I was watching the Big Ten Network earlier this week and the show "Big Ten's Greatest" was on. I was intrigued by this show because it was about the top 11 Rivalries in the Big Ten. You may have seen it.

I was enthralled with the show, as I knew I would learn about some of the great rivalries. Of course there is the OSU/MI rivalry, which was #1 in the list, UW/MN rivalry which, if I remember right, was the second oldest. I was surprised to learn that the battle for the ol' oaken bucket, between IU and Purdue, is the oldest rivalry in the Big Ten.

Iowa's rivalries with Wisconsin and Minnesota both made the list as well. Imagine my surprise, when to my dismay, our biggest rivalry wasn't even listed in the top 11 rivalries. I sat there dumbfounded, especially after Commissioner Delany told me that it was a great rivalry and needed to be protected.

"What rivalry are you talking about?" you may ask. Well, of course I am talking about Our Most Hated Rival (OMHR), Purdue! I mean it was a slap in the face, it was like we had never been rivals, and not just in the last few years, but ever!

I was dismayed and disenchanted with a TV network, a network, mind you, that is supposed to be about the Big Ten and only the Big Ten. This network's sole reason for being is to showcase the Big Ten. I mean they are not like MTV who started out being about music and music videos, but now has whored its self out to barely showing music, maybe they do late late late at night when no one is watching, but the Big Ten Network is better than that. The Big Ten Network only shows programs about the Big Ten and nothing but the Big Ten.

So, I started to wonder, "why wouldn't the Big Ten place our rivalry with OMHR in the list of the 'Big Ten's Greatest Rivalries' show?" I started doing some research, I am sure you will be just as amazed as I was when I found out the truth. I don't mean the half truths you tell your significantly other when they catch you playing with your self. You know what I mean, they catch you and you say, " I have a rash and it itches." This truth totally blew me away. I think there is a conspiracy here that needs to be further investigated. Why would the Big Ten Network and Commissioner Jim Delany lie to us!!

Here is the truth: There has never been a rivalry with Purdue.

Can you believe that? We have been misled and our trust has been broken.

I hope that his article sheds a light on this conspiracy and that you receive it with the intent I wrote it in. Education and enlightenment.

Hawk Fans, I humbly submit we have been hoodwinked into thinking that Purdue is OMHR. Granted, they are communists, with the whole hammer and sickle thing, but are they really OMHR?

RED!  FRUSTRATION!  ANGER!  DISBELIEF!  UNCONTROLLABLE TURRETS!

I was so frustrated after the loss to OSU.  I ranted and raved screaming "WHY?"  My kids left the room and hid behind their mother in fear of my uncontrollable, frustrated attitude.  The family pet, Ms. Kitty, ran to her favorite hiding spot in the basement.  My second Directv remote lay broken on my bedroom floor.

I couldn't understand why with 59 seconds to go and a timeout left, the coaches for the Hawks, my beloved team, would choose to run the clock out instead of going for the game winning field goal.  I struggled with my emotions all weekend and even volunteered to do the dishes and laundry to give my head a break from the mind-numbing question of "why?" that was rattling around in my brain.  That didn't help, so I went outside and did yard work, again to no avail.  I even cooked!  I became emotionally exhausted wresting with that question of "why?" 

I almost called in sick to work this morning as I was still not in the right frame of mind.  Then like a beacon of light on the rocky shoals during a storm, Stoopsmyass spoke with a voice of reason.  Once I read his comments and thoughts about why Iowa didn't go for the win, the clouds parted and I could see clearly. 

Thank you BHGP for being here like a sponsor in AA.  If it wasn't for this blog and the great writers we have here, especially SMA, I feel that I would have drifted into those "rocky shoals".  Hawkeye State, SMA, The Director, and many others have talked sensed into my thick head and made this loss bearable by answering the question of "why?".

Thanks again for being the port in the storm for many of us Hawk Fans in Iowa and abroad.  It is nice to come here after a win and "celebrate" our Hawks after a victory, but more importantly it is great to come here and lament and get a voice of reason after a dissapointing Hawk loss.

Thank you, BHGP from the bottom of my heart.

SpoWAHawk