Hawk Talk Daily: Random Thoughts

May 1, 2011

EDITOR’S NOTE: “Random Thoughts” is a weekly feature of Hawk Talk Daily, a daily e-newsletter distributed to 60,000-plus fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes. To be added to the distribution list, call us at (319) 335-9431.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Random thoughts on May Day in the Heartland…

Do you hear that? Listen… Do you hear that? Yep. It’s the first of May and they’re talking Iowa basketball. How ’bout them Hawks!

Mother’s Day is around the corner. Please, please, please call your mother. Mother Nature is mad enough. We don’t need to add to her current level of aggravation.

I think I’ve mentioned here before the thought that it sure would be nice if Matt Gatens had an opportunity to play in some time of post-season tournament next year. Well, it appears possible that Fran the Man and his staff – the outstanding group that it is – have completed their first full season on the UI campus with a bang: Two recruits since we last spoke to go with the two that committed to the Hawkeyes in November. Matt, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say you’ll be prepping for another game when the team returns from the 2012 Big Ten Tournament.

Did you get out of bed early Friday to watch the Royal Wedding? I did. It was worth it. Nice couple, beautiful church, great architecture, great pomp, and a tremendously impressive salute to detail.

Speaking of salutes…any of you know why Prince William saluted periodically to and from Westminster Abbey? My guess is that he was passing by something or someone of importance.

I know I speak for a lot of eastern Iowans when I say that, often, the destruction caused by flooding and tornadoes is difficult to grasp from pictures on television but not so much so for those who have lived it. Thoughts and prayers from the Hawkeyes to the folks in the south who had their worlds turned upside down last week.

Six Hawkeyes had their names called in this year’s NFL Draft staged Thursday through Saturday at Radio City Music Hall in the Big Apple. On the top of that list was Adrian Clayborn, a first round pick of Tampa Bay. At the other end of the spectrum was Tyler Sash, a sixth round pick of the New York Giants. Christian Ballard, Rick Stanzi, Karl Klug, and Julian Vandervelde were also selected. It’s little wonder why the UI has won so many football games the last few seasons…this year’s total number of selections matched last year’s and each are highwater marks for Kirk and the staff.

UI junior Chris Brant wakes up this morning just one stroke off the lead at this year’s Big Ten Conference Men’s Golf Championship being played the Kampen Course of the Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind., home of the Purdue Boilermakers. Mark Hankins’ squad sits in second place, 15 strokes behind Illinois. Here’s hoping Brant and his teammates hit it straight and long.

Speaking of the NFL Draft, I smiled yesterday morning when I heard ESPN promoting its radio coverage of the event by encouraging me to listen to learn who was this year’s “Mr. Irrelevant” – the last player selected. The Houston Texans had the last selection – No. 254 – in this year’s event and used it to pick Cheta Ozougwu, a defensive end from Rice. For the record, Ozougwu was the 51st selection of the seventh (and final) round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Think you know who the first “Mr. Irrelevant” was? The “award” started after the 1976 event.

Lastly, I can’t recall a more exciting collection of track and field athletes than that currently on the UI campus. The Hawkeyes continued to shine this weekend, tearing it up at the Drake Relays.

Go Hawks!