Mike Hlas

A minimalist media day precedes a season in which no one knows who will quarterback Iowa State’s football team.

Some day, we’ll all look back at this week’s additions to the Big Ten and Big 12 and it will all seem funny. Or not.

Can you imagine the fallout had an Iowa or Iowa State athlete been found to have bet against his own team?

Later this week, Justin Thomas will try to reverse recent results and move toward earning a spot on the Zach Johnson-captained U.S. Ryder Cup team.

While we’re pushing Nebraska back out of the Big Ten, let’s see to it that USC and UCLA never arrive.

Next Monday’s Zach Johnson Foundation Classic has added Justin Thomas, one of pro golf’s biggest names. The 15-time PGA Tour-winner is playing in Minnesota this week with hopes of getting a Ryder Cup selection by U.S. team captain Johnson.

Seven wins, 25 points per game ... These are targets Iowa should shoot holes through with ammo to spare. Right?

Dr. Jay Bickford, an Eastern Illinois University social studies education professor, was a senior offensive lineman on Kirk Ferentz’s first Iowa team. He’s doing what he can to help researchers study CTE.

Iowa has four freshmen, and Fran McCaffery says they’ve all looked good so far in summer workouts.

Cody Ince, Randy Larson, Steve Batterson — an athlete, a supporter and a reporter — all recently died, and way too soon.

Joe Wieskamp scored 27 points for Toronto in its NBA Summer League finale Sunday in Las Vegas, but the Raptors nonetheless declined to pick up the former Iowa Hawkeye’s 2023-24 salary of $1.93 million.

Kelvin Bell thought his position players at Iowa knew how he felt about things. They did not, so the coach made racial and social discussions part of their football dialogue.

Kelvin Bell reviewed life insurance policies at Transamerica and managed Heartland Express truck drivers while seeking a football home. Now he’s an established leader of future NFL defenders at Iowa.

Even The Gazette’s Athlete of the Year candidates who are honorable mention seem pretty amazing. You’d be making a safe wager betting on their futures.

Iowa basketball superstar Caitlin Clark switched sports for a day at the John Deere Classic pro-am, but the name of the game was connecting with a lot of young fans.