Bravo Iowa, ESPN Slog, Biff Hammer

• Nice job by the University of Iowa taking its time and talking to the Tumilson family before deciding how to honor the fallen hero. The heartbreaking picture of slain Navy SEAL Jon Tumilson's flag covered casket and his loyal dog, Hawkeye, lying dutifully nearby moved millions. A former Iowa football player, Jon Lazar, had the idea to have the dog lead the Hawks onto the field at Kinnick. It could happen, but it won't be soon. Gary Barta says Iowa wants to make sure the family has more time to grieve, and discussions continue about how to use Tumilsons dog. Barta also notes, and the Tumilsons insist, all of Iowa's fallen heroes be honored, not just one. It will happen at a home game in November, sometime around Veterans Day.
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• Bryan LaHair has been a memorable bright spot in a season to forget for the Cubs. LaHair hit his franchise record 38th homer for Iowa Tuesday night. LaHair had good timing, as usual. It was Bryan LaHair jersey night, and the I-Cubs named LaHair MVP before the game.
• As Thinking Man's Fan (@ThinkingMansFan) noted, the Miami Dolphins failed plan to recognize the Gators national championship team while Tim Tebow and the Broncos are in town was a shameless ploy to sell tickets and an insult to all local Miami Hurricanes fans, assuming a few remain.  "Let's Be Mad Again" and Drake's "D+" campaigns think the Dolphins had a bad idea.
• I finally finished the ESPN book. It was nearly 800 pages, and a slog. It has interesting stories sprinkled throughout, but definitely for industry insiders and hardcore ESPN fanatics only. It's also eye-opening how every business, no matter how successful, has people who feel under-appreciated, underpaid, and completely unaware how ridiculously seriously they take themselves. Thankfully, one of my favorite people, Dan Patrick, comes off looking good in the book. Many people don't (Chris Berman, Mike Tirico, Keith Olbermann to name three, though Olbermann is constantly referred to as a "genius".)

• ESPN sending coaches back to their high schools is a brilliant idea. The series has made for good, often moving, television.
• Chris Hassel, with tongue in cheek, asking the Hawks how bad Tennessee Tech is, was funny. The players said all the right things, but there's no reason the media has to play along with the notion that a completely over-matched Tech team is anything Iowa should worry about.
• There's a new sports blogger in town worth keeping an eye on. His name is Biff Hammer, and I can already see I won't agree with ol Biff some of the time, but he's not vanilla. www.biffhammer.com @BiffHammer on twitter