Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving holiday. Oh, and don’t worry about the food that wasn’t eaten last week. There are plenty of leftover turkeys to go around.

Gimme a Big Juicy Pink Slip with Those Taters

I’m going to make up an award to show pity for someone who is in a situation that deserves caring judgment.

The thought came up after I read a column earlier this week on cbs.sportline.com.

In it, college football writer Dennis Dodd brought up the story of Joe Hollis, the coach of the Arkansas State Indians. Or should I say former coach.

Hollis led his team to only 13 wins over the last five years after seeing success under John Cooper at Ohio State.

The Indians were already on the way to a terrible season when they took the field to battle Nicholls State on Thanksgiving. However, things didn’t look that bleak until game’s end.

During the fourth quarter of the contest, university President Les Wyatt distributed a statement announcing that Hollis would be fired after the game.

The coach finished the game, but reportedly received word of the decision before he could leave the field.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

What kind of cruelty is that?

And I thought that Kansas’ Terry Allen got a cold shoulder. To make matters even worse, Hollis will go under the knife for prostate cancer surgery next month.

How much more of a sad story do you need, and on Thanksgiving Day no less.

So, I present the first-ever Lowdown’s Lowest Award, for dignity in the face of pitifulness, to Joe Hollis.

Hopefully, he can feel better and stick it to his former bosses in the years to come.

A Sucker for a Good Cause

The word’s been out for a little over a week now, but I’m still shocked whenever I think about it. On Nov. 16, ESPN’s Friday Night Fights featured a special event that showcased fighters duking it out for charity. Proceeds from the fights went to the Twin Towers Fund for victims of the September 11th terrorist actions.

One of the fights featured James Butler and Richard Grant. Grant, noted as a journeyman, won the bout by unanimous decision, raising his record to 14-8. As the victor walked over to his opponent in appreciation of the evening and the effort, Butler, nicknamed the “Harlem Hammer”, put his name to good use.

The loser became a spoiled sport, sucker punching Grant with an ungloved fist. The incident sent Grant to the hospital with a cut tongue and Butler to the police station with a charge of second-degree assault.

I only have three words for the “Hammer”. WHAT A CHUMP!

How could you take a charity event and turn it into something to boost or damage your ego? It’s almost as if a bad movie appeared out of nowhere.

As of now, no word of punishment has come down from the lofty world of boxing executives. Let me help you guys out.

Butler doesn’t deserve to see ring, ropes or paying crowds for at least two years (one of the choices on an ESPN.com survey).

Maybe that’ll be enough time to let the damage to his ego (or was it his brain?) heal.

Absurd Predictions

The end of the regular season has arrived and, except for the Big 12 Championship, everything has been settled in the postseason race in the conference.

Eight teams are bowl eligible with Kansas State’s victory last weekend.

Whether all eight get into bowls depends on how many teams enter the BCS from the conference.

With Oklahoma and Nebraska losing (a wonderful sound to Husker haters), Texas and Colorado will now fight for the coveted automatic invite to the series.

Multiple scenarios are flashing in space at the moment, here are my picks.

Colorado: Sugar Bowl vs. Maryland

Nebraska: Fiesta Bowl vs. Auburn

Texas: Cotton Bowl vs. Tennessee

Oklahoma: Holiday Bowl vs. Washington (already chosen)

Texas A&M: Alamo Bowl vs. Purdue

Iowa State: Independence Bowl vs. Mississippi

Texas Tech: Galleryfurniture.com Bowl vs. UAB

Kansas State: Insight.com Bowl vs. Virginia Tech

Overall, the Big 12 goes 6-2 in the games with the Cyclones being part of the six. Iowa State 28, Mississippi 20.

Think of this as a good dessert to the end of a fine season, especially since next year’s schedule is no piece of sweet potato pie. Ah, the beauty of progress.

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