Bowl Notes : ROSE

This was the year of no distractions for the Hawkeyes, and it seemed almost as if the press, more than Disneyland or Universal Studios or Lawry’s, was the biggest evil to be avoided, in the minds of Hawkeye hierarchy.

After sneaking into town under cover of darkness (actually, into Ontario airport) the day after Christmas, Iowa got wild and crazy with its press relations and opened the doors to the ink-stained wretches for a full half hour the next day.

But Wednesday, after losing to UCLA, Iowa closed its locker room to the press. To get stories, reporters scurried after players who were en route to the team bus.

Iowa officials did allow a couple of players to be brought to the media room, but after Ronnie Harmon was there long enough to answer three questions, Iowa PR man George Wine cut it short, remarking to a reporter nearby: “Geez, how many questions can they ask the guy?”