Singlets, Trousers, and Rosin bags

Shouldn't Des Moines host the NCAA Wrestling Championships every year?  Iowans say yes, but the folks at Minnesota, Oklahoma State, and Cornell, among others, would probably disagree.  As we reported Thursday night, Iowa State will be the host school for the national tournament at Wells Fargo Arena in March of 2013.  An official announcement is expected Friday afternoon. It's a huge "get" for the city and The Des Moines Sports Commission, which continues to bring bigger and better sporting events to the metro with each passing year. 

I covered the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Omaha this past March, and loved it.  I never wrestled, but I did grow up in Iowa, and any sports fan that spends their formative years between the Missouri and Mississipi Rivers should at least have an appreciation for the sport.

Our photographer (and my roommate) Brandon McCauley captured some great video of Craig Brackins' reaction after being picked 21st in the NBA draft.  It's a little higher than I thought Craig would be selected, but good things tend to happen to selfless people.  Craig could have left Iowa State after his sophomore year, but gambled on a special junior season in Ames.  It didn't turn out like anyone hoped, but hindsight is always 20/20.

Who dressed Wesley Johnson for the NBA draft?  Yellow shirt, red tie, navy coat, and plaid trousers?  The trousers looked like pajama bottoms.  Granted, I don't subscribe to Vogue.  Maybe Wes' outfit represents some new trend.  But I just thought he looked goofy.

I had a good time catching up with Paul Rhoads and Bill Fennelly at the Iowa Cubs game on Thursday night.  Both coaches, along with basketball assistant Jeff Grayer, threw out first pitches before the game.  Rhoads fired a fastball for a strike, then saluted the mob of Cyclone faithful in the crowd.  But Fennelly stole the show.  He fluffed the rosin bag, shook off the catcher three times, and then lobbed a change-up for a strike.  Afterward, Fennelly (tongue in cheek) compared himself to Trevor Hoffman.  The only difference... they didn't play Hells Bells before Bill took the mound.

Shawn