Did you happen to catch Marty & Miller Thursday afternoon on KXNO? It was riveting radio. Marty & Miller's guest was an executive from the Big Ten Network, and not only did they ask him every imaginable tough question, they told him the Network was being foolish, arrogant, and condescending in its fight with Mediacom. The sparks were flying the way they were when Marty had Jamie Pollard's voice climbing three octaves of frustration a few months ago. The Big Ten guy had just come from a rally of like-minded Hawkeye fans, Ken called them Kool-Aid drinkers, and the suit couldn't figure out why anyone would be opposed to his Network.
Marty & Miller occasionally act on hearsay instead of actual facts, but they deserve credit for being real with their interview subjects. Too often, hosts bash a sports figure until he's on the air with them, then it's all compliments and softballs. Not these guys. Plus, Marty & Miller know what makes good radio, and confrontation, if not faked, definitely qualifies...
With more than 3,000 votes in 24 hours, 87% of you say you're not willing to pay an extra $1.10 a month to receive the Big Ten Network. In a separate poll, 93% say you side with Mediacom. These results aren't scientific but they are telling, and they tell me the Big Ten Network has some work to do. It's not good for the Big Ten when most people side with Mediacom despite the PR nightmare with KDSM (i.e. Sinclair Broadcast Group) just 7 months ago...
Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany told central Iowans in a put pressure on Mediacom luncheon that the Network might broadcast the RAGBRAI race. Race? Here's another word that starts with "r": research...
I don't have a dog in this fight---Scratch that; Michael Vick has made that expression morbid--- I really don't care who wins the staring contest, I just want the Big Ten Network on my TV options come September. If I don't have it, I'll have to abandon Mediacom, which I don't want to do...
Common question these days: Which pro league commissioner faces the biggest crisis? Here's the way I see it:
1) David Stern, NBA. Evidence and allegations that an NBA official bet on, and perhaps fixed, games shake the public trust that's essential to thriving, if not surviving. There's a reason the Black Sox Scandal nearly ruined Major League Baseball. We must believe what we're seeing is real, or you might as well hire Vince McMahon as commish. Who doesn't look at that Spurs-Suns playoff debacle differently now?
2) Bud Selig, MLB. Major League Baseball continues to set attendance marks, so it's on strong ground, but Selig should share in the embarrassment that is Barry Bonds. Bonds is merely the figurehead for the ugly steroid era, partly because he's such a jerk, and mostly because he's going to bring down the most hallowed record in all of sport. He wouldn't be close without the use of wide-ranging "supplements". He'd still be great, and still be a jerk, just not as great, and not as jerky.
3) Roger Gooodell, NFL. The accusations against Vick are beyond disturbing, and I'm sure he's not the only NFL player caught up in the ugly subculture of pit bull-induced-machismo, but the Feds indicted Vick, and he's likely going to jail. Goodell had already wisely started dropping hammers on these boneheads who don't get it. We trust the league; we just don't trust some of the guys in it.
Of course, whoever runs the Tour de France needs to just resign and cancel the race until they can clean it up. What a joke. I continue trying to believe that even though virtually all of the world's best cyclists have been caught doping or are tied to cheating, that Lance Armstrong found a way to win seven straight on willpower, but I'd be lying if I didn't say logical doubts creep in. That's more an indictment of the sport than recent allegations against Lance...
I lost it laughing on SoundOFF Sunday night. I couldn't help it. B-Ross and I did a "skit" on the Chizik Coins and the director stayed on the video beyond our expectations and we came out of character. You can watch me laugh like a girl, again, on I Think at whotv.com I can't help that these Chizik coins make me laugh. It's worked out well for Community State Bank, but I chuckle every time I think of putting the face of a man who has yet to win a single college football game anywhere on a coin. Chizik deserves props for saying his 6 year old wondered the same thing. I realize Chizik's just doing what was asked and trying to help Iowa State...
Chizik's hiring of his friend from Texas as Iowa State's "volunteer life skills adviser" proves the football coach got just what he wanted, and I'd guess, what he was promised when he was hired. Chizik often mentions he chose Iowa State because of the AD and President's commitment to do whatever it takes to win. Chizik wanted the chaplain, and for all intents and purposes, he has his man. His exact man...
Shawn wonders who's left to play D-back for the Hawkeyes. Good question. Might be time to worry a little, and give thanks for the relatively easy schedule. I still see Iowa winning 8 or 9 games...
I'm taking the boys to The Simpsons Movie today. I honestly think we're going because of the song Homer sings on the commercial, "Spider Pig, Spider Pig...does whatever a Spider Pig does." Well, that and 18 years of consistently good shows... (update: Loved it. A grade of A if you're already a convert, B if you rarely or never watch the Simpsons.)
Fitness recommendation of the week: Female athletes looking to take their fitness, and therefore their game, to the next level should check out www.6minutecircuits.com Actually, the plan works well for women (and men) just trying to burn fat and get in shape. John Barban sent me the workouts to try, and they're well designed and effective. It's more than a middle-aged sportscaster needs (I'm still recovering), but my teenage son is now doing them to prepare for football season. If you have any questions, John will answer them personally at John@grrlathlete.com
I just read Felicity Huffman's A Practical Handbook for the Boyfriend: For Every Guy Who Wants To Be One - For Every Girl Who Wants To Build One. It's full of good tips like, "How to look like you're listening, even when you're not (If you're busted, just say "You're so pretty, I'm distracted.") It also warns us to never, ever wear tighty-whities...
Don't miss Shawn Terrell's interview with Ernie "Schoolboy" Johnson. The former Negro Leagues star from Des Moines doesn't just discuss history, he helped make it. The interview is on 13 Raw, and you can see some really cool and important paintings and memorabilia from the Negro Leagues at the State Historical Museum in Des Moines through October 28th...
Can't believe it, but I'm hooked on VHI's Scott Baio is 45 and Single. There are so many guys I know who could learn from this show, and at one point, I was one of them. I can wrap up the wisdom in one sentence---Appreciate what you have instead of searching for what you don't have---but it's fun to watch someone else take the journey...
Thank you for the nice notes, and even the critical ones, in the feedback. I appreciate all opinions, even those that are wrong... (editor's note: the last part is a joke.)
Hope to see you at Zearing Days Saturday. I'll be the guy in the outfield trying not to rip his hamstring (Well, one of two guys if John Bachman plays)...
Finally a shout out to Kendra Daly. Thank you for the gear from the Tim Dwight and Nate Kaeding football camps. It's so nice, it's worth attending for the gear alone. I'm passing it out to kids in the neighborhood, and they love it. Much appreciated...
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11 comments:
Everyone's opinion is right, we mauy not agree with it, but afterall, it's just an opinion.
I saw Michael Vick at the courthouse the other day. He said to me, "How's it hangin' dawg?!"
Yes, I know. I was kidding. You knew that, right?
Keith, I know where you were coming from with the jab on Vince McMahon, but he does sell 80,000 tickets every March/April to Wrestlemania, and is a lot smarter than me and you combined. The attendence figure above tells me something, right or wrong, society likes entertainment and sport, rather natural or not. BTW I have mixed feelings on congress and their probes of sports and entertainment. Its good they care enough about people to try and protect them from bad drugs, but don't we have bigger problems in the world....like Iraq? Looks like we need to prioritize in this country.
Loved the blog Keith. Keep up the good work.
Well, Keith, Urbandale just won a state baseball title not too long ago. I don't think they should get to have it though, or at least, there should be an asterisk by their name in the book. I'm sure most of the kids have been taking creatine and other performance enhancing supplements. They are cheaters too!
Bonds didn't peak in his late thirties by using creatine and flintstone chewables, but I'm sure you already knew that. Hank Aaron sure knows it.
That's not the point. The point is, creatine is a performance enhancing supplement. We just as well level out the playing field if we are going to be calling people cheaters right? If Bonds did steroids, they were not illegal to use in baseball at the time he did use them. What if creatine became illegal? There's no difference. It doens't matter anyways, Bonds will have the record anyways and it will be in the record book without an asterisk. Have a nice day.
Steroids and HGH, among others, were illegal and dangerous at the time Bonds, and many others, used them. Creatine, as we debate, is safe and legal. To say there's no difference is like saying beer is the same as heroine. Creatine doesn't cause your feed and head to grow, your emotions to rage, and your heart to potentially explode.
As noted, Bonds was always a great player, he just wouldn't be where he is without widespread and relentless cheating, but neither would many others. He's just the most talented of the abusers.
Unfortunately, the whole era needs an asterisk.
p.s. Just to follow up your point about steroids not being illegal at the times Bonds used them. Yes, in fact, they were illegal. They weren't "banned" by baseball yet, but they were still against the law. Let's hope baseball assumed it didn't need to ban substances and acts that are against the law.
Do we need crack listed as a banned substance? Should armed robbery be against baseball rules? Or can we safely assume if it's against the law or illegal, you don't do it?
Ken and Marty had Jamie Pollard on last Friday and I missed it. Did you happen to catch it and how peaved did Jamie get at them? You are correct, they don't get all the information because they don't care about the truth, only about yelling over the airwaves. They are both self-serving idiots; they really are!
The Marty and Miller show is entertainment, pure and simple, with some education and factual information included when it promotes their agenda/opinion, but it can be difficult for the average listener to discern between the two. If Keith Murphy is the news source, then Marty and Miller are like Letterman or Leno.
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