Scattershots: Berryman out of second chances.

Come on, Jason. I believed you. You looked me in the eyes and told me you'd make the most of yet another chance, and you blew it.
*
Either Jason Berryman doesn't really want to play football or he just doesn't care. Two players told me a month ago that Berryman kept missing practices and showing up late to everything. A team official told me today that it never got better and Berryman became a cancer in the locker-room.
*
The Barnstormers call it a suspension because it's required by the league, but the team insider told me Berryman will never play for the Barnstormers again. Will someone else pick him up? Who knows. He's got serious talent when motivated. I've been to three games this season. Berryman wreaked havoc in two of them, and spent the third sleepwalking.
*
At least this was no crime, just bad work habits. And for $200 a week, only the motivated need apply, but you'd think that would include Jason. Talk to him one-on-one and it's hard not to walk away liking the guy.
*
Berryman may not have learned a lesson, but it sounds like Mike Taylor did. Good for him. Nice to see him drafted in the second round.
*
You know it's a sign of the basketball at Iowa and Iowa State when the top player in the NBA draft was kicked off the Cyclone team. Nice to read in the Register that Greg McDermott is proud of Taylor for turning his life around.
*
I think part of what makes watching Shawn Johnson so fascinating is that we can't imagine doing any of what she does. We can swing a golf club somewhat like Tiger Woods (you know what I mean), but that thing where Shawn's standing on a four inch wide beam and suddenly jumps up and does a flip and a twist with her face just inches off the beam, and then lands on her feet?! I don't even see how that's humanly possible. And how 'bout that floor routine. She's 4 feet 9 (in sneakers) and gets more hang time than Leonard Houston. Can't wait for Beijing.
*
Dallas Clark is the kind of guy who will gladly give you an autograph for free, but Sunday at Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines, Clark's charging $20 a pop. Why? Because he cares. From 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. you can bring just about anything to Dallas and he'll sign it in exchange for a 20 dollar donation to help flood and tornado victims. Knowing Dallas, he'll sign something for whatever you can afford. Please bring your Hawkeye and Colts gear and help him raise some cash.
*
The I-Cubs have a new star: Jeff Samardzija. He hasn't done a lot for the Cubs yet, but Notre Dame football fans love this guy. Especially now that the Irish forgot how to win.
*
Someone on the Murphy's Law feedback wants to know why Marty Tirrell "gets the shield and the kid gloves?" I don't see it that way. KXNO suspended Tirrell, but wouldn't say why. Marty took our phone call, but declined comment on any specifics. We showed part of his on-air apology. No one in this office was listening when whatever happened, happened. We're not going to report gossip or hearsay. KXNO and Marty played it smart and didn't provide any fuel for the fire. Meantime, they couldn't have paid for more buzz or hype. It was no stunt, but it proved these guys really get people talking.
*
I spent some time with West Des Moines' Tim McClelland in Wrigleyville last weekend. I asked Tim if he'd ever given thought to the Hall of Fame. Tim said he hadn't, and he was so humbled by the suggestion, I could tell he was genuine. McClelland should give himself more credit, because in my mind, he's a no doubt Hall of Famer (on and off the field). Eight umpires are in the Hall, and there's no doubt Tim is the most respected umpire of his generation. Not only do players vote him the best in MLB year-after-year, McClelland's also been in the middle of several famous moments (the Pine Tar Incident, Sosa' corked bat, the extra inning play at the plate in the playoffs last year). If McClelland's body holds up for another four years, he should think more about Cooperstown.
*
Jenny and I had a fantastic time at Wrigley Field. It was the best birthday present I ever gave someone (for me). A big thanks to Heather Burnside for being such a fun tour guide. I finally recovered enough to type this.
*
I would have finished this sooner, but I got on the computer after Chris Hassel, and whenever he logs off, it takes about 36 hours to finally shut down. I'm not sure what he's doing, but it has to be similar to the month Andy uploaded all 1,100 of his albums for his iPod.
*
Against the advice of many of you, I rented I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. Couldn't finish it. That is a terrible movie. And what's with Adam Sandler playing the part of a guy who is so hot, all the best looking women fight over him?
*
I enjoyed Get Smart a lot. The action is good, the comedy better. Steve Carrell carries the movie. It's a perfect part for his deadpan humor. Pleasant surprise.
*
Looking for a film noir sleeper... try The Lookout.
*
Shawn Terrell is on vacation. So far I've received four pictures from Pearl Jam concerts. This guy needs another hobby. I'm worried he'll become a roadie, and we need him here.
*

Scattershots: No more slow sports summers in Iowa.

Iowa has become a year-round hot spot for sports. Look at this weekend's options: Iowa Corn Indy 250, Hy-Vee Triathlon, I-Cubs, Barnstormers, Menace... to name a few. This is good for my job security and your entertainment options.
*
Shawn Johnson is a lock for the Olympic team, she just needs to stay healthy at the Olympic Trials. The Des Moines Register reports that Shawn's coach, Liang Chow, would not let her load sandbags for his flooded gym, and it didn't take long to see how smart Chow is. Shawn's father, Doug, tore his bicep helping clean the mess. Doctors told Doug he needed surgery immediately, but Doug said it would have to wait until after the Olympic Trials. If you're a father, you understand.
*
Speaking of sucking it up, can you believe Tiger Woods played his first, second, third, fourth, and fifth rounds of golf in two months over a five day period with a torn ACL and a double stress fracture in his lower leg, AND WON THE U.S. OPEN?! I've already said Tiger's the most clutch athlete I've ever seen, not to mention the greatest sports star of my lifetime, but apparently he's also the guttiest golfer of all time. Even if you don't like Tiger---and there are some haters out there, just like there were for Jordan---you have to respect him.
*
I already miss Tim Russert. It's increasingly rare to find a national journalist who just wants straight answers, not ammunition for one's own beliefs.
*
How 'bout the four NFL players from Aplington-Parkersburg teaming up to help their hometown and school. We're not surprised.
*
Great hustle by the folks who run the Hy-Vee Triathlon to find a way to keep the "tri" in triathlon. The event exceeded all expectations last year, but to lose Olympic qualifier status this year would have been a harsh blow, though no one's fault. Good work.
*
I'm not real knowledgeable about triathletes, so when I learned I'd interview Jarrod Shoemaker Thursday, it really didn't mean much to me... that is until I ate breakfast Thursday morning and noticed Jarrod on my box of Wheaties. Really nice guy too, and he's already qualified for Beijing. The only way most of us can get on a box of Wheaties is one of those cheesy photo-shopped pictures at Adventureland.
*
The Big Ten Network will land on Mediacom soon, which is good news for many of us. The BTN just reached a deal with Comcast, and though Mediacom's Phyllis Peters tells me the BTN offered Comcast flexibility it didn't previously offer Mediacom, I think it's only a matter of time. Everyone benefits, including HDTV addicts like me. Well, not everyone. I suppose some people will watch BTN about as much as I watch Lifetime.
*
Hard not to root for Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon at the Iowa Corn Indy 250. The teammates will donate their prize money to Iowa's flood and tornado victims. A 1-2 finish would mean a couple hundred thousand dollars to people who could really use the cash.
*
Let's hope for no parking problems in Newton. Word is it's all good.
*
We'll be stopping there on our way back from Wrigley Field. The Cubs and White Sox knock heads with both teams in first place; that's never happened. Wouldn't happen this year if the Cubs kept playing the Rays. Once they took the devil out of Tampa Bay, the team started winning. Well, that and pitching.
*
Did you see I-Cubs pitcher Kevin Hart stop a line drive with his head Wednesday night? The sound was horrific, and Hart's fortunate to escape with a mild concussion.
*
The Des Moines Bucs have a good promotion going. Buy a season ticket, and if the Bucs lose their home opener, you get half your money back. Wonder if fans will root for a win or loss that night? Real fans want the win, unless they just filled their tank with gas.
*
Andy was right. Will Ferrell's Semi-Pro was stupid, and not funny-stupid like Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. I still laughed, but not very often, and not for long.
*
Guru Pitka looks awful. I said the same thing about Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and loved it, but I think Guru Pitka is a stinkbomb. If you take one for the team and see it, let me know.
*
Time for the Barnstormers to win a game. Beer can only do so much.
*
Oh, and to answer one of the feedback questions, yes, I'm going to Wrigley Field for my wife's birthday. She seems to be okay with it, but I'll find out for sure next March. If I get a "couple's day at the spa", we'll have our answer.

Have fun.
Keith

Scattershots: Back from brief vacation.

I just returned from vacation. Did I miss anything?
*
My goodness, since when does a Flood of the Century happen every 15 years?
*
We went to Kansas City for a couple days. A water park and Royals game usually equals relaxation, even with kids, but Jenny and I spent so much time on the computer checking on what was going on back here, it made sense to get back. We returned to a flooded basement, but compared to so many people, we got off easy.
*
I watched TV around the clock, and for once, very little HD. I couldn't take my eyes off the wall-to-wall flood coverage here on channel 13. I still can't believe some of what I saw. The heartbreaking scenes of people fleeing their homes; downtown Cedar Rapids completely under water; the levees breaking and the water crawling into neighborhoods... I could go on, but you saw it too. Just unbelievable.
*
There's a reason people who leave Iowa often move back. You have to have lived somewhere else to truly appreciate how special it is here. The best part of this awful disaster has been seeing people helping other people.
*
I helped Andy clean out his flooded storage facility, but it was more than worth it to find out his framed OJ Simpson poster was ruined. I know he's had it since childhood, but it's time to throw that junk away.
*
The most surreal sight may have been the I-Cubs playing in secrecy, for safety reasons, in front of a crowd of none. (If you haven't seen Shawn Terrell and Brian Fiser's story, it's worth checking out on our whotv.com sports page video player. ) The weather has wrecked Cubs attendance all season long, and this past weekend really did some damage. Of course, all things considered, a minor concern---unless you own the Cubs.
*
The unfortunate timing award goes to the NCAA Track and Field Championships. By all accounts, Drake put on a world class event, but it went virtually unnoticed by the media, including us, for understandable reasons. I hope the weather downer doesn't dampen Drake's chances to host again.
*
KGGO's Heather Burnside handed out the hottest T-shirts of the week: SHUT UP AND SANDBAG.
*
Shawn Johnson had her training turned upside down when Chow's Gymnastics flooded. It won't stop Shawn. She worked out at ISU, and she'll make the Olympic team this weekend at the Trials in Philadelphia. (look for live coverage here beginning Wednesday) By the way, Liang Chow doesn't have flood insurance, but he'll rebuild in West Des Moines. He also kept his sense of humor intact, joking that he might start swimming lessons at Chow's.
*
The Iowa Corn Indy 250 had that traffic snarl nightmare last year because of soggy grounds, but officials there assure me it won't happen again, even with all this rain they've had. President Jerry Jauron told us on SoundOff, they've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to improve parking.
*
The Iowa Corn Indy 250 is great for Central Iowa. Look for the driver with one career IndyCar win to receive most of the attention.
*
Tiger Woods third round finish at the U.S. Open, on one leg, was phenomenal--even by his standards. Grinding through the final round, in pain, and making that clutch putt to force a playoff is the stuff of legend.
*
Andy thinks I'm going overboard, but I think Tiger is better at his sport than any athlete has ever been at their sport. Maybe I should say "in my lifetime". I don't know much about the first Greek who ran a marathon.
*
The Barnstormers lead the league in attendance, but they won't for long if they don't start playing better. Who am I kidding, it won't matter. It's a party win or lose.
*
Did you see Jewel on NBC's Nashville Star? She acted nuttier than a squirrel turd. And what's with the new southern accent? Didn't she grow up in Alaska? Maybe she's trying to be the Star's Paul Abdul.
*
The new Incredible Hulk is very good, much better than that depressing mess five years ago. I don't know why Edward Norton has a problem, but it delivers just what you'd want in a movie like this. It's no Iron Man, but worth a B.
*
If you have HBO, don't miss Dana Carvey's first concert in years. Funny stuff, especially the bit on Andy Rooney.
*
We're having my wife's birthday party at Wrigley Field this weekend as the Cubs host the White Sox. I feel like I'm getting a present.
*
Be safe, and a big thanks to all of you who helped others this past week.

Keith

Scattershots

I'm sitting here watching Barack Obama give a speech. I don't know what kind of President he'd make, but I do know the speeches would inspire.
*
Maybe the Patriots should take a page out of Hillary's book, and approach next season like they won the Super Bowl. Just deny losing. Keep talking about having more wins than any other team in the NFL.
*
Now that we're Anaheim's AHL affiliate, I wish the Ducks were still Mighty. I know they won last year's Stanley Cup, but I want all the Gordon Bombay, knucklepuck, and Flying V references I can get.
*
Andy Fales sure hates the Quad Cities. Other than having five cities, and calling itself "Quad Cities", I've got no beef with those people. Well, not the ones on the Iowa side anyway.
*
Sunday morning I woke up with the jitters and a horrible headache. At first I thought maybe I'd drank too much, but then I remembered I'd been to a Barnstormers game. Hey, I love it, but I don't know how they could make it any brighter, noisier, or more stimulating. It's like "Free Mountain Dew Night" at Chuck E. Cheese.
*
I've heard so many different versions of what actually happened on the field after Dowling won the state soccer championship that I can't say I know what went down. I do know the IHSAA must have felt strongly about it because it is a serious step when you take away a moment from kids that they will never get back.
*
How 'bout those Cubs! I'm not sure what I enjoy more: A) The Cubs winning, or B) Andy suffering.
*
I lied. It's definitely B.
*
Chris Hassel is going to Cleveland to do a story on Casey Blake next week. It's nice of Casey to heat up with a 7 RBI game. That was a good day for him at Indianola High.
*
Iowa and Iowa State will play football through at least 2017. That's a good thing. It brings out the worst in a few people, but overall it's the biggest sports day of the year in our state. How is it they didn't play each other for decades? Can't blame that one on Bruce Van De Velde or Steve Alford.
*
It's good Troy Dannen got the Northern Iowa Athletic Director's job. Shawn Terrell saw Troy at the Principal Charity Classic, and apparently he wears more purple than Prince. That's a tough look to pull off unless you're a 5 foot 2 inch musical genius or the head of the UNI athletic department.
*
Big Brown will win the Triple Crown. I guarantee it.
*
Well, unless he loses Saturday.
*
More rain? Get the Ark ready.
*
Speaking of arks, why did Evan Amighty misfire so badly? That should have been a slam dunk.