Danica in Newton, Reagan at WHO, Deace in Your Face.

Danica Patrick and the IRL boys racing side by side at nearly 200 miles an hour in NEWTON!? I'm there.

The Iowa Speedway found the perfect public face when it picked Rusty Wallace to design the track. The guy is no figurehead---he's involved with everything---and he's tireless about promoting racing. Wednesday morning we interviewed him by satellite in front of the Brooklyn Bridge, later that afternoon he was back in Newton checking on the track, then he flew back to Indianapolis for the 500.

Ronald Reagan, Jim Zabel, Jon Miller. No pressure on Jon. All he's doing is following two legends. One for broadcasting, the other for leading the free world. Van Harden and WHO picked the perfect guy. I know Jon, I like him, I trust him, and I think he's very talented. Cyclone fans may worry that Jon won't give them a fair shake, but he's not like that. He's not anti-Clone---it just sounds like that when he's fooling around with Deace. Jon grew up wanting to one day take over for Zabel, and even though Z hasn't officially "retired", and will no doubt outlive Jon and me, it's good to have a solid guy around while Jim blows his nose with his piles of hot, stinky cash. Never buying a drink adds up.

I've had a lot of e-mails from people wondering what's going to happen with Steve Deace. They hear Steve on WHO Radio more and more, and fear---or in some cases, hope---that Steve will get out of sports. Some day Steve will spend more time on politics and news, I have no doubt. If he doesn't, he'll implode. He's an extremely bright and opinionated guy and there's only so many ways you can debate whether Dan McCarney has taken ISU to the next level. When/if Steve moves on, I think a lot of people will miss him more than they realize. Three hours of sports talk radio a day is very challenging, and he's good at it. I don't agree with all of what Steve says, but he never makes a disagreement personal. Major talent.

Are the Cubs trying to kill me? How can you let a triple-A team like the Marlins sweep? Wait 'til next year.

Great job protesters of the Da Vinci Code. All you did was ensure millions of people who might not have been interested, suddenly had to see the movie. Bad reviews and bad buzz didn't stop this movie from the second largest worldwide box office weekend EVER (behind one of the Stars Wars movies with bad acting... in other words, a recent one). Telling people to NOT see a movie is like putting up a sign that says "WET PAINT. DON'T TOUCH". It's a lock people will go the other way.

Pat Robertson claims he can leg press 2,000 pounds. When did Robertson lose it? NFL lineman can't leg press 2,000 pounds, but Robertson can?

That commercial where Jordan misses, Jeter is late, and the ball goes off Clarke's fingertips freaks me out. But it's cool.

What happened to CSI Miami? That plot where Horatio falls for the bad acting super model and then marries her before she's shot on their wedding day was completely unbelievable. Didn't buy it for a second. Come on, Horatio. Say something like, "I guess I'm single again", flip your sunglasses on and blast the Who. Let's get back to basics.

"Lost" is kind of losing me. It's amazing in every way, but so joyless that it's almost unpleasant this season.

I'm glad some of the dumber things I've done, and stupid pictures I've posed for, were taken before the internet. These days, if it's scandalous, it's out there. Just ask the Iowa baseball team.

I remember one time a couple at a Cyclone football game asked me if I'd have my picture taken holding their baby. I said I'd be glad to. They snapped the picture and off I went. A few days later the photo was passed around on the net. The baby, unbeknownst to me, had a pacifier in her mouth that read "HAWKS SUCK". Live and learn.

Hardcore Hokies, Paris & Matt, the best shows on TV...

Virginia Tech must feel like a jilted lover. How else can you explain the University blocking five Hokie wrestlers from following Tom Brands to Iowa. And why is it perfectly acceptable for a coach to skate on his contract but not players? If coaches aren't held to their signatures than student-athletes shouldn't be either.

Matt Leinart is growing tired of all the attention, so he's dating... Paris Hilton?! Has there ever been more of a publicity hustler than this "superstar" with no discernible talent? Best line of the week comes from Andy Fales on SoundOFF: "Don't blame Leinart. After being drafted by the Cardinals, he felt Paris was his only chance to score."

Have you seen "United 93" yet? Incredible. A-. It's emotionally draining, and should be. On the other end of the spectrum, Mission Impossible 3---or m:i:III? This is the best of the MI movies, by far, but not for one minute does it seem real. It's impossible to not realize you're watching Tom Cruise in a really well done Hollywood movie. Plus it freaks me out that Cruise cast a Katie Holmes look alike in the role of his love interest. At least she's from Iowa. B+

Is there a better show on television right now than Grey's Anatomy? The season finale was phenomenal. Part medical drama, part soap, all the characters seem real. Why can't NBC have a show like this? Second favorite: House.

Whoever's responsible for CycloneFanatic.com is winning a lot of daily visitors. I work with several Clone fans who have this site on their computer about every third time I walk by. The fanatic does have great insider info and is rarely wrong.

ALS sucks. I hate what this cruel disease has done to my friend, Rob Borsellino. It's taken away Rob's muscles but not his mind. His columns in the Des Moines Register have been as good as ever, and he's given all of us a lesson in integrity and purpose, not to mention humor. I'll never forget the lifetime Yankees fan revealing publicly for the first time that he had Lou Gehrig's disease, and appreciating that at least he didn't have something named after a Red Sox legend. We're thinking of you and your family, Rob.

Is Kerry Wood back yet?

The new right field party deck at Principal Park is a brilliant idea. In fact, the whole place looks great.

LeBron James just may get me to watch the NBA again. This guy is the real deal. Although he's starting to scare me with his be all things to all people corporate coached answers. He not only plays like Jordan, he talks like him.

713 and holding. Hopefully, I can write that next time too.

Do you buy that the Iowa Hawkeye football players involved in the cell phone investigation received no favorable consideration in exchange for all those tickets? Me either.

If critics are right, Da Vinci Code is a dud. Therefore, the only reason this movie will make a boatload of money this weekend is all the free publicity it received from protesters telling us to not see the movie. Ironic isn't it?

Don't forget a new web exclusive SoundOFF Extra each Wednesday morning at www.whotv.com

Thanks for the visit. Tell me what you want more of, and less of, at keith.murphy@whotv.com