Can you name the most watched television broadcast in the past 11 months? Patriots vs. Colts. American Idol is, by far, the #1 show in the nation, and the Big Game stomped it. You could feel the TV sets turning as the night progressed. What a classic...
Dallas Clark easily leads our whotv.com survey of "player you're most pulling for in the Super Bowl". Not only is Clark a former Hawkeye from Central Iowa who's leading the Colts post-season in receptions and yards, he's just a good guy. That's an unbeatable combination. Check out the interview with his dad at whotv.com Doug Clark gives you a good idea what it's like to have a son in the Super Bowl. The towns of Livermore and Bode couldn't be prouder...
I think the Colts win, but the Bears are better than they get credit. Rex Grossman frays nerves, but with that defense, anything's possible. I just believe the Colts no-huddle will eventually wear them down, just like it did the Patriots and Ravens...
Speaking of the Patriots. Andy had some fun with the beautiful and talented Kerry Kavanaugh in "What's Bugging Andy". Kerry is a diehard Boston sports fan, and she's not shy about it. However, Andy also poked fun at himself because he's the most obnoxious Cardinals fan this side of Dave Price and Bill Fennelly. No, Andy's worse...
I think Drake's Amy Stephens is a very good coach. John Wooden couldn't overcome the loss of star player Jill Martin and starter Jordan Plummer...
It had been a few days, so I was wondering what Jamie Pollard would do next to make headlines, and BAM!, there it is in this morning's Register. He's pulling the plug on games at Wells Fargo Arena. Pollard is bold, but he's also predictable. Just follow the money...
Hawkeye fans who think Pollard should give thought to their needs are being ridiculous. That would be like NBC asking Fox if it's okay to put Heroes in the same time slot as 24. Pollard's only obligation is to do what he thinks is best for Iowa State...
I can't believe I've learned to live without an entire network, but I have. I used to watch, on Fox, at minimum, House, the Simpsons, and 24, but now, unless it's a game, the rabbit ears aren't used and life goes on...
I'm finally watching HBO's World War II series Band of Brothers on DVD. Wow. It's fantastic, which shouldn't come as a surprise since Steven Spielberg is behind it. Highly recommended...
Friday Night Lights just keeps getting better. Kyle Chandler is the coach we all wish we had, but we may not have him much longer. Ratings are tiny, and the show is now up against American Idol. (Fox must not have called NBC to see if that's okay)...
The opening of the new smokeless Funny Bone is delayed until February. Can't wait. I've missed the laughs. Won't miss the smoke...
Most surprising but deserved Oscar nomination: Mark Wahlberg. Come on, feel it, feel it. The former leader of the Funky Bunch is mesmerizing in The Departed...
Some Channel 13 scattershots:
I am VERY proud of Erin Kiernan. The reason will have to come from her...
Congratulations to Courtney Greene! The Governor's gain, our loss. Go get 'em Court!...
Shawn Terrell loves the Bears so much his girlfriend has to go to a different room during the game. He's that fan...
Sonya Heitshusen even wears stilleto heels during snow storms. She's also training for a triathlon. If she swims in the pumps it wouldn't surprise me. The woman loves shoes. Do all women love shoes?
Dan Winters does spot-on impressions, including several people you see on local television (and not just when you're watching channel 13)...
Trisha Shepherd loves Elvis. Perhaps more than Priscilla did...
Jeriann Ritter is just as energetic off camera. She's a human sparkplug. Andy Fales calls her a Mexican jumping bean, though she's not Mexican. He means it as a compliment...
Ed Wilson belts out Sinatra tunes randomly all day and night. He's pretty good too...
John Bachman knows more about golf that anyone I've ever met. It's like having a golfing research staff at the station...
If laughter is the best medicine, my boss, Rod Peterson, is the healthiest man in America. He laughs all the time. I'm talking good, hard, doubled over belly laughs. It's like having a laugh track in the newsroom. And it's good for my ego. I go into his office, I'm like Johnny Carson pulling up a chair to Ed McMahon...
In the summer, Pat Dix carries a sweat rag with him everywhere he goes. I think he's just being considerate. He's like Albert Brooks in broadcast news, only Pat is cool on air and flop-sweaty everywhere else...
I see Lynn Melling jogging all over Des Moines. Even when it's 5 below. She wears her iPod, puts her head down, and just does it. Her husband is a dead-ringer for Rex Grossman, only he fumbles less...
Jon Cahill sends me one e-mail a month. It's always an invitation to a party. We love Jon Cahill...
Andy Fales lost a lot of weight. Oh, you knew that? Here's one. He's actually very nice and considerate. Unless you're in the line of fire for one of his epic pranks...
I better stop here.
Have fun,
Keith
Friday, January 26, 2007
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Scattershots: The Pollard Plan
Jamie Pollard knows what he's doing. Rest assured, Pollard has looked at this plan from every angle. He's trying to force a BIG spike in football season tickets, something he finds necessary if ISU wants to compete in the Big 12. Otherwise, Pollard thinks Iowa State should drop out of division one and start scheduling Coe, Simpson, and Grinnell. Well, he may not mean it, but it makes for a great sound bite. Be sure to watch Shawn Terrell's raw interview on the whotv.com sports page.
It's another bold move from a man who's made more than his share. Pollard challenges all those fans who wanted him to change the football and basketball coaches to step up and help pay the bill. ISU owes a lot of money to coaches who aren't coaching. Pollard also wants $130 million for facility upgrades. All of this means more pressure on football to produce big dollars. Pollard's trying to force it by selling only season tickets to anyone who wants to see the Iowa - Iowa State football game. All others better hope they're part of Iowa's 4,000 ticket allotment, which ISU will charge Iowa $90 a seat.
Keep in mind, no one has walked up to the ISU box office and purchased a single game ticket for the Cy-Hawk showdown for years. Pollard is, in part, stopping Cyclone season ticket holders and boosters from buying extra tickets to the big game and selling them to friends, family and unknowns --- many of whom are Hawkeye fans. This is cheered by many in Cyclone country, but certainly not all, and definitely not by those Hawk fans who used to fill up about a third of Jack Trice Stadium.
Pollard's also freezing out ISU donors who don't want, or can't use, season tickets. For example, I heard from one such Cyclone backer who lives out of state. He is bitter and disappointed that he can't travel to the game he wants to see the most. Yes, he can go to other Cyclone games, but not the one he wants, and he thinks he's earned the right to choose. I see his point.
I also see Pollard's. It's time to find out if Cyclone fans are willing to spend the kind of money it takes to compete in this day and age. Here's the great unknown: I'm not sure there are enough Cyclone fans willing or able to spend the kind of money Pollard says he needs. Cyclone fans love and support Iowa State. They're loyal, but outnumbered in a state with a low population. Here in Central Iowa, Clones fans are in the neighborhood of 50/50 with Hawk fans, but everywhere else in Iowa, it's not even close. The big question remains, are there enough Cyclone fans willing to pay for Pollard's vision? I don't think he even knows. ISU doesn't have a medical or law school, sources of many wealthy contributors at Iowa.
Bottom line, Cyclone fans said for decades they were tired of living in Iowa's shadow and playing second fiddle to the Hawkeyes. Now they have a guy who's trying to change that culture, and even if at times, it seems too much about him, at least he's not rolling over and playing dead. If it fails long term, it won't be because Cyclone fans aren't good enough, it will be simply be because there aren't enough of them with the kind of disposable income it takes in the current college sports arms race.
A prediction in closing: Loophole or no loophole, there will not be an empty seat at the Iowa - Iowa State football game. I don't think ISU will sell enough season tickets to fill Jack Trice Stadium---I expect around 35,000, the most ever by 4,000---but there's no way we'll see empty sections for our state's biggest sporting event. Maybe those much talked about "tent parties" will require really big tents.
It's another bold move from a man who's made more than his share. Pollard challenges all those fans who wanted him to change the football and basketball coaches to step up and help pay the bill. ISU owes a lot of money to coaches who aren't coaching. Pollard also wants $130 million for facility upgrades. All of this means more pressure on football to produce big dollars. Pollard's trying to force it by selling only season tickets to anyone who wants to see the Iowa - Iowa State football game. All others better hope they're part of Iowa's 4,000 ticket allotment, which ISU will charge Iowa $90 a seat.
Keep in mind, no one has walked up to the ISU box office and purchased a single game ticket for the Cy-Hawk showdown for years. Pollard is, in part, stopping Cyclone season ticket holders and boosters from buying extra tickets to the big game and selling them to friends, family and unknowns --- many of whom are Hawkeye fans. This is cheered by many in Cyclone country, but certainly not all, and definitely not by those Hawk fans who used to fill up about a third of Jack Trice Stadium.
Pollard's also freezing out ISU donors who don't want, or can't use, season tickets. For example, I heard from one such Cyclone backer who lives out of state. He is bitter and disappointed that he can't travel to the game he wants to see the most. Yes, he can go to other Cyclone games, but not the one he wants, and he thinks he's earned the right to choose. I see his point.
I also see Pollard's. It's time to find out if Cyclone fans are willing to spend the kind of money it takes to compete in this day and age. Here's the great unknown: I'm not sure there are enough Cyclone fans willing or able to spend the kind of money Pollard says he needs. Cyclone fans love and support Iowa State. They're loyal, but outnumbered in a state with a low population. Here in Central Iowa, Clones fans are in the neighborhood of 50/50 with Hawk fans, but everywhere else in Iowa, it's not even close. The big question remains, are there enough Cyclone fans willing to pay for Pollard's vision? I don't think he even knows. ISU doesn't have a medical or law school, sources of many wealthy contributors at Iowa.
Bottom line, Cyclone fans said for decades they were tired of living in Iowa's shadow and playing second fiddle to the Hawkeyes. Now they have a guy who's trying to change that culture, and even if at times, it seems too much about him, at least he's not rolling over and playing dead. If it fails long term, it won't be because Cyclone fans aren't good enough, it will be simply be because there aren't enough of them with the kind of disposable income it takes in the current college sports arms race.
Pollard's plan has people talking Cyclone football in January, that's good. He also runs the risk of something Iowa State cannot afford under any circumstances: angry donors.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Scattershot quick hitters:
No way to spin it, the Big Ten conference was vastly overrated this football season. For the most part, the only time the Big Ten looked good is when conference teams were playing each other. USC dominated Michigan, and Florida flat out embarrassed and exposed Ohio State. The nearly two month layoff is way too much, and Ted Ginn did get hurt celebrating a touchdown, but Urban Meyer made Jim Tressell look like Jim Walden, and the game was over before halftime. I know because I have to do my son's chores for a week. I picked the Buckeyes.
Speaking of Walden, he looks smarter than at any time since the Nebraska game in 1992. (Where have you gone, Marv Seiler? Cyclone Nation turns its lonely eyes to you.) Walden was the only person in America to vote Florida #1 in the pre-bowl Harris Poll. I believe Walden when he says he thought Florida had played a much harder schedule---it had---but how can you not vote undefeated Ohio State #1 when it had beaten a #2 team twice? Turns out Texas and Michigan weren't worthy of being #2, but we didn't know that then. Maybe Walden did. Either way, he looks a lot smarter than he did when he tried to run the triple option at Iowa State? (Where have you gone, Bob Utter? Cyclone Nation turns its lonely eyes to you.) Jim is always a good interview, in good times and bad.
I voted Troy Smith for Heisman, and he went out and laid a ginormous egg. He had help, but Smith was awful. There are a few Heisman votes I'd like to have back, but he's not one of them. Until this week, he was at his best in big games.
Remember football season in this state? High expectations caused crushing disappointments. Men's basketball season is the opposite. No one expects much, so it's been a pleasant surprise so far. UNI is the state's best, Iowa plays hard and is fun to watch, ISU is well-coached and learning quickly, Drake had its moments in December.
I'm going to the I-Cubs Fanfest with my father this weekend. Nothing like heart surgery to remind me to make the most of every moment. My father never did the kind of things that make headlines, but he's a great man in all the ways that really matter.
I'm hooked on Friday Night Lights. I can't believe more people don't watch this show. It's more social drama than football show, but it's terrific.
So the Daily News reports Barry Bonds tested positive for amphetamines and promptly blamed a teammate. I'm shocked. SHOCKED! What will it take for this guy to just go away and leave Henry Aaron's hallowed record alone. Please. For once, Barry, do the right thing.
The Steelers opening couldn't come at a better time for Hawkeye fans. Pittsburgh appears ready to hire from in-house, and Ferentz looks determined to return Iowa to better days. I also think he's paid close attention to all the miserable NFL coaches who can't get back to the college game fast enough. Paging Nick Saban.
Grey's Anatomy returns tonight. I wonder if Izzie still has the $9 million dollar check pinned to her fridge, or if she actually might have deposited it where it would be earning thousands in interest. I love that show, but what a stupid storyline.
Rosie vs. Trump... who do you have? It's a tough call, but I'm going with Trump. Rosie spent years pretending she was the "queen of nice". Trump never disguised his exaggerated egocentric windbag act. He is what he is.
Just watched Invincible on DVD again. Love it. They shouldn't work so hard to disguise the fact Vince Papale played in the USFL, but it's a real Rocky story.
Speaking of Walden, he looks smarter than at any time since the Nebraska game in 1992. (Where have you gone, Marv Seiler? Cyclone Nation turns its lonely eyes to you.) Walden was the only person in America to vote Florida #1 in the pre-bowl Harris Poll. I believe Walden when he says he thought Florida had played a much harder schedule---it had---but how can you not vote undefeated Ohio State #1 when it had beaten a #2 team twice? Turns out Texas and Michigan weren't worthy of being #2, but we didn't know that then. Maybe Walden did. Either way, he looks a lot smarter than he did when he tried to run the triple option at Iowa State? (Where have you gone, Bob Utter? Cyclone Nation turns its lonely eyes to you.) Jim is always a good interview, in good times and bad.
I voted Troy Smith for Heisman, and he went out and laid a ginormous egg. He had help, but Smith was awful. There are a few Heisman votes I'd like to have back, but he's not one of them. Until this week, he was at his best in big games.
Remember football season in this state? High expectations caused crushing disappointments. Men's basketball season is the opposite. No one expects much, so it's been a pleasant surprise so far. UNI is the state's best, Iowa plays hard and is fun to watch, ISU is well-coached and learning quickly, Drake had its moments in December.
I'm going to the I-Cubs Fanfest with my father this weekend. Nothing like heart surgery to remind me to make the most of every moment. My father never did the kind of things that make headlines, but he's a great man in all the ways that really matter.
I'm hooked on Friday Night Lights. I can't believe more people don't watch this show. It's more social drama than football show, but it's terrific.
So the Daily News reports Barry Bonds tested positive for amphetamines and promptly blamed a teammate. I'm shocked. SHOCKED! What will it take for this guy to just go away and leave Henry Aaron's hallowed record alone. Please. For once, Barry, do the right thing.
The Steelers opening couldn't come at a better time for Hawkeye fans. Pittsburgh appears ready to hire from in-house, and Ferentz looks determined to return Iowa to better days. I also think he's paid close attention to all the miserable NFL coaches who can't get back to the college game fast enough. Paging Nick Saban.
Grey's Anatomy returns tonight. I wonder if Izzie still has the $9 million dollar check pinned to her fridge, or if she actually might have deposited it where it would be earning thousands in interest. I love that show, but what a stupid storyline.
Rosie vs. Trump... who do you have? It's a tough call, but I'm going with Trump. Rosie spent years pretending she was the "queen of nice". Trump never disguised his exaggerated egocentric windbag act. He is what he is.
Just watched Invincible on DVD again. Love it. They shouldn't work so hard to disguise the fact Vince Papale played in the USFL, but it's a real Rocky story.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Erin's an addict, Ed clogs arteries, and Rocky Balboa is back!
Random thoughts from in and out of the sports world---mostly out.
Did you see Boise State win the Fiesta Bowl? Most exciting finish to a football game I've ever had the pleasure to witness. The offensive gameplane used by Chris Petersen and the Broncos is exactly what Iowa State needs. I know I've probably made this same point too many times, but at ISU, I believe you have to have a way to neutralize teams with better talent. Boise State did just that. Oklahoma had better players up and down the line, but the Broncos left Bob Stoops looking more confused than Courtney Love at a PTA meeting. Statue of Liberty to win? Brilliant! Cyclone fans should hope Gene Chizik and staff bring some of Boise State's daring and imagination. I don't care how great a recruiter and coach Chizik is---and his credentials look promising---ISU will never have the talent of Texas, not even close. Doesn't mean you can't pull an upset every now and then.
I have Erin Kiernan hooked on 24. She's learning to watch it the only way you should: on DVD hour-after-hour. Day-after-day. If she looks tired this week, blame Jack Bauer. And Erin's only on season one, so she won't get eight hours of sleep for at least a month. She has four more seasons after this one.
My buddy Ryan finally watched Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. He failed to see why I love it so much---on first viewing. Now that he's on 37, he gets it. "Well look, I like the Christmas Jesus best, and I'm sayin grace. When you say grace, you can say it to grown up Jesus, or teenage Jesus, or bearded Jesus, or whatever you want."
Erin, John and I all went to Ed's for a Christmas party, and we brought our loves with us. John's wife, Barb, taught us how to play pool---on the ceiling. Erin's husband, Michael, made Vince Vaughn seem like a mute. Ed's wife, Angela, taught Rachel Ray and Martha Stewart everything they know. Jenny and I just laughed and ate and drank. It was perfect. So we went back to Ed's on Christmas, and this time we brought my parents. True story. The Wilsons are amazing people.
Speaking of dinner at the Wilsons, my Dad just had emergency heart surgery at Mercy. He's doing great now and never lost his sense of humor. As soon as they told him he had an artery 95% blocked, he blamed all the rich food and tantalizing desserts at Ed's. My father also wanted me to put in a plug for the doctors and nurses at Mercy. He's truly thankful he got sick here instead of in his home state of Florida. He can't imagine there being a better place for first class care. A big "thank you" from me too.
I saw a few movies over the holidays. Oddly, I get more feedback through e-mail on movies than anything I write about sports. Hmm. Better not reflect on that too much. Snapshot reviews:
Blood Diamond: Very hard to watch. Absolutely brutal in parts. It's important this story of the diamond trade was told, but it's not light. Heartbreaking at times, inspiring at others.
Leonardo Dicaprio again proves he's the finest actor of his generation. He's so convincing in this role that you forget he's speaking with an accent. He can't compete against himself at the Academy Awards, so I don't know if he should push this or the Departed. He's great in both. Djimon Hounsou is also amazing in Blood Diamond. The actors get an A, the movie a B.
Pursuit of Happyness: Or as Jenny called it, The Pursuit of Depression. Incredible story of one man's perseverance against all odds, but this guy goes through so many downers, you half expect someone to come up and kick him in the stones just to drive the point home. Ultimately uplifting, and my mother loved it, but it could have used a few more minutes of happiness at the end. Will Smith is very good, his son Jade even better. B
Rocky Balboa: Returns the series to glory, or comes close enough. The original Rocky was a character study, and though Rocky III was a blast, that Rocky didn't resemble the man from the first one. "Rocky Balboa" is a perfect bookend to the original. You really don't need to see the middle four to have it make perfect sense. It's not endless action like Rocky IV ("I will break you"). It's the story of a lonely guy facing his own mortality. I got chills, and almost tears, when the famous theme music finally played. Talk about nostalgia. And though I couldn't see a way 60 year old Stallone could plausibly climb into the ring, he pulled it off. Bonus: the women I've talked to liked it as much as the men. I bumped this from a B+ to an A- because we no longer have to think of the crapfest known as Rocky V ending this great series. At least I hope this is the end.
We Are Marshall: A story so inspiring, it's surprising it took this long to tell it. I'm sure you know about the plane crash that killed the Marshall football team, coaching staff and several supporters... I won't rehash that. You'll find a lot of sports movie cliches in the two hours, but I don't care. I was moved, and enjoyed every minute. I was also thankful that Matthew McConaughey left his shirt on for a change. If you love college football, don't miss this one. If you're not a Bobby Bowden fan, you will be when We Are Marshall ends. You'll see what I mean. A-
Did you see Boise State win the Fiesta Bowl? Most exciting finish to a football game I've ever had the pleasure to witness. The offensive gameplane used by Chris Petersen and the Broncos is exactly what Iowa State needs. I know I've probably made this same point too many times, but at ISU, I believe you have to have a way to neutralize teams with better talent. Boise State did just that. Oklahoma had better players up and down the line, but the Broncos left Bob Stoops looking more confused than Courtney Love at a PTA meeting. Statue of Liberty to win? Brilliant! Cyclone fans should hope Gene Chizik and staff bring some of Boise State's daring and imagination. I don't care how great a recruiter and coach Chizik is---and his credentials look promising---ISU will never have the talent of Texas, not even close. Doesn't mean you can't pull an upset every now and then.
I have Erin Kiernan hooked on 24. She's learning to watch it the only way you should: on DVD hour-after-hour. Day-after-day. If she looks tired this week, blame Jack Bauer. And Erin's only on season one, so she won't get eight hours of sleep for at least a month. She has four more seasons after this one.
My buddy Ryan finally watched Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. He failed to see why I love it so much---on first viewing. Now that he's on 37, he gets it. "Well look, I like the Christmas Jesus best, and I'm sayin grace. When you say grace, you can say it to grown up Jesus, or teenage Jesus, or bearded Jesus, or whatever you want."
Erin, John and I all went to Ed's for a Christmas party, and we brought our loves with us. John's wife, Barb, taught us how to play pool---on the ceiling. Erin's husband, Michael, made Vince Vaughn seem like a mute. Ed's wife, Angela, taught Rachel Ray and Martha Stewart everything they know. Jenny and I just laughed and ate and drank. It was perfect. So we went back to Ed's on Christmas, and this time we brought my parents. True story. The Wilsons are amazing people.
Speaking of dinner at the Wilsons, my Dad just had emergency heart surgery at Mercy. He's doing great now and never lost his sense of humor. As soon as they told him he had an artery 95% blocked, he blamed all the rich food and tantalizing desserts at Ed's. My father also wanted me to put in a plug for the doctors and nurses at Mercy. He's truly thankful he got sick here instead of in his home state of Florida. He can't imagine there being a better place for first class care. A big "thank you" from me too.
I saw a few movies over the holidays. Oddly, I get more feedback through e-mail on movies than anything I write about sports. Hmm. Better not reflect on that too much. Snapshot reviews:
Blood Diamond: Very hard to watch. Absolutely brutal in parts. It's important this story of the diamond trade was told, but it's not light. Heartbreaking at times, inspiring at others.
Leonardo Dicaprio again proves he's the finest actor of his generation. He's so convincing in this role that you forget he's speaking with an accent. He can't compete against himself at the Academy Awards, so I don't know if he should push this or the Departed. He's great in both. Djimon Hounsou is also amazing in Blood Diamond. The actors get an A, the movie a B.
Pursuit of Happyness: Or as Jenny called it, The Pursuit of Depression. Incredible story of one man's perseverance against all odds, but this guy goes through so many downers, you half expect someone to come up and kick him in the stones just to drive the point home. Ultimately uplifting, and my mother loved it, but it could have used a few more minutes of happiness at the end. Will Smith is very good, his son Jade even better. B
Rocky Balboa: Returns the series to glory, or comes close enough. The original Rocky was a character study, and though Rocky III was a blast, that Rocky didn't resemble the man from the first one. "Rocky Balboa" is a perfect bookend to the original. You really don't need to see the middle four to have it make perfect sense. It's not endless action like Rocky IV ("I will break you"). It's the story of a lonely guy facing his own mortality. I got chills, and almost tears, when the famous theme music finally played. Talk about nostalgia. And though I couldn't see a way 60 year old Stallone could plausibly climb into the ring, he pulled it off. Bonus: the women I've talked to liked it as much as the men. I bumped this from a B+ to an A- because we no longer have to think of the crapfest known as Rocky V ending this great series. At least I hope this is the end.
We Are Marshall: A story so inspiring, it's surprising it took this long to tell it. I'm sure you know about the plane crash that killed the Marshall football team, coaching staff and several supporters... I won't rehash that. You'll find a lot of sports movie cliches in the two hours, but I don't care. I was moved, and enjoyed every minute. I was also thankful that Matthew McConaughey left his shirt on for a change. If you love college football, don't miss this one. If you're not a Bobby Bowden fan, you will be when We Are Marshall ends. You'll see what I mean. A-
Dreamgirls: The not so thinly veiled story of Diana Ross and the Supremes, though from what I've read about Ms. Ross she should be pleased with how Beyonce makes her look in this movie. In real life, Ross apparently couldn't elbow her way to the fame fast enough.
Eddie Murphy acts on a level we've never seen, and booted American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson steals the show. I watched this at the Wynnsong in Johnston, and when Hudson sings her show-stopping number, "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going", people broke into spontaneous applause and cheers. When's the last time you've seen that happen? It is a spellbinding five minutes. She's incredible. Get Oscar ready and go see this if you don't mind people breaking into song in the middle of a conversation. Jenny can't take that; I don't mind much. B- even if you don't like musicals. B if you're neutral like me. A- if you have "Chicago" on DVD.
Holiday: What can I say... I have a weakness for chick flicks... and anything with Jack Black in it. Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslett aren't bad either. 15 minutes too long, but goes over like hot chocolate and a comforter on a cold night. See it with someone you love. Or want to. B+
Few other quick hitters. Did you see the first Friday Night Lights of 2007? The show keeps getting better. It's not for small kids though.
Loved seeing Polar Express Imax at the Science Center of Iowa. My son, Colin, loves trains so we already had the DVD, but this was a whole different thing. I'm not sure how big that screen is, but I did learn you don't want to sit in any of the first dozen or so rows.
Can you remember going into the Big Ten season with less buzz about Hawkeye basketball? And then they go out and beat Michigan State. Nice start.
The Drake bandwagon unloaded in a hurry. Don't give up. Lot of season left.
Bill Fennelly should have a lifetime contract.
Enough about Drew Tate.
I hope 2007 is your best year ever.
Keith
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