I wasn't gonna post this, but after discovering the "gift" my wife gave me this morning, I figured I had to.

I married into a Gopher family - season ticket holders, the whole bit.  Last night my wife and her stepmom attended the Gopher Nation Women's Clinic.  They participate in some team drills, learn basics of the game, meet players, have dinner, and generally try to forget the fact that they open the season as 4 point underdogs to Middle Tennessee State.

According to my wife, at the end of the evening the team captains (Adam Webber, Brandon Kirksey, and Jon Hoese) fielded questions from the seated throng of gopher fans.  One question in particular was interesting - "What game are you most looking forward to?"  Their answer began diplomatically- taking it game by game, blah, blah, blah.  But then Webber and the captains admitted that the Iowa game was on their minds.  Now that may be because it's senior night for them, but I thought it was funny that it would even come up at this point in the season.

Then I woke up this morning to find this "gift" posted for me on the fridge:

(It says: "To Patrick, Boo Hawks! Go Gophers! Tim Brewster"  Yes.  He used two exclamation points.)

via img820.imageshack.us

Morehouse is (as always) all over the story.  He's posted on his Gazette blog a snippet of an interview with the guy who designed the Big Ten logo with the "11" in the middle, and as Morehouse puts it - there is room to grow within that logo.

http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/on-iowa/2010/06/15/clarke-college-prof-designed-big-ten-logo-to-grow

As predicted, the Big Ten name brand is too important to change, and with these insights we can put rest discussion of what the Big Ten will be calling itself in the future.

As for the Big XII, however...

COUNT ME IN!

Player 0f the game is Adryan "watch-the-fuck-out" Clayborn,

Wait- did Culley Payne just get called for a carry?  WTF?

Iowa outscored Georgia Tech in rushing yards?  Did not see that coming in a million years.

Did Iowa just win with McNutt's-in-yo-mouth and D-J-Ksharing time on the bench?

Am I still remarkably drunk on whisky and coke?

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First the Jake Jelly news, now the news about Tyler Smith and three other Tennessee Volunteers being suspended after a traffic stop turned up gins and drugs and liquor in their car.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4788521

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Seems Luther College grads are pretty well represented on this here blog.  Out of curiosity and for my own personal pleasure, chek in on the comments if you are a grad.

I suppose townies (natives) of Decorah, or guys who banged a Tau Delt or ABY can check in, too (this latter category probably includes 90% of Iowans).

As for myself, I'm the worst kind of alumnus - the kind that's actually a native, an alum, and a former employee.  And I'm not ashamed to say that I miss the simple place.

I'm no big Chris Spielman lover (though of all the ESPN/ABC announcers he's the most entertaining). I'm no Ohio State lover.  But the story on Stefanie Spielman and her 12 year bout with breast cancer is pretty damn touching.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4672569

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[Bumped, but let's let Mr. Harty decide if DJK's actually With The Program first, sir. He's the expert.--OPS]

Let’s look at how he’s doing with the potential chase for the all time receiving record oft-talked about in the offseason.

Post Michigan game, he now sits at 1,322 career receiving yards, 949 yards behind Tim Dwight’s career Iowa record of 2,271.  Assuming Iowa makes a bowl game this year and next, and assuming DJK fights off injuries, that leaves 20 games left in his Iowa career.  He would need to average only 47.45 yards/game to surpass Dwight on the all time list.

Post Michigan, he has 93 career receptions, 64 receptions behind Kevin Kasper’s career record of  157 receptions.  Using the same assumptions, DJK would need to average 3.2 receptions/game in order to lead Iowa all time in receptions.

I for one am excited to see that DJK is healthy and back “with the Program.”  I hope he gets a jump start on reaching these career achievements this week at Wisconsin.

Here's an updated list, per the American Football Coaches Association, of FBS and FCS schools with an open date and in need of an opponent in 2010.  Whom would y'all like to see slotted into Ball State's place for Iowa?  And what's the realistic option?

(note: Minnesota and Pittsburgh have that date open as well, but since we already play them in 2010...)

FBS opponents:

Colorado State University
2010: 1 home/1 away, 9/11, 9/25, 10/2

University of North Texas
Open Dates
2010: (2 home - 1 away) 9/11, 9/18, 9/25

Marshall University
Open Dates
2010: 9/11, 9/18, 9/25 two home or one home/one away

FCS opponents:

University of California, Davis
Open Dates
2010: Sept 25, Oct 16

University of South Dakota
Open Dates
2010: Sept. 18, Sept. 25, Nov. 20

University of North Dakota
Open Dates
2010 - Sept. 25, Oct. 16, Nov. 13, Nov. 20 - Need 2 home and 1 away - Will consider both home and home as well as cash guarantees.

Colorado State and North Texas would be a great replacement in my opinion.  Plus the Hayden Fry/North Texas connection is juicy.

But realistically, this looks like a UND game.

Living in Minnesota and being married to a Gopher fan, I have the annual chore of accompanying her and her family to the Minnesota State Fair.  Which isn't so bad, given the plethora of Big Fat Bacons, deep fried cheese curds, and anything on a stick hat you could imagine.

I visited the U of M building where in past years they proudly displayed the various trophies they possess from the previous year's victories.  This year it was pretty freaking empty, though they did have a constant loop of highlights from the Florida Atlantic and Indiana games playing.

They were also giving out these magnets:

via img268.imageshack.us

See that in the middle?  It's an exclamation point, dead center of a gibberish Brewster GO FIGHT WIN sentence.

I'm guessing they asked Brew to come up with the word selections for the magnet.  Or maybe the person who Twitters for him is responsible?

Ohio State blogger (reporter?) has ranked the coaches in the Big Ten and I think you may be surprised by who sits in the middle of the road at number 6.  Captain Kirk

"6. Kirk Ferentz - Once the darling of the conference, Ferentz is under fire. 7-5, 6-7 and 6-6, before putting up a 9-4 last year to shooed away the vultures for the time being. Off the field incidents are piling up. Still recruiting well enough but not like he was 3-4 years ago."

Yes, Tim Brewster and Pat Fitzgerald are ranked higher than Ferentz.  I expect to see a tweet about it soon...

The Gazette recently linked to State employee salary information, and Jamie Pollard makes more than Barta. I understand that Pollard has been in his position longer (have not google-stalked to confirm this, though), but does this sound fishy to anybody else?

Pollard's Salary info: $364,000.00, plus $13,666.63 travel stipend

Barta's Salary info:  $343,720.08, plus $14,719.67 travel stipend.

I think the travel stipend number is the smoking gun on why Iowa State athletics lag behind U of Iowa.

http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090624/NEWS/706249946/1001/NEWS

Aplington-Parkersburg High School football coach Ed Thomas was shot multiple times this morning at the school’s weight room and died a short time later at a hospital, officials have confirmed.

Thomas was shot at point blank range, including once in the head, according to the school's business manager Pat Gosch. No one else was injured in the incident.

The family of Ed Thomas released a statement through Covenenant Medical Center in Waterloo:

"The family of Ed Thomas would like the media to know that Ed passed away shortly after arriving at Covenant Medical Center," the statement read.

Sports secretary Sue Muller said Thomas was supervising the early-morning weightlifting in Parkersburg when the shooting happened around 8 a.m. About 50 students were present at the time.

Thomas was life-flighted to Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo, Muller said.

An adult male believed to be the gunman was arrested after the incident was taken to the Butler County Jail in Allison. When asked if the man was a parent of a student, Butler County spokeswoman Holly Fokkena said, "not that I'm aware of, no."

"We do want to articulate, because I'm sure there are a lot of concerned parents, that no students were hurt or injured in this incident," said Jessica Lown, spokeswoman for the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

Counselors are on scene for students, including several who witnessed the shooting.

Thomas has coached football for 37 years and has a career record of 292-84. He has led the Falcons to 19 state playoff appearances and two state titles, in 1993 and 2001.

The long fight is over.  Their relationship is like that of Paula Abdul and Chester Cheetah (that's who that was, wasn't it?) in the "Opposites Attract" video.  But Iowa's taken two steps forward, two steps back, and now A GIANT LEAP forward, and HFMR and KOK can finally make this combustible kind of love they have FOREVER!  And legally.

KOK and HFMR - Best friends 4ever from HFM Ride on Vimeo.

//(Seriously - kudos to the State of Iowa and its constitution.)

OK, not really returns, but close...

But he did put Iowa at #20 in the final coach's poll, the highest ranking Iowa received.  Joe Tiller followed suit, too.

Final USA Today Coach's Poll

And with the news that the Cap 1 would have taken Iowa had they cracked the top 25, I think we all have FIU coach Mark Cristobal to blame for not getting to sleep in on New Year's Day (the dickwad left us off his list.)

And way to help out the Big Ten teams, RichRod.

I went into this season hopeful - hopeful that Iowa would be better than 6-6 like the previous two years.  I allowed myself to fantasize that with the weak schedule, Iowa had a chance at playing for a National Championship.  2002-2004 had given us a taste of what was possible, and I held on to hope, beyond evidence to the contrary (RB, QB, LB, KOK and secondary situation) that this team could surprise everybody.

I read and posted here and elsewhere that 8-4 would be OK (it would be an improvement) but that the record will be better.  I held strong to my convictions even after the Iowa State game, and blamed weather and little brother syndrome on the poor offensive showing.

Then I watched @Pitt and finally succumbed to all of the negativity and reality I'd been ignoring.  Doubt crept in.  Maybe Kirk is lost, afraid to fire a friend, outmatched and outcoached playing an outdated style of football.  And thankfully after the jNW loss I was out of town at a bachelor party, unable to see the horror and allowed to wipe my tear-soaked cheeks on the supple bosom of a stripper.

You all know the emotional roller-coaster which has been the 2008 season thus far, and damned if I don't believe you all agree with me that 8-4 feels pretty freaking great right now.  8-4 was actually pretty fun.  8-4 and bullying the neighbor states and taking their trophies lets me hold my head up high in the office.  8-4 and being "The Team Nobody Wants To Face" rocks.

I don't ever again want to get full of myself as an Iowa fan and feel like 8-4 isn't good enough. Yes, there will be years where expectations are high, and maybe a National Championship is something we can allow ourselves to think about.  But that won't be EVERY year.  And saying so isn't like accepting mediocrity.  I don't want to be like tOSU or Nebraska fans.  I want to be an IOWA fan, and right now I'm 8-4 proud.

Thank you Shonn Greene, Kirk KOK, and Norm Parker for reminding me of this.  With special thanks to Time Brewster.

jebushchrist?  Where are you?  I need to know how to bet this week.

I need your infinite wisdom to horribly miss on 50% of your "sure things."  I made money last year going against your advice (after learning a hard lesson the first week).

If heeding the BHGP advice on gambling is a fool's folly, then I'm a fool.  Just like drinking hard at 6 am before a game makes you a fool.  And wearing black and gold striped overalls makes you a fool.  And being pitied by Mr. T makes you a fool.

Since I am all of these things, and I supect 50% of BHGP readers are all of these things, then , please, please, give us fools our gambling advice!

It bothered me last year that Lane Smith was not suspended from the Badgers for his actions.  I think if he were at Iowa he would have sat out the year, not the 5 road games.  And it really pisses me off now that U Iowa is the national media go-to for off-the-field troubles, while other programs are getting a free pass for looking the other way on their players' transgressions.

Lance Smith Article

What the hell were Bielema and Alvarez thinking when they made this policy for Smith?  I know what they were thinking - let's win some freaking football games.

I'm no Gopher lover, and I sure as hell am no Dominic Jones lover.  In light of the sexual assault incident involving two (or more) Iowa football athletes, however, this recent article about Jones seems to carry relevance.

If you don't recall, Jones was convicted of sexually assaulting a girl - while she was unconscious, and after she had had sexual relations with other football team members - in an incident eerily echoing that at Iowa.

It seems that as despicable we may find the situation and Jones himself, at least he appears to be taking the right approach to his life following it.  He's actually got a lesson to share with other athletes.

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/26011539.html?location_refer=Homepage:highlightModules:3

I only hope that something as positive can come of the Iowa situation.