some guilt, some disgust, and some unadulterated joy today.

on wednesday, knowing that the cats were going to make the trek to iowa city on saturday, i asked my boss - a pretty significant hawkeyes booster - if he might be able to snare me some tickets for the game. 'how many?' 'two, four if you can get 'em.'

and so on thursday, he comes through big time. four tickets, vip parking pass (for big donors, although you have to pay - the pass just gives you lot access), guaranteed smackdown by the hawkeyes.

guilt: so coworker andy, coworker geoff, and former coworker chris (who had been fired by the boss) make the trek to the iac today. it turns out that we've been given my boss' tickets, and he's sitting somewhere else. the problem with this: there's no way i can stop by and say hello and thank him (me and geoff and andy would have done that...the firee would have stayed back). instead, about ten minutes before gametime, boss drops by to say hello to me and the kids. this results in awkward firer-firee conversation, and i'm pretty sure the boss is at least somewhat angry at me for inviting chris. it happens.

disgust: one of the hawkeyes' most talented players (the only talented player?) is pierre pierce, who was accused of and admitted to committing the crime of rape during the offseason prior to last year's campaign. (before you read further, know that i have only a passing knowledge of the situation, but this is how i know it to exist.) apparently he tried to go too far with a hawkeyes women's basketball player, and chief iowa arrogant guy steve alford immediately defended him, leading to all sorts of strained relations in the athletic department. pierce's crime was a suspension for last season and, because his accuser didn't want to reveal herself in court, he could not be convicted to the fullest extent of the law.

now, pierce's suspension-penance-whatever is complete at this point in time, and he's eligible and starting. so what disgusts me: 1) that this guy isn't in prison, but i guess that's because she was embarrassed or ashamed by the situation...that's understandable, and i can't really be disgusted, i guess. 2) that alford so vehemently defends him, which alford wouldn't do (i would hope) if he weren't on the chopping block due to five years of mediocrity. 3) that pierce is not just accepted, but embraced by the hawkeye drones. i can't believe that there's no protest to the fact that this guy plays. it just doesn't make sense.

unadulterated joy: the game was a beauty, with vedran pouring in 22 and hachad adding 18 in a 77-68 victory. the cats pulled off a 17-1 run during the end of the first and beginning of the second half, and by the end i had my group of pals and the early teen disillusioned hawkeye fan next to me that vukusic is an nba player. kareem abdul-duvancic was on his game, adding a sky hook and a three plus and more for a total of 14 points, and mo and t.j. parker played their regular ballhawking games, gaining four steals apiece in a upset.

after the game, i had the chance to briefly speak with bill carmody, who was headed to the press table for his postgame interview (me: hey coach. great game. he: thanks. me: [pats on shoulder]), and less briefly with mike mahoney, who was as geeked as i was, and also as disgusted as i was. i also closed by speaking with iowa native and wildcat legend aaron jennings, class of '03, who had been playing in croatia but was sidelined by shin problems but will be headed back overseas in the near future.

go cats. meow.