Iowa will review 'negative remarks' by radio voice Gary Dolphin during basketball game

Hawk Central

Gary Dolphin was apologetic Tuesday night over remarks he made during Iowa’s basketball game against Pittsburgh that he thought were made off the air.

According to social media posts, the play-by-play radio voice of the Hawkeyes was making comments to analyst Bobby Hansen that were critical of Iowa’s recruiting and a late first-half turnover by guard Maishe Dailey.

Radio broadcaster Gary Dolphin, left, is shown with UI President Bruce Harreld and athletics director Gary Barta during a pre-Rose Bowl event in late 2015.

“We want them to win so bad,” Dolphin said in an interview about an hour after the game, “(that) sometimes we get frustrated when they’re not playing well in certain stretches.”

The university released a statement from athletics director Gary Barta that said, “I have been made aware that our Learfield Sports broadcast team was heard during a timeout making negative remarks in regards to Iowa’s play and players (during the game). … I have requested a copy of the broadcast from Learfield and will evaluate the comments once I have the opportunity to listen to the audio.”

Dolphin is in his 22nd season as the voice of the Hawkeyes. The broadcast was supposed to be on a commercial break, he said.

“Whatever I said, I said. We apologized for it (on air). I’ll move on and deal with it,” Dolphin said. “I don’t know what else to tell you.

“I understand if Coach (Fran McCaffery) is upset. We’ll smooth it over and move on."

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