Hawk Fans Show Up, Tiger Picks Against Tigers

• No one should mistake the U of I selling only 6,000 or so tickets to the Insight Bowl with only 6,000 Hawkeye fans being at the game. Insight Bowl officials expect a record crowd of 50,000, in large part, due to all the Hawkeye fans who live in Arizona. If you saw Shawn Terrell's Monday night report from the Hawkeye Huddle, you know Iowa will represent---though not in the usual numbers.
• The U of I will still have to pay for more than 4,000 tickets. The bowl system is ridiculous. It feels like there's less interest than I can ever remember. Nebraska-Washington II anyone? How 'bout Oklahoma vs UConn? Yes, Auburn-Oregon is a great title game match-up---if you overlook the Newton scandal and Oregon's hideous uniforms---but the rest of the bowl season was better pre-BCS.
• Hadiah the Tiger at the Phoenix Zoo picks Iowa. When a Tiger picks against her own, it's an omen.
• I think Missouri wins the Insight. Iowa has lost three straight, and more importantly two big playmakers (A-Rob, DJK). Still, history teaches us it won't be easy for Missouri. Iowa hasn't been blown out in years (see Western Michigan).
• Did anyone else work Monday? Seems like everyone is off.