Ed Podolak 'Retires' From Iowa Gig After Enjoying Women, Beer

Hawkeye football announcer Ed Podolak likes Budweiser and, er, the inside of ladies' shirts. As you can see above, there's now photographic proof thanks to some Iowa State fan who took the above photo and a couple others and posted them to the Internet.

This is trouble for Podolak because the Internet goes "hur boob" and massively replicates photos like this. They spread outward from the origin point, reached the athletic department, and spurred the inevitable overreaction:

I've got a second confirmation. Iowa radio football analyst and legendary Hawkeye Ed Podolak will retire from the booth in the wake of post-Outback Bowl bar photos. An announcement from the University of Iowa could come as early as today.

"Retire" in this case is obvious whitewashing: Dude got fired.

The most immediate comparison that leaps to mind is Larry Eustachy crashing a frat party, but that was egregious in ways this isn't. Podolak isn't in charge of a bunch of college-age athletes (Why won't anyone think of the children?). The lady in question isn't 20 and seems to be having a good time. Podolak isn't a grown man drinking Natty Lite. All he's doing is flirting with a receptive female at a bar.

Aren't we past this by now? The once-shameful private lives of people are now plastered all over Facebook, and at any time you can be photographed committing a slight indiscretion. The correct response to the new situation is to shrug your shoulders and say, "Oh well." Don't fire the guy.

I'm reminded of an old Bloom County in which Opus has been driven from his home by evangelical rodents. When this is met with a "let he who is without sin cast the first stone," Portnoy (the groundhog) replies "yeah, and we cast that first mutha." In a word: lame.

By the way: I'd like to personally congratulate Jay Christensen of The Wizard of Odds, by the way, for posting these photos in a bid for cheap hits and costing a guy even Iowa State fans think is pretty awesome his job. Good work there. You've contributed greatly to the national discourse of college football with this. Love the utter lack of remorse in the follow up.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-14-2009 @ 1:08PM

Hawkeye State said...

Amen, Brian.

1-14-2009 @ 1:15PM

Adam Jacobi said...

Apt comparison with Bloom County; Berkely Breathed is an Iowa City product. Nice work, man.

1-14-2009 @ 1:41PM

T said...

LOL...The irony is very beautiful...Delicious...

1-14-2009 @ 3:48PM

Patrick said...

All true, but here in Iowa they remember that Ed got popped for DUI in 1997. I suppose his employers think (wrongly) that having a guy who drinks to excess will drive away listeners.

What do you guys think? A half point in the Fulmer Cup?

I feel for the guy.

1-15-2009 @ 12:01AM

murph said...

Drinking isnt drinking and driving. and flirting with someone your own age at a pub who doesnt seem to be upset with it isnt spraying down coed;s at a kegger. i do feel badly for him but why didnt he stand up and fight this, i know i would have

1-15-2009 @ 2:24AM

Get it right said...

Patrick - get your facts straight. Podolak wasn't "popped" for DUI in 1997. He was passed out on the UI campus after a night downtown. There's a HUGE difference.

1-15-2009 @ 10:30AM

sarahl said...

It's sad when someone has to justify some other guys actions. Dude is eye-raping this chick and that isn't wrong? Wtf? What happened to our morals? Dude has a wife and this is okay? This pretty much seems to be the standard for the Hawkeyes. All he did was repeat plays on his microphone. I'm sure he can find a job at a grocery store making announcements.

1-15-2009 @ 10:41AM

Oh yeah, the difference between getting popped for DUI and passing out on campus? I'm guessing you're just a douche bag for passing out. He probably couldn't find his keys or was walking to his car and passed out. Douche bag!!! He needs to be working in law enforcement with a mustache like that!

1-15-2009 @ 12:19PM

DP said...

She obviously is okay with the situation, so what's the problem? I'm not supporting what is happening but this whole thing is stupid. I guarantee you that if you go to some booster event or college banquet for the big-wigs they are serving alcohol. And those suites at football and basketball games - alcohol. Universities can't even crack down on students drinking. Yet here is a grown man and woman - both obviously consenting - but the alcohol is seen as a problem, so Ed "you're fired." Ridiculous. Stupid.

1-15-2009 @ 12:52PM

Whether you condone it or not this douche bag is just a ticking time bomb for something worse for the university. You have to get rid of him. No school wants this kind of publicity whether it's two consenting adults or not. As a representative of the school, you have to hold yourself to a higher standard. Alcohol isn't the problem. It is however a catalyst to his stupid behavior. I don't see what the big deal is anyway, the guy is just a stupid announcer that has bad judgment and a worse mustache.

1-15-2009 @ 1:06PM

Baker said...

Stupid people. I wonder if Sarah thinks Ed is a douche bag. She probably just loves his mustache. How about the girl who is pulling her shirt out for him to look down? Let me guess, douche bag?

1-15-2009 @ 1:23PM

Baker, if you look it is Eddy pulling out the shirt, not the girl he wants to cheat on his wife with. Let's be honest, is this how you want your school to be represented? Nevermind the fact you don't think he did anything wrong. Seriously. Do you want some drunk showing up in photos on the internet with him pulling out the shirt so he can look at her tits? Is that what you want? Be honest. The state of Iowa is the laughing stock right now with the other douche back Eustachy, now we have this douche bag living up to the reputation. Let's not even factor in the DUIs, the rapes and the drug convictions that happened this year.

1-16-2009 @ 8:25PM

tecknogyk said...

Give me a break. You can complain that he's a cheater or whatever, but being a cheat doesn't mean he deserves to be fired. That is just dumb. There was nothing illegal about what he was doing, period. God, grow the f up.

1-16-2009 @ 3:07PM

GMHWife said...

I'd feel a little better about this if he got to seal the deal that night.

1-16-2009 @ 6:40PM

ufools said...

Can we put out an APB to post andy and all compromising pictures of Jay Christensen?? Maybe he'd have to retire from his blog....but then again, if a tree falls in a forest....

1-16-2009 @ 11:15PM

Bucketochicken said...

Thank you, Brian.

Go Hawks.

1-19-2009 @ 10:25AM

Tecknogyk, It's sad to think that you think this is acceptable behavior. It's not about being a cheat, it's not about being a drunk. What he does in his own time in the privacy of his home is fine. However, when you're out in public, being a public figure, and you do stupid things, you should be held accountable. No one ever said what Ed was doing was illegal. Was it immoral? Yes. Is it stupid? Is it illegal to be immoral and stupid? No. We all do stupid things every once in a while, it just so happened that he got caught. Besides, is this the guy you would want representing your company? Would you want this photo representing the message you're trying to convey? Be honest with yourself. This is the photo that is representing the University of Iowa right now. Not a picture of the bowl victory but some drunk guy peeking down a girl's shirt. Is that seriously how you want your team and state to be remembered? Think about it.