COLUMN: Hawks are live

OFF THE MARK COLUMN
By: 
Mark Spensley
Express Co-Publisher

     It’s now Monday and the time is about 11:20 a.m. I had a column idea earlier last week and have since forgotten what exactly that idea was. So, as I am sitting here trying to come up with an idea, the Hawks are playing Oregon for a chance to go to the Sweet 16.

     The score is currently Oregon up by one, 12-11. Both teams are going at a furious pace. Luka Garza is on fire but the Hawks have missed a few three-pointers. The Hawks are wearing their home gold and Oregon in their very bright greens. Now we’re behind 17-13.

     Oregon has fouled Luka three times already. I’d like to see the Ducks get into some foul trouble. Garza also already has a bloody nose. 17-15, Ducks.

     The Ducks are getting some easy early looks inside. The Hawks will have to toughen up their D if they are going to win this one. 21-19 Ducks. Another silly foul by the Ducks.

     TV timeout: This would be a good time to congratulate the Hawkeye wrestling team on their national championship over the weekend. The Hawks wrestled great as a team, sending three guys into the finals.

     Unfortunately, two of them, both rated #1, came up short. Both guys, Jaydin Eierman and Michael Kemerer, lost close matches and neither quite looked themselves. 27-24 Ducks. But the other finalist, Spencer Lee, kept up his end of the bargain, shutting out his opponent in the finals.

     Spencer revealed after his match that he tore his ACL 10 days ago (30-30). Can you imagine going out and doing what he did on a torn ACL? If I remember right his ACL in the other knee also needs to be repaired. 33-32 Ducks.

     Any seniors this year have the option of coming back for another wrestling season and it sounds like most of the seniors may be coming back. 34-33 Hawks. If that does happen that has to make the Hawks favorites again for next year’s tournament in Detroit. Tied 36-36.

     TV Timeout: How about the Lady Hawks? I haven’t followed them too much this year but caught all their games in the Big Ten tournament. They are an exciting team to watch that puts up some big numbers on offense.

     They are led by talented freshman Caitlin Clark. She can shoot the ball as well as anyone in the country. Hawks 41-38. But the Lady Hawks are not a one trick pony. They also have their version of Luka Garza and her name is Monika Czinano.

     TV Timeout: Monika has all sorts of moves and the couple games I saw she was making just about every shot she took. The Lady Hawks earned a number 5 seed and defeated Central Michigan in their first-round game. 46-44 Ducks.

     The girls will take on Kentucky in round 2.

     TV Timeout: Oregon has gone on a little run and leads 52-46. They still are racking up the fouls.

     Now that I mentioned the Lady Hawks, it jogged my memory for what I wanted to write about originally and that is the news following the women’s tournament and how the NCAA is treating them compared to the men.

     56-46 Ducks. Oregon on a 10-0 run going into half-time. Oregon is 10-0 when leading at the half. Luka with 22 points at the half but the Hawks are still not shooting the three very well.

     Back to the NCAA women’s tournament issues. Reports come out that the weight room facilities were way below what the men have. The girls had one rack of dumbbells and the men have a full weight room to work out in.

     Also, the women were given boxed meals compared to buffets filled with steak fillets and lobster mac ‘n’ cheese for the men. Their swag bags for the guys were three times the size for the men versus the women.

     The most disturbing disparity though is the method used for testing for Covid. The men are being tested daily with highly accurate PCR tests while the women are receiving antigen tests, which are less accurate. The NCAA is now working to fix those disparities.

     Well, now it’s noon and I’m going to head to lunch to watch a furious Hawkeye comeback!

 

 

 

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