Read the Chicago Sun Times thoughts on why Orton is starting.

Iowa’s practice will air Thursday, August 7 at 8pm in glorious HD.

Boston Globe Sports Columnist
and ESPN Sports Reporter Bob Ryan

Get your mid-week fill of Bob Ryan with a Bob Ryan two-fer. Listen to Bob Ryan’s weekly audio blog.

Bob’s Audio Blog - July 30

via AWFUL ANNOUNCING

As you can see from the video “Ebby Calvin ‘Nuke’ LaLoosh” (formerly known as Julio Castillo) has a few control issues. The ball he threw was suppose to go into the dugout but instead went into the stands hitting a fan. The fan was hospitalized.

All in all there were 17 ejections and one night in jail for the pitcher. Ryan Sandberg was not managing the Chiefs last night.

Julio Castillo’s arrest sheet

Late in the ball game, McClelland is asked to enforce a little know rule in baseball - Rule 1.10(c). Rule 1.10(c), according to the Official Rules of Major League Baseball, states that batters may apply pine tar only from the handle of the bat extending up for 18 inches.

Unfortunately the batter took except to the call and voiced his displeasure.

Here is video of the incident:

Ok, here is the real video:

Here is George talking about his use of pine tar:

Facts from the game (from baseball-almanac.com):

Trivia alert: Billy Martin has often been wrongly credited with starting the whole incident, but it was actually Graig Nettles who brought up the pine tar! Rich Gossage later said, “Graig knew the rule. The ump did his job. Everybody thought it was silly, but it’s in the rules.”

When American League president Lee MacPhail upheld the protest ruling that George Brett’s bat did not violate “the spirit of the rules”, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner replied, “I wouldn’t want to be Lee MacPhail living in New York!”

Did you know that when the Pine Tar Game was finally resumed, the New York Yankees “voiced” their disapproval by playing pitcher Ron Guidry in centerfield and outfielder Don Mattingly (a lefthander) at second base?

Tim Kurkjian also has a great write-up of the play with all the background.

First letter

UofI letter - Free Legal Forms

Second letter

Second letter from mother to UI - Free Legal Forms

Yes, that Brett Farve. Since making a splash with their new logo and colors, Chops Prez Steve Nitzel is making a grab at more off season headlines, by offering Green Bay’s waffling quarterback a chance to keep playing professional sports.

“Brett is one of the greatest American athletes of the past 50 years and deserves a place to play, so we are extending an offer to him to become the newest member of the Iowa Chops Hockey team of the American Hockey League,” said Nitzel.

“All we have to do is sharpen his skating skills and after that his athletic instincts will take over and he’ll be one heck of a hockey player.”

Nitzel said the Iowa Chops have contacted and will be sending a contract to Brett Favre’s agent, James ‘Bus’ Cook Jr., in hopes that the quarterback will consider signing with the Iowa Chops.

Can the public at large be any more over-the-top, loose cannon-esque— in its criticism of the University of Iowa and the football programs?

Can we please consider the following:

Two ex-hawks are charged with felony sexual assualt and await trial…

While the time line is very fuzzy–and the re-opened investigation will likely solve this–head coach Kirk Ferentz removed messrs. Satterfield and Everson from the team upon learning of the allegatgions.

Secondly, the family of the victim made a choice to take a low-profile route and now may be having second thoughts about having done so. This is understandable given the trauma of the incident and the high-profile alleged assailants.

To me, the mother’s letters to the university, come at a time when, as a parent, I would want justice served on Satterfield and
Everson. I don’t think my first concern would be reform of University policy…that comes later.

Armed with convictions, with satterfield and Everson behind bars, are they then not better equipped to demand reforms, more transparency and accountabilty at every level of the University of Iowa?

The way it is unfolding now, only clouds and confuses the issues and, ironically, may aid the defense at the upcoming trials.

But the calls for the heads of Sally Mason, Gary Barta, Kirk Ferentz are a knee-jerk reaction by people who are either misinformed and bearing agendas…or perhaps both!

Boston Globe Sports Columnist
and ESPN Sports Reporter Bob Ryan

Get your mid-week fill of Bob Ryan with a Bob Ryan two-fer. Listen to Bob Ryan’s weekly audio blog.

Bob’s Audio Blog - July 23

Bob’s Audio Blog - July 19

Boone to Ames, Iowa- This was defeat, defeat by the roadside. I felt like that dead possum, back leading into Shelby; where’s that lady with the beads when I need her?

Shed nary a tear for this Motormouth, this was yet another case, perhaps, of biting off more than one can chew.
As I pulled out of Dr. Amy’s office in Ankeny this morning(Chiropractor/headaches, body aches, bruised ego) I was trying to put a song to this RAGBRAI experience. Aretha’s “Respect” would be quite fitting. RAGBRAI is to be respected. R-E-S-P-E-C-T, that is what it means to me!

If only words could be converted to fuel, this cyclist would be peddling into Tama/Toldeo about now; instead, only the faint drone of a passing cyclist flutters in my scrambled mind.

There was a certain peace in waving my white towel last night at Iowa State. As I listened intently to Lance Armstrong, holding a blue headband–proceeds from the sale of those to flood and tornado victims–you realize how lucky you are. Armstrong, labeling Iowa a “cycling mecca” and vowing to ride every year, infusing pride in the air when he spoke of the teamwork on the RAGBRAI route and in the communities left ravaged. A resilency everone can take great pride in.

62 and even!