Athletes are people, too, meaning that they’re just as crazy as most of the people you see on Cops or a show of that like. Consider last week’s incident with former NBA player Jayson Williams and the shooting of his temporary limo driver Costas Christofi. Williams has always been associated with the more “on-the-edge” lifestyle, but now it’s turned tragic. This got me thinking, what are some of those wacky events we’ve seen in recent years from those wackier athletes?

Lowdown List

4) You know the list had to start locally and expand outward.

It doesn’t seem like there’s much to do on the wrong side of the law in sleepy Ames, but that didn’t stop former ISU basketball players Travis Spivey and Sam Mack from blessing students with their thuggish ways.

Spivey – the sex-offending, Hardee’s employee, smacking thug – skipped town for the green pastures of Utah.

Mack, acquitted of the robbery of a local Burger King in 1989, left former football player Levin White to rot in jail for 25 years while he made bucks, NBA-style.

With friends like that, who needs friends?

3) You might call it “Skategate: Episode I”.

The drama that unfolded between Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding at the 1994 US Nationals was legendary. Kerrigan got whacked on the knee by one of Harding’s associates.

The blond bombshell, who finished well out of medal contention, admitted to knowing about the plot and obstructing justice, ruining her career. See what happens when catfights get out of control.

2) What hasn’t Mike Tyson done?

He’s been convicted of rape, inciting raucous behavior at press conferences and my favorite – excessive biting as Tyson did in his heavyweight championship bout with Evander Holyfield in 1997.

Now I’ve seen someone eat pig ears, Mickey Mouse ears and even elephant ears, too. I’ll have seen about everything when someone wants to eat my ears.

1) It’s the soap opera that wouldn’t end.

I’m talking about the O.J. Simpson trial that captivated audiences for months in the summer of 1995. Actually, soap operas never have that much drama. Here’s an opening teaser. “Next, on “The Trial,” Barry Scheck will argue like he’s never argued before. Christopher Darden will try to distract one of the jurors, while Marcia Clark won’t get any closer to Judge Ito’s private courtroom. F. Lee Bailey will try the `looking like an idiot approach,’ and O.J. will sit in his chair, again. Don’t miss today’s stirring episode of “The Trial.”

Absurd Predictions

Today, I focus on the upcoming Big 12 women’s tournament. OK, so the regular season doesn’t quite end until tonight, but I thought I’d get started early. First, I’ll assume that Iowa State will get shoved down to the sixth seed, but will walk through their first-round (Nebraska) and second-round (Kansas State) games at Kansas City’s Municipal Auditorium.

The Cyclones will meet up with Texas Tech down in the semis, avenging the loss suffered to the Lady Raiders in Ames, but only by four points.

Then comes the grand finale, the matchup that people will have been waiting for in the final. Iowa State will battle … Oklahoma State? That’s correct. The Cowgirls have arguably been the most dangerous home team in the Big 12 this season, luring better teams into their Gallagher-Iba trap, including the Cyclones.

Somehow, the Cowgirls will turn Municipal into their psuedo-home court, sort of like what the Iowa State teams usually do, and, in a shocker, the Cyclones will lose to Oklahoma State for the second time in a three-week stretch.

In a final word of absurd, Oklahoma, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Baylor will represent the Big 12 at the “Big Dance.”

How they do will have to be put on hold for another day.

Jonathan Lowe is a senior in meterology from Kansas City, Mo.