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|• July 2009
|• August 2009
|• September 2009
|• October 2009
|• November 2009
|• December 2009
|• January 2010
|• February 2010
|• March 2010
|• April 2010
|• May 2010
|• June 2010
Wendell Barnhouse is a nationally-known and respected columnist who has spent over 20 years covering collegiate athletics. He has reported from 23 Final Fours and more than three dozen bowl games and has written about the Big 12 and its schools since the conference's beginning. Barnhouse will be updating the Big 12 Insider on happenings and behind-the-scenes information about the conference.
June 2010
|Wednesday, June 30
Susan Kines Langston, 43, the daughter of former Texas A&M defensive coordinator Joe Kines, died in a car accident Monday, in Birmingham, Ala. Her sons, age 7 and 14, were injured in the accident.
Joe Kines served as Alabama's interim head football coach after Mike Shula was fired in November 2006. He joined the Aggies' staff in 2008 and retired after the 2009 season.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Joe and his wife, Rubye, and their entire family from the Aggie football team, the Texas A&M athletic department and the entire Aggie Network," A&M coach Mike Sherman said in a statement released by the school.
Nebraska second in volleyball attendance
According to NCAA statistics released this week, Nebraska averaged 5,197 fans for its 18 volleyball matches last season. Hawaii led the nation in volleyball attendance, averaging 6,423 for 20 matches.
The Huskers played 15 of their home contests at the 4,030-seat NU Coliseum, averaged 5,197 for 18 home matches. Nebraska drew 13,870 to the Devaney Center on Sept. 13 for a match with UCLA. Nebraska was also credited with home matches for two NCAA regional tournament contests at Qwest Center Omaha. NU drew 8,935 for a Dec. 11 win over Iowa State and 9,253 for a Dec. 12 loss to Texas.
Texas finished sixth in attendance, averaging 3,035 while Iowa State was ninth with 2,734. The Big Ten led Division I, averaging 1,990 fans while the Big 12 was a close second, averaging 1,632.
Assistants who compete
Texas A&M's back-to-back national championships in men's and women's outdoor track and field speak to the strength that sport enjoys in the Big 12. Last week's U.S. Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, also showcased the fact that the Big 12 has assistant coaches who compete as well as they coach.
University of Colorado assistant track coach Casey Malone successfully defended his discus title. His winning toss was 205 feet, 3 inches, nearly 5 1/2 feet better than the runner-up. And the runner up was Texas Tech assistant coach Jason Young. The 29-year-old competed for Tech from 2000 through 2004.
Feldman weighs in on Nebraska football
ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman, in his weekly mailbag, answered this question from a reader: "The biggest issue facing Nebraska is what -- replacing Ndamukong Suh, QB play, or the linebackers?"
Here's Feldman's answer: "Suh was a super player, but with DT Jared Crick still there and DE Pierre Allen, they're going to be salty up front again and that'll carry the front seven. Quarterback is a sizeable question mark. Zac Lee, who missed the spring due to injury after having surgery on his throwing arm, had a 14-10 TD-INT mark. It's hard to be a great team these days with anything close to 1-1 or even 2-1 TD-INT mark - maybe in the days of the dominating ground games, but not so much any more. Can Lee produce close to the level of what Greg McElroy (61 percent completions and a 17-4 TD-INT mark) did in 2009? I've heard he should be able to do that. Their schedule is pretty favorable since UT has to come to NU and there is no game with Oklahoma in the regular season."
Linked up
Some of Kansas State's future non-conference games agreed upon when Ron Prince was coach will be challenging for Kansas State and Wildcats coach Bill Snyder wants to return to his scheduling philosophy.
Kansas junior forward Marcus Morris is working hard in the offseason to improve his game.
The success of Big 12 men's basketball was slighted by the power of football during the recent conference expansion/realignment discussions.
Excellent Q and A with John Junker, president and CEO of the Fiesta Bowl and Insight Bowl.
|Monday, June 28
Links to start your week
Javon Coney, an invited senior walk on for Colorado's basketball team, played three-on-three basketball in his hometown of Chicago over the Memorial Day weekend. Big deal, you say? One of the game's participants was President Barack Obama.
In the wake of all the college expansion/realignment angst, college basketball coaches and supporters discovered the sport has step child status in the overall scheme of things.
Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman writes that Texas and Oklahoma have prospered in the Big 12 and the schools should remain in the same conference.
Tulsa World columnist Dave Sittler says the NBA's "one and done" rule has been bad for the Oklahoma basketball program.
A year ago, only the most dedicated "hoop heads" knew who Epke Udoh was. After one outstanding season at Baylor after transferring from Michigan, Udoh became an NBA Draft lottery pick.
In the first installment of his always excellent Big 12 Summer Countdown series, Dave Matter of the Columbia Daily Tribune writes that the star power in the conference has shifted from passers to runners.
Texas Tech football coach Tommy Tuberville is busy raising money for indoor practice facility, other projects.
The Colorado quarterback situation gets an off-season break down in the Boulder Daily Camera.
Friday, June 25
Big 12 NBA Draft recap
The 2010 NBA Draft Thursday was historical for the Big 12 Conference. Seven players were selected in the first round, the most in league history and more than any other conference. A total of 10 Big 12 players were drafted.
"It speaks volumes for our league," Kansas coach Bill Self told the Kansas City Star. "I think our league has been on a big uptick for a few years. And certainly being able to sell seven first-round draft picks will bode very well for our league in future recruiting. ... Our league is here to stay from an exposure standpoint."
Baylor's Ekpe Udoh was the first Big 12 player selected, going to Golden State with the No. 6 pick. That's the highest a Baylor player has ever been selected. Kansas had back-to-back draftees as New Orleans took Cole Aldrich at No. 11 and Memphis drafted Xavier Henry at No. 12. (New Orleans later traded Aldrich to Oklahoma City.)
Later in the first round, the Big 12 again set a record when it had three consecutive players selected. Boston took Texas guard Avery Bradley at No. 19, Oklahoma State selected Oklahoma State's James Anderson at No. 20 and Oklahoma City tabbed Iowa State's Craig Brackins at No. 21. (Brackins was then traded to New Orleans).
The final four Big 12 players chosen were Texas forward Damion James (selected No. 15 by Atlanta and then traded to New Jersey), Texas center Dexter Pittman (No. 32 in the second round by Miami), Oklahoma's Keith "Tiny" Gallon (No. 47 to Milwaukee) and Oklahoma's Willie Warren (No. 54 to the Los Angeles Clippers).
* This year's draft was the 13th time in 14 years the Big 12 has had at least one first-round choice.
* A total of 70 players from the Big 12 have been selected since the first season in 1996-97. Kansas has had 18 players chosen - the most of any team in the Conference. Texas is next with 13, followed by Iowa State (7), Oklahoma (6), Missouri (5), Oklahoma State (5), Texas A&M (4), Colorado (3), Texas Tech (3), Baylor (2), Kansas State (2) and Nebraska (2).
* The Big 12 has had at least four players drafted in each of the last seven years. In addition, there has been at least one league athlete among the top 10 overall selections in 10 of 14 seasons. Twenty-seven players from the Big 12 have been drafted in the last four years.
* Since 2000, eight Big 12 teams have had at least one lottery selection: Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M.
Oklahoma to host four NCAA championships
The NCAA Division I Championship and Competition Cabinet announced Friday that Oklahoma will host two NCAA national championships and two regional championships.
* The 2012 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championship at the Lloyd Noble Center.
* The 2014 NCAA Wrestling Championship at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City.
* The 2013 NCAA Regional in women's gymnastics at the Lloyd Noble Center.
* The 2013 NCAA Regional in women's golf at the Jimmie Austin Golf Course in Norman, Okla.
Also, Oklahoma City will host 2014 NCAA Volleyball Championship at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City. The Big 12 Conference and the Oklahoma City All-Sports Association will combine to host that event.
Big 12 has four top-ranked football weight rooms
Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com, after colleague Pat Forde wrote about the strength and conditioning program at Notre Dame, ranked the top 10 weight rooms in the country. Four from the Big 12 made the list.
1. Texas What Jerryworld is to head-turning stadiums, that's what the Al-Rashid Strength Complex has been to college weight rooms. The room, named for Saudi Arabia native and UT graduate Dr. Nasser I. Al-Rashid, is 20,000 square feet and includes a 70-yard turf straight-away for timing and conditioning. More than half of the people I spoke to for this began their list with Texas.
3. Nebraska: One of the sources I spoke to said he suspects if you spoke to 100 people who had toured the top weight rooms, most would put Nebraska's at No. 1, ticking off a series of reasons for its prime spot: two levels. Spacious. Great equipment. Great flow, from the cardio area to the Olympic area. The setup is only going to get better with former NU star Ndamukong Suh's $2 million donation to the program.
5. Oklahoma: The Sooners' facility was one of the most impressive around when I visited it a few years back, but I'm told it has really been upgraded since former OU star Roy Williams donated to his alma mater for a football-only training space.
9. Kansas: Hearing about the Jayhawks' setup surprised me. KU spent $8 million on the Anderson Family Strength and Conditioning Center, and the reviews are very favorable. "The size, flooring, flow of the place is just very, very nice," a source said. "It is impressive." Here's a description from a story by Jim Catalono: "The two-story design of the Anderson Center has an especially effective plyometric-training area: a 20-yard indoor "hill," which consists of a ramp rising from a 37- to a 45-degree grade, plyometric steps that are filled with shredded tire, and a row of stadium-like steps. Inspired by a similar outdoor facility designed by Istvan Javorek, Strength Coach at Johnson County Community College, the area enables the Jayhawks to do resistance training, rehab, and hill training."
Links for a Friday
After winning a game delayed six hours by rain and losing a game suspended and then completed the day after it started, it was fitting that Oklahoma's final game at the College World Series went to extra innings. The Sooners took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 12th but South Carolina scored two in the bottom of the inning for a 3-2 victory Thursday night.
Baylor sophomore quarterback Robert Griffin says that after knee surgery to repair a torn ACL he'll be even faster.
The expansion and renovations to Texas Tech's AT&T Stadium are on schedule.
Santa Clara basketball coach Kerry Keating (the son of Kansas associate athletic director Larry Keating) is behind a campaign to stop coaches from texting while driving.
|Wednesday, June 23
Big 12 and the NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft will be held Thursday night. A number of mock drafts have seven to eight Big 12 players projected to go in the first round.
The Big 12 record for players chosen in the first round was in 1997, when five players were selected among the first 27 picks. Those players were Chauncey Billups (Colorado/Boston Celtics), Tony Battie (Texas Tech/Denver Nuggets), Kelvin Cato (Iowa State/Portland Trail Blazers), Scot Pollard (Kansas/Detroit Pistons) and Jacque Vaughn (Kansas/Utah Jazz).
Here are some other Big 12 draft nuggets:
* As many as 12 league players have been mentioned as being possible selections in the draft's two rounds. The Big 12 record for total selections was set in 2008, when 10 players were chosen overall.
* If seven or eight players are first-round choices, that number would surpass the total number of players selected from the Big 12 (in all rounds) in the draft in all but one season (2008) in its history.
* The Big 12 has had a player selected among the top two picks each of the past four seasons, something that no other conference has accomplished.
* Assuming the league has a first-round pick this year, the Big 12 will have had at least one first-round draft pick in 13 of 14 seasons. With at least one top 10 choice this year, there will have been at least one athlete among the top 10 overall selections in 10 of 14 seasons.
* The Big 12 has had at least four players drafted in each of the past six years. Overall, there have been nine times in the 13-year history of the Big 12 that at least four athletes have been chosen.
* The Big 12 has had 18 players drafted in the last three years (2007, '08, '09). A total of 61 players from the Big 12 have been selected since the first season in 1996-97.
* Kansas has had the most selected with 16 in the past 13 years. Texas is next with 10 picks, followed by Iowa State (6), Missouri (5), Oklahoma (5), Oklahoma State (4), Texas A&M (4), Colorado (3), Texas Tech (3), Kansas State (2), Nebraska (2) and Baylor (1).
|Monday, June 21
A hire that plugs the gap
The next game that new Iowa State basketball coach Fred Hoiberg coaches will be his first. When the Cyclones hired Hoiberg to replace Greg McDermott, one of the biggest question marks was Hoiberg's lack of coaching experience.
The hiring of Bobby Lutz as an Iowa State assistant is a "good get" for Hoiberg and the Iowa State program. Lutz spent 12 seasons coaching Charlotte, compiling a 218-158 record with five NCAA Tournament appearances. Lutz (pronounced "Lootz") is well respected for his coaching acumen.
"From all the people I've talked to who have been in this business a long time, they all told me the most important thing was to surround myself with the right people," Hoiberg said. "Bobby has been a very successful head coach, he's been to the NCAA tournament and when I started doing my research and watched his games, I could tell we had the same philosophy.
"This is such an important hire for me. The fact that I've been able to get someone of his pedigree is critical."
DeCourcy on Big 12 expansion
Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News occasionally answers questions in a "Starting Five" feature. Here's how he answered the question: "Should the Big 12 grab two more schools and live up to its name - and which two, from a basketball perspective, make the best fit?
DeCourcy: If there's no impetus for a football championship game- and, honestly, haven't those been horribly overrated from the start? - any league works best with 10 or fewer teams.
If, at some point, the conference were to decide it wanted that football game back, though, there are excellent candidates out there.
The first would be Memphis, situated in a region of about 1.2 million people. The Tigers have an excellent fan base for their basketball program and have the sort of potential to embrace football that Cincinnati did when the Big East made the Bearcats a prudent inclusion in its recent expansion.
My other suggestion would be UNLV, which has a large population base hungering for some sort of big-league sports. No doubt BYU would be a better football addition, and there is much to recommend the Cougars, but who wouldn't love the idea of periodic road trips to Vegas?
Items of note
* In the wake of announced departures by Nebraska and Colorado, the Big 12 board of directors of the long-term 10 schools met by conference call last week and made the following committee/officer appointments: Brady Deaton (Missouri) - chair; Greg Geoffroy (Iowa State) - vice-chair; Burns Hargis (Oklahoma State) - treasurer; David Boren (Oklahoma) - secretary. Also, replacements for Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman on the NCAA Board of Directors and Bowl Championship Series Presidential Oversight Committee were announced. Texas Tech president Guy Bailey will be on the NCAA Board of Directors while Texas president Bill Powers joins the BCS Oversight Committee.
* ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale has announced his preseason top 40 and five Big 12 teams are in the top 22: Kansas State State 9, Baylor 11, Texas 17, Kansas 20 and Missouri 22.
* Baylor basketball coach Scott Drew will be the "guest" of honor on June 29 at 1660 ESPN Radio's sixth annual Celebrity Roast. The event will be held in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame's "Great Hall" from 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Among the celebrity roasters will be Big 12 Associate Commissioner for Men's Basketball John Underwood.
Monday links worth clicking
Oklahoma overcame six hours of rain delays to beat South Carolina, 4-3, in its College World Series opener Sunday.
Kansas' Jordan Scott is getting a lot more attention in Lawrence after winning the NCAA pole vault championship.
Oklahoma State's Morgan Hoffman had some interesting experiences playing as an amateur in the U.S. Open.
The daughters of Kansas football coach Turner Gill reflect on growing up with a famous father.
Here's a worthwhile "back in time" click involving the NCAA Tournament and March Madness. Inside Higher Ed annually conducts its own "championship" using the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate (APR), which rewards programs based on academic success and retention. Click to find out which Big 12 team won the fantasy tourney based on the 2010 bracket (four Big 12 teams reached the Final Eight).
|Friday, June 18
Hot links, served fresh
Mechelle Voepel of ESPN.com writes about how women's basketball in the new-look Big 12 will continue being a national force.
Iowa State's Lisa Koll has been named the 2010 National Female Track Athlete of the Year for Outdoor Track & Field in Division I as voted by the nation's coaches.
Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden, who heads into preseason practices as the Cowboys' starting quarterback, has improved his practice habits.
If you want to read a story with perspective regarding the recent realignment hubbub in college sports, this effort from Ivan Maisel of ESPN.com is worth your time.
Mike DeCourcy of The Sporting News writes that in men's basketball, a 10-team Big 12 Conference will be a lean, mean league.
And, after talking with some Big 12 basketball coaches, ESPN's Andy Katz echoes DeCourcy's thoughts.
Kansas State senior guard Jacob Pullen read where Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com had the Wildcats ranked No. 5 in the preseason. Pullen, respectfully, disagrees; he thinks the Wildcats should at least be in the top three.
Nebraska basketball coach Doc Sadler, with his school headed for the Big Ten Conference, has changed his strategy for the upcoming July recruiting period.
Dana O'Neil of ESPN.com writes that new Iowa State basketball coach Fred Hoiberg has Cyclones fans jazzed about the future.
|Wednesday, June 9
Links worth clicking and reading
ESPN.com's Bruce Feldman, on a visit to College Station, writes that Texas A&M senior stars Jerrod Johnson and Von Miller are focused on winning the Big 12.
Cedric Golden of the Austin American-Statesman says that Texas heads into the Super Regional best-of-three series with TCU needing its hitters to handle a talented Frogs pitching staff.
Texas A&M's Gabby Mayo has a chance to break a 13-year-old school record in the 100-meter hurdles when the Aggies compete in the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.
Virginia, the Super Regional opponent for Oklahoma, will be difficult to beat on their home field, says North Carolina coach Mike Fox. And Sooners sophomore third baseman Garrett Buechele says his on-line research indicates the Cavaliers' pitching staff looks "phenomenal."
Colorado's men's team has a "band of brothers" feel while sophomore Emma Coburn and freshman Shalaya Kipp hope to continue the Buffs' legacy in the 3,000-meter steeplechase during this week's NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.
|Friday, June 4
Spring meetings final thoughts
Your Humble Correspondent returned to his even-more-humble abode after two days in Kansas City at the Big 12's spring meetings. If the house was equipped with a Cold War-era fallout shelter, YHC might have hunkered down there for, oh, the next six months or so.
Why? Not because the news out of KC was negative. On the contrary, commissioner Dan Beebe called the meetings "productive" and he is optimistic that the Big 12 is moving toward continued success rather than imminent disbandment.
YHC's wish to "duck and cover" (another Cold War reference; fire up Google, kids) is about the media coverage of the Big 12's situation and place in the current conference expansion/realignment issue.
YHC doesn't claim to know all that's going on behind the scenes at the Big 12 or any other conference. On the one hand, YHC is overwhelmed with all the stories, blogs and Tweets about the Big 12/Big Ten/Pac-10 poker game. On the other hand, YHC is dismayed that a number of his former journalistic colleagues appear to be quoting sources that, frankly, are quite likely sources of hot air rather than sources of fact.
A quote from a "highly placed Big 12 source?" Sorry, the only highly placed Big 12 source that's worth quoting is commissioner Dan Beebe and if he's not talking on the record then the story isn't worth writing. YHC says that because there are only a handful of people who know what's going on in the meeting rooms. And those people can't even be sure of what they know.
But that's not preventing journalists from firing off 140-character Tweets that are akin to yelling fire in a crowded theater.
Apparently, it's news that Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds emerged from a suite at Disch-Falk Field and declined comment. Or that UT president William Powers declined comment and "looked nervous." (You'd look nervous, too, if e-mails you had sent to another president had become public record.) Or that a reporter "was told" that Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne told members of his coaching staff that the reports A&M may go to the Pac-10 are true. (If you're a good AD, you're keeping your coaches in the loop - even if it involves reports about a "possibility.")
Another reporter used a snippet of a statement from the Iowa State president and athletic director to make his point about the Big 12 being fractured. "However, we also recognize that the long-term viability of the Big 12 Conference is not in our control - it is in the hands of just a few of our fellow member institutions." As one out-of-context sentence it sounds as though Iowa State is whining about its lack of power and influence. Read the entire statement and that is nowhere near the tone.
Another reporter Tweeted: "My column: 'Pac-16' mega conference a real possibility." The Tweet included a link to his column that included this paragraph: "So while it's undeniably fun to fantasize about this seemingly impending realignment wave, in reality, it will not play out nearly as smoothly as some of this week's reports make it sound. Don't expect either the Pac-10 or Big Ten to emerge from their respective conference meetings this weekend having locked-in new lineups."
(See what YHC did there? Took 53 words out of a 1,275-word story to make a point to support a thesis. That, friends, is journalism.)
* YHC isn't blaming the media but he blames the medium. Twitter World is reducing the thoughts of journalists and other Tweeters to a bare-bones minimum. It's more minimalist that CNN Headline News.
* California chancellor Robert Birgeneau reportedly told a Cal Alumni Club in New England that he would be "surprised if something did not happen (at the Pac-10 meetings) that would revolutionize college athletics."
Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott appeared to be trying to counter that comment by saying "We don't feel any rush to have to make a decision. There have been no decisions, no offers." But he concluded by saying "we're looking at possibilities that could be revolutionary."
* One of YHC's favorite writers, Chris Dufresne of the Los Angeles Times, did a masterful job of tongue-in-cheek writing as he reported on the Pac-10 expansion rumors.
"If you believe swirling reports, that 2014 Rose Bowl featuring Pacific 10 Conference champion Texas Tech versus Big Ten Conference champion Missouri on Channel 206 could really be something.
Advertisers, you know, drool over the television markets in Lubbock and Columbia. ...
Some swirling reports, it should be noted, circle closer to the truth than others. ESPN reported NCAA sanctions on USC would come down Friday, which was news to USC and the NCAA. Two outlets Thursday reported John Wooden had died, which was different than him being gravely ill."
* YHC closes with this thought: If you don't think that Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe is battling, scratching and clawing as if he was in the middle of rugby scrum, you don't know Dan Beebe. The former college rugby player might come across as a teddy bear but he's bearish on steering the Big 12 through these troubled waters. Beebe is as connected as any commissioner and he is tapping all his resources and all his energy to keep the Big 12 whole.
Baylor reaffirms support, encouraged by 'the process'
Baylor president Ken Starr sent this letter to "members of the Baylor Family":
"The spring meetings of the Big 12 Conference have just concluded. The media attention that has focused on the potential for conference realignment has made these meetings especially lively and, at times, challenging.
"Ian McCaw, our athletic director, and I have been extremely active participants in these meetings, working hard to represent Baylor's best interests. While I have little specific to report, I can tell you that at this time we are encouraged by the way the process is unfolding.
"Ian and I have made our case clear: Baylor emphatically supports the Big 12 Conference and wants to see it prosper. In particular, we appreciate our fellow Texas institutions in the Big 12 and the special rivalries that entertain our state and energize our alumni.
"We are aware of the intense speculation surrounding the possible expansion of other conferences. We remain hopeful that the Big 12 will remain intact and continue to be one of the nation's foremost athletic conferences.
"Of course, we are immensely proud of our standing - both athletic and academic - in the Big 12. In the last seven years alone we have won a combined 28 Big 12 regular-season and tournament championships, positioning us third behind Texas (55) and Texas A&M (30). The academic quality of our students also sets Baylor apart. In the most recent edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S.News & World Report, Baylor is ranked fourth in the Big 12.
"Be assured that we are committed to doing everything in our power to promote and defend the best interests of Baylor University as these discussions continue in the days ahead."
Iowa State president and athletic director letter to fans
Iowa State president Dr. Gregory Geoffroy and athletic director Jamie Pollard sent this letter to Cyclones alumni, fans and friends of the university:
"This week, we participated in the Big 12 Conference spring meetings in which a major topic of discussion was potential conference re-alignment. With the immense speculation and media attention given to this issue, we felt it was important for you to hear directly from us.
"We believe the Big 12 Conference is the perfect fit for Iowa State University. We are committed to our membership in the Big 12, and we are optimistic that the conference will remain intact. However, we also recognize that the long-term viability of the Big 12 Conference is not in our control - it is in the hands of just a few of our fellow member institutions.
"Iowa State and several other members of the Big 12 Conference are especially vulnerable under some of the re-alignment scenarios currently circulating, particularly one involving expansion of the Pac-10. We are doing everything in our power to represent the best interests of Iowa State in these discussions, but we also are sensitive to the huge uncertainty that has been created and recognize that the situation could evolve in directions that are not aligned with our interests.
"We understand and share your concerns about Iowa State athletics and the Big 12 Conference. We are still optimistic that the Big 12 will remain intact and continue to be one of our nation's premier athletics conferences, but we must be ready to act if that does not prove to be the case. We will keep in touch as the situation unfolds, and we appreciate your understanding."
Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins on future of Big 12
University of Kansas Athletics Director Lew Perkins issued the following statement Friday at the conclusion of the Big 12 Conference meeting:
"Based on a considerable amount of work by Commissioner Dan Beebe and others, I am very encouraged as these meetings end about the strength and viability of the Big 12 Conference.
"I respect the candidness of everyone who attended these meetings. We engaged cooperatively in a positive manner to work toward the goal that I think everyone wants, and I can say that I feel very good about the future of the Big 12. We at Kansas Athletics know that the Big 12 is one of the best conferences in the country, and we are confident about its future. I appreciate all of those at KU who have worked very hard to keep the Big 12 at the forefront of intercollegiate athletics. We all must stay patient and let this process take its course, but at the end of the day I am convinced that the Big 12 will remain, as it is today, a national leader."
KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little added: "Lew has kept me informed as these meetings progressed. I share his optimism about the Big 12 and look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure a strong future for the conference."
Kansas State reaffirms support for the Big 12
Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz, Faculty Athletics Representative Mike Holen, Director of Athletics John Currie and Senior Woman's Administrator Jill Shields participated in annual meetings of the Big 12 Conference this week in Kansas City.
As numerous media outlets have reported, a major issue of discussion centered on potential national athletics conference realignment. The meetings concluded Friday with a three-hour Board of Directors session.
President Schulz was positive and optimistic about the progress made.
"Kansas State University remains firmly committed to the Big 12 and continues to believe in the long-term viability of our league. We are optimistic that this process will result in our existing membership affirming our cohesive long-term future together," Schulz said.
Much media speculation this week centered on rumors suggesting that some Big 12 institutions might be invited to join other leagues.
"The media speculation is certainly uncomfortable for those of us who have demonstrated that we are firmly committed to the Big 12," said Currie. "However different schools may have unique institutional decision processes that we need to respect. As a charter member of the original Big Six conference going back to 1928, we will continue to assess the landscape and position K-State for a bright future."
Legendary football coach Bill Snyder, who attended meetings of the league football coaches last month, added his thoughts on K-State's position in the Big 12:
"The Big 12 Conference has experienced unparalleled success over the last 14 years and continues to be regarded as one of the nation's top conferences. At K-State, we have been fortunate to be a part of that success thanks to our truly avid fans, who have helped make our conference what it is today, while we have also been able to continue historic rivalries with our regional counterparts and develop competitive series with other fellow league institutions."
|Thursday, June 3
The Guessing Game continues
Here's what officially happened at the Big 12 spring meetings in Kansas City Thursday: Nothing.
Here's what unofficially-might-have-happened-but-it's-only-a-guess: Plenty.
Your Humble Correspondent arrived on the scene Thursday at the Intercontinental Hotel and was mildly surprised to see approximately 40 members of the media along with seven mini-cams. The lure of possible news on the conference expansion/realignment front has YHC's former colleagues all a twitter (and Twittering).
There was no Big 12 announcement regarding championship sites - an important agenda item that is being overlooked because of the expansion/realignment story. Nor was there any official discussion regarding The Hot Topic.
Commissioner Dan Beebe, who over the last few weeks has been most accessible and forthcoming with the media, told reporters Thursday evening he would have no comment because the presidents and chancellors wouldn't finish their meeting until Friday morning. A scheduled news conference with Beebe and Texas president William Powers (chair of the presidents/chancellors) was cancelled.
The news of the day came half a continent away. The Pacific-10 Conference, according to a story on Rivals.com/Orangebloods.com, plans to extend invitations to six Big 12 schools - Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado.
The news, while not totally unexpected, was ill-timed from a Big 12 meeting aspect. When the story broke in mid-afternoon, YHC guesses that the topic of discussion changed in the hotel meeting room. Now it appears the Big 12 is fighting a two-front battle against the Big Ten and the Pac-10.
So what the what is really going on? YHC hazards a guess that not even the school and conference higher ups know for sure. Right now college athletics is a game of speed chess with pawns, rooks, queens and kings blurring around the board
Just in the last few weeks, Beebe and Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott were discussing a joint television agreement that would benefit both conferences. Then Thursday the story breaks that the Pac-10 wants to become the Pac-16 while basically eviscerating the Big 12. Curious, no?
Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn told the Boulder Daily Camera that he believes the Pac-10 is close to inviting six Big 12 teams and that the invitations could become official as soon as this weekend. The Pac-10 spring meetings start Friday.
Scott issued a statement. Here are the last two sentences: "We have not developed any definitive plans. We have not extended any invitations for expansion and we do not anticipate any such decisions in the near term."
"In the near term." ... parse those last four words any way you wish. Scott has said he wanted his plans to enhance the Pac-10's revenue production in place by this summer. And summer's almost here. Is the Pac-10 ready to become the first Super Conference, beating the Big Ten to the punch? Has the Pac-10's research revealed the only way to make the Big Bucks is to think outside the box - the box being going to 12 teams by adding, say, Colorado and Utah?
There are many more questions but far fewer answers. YHC guesses - which is all anyone can do - that when the Big 12 meetings end Friday around noon, the news will be about something instead of nothing.
The Never Ending Story
The old phrase "may you live in interesting times" is considered to be both a Chinese proverb and a Chinese curse. Your Humble Correspondent would vote for the "curse" version. YHC would also favor a little less interesting, a little more business as usual.
YHC's above entry deals with the latest Big Story in college sports. It was reported Thursday that the Pacific-10 Conference is planning on becoming a 16-team conference and will issue invitations to Big 12 schools Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Colorado.
When Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott announced that his league would consider expansion as a way to increase revenue, the announcement was lost in the frenzy created by a similar announcement from the Big Ten Conference. Ironic, considering that those two conferences have long had a football relationship consummated each year in Pasadena's Rose Bowl.
Thursday's latest Breaking News Headline was merely another page in another chapter in another book that makes "War And Peace" look like a pamphlet. For YHC, the last two to three months have been unequalled when it comes to continuing stories (rumors?) involving conference expansion/realignment. Someone with a computer and lots of time to kill could wear out Google compiling the scoops that have melted into nothing.
When the Big 12 was formed in the mid 1990s, YHC was just another newspaper hack chasing rumors and writing stories. Back then, conference realignment happened out of necessity when the College Football Association - a forerunner of the current Big Six conference alignment - disbanded after the Southeastern Conference jumped ship. The Big 12 was formed and that was that.
The current realignment/expansion buzz started last December with the Big Ten and Pac-10 declarations of intent to explore expansion. Since then, rarely a day goes by without a story or a column weighing in on those topics. "Highly placed sources" and "a source with knowledge of the situation" have helped "reporters" write stories that might eventually prove to be accurate some time in the near future.
The Big 12 spring meetings conclude Friday. The Pacific-10 Conference spring meetings begin Friday. Big Ten presidents will meet within the next few days. Until Dan Beebe or Larry Scott or Jim Delany stand before a roomful of reporters and make definitive "it's a done deal" statements, YHC will continue to observe the most complicated and convoluted story he has ever witnessed.
|Tuesday, June 1
Spring meetings open in Kansas City
The Big 12's annual spring meetings will be held in Kansas City starting Tuesday. Your Humble Correspondent has covered a few of these and can tell you that the anticipated stories are not always the stories that become reality.
One of the agenda items for consideration/discussion deals with the uncertainty created by the Big Ten Conference's possible expansion. Missouri and Nebraska are supposedly on the Big Ten's wish list. That is creating uncertainty for the Big 12. And it's not clear how or if the Big 12 will craft a response this week. If there is an official stance on the Big 12's future, it will likely be discussed Friday.
"The importance of these meetings can't be overstated," Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe told the Kansas City Star. "This is a critical point in the time of the Big 12 and there needs to be some honest discussion about what must happen to solidify the members' standing in the conference."
Beebe would like to hear a commitment from all of the Conference's schools but that this week's meetings might only lay the ground work for the future.
"I think that we at least have to have a conversation about what can be done to get that commitment," he said. "It may be unrealistic to think administrators can make that commitment without going back to their boards. But I want to have a plan coming out of here and what our time frame would be."
The conference's athletic directors, senior women's administrators and faculty representatives will work through their agenda items starting Tuesday. Those groups will pass along their recommendations to the board of directors (school presidents and chancellors) who will convene Thursday and Friday.
An agenda item that should create action is future championship sites for football, men's and women's basketball and baseball. For the 2010-11 season, football will be held at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, men's basketball at the Sprint Center and women's basketball at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City and baseball at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City.
Future championship sites for the next three years could be announced, possibly on Thursday. According to media reports, the board of directors authorized Beebe to negotiate directly with the Cowboys for future football championship games in the $1.3 billion facility.
Tuesday's hot links
Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com weighs in on this week's Big 12 spring meetings and what might happen.
This week's Big 12 spring meetings could be crucial to the future of the conference and, according to Stu Durando of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, commissioner Dan Beebe is well positioned to handle the situation.
Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne believes this week's Big 12 spring meeting "could be fairly routine and insignificant. On the other hand, it could end up being a fairly dramatic discussion."
Columnist Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman foresees the Big 12 breaking up with six schools joining forces with the Pacific-10 Conference to form a 16-team conference.
New Kansas football coach Turner Gill is hard at work creating a new environment around the Jayhawks program.
Colorado's Liz Kritza is serious about rebuilding the school's volleyball team - so serious that the second-year coach has brought in 15 new players.
Interesting background on Hawaii, which stunned No. 1 seed Alabama with a walk-off home run and will face Missouri in the Women's College World Series Thursday.


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Lockheed Martin Corp. is the nation's largest defense contractor. Lockheed Martin employs nearly 11,000 employees, more than half of them (6,500) in metro Orlando, where it is Central Florida's largest industrial employer.
Lockheed Martin produces some of the most sophisticated military hardware in the world at its Orlando operations, which include the following (in order of size): Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control; Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training & Support; and Lockheed Martin Enterprise Information Systems. The missiles unit is known worldwide for its production of guided missiles, weapons targeting and aircraft night-vision navigation systems. The simulation division is a global player in high-tech training systems for air and ground combat forces and commanders. The enterprise unit is Lockheed's computer tech services operation for the entire corporation.
Nationwide, the Bethesda, Md.-based company is known for producing military aircraft, missiles, rockets, advanced electronics, satellites and NASA systems (including production of the space shuttle's external fuel tank). Lockheed posted more than $2.5 billion in profit on sales of nearly $40 billion in 2006. It has 140,000 employees worldwide, including New York, Texas, Florida, California and other major states.
Lockheed Martin formed in 1995 from the merger of Lockheed Corp. and Martin Marietta Corp., during an era of dramatic consolidation in the defense industry after the end of the Cold War with the former Soviet Union. Prior to the Lockheed Martin merger, Lockheed was based in Calabasas, CA., and Martin was based in Bethesda. Martin Marietta's predecessor --The Glenn Martin Co.-- opened a missiles factory in Orlando in 1957, creating 2,700 jobs in what was then just a citrus town.

subset: commoncrawl


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Peddlers may be sent packing from Mystic
Stonington - With large numbers of tourists and residents strolling its streets, downtown Mystic can be a peddler's paradise.
But if the Downtown Mystic Merchants Association has its way, peddlers will soon be banned from both downtown Mystic and Pawcatuck.
Last week, Rod Desmarais, the president of the association, appeared before the Board of Selectmen to support a proposed peddler ordinance that could be sent to a town meeting vote this fall.
He told the commission that a growing number of peddlers selling items such as hot dogs have been coming into the downtown area during prime hours and setting up shop in front of businesses.
He said this not only takes revenue away from merchants but can deter customers from going inside their stores.
"We're here all year long and we rely on the business in the busy season. These peddlers are coming in at choice times and take away business from the existing businesses," he said. "It's a strain for us to survive in February if we can't maximize our business in the summer."
The centerpiece of the proposed ordinance is a clause that states, "No peddler shall operate on a public sidewalk or street in front of an established business. Further, no peddler shall be permitted to operate in the downtown Mystic District and the downtown Pawcatuck District."
The boundaries of those areas are described in the ordinance. Peddlers in other areas of town must move to a new location after a maximum 30 minutes and be no closer than 100 feet from their previous location.
Peddlers would be required to get an annual $25 license and would have to show $125,000 in liability insurance. Police would review the applications and have discretion in whom they issue them to.
Violators of the ordinance would have their license revoked and be unable to reapply for two years. A second offense would result in the peddler being banned from the town.
Desmarais said he has received an increasing number of complaints from his 80-member organization asking for a way to stop the peddlers.
He said the town's existing peddler ordinance, which was enacted in 1915 and amended last year to deal with people soliciting money near the Exit 90 off ramp of Interstate 95, has many holes in it so it was easier to create a new one.
Demarais said business owners have worked hard to enhance the "historic charm and feel" of the downtown, which is then damaged by peddlers.
First Selectman Ed Haberek said peddlers could block businesses and create odors from food that could be offensive to the businesses. Exceptions could be made to allow peddlers at special events such as the Mystic Outdoor Art Festival and Riverglow.
The Board of Selectmen will hold a public hearing before sending the ordinance to a town meeting vote.
While the proposed ordinance only affects the Stonington side of Mystic, Desmarais said his group will be talking to Groton planning officials about further strengthening restrictions on that side of Mystic.
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|MLBPA Press Release
Founded by Royals designated hitter Billy Butler with his wife, Katie, and the Bishop Sullivan Center emergency assistance program, the Hit-It-A-Ton campaign supports the distribution of food to needy families at Bishop Sullivan Center food pantries and raises money to fight hunger in Kansas City.
Courtesy of the Players Trust, the children will receive round-trip transportation to the game, meet the players, and receive free tickets, food, beverages and souvenirs.
This season, Buses for Baseball will provide transportation and personal greetings for more than 750 underprivileged children attending Major League Baseball games as invited guests of their big league heroes. Buses for Baseball will provide many of the children with their first chance to attend a Major League Baseball game.
The Players Trust enjoys support from the Kansas City Royals organization in providing this unique, up close and personal opportunity to share the thrill of Major League Baseball with those less fortunate.
To watch a brief video featuring the "Buses for Baseball" program, please visit the Players Trust Channel on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/MLBPlayersTrust.


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He has thrown the SUMMER OF MADNESS of of its kilter, and I am at a loss for what to do. I will keep you informed of the state of this emergency as events unfold. Probably I will cry on my own for a long time.
pray for this blog.
UPDATE - 8/5/09 - 10:25 PM - Oh thank goodness. A kindly e-mailer has written in with a guest-post to save the day. I am so grateful that I have not bothered to read it; I trust it is excellent in each and every way. Ladies and Gentleman, please give a huge amount of grateful applause to a man calling himself "Billiam Monty Hughes"...
why does that name sound so...familiar? well, whatever. Let's just ctrl-v this thing right up and go back to my expensive wine induced nap in my gold-encrusted terrarium.
Title: My name is Billiam, king of kings: Look upon my works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Greetings, one and all.
I recommend you cherish this moment, humble reader, as never before has this brutal blag had the privilege to display an expansive opinion from my own unique vantage point. Unlike all past reviewers before me (Carl Wheeler, Roberto, James etc.), I did not score a 7 on my Intelligence Quotient test (I actually achieved an exceptional 224 (übergenius level), for your information). Secondly, I am not a delusional, envious moron like most of this blag's fan-base. You see, you do NOT truly hate "Xkcd". It is impossible to dislike, or even be apathetic towards. It is a paragon of perfection. You are tricking yourself. You are simply JEALOUS of "Xkcd", so you attempt to find faults even though none exist. This is also why many also "hate" Control Alternate Delete, the second best web-comic of all time ("Xkcd" defeats it, obviously). I pity you, I do. Poor, poor, Carl...
Perhaps you would enjoy some exposition on my past and lineage? I go by many aliases, but most refer to me as Billiam, for I am BILLIAM MONTY HUGHES. My surname (Hughes) is a prestigious mantle, passed down through the generations, father to son, son to son, and finally to me. I will hopefully later pass it down for MY son (possibly also the child of the lovely Sophie Devrient? CONTACT ME PLEASE!!!). My forefathers were all men of intellect, bravery and strength. I have not disappointed them. Their very thoughts altered history and they fought valiantly for YOUR freedom. The freedom you are now ABUSING to be a COMPLETE AND UTTER whale penis to a person who just happens to illustrate images that are superior than your own. It is pathetic and I cannot tolerate your repulsive behaviour.
I appreciate and enjoy "Xkcd" as it is (perhaps you should too):
It is a flawless, constantly-updating classic of entertainment created by an extremely talented and intelligent man (Randall Patrick Munroe) that shall stand the test of time, unfaltered. Randall Munroe obviously invests a large amount of (well-earned) time in the construction of his miniature masterpieces. Centuries into the future, children, tweenagers and teenagers shall learn of "Xkcd" in classrooms, remaining relevant for all eternity. That is, if Wheeler's minions fail in their objectives (to defile the respectable name of "Xkcd", preventing it from gaining the readers it deserves and transforming Munroe into a shell of his former self). I CANNOT, SHALL NOT and MUST NOT let this occur.
This is war. An E-War, but a war nonetheless. As barbaric as any other. It is hoped that this battle can end without casualties, and that both sides can reconcile with each other and live harmoniously in unison. But I am no fool. This "dream" is naivety of the highest order. This is not a joke. I am prepared to fight many battles for my cause (the forces of good), like my fathers before me (WW2, that other one etc.). Amidst the aura of combat, my mercy depletes exponentially, and my code does not forbid me the right to murder VERMIN (what all "Xkcd" "haters" truly are).
The detractors of "Xkcd" are one faction in this war, led by Carl "Ugly" Wheeler (essentially an amalgam of Adolf Hitler (Former leader of the German Nationalist Socialist Party) and Lex Luthor (fictional BALD villain)), Malethoth (MORE LIKE FEMALETHOTH) the Mad, Roberto (SPIC SPIC SPIC) and James (Possibly a homosexual?) and populated by the "common" people. Their aim is to cripple "Xkcd", alienate its few fans and MURDER its esteemed creator, Randall P. Munroe. The reason as to their violent, unfathomable, primitive hatred? Jealousy. Why can't you understand that nigh-perfection is still an admirable goal...
The other faction is the altruistic defenders of "Xkcd". Led by Randall Munroe, William Monty Hughes and I. Belial and Sophie-Devrient play a significant role in the defense of good. We did not initiate the fight, nor do we wish it to continue, but we must uphold peace by enforcing war. I wish this was not the case, but we must defend what is right... By stopping what is wrong.
If you do not cease your petty squabbles, the result of this war shall impact the entirety of the internet. The war-ground shall grow in size and in brutality, eventually all will take a side. If this comes to pass, I hope they shall choose the just one (mine).
-Billiam Monty Hughes, Son of Gary
"Cogito Ergo Sum"
What is war good for? Absolutely. Nothing.
Remember. You have been warned of the hazardous implications of your purely immoral actions. You shall not be spared.
Oh my, a slight tangent. I must now return to my review of "Xkcd".
Here is a list of my top six hundred and eighteen favourite "Xkcd"'s, in numerical order:
If you can read this review, in the exact form I intended, then my plot has succeeded. The chances of this review being posted on "Xkcdsucks" free of modification is... Astronomical. There are literally googolplexes of imperfect alternate realities parallel to our own where Carl "Ugly" Wheeler did NOT post this review. Where fascism rules supreme.
This world, is not one of them. Fortunately. Fate (and my own considerable literary talent) have blinded Wheeler and he has been tricked like the drunkard oaf that he is.
Incidentally, today's "Xkcd" was HILARIOUS, like all those before it and all after. As a Linux user (which grants me not only familiarity with the theme of the comic, but also additional significance to my opinion) and an intellectual, I deem it... "funny". Anyone who cannot appreciate the unadulterated "awesome" that is this specific comic is obviously too idiotic to perceive it. And, as most know, idiots do not have valid opinions. They shall be ignored, as they should be.
Great thanks to Billium again for sending me this in my hour of need. I trust that it is complete; if there is any element to the review left unsaid please fill it in yourself in the comments. Now - to the terrarium!


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When to Plant Parsnips in Helena, Missouri, United States of America
Planting vegetable seeds at the correct time is the most important step for getting the most out of your garden. Knowing exactly when to plant parsnips in your garden in Helena, Missouri, United States of America will increase growing success and provide better yields.
Check optimal planting dates regularly for best results because the weather, and our results, change daily.
The optimal time to plant parsnips in Helena, Missouri, United States of America is - . The best day is with a success rate of %.
Anywhere between 70-100% is great. If consistently below that you may want to start growing from seedling or young plant, or possibly grow in sheltered environment
Optimal time frame to start
Frost free days
Grow period
Tell us what you think about these results
You are very interesting!
Important parsnip growing information relevant to your exact garden location in Helena, Missouri, United States of America:
The total number of frost free days for your garden in Helena, Missouri, United States of America is days, but the total number of optimal days to plant parsnips is days.
For best results you should start planting parsnips in days starting .
Gardening Data Sources
University Research
Cooperative Extension
Gardening Websites
Gardening Blogs
Seed Suppliers
Seed Breeders
Garden Centers
Home Gardeners
Other Sources
Gardening Data Sources
University Research
Cooperative Extension
Gardening Websites
Gardening Blogs
Seed Suppliers
Seed Breeders
Garden Centers
Home Gardeners
Other Sources
How to Grow Parsnips in Helena, Missouri, United States of America
The parsnip is a root vegetable that looks a lot like a carrot but has a slightly softer texture and sweeter taste, especially after cooking it. The parsnip is a member of the Umbelliferae family whose other members include the parsley, carrot, celery, fennel, chervil and celeriac. Parsnips are mostly planted directly into the ground. Leaving the parsnip in the ground until late fall causes the starches to turn to sugar, creating some of the sweetest and tastiest parsnips, and can even be as sweet as a sweet potato. In fact, the parsnip becomes well developed only after it is exposed to cold, making it a favorite among cold climate gardeners. The Germans bred the parsnip root to what we know it is today, and it was very popular until the potato dethroned it as the leading root starch diet. There are many advantages to growing parsnip, for one, it is not a fussy vegetable and requires very little work to grow to maturity. The parsnip can sit in the ground all winter and still maintain its flavor. And most importantly, its flavor is like no other vegetable.
For more real-time hyper local detailed growing information download the GardenWeather App on IOS. It is now the leading gardening and weather app, more accurate than The USDA zone map for frost dates. GardenWeather™ is a technology and agri-tech startup providing real-time hyper local planting and gardening recommendations enabling home gardeners and homesteaders to make data-driven gardening decisions.
Use these images to know if your parsnip is heading in the right direction and growing properly. Exact number of growing days varies for each parsnip variety. Below is the average number of days for each stage gathered from many different varieties.
Parsnip Germination Guide
(Stage 1: Germination)
Germination is the process by which a plant grows from a seed. It is the first stage of the plant growing process and it begins when the seed is sown and ends when the radicale emerges out of the seed.
All seeds require proper soil temperature, moisture, air and light conditions to germinate successfully. However, during the germination stage the seeds require more soil warmth and moisture than light exposure.
Seeds respire just like any other living organism, requiring oxygen and producing carbon dioxide (CO2), so it is crucial to use a soil media that is sufficiently aerated so that the seeds do not "suffocate".
100% of our growing experts recommend to directly sow parsnip seeds into the ground. What is direct sowing and why do I care about it?
Required germination period
12-23 days
Optimal germination period
15-20 days
Required soil temp.
43.1º-80.4ºF / 6.2º-26.9ºC
Optimal soil temp.
58.3º-70.3ºF / 14.6º-21.3ºC
Required day temp.
0º-0ºF / -17.8º--17.8ºC
Optimal day temp.
40º-50ºF / 4.4º-10ºC
Required night temp.
0º-0ºF / -17.8º--17.8ºC
Optimal night temp.
0º-0ºF / -17.8º--17.8ºC
Optimal seed depth
0.4 inches / 1 cm
Optimal plant spacing
3.2 inches / 8.2 cm
Optimal row spacing
20.3 inches / 51.4 cm
Parsnip Growing Guide
(Stages 2-5: Growth)
Once seed has germinated and radicale has emerged the second stage of the plant growing process begins, developing from radicale to cotyledon -the embryonic first leaves of the seed forming a young seedling.
During the third stage of plant development cotyledon develops to 3-4 true leaves, stem begins to grow, becoming a mature seedling.
In the fourth stage the mature seedling develops to a young plant, ready for transplanting.
The fifth stage of plant development the plant is fully mature bearing fruit and/or flower.
The following guidelines apply to all of the parsnip plants' needs during stages 2-5 from radicale emergence to full maturity. During these stages sunlight becomes a more active participant in plant growth and development than in the germination phase.
Soil pH is an important factor during these stages as well. What is pH and why is it important?
Required soil temp.
42.5º-75ºF / 5.8º-23.9ºC
Optimal soil temp.
65º-75ºF / 18.3º-23.9ºC
Required day temp.
32º-75ºF / 0º-23.9ºC
Optimal day temp.
56º-62ºF / 13.3º-16.7ºC
Required night temp.
32º-32ºF / 0º-0ºC
Optimal night temp.
45º-50ºF / 7.2º-10ºC
Required sunlight hours
Optimal sunlight hours
Required soil pH
Optimal soil pH
Required watering amount
1-1.4 inches / 2.5-3.5 cm (per week)
Optimal watering amount
1-1.5 inches / 2.5-3.8 cm (per week)
Optimal depth
0.8 inches / 1.9 cm
Optimal plant spacing
3.9 inches / 9.9 cm
Optimal row spacing
19.7 inches / 50 cm
How difficult is it to grow parsnips?
Growing parsnips, or any other vegetable for that matter, is not hard, however some plants require more attention and care than others depending on the following factors:
Are you starting to grow your plant from seed? seedling? young plant? Depending on what stage plant you choose to plant will impact growing difficulty and patience.
The length of the growing season for your exact garden location.
If you have a short growing season and you want to start growing from seed then you may need to start the growing process in a sheltered environment (greenhouse or inside your home) which will require more involvement in the growing process.
Whether you direct sow in the garden or start in trays and then transplant also affects the level of difficulty
Growing difficulty level - 0
Growing patience level - 0
Companion Planting Guide
What is companion planting?
Companion planting is intentional planting of two or more vegetables and/or flowers next to each other in order to positively impact plant health and yield
Get More with Growmigo Pro
- No more estimated planting dates, only research based, accurate planting dates for your specific garden location
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