Okay, this isn't funny any more, Angry Iowa Running Back Hating God.

It was never exactly funny in a gut-busting "ha ha" sense, but for a while things were just so perversely absurd that it seemed like the situation had transcended tragedy and transformed into comedy -- albeit pretty bleak comedy. (Think Dr. Strangelove.) What can you do but choke out a few bitter laughs when a team goes from wondering in April how it's going to divvy up carries between three promising young running backs to relying in November on a true freshman that was only a footnote six months prior? Especially when the causes of the departures of those running backs were so utterly bizarre. Like Brandon Wegher's mysterious departure from the team at the beginning of training camp. Or Jewel Hampton, just returned from tearing the ACL in one knee, tearing the ACL in the other knee in just the season's third game. Or Adam Robinson, suffering a concussion in meaningless mop-up duty against Michigan State and then getting nailed for marijuana possession on the eve of the Insight Bowl.

This time, AIRBHG didn't waste any time in unleashing havoc on the Iowa backfield: before the first quarter was even out, he sent freshman running back Mika'il McCall limping to the sideline, never to be seen again. After the game, we got the bad news that we'd been dreading (but also kind of expecting, given our history here): McCall's out for the season, courtesy of a broken ankle. In just a handful of carries, McCall had shown immense promise, running with impressive power and decisiveness in racking up 61 yards on 9 carries; he seemed ideally suited to continue Iowa's (somewhat dubious) trend of having a breakout true freshman running back. And then in a flash, it was over.

McCall should be able to redshirt, so he won't lose any eligibility, and while a broken ankle sucks, it's not a death sentence as far as injuries go. Jordan Bernstine suffered a pretty awful broken ankle a few seasons ago and he's rebounded well. So best wishes for a full and speedy recovery, Mika'il. And AIRBHG? Just go the hell away. Please.