News this week out of the University of Nebraska - The Nebraska Hops Project!

Launching this summer, the Nebraska Hops project will test the viability of growing eight hop varieties at five locations statewide. Led by Stacy Adams, associate professor of practice in agronomy and horticulture, the research project has the potential to expand hop production in Nebraska, helping better meet craft brewing demands for the pinecone-like blooms on the plant, while also offering farmers an opportunity to diversify crop production.

There seems to be lots and lots and lots of you who believe that the University of Nebraska-Lincoln solely exists to provide the state with a winning football team.

This is SO NOT TRUE, sunsabitches!

The University of Nebraska does many things for the state of Nebraska beyond sports, and this project is an example of one of them. Is there any better way to help the state than to help its craft brewers make a better tasting beer?

I say NO!

Is this a good expenditure of tax payer dollars?

I say YES!

Note this:

The project is funded through an $83,000 specialty crop block grant from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.

And then this, from the Nebraska Hops Page:

Craft brewing is an emerging industry in Nebraska, producing 33,939 barrels per year and having a direct economic impact of $424 million dollars in 2014 alone.

Essentially, they're making an $83k investment (pocket change, really) that might have a much larger impact over the long run because Nebraska brewers can buy consistently grown hops right in their own state without having to buy from those screwy bastards in the Pacific Northwest.

Invest in your own state's economy and businesses to influence the bottom line and at the same time provide a better beer experience? This is INSANE!!! CRAZY!

And you thought everything was about the fullback and balloons!

On a more serious note - if you're one of those people who worries that the state of Nebraska's image is mostly about agriculture and you're disgusted because this gets you labeled a "hick" at your neighborhood parties on the coasts, you really need to re-think how you approach the subject.

Nebraska farmers grow food that feeds the world. There are not a lot of things we can do as humans that is more noble than this. If that bothers you, I suggest you identify yourself with another more snooty state and leave the rest of us "hicks" to our food and clean water.

UGA’s cheerleaders had more concussions than football players, says sports medicine director | For The Win

"There’s more that we don’t know about these effects compared to what we’re learning and the risk of participating in sport is the way you look at it," Putukian said. "There’s a much higher risk of brain injury on a bicycle, on a motorcycle, on a skateboard. Horse jockeys have 50 times the incidents of brain injury than NFL players."

Government research shows ex-NFL players have lower suicide rate than men in general population

Government research on more than 3,000 retired NFL players concluded suicides were less common among men in this group than in the general population.

Then the article somehow apologizes for not investigating a link between rates of suicide and CTE and concussions because that narrative has been established even though it may not be true.

Florida working with Riddell on custom-fit 3D modeled helmets

Players modeled for custom-fit helmets as Riddell performed 3D head scans, with the custom-fit helmets designed to maximize player safety.

I'd be interested in knowing how they're going to maximize player safety. I really would.

How and why the Australian pipeline to American football works - SBNation.com

The transcontinental trickle of talent now includes three likely starting NFL punters and a three-year reign at the college level. How's this work? And what's next?

Big XII Expansion: Can't Take You Anywhere, John Hitt - The Daily Stampede

John Hitt opens mouth, probably inserts foot again.

The Big 12 Expansion Question No One is Asking - Cowboys Ride For Free

Everyone wants to talk about who we should add to the conference. What I want to know is, where do we put them?

HAHAHAHA Big 12 Expansion. They are so doomed, still, and it's because of Texas and their greed. HAHAHAHAHA

FedEx Made The Big 12 Conference An Offer They Shouldn't Refuse - The Smoking Musket

The Memphis-based company wants to sponsor a Big 12 Conference Championship, but only if the Memphis Tigers are invited to the conference.

By the end of 2016, 1 billion people will be aware of esports - The Rift Herald

And nearly 300 million will be watching them

Do you not know what eSports are?

Hugh Freeze wants to keep his deposition related to Laremy Tunsil lawsuit away from the NCAA - SBNation.com

Courtroom intrigue in the Magnolia State.

Mark Coyle Announced As Minnesota Athletics Director - The Daily Gopher

Coyle comes to Minnesota from Syracuse, with additional previous experience at Boise State and Kentucky.

Coyle was at Syracuse all of about 10 months. Yesterday he was interviewed on KFAN by Dan Barreiro and asked about his lengthy stay there and why he could be expected to stay at Minnesota longer.

Coyle answered by apologizing for the timing and saying two of his three kids were born in Minnesota and blah blah blah family and "coming home". It was a nice answer, but, wow, what a load of bullshit.

He got the chance to be an athletic director at a Big Ten school that will have athletic money flowing in like beer from a fountain and he took it. Whether he'll be good.. well, as long as he isn't sexting his co-workers and hitting on them at parties he'll be better than his predecessor.

Mark Coyle's Minnesota Contract Details Released - The Daily Gopher

We break down the key portions of the new Minnesota AD's contract.

Syracuse Football Coach Dino Babers on Mark Coyle: "Are You Serious? No Comment." - Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician

As you might've guessed, Dino Babers is not pleased about recent developments.

THEN THERE'S THESE:

The day we discovered our parents were Russian spies | World news | The Guardian

For years Donald Heathfield, Tracey Foley and their two children lived the American dream. Then an FBI raid revealed the truth: they were agents of Putin’s Russia. Their sons tell their story

If you were a small child growing up in Nebraska, maybe you wished your parents had more pizzazz in their lives.. maybe you wished you were German and could wear lederhosen for a reason or were Italian and could walk around saying "Mama Mia".

Turns out you should have been happy being who you are because having parents as spies isn't very glamorous.

Charter buys Time Warner Cable in $55B deal

Charter Communications (CHTR) said Tuesday that it is buying Time Warner Cable (TWC) for $55.3 billion, forging ahead with its theory that broadening its presence nationally would provide the leverage it needs to fend off the challenges in the turbulent pay-TV industry.

Watch the Hyperloop's first public test, but don't blink or you'll miss it | The Verge

It only lasted about two seconds, but wow, what a sort of thrilling two seconds it was! Hyperloop One, the LA-based startup striving to realize Elon Musk's pipe dream, conducted it's first public...