The Chicken, Alec Baldwin, Miss Iowa

• I'll be stunned if Albert Pujols is back in four weeks, and surprised if he even makes it in six.
• Pujols reportedly turned down a LOT of money from the Cardinals. Since then he had a slow start, heated up, now an injury. I wonder if he'll even be offered what he turned down. I think it's reasonable to ask if we've already seen Pujols at his best.
• The Chicken will bring all the same routines to Principal Park Tuesday night. And by all the same, I mean all the same genius routines. Love The Chicken.

• Wednesday is Jeremy Hellickson bobble-head night at the I-Cubs. Mini-Hellboy is in a Hoover uniform, which makes it more local.

• I found Rory McIlroy's complete domination at the U-S Open riveting. I watched most of it.
• McIlroy comparisons to Tiger are inevitable, though at 14 to 1 in majors, perhaps a tad premature. McIlroy's skills look comparable, as is his back story, but Rory seems like he actually enjoys and appreciates fans, a big improvement from Tiger.
• Rick Brown of the Des Moines Register has forgotten more golf than I know.
• My family made me feel special on Father's Day. It doesn't get much better than that.
• Played bocci ball with friends at Tumea & Sons Saturday. Not only was it a blast, the people who work there could not have been nicer. We'll definitely be back soon.
• Can it really be 25 years since Len Bias died?
• Iowa State signed Alec Baldwin to a track scholarship. I hope he shows up in better shape than the most recent season of 30 Rock.

• Miss USA overlooked Miss Iowa again. Rebecca Goldsmith, we love you more than Trump.

• Severe weather will find you anywhere this year, even the College World Series.
• I think the Iowa Corn Indy 250 at night will the take the event up a notch, and it was already pretty darn cool. Indy cars go 35 miles an hour or so faster at Iowa Speedway than the NASCAR cars.