Tory B
@torybrecht.bsky.social
Writer, angler, Hawkeye fan, Midwesterner. Member of the Iowa Writers Collaborative.
The University of Iowa Hawkeyes shook off an emotional hangover for a come-from-behind victory at home last Saturday. What will they have left in the tank as they head into Lincoln to take on the Cornhuskers on Black Friday?
There's no such thing as an ugly win
Iowa overcame a team-wide emotional hangover to barely beat Michigan State
open.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:58 PM
The University of Iowa Hawkeyes shook off an emotional hangover for a come-from-behind victory at home last Saturday. What will they have left in the tank as they head into Lincoln to take on the Cornhuskers on Black Friday?
With a pig in the poke Hawkeyes eye bigger prize
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
With a pig in the poke Hawkeyes eye bigger prize
Floyd remains in Iowa City as the Hawkeyes eye a potential playoff spot
open.substack.com
October 29, 2025 at 1:55 PM
With a pig in the poke Hawkeyes eye bigger prize
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
It's Philosophy Friday and Sharon and I are exploring the tension between democracy and authoritarianism. open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
The Inquiring Mind
A journalist and a philosopher try to make sense out of the world
open.substack.com
October 17, 2025 at 4:38 PM
It's Philosophy Friday and Sharon and I are exploring the tension between democracy and authoritarianism. open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Talking Badgers and the annual Iowa-Wisconsin tussle on the pod this week:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...
On TO Wisconsin
Podcast Episode · 12 Saturdays 2.0: Iowa Hawkeye Football and Beyond · 10/10/2025 · 40m
podcasts.apple.com
October 10, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Talking Badgers and the annual Iowa-Wisconsin tussle on the pod this week:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1...
Introducing: The Inquiring Mind
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Introducing: The Inquiring Mind
Exploring the deeper “why” behind culture, politics, and everyday life
open.substack.com
October 9, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Introducing: The Inquiring Mind
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
The 12 Saturdays podcast is a good one this week, as we sit down with @theathletic.com stellar college football analyst and my good friend and colleague @scottdochterman.bsky.social to talk the present and future of the sport. Available on all pod platforms: open.spotify.com/episode/6FdZ...
Scott Dochterman returns to 12 Saturdays
open.spotify.com
October 3, 2025 at 4:39 PM
The 12 Saturdays podcast is a good one this week, as we sit down with @theathletic.com stellar college football analyst and my good friend and colleague @scottdochterman.bsky.social to talk the present and future of the sport. Available on all pod platforms: open.spotify.com/episode/6FdZ...
Friday night lights spark Hawkeye offense
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Friday night lights spark Hawkeye offense
Signs of life at quarterback and some special teams magic lifted Iowa over Rutgers
open.substack.com
September 24, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Friday night lights spark Hawkeye offense
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Talking the Ferentz legacy with former Gazette beat writer Marc Morehous:
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
From Jurassic Park to 206 wins
Dissecting the Kirk Ferentz era with longtime sportswriter Marc Morehouse
open.substack.com
September 17, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Talking the Ferentz legacy with former Gazette beat writer Marc Morehous:
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Reposted by Tory B
Kick them out. Go ahead, play in a non-existent elite division. SEC? Knock yourself out. Give the national brand thing a go and take your shit and get the fuck out. That’s where I’d start the negotiation.
After devouring the Pac-12, this was the next logical step: Internal cannibalism. www.indystar.com/story/sports...
Ohio State wants more money from Big Ten. 'Equal' members must listen or be left behind
The ACC recently changed their revenue-sharing distribution model to suit its powers, might the Big Ten do the same? Is this heading to a Super League?
www.indystar.com
September 12, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Kick them out. Go ahead, play in a non-existent elite division. SEC? Knock yourself out. Give the national brand thing a go and take your shit and get the fuck out. That’s where I’d start the negotiation.
Losing a rivalry game is particularly painful. Doing it for the second year in a row in nearly identical fashion is even more frustrating.
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Passing Pain Persists as Hawkeyes Stumble
Another last second loss to rivals Iowa State has Iowa fans searching for answers
open.substack.com
September 10, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Losing a rivalry game is particularly painful. Doing it for the second year in a row in nearly identical fashion is even more frustrating.
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Mark Gronowski did not like the savior at quarterback many Iowa fans so desperately wanted to see in his debut last Saturday. But the ingredients for a good team are still there with a huge test looming in Ames against a ranked Iowa State Cyclones squad. open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Nervous debut, big test ahead
Ground and pound worked against Albany, but Mark Gronowski and pass game must improve as Hawkeyes prepare for ranked Cyclones
open.substack.com
September 3, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Mark Gronowski did not like the savior at quarterback many Iowa fans so desperately wanted to see in his debut last Saturday. But the ingredients for a good team are still there with a huge test looming in Ames against a ranked Iowa State Cyclones squad. open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Peril and promise await Hawkeyes in 2025
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Peril and promise await Hawkeyes in 2025
A tougher schedule awaits but new tools on offense give Iowa a shot to surprise
open.substack.com
August 20, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Peril and promise await Hawkeyes in 2025
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
A story from the archives with an echo in the present. My Substack column this week. open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
When the machines race ahead
From Twitter to AI, unintended consequences upend lives
open.substack.com
August 10, 2025 at 3:03 PM
A story from the archives with an echo in the present. My Substack column this week. open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
“I Won’t Give Up on Pasqual”: West Liberty priest stands up and speaks out
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
“I Won’t Give Up on Pasqual”: West Liberty priest stands up and speaks out
Fr. Guillermo Treviño Jr. of West Liberty discusses the deportation of a beloved parishioner, the power of community support, and his call for moral leadership in Iowa politics.
open.substack.com
July 20, 2025 at 2:47 PM
“I Won’t Give Up on Pasqual”: West Liberty priest stands up and speaks out
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Had a weird talk wirh an AI bot and wrote about it:
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
An unsettling chat
I had a philosophical conversation with ChatGPT. It kind of freaked me out.
open.substack.com
July 13, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Had a weird talk wirh an AI bot and wrote about it:
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
I kayaked the Amazon . . . in Illinois
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
I kayaked the Amazon . . . in Illinois
A quiet backwater just outside the Quad Cities can transport you to a world away
open.substack.com
July 2, 2025 at 1:50 PM
I kayaked the Amazon . . . in Illinois
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Half of downtown is thriving, half is declining. How can we spread success more evenly?
Development dichotomy a problem in downtown Davenport
The east end of the central city is thriving, the west end is declining
open.substack.com
June 7, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Half of downtown is thriving, half is declining. How can we spread success more evenly?
On the river, Davenport.
June 5, 2025 at 1:15 AM
On the river, Davenport.
Upstart Hawkeyes lead Big 10 baseball, by @ToryBrecht
substack.com/@torbee/note...
substack.com/@torbee/note...
Upstart Hawkeyes lead Big 10 baseball
Despite an influx of West Coast talent, Iowa has been best of the bunch
substack.com
April 30, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Upstart Hawkeyes lead Big 10 baseball, by @ToryBrecht
substack.com/@torbee/note...
substack.com/@torbee/note...
Confessions of a mediocre gift-giver
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Confessions of a mediocre gift-giver
I try, I'm just not great at it
open.substack.com
April 26, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Confessions of a mediocre gift-giver
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
The news has been depressing and alarming of late, so here's a little light reading about domestic disasters I wrote way back when I was a rookie reporter fresh out of college:
Wayback Machine: "If I had a hammer, I'd hammer my sleeve to the 2 X 4" open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Wayback Machine: "If I had a hammer, I'd hammer my sleeve to the 2 X 4" open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Wayback Machine: "If I had a hammer, I'd hammer my sleeve to the 2 X 4"
A Brecht's Beat throwback column
open.substack.com
April 16, 2025 at 1:36 PM
The news has been depressing and alarming of late, so here's a little light reading about domestic disasters I wrote way back when I was a rookie reporter fresh out of college:
Wayback Machine: "If I had a hammer, I'd hammer my sleeve to the 2 X 4" open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Wayback Machine: "If I had a hammer, I'd hammer my sleeve to the 2 X 4" open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Determined and defiant in Davenport
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Determined and defiant in Davenport
Thousands assembled to serve notice we will not be bullied
open.substack.com
April 6, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Determined and defiant in Davenport
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
There are lessons to be learned from Lyndon B. Johnson in our current political era. Notably, pushing back.
Learning to fight at the LBJ library open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Learning to fight at the LBJ library open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Learning to fight at the LBJ library
“We did not choose to be the guardians of the gate, but there is no one else.”
open.substack.com
March 23, 2025 at 5:31 PM
There are lessons to be learned from Lyndon B. Johnson in our current political era. Notably, pushing back.
Learning to fight at the LBJ library open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
Learning to fight at the LBJ library open.substack.com/pub/torybrec...
If McCaffery era of Iowa basketball is ending, let's do it with class, by @ToryBrecht
substack.com/@torbee/note...
substack.com/@torbee/note...
If McCaffery era of Iowa basketball is ending, let's do it with class
Love him or hate him, Fran gives it his all
substack.com
February 19, 2025 at 2:36 PM
If McCaffery era of Iowa basketball is ending, let's do it with class, by @ToryBrecht
substack.com/@torbee/note...
substack.com/@torbee/note...