Scattershot thoughts from July 29th.

• I was wrong. Brett Favre won't start the season in a purple 4 jersey. To again quote Clark Griswold, if I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn't be more surprised.
• "You're our guy, Sage. We believe in you. We have all along. The guys who kept texting Brett have your back too... unless they're texting Tavaris. In that case, they're completely behind him."
• I think it takes a person with a sick mind to do the things Michael Vick did, but I do believe after nearly two years in prison, the NFL needed to reinstate him and let the market decide. I still hope no one hires Vick, and I'm not convinced anyone will--- at least not this season.
• It's great to have the Cubs and Cardinals trading first place back and forth this late in the season.
• 45 up and 45 down from Mark Buerhle is once in a lifetime stuff. If you live to be 100.
• Urbandale is the best city in Iowa. Really? Urbandale? I know a lot of people with sweet homes in U-dale, and the high school sports teams show up strong, but I don't really even think of Urbandale as a city. Quick, what do you picture as the Urbandale landmark? Cobblestone theaters?
• Iowa ranks as the 12th best party school in the country. Parents hate this, students love it.
• Good news and bad news for Marshalltown's Jeff Clement. Good: he's traded to a team who wants him. Bad: it's the Pirates. Jeff's a good guy. I hope he finally breaks through.
• I've changed my mind about Pete Rose. I think he belongs in the Hall of Fame as a player, but there would have to be a mention he bet on baseball as a manager. It will never happen.
• I wasn't the only one who thought Gene Chizik was a bad fit for Iowa State. The more the players open up, the more we see how glad they are Paul Rhoads is the head coach.
• Kirk Ferentz doesn't care how many games you or I think his son should be suspended. Ferentz will do what he thinks is right. I respect that, even as I disagree.
• I loved our video of the river rescue heroes being honored by the city, and they're all in their sweaty work clothes, and they just want to get back to the job. It's that humble mindset that led to their selfless acts in the first place.
• Phil Mickelson wants to buy 105 Waffles Houses. How much does this guy love "Tin Cup"?
• Interest in the WNBA is dropping. Dropping from what?
• The Barnstormers playoff opponent changed because the scheduled team didn't pay its bills. That's a first. And good thing the AHL didn't do that this past season or the Chops wouldn't have played much.
• Of all the "Dancing with the Stars" celebrities, I was most impressed by Steve-O, of all people. (He and the naked guy, Gilles, from "Sex and the City" spent the most time with fans.) Steve-O signed countless autographs and posed for dozens of pictures, some with Girl Scouts who you hope know him from dancing, and not butt-rockets.
• I think Shawn Johnson is again giving serious thought to competing again in 2012. I think she was leaning the other way until a few weeks ago.
• I can't believe the "shocking twist" in "Orphan". The "Sixth Sense" can sleep easy.
• "G.I. Joe" looks cheesy.

Scattershot Thoughts from July 20th

• Smart move by the University of Iowa to extend Kirk Ferentz's contract through 2015. It won't keep him in Iowa City if he wants to leave, but it's looking more and more like this is Kirk's last job. It's a good fit.
• No raise and Ferentz still stands to make a minimum of $21 million. Not to mention 35 hours a year in a private jet. K-Diddy.
• Jamie Pollard and Iowa State leveraged their top asset, the Iowa football game, to raise money two years ago. You had to buy Cyclone season tickets to see the game in person. I understood it, but didn't support it. I thought it took too much liberty with the leverage. Conversely, this year's $99 season ticket fan packs, one which includes the Iowa game, are a great idea at a time when many people could use a break.
• Terrific new commercial for Iowa State football. Hits all the right notes in the post-Chizik debacle era.
• Which soap opera lasted longer, Guiding Light or Favre the Viking?
• Good to see Lolo Jones run the fastest 100 meter hurdle time in the world this year. Lolo needed a confidence boost. She got one in 12.47 seconds.
• I am sickened by what Michael Vick did, and wonder if any decent person is capable of such cruelty and torture, but I think the NFL should reinstate Vick and see if any team will hire him (I don't think a team will, at least not this season). Andy thinks the NFL should ban Vick for life. (Be sure to watch Andy's passionate and well thought out take in the whotv.com video player on the sports page.)
• I am really disturbed by the Erin Andrews peephole video taping. It's such a creepy violation of her privacy, and I can't imagine how shaken up she is. I hope it doesn't hurt her confidence or career in any lasting way.
• I love the Tom Watson story. One of golf's great appeals is that you can play it competitively for a lifetime. Watson nearly winning the British Open doesn't weaken or change my opinion of what golf is, and isn't, at all.
• Thank you golf fans of Scotland for showing us a tournament free of knuckleheads yelling, "Get in the hole" every time someone swings.
• I didn't like "Bruno". I laughed hard several times, and I think Sasha Baron Cohen is a fearless talent, but I found the movie disturbing, graphic, and, at times, mean-spirited. I'm shocked it wasn't rated NC-17.
• On the other end of the spectrum, "High School Musical 2" at the Des Moines Playhouse. My two youngest boys loved it. Wholesome entertainment is most welcome after the Bruno sleaze-fest.
• Let me get this straight: Nastia Liukin wins the ESPY for Best Female Athlete, but Shawn Johnson wins the ESPY for Best Female Olympian?
• This weekend, Nastia competes at Vets, while Shawn dances across the street at the Well. What are the odds?
• After the second episode of the new "Entourage", I figured out why the critics are beating up the new season. It was one of the weaker offerings ever. I'm hoping Vinny and the boys bounce back.
• Jeremy Mayfield's stepmother signs an affidavit she saw him use meth more than 30 times, and his response is, "She's a whore". This does not help convince people you're not on meth.
• PETA wants an I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Cow. Good luck with that.
• The most insightful and fair article I've seen on the movement to make Michael Jackson a victim: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124762029798042603.html (Thanks to Ryan in Clive for sending this)
• I didn't think a mash-up with Rick Astley and Nirvana could work, but this is oddly fascinating: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN75im_us4k
• Congrats to the Barnstormers on making the playoffs. Tickets now on sale. They put on a good show---especially if you have a short attention span.
• Where was I?
• I love going to I-Cub games---even when it's 55 degrees in mid-July.

Murph's Stream of Consciousness for July 15th

• I love the All-Star game. The introductions are my favorite part. Makes me feel 10 again. I love the step forward and tip of the cap.
• The pregame was terrific. Loved the All-Stars Among Us tribute, including all living Presidents.
• To my relief, Sheryl Crow didn't butcher the Anthem as I've seen her do in the past. She was okay.
• It was great to see the Cardinals Hall-of-Famers, especially Stan Musial. I know some Cardinal fans are disappointed Musial didn't get the Ted Williams treatment from players, but if the same feeling's not there, they shouldn't force it.
• Barack Obama can work a locker room like no President I've seen. He needs to work on that rainbow first pitch though. Not as bad as his bowling, but a clear sign of someone who hasn't thrown a baseball much in his life.
• Major cool points to the President for wearing a White Sox jacket and not pandering to Cardinals fans. Do you think Hillary Clinton would have done that?
• Game was pretty good too, though the National League can't get out of its own way. At least this year John Bachman wasn't worried about whether the outcome would keep the Cubs from having home-field advantage in the World Series.
• Keno Davis is averaging more than one contract extension per year.
• I was skeptical about the Chiefs paying $63 million for Matt Cassel, a guy with one year as a starting quarterback since high school, but the NFL Network's Paul Burmeister tells me he thinks it's a smart move.
• Paul also said he has serious questions about the leadership of Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.
• Paul's most underrated NFL player? Peyton Manning. Think about that for a minute.
• Tony Romo reportedly dumped Jessica Simpson the night before her birthday. Andy thinks this was to save money on a gift.
• Florida's Urban Meyer says he'll never coach at Notre Dame. Based on the track record of college coaches who make statements like this, it's time for Charlie Weiss to watch his back.
• UNI is putting in new turf. Thank goodness. The Panthers old field feels like worn out cheap carpet spread over a concrete floor.
• It's good news that Jewel Hampton may be in uniform for the UNI game. We had two different sources tell us Hampton partially tore his ACL and would likely miss considerable action. Kirk Fernentz---through Gary Dolphin---says Hampton did injure a knee ligament, but doctors think he should be ready for the opener.
• The more I get to know LeBron James, the less I like him. He's a once in a lifetime talent, and as far as I know, a law-abiding citizen, but he has some punk tendencies. We saw the first sign of it with the bad sportsmanship after the Magic crushed the Cavs, and another look when LeBron (reportedly) conspired with Nike to prevent anyone from seeing the King get dunked on. That's just stupid. Plus, it only makes us want to see that tape more.
• NASCAR says Jeremy Mayfield tested positive for meth AGAIN. Keep this guy off the track.
• Brett Favre says he'll let the Vikings know by July 30th if he's their quarterback. In other news, Brett Favre will announce July 30th that he's coming out of retirement to quarterback the Vikings.

Scattershot Thoughts from July 7th

• I am 100% confident our Hawkeye Insider, Jon Miller, is correct: Jewel Hampton injured his knee. I don't think it's a strain. (update on 7/10: Gary Dolphin said on WHO Radio that Kirk Ferentz told him Hamilton did, in fact, injure a ligament in his knee during non-contact drills, doctors want another look, but at this time, they don't think surgery is necessary. Hamilton could be ready for the season opener against UNI.)
• Can someone please just rip the band-aid off the Iowa Chops? It hurts to do it this slowly.
• Steve McNair's violent death and tainted legacy will give straying married men longer pause than anything since the movie Fatal Attraction.
• I can't believe how much Michael Jackson polarizes people. I'm in the fan camp, though he lost me the past 15 years. The weirdness overshadowed the talent.
• I think Jackson's death, and the over-the-top news coverage, did remind many of us of Jackson's stunning catalogue of music, videos, and live performances. Underrated writer too.
• It took dying, but Michael Jackson is finally back on top, more popular than ever.
• My Heisman handicap going into next season: 1) Tebow 2) McCoy 3) Pryor 4) Bradford 5) Everyone else
• Does Rasheed Wallace make the Celtics the team to beat in the East? Or did Shaq elevate the Cavs?
• "Major League 4" is in the works. Anyone think this is a good idea?
• Andy Roddick did more for his image while losing than any time he ever won. Roddick's match with Roger Federer was epic. Roddick answered all questions about his heart, head, and stones.
• I still think Federer vs. Nadal at last year's Wimbledon was the greatest tennis match of all time.
• The Williams sisters are underrated. Not just in the rankings, but as historical sports figures.
• I hate being right about fans cheering cheating Manny Ramirez like some kind of returning hero, but few can resist the power of celebrity these days.
• Good to see Tiger Woods showing a little personality by interviewing himself after winning his own tournament. Chris Rock shouldn't get nervous, but it was better than RoboTiger.
• The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is disgusting and riveting. Once a year is enough.
• Do you watch HBO's Real Sports? Lenny Dykstra is nuttier than a squirrel turd.
• The World University Games experience for Craig Brackins and Lucca Staiger will be one more piece of the puzzle in Iowa State finally have a good season under Greg McDermott.
• I know the movie "Bruno" will make me uncomfortable from start to finish, but I can't wait to see it. I just won't see it twice. I fell out of my seat laughing at Borat, but I've never been able to watch again. I suffer from secondhand embarrassment.