Cue the outrage?: We might as well lead off with the item that'll cause the most consternation--a Facebook picture by an unfamiliar person depicting several Hawkeyes in the same room as alcohol. And enjoying it. The horror. And okay, their shirts are off too, but you know what, it's been awfully hot this summer, and they're just being green-conscious, and... fine, here's the pic:
From the left: Jewel Hampton, picture uploader Lorenzo Rice, Adam Robinson, Marvin McNutt, J.D. Griggs, Jordan Bernstine. And at the bottom, one seriously slick Iowa beer pong table. Wannnnnnt.
Another here. Most Hawkeye Lounge commenters seem to grasp that this is harmless, (which, ultimately, it is; does it even warrant extra stairs?) though at the same time a few lament the picture's release past the point of logic ("wtf were these guys thinking?"). Others point out that Jewel Hampton isn't 21 yet, and as everybody knows, only problem alcoholics drink before they turn 21. Right? Clearly the answer is to boot Hampton off the team and suspend everybody else indefinitely. Also, we should pretend that nobody ever drinks beer in college, especially athletes. Ugh. Let us know when adults can discuss situations like these like adults, because that'll be a first.
It was either that or this: Another postseason award would like to remind you that it exists by mentioning a Hawkeye in a press release. Today, it's the Manning Award, putting Ricky Stanzi in its not-at-all-binding watch list. Yippee.
University of Iowa senior quarterback Ricky Stanzi has been named to the 2010 Manning Award Watch List. The award goes annually to the nation’s top collegiate quarterback. The Manning committee is releasing the name of one quarterback per day until its 2010 list is complete. It’s the second quarterback of the year watch list Stanzi has made this month. He was earlier named to the Davey O’Brien Watch List.
Unless Stanzi puts up Brad Banks-type numbers en route to a Big Ten title, he doesn't have a prayer of winning this thing. In its six-year history, the Manning Award (an award whose existence has yet to be justified) has typically gone to the media darling of the year. Like Matt Leinart, Tim Tebow, and Jamarcus Russell. Which, LAWL.
QUICK ZINGERZ:
The PTL has ended, and treating the results as newsworthy is an affront to actual basketball--and trust us, here at Iowa, we know a thing or two about affronts to basketball. John Bohnenkamp gives his postmortem in terms of what to expect this season from the players who factored most highly into the league this summer. He really likes Eric May, sort of likes Melsahn Basabe, and worries about Cully Payne's ability to finish. Oh boy.
Here's the poster the NFL is using to try to minimize unreported concussions. We're not going to call the NFL disingenuous--we do believe that the league wants to properly treat its players, especially when it comes to head injuries--but every single team is still going to concern itself with getting guys back on the field if they've "just had their bell rung" ASAP. That's the reality of a 16-game schedule and a 55-player roster cap. You just can't afford to keep guys on the sideline for weeks and weeks if they say they're good to go and the trainers can't reliably disprove it.
Jack Tatum passed away yesterday of a heart attack at 61. He was suffering from diabetes and had lost parts of both his legs, which is a level of cruelty that, frankly, only he could have properly appreciated. As Barking Carnival notes, Tatum did paralyze an NFL player, but he was also involved in one of the most memorable collisions in NFL history, meeting Earl Campbell at the goal line (3:00). Said Campbell: "After the game, he said, "That’s the best I had." And I said, "That’s the best I had, too."
Paul Finebaum advocates kicking Vandy out of the SEC--actually, you know what? Fuck him. I'm not linking him or taking him seriously anymore. For real. No more lavishing attention on Finebaum's trolling at BHGP. The hell with him.
Under Mike Leach, Texas Tech always made up for its relative talent shortcomings by overemphasizing one aspect of the game--their passing attack--and making teams play their game instead of worrying about resembling a "normal" offense. So how does Tech get back to winning two or three conference games a year, like their talent would dictate? Tommy Tuberville's politically expedient (but practically disastrous) calls for "balance," that's how! In 10 years, we'll be looking at Tech in no better light than Baylor, Iowa State, or Vandy. Hell, maybe even 5.
And finally, the best soccer celebration ever of the day, via SB Nation: