun conversation about Iowa Hawkeyes football past, present and future with comedian/Iowan/Iowa grad/big Iowa fan Scott Long. We discuss how moments — including Scott’s favorite one in Kirk Ferentz’s tenure as Iowa’s head coach — can transcend championships, and how the Hawkeyes have certainly had their fair share of moments the last couple of years. The Hlas Podcast will be a Monday feature henceforth, primarily a look at the Saturday just past and the Saturday ahead. It won’t be as guest-driven as it was in the past, but Scott’s a terrific guest and he happens to be performing at Penguin’s Comedy Club in Cedar Rapids this Friday and Saturday night.

Former University of Michigan/NFL football player Thom Darden of Cedar Rapids discusses Saturday's Michigan-Iowa game, the state of the Wolverines' program, and his time in college and pro football.

Jeff Pearlman, author of “Gunslinger: The Remarkable, Improbable, Iconic Life of Brett Favre,” guests on this week’s Mike Hlas Podcast. Pearlman discusses how and why he wrote this book about the life and career of one of the most-compelling athletes in American sports. More about Pearlman here: http://www.jeffpearlman.com/

David Feherty by The Gazette

Former Iowa quarterback Drew Tate discusses what it’s like to lose a September game (his 2004 Iowa team got shellacked at Arizona State and bounced back to share the Big Ten title) and still have a big season. He also talks about 10 years in the Canadian Football League, and what life as a Calgary Stampeder has been like.

University of Iowa deputy director of athletics Gene Taylor guests on this week’s Mike Hlas Podcast. Taylor oversaw the rise of North Dakota State football when he was NDSU’s athletic director for 13 years before coming to Iowa in June 2014. He talks to Mike about the scheduling of Saturday’s NDSU-Iowa game, how Bison football reached the status of 5-time national-champion, and why he made the move from North Dakota State to Iowa.

Ben Bruns, the sideline reporter for Iowa State football radio broadcasts and a former Cyclone offensive lineman, is this week’s guest on the Mike Hlas Podcast. Ben talks about Saturday’s ISU-Iowa game, the rivalry between the two teams and their fans, and what he sees in first-year Cyclones coach Matt Campbell.

The first Mike Hlas Podcast of the 2016 college football season features Chris Dufresne, who covered the sport for 20 years at the Los Angeles Times, and now is one of the founders of The Media Guides (TMGcollegesports.com). Chris talks about the season ahead, how Iowa would be perceived nationally were it again to reach the College Football Playoff rankings in midseason, and the candidates being considered for Big 12 Conference expansion. The Hlas Podcast is sponsored by FRYFest, which will be Friday, Sept. 2 at the Coralville Marriott. Go to FRYfest.com for details.

Mac McCausland guests on the Mike Hlas Podcast to talk about what he observed at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas recently. Mac talks about the former Iowa and Iowa State players (Jarrod Uthoff, Aaron White, Adam Woodbury, Abdel Nader, Jameel McKay) he watched play in Las Vegas, and their prospects for landing on NBA rosters this fall. The Hlas Podcast is sponsored by FRYfest, a celebration of all things Hawkeye at the Coralville Marriott on Sept. 2. Go to FRYfest.com for details.

The late, great Bob Brooks is the subject of the Mike Hlas Podcast. Longtime Eastern Iowa broadcasters Ron Gonder and John Campbell join Gazette sportswriter Scott Dochterman as Mike’s guests to discuss Bob’s life and career. The Hlas Podcast is sponsored by FRYfest, which will be held Sept. 2 at the Coralville Marriott.

Former Iowa basketball player Aaron White guests on the newest Mike Hlas Podcast. Aaron talks about his attempt to make the Washington Wizards roster later this year. He also talks about the NBA draft (he was a second-round pick last year) and what not getting drafted means and doesn’t mean for the Hawkeyes’ Jarrod Uthoff. The Hlas Podcast is sponsored by FRYfest, a celebration of all things Hawkeye that will be held Sept. 2 at the Coralville Marriott.

Jen Loeb of Marengo, who climbed to the summit of Mount Everest last month and became what is believed to be the first female from Iowa to do so, guests.

Author Mike Chapman, who once was Muhammad Ali's corner man for a day, joins the Mike Hlas Podcast to talk about Ali's life and career, and his experiences being around the boxing icon.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz by The Gazette