Braxton Miller could have Antwaan Randle El type NFL career

August 20, 2015 By 1 Comment

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When Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller switched positions, many media members portrayed the decision as a selfless act by an individual placing team needs above his own. That’s a half-truth. Miller has no NFL future as a QB. He does have a lot of pro potential as a wide receiver though. So the situation is actually a win-win for Braxton Miller, for both his individual, and his team goals.

Take the case of former Indiana quarterback Antwaan Randle El? Like Miller, he wasn’t tall enough to play quarterback in the NFL, so Randle El moved to receiver where he had a very fine pro career. He especially excelled on special teams. Braxton Miller is dynamic like Randle El, but he has more size.

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Johnson-Koulianos to expose Iowa Hawkeyes in book, UI responds

December 21, 2013 By 1 Comment

Derrell Johnson-Koulianos is arguably the greatest wide receiver in Iowa Hawkeyes history. He’s first on the UI all-time list in receptions and 2nd in receiving yards. He also once had high NFL Draft potential. Then came all the arrest, and six drug charges. DJK now alleges he was defamed by Iowa Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz and plans to write a book about his experience at the school.

He played with the Iowa Hawkeyes from 2006-2010, and was kicked off the team before bowl game his senior season. Johnson-Koulianos posted some comments Tuesday on Twitter alleging that Ferentz discouraged NFL teams from pursuing him in the 2011 draft.

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2013 Big Ten Football Power Rankings: Hip Hop MCs Edition

July 11, 2013 By 1 Comment

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Can’t leave Big Ten football alone the game needs me. Notorious B.I.G. once said that he raps about the ghetto because that’s what he knows. And…”if I worked at McDonald’s, I’d be rapping about Big Macs and fries.”

You write and talk what you know and live. And I know Big Ten football. We’re still a ways away from Big Ten football media days. Well, less than two weeks now. The preseason is indeed here, time for some WAY TOO Early Big Ten football power rankings

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NO ONE CARES, but Iowa Hawkeyes in NIT Final Four!

March 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment

iowa-hawkeyes

As you are likely unaware, the Iowa Hawkeyes advanced to the NIT semifinals for the first time in school history with wins over Indiana State, Stony Brook and Virginia. The Iowa Hawkeyes will meet Maryland and their NBA lottery pick Alex Len in the semifinals on Tuesday, April 2 at approximately 8:30 p.m. (CDT).

The Iowa Hawkeyes have the prime time game, following BYU vs. Baylor. Now I’m told that for decades long before I was born, the NIT or “Not Invited Tournament” or “Not Important Tournament” was considered a much bigger deal than the NCAA Tournament. I’m also told that cameras were once not digital and people used to use something called a type..?? writer??

Anyways, things change and the Iowa Hawkeyes are winning college basketball games in March; even if it’s in the tournament no one is watching.

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Iowa Hawkeyes bubble burst: NIT versus ISU next

March 18, 2013 By 1 Comment

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The Big Ten did not get 8 teams into the NCAA Tournament? The Iowa Hawkeyes didn’t have any great signature wins, but they did have something the Gophers and Illini didn’t possess- a .500 Big Ten record. However, the Iowa Hawkeyes have a RPI of 77 and a SoS of 98. Not exactly stellar there.

And now Iowa’s National Invitation Tournament (NIT) quest commences.  The Hawkeyes, a three seed, will host sixth-seeded Indiana State (18-14) of the Missouri Valley Conference Wednesday, March 20 at 6 p.m. CDT.  The game will be televised on ESPN2.

Man, that loss to Virginia Tech really stings. They gave Michigan State all they could handle in the Big Ten Tournament. Which would have been great for their resume, and probably could have solidified a bid, a couple more points and they could have been dancing.

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Former Iowa Hawkeyes Cheerleader, Miss Iowa ’12, into fitness modeling (pics)

March 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment

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The Iowa Hawkeyes have had a mediocre season of college basketball. Definitely a down year by their usual standards. No one’s expecting them to do much in college football next fall because this year was a disaster. They have some nice looking cheerleaders though. And one Iowa Hawkeyes cheerleader in particular has big goal. Iowa Hawkeyes cheerleader Rebecca Hodge, who’s becoming a fitness model after graduation. Rebecca Hodge won the Miss Iowa USA 2012 despite never having ever previously competed in a pageant before.

A co-worker recommended she compete in the pageant, after having received a letter about it.

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Fighting Illini lose to Iowa Hawkeyes; let’s forget we ever watched this

March 5, 2013 By Leave a Comment

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Let’s forget we ever watched this one. The Illinois Fighting Illini and Iowa Hawkeyes set the game back a few decades. We’ll wash our eyeballs of a 63-55 contest won by Iowa that was Restoril or Ambien in college basketball form. The Hawks finish 15-2 at home, in a contest where “points in the paint” didn’t seem to apply. I was like one end had Dikembe Mutombo and the other had Manute Bol the way so many bunnies, chip-ins, lay-ins, tip-ins, and lay-ups were missed on both end.

THIS .WAS. UGLY. Unlike Hawkeye cheerleader/pageant winner listed above

The Fighting Illini have probably secured a NCAA bid as of Saturday, by accruing 8 Big Ten wins and 21 overall, especially with their resume. But they looked like a poor NIT team this evening. The Iowa Hawkeyes are squarely on the bubble, trying to become the conference’s eight team in the dance.

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Iowa athletics official traded tickets for sex, sexually harassed students

November 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Iowa Hawkeyes

Just one day after Bernie Fine, formerly of Syracuse, was cleared, another college sports sex scandal emerges. And yes this one is also of the all male variety.

Peter Gray, senior academics adviser for the University of Iowa Athletics Department and staff member for about 13 years total allegedly committed a long list of inappropriate behavior, all sexual in nature, mostly involving male students in some form or another. Gray allegedly traded tickets and money to at least one outsider for sex, (cause after all Hawkeyes tickets are just so hard to come by) inappropriately touched and propositioned a student that came forward for the investigation.

Apparently, the school knew about his behavior for years, but he was employed all the way until Monday. And he didn’t get fired either, he was allowed to resign.

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#60 Iowa Hawkeyes: College Basketball 111 in 111

October 11, 2012 By 1 Comment

iowa cheerleader

Welcome to The Sports Bank’s third annual college basketball season preview series.  Two years we looked at 99 teams in 99 days.  Last year, we were slightly more aggressive and expanded to 111 teams in 111 days and will do so again as we look ahead to the 2012-2013 season.

We will rank the 75 power conference teams and top 36 mid-majors in reverse power ranking order.  We’ll break down rosters, transfers, incoming freshmen, non-conference schedules, and pick a player to watch for each team.

Fran McCaffery is very close to helping the Iowa Hawkeyes turn the corner and become a NCAA Tournament caliber team.  The addition of a pair of key freshmen has the Hawkeyes’ future looking rather bright.

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Former Detroit Lions, Iowa Hawkeyes LB Alex Karras passes on

October 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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Alex Karras former star for the Iowa Hawkeyes at the college football level and Detroit Lions on the NFL level had died of kidney failure at the age of 77. Had he not been suspended for gambling during the 1963 season, Karras might be in the Hall of Fame right now.

After football, Karras had a second career as an actor, known best as the dad on the ’80s sitcom “Webster,” and his iconic role in “Blazing Saddles,” in which he punched a horse in the face.

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Iowa Hawkeyes’ James Vandenberg: league’s best pure passer?

August 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

University of Iowa senior quarterback James Vandenberg was named to the 2012 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award watch list which annually recognizes the top quarterback in college football. Former Hawkeyes Chuck Long (1985) and Brad Banks (2002) won the award and Ricky Stanzi was named a semifinalist in 2010. Iowa is one of eight schools nationally to have had two or more individuals capture the award.

Vandenberg, a native of Keokuk, Iowa, started all 13 games under center for the Hawkeyes last year. He completed 237-of-404 pass attempts for 3,022 yards and 25 touchdowns. Only 17 returning players in the FBS threw for more yards than Vandenberg.  He ranked third in the Big Ten in passing yards per game (232.5), fourth in total offense (237.2) and fifth in pass efficiency (138.5). Vandenberg (6-foot-3, 212) was named to the Capital One/CoSIDA District Six Academic All-America team and is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.  He is also on the 2012 preseason Maxwell Award and CFPA Quarterback Trophy watch lists.

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