Rasslin' and Wrestling...

• During commercial breaks of the Olympics, I'm flipping over to USA for WWE Raw starring Jerry Springer. It's live from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. My IQ drops a little with each visit, but I know a lot of people who grew up on this stuff. It's like a soap opera for the testosterone-driven. Andy Fales did a story, but the WWE wouldn't let him anywhere inside the Well with a camera. That's unusual because the folks at the Iowa Events Center will usually find a way to provide the media access. This might have been a good thing though. Chances are good Andy would have been hit over the head with a real chair.
• In news of real wrestling. The world's greatest high school tournament starts Wednesday. Can't believe it's here already. If you've never been, put it on your bucket list. You have to see it to believe it. Watching the parents can, at times, provide more entertainment than the wrestlers.
• When the American flag goes up, the Star Spangled Banner begins, and the United States athlete tears up, I'm there too. Gets me every time.
• Good to see Bode Miller act like he cares. He lost the gold by about a foot.
• Snowboard Cross is a made for the new generation Olympic sport, but my boys love it, and it is exciting. You know what you're in for when the athletes are wearing snow pants made to look like blue jeans. The Westcott gold medal dash was awesome.
• NBC hasn't done a lot right lately, but the network is doing right by the Olympics, and blockbuster ratings reflect that. (That and the high medal count for the U-S, not to meantion snowstorms everywhere but Vancouver.)
• Did the Daytona 500 really stop for more than 2 hours because of a gigantic pot hole?! I expect that on Ingersoll as I'm driving home, not on NASCAR's most famous track.
• The new rules did work. The race was exciting---when they were actually racing.
• I watched the NBA All-Star game to learn about defense. I also wanted to see if 100,000 people would really show. They did. The All-Star game does know how to reach a younger generation. The festivities did not feature The Who.
• The Iowa State women are now ranked #13 in what was supposed to be a down year. Fennelly.
• Speaking of Fennelly, he's already applauding the news KXNO is carrying Cardinals baseball. Andy now works at KXNO. Coincidence?
• I watched "Temple Grandin" this weekend. It's the HBO original movie of a woman with Autism who becomes a pioneer in the study of animals. That makes it sound dull. It's not. Great movie. Get the Emmy ready for Claire Danes now.