Are you ready for some spring ball?!

What’s that I hear? The barking of an audible? The rumble of a drumline? The buzz of stadium speakers and yards gained announcements? Is that…college football?

Ah — sweet music to my ears.

For the last two weeks, college football fanatics have gotten a much needed off-season dose of the game they love — albeit a version that’s a little watered down. The refs fudge the rules, the quarterbacks are off-limits, and everyone is on the same team. It’s spring ball, the culmination of the short spring training session, and basically a cock-tease that draws thousands of fans to stadiums that have sat empty since November.

Apparently, 23,502 (a number CRG sports writer Mike Hlas thinks is totally fabricated) attended Iowa’s spring scrimmage yesterday. After suffering a number (actually, a lot) of injuries in past spring ball events, the Hawks have traded in the traditional intra-squad game for a low-key public practice. Expectations are high for the 2010 season, and many were eager to get a look at this year’s team.

To my fellow Hawkeye fans: take a chill pill. Every year I hear the same “If we can get past so-and-so, we could…” talk. Zip it. The excitement is building, and everyone is making bold predictions — a BTN reporter said everyone is saying “this is the year in these parts” — but let’s be realistic, folks. All the talent and experience the team has on paper doesn’t mean shit on the playing field. The Hawks still have to line up against 12 worthy opponents and earn the trophies many are already giving them. Personally, I have my gut feelings, but it’s way too early to be voicing them.

However, I will make one prediction: I will attend every home game this fall. My mom ordered two season tickets, so I should be cheering the Hawks from Kinnick’s north end zone stand (where I’ve never sat before) for all seven (!) of their home games.

How many days until September 4? Too many.