The Wiz of Odds

Somebody Has Finally Burst Iowa's Bubble!

Iowa's indoor practice facility was constructed in 1985 during the height of the Hayden Fry era. It seemed state-of-the-art at the time because the field was enclosed by a fiberglass fabric roof. The roof was supported by air pressure, much like the Metrodome in Minneapolis.

But last Friday, the bubble was deflated, ending the facility's 27-year run. Iowa, which had fallen behind in the facilities arms race, will open a 76,000-square foot brick and mortar building in time for fall practice.

Iowa's new practice digs seem modest compared to recently completed facilities of Hawkeye rivals. Michigan, for example, completed work on a 104,000-plus square foot brick and mortar building in 2009 that is called the "Taj Mahal" of indoor facilities. Iowa State has a 92,000-square foot building and Nebraska's playpen is 81,200-square feet.

Here's Your Highlight From the Insight Bowl

The Iowa-Oklahoma matchup in the Insight Bowl was the latest installment in what is becoming a long line of bowl snoozers this postseason, so you are excused if you didn't make it to the end of Friday night's game.

However, you missed the most exciting moment. The overhead camera at Sun Devil Stadium tumbled to the field with 2:22 left in the fourth quarter, nearly hitting Hawkeye receiver Marvin McNutt.

Big Ten Fans Are Letting the Good Times Roll

Fans were not on their best behavior last Saturday at two Big Ten games.

In Madison, 18 people were arrested and 34 were ejected from Camp Randall Stadium during Wisconsin's game against Purdue, according to University police. Fifteen citations and ejections were for underage drinking.

University police were also busy in Iowa City, where 13 people were arrested during the Michigan-Iowa game. Another 36 were cited for open container in public and three were cited for public urination.

But the level of intoxication among some of the arrested was staggering.

Blain Christopher Anderson of Midland, Mich., was very unsteady on his feet as he tried to enter Kinnick Stadium, according to police. He acknowledged drinking and blew a .321 blood-alcohol content.

Raider safety Stacey Toran had a blood-alcohol level of .32 when in died in an auto accident in August 1989.

"That's getting almost to the unconscious level ... to get to the .32 level, that would be approximately 16 drinks" within an hour, UCLA professor Ernest Noble told the L.A. Times in a report on Toran's death.

Anderson was not alone. Blood-alcohol levels of four others who were arrested: .272, .266, .254 and .230.

Guard Fired for Attacking Fans as They Rushed Field

A security guard working last Saturday's Iowa-Minnesota game at TCF Bank Stadium has been fired after he was videotaped tripping and pushing fans who rushed the field after the Golden Gophers' 22-21 victory.

The guard's actions were captured on video by Bobby Krzmarzick of Plymouth, Minn. He told the Star Tribune that the guard  "didn't really seem to have any purpose. He would knock over people and they would just keep running. ... He was really going after the people who were not as big as him."

You can see the guard in action in the lower-left corner of the video.

Kinnick Stadium Card Stunt

If you haven't seen the video of the card stunt pulled off Saturday by the 70,585 fans at Iowa's Kinnick Stadium, here it is. The stunt was executed before kickoff against Northwestern.

Having attended an Iowa game or two back in the day, the amazing part had to be that officials were somehow able to get fans to leave the tailgate early. Frankly, it takes a lot to separate Hawkeye fans from beer.

After the jump is a time-lapse video of the game shot from the north end zone by Cedar Rapids Gazette photojournalist Brian Ray. The card stunt appears at the 40-second mark.

Men of Steele

Saturday's Iowa-Iowa State game was arguably the best of the day. Here's an image of Cyclone students streaming onto the field from high atop Jack Trice Stadium after Iowa State's 44-41 victory in three overtimes. In Ames, they're saying Cyclone quarterback Steele Jantz is the second coming of Seneca Wallace. Jantz will get national airtime Friday when the team plays at Connecticut.