Ready for a 21-only smackdown?

We're months away, but teams already are lining up in Iowa City for the Great November 21-only Smackdown.

Yes, folks, this here is the A-Show:

In this corner, we've got team Leave the Kids Alone, fronted by Mike “My Way” Porter - who bought his first bar back when he still was a University of Iowa undergrad and whose businesses sank $10,000 into defeating the 21-only ordinance the last time it came up for a vote.

Porter's got a weakness for poker and old Vegas crooners, a take-no-prisoners style and an itchy litigation finger, as the city well knows.

And he's backed by other bar owners eager to guard their underage customer base and by a legion of thirsty 19- and 20-year-olds who just want to go to bars to dance - honest.

Last time around, this crew crushed team Let's Stop Kidding Ourselves About Who is Drinking in Bars in a 58 percent to 42 percent beatdown at the polls.

But wait - cue the canned heat - because there's a surprise!

Last week, University of Iowa leaders joined up with team LSKOAWDB.

You'll remember the UI brass sandbagged pro-21 folks during the 2007 vote by refusing to take sides - even though it's UI students who make up a good number of underage bar patrons and excessive drinking is a big problem on campus.

But this time, UI Provost Wallace Loh and Tom Rocklin, the interim vice president for student services, are on board with 21. More than that, main eventer UI football coach Kirk “Babyface” Ferentz has signed on.

He's a heckuva draw for pro-21 folks who couldn't seem to line up their A-Team before last round's vote. But will his star power be enough to battle the cash money and good time gimmick of team LTKA? We won't know until the three-count.

Porter and other bar owners are sure to go for the cheap pop, and who can blame them? There are marks all over this town eager for an excuse.

They'll drag out angles that have gotten over with the fans in matches past: the 21 drinking age is unfair, there's nothing else for young adults to do in this town but drink.

They'll pull the old “minors don't drink in our bars, and anyway, wouldn't you rather they drink in bars where we can watch and make sure they don't get hurt” routine. It'll make your head spin.

But this isn't a fight about whether 19- and 20-year-olds drink alcohol or should be allowed to.

It's about whether bar owners should be allowed to invite them in, turn a blind eye and pocket their money when they do.

Comments: (319) 339-3154; jennifer.hemmingsen@gmail.com