Power Ranking @jhunter2's Hot Takes

10. Kombucha doesn't work.

I drank a quarter of a bottle of kombucha once, and it didn't heal all of my ailments. Plus it's kind of gross, so what's the point?

9. Naps are overrated.

Rarely have I woken up from a nap actually feeling refreshed. It happens, but not a lot.

8. The Sandwich Taco isn’t a taco, it’s actually a waste of time, effort, and money.

Taco Bell's most recent invention, the Sandwich Taco, has "started a global debate" that takes place entirely on the set of their own commercials to decide whether or not it's a sandwich or a taco. That's all for this one.

7. Joker isn’t a groundbreaking or incredible movie.

The recent DC film entitled "Joker" is entirely composed of a literal clown with a laughing disorder just dancing, getting bullied, and killing people for 2 hours with a few riots and story elements thrown in to extend the run time and a really short "nice guy" to feel bad for. It's not a good movie, and I personally think it's a horrible rendition of one of the most iconic villains of all time.

6. Madden 21 is the peak of Madden.

Madden 22 is a decent game, and the updated rosters are nice. Madden 18 was also pretty fun, and some of the older Madden games have that undeniable charm that accompanies other classics like Star Wars Battlefront II, NCAA Football 13, and Marvel's Ultimate Alliance. However, Madden 21 is just on another level, and may actually be good enough to challenge NCAA 13 for the top sports video game of all time.

5. Politics are massively overrated.

Listen, I get it. There are a lot of things that are really important to fight for and discuss, and taking a stance on something is much more respectable than being indecisive, but much political discourse (especially today) is way too divisive for me. I'll stand solely on what the Word of God says in pretty much any political discussion, and it really doesn't matter what party "agrees" with me (if any do).

4. Bacon is not a fruit.

It's just the facts, homie. Read 'em and weep.

3. Spencer Petras is actually not a bad QB or the problem with Iowa’s offense.

He's horrible when pressured and definitely makes mistakes, but if he gets enough time to throw, he's got a great arm. The biggest problem that I've noticed is that Iowa's pass plays take far too long to develop much of the time. In the past, this hasn't been too big of a problem, because they've had a combination of elite talent and experience all along the offensive line. However, they have neither of those this season outside of Tyler Linderbaum, and teams have been able to use this to shut down Iowa's passing game almost completely despite the talented receivers at their disposal.

2. Derrick Henry is the 3rd-most intimidating offensive skill player in the NFL.

King Henry may be one of the scariest sights in the league for a defender, but there are two other situations that would have me quaking in my cleats even more: playing defensive back against the Seahawks and being matched up with a 6'4", 229 lb. DK Metcalf that can run a 4.3 40-yard dash and probably bench press 2 of me or lining up on the defensive edge across from #85 himself, Mr. George Kittle.

1. Rainn Wilson is the best white rapper in the world.

Sit down, Eminem. Rainn out-rapped Kanye with Kanye's own song.

Others receiving votes: A godly woman (15), The Sun (14), That one song by Young Thug (9), Pam's art (1)

Let me know in the comments below if you have any comments on anything or would like to comment on one of these; I'll try to comment on your comment as soon as I can.

Mrs. Cogito Makes: The World's Best Spicy Chili

The high today is less than 70 degrees, football is on, and the leaves are changing color. This can only mean one thing: it's officially chili season. I'll say it again because it warrants celebration, it's officially chili season. The most wonderful time of the year.

It seems like almost every midwestern family has their own version of chili that they think is great. Growing up, my family had their own recipe for a mild, sweeter chili. Jake says his family also went the more mild and sweet route. Both of our family's chili recipes are so good when returning home, but we both agreed that we wanted something spicier than we were used to. Thus began my search for a really good spicy version of the midwestern delicacy. I tried lots of recipes. Lots. None were what I was looking for. They were either too thin or too mild. Too few beans or too many tomatoes. Nothing was what I wanted so I set out to make my own.

I consider myself to be a pretty decent cook, but most of the time I am far from a chef. Cooks follow recipes, chefs make their own. I like to add a little of my own flair to any recipes that I make, but this chili is the only recipe I've truly started from scratch adding ingredients and adjusting things until it became exactly what I was looking for in a delicious fall dish. Not that I could be partial to a recipe I wrote myself, but this isn't just good chili, it's great chili. It's a spicy, thick chili but you can decrease the heat to your desired level as needed!

Let's get into what makes it so good.

Shown above left is my base group of ingredients.

• 2 lb. ground beef

• 1 medium onion, diced

• (At least) 2 fresh jalepenos, diced

• 2 cans diced tomatoes (I like using one can diced tomatoes with green chiles and one can diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery, and onion)

• 1 can diced green chiles, hot

• 1 can diced jalepeno peppers, hot

• 2 cans chili beans in chili sauce, not drained (not shown above because I didn't have any on hand and subbed them for other beans)

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 1/2 cups beef broth (I use bullion or Better than Bullion and reconstitue it)

• 3 tablespoons chili powder, divided into two 1 1/5 tablespoon portions

• (At least) 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 4 minced garlic cloves

It seems like a long list of ingredients, but I promise the recipe is not difficult. Most items are canned goods, so the recipe is a lot of opening and pouring. Getting everything together is the toughest part of the entire thing and that is very easy.

As mentioned above, this is my base chili recipe. I frequently add things or change things around based on what I have, what's on sale, and what I think could improve the recipe. For today's edition, I added two poblano peppers we had in the freezer that we helped grow this summer, some Worcestershire sauce, and a splash of coffee (more on that later).

A fun tidbit about prepping your peppers: many people think that the spice in peppers comes from the seeds. This is a common misconception! The seeds are actually very bitter and not spicy. The true heat comes from the membrane that holds the seeds in place, which I am very carefully pointing to with the tip of my knife.

It's also time we talk about the elephant in the room. Beans. I know that some people are not fans of beans in their chili. I am here to tell you that those people are wrong. If you're more than nine years old and you are still afraid to enjoy some delicious beans in your chili, it is time to grow up. Chili is a man's dish and anti-beaners are acting like boys. If you don't want to take my word for it, however, listen to the other love of Jake's life: Josh Groban.

To begin the recipe, I add my ground beef, onion, fresh diced peppers, and 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder to my large cast iron pot over medium heat to brown the beef and cook the veggies. I think adding part of the chili powder in at this point and part later helps maintain a stronger chili flavor to the dish while also ensuring each bite of beef has good flavor.

Once the beef is browned, I drain the fat and return the pot to the stove. At this point in the cooking process today, Jake finished taking a shower, left the bathroom, and from across the house yelled "Holy cow it smells good in here." I think that means I'm doing a good job. After this step, I add in all the other ingredients. Just pour the tomatoes, canned chilis, broth, tomato paste, and the rest of the spices into the pot and stir. The hard part is done.

Isn't she a beaut? As a woman that fancies herself a semi-pro chili chef, at this stage I bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer, then let it cook for at least three hours. Yes, I know that seems like a long time. It is. Perfection can't be rushed. However, if you are in a rush you could let it simmer for a half hour to 45 minutes and the chili would still be good. Any chili connoisseur knows that the longer a chili sits the better it gets, though.

At this point you should taste the chili to see if it needs any more seasonings, spice, or something special. Real chefs like Robert Irvine and myself always taste their dishes as they're cooking. Chef Robert and I are essentially the same person, honestly.

See, there's basically zero difference between those pictures. Two super buff chefs. I'm definitely not pushing up my bicep to make it seem bigger.

As the Roberta Irvine I am, I tasted my chili and thought it needed some extra love. I added in lots more cumin because cumin is the secret star of this dish that makes it so good. I would put cumin on anything. It is the sneaky king of spices. I also added a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce and a few small pours of some left over coffee from this morning. I know this sounds crazy, but hear me out. The internet told me something like coffee or cocoa powder adds some depth to chili much like a pinch of sugar in pasta sauce does. They compliment the acidity of the tomatoes and peppers and bring out the meaty, umami flavor of the beef. I refuse to come anywhere close to making the abomination that is Skyline chili, so I went for the coffee over the cocoa powder. I only added a little out of fear it would ruin the whole pot, so I'm not sure how much of a real difference it made. When the chili was all done, I thought it had a little je ne sais quoi that it doesn't normally have but Jake said he didn't taste any difference. Maybe next time I'll add in a tiny bit more to see if he notices a change as well.

Finally, after the 3+ hour (or half hour if you're in a hurry) simmer, the delicious, spicy chili is ready. Crackers are great and all, but crushed tortilla chips are the true crunchy addition your chili needs. Try it. You'll never go back to crackers again. We also add cheese and normally add sour cream/non-fat plain Greek yogurt for a little creaminess but didn't have any on hand today. Greek yogurt is a great low-cal, high protein substitution for sour cream if you're looking for something a bit healthier.

Like any chili, this is best the day after you make it following an overnight chill in the refrigerator. All the flavors really blend together to give you the best possible experience. I easily eat two bowls of this at each meal but would do more if my stomach could hold it all. It tastes so good you'll want to keep going back for more! I hope you'll give it a try and love it as much as we do! If you do make it let me know in the comments what you think and feel free to drop your favorite kind of chili (spicy, mild, thick, thin?) here as well!

World's Best Spicy Chili

• 2 lb. ground beef

• 1 medium onion, diced

• (At least) 2 fresh jalepenos, diced

• 2 cans diced tomatoes (I like using one can diced tomatoes with green chiles and one can diced tomatoes with green pepper, celery, and onion)

• 1 can diced green chiles, hot

• 1 can diced jalepeno peppers, hot

• 2 cans chili beans in chili sauce, not drained (not shown above because I didn't have any on hand and subbed them for other beans)

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 2 1/2 cups beef broth (I use bullion or Better than Bullion and reconstitue it)

• 3 tablespoons chili powder, divided into two 1 1/5 tablespoon portions

• (At least) 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 4 minced garlic cloves

Warm a large soup pot over medium high heat and add the ground beef, onion, fresh peppers, and 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder. Cook until beef is browned and veggies are cooked through. Drain fat. Add the tomatoes, chiles, and beans - all undrained, tomato paste, beef broth, and remaining spices. Stir to combine and bring to a light boil over medium heat. Once the mixture begins to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for at least a half hour up to 4 hours. Top with crushed tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream or your choice in toppings and enjoy!

Iowa vs. Wisconsin Takes: The Root of the Offensive Problem Begins With A Ferentz

One of the neat things about college football is the fact that there's total roster turnover every five years (at least in most cases). When a coach is present for at least five years and a trend is persistent across virtually every season, that suggests that the trend originates with the coaching staff and not the players within said coaching staff's system.

Iowa hasn't been an offensive juggernaut in, well, forever. In fact, they haven't even been average on that side of the ball for a vast majority of the past 2 decades. The singular constant that entire time has been the head coach, Kirk Ferentz. Iowa is known as a "dominant running team", and that has been the case in the past. In the past five years (since a 2016 offensive line that won the Joe Moore Award as the best offensive line in the country), however, Iowa's running game has been fairly average. In fact, since 2017 Iowa has averaged about 3.88 yards per carry. That average would generally rank in about the 80-90s range nationally. There are just over 120 FBS teams. Statistically, the "strength" of Iowa's offense is in the bottom-third of the country in terms of efficiency.

Couple that with a passing game that is somehow extremely intricate (according to the coaching staff) and incredibly ineffective, and the Iowa offense consistently has the makings of one of the worst offenses in the Power 5 conferences. The argument we hear from the head coach is that they play a certain way on offense to set up their defense to succeed. I think it's fair to question how much a defense is helped by an offense that struggles to put up 20 points against any defense with a pulse.

Since 2018, Kirk's son Brian has been the offensive coordinator. To put it bluntly, Iowa has had about 3 good offensive games in big moments in the four seasons that Brian has been the OC. 2017 Ohio State, the 2019 Holiday Bowl, and maybe the 2017 Iowa State game. Much more numerous are the absolute clunkers (today's game certainly included). One could point to a few select plays over the years where the Iowa players didn't execute well enough on a good call that led to Iowa dropping a game they needed to win. One could point to individual calls in a defensive battle that swung the game completely to a win (see: the Nico Ragaini touchdown vs. Penn State earlier this year). I would contend that if you play in a way that puts infinite pressure on a microscopic portion of plays each year to win games, you should be able to coach your players to perform at their absolute peak in those moments.

Brian's best excuse (and it may be legitimate) is that his offense doesn't look much different than most previous iterations of Iowa offenses. His play-calling is abysmal at times (today's consecutive fullback dives into an 11-man front were abominable), but one has to wonder how much he really has to work with. Kirk is notoriously rigid in his approach to the game (for better and for worse), so it's not outlandish to consider that Brian is simply placed in a tough spot.

I think the buck ultimately stops with Kirk. He's the head coach, and this is a two-decade body of work. If he doesn't have the fortitude to carry out major changes (whether through firing his son or allowing major changes in offensive scheme), he deserves the brunt of the blame.

If I were trying to solve everything with the assumption that Kirk still plans to be at Iowa for the next few years, I would "encourage" Brian to take a job at another school at a lower level than the Big Ten for the time being. Let him show his expertise with less pressure focused on him to rehabilitate his own image, and Iowa can try to revamp their offense with some new blood (though I question whether much would actually change). I don't think this will happen, but I think it should.

On one final note, I just don't buy the argument that Iowa can't recruit the talent to run an offense that resembles the rest of football in the 21st century. The profile of the Iowa program is not what it was when Kirk took over. Purdue routinely gets better offensive recruits despite being an inferior program in almost every respect except for when they actually play Iowa (ugh). The difference between the schools is scheme, not ability to recruit.

There aren't any excuses after the colossal failure of these past two games. Sure, Iowa probably isn't a national championship-caliber team, but this team had all the momentum to at least make a run to Indianapolis and the Big Ten Championship. That's the stated goal of the program, and the staff's stubbornness is putting obstacles in the program's path to accomplishing that right now.