 Mike HlasHi, I'm Gazette/TheGazette.com sports columnist Mike Hlas. This is the Hlog. We will meet here, discuss things, and then go [...] |
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Does Kirk Ferentz know what he’s getting himself into on Saturday?
Ferentz, Tom Brands taking an Arctic Plunge
The high temperature in Riverside, Iowa, Saturday is supposed to be 34 according to Weather.com.
That’s above freezing. My guess is it will still feel freezing to Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz, Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands, and several other Hawkeye athletics people that day outside Riverside Casino and Resort.
Brrrr! (AP photo)
That’s where they’ll jump into a body of water to raise money for the Hawkeye Wrestling Club to help it benefit its athletes with living expenses, and training and traveling needs as they train to pursue Olympic and World championships.
“How do you say no to those guys?” Ferentz said last month at an Insight Bowl press conference. “They’ll break my arm or dislocate my shoulder.
“I’m a huge fan, obviously.
“I think that involves cold water if I remember. But how do you say no to those guys?”
Others who will take this “Arctic Plunge” include Iowa assistant wrestling coach Terry Brands, football strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle, “interim” assistant football coach LeVar Woods, and Hawkeye Wrestling Club members 2008 Olympian Mike Zadick, two-time NCAA champion Brent Metcalf, Daniel Dennis, Lloyd Rogers, Phil Keddy, and Luke Lofthouse.
Registration is at 11 a.m., and I’m told by HWC advisor Luke Eustice that “the fun begins around noon.”
Pledges are being accepted at the HWC’s Web site. To view the list of the participants and the amount of pledges they’ve already secured, click here.
Luke Eustice, Iowa wrestling’s director of operations and an HWC advisor, took a practice dip recently. Here’s how that went:
ONLY a wrestler would “practice” his polar plunge run. You’re the man, Luke. Completely NUTS, but the man. Keep up the good work and Go Hawks.
I dare one of you guys to go up to Chris Doyle and ask him about “shrinkage”
Sorry Hlas – couldn’t resist.
Dan Gable had a great line on “On Iowa Live” last week. Scott Saville asked if he was participating, and Gable said “When they cut the ice and the ice pops out, I’ll be under there already.”