Monday, January 26, 2009

Scattershot thoughts from January 26th.

  • Craig Brackins 42 points could be the worst thing to happen to Greg McDermott. When you hang 42 on the national champs, on national TV, in front of NBA scouts, and the points come from all angles and distances, it makes a Junior season at Iowa State shakier than it was a week ago. If Brackins leaves, it means McDermott would lose his best player for the third straight year (Taylor, Johnson, Brackins). That wouldn't make it any easier.
  • I can't figure Drake out. The Bulldogs looked dazed and confused against UNI. They didn't bother showing up at Missouri State. I wondered if they were done. It certainly appeared that way. Then Drake went to Creighton and thumped everyone's pick to win the Valley. I don't think some of the players have completely let go of Keno's philosophy and fully embraced Phelps' system. Until they do, it will remain hit or miss.
  • UNI is for real.
  • Anytime a coach wants to show a team playing not to lose, he can just pop in a tape of Iowa at Penn State.
  • Why has the President, David Palmer, been buried on Iowa's bench for more than a year?
  • Until Learfield and the University of Iowa hire another football commentator, I won't give up on the idea of Ed Podolak somehow returning.
  • Kirk Ferentz's friend Scott Pioli fired Herm Edwards which means... Ferentz will be back at Iowa next season.
  • The John Stoddard Rally Against Cancer was sold out and raised a record amount of money for the fight of fights. Erin Kiernan helped with that in two ways: 1) Erin did a terrific job hosting the auction. 2) Her husband, Mike, won the bidding for a sweet spa package. I doubt it's for him, though Erin did mention Mike could use a Steve Carell type waxing. "Yoooooooow, Kelly Clarkson!"
  • Marv Levy is a nice man. His speech at the rally mixed football anecdotes with his winning battle against prostate cancer. It was perfect. When a reporter asked Levy before the Bills Super Bowl if it was a must win, Levy famously said, "No. World War II was a must win."
  • Talk about your brother's keeper. Jay McGwire claims he's looking out for Mark's best interest by selling a book that details all Mark's steroid and HGH use. Jay wants to set the record straight. Uh, Jay... I don't think there are many people wandering around wondering if your brother used 'roids. It's pretty clear. No wonder these guys don't speak.
  • It was good to see Garth Brooks back on stage at the Inauguration. I had forgotten how ol' Garth can work a crowd---when he's not Chris Gaines.
  • How many players will pick out the number 44 to honor our 44th President? Aim high.
  • Andy Fales sparked an avalanche of emails by getting something off his chest: Andy thinks Slipknot's music absolutely sucks. The bands fans, known as Maggots, are not amused. (What's Bugging Andy? in whotv.com video player)
  • The Arizona Cardinals have next to no fans. Heck, a pool supply company had to buy the final 10,000 seats at Arizona's first playoff game just to get the game televised locally. The Steelers have fans everywhere, including thousands here in Central Iowa. Still, our SoundOff survey shows far more people say they'll root for the Cardinals Sunday. That's the power of Kurt Warner.
  • We had a sleepover this past weekend for my son Cade's 8th birthday. Cade invited 7 friends. Learn from our mistake. 8 is way more than enough when it comes to rambunctious boys at a party. Of the seven guests, six had good manners, five were well-behaved, and one was absolutely WILD. I realize the parents of said kids could be reading this, but each will assume that their kid is not the out of control one, so I think I'm in the clear. In the end, Cade had a great time, and it was all worth it. I'm pretty sure.
  • We took the wild bunch to "Hotel for Dogs". Cute movie. Jenny liked it more than Marley & Me because the dogs are still alive when the credits roll.
  • I can't say enough about what a good guest Shawn Johnson was on SoundOFF. She was game for anything, and she had a lot of fun. My favorite was Shawn watching video of Andy as Bela Karolyi. Both Shawn and her mom, Teri, thought it was spot-on, and we were all still talking about it after the show. Shawn likes Slipknot, so Andy won her back with the Bela impression. People forget Shawn's only a Junior in high school. I think she handles all the attention really well. It is constant.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like your mom found 30 new Facebook friends...

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=44603709639&ref=mf

Matt N said...

Marley dies??? There goes that movie!

I'm with Andy, can't stand Slipknot. You can't understand what they say in all their screaming. My 3 yr old and 15mo old could shout out to a guitar too if they had the chance.

Shawn did great on SoundOff I thought. Both her and Lolo are great Iowa ambassadors.

Anonymous said...

Wow Hawkeyemkn, you sound like my parents when I used to listen to REO Speedwagon. I guess that's when you know you are old and unhip, when you resort to the "screaming" card.
Enjoy your golden years Hawkeyemkn.

Matt N said...

I had a roommate play it in college all the time...was kind of hard to study with the walls vibrating.

More reasons to not like them. I'd rather have country.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I could look at ya.

Anonymous said...

Hawkeyemkn,

You must be one of those idiots who can't appreciate music at all. Slipknot has grown from their earlier albums and sound much better now than what they had before. I bet you, if you hear a Slipknot song from one of their last two albums, you probably wouldn't know who it even is.

Crawl out from under your rock and quite being a stupid sterotypical hick. It's people like you that the nation thinks about when National TV like ESPN protrays Iowa as only cornfields, broken down tractors, barns, and people wearing bib overalls.


--Gary

Anonymous said...

Seriously? You guys are insulting each other over musical tastes? Last time I checked, it wasn't a requirement for everyone to like the same type of music. Andy's allowed to say he thinks it sucks, just like Gary is allowed to say he thinks it doesn't. But do we really have to resort to calling each other "idiots"? Let's be grownups.

I won't be in the audience for Slipknot's concert because their style of music isn't for me. But I applaud the band for keeping Iowa in mind and not forgetting their roots when they made it big.

Also, Shawn Johnson's reaction to Andy as Bela was priceless. :) She's another Iowan making it in the big-time who hasn't forgotten where she came from - Bravo!

Anonymous said...

Calm down people, anonymous is right! Just because someone doesn't like something you do, doesn't mean they're an idiot...

Even the biggest Slipknot fan should be able to realize that if someone doesn't like it, it IS going to sound like nothing but screaming...I'm pretty sure people said the same thing about Beatles...although I doubt anyone ever yelled through a locked door "TURN THAT CONWAY TWITTY DOWN! nothin' but a bunch of screamin' anyway!"

Anonymous said...

I even used the "preview" feature and STILL didn't catch "Beatles" until I hit "publish"...son of a...

Anonymous said...

What's the deal with facebook? First there is "Andy Fales is a God". Then, "Keith Murphy brushes his teeth daily". Now we get "Shane from Marshalltown wears thong underwear"?

Facebook has definately "nuked the fridge".

Anonymous said...

Wow, I think Ed Podalak has got to be Kirk Ferentz' and Todd Lickliter's best friend right now. Not that KF is under any heat, but quiet is the way KF likes it. Lickliter should buy Podalak a nice car, with driver of course.

Anonymous said...

I just want to know how that information leaked out...Oh well, it was bound to happen sooner or later...besides, my cheeks gotta breathe!

Anonymous said...

Sniff sniff, I smell a sequel to the manzeer episode!

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure that would be safe for television...although it couldn't be much worse than Andy's Mexico pics...

And I'll need a waxing...

Anonymous said...

Shane, if your sniffing around for someone to shave your ass, well, I'll need a straight razor, a major credit card, and years of therapy.

Brad S. said...

The pieces are sure falling in place for your Podolak scenario.

Matt N said...

Anonymous....Like Shane said...It's just not for me. I'd rather listen to country than Slip Knot. I'm not saying anything bad about them personally. I'd rather not listen to them. Personal Preference. And no I'm not like the national media that portrays Iowa as just cornfields. Lived here all my life all over the state.

Anonymous said...

Hawkeyemkn, you compared their music to your 3 year old, but nothing personal eh.
I hope you lose you arms in a combine, nothing personal.

Anonymous said...

Kirk, I don't want the 3 day stubble, wax it or nothing...the rest IS negotiable though!

Anonymous said...

"Hawkeyemkn, you compared their music to your 3 year old, but nothing personal eh.
I hope you lose you arms in a combine, nothing personal."

You must REALLY love Slipknot...

Anonymous said...

I tell you what Shane. If Keith will agree to let me wax your ass live on Soundoff, I'll do it pro bono, of course I will still need extensive therapy afterwards. Maybe you could pass the hat or have Keith donate the returnable Diet Mountain Dew bottles he collects from the newsroom. I sure would appreciate it.

Anonymous said...

Kirk...I have a hard enough time putting my face on camera, it would take an Eddie P. amount of alcohol to get me to put my ass on TV! We can still try for donations for your therapy though...maybe someone will give us a 2 for 1 deal if we both go!?!?

Anonymous said...

Shawn Johnson is in junior high school????? I had no idea she was that young.

Anonymous said...

She's a Junior in High School. Learn to read already.

Anonymous said...

MY bad, I misread that. I'm kind of relieved though, I was a little worried about having fantasies about a junior high girl performing the perfect dismount in my bedroom.

Anonymous said...

I suppose the super bowl will cause your stupid show not to be seen at 10:30 again. Thats it, I give up. Get a better time slot or Im not watching anymore. You guys stink anyway.

Anonymous said...

I'm not a Bruce Springsteen hater, per se, but if it wasn't for the work he did 30 years ago he wouldn't even be able to get a spot in a "Viva Viagra" commercial.

Anonymous said...

Stevie Van Zandt had more lines during the halftime than he did during the entire time he was on the Sopranos.

Anonymous said...

That's a great idea for a rehashed comedy show, "Who's the Boss". Starring Bruce Springsteen and Tony Soprano.