Annually we have 3 excellent reasons to enjoy the beginning of winter:

#1 We still have hope for Gopher Basketball.

#2 We can talk ourselves into having hope for next year's Gopher Football.

But most importantly - #3 We get to watch Iowa fans try to pretend that anyone gives a s**t about wrestling.  Go Hawks!  Keep telling yourselves that your big match against Oklahoma Tech A&M REALLY mattered.

And new this year #3a - DJK.  He's the gift that keeps on giving.

Some time ago, PJS posted a lengthy column on the Big Ten Network and how it was quickly becoming a heavy anchor around the neck of the conference.  There was talk of the SEC's super-fabulous ESPN contract and how the Big 11 would surely look back on this venture as a quality failure.  Now with all the talk of expansion (due mostly to the Daddy Warbucks money coming in from the network) that argument doesn't seem to carry so much weight.

Since I'm too lazy to look up his exact argument I thought I'd ask him to review the topic and admit his short-sightedness.  Or simply call me out for oversimplifying his argument.  Here's your chance Jimbo.  Let me have it.

One Academic on the entire Hawkeye team?  Just one?!  Pathetic!!!    Minnesota has two.  That's like more than double what Iowa and Wisconsin have.  Suck on that Hawkeye/Badger people.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/6502/big-ten-players-named-academic-all-district

Apparently it took a Frenchman studying English to make the grade for Iowa.  And the supposed 'Religious Studies' aspect of that?  "Either you is religious, or you ain't."  That's pretty much the curriculum right there.

Bang up job by the Badger in finance.  "Eight bratwurst in a package for $3.00 plus a six pack of Coors for $5.29 . . . "   Whoa.  I can see how that would get confusing.

Gotta hand it to Snake Lickliter.  He can take a bunch of D-2 talent and get them to play septic tank-like defense.  The only way to beat the Hawkeyes on their own floor is to out sh## them.  As evident by Travis Busch taking the reins.  The next time you run into a Hawkeye fan, please remind them that they got beat last night by T Busch.  Who?  Yes, Travis Busch.

Also gotta hand it to the Iowa fans and students - they seem to be the only Big 10 team willing to compete with Northwestern for most high school like attendance.  Great Job guys, the Clippers fans are jealous of your empty seats!

Did Brew really lose both offensive and defensive coordinators in the same day?  Maybe one was on purpose and the other one wasn't, but I don't think it matters.  To lose both of them on the same day when the recruiting period isn't over seems to be quite harsh.

Whoever steps in Dunbar's place (I'm assuming the person has already been chosen) needs to carry some strong credentials while Brew searches for Roof's replacement.