Scattershot Thoughts for November 12th

• My friend, Todd Roland, a former sportscaster and current good guy, was the officer shot in the hand Wednesday night. Get well soon, Todd. We're thinking of you.
• I love Christmas, but I'm not ready in early November. Christmas Carol will have to wait.
• Speaking of Christmas and waiting, not to mention my own hypocrisy from the above sentence, I took the kids to Bass Pro Shops Sunday to see Santa. The wait was four hours! No, we didn't wait. I can't shop for the outdoors that long.
• It's long been believed teenagers can't keep secrets. Meet Harrison Barnes. Mr. Barnes can keep a secret.
• I really like James Vandenberg. He looks like the high school kid who comes by and offers to mow the yard for $20, and his voice breaks like he's too young to be in his second year of college, but he's genuinely engaging without trying too hard. I think he'll play better Saturday than many people expect. Don't underestimate what a game plan designed with his inexperience in mind can do.
• The aforementioned game plan should include Tony Moeaki.
• Our Lincoln (high school) insider, B-Ross, says Adam Robinson is going to do everything he can to take the field in Columbus.
• How does a heavy underdog team with less talent and a back-up quarterback making his first start find a way to win on the road? Watch the Iowa State at Nebraska game.
• The Iowa State football seniors have played for three different head coaches. They deserve a nice send-off Saturday. Bowl eligible would be nice too.
• Best line on the Cyclones this season goes to Ryan in Clive: " Iowa State is a 6-6 team with 2-10 talent."
• I was listening to Jon Miller and Jim Zabel host WHO's radio Sound-Off (and they're a good team), and this one caller said, "and that's all I have to say". She then talked another 10 minutes before another, "and that's all I have to say". Five more minutes. Rinse and repeat.
• It's hard for me to see Bobby Bowden go out this way. He deserves better.
• I hate instant replay. I know once in a great while, video helps get a call right that impacts a game, but I can't stand what it does to the natural rhythms of a game. Now when a player catches a TD pass in the end zone, you don't fully celebrate, you wait for the inevitable replay, the painstaking delay, and the endless speculation about which way the call will go.
• Never trust a receiver who says he caught the ball. How many times does a receiver (or d-back) talk a coach into a challenge when he clearly trapped the ball?
• Steve Martin & Alec Baldwin hosting the Oscars?! I'm in.
• I'm not ready for basketball. Trying, but not ready.
• Killers Live at Royal Albert Hall is a great concert CD (and DVD).
• Did anyone rehabilitate his image more in recent months than A-Rod? Amazing what a little clutch hitting will. Penny Lane didn't hurt either.
• When did Sammy Sosa turn into Powder?
• Can't wait for Colts-Patriots.
• Power to the people! Nice job by Des Moines' Dan Cataldi. He and two friends started an online petition for the Chiefs to cut Larry Johnson before LJ became the Chiefs career rushing leader. 35,000 signatures later, it worked (or at least it didn't hurt).
• Demi Moore is 47? Favorite Demi movies: A Few Good Men, About Last Night, One Crazy Summer, St. Elmo's Fire.
• If Tom Brands is talking, I'm listening.
• My new favorite SoundOFF segment, "Ask Gary Dolphin". Funny.
• James Vandenberg says he's anti-Facebook. Interesting.
• You know what does suck about Facebook... when you request to be someone's friend, and you know that person, and you're not accepted. That sucks! Or at least that's what Andy told me.

Scattershot Thoughts for October 30th

• I wish every Saturday could be like October 24th. I've never seen our state in a better mood. No one should doubt the power of football for positive community spirit.
• Hawkeye fans shouldn't waste time being angry at this TV talking head or that sports talk radio host. Just enjoy the ride. The BCS, flawed as it, almost always sorts itself out.
• Paul Rhoads emotional, raw, real locker room speech to his team generated more positive publicity for Iowa State in one week than the entire two year Gene Chizik era.
• Loved hearing stories from Cyclone and Hawkeye fans about how nervous they were in the final minute last week, and how they celebrated when the clock hit zeroes.
• Lot of debate who deserves national coach of the year more (if the vote took place now): Rhoads or Kirk Ferentz? The right answer is Ferentz. If Iowa State had won at Arrowhead and at Kansas, you could make the case for Rhoads, but since the Cyclones didn't, you can't logically go against a coach who overcame numerous key injuries and led his team to wins at Penn State, Wisconsin, and Michigan State (not to mention, Iowa State).
• I apologize to all the State Fair goers who cast their kernel for Iowa as the state team to win the most games. I thought the answer would be UNI. Right now, I thought wrong.
• How can the Big 12 have a TV contract this bad?! Iowa State has already had three games not televised. It's not 1985.
• Tim McClelland is MLB's best umpire, and a first class guy. Yes, he missed a call or two, the other 99.99% he got right. We just don't see those on an endless loop. Human error is unavoidable in baseball.
• I like the Yankees in 7.
• I haven't seen the Des Moines Bucs this year, though I'm looking forward to it. Are they looking any better?
• My son was home from school with the flu and wanted to watch the latest Indiana Jones movie again. Boy, it sucks even more on a second viewing. The first hour is so promising, fueled in part by nostalgia, but once it turns to aliens and spaceships and too many special effects, it loses its way, and can't even recover with a nice ending.
• Upset of the movie year: the rave reviews for Michael Jackson's, "This Is It".
• My wife wants to see Paranormal Activity. One of our photojournalists, Travis Jungling, tells me it scared the living crap out of him. He's no Hassel either. He's a man's man.
• I'm reading "Blind Side" because Jenny wants to see the movie with Sandra Bullock. When you're wife wants to see a sports movie, you celebrate. The book, so far, is terrific.
• New TV shows I've added to the DVR: The Middle, Community, Parks & Recreation (greatly improved, and needed to be), The Good Wife, NCIS LA, Glee (sue me) and Trauma (but not for much longer). What am I missing?
• Let me know if you hear anything about Brett Favre this weekend.
• Andy and I enter the weekend without a costume decision for Halloween SoundOFF. Once you've been Basedow, it's all downhill.
• New SoundOFF feature starts this week: "Ask Gary Dolphin". Mail your questions on any subject to soundoff@whotv.com Dolph will answer them weekly. Well, I think it's Dolph. Maybe not.

Scattershot Thoughts for October 19th

• The Denver Broncos should never, ever wear those poop brown throwback uniforms again. It's not just that they recall the Padres at their Taco Bell worst, no one remembers the Broncos in these. If you're going back in time, pick out some of the sweet Orange Crush era uniforms. (Props to Southeast Polk's Kyle Orton on leading Denver to an unfathomable 6-0 start.)
• Powder blue shouldn't work, but gosh it sure does on the Chargers.
• The Patriots in the throwbacks, hanging 59 in the snow on the Titans, is a postcard. You just can't beat that Patriot snapping a football on the helmet. As for the Titans, it's too confusing and painful when they wear Oiler uniforms. It's also painful and confusing when the Titans quit trying in the second quarter.
• A good friend of mine called me from Metallica Thursday night, and the Wiggles Saturday night. Only parents understand.
• I just can't get into this baseball post-season. I'm trying, but I just don't have a rooting interest. I do like Kate Hudson though, and she's on TV more than anyone.
• Is there a sadder commentary on the relentless pursuit of fame than "Balloon Boy"? Is there any way to blame this on Jon & Kate?
• I work at an NBC station, and I like Faith Hill's "Waitin' all day for Sunday night", though surprisingly, I prefer Pink's year one version. I digress. No one jump starts a sporting event like Mr. Hank Williams Jr. For decades now, I try to be in front of the TV when Hank shouts, "ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!" It's not new, but that song works. I concede Faith is quite a bit better looking than Hank.
• I still don't think Iowa goes 12-0, but I see nothing worse than 10-2, and 11-1 most likely of all. 10, 11, 12... whatever... it ends in a January bowl.
• Hawk fans should enjoy every second. This happens once ever 25 years or so. Don't worry about the loss, enjoy the wins. Ignore the buzzkills. This should be the best of times.
• The Hawkeyes have guts, chemistry, and swagger. There are far more talented teams. Many of those teams have already lost. Can't do better than 7-0.
• Iowa State got a mulligan when Gene Chizik bolted for Auburn. Iowa State is much improved under Paul Rhoads, and for the first time since Dan McCarney left, the players are all in. The Cyclones are a few plays from 6-1, and in future seasons, they'll learn how to win those close games (like Iowa did this year).
• I was wrong. UNI can lose to another division 1AA team. I'm shocked. And the Panthers lost at home in front of a record crowd.
• Nebraska is one of the greatest places on earth to watch a football game. You have to respect the proud history in Lincoln. But my goodness, some of those Husker fans take themselves, and football, WAY too seriously. We've been having some fun with that on SoundOFF. The fans still don't realize we're joking.
• Shawn Johnson's agent has done a masterful job. The celebrity shelf life of an Olympic athlete is typically so short, it borders on cruel. The fact Forbes.com says Shawn is the most liked sports figure in America is a testament to Shawn's appeal (and smart planning). http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/15/shawn-johnson-warner-business-sports-nadal_slide_2.html
• Are any of you forced to watch The Real Housewives of Atlanta? I've made mistakes. This must be payback.
• Jeff Pearlman's latest book, "The Rocket that Fell to Earth", is the mostly fair, almost always fascinating story of Roger Clemens and his blood thirst for immortality. It leaves no doubt Clemens is a serial cheater and liar, though also thoughtful at times.
• I want to see, and don't want to see, Paranormal Activity.
• Jon Miller's www.hawkeyenation.com site is all new, and for the first time all free.

Scattershot Thoughts for October 5th

• As I write this, the ESPN announcers are going over the top on the Legend of Brett Favre, but he's somehow lived up to the hype---if that's even possible. Probably not. Like many of you, I grew sick and tired of Favre's annual diva act, I had Favretigue, but there's no doubt he's good for the NFL, and good for the Vikings. I keep watching.
• Look for the Packers-Vikings game to be the highest rated program in the 30 year history of ESPN.
• I like these old school Vikings uniforms better. They are not quite as Arena-league looking. The Packers are classic (as always). When the helmet matches the pants, you're off to a good start.
• The Favre commercial where he can't make up his mind about buying a TV is funny and smart.
• I'm excited about Michigan at Iowa, but not like I expected last week. I thought Iowa would drill Arkansas State, and Michigan would win at Michigan State, and we'd have the makings of a classic. Instead, it's just a good match-up, not a great one.
• I picked Iowa to go 9-3 and Iowa State 5-7. I think Iowa will exceed my expectations, though if Ricky Stanzi doesn't stop making ugly plays, Iowa will lose three games. Don't forget, that road schedule is brutal. 12-0 is not going to happen.
• No one in Iowa City was excited about playing Arkansas State. Not fans. Not coaches. Obviously not players. However, the Red Wolves found a hole in that Iowa defense other teams will try.
• Bottom line: 5-0. First time under Ferentz. 90% of the teams in the country wish they were 5-0.
• Iowa State fans deserve better. They are so loyal despite years of gut punches, and then they suffer another one Saturday, this one more cruel than most. We all take the PAT for granted, which is what made the high-to-low crash so much harder for Clones fans.
• I said all last week the K-State game was a pivotal one for Iowa State, and I'm not changing views now. I think a win made a bowl possible. Don't see it happening now.
• It's hard to get too excited about UNI games until the playoffs begin. Obviously the Panthers will be there, and they're so good, it's national championship or bust.
• Can anybody beat Dowling Catholic this season?
• It was great to see the old Seinfeld cast on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Not a great show, but had its moments.
• Shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Office love to make us squirm, but nothing was more uncomfortable than watching David Letterman confess how sex with staffers led to an extortion attempt. The unsuspecting audience kept laughing because they were waiting for a punch line. Smart of Letterman to get in front of the scandal, but still hard to watch, even harder to turn off.
• This is exactly what I need: The 100 Greatest Hits of YouTube in 4 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BudhFVnN2o0
• Andy and I love talking sports movies on SoundOFF and our KXnO radio show weekdays from 2 to 4.

Keith's Top Ten

1 Hoosiers

2 The Natural

3 Rocky

4 Fields of Deams

5 Brian's Song

6 Bull Durham

7 Jerry Maguire

8 Miracle

9 Longest Yard (original)

10 Major League

Andy's Top Ten

1 Hoosiers

2 The Natural

3 Bad News Bears (original)

4 Rocky

5 Big Lebowski(?)

6 Hoop Dreams

7 Bull Durham

8 Major League

9 Dale Earnhardt Story

10 Slap Shot

Scattershot Thoughts for September 28th

• That's why the Vikings signed Brett Favre.
• I'm all for democracy, but Fox 17 is going to have to take voting rights away from the people if they're going to pick a dog like Packers-Rams over 49ers-Vikings. It seemed bad from the start, and got worse when the Vikings home opener ended with one of the most exciting plays in franchise history. Come on fans, live up to KDSM's trust!
• When the Sunday Night Football game ends, can NBC please just wrap it up quickly?! Do we need more analysis after five hours of it?
• I really like this Iowa Hawkeye football team. That was no fluke at Penn State. The Hawks gave up a touchdown on the first play, and then DOMINATED. Norm Parker's defense is the best in the Big Ten.
• Make it 7 of the past 8 for Kirk Ferentz against Joe Paterno. Iowa looked so smart and well coached at Penn State, the broadcasters couldn't stop talking about it.
• I think this was the biggest win of the Ferentz era. Unlike the others, there is no previous loss, so it's all still out there for Iowa. (Vote your choice on our whotv.com Web poll.)
• Hawk fans are going to go bonkers, and they should. This is the fun part.
• Big Ten quarterbacks will see Adrian Clayborn in their nightmares.
• Here's how credible the coaches top 25 poll is: Penn State is ranked four spots higher than Iowa.
• Don't look now but Iowa State is 3-1. Check that, go ahead and look. Iowa State is slowly improving---something it didn't do last year---and a win against beatable K-State Saturday would leave ISU two wins from bowl eligibility.
• Great job by Iowa State honoring Army Saturday night. Several goose-bump moments.
• Why isn't there a Steak-N-Shake in Central Iowa?
• I hope the Iowa Barnstormers move up without losing their fans. Affordability, fun, and football are the three main draws at Stormer games.
• I think I was the only person in Iowa not at the Dave Matthews Band concert.
• I was at Bruce. That was a great show. Best I've seen from Springsteen. And he turned 60 two days later.
• Smart move by Harrison Barnes. Announce your college choice before the season, concentrate on Ames winning another state championship.

Scattershot Thoughts for September 15th

• I don't think Iowa State's as bad as the Cyclones looked Saturday, and Iowa's not quite that good. But make no mistake, Iowa ended all discussion about who's better. That was an old fashioned butt-whupping. I picked Iowa, but not by 32.
• Worst part about Iowa State being thumped? Not getting to watch a frustrated Andy Fales press the Jack Trice Stadium "play" button for Sweet Caroline. (I've noticed Iowa State only plays the American classic when the Cyclones are winning, tied, or on a roll. It hasn't been played much the past few years.)
• Austen Arnaud is a good guy who had a terrible game. If he doesn't greatly improve his accuracy and reads in the Spread, Iowa State won't win more than two games.
• As Ricky Stanzi goes, so goes Iowa. He and Arnaud had a "who can suck less" competition going in the first quarter, but Stanzi won in a landslide. Against good BCS teams, he can't start as slowly as he did against UNI and Iowa State. If he does, Iowa will lose.
• Kirk Ferentz won't be able to keep true Freshman Brandon Wegher out of the line-up for long. Electric.
• Paul Rhoads does not want to talk about the road losing streak. Okay. But everyone else will talk about it until it ends.
• This just in: The road losing streak will end Saturday at Kent State.
• The best quarterback in Iowa this season is UNI's Pat Grace. He's our Tim Tebow.
• I ate my first Smashburger this week. Mmm. Good. We still need a Steak-N-Shake around here, but Smashburger will do for now.
• The first Jay Leno Show was better than I expected. Jay looked relaxed and the show hit the ground running. That's not easy. The temptation when you start a new program is to try and jam too much entertainment into one show, and come off like you're trying way too hard. Jay is not edgy, but he's familiar and comfortable. I think that will appeal to a lot of people looking to laugh and relax before bed. One thing's for sure, NBC can't do any worse from 9 to 10 than it's done the past five years. We know. Our newscasts have had to pick the ratings up off the floor, and climb way up the ladder.
• Kanye West will never live down that idiotic interruption. People forgive most law-breaking before they do self-centered rudeness. Props to Beyonce for showing how to be a big star and still have class. I will give credit to Kanye for what appears to be a sincere apology to Taylor Swift and the rest of the offended world.
• I'm surprised Kanye doesn't play tennis. What in the world was Serena Williams thinking?! Even mild-mannered Roger Federer acted like a complete bully this week. As USA Today asked, "What Happened to Civility?"
• The Patriots should never go back to their old uniforms. The AFL throwbacks were sweeeeet. Bills, Chargers, even the Raiders--- they all looked better Monday night, or am I just being nostalgic?
• Thanks to all who made RVTV fun---especially the people of Grinnell, Ft. Dodge, Carroll, Ames, Iowa State University, Wilson Auto, Bob & Jo's RV in Guthrie Center, our photojournalists, sales associates, and whoever sent several cases of NOS sugar free energy drink. It kept us going on little sleep.
• The passing of Patrick Swayze saddens me. What other classically trained ballet dancer could pull off being a tough guy bouncer (or "cooler")? Road House is my all time favorite guilty pleasure movie. Of course, it's nonsense, but it's never boring. RIP Patrick. Long live Dalton.

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