Frosted Flakes: State FFA Convention, Fred Hoiberg Mania, and Bee Spit

You know what early April means, right?

Yep, it is time for the state FFA convention and the invasion of the blue jackets in downtown Lincoln. If you plan to be in the vicinity of Pinnacle Bank Arena (the home of our new hoops overlord Fred Hoiberg) watch out for the FFA members and school busses. You may want to avoid Raising Canes until Saturday too. For some reason, kids from the hinterlands of the state gravitate there.

Ranchhand 2 is part of the blue jacket invasion and will be competing in three contests - farm management, biotechnology, and veterinary science. He didn’t get his paperwork together in time for his State FFA degree, but we still have next year.

FFA convention to bring 8,000+ to campus | Nebraska Today | University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Nearly 8,000 high school students, advisers, parents and guests will be in Lincoln April 3-5 for the 91st Nebraska FFA State Convention.

Frosted Flakes

There is palpable excitement for Nebrasketball even as the spring game looms.

Family and Husker fans react to new Nebraska Coach Fred Hoiberg | KHGI
As the University of Nebraska welcomes Fred Hoiberg as their new men’s basketball coach, his aunt Jane, who is a Palmer native says she’s excited to see her nephew come back to the state he loves.

Hoiberg’s biggest recruiting wins dovetail with Huskers’ current roster needs | Men’s Basketball | journalstar.com
Now that the minor detail of hiring a head coach is out of the way, Nebraska basketball can begin to turn its attention to just what kind of roster...

ICYMI - The baseball team blanked the K-State Wildcats in Manhattan last night. Also, this happened...

Huskers sell shirts to help flood victims
The Huskers are selling shirts to help flood victims. Husker players encouraged fans to buy a custom shirts, to which all proceeds would go to the Red Cross to help flooding victims. Donations will also be accepted at the Spring Game.

Cowboys sign suspended former Husker Gregory to extension | Huskers | columbustelegram.com
The Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday extended the contract of former Nebraska pass-rusher Randy Gregory.

Nebraska Football: Cornhuskers' 2019 Schedule Analysis
Take a look at our game-by-game expert insight into the Nebraska football schedule for 2019.

Huskers Crush Jackrabbits, 14-3 - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site
Lincoln, Neb. - The Nebraska softball team (13-19) put up 13 hits including three home runs en route to a five-inning 14-3 victory over South Dakota State (24-8) on Tuesday night at Bowlin Stadium.

Boyer Breaks Into ITA Singles Ranking at No. 93 - Huskers.com - Men's Tennis
Senior Toby Boyer broke in to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) singles rankings at the No. 93 spot, as the association released its bi-weekly top-125 rankings on Tuesday, April 2.

Sportsin’ Stuff Outside the 402/308

Women’s Basketball: Northwestern books a trip to the WNIT Final Four with heart-pounding victory over Ohio
Women’s Basketball They’re not called the Cardiac Cats for nothing. In increasingly heart-pounding fashion, Northwestern has popped off three consecutive victories after trailing at the beginning of the fourth quarter. With their latest act of magic, a 61-58 comeback win at home on Saturday night over a talented Ohio squad (30-6, 14-4 MAC), the Wildcats...

Women’s Final Four preview -- why each team could win in Tampa
Baylor vs. Oregon. Notre Dame vs. UConn. We break down why each team could hoist the trophy and what might trip it up, and we make our pick to win it all.

Former Husker and Nebraska native Jessica Shepard is back in the Final Four after shedding 40 lbs in preparation for her senior season. The transformation is pretty remarkable. She was always athletic, even with the extra weight, but she really looks the part of future WNBA player now.

AAF suspends operations; Polian ‘disappointed’
The eight-team Alliance of American Football, which kicked off the weekend following the Super Bowl and is eight games into its 10-game season, is suspending operations, co-founder Bill Polian said.

I watched about 10 minutes of one game and I can see why the league is shutting down. There were not many “diamonds in the rough” for NFL teams to discover and the pro-style play didn’t provide anything new or exciting.

Kenny Goins still paying off Michigan State loan after Elite Eight heroics | SI.com
The three-pointer Kenny Goins hit to send Michigan State to the 2019 Final Four helped earn coach Tom Izzo a $100,000 bonus.

Zion Williamson: NBA draft awaits, Duke career lingers | SI.com
The best thing Zion Williamson did all year was remind us that college basketball can be really, really fun.

TSA’s new scanners allow you to leave laptop, liquids in carry-ons
TSA is bringing new 3D security scanners nationwide, which means your next airport experience could be a lot smoother.

Bryce Harper receives loud boos from angry Nationals fans in D.C. return
Those boos started when Harper was announced as a member of the Phillies’ starting lineup. They continued during Harper’s tribute video from the Nationals.

There really is something unique about Tennessee whiskey, study finds. | Ars Technica
So-called “Lincoln County Process” is a critical step in achieving smooth flavor.

Mistakes, abuse & VAR: What are the pressures like on a Premier League referee? - BBC Sport
What is the pressure really like if you are a Premier League referee? And how do they react when something goes wrong?

More Noise and Other Disturbances

Seeds inherit memories from their mother - Communiqués de presse - UNIGE
Seeds remain in a dormant state - a temporary blockage of their germination - as long as environmental conditions are not ideal for germination. The depth of this sleep, which is influenced by various factors, is inherited from their mother,

Adhesive Formed From Bee Spit and Flower Oil Could Form Basis of New Glues | Research Horizons | Georgia Tech's Research News
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology are looking at that mixture of ingredients as a model for a bioinspired glue because of its unique adhesive properties and ability to remain sticky through a range of conditions.

April Fools’ Day: 10 stories that look like pranks but aren’t - BBC News
It’s even harder to decipher the fake from the facts on April Fools’ Day.

Then There’s This

Contraceptive jewelry could offer a new family planning approach -- ScienceDaily
Researchers report on a technique for administering contraceptive hormones through special backings on jewelry such as earrings, wristwatches, rings or necklaces. The contraceptive hormones are contained in patches applied to portions of the jewelry in contact with the skin, allowing the drugs to be absorbed into the body.