STORMINSPANK'S HAWKEYE RAMBLINGS

MEN'S BB: Iowa vs. Minnesota Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-03-07T11:30:00.002-06:00

Iowa Mens Basketball vs. Minnesota: Preview/Prediction on Hawkeyenation.

http://bit.ly/cnjJlk

MEN'S BB: Ben Brust is the Player of the Year in Lake County

2010-03-04T21:50:00.006-06:00

Daily Herald Photo - Steve Lundy | Staff Photographer

Congratulations go out to Iowa Hawkeye recruit, Ben Brust, in being selected as the honorary caption for Lake County. Some good quotes in the article from Ben.

He chose Iowa in July and has been proudly donning Iowa apparel almost every day since.
"It's pretty much all I ever wear," Brust laughed.

Brust says it doesn't concern him in the least that the Hawkeyes have had a rough season (10-19) and currently sit in ninth place (4-12) in the Big Ten standings.

"I've seen strides all year," Brust said of Iowa. "They've been improving all year. They have one senior and one junior playing. The rest are freshmen and sophomores. As we keep developing, I don't see why we can't win Big Ten titles and compete with the top teams."

Brust is more than ready for that challenge. And sooner rather than later.

"A big reason I chose to come to Iowa is because I feel like I have a good opportunity to step in right away and help the team. I'll bring a lot of energy and I'll be a threat to score and they need that," Brust said. "Hopefully, I'll get that chance next year. I'm getting real anxious for it."

Here's the entire list of All-Area players.

Ben Brust Mundelein

The Iowa-bound Brust has been nothing short of spectacular all season. Often facing double teams, he was still nearly impossible to stop, averaging an area-best 24.6 points per game. He poured in a career-high 50 points twice this season, scored more than 40 points four times and more than 30 points five times. A versatile player who can score from just about anywhere, his specialty still remains the three-pointer. He hit 83 of those. "He just loves basketball. He's a gym rat," Knar said of Brust, the honorary captain of the Daily Herald's Lake County all-area team. "But for as good as he is and for as much as he's done, he's an amazingly regular guy. He is by far one of the most down-to-earth kids you'll ever meet and I think one of the things that impresses me most about him is that he's handled everything that has come his way with such grace."

Also, here's video from this past weekend. Ben took time during halftime of the Iowa-Indiana game to chat a little bit. (No making fun of my awful camera skills or penchant for saying, "Right on". Thanks) I have been thoroughly impressed with Ben during the very limited interactions I have had with him. Very humble guy, who is ready to go out and help Iowa get back to winning ballgames.

MEN'S BB: Iowa vs. Wisconsin Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-03-03T18:56:00.001-06:00

Iowa Hoops @ Wisconsin - Preview/Prediction is up on Hawkeyenation.com (SPOILER ALERT: Iowa prob won't win): http://bit.ly/IA-WI-PP

MEN'S BB: Iowa vs. Indiana Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-02-28T01:10:00.000-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. Indiana is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

If You Had NO FAITH in Big Ten Refs Before, THIS Will Blow Your Mind

2010-02-18T18:44:00.003-06:00

Absolutely ridiculous. DeShawn Sims talks about his 3 pointer to tie the game in regulation vs. Iowa.

"It was going in and I wanted the foul. The ref told me if it didn’t go in, it would have been a foul."

I'm sorry - WHAT?!?!?!

Linked from BHGP -

The Big Ten Should Expand To Include Some Competent Basketball Refs - SB Nation

WATCH THIS and listen to what Sims says about the ref:

YouTube- Michigan forward DeShawn Sims on making the game-tying shot in regulation

MEN'S BB: Iowa vs. Michigan Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-02-16T18:24:00.000-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. Michigan is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

MEN'S BB: VanLaere Vlog - Iowa at Purdue Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-02-13T00:27:00.001-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. Purdue is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

MEN'S BB: Iowa vs. Northwestern Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-02-10T17:49:00.002-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. Northwestern is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

Don't forget to take a look at this Welsh-Ryan Rambling, especially this part:

"Lickliter was lucky to get him as with the number of defecations the Hawks had in the offseason, and Anthony Tucker’s suspension during this season"

Defecations. Well, that's one way to describe it.

MEN'S BB: Iowa vs. Illinois Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-02-03T18:57:00.000-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. Illinois is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

Podcasting with BHGP: It's a futuristic type of thing.

2010-01-28T13:27:00.006-06:00

The fine gentlemen at BlackHeartGoldPants invited me over to talk some Hawkeye Basketball a few nights ago. Despite the fact that the only microphone I had in my house was one that apparently was left on the railroad tracks for an extended period of time, a good time was had by all.

Podcast is up on their site HERE OR Listen to it on iTunes.

BHGPodcast 21

OT: Korean Chics Dig Iowa Football

2010-01-27T17:49:00.005-06:00

Straight out of WTF?!?!?!?!?!

http://yeinjee.com/star/girls-generation-snsd-group-profile/

I guess the Iowa Hawkeyes are hotter in Korea than we first suspected.
And I can't tell if the ladies in the video are 14 or 20... that's bad... really bad.

EDIT - Google shows they are all 18+, reducing the creepiness.

Props to Hawkeye10970 for finding it HERE.

MEN'S BB: Iowa vs. Ohio State Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-01-27T17:23:00.001-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. Ohio State is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

MEN'S BB: Iowa vs. Indiana Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-01-24T11:58:00.000-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. Indiana is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

Postgame Videos from the Iowa Win Over Penn State (Jan 16, 2010)

2010-01-16T22:17:00.000-06:00

MEN'S BB: VanLaere Vlog - Iowa vs. Penn State Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-01-15T15:28:00.001-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. PSU is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

MEN'S BB: Iowa vs. Tennessee State Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-01-12T13:58:00.001-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. TSU is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

MEN'S BB: VanLaere Vlog - Iowa vs. Michigan State Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-01-08T23:38:00.000-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. MSU is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

FOOTBALL: AP Voters, Scott Wolf and Jon Wilner, Need to Be Replaced

2010-01-08T09:56:00.010-06:00

So if you were wondering.... Here's How the AP Voted for Iowa

And a couple guys on that list need their heads examined.

Scott Wolf, USC "writer"

Scott Wolf from the LA Daily put Iowa at 16th. An Iowa team, mind you that finished the season 11-2, with a couple wins over Top 10 teams and several more wins vs. the Top 25. The same Iowa team that lost to #5 Ohio State in OT on the road with a backup QB. 16th, huh?

He also put Penn State 14th, Ole Miss 10th, Nebraska 7th, Va Tech 5th. Wikipedia hates Scott Wolf almost as much as Hawkeye fans will from now on. His voter rating sucks on Pollspeak, as well.

Jon Wilner trying to be relevant

Jon Wilner from San Jose put Penn State at 21st.
Yet he finds the need to put Cincy 5th, Oregon 7th, Texas Tech 14th.

People like that need to be kicked out of the club. For good.

Absolutely ridiculous to have a ballot that far off from reality. It goes beyond opinion and ends up at absurdity.

MEN'S BB: VanLaere Vlog - Iowa vs. Minnesota Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2010-01-02T12:31:00.000-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. Minnesota is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

OT: My "Bests" of the Decade

2009-12-31T16:01:00.007-06:00

As we say goodbye to the 2000's, here's a list of my "bests".

Hawkeye Players

FOOTBALL - Shonn Greene

BASKETBALL - Jeff Horner

WRESTLING - Brent Metcalf

Sports Teams (specific team, not most consistent over the decade - i.e. '02 Hawkeyes):

NFL - 2006-07 Indianapolis Colts

MLB -2003 Florida Marlins

NBA - 2007-08 Boston Celtics

COLLEGE FOOTBALL - 2004 USC Trojans

COLLEGE BASKETBALL - 2000-01 Arizona Wildcats

Entertainment

MOVIE - Mulholland Drive

SONG - Green Day - "Jesus of Suburbia"

ALBUM - Bright Eyes - "I'm Wide Awake, it's Morning"

VIDEO GAME - God of War (I/II)

TV SHOW - LOST

BOOK - Michio Kaku - "Physics of the Impossible"

TECHNOLOGY/GADGET - Mobile Data (i.e. - Blackberry, iPhone, Droid)

News

GREATEST EVENT - HDTV comes to the masses

WORST EVENT - 9/11

"WHO CARES" EVENT -Michael Jackson's death

Feel Free to Add Yours HERE

MEN'S BB: Little John Ballin'

2009-12-29T22:41:00.003-06:00

Who didn't see this coming?

Of course everyone expected the walk-on redshirt freshman coach's son to take it at the 3 time All-Big Ten defensive team member and 2007-08 Big Ten Defensive Player of Year... and then go off-hand, off-glass to finish the fast break. Everyone saw that coming.

And then to come back a few possessions later and go behind the back on another fast break to streaking Eric May. Just business as usual.

Then the Iowa Hawkeyes' John Lickliter hit the long trey and things got silly.

I kid, of course, because I care. Seriously, though, it's totally worth the watch...

Video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTnkSikAnDw

Anthony Tucker: What Next?

2009-12-21T23:00:00.001-06:00

Has sophomore guard, Anthony Tucker, played his final game as a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball team? Who’s to blame for what has happened? Has Todd Lickliter’s rocky tenure at Iowa started its final descent to freefall?

Article up on Hawkeyenation.com.

MEN'S BB: VanLaere Vlog - Iowa vs. SCSU Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2009-12-21T13:02:00.000-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. South Carolina State is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

MEN'S BB: VanLaere Vlog - Iowa vs. Drake Preview/Prediction up on Hawkeyenation.com

2009-12-19T12:17:00.001-06:00

My preview/prediction for the upcoming game vs. Drake is up on Hawkeyenation.com.

OT: The Top 10 Worst Christmas Songs of All-Time (REVISITED)

2009-12-14T12:28:00.003-06:00

Back by popular demand, here are the Top 10 worst Christmas songs of all-time.

WATCH / LISTEN TO THEM HERE

I haven't revised the list yet, but I am always open for suggestions.