Officiating Gripes, NFL Draft Decisions, and Getting Inside the Mind of a Kicker

Send us a text After Iowa State's disappointing loss at Baylor, Levi had a few gripes with the officiating that took place, especially late in the game. Are referees right to "swallow their whistle" at the end of a game to let the players continue to play, or do the rules need to be enforced exactly the same way from start to finish. Without a doubt, Iowa State could have done more during the game to avoid critical late-game situations, but at what point does bad officiating cross the line from being an unfortunate happenstance to changing the outcome of the game? Let us know in the comments.David Montgomery and Hakeem Butler both declared for the NFL Draft this past week. None of us were surprised, but we talked about what their departures mean for each position group moving forward, and why the future at each position remains bright.Speaking of the NFL, Cole had a bone to pick with how Bears kicker Cody Parkey was/has been treated since missing a last second field goal to win their playoff game on Sunday. Parkey was booed off the field by the fans, has been the butt of millions of jokes on Twitter, and has likely received more than a few nasty letters in the mail since then. However, Cole's main complaint was with Rex Ryan's statements on Monday about not feeling sorry for Parkey, and encouraging others to feel similarly. Professional athletes know what they're signing up for when the take the field in front of thousands of fans, but what level of responsibility do fans have to maintain decency in their interactions with players during and after the game?Naturally, this discussion transitioned into the psyche of a kicker, and how all of the vitriol of the past week from Bears fans could affect Parkey going forward. Cole and Marchie both elaborated on how players handle disappointment, and give some excellent advice for everyone to follow when a player on their favorite team doesn't come through in crunch time.