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In the movie Anger Management , Jack Nicholson plays an anger management counselor named Dr. Buddy Rydell, whose methods border on psychotic.
Throughout the movie, he offers advice and instruction to his patients.
Dr. Rydell says, "There are two kinds of angry people—explosive and implosive. Explosive is the type of individual you see screaming at the cashier for not taking his coupon. Implosive is the cashier who remains quiet day after day and then finally shoots everyone in the store."
Pat Angerer is Iowa's version of the cashier.
Angerer, a 235-pound senior middle linebacker from Bettendorf, Ia., is quiet until Saturdays role around. That's when he turns into a crazed tackling maniac.
With 89 tackles on the year, he is the leading tackler for the Hawkeyes. He collects tackles like Star Wars nerds collect memorabilia.
Tackles aren't the only thing Angerer collects.
So far this year, he has been placed on CBSsports.com's mid-season all-America team, named Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week, Big Ten Player of the Week, Linebacking Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Award, and Lott Trophy Impact Player of the Week.
He was also named to this year's Butkus watch list and Lott Trophy Award watch list.
In 2008, Angerer was second-team all-Big Ten. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg puts him at No. 20 on his list of the conference’s top 30 players.
In high school, he lettered in wrestling, track, and soccer. In 2004, he helped his high school team to the state soccer championship.
Even with all the national recognition, Angerer is a quiet and humble player who is known to shy from the spotlight. That could be because his career hasn't been all praise and accolades.
As a sophomore in 2007, he started fall camp with mononucleosis. As if that wasn't enough, he pulled his groin and hamstring muscles and then an injured shoulder. He didn't see much playing time until last year, when he started at linebacker.
He made the most of things in 2008, recording 107 tackles on the year. He looks to do the same this year, even with a nagging thumb injury that might sideline most players.
"You don’t need thumbs," Angerer was quoted as saying. "My best friend is my brother's dog. He doesn't have any thumbs and he's doing fine."
Despite what his name and tattoos might suggest, Angerer is a down-to-earth guy known for cracking jokes during interviews.
"I’m a big fan of green bean casserole. [My mom] makes really good green bean casserole and so does my girlfriend. That’s probably why I stuck with her this long."
Dr. Buddy Rydell would say, "sarcasm is anger's ugly cousin." Or in this case, Angerer's ugly cousin. Hawkeye fans don't mind, though.
Northwestern comes to Kinnick Stadium this weekend hoping to goosefraba Angerer and the Hawkeyes into losing.
Last year, he recorded 11 tackles and two pass break-ups in Iowa's game against the Wildcats. This year, not even Dr. Rydell could help the Wildcats avoid the wrath Angerer.
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