INPIYL2I is the BHGP daily roundup of news, gossip, and good stuff from Blogfrica.  Send your tips to hawkeyestatebhgp@gmail.com.

WIN?  WIN.

Speaking of WIN, the Hawkeyes took out North Carolina Central 73-63 Saturday afternoon, doubling their win total in the process.  Jarryd Cole had a career-high 24 points and 10 rebounds.  Brennan Cougill added 9 boards, as Iowa stressed production from the post and dominated the glass.  There are certainly still reasons for concern, as John Bohnenkamp writes: Iowa shot just 3/20 (!) from behind the arc, committed 16 turnovers, and surrendered 42 points to the Fightin' Scientologists¹ in the second half.  But when you consider that this year's team is the first to start 1-4 since the Herbert Hoover administration, a win is a big step in the right direction.  The Hawkeyes play Virginia Tech Tuesday evening.  Liveblog will be here.

1 -- Might not be true.  Then again, their mascot is a Tom Cruise impersonator², so I guess it could be correct.
2 -- Also might not be true.

Caring Is ROLLIN.  As widely reported in the FanPosts, Illinois tight end prospect C.J. "The Polish Hat" Fiedorowicz decommitted from Illinois and pledged his undying love and affection to Kirk Ferentz over the holiday weekend.  The move surprised nobody, as Fiedorowicz (4* Rivals, 4* Scout, 81/100 ESPN) had been making the googly eyes at Iowa for a couple of months and made at least two visits to Iowa City this season, to say nothing for the fact that it never made much sense for one of the nation's top tight end recruits to play for a program that doesn't even use a tight end.  Still, it doesn't make his comments on the sad state of affairs in Champbana any less schadenfreudy:

"I wasn't happy with what is going on at Illinois," Fiedorowicz said. "I like all the coaches at Iowa. They will be staying around for a long time. I went to the Iowa/Minnesota game last weekend and the atmosphere was so much better than at Illinois. Now I feel good about my decision."

Fiedorowicz said he opted to switch because he is impressed with the way Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz incorporates the tight end into his offense. He said he had become disenchanted with Illinois' offensive system and reluctance to utilize the tight end in passing situations. "Illinois doesn't throw to the tight end, maybe 10 times all year," he said. "But it is an important part of Iowa's system. (Former Wheaton Warrenville South tight end) Tony Moeaki is in on every play. I hung out with him on Saturday night. He loves the Iowa program. He said there is no better school that he'd rather go to. He feels a part of the offense...."

He said he began to have doubts when he attended the Michigan State/Illinois game in Champaign. "I saw the fans weren't into it. There wasn't a lot of fan support. Illinois wasn't playing well. And I never saw the tight end on the field. I decided to look around," Fiedorowicz said.

All of that is solid gold, but it's, "[the coaches] will be staying around for a long time," that makes it pure porn for us Zook haters.  Welcome to the fold, C.J.  We'll do everything we can to match the electric atmosphere of Memorial Stadium on Saturdays.  Well, at least on those Saturdays when the Illinois basketball team is playing.

That Flag Can Stop Bullets.  From the Daily Times-Herald in lovely Carroll, Iowa (home of Adam Haluska) (and, yes, also home to one of the Metrodome sex people), the story of Carey Promes, a soldier serving his second tour of duty in Iraq surrounded by enemies on all sides.  No, not Al Qqeda insurgents; Iowa State and Nebraska fans.  Promes had to listen to incessant nagging from people who actually think Big XII North football is relevant, and had little to point to in response beyond current record and BCS standing.  Fortunately, some friends stepped in and helped out:

Promes phoned Jeff Cayler, the Carroll police chief, an Iowa grad whose daughters Amy and Krissy had worked in the Hawkeye Football Office while attending the university.

Cayler arranged to have Krissy buy a gold flag with black tiger hawk logo and bring it to Christina Lamaak, a Wall Lake View Auburn High grad now working at the football office. Cayler, a friend of head coach Kirk Ferentz, also asked that the Iowa coaching staff and players autograph the flag.

Lamaak and administrative assistant Karen Messier got each coach to sign the tiger hawk with silver marker. Defensive coordinator Norm Parker, suffering from a diabetic foot problem, even had the flag brought to his room at University of Iowa Hospital so he could sign.

The flag was kept at the front desk at the Hawkeye Football Office for a week so players could autograph the gold portion with black marker....

"For $37 and a little bit of time, we made a lot of guys' days," Cayler said. "That's one piece of home, one semblance of normalcy, the soldiers can have with them over there, something that shows them that no matter what else is going on they're still Hawkeye fans."

I'm a little surprised that Norm had them bring the flag to him in the hospital, only because I imagine Norm hearing about this, wheeling himself to the football offices, grunting something about Vietnam, signing the flag, and immediately heading back to his hospital bed.

In all seriousness, I have no idea if any soldiers read this blog, but if you are, thanks and God bless.  That even goes for the Iowa State and Nebraska fans.

Footnotes:

• Marc Morehouse (who, if he was a federal agent, would be called "Narc Morehouse") watched The Blind Side and, after a little digging on the origins of DJK's hyphenated last name, found a similar story.
• Mike Hlas catches up with Iowa legend, and current Minnesota Viking all-pro candidate and destroyer of men, Chad Greenway.  There's talk of Purple Jesus and the Gunslinger, but Greenway couldn't resist a parting shot at the Gophers.  
• The Rivalry, Esq. chronicles the origins and status of the veritable cornucopia of Big Ten trophy games.  One of the most interesting: The slab of bacon, for which Wisconsin and Minnesota played  in the 30's and 40's, only to have it mysteriously disappear in the bowels of Camp Randall and go undiscovered for 27 years.  Also, there's Floyd of Rosedale.