Scattershots: Back from brief vacation.

I just returned from vacation. Did I miss anything?
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My goodness, since when does a Flood of the Century happen every 15 years?
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We went to Kansas City for a couple days. A water park and Royals game usually equals relaxation, even with kids, but Jenny and I spent so much time on the computer checking on what was going on back here, it made sense to get back. We returned to a flooded basement, but compared to so many people, we got off easy.
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I watched TV around the clock, and for once, very little HD. I couldn't take my eyes off the wall-to-wall flood coverage here on channel 13. I still can't believe some of what I saw. The heartbreaking scenes of people fleeing their homes; downtown Cedar Rapids completely under water; the levees breaking and the water crawling into neighborhoods... I could go on, but you saw it too. Just unbelievable.
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There's a reason people who leave Iowa often move back. You have to have lived somewhere else to truly appreciate how special it is here. The best part of this awful disaster has been seeing people helping other people.
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I helped Andy clean out his flooded storage facility, but it was more than worth it to find out his framed OJ Simpson poster was ruined. I know he's had it since childhood, but it's time to throw that junk away.
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The most surreal sight may have been the I-Cubs playing in secrecy, for safety reasons, in front of a crowd of none. (If you haven't seen Shawn Terrell and Brian Fiser's story, it's worth checking out on our whotv.com sports page video player. ) The weather has wrecked Cubs attendance all season long, and this past weekend really did some damage. Of course, all things considered, a minor concern---unless you own the Cubs.
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The unfortunate timing award goes to the NCAA Track and Field Championships. By all accounts, Drake put on a world class event, but it went virtually unnoticed by the media, including us, for understandable reasons. I hope the weather downer doesn't dampen Drake's chances to host again.
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KGGO's Heather Burnside handed out the hottest T-shirts of the week: SHUT UP AND SANDBAG.
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Shawn Johnson had her training turned upside down when Chow's Gymnastics flooded. It won't stop Shawn. She worked out at ISU, and she'll make the Olympic team this weekend at the Trials in Philadelphia. (look for live coverage here beginning Wednesday) By the way, Liang Chow doesn't have flood insurance, but he'll rebuild in West Des Moines. He also kept his sense of humor intact, joking that he might start swimming lessons at Chow's.
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The Iowa Corn Indy 250 had that traffic snarl nightmare last year because of soggy grounds, but officials there assure me it won't happen again, even with all this rain they've had. President Jerry Jauron told us on SoundOff, they've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to improve parking.
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The Iowa Corn Indy 250 is great for Central Iowa. Look for the driver with one career IndyCar win to receive most of the attention.
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Tiger Woods third round finish at the U.S. Open, on one leg, was phenomenal--even by his standards. Grinding through the final round, in pain, and making that clutch putt to force a playoff is the stuff of legend.
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Andy thinks I'm going overboard, but I think Tiger is better at his sport than any athlete has ever been at their sport. Maybe I should say "in my lifetime". I don't know much about the first Greek who ran a marathon.
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The Barnstormers lead the league in attendance, but they won't for long if they don't start playing better. Who am I kidding, it won't matter. It's a party win or lose.
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Did you see Jewel on NBC's Nashville Star? She acted nuttier than a squirrel turd. And what's with the new southern accent? Didn't she grow up in Alaska? Maybe she's trying to be the Star's Paul Abdul.
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The new Incredible Hulk is very good, much better than that depressing mess five years ago. I don't know why Edward Norton has a problem, but it delivers just what you'd want in a movie like this. It's no Iron Man, but worth a B.
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If you have HBO, don't miss Dana Carvey's first concert in years. Funny stuff, especially the bit on Andy Rooney.
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We're having my wife's birthday party at Wrigley Field this weekend as the Cubs host the White Sox. I feel like I'm getting a present.
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Be safe, and a big thanks to all of you who helped others this past week.

Keith

Scattershots

I'm sitting here watching Barack Obama give a speech. I don't know what kind of President he'd make, but I do know the speeches would inspire.
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Maybe the Patriots should take a page out of Hillary's book, and approach next season like they won the Super Bowl. Just deny losing. Keep talking about having more wins than any other team in the NFL.
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Now that we're Anaheim's AHL affiliate, I wish the Ducks were still Mighty. I know they won last year's Stanley Cup, but I want all the Gordon Bombay, knucklepuck, and Flying V references I can get.
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Andy Fales sure hates the Quad Cities. Other than having five cities, and calling itself "Quad Cities", I've got no beef with those people. Well, not the ones on the Iowa side anyway.
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Sunday morning I woke up with the jitters and a horrible headache. At first I thought maybe I'd drank too much, but then I remembered I'd been to a Barnstormers game. Hey, I love it, but I don't know how they could make it any brighter, noisier, or more stimulating. It's like "Free Mountain Dew Night" at Chuck E. Cheese.
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I've heard so many different versions of what actually happened on the field after Dowling won the state soccer championship that I can't say I know what went down. I do know the IHSAA must have felt strongly about it because it is a serious step when you take away a moment from kids that they will never get back.
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How 'bout those Cubs! I'm not sure what I enjoy more: A) The Cubs winning, or B) Andy suffering.
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I lied. It's definitely B.
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Chris Hassel is going to Cleveland to do a story on Casey Blake next week. It's nice of Casey to heat up with a 7 RBI game. That was a good day for him at Indianola High.
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Iowa and Iowa State will play football through at least 2017. That's a good thing. It brings out the worst in a few people, but overall it's the biggest sports day of the year in our state. How is it they didn't play each other for decades? Can't blame that one on Bruce Van De Velde or Steve Alford.
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It's good Troy Dannen got the Northern Iowa Athletic Director's job. Shawn Terrell saw Troy at the Principal Charity Classic, and apparently he wears more purple than Prince. That's a tough look to pull off unless you're a 5 foot 2 inch musical genius or the head of the UNI athletic department.
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Big Brown will win the Triple Crown. I guarantee it.
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Well, unless he loses Saturday.
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More rain? Get the Ark ready.
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Speaking of arks, why did Evan Amighty misfire so badly? That should have been a slam dunk.

Scattershot thoughts from Keith Murphy

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Another dark week for the Hawkeye football program. It's fortunate for the University of Iowa that Cedric Everson and Abe Satterfield were sent packing back in December, but it doesn't change the fact the alleged sexual assault happened while they were members of the Hawkeye football team. (In fact, the incident took place the morning after Iowa upset Illinois.) Everson and Satterfield are accused of an awful crime, by far the most serious in a long list of arrested Hawkeyes. 16 football players in one year is way beyond an aberration, it's a cultural problem. Many of these charges were not for public intox. They were far more troublesome.
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I like and respect Kirk Ferentz. I think he was slow to accept just how bad and embarrassing it had gotten, but the past six months he's booted several players and toughened expectations. That's a great start. You can't stop all players from being knuckleheads. Take a group of 125 college students and someone is going to screw up, but Iowa has gone way beyond that, and I personally know several hardcore fans who are sick and tired of it.
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I think the best thing Iowa has going for it next football season is a relatively easy schedule. Schools like Iowa and Iowa State have next to no margin for error when it comes to quality depth, and there's just no way to unexpectedly lose several starters the way Iowa has and not have it make a big impact. Look for it to show up more in 2009. This year, Iowa can be below mediocre and still win 6 games.
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Jamie Pollard and Greg McDermott made Wesley Johnson sweat for ten days, but they're right to release him from his scholarship. You can't have it both ways, and like all schools, Iowa State also benefits from transfers. Pollard and McDermott did not give Johnson an unconditional release. He can't go to a Big 12 school, and he can't go to a school on ISU's schedule. They're right to dish some tough love. Johnson's explanation has all kinds of holes in it, and there's no excusing the fact he had just re-upped with ISU a few weeks ago. Don't look for Iowa State to approve Johnson's transfer to Kentucky, should he ask.
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Shawn Terrell loves Office Space, which makes me think more of Shawn Terrell. However, all of us here at channel 13 owe actor Ron Livingston an apology. Shawn tried, but when Ron played Glen Oaks Wednesday, Shawn just couldn't stop himself from peppering "Peter" with Office Space references. How sick of this do you think Ron Livingston is?

It's not that I'm lazy; it's that I just don't care.

Or this classic exchange:

Bob: Looks like you've been missing a lot of work lately.
Peter: I wouldn't say I've been missing it, Bob!

Sorry Ron! Livingston is also great in Band of Brothers. If for some reason you haven't seen this yet, go rent it, and say goodbye to everybody for a week. It's that good.
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Erin Kiernan is finally over the fact her girlhood crush, Rob Lowe, did not return to kill one or our state birds this year. Erin thinks Jason Taylor filled the hunk void nicely. I personally don't like a man who's rich, famous, handsome, and can also dance.
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I'm sorry to say I was disappointed in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It was great to see Harrison Ford back in the fedora, and the man looks amazing for 65, but the story and stunts grew increasingly ridiculous as the movie went on. I can't get into it without spoiling the movie for the 17 people who haven't seen it yet, but I wish they could re-think that silly second hour. B- because watching it made me happy anyway.

McDermott vs. Johnson...

--Early rounds to Johnson, but McDermott battles back like a cagey veteran and takes a commanding lead in the PR fight.

--McDermott had a great day Wednesday. The Johnson bombshell shook the confidence of many fans in Cyclone Nation. McDermott needed to discredit Johnson's timeline and logic. He did.

--McDermott is already a beloved figure within the athletic department at Iowa State. I wasn't surprised at the show of support, and that includes Jamie Pollard who sent us an e-mail from Colorado saying he thinks more of McDermott than ever. Don't think McDermott's coaching for his job next season. He's not.

--Fans are right to wonder why there's so much turnover in the Cyclone basketball program. Some fans suspect McDermott's style of play, others wonder if he's too hard on the players. I don't think it's any one thing, but a lot of little things: losing taking its toll, outside influences, players thinking they're NBA bound when they're not, athletes who've been coddled for so long looking for strokes every day, McDermott being tough with kids who can't take it, etc.

--I do believe McDermott needs to take a long, hard look at his approach, and see if there are any ways he can do a better job relating to present day, big conference, college basketball players. There's been far too much turnover to completely absolve McDermott of any responsibility. We can all improve.

--McDermott was smart to open up to the media. Todd Lickliter chose not to. I think that was kind of smart too. Different circumstances. Clearly, McDermott did not want to lose Johnson, while Lickliter shed no tears about Tony Freeman's exit; heck, he might have encouraged it.

--I think both Lickliter and McDermott want to bring their programs back the right way. No cheating, no empty promises, no sucking up to elite athletes. I think fans should show more patience because it's a lot harder to do it the right way.

--College basketball is a mess. Players committing in the 8th grade; Freshmen taking online classes for one year before going to the NBA; AAU coaches, agents and overzealous family members all seeing prospects as potential ATM machines; graduation rates that are a complete disgrace; players transferring even more in search of playing time and a pro career. The game lost its innocence a long time ago, and it's getting worse.

--Doesn't all this make you appreciate even more the season Drake had? Those elite three Seniors just graduated too. We need more of that.

Scattershot Thoughts

-I can't get that Subway jingle about "5... 5 dollar foot long" out of my mind. I wish I could.

-Shawn Johnson's favorite TV show is, So you think you can dance?. Have you seen this? I've never watched that or Dancing with the Stars. My sister, Barbara, plans her nights around Stars. Other than that, she's quite normal.

-One of my favorite stories in recent years is former Negro Leagues star Ernie "Schoolboy" Johnson of Des Moines talking to Raccoon Valley Little Leaguers, who wear the Negro League uniforms in tribute, about what it was really like in those days. Hard to fathom it wasn't that long ago. The story by Shawn Terrell is still in our video player on the whotv.com sports page, and I urge you to watch it, if you haven't already. It's living history. (Kudos to Raccoon Valley Little League for teaching more than just baseball.)

-O.J. Mayo allegedly took money? I'd be more shocked if he didn't. Most of these one and done guys make a mockery of the NCAA's insistence on referring to college basketball players as "student-athletes". Give me a break, and change the rule. It's hypocritical and foolish to force a year of college on "students" who don't want it.

-The hockey artists formerly known as Iowa Stars should have given fans more of a say in naming the team. This is the first real widespread passion I've seen for the AHL in Central Iowa. Start selling season tickets, give one nickname vote to each person who buys a seat.

-When Scrubs was on its A-game, it was brilliant, but that final episode was unwatchable. I know they were going for Moonlighting's famous Taming of the Shrew but it was more like drunk college fraternity room puts on a skit at 3 a.m. I hope ABC picks the show up just so it can finish in worthy fashion.

-Gotta love Daniel McLemore. He's the Barnstormer who dances his way through every game, not to mention SoundOff. The NFL would never let a guy enjoy himself like that.

-Speaking of the No Fun League, I think the Patriots got off easy. No one, and I mean no one, honestly believes Bill Belichick didn't realize he was cheating. I can't believe Belichick won't miss a single game for widespread, chronic CHEATING! $500,000 fine meant nothing. He got a huge new contract, and I'd guess that exact figure was added. I have no idea how much the Patriots benefited from spying, but it didn't hurt, and it definitely taints their legacy, especially Belichick's.

-Barbara Walters, I know you're selling a lot of books, but at what cost to your dignity and reputation?

-Todd Lickliter didn't do what we wanted, but it was smart to not comment on the Freeman mess. There is no immediate upside to this story, so why ignite it with more fuel? In a year, both sides may be happier. And forget Freeman going to Iowa State. That's a bad fit too.

-Congrats to Mary Pink at ISU. Mary heads up marketing for Cyclone athletics and her recent promotion is much deserved. Iowa State set several season ticket records on her watch. Plus, anyone who decides the music on game day, and has to put up with the complaints, deserves a bump. I'm okay with Sweet Caroline.

-All the panic over Arizona State dropping wrestling is warranted. It's a really bad sign for the future of NCAA wrestling. Before too long, it could be down to the Big Ten and half the Big 12.

-Like Bar-B-Que? Try Jethro's sports bar in the Drake neighborhood. Nice place, friendly people, and delicious food. Andy ordered seconds.

Keith

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Haunted by Hassel

"Haunted by Hassel", that could be the name of my new book. The latest unshakable experience happened as Chris Hassel played the part of "naked guy" in this week's What's Bugging Andy? If you haven't seen it, it's on the video player at whotv.com's sports page. Proceed with caution.

After SoundOff Sunday night, our friend and colleague, Jon Miller, wrote an email of appreciation for Andy's observations about gym etiquette. Jon also attached a column he wrote a few years ago on the clueless people who often frequent fitness facilities. I've included most of it here:

Today's Topic: The Towel Belongs Around Your Waist When You Are Naked

Being that I have only been in the men's locker room, I cannot say for sure if this is a gender specific phenomena, or if it pertains to just the men.

But here are a few observations and questions I have made through the years, with most of them being recent.

~ TOWEL OVER THE SHOULDER GUY

Why, when you need to be naked in the locker room, do you walk to the shower with the towel over your shoulder, flip flops on to avoid fungus, and let it all hang out? None of us wants to see that. This does not just pertain to men who are in excellent shape. Men of all shapes and sizes do this. Why? Cover up, bro.

~ NO TOWEL AT ALL GUY

Why don't you cover up when you walk from your locker to the sink area to grab some gel, put on some deodorant or other sink and mirror related issues? This is not your personal bathroom. That is fine at home, and the wife might actually like that from time to time, but the rest of us men really don't care for it. Or at least I don't think they do.

~ THE TOWEL DROP & NAKED IN THE HOT TUB

I enjoy a good soak in the hot tub after a workout. There are not many things that are as relaxing as that, though the sign says to not wade into a hot tub after a workout. (Why the hell have a hot tub in the men's locker room if you are not supposed to get in it after a workout?) If you are going to enter the hot tub, could you PLEASE have some sort of swim trunks on your person? The towel around the waist, two steps into the water and off comes the towel is more than a bit unnerving for this man. This isn't Vail and your wife is not in the room. Please, have something that forms some sort of barrier, just for the peace of mind of others.

Now, should you encounter this person, the proper etiquette is to not just stand up and leave immediately. You probably need to wait at least one minute before moving on to the shower, as a courtesy. I know it's hard, but it's the right thing to do. And if this person should strike up a conversation, one word answers will do just fine, in your deepest voice.

~ OPEN CURTAIN SHOWER DUDE

If your health club or YMCA has individual shower stalls like they do at Prairie Life, and they have curtains on the stalls, those curtains are there to be used. What is up with going in and showering, lathering up and doing the 360 rinse off for all to see with the curtain drawn? Shut the curtain, man! Shut the curtain! If you club has the high school group shower column thingy, then it's understandable and certainly acceptable.

~ THE CLOSE & NAKED TALKER

Is there anything more unnerving or frightening than when you are lacing up your shoes, getting ready to work out, and Towel Over the Shoulder Guy comes over to you and strikes up a conversation when you are sitting down? Why does one even have to address this as being wrong?

Listen, I am a social person, and I really do enjoy talking to complete strangers. Honestly. But I am probably not going to be too long winded when Johnson is at eye level and very much inside the Ring of Courtesy Space that I like to have when a naked dude is in the room.

Also, there is a widely known technique to put on one's underpants while at the same time sparing the rest of the room the moon shot…your towel is wrapped around your waist, you put on your undies, and then you drop the towel. It's not being shy about what you have, it's just a good practice to follow.

What can exacerbate the uneasiness when you encounter any one of these circumstances is when Spandau Ballet's 'True' comes on the radio, or Josh Groban starts to croon one of his toons on the piped in music.

It would be much better if they had on 'Arena Rock'in the men's locker room as opposed to some of the stuff I have heard.

I know that some of you might be thinking, 'Man Jon, what is your hang up here?'

To me, it's just about etiquette. Some friends and I have recently shared some of these stories, and we feel the same way.
I am not hating on anyone here, and if you happen to be one of the guys from any of the categories I have listed above (and I am sure there are others), I don't dislike you.

But if I tie my laces a bit faster, or if I slowly slide over in the spa, it's nothing personal. It's just me.

Jon Miller

Thanks, Jon. Next time send this in before SoundOff so we can steal some of your ideas.

What do you think? Are these observations fair? Or did Jon and Andy miss a few people that drive you a little crazy at the gym?

If you'd like, leave some thoughts in the feedback section. Who knows, maybe some of these folks will get a clue, and if nothing else, getting it off your chest can't hurt, as long as you're wearing a towel.

Keith

Iron Man should take over the world.

-Iron Man rocks. This is a terrific movie with surprising depth. Robert Downey Jr. is absolutely perfect in this story of redemption, and Downey's own trials and tribulations add layers and laughs. Gwyneth Paltrow brings intelligence and really high heels to what could have been a thankless role. Even if you don't love superhero movies, you might like Iron Man. It's that good. The grade is A.


-Staying with superheroes, I just saw My Super Ex-Girlfriend. Who is the target audience for this movie? The heroics are cartoon silly, while the sex for laughs is completely inappropriate for kids who might like the other stuff. Don't they spend millions on test-marketing and focus groups?


-Congrats to KGGO's Lou Sipolt for ending his dryspell at the races. Lou won in the, what else, 95 truck Friday night at the Fairgrounds. Does he look happy to you?














-I can't remember a coach asking his returning leading scorer "if he ever thought about tranferring", but if Tony Freeman was truthful with the Register, Todd Lickliter feels that strongly about players doing it his way. I don't think anyone looks too good or too bad in all this. I respect Lickliter for going with "team" over talent, but it's unfortunate Freeman can't finish his career where he started it. Seems like something could have been worked out, but Lickliter feels he already gave it a season and didn't get through.

-The Wonderdogs aren't done yet. Klayton Korver, Adam Emmenecker, and Leonard Houston back together again! They're out to make money and help schools raise money with the "Elite 3 Tour" (not exactly the modest name you'd expect from this trio, but maybe it was someone else's idea). They'll add Jason Bauer and Mike O'Neil and play Friday 7 p.m. at Des Moines Christian, Saturday 7 p.m. at Van Meter, and Sunday 6 p.m. at Southeast Polk. Tickets are $5 with the schools and trio splitting the proceeds. Go to the.elite.three@gmail.com if you're interested in booking the Bulldogs.

-The Kentucky Derby (in HD) had me jumping up and down, and then thoroughly bummed. No race should end in death. (See 2001 Daytona 500.)

-How much do you think Roger Clemens wishes he could jump into his DeLorean and travel back in time to 2006, and stay retired?

-Renaming the franchise formerly known as the Iowa Stars has set off a wildfire of e-mails and phone calls on SoundOff. We think we know several of the names being considered, and you can bet the management and ownership will check our online poll, so please vote.

I don't believe "Des Moines" has any chance, so count on "Iowa". With that in mind, I like "Iowa Chops". You've got your karate chop, your tomahawk chop, and of course, the world famous Iowa pork chop. It's unique, it's catchy, and I think you'd sell merchandise beyond our borders.

Andy likes "Corndogs", which is also uniquely Iowa. The others we think are under consideration include:

>Dukes (after John Wayne). Terrible.
>Strykers. Not bad, but doesn't really mean anything.
>Hammers. Okay, but again, not memorable.
>Dragoons. Suggested by the Register's Tom Witosky. Clever, with double meaning. The Dragoon Trail, as well as "Goons" for short. A name many fans will love, and a few will hate.
>Thunder. The early choice by the franchise, but not a done deal. I don't mind it. Andy hates it.
>Storm. Nearly the same as Thunder, and we have the Simpson Storm nearby.

-Congratulations to our Chris Hassel. He won a bunch of IBNA awards for his play-by-play work on the radio. (After much discussion, we're allowing this self-serving "congratulations" since we technically aren't patting him on the back for something he did here.)

-Speaking of radio, Andy and I subbed for Ken Miller and teamed up with Marty Tirrell Friday. We had fun, and mostly stayed out of trouble.

-Ending on a sad note, I'm sure by now you've heard and read how sweet and thoughtful the late Michelle Parker was. It's all true. All of us who knew her have a heavy heart this week, and send our condolences to all Michelle's friends and family, including her extended family at KCCI. We will miss her.

Keith

Scattershot thoughts.

-Andy and I had lunch at Boston's Wednesday. At a near table sat the coaching firm of Davis, Davis, & Davis. Keno, Chris, and Rodell are all headed to Providence soon, though Keno did tell us he'll be here next weekend for the Coaches vs. Cancer event at Prairie Meadows (a first class follow-through). The conversation we had was cordial, though slightly awkward---kind of like when you run into an old girlfriend or boyfriend at the mall. Not sure if Keno thought Andy was too hard on him on SoundOff, but I suspect Keno knows Andy was speaking from the heart (and the hurt).

-How much better off would Roger Clemens be if he'd just retired one of the first few times he said he would? The man's baseball reputation is ruined, and now his "family man" rep doesn't look too good either. I feel for his wife and kids.

-The Iowa Barnstormers know who they're entertaining, and how to entertain them. We had a blast at the most recent game, and I think the crowds will stay at or near the 10,000 mark. I won't be checking the standings, or playing af2 fantasy football, but for a night out, it's fun and affordable (if you don't drink too much). Can you guess the #1 complaint the Barnstormers had after their first home game? Drunk fans shouting profanity. That was not a problem in our section for game two.

-I've had the opportunity to talk with some of the folks now running the artists formerly known as the Iowa Stars, and I'm impressed. They have a mess to clean-up from the often clueless decisions of their predecessors, but the new affiliate, name, and logo give these nice folks a chance to learn from those mistakes, and do it right (see Barnstormers, I-Cubs, Bucs... in other words, know your customers). I wish them well. The Stormers had Wells Fargo rocking last weekend, so now we know it's possible. The Stars problem has always been atmosphere, not hockey.

-One of the good guys in Iowa sports history, Jeff Clement, is back in the show with Seattle. I hope he's up for good this time.

-Casey Blake shaved that Forrest Gump beard. Good move.

-Does anyone think the Rev. Wright controversy is going away now that Barack Obama has attacked some of the nonsense spewed by his former pastor? Me either.

-Josh Howard plays in the NBA and admits to smoking pot in the off-season? I'm shocked. Shocked!

-Larry Eustachy now admits he didn't really believe he was an alcoholic when he used that defense to save his job/settle for a lot of money. Many of us suspected that, but to Larry's surprise, he came to realize he actually was what he was pretending to be. Congratulations to Eustachy on five years of sobriety. I can't imagine we'll ever see Iowa State win back-to-back, outright Big 12 basketball titles again, so Cyclone fans should forever appreciate Eustachy's accomplishments, along with his embarrassments.

-I have one day off this week, and three Little League games on that day, but we're still heading straight from the ball fields to Ironman. The kids (and dad) can't wait.

-If you want to feel great about sports for a few minutes, check this out:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/04/30/vo.true.sportsmanship.cnn

-Cubs are back in first place. Sorry Andy. Get used to it.

Keith

All thoughts in one sentence.

-Iowa State and Iowa need to make the spring football "games" more fun for fans, or don't bother.

-Austen Arnaud will start at quarterback for Iowa State.

-Rotating quarterbacks is almost always a bad sign.

-Not sure Cyclone fans are ready for "I-State".

-Between injuries and departures, I have no idea what to expect from the Hawkeye football team.

-The Drake Relays is one of the best events you can attend, unless it's raining.

-The Duke of the Drake Relays is John Walters.

-Andy Fales still isn't over Keno leaving.

-How can you not love Lolo Jones?

-Add pole vaulting to the list of success stories at the Jordan Creek Town Center.

-No driver will cause a bigger stir at the Iowa Speedway this season than Danica Patrick.

-I'm surprised the Bucs hired a 66 year old head coach, but he's a former NHL All-Star with great scouting credentials.

-The Iowa Cubs will miss Jeff Lantz when he leaves for The Show.

-I hope David Cook wins American Idol.

-Leatherheads is better than it looks in the trailers.

-Nim's Island is great for kids, and okay for parents.

-16 Blocks is the most underrated thriller of the past year.

-"Hip to be Fit" is a good book/DVD for office workers with no time who are looking to stay in shape.

-Has anybody read Stephen King's Duma Key?

-Lenny Kravitz just put out one of his best with Love Revolution.

-Erin Kiernan just returned from vacation and she's tanner than John Bachman!

-I've been to 11 Little League games in the past week.

-I've eaten 11 hot dogs in the past week.

-Nice touch by Raccoon Valley Little League to have the AAA players wear Negro League uniforms.

-Shawn Terrell went to the Bon Jovi concert having never heard of Daughtry.

-Chris Hassel warns there's a junk shot in Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

-I really could stand to write a paragraph about now, and I'm sure you'd like to read one.

-I'm excited to see my first Barnstormers game in seven years Saturday night.

Keith

Interesting night of SoundOff Sunday. We knew the new head coach at Drake, and all anyone wanted to write or talk about was Keno leaving. Andy certainly added to the discussion with his heartfelt essay on why he feels disappointed in the national coach of the year. (If you missed it, it's on the video player at whotv.com)

My take on Keno's departure after just one season as head coach is this: I don't blame him, I understand it, and I'm still somewhat surprised (I suppose disappointed is a better word). I thought he would take a big raise and more security and stay at least one more season. I don't think he had to, I just thought he might. Keno knows Drake gave him an opportunity of a lifetime---first head coaching job---and he paid the University back with a championship season to remember. Some would say he already paid his debt in full.

Unlike some people, I have no animosity toward Keno. Any rational person understands all the reasons he took the job, including the reported seven million dollars. I can't imagine having that offer, let alone turning it down, but I'd like to think it's possible.

Davis also deserves praise for coming back to Des Moines and answering every tough question, and honoring nearly every media request. Sure, he may have been doing some minor damage control to his legacy, but more likely is Keno was being the good guy I've known him to be.

I wish him the best, and I'm confident he'll succeed at Providence.

The new guy is Michael--check that---Mark Phelps. He's Sandy Hatfield Clubb's #1 choice. This is her hire, and it will define her legacy. Clubb brought in two people, Phelps and Gary Close. It was Phelps all the way.

Clubb was smart to involve the players in the process. This is like when I talk to my kids all week about how great the Indiana Jones movies are, and then ask them Saturday night what they want to watch, and they say "Indiana Jones!". As the Guinness guys would say, "Brilliant!".

Great news Josh Young isn't going anywhere. He appears excited about Phelps. I don't know enough Phelps to predict the future, but I did talk to a few people who know him, and they couldn't say enough. Charismatic, great recruiter, energetic, good guy, tireless...etc. We'll see. He was impressive enough in his first interviews, and smart enough to say he loves the 3.

The one head-scratching thing in all this, to me, is that Drake never put a new contract with more money and more years in front of Keno long before Providence called. I know Davis says he was assured they'd get all that done, but why wait? It's harder to leave after the ink is still drying on a new deal. Who knows, may not have mattered one bit.

Let the Phelps Era begin. Welcome to Des Moines, Mark.

More to come on all things not related to Drake. (Tired yet?)

Keith

Keno is gone. What do you think?

What a whirlwind 24 hours. Keno Davis missed the celebration of Drake basketball at the State Capitol for a job interview at Providence. The next day, the Friars introduce him as their 14th head coach.

Yes, it's a lot more money, and yes, the Big East is a big step up from the Missouri Valley, but do you think Keno owed Drake more than one season? It was an amazing year, one no one saw coming, and he is the National Coach of the Year, but Drake gave him an opportunity despite no previous head coaching experience at any level.

It's a tough one. We have a poll on the whotv.com sports page and we'd like your feedback here on this blog too. A third way to sound off is to send an e-mail to soundoff@whotv.com We'll post some of your feedback on our newscasts.

(There's a somewhat new, somewhat outdated Murphy's Law from last night. It follows this one.)

Thanks.
Keith

-"Don't go, Keno"... Ed Wilson started that chant tonight after a source at Drake told us Keno Davis was in Providence Monday night. The Friars need a coach, and Fox.com says it's Keno's job if he wants it. Going to the Big East for a lot more money sounds like a slam dunk, but I think Keno feels a lot of loyalty toward Drake. This one could happen fast, one way or the other.

-The Masters lacked drama, star power, and a compelling story line (for those of us not in the Immelman family). Zzzzzzz.

-Tiger is so good, he seemed to miss every short putt, and he still finished second. I can't imagine him putting worse.

-Jim Nantz is a great broadcaster, but enough with the "sacred sod" and "hallowed ground" of Augusta. It's a beautiful course---especially in HD---but it's still just an exclusive country club, and one with a shameful past (no black golfer played the Masters until 1975; all caddies were black until 1982; no black member until 1990.)

-Tip of the cap to Zach Johnson for representing Iowa with such class all year. Zach's not a walking Mardi Gras, but he is a role model.

-I'm glad the Barnstormers are back. Again. It gives me a case of deja vu. How 'bout you.

-I'm glad the Barnstormers are back. Again. It gives me a case of deja vu. How 'bout you.

-Big crowd at the Stormers home debut. I think it's going to work. Local ownership makes a big difference. These guys know what fans want and expect. It's good entertainment at a reasonable price (as long as you stay away from the Wells Fargo Arena concession stand.)

-I'm not sure Jason Berryman deserves the rousing ovation he received, but give the guy credit for doing his time, and not taking the easy way out. He also patiently answers every question about his mistakes. He played well Monday night.

-Is Brett Favre still retired?

-Paging Al Gore. What the heck is going on with this weather? It's just been miserable for so long. I was at Raccoon Valley Little League Sunday and the wind chill felt about... one (to quote Del Griffith). I've prided myself on not being the climate-controlled parent watching from the car. I watched from the car.

-Chris Hassel claims to have lost the feeling in his toes at the Iowa City West vs. Valley soccer game last weekend. If I don't see a black foot like Mr. Deeds, I'm not buying it.

-The Iowa Stars could become the Iowa Thunder next season. I like the name, Andy hates it. It wouldn't be my first choice but it's so much better than "Stars", I'll take it. This topic drew more hockey calls than we've ever had on SoundOFF, so that's a start.

-I love Shawn Johnson's confidence at the Olympic Summit in Chicago. She thinks the USA will field the greatest gymnastics team ever, and expects the red, white, and blue to win the gold. Nothing wrong with raising expectations instead of lowering them (coaches, please take note).

-Smart move from the University of Iowa. Parade the national championship wrestling team in front of fans before the spring football scrimmage. Hawkeye fans need a reminder of excellence about now.

-Gene Chizik shoots straight, but man, he said a whole lot of nothing at Monday's news conference. Not his fault, he just didn't have much to report. Team's improving, positions still up for grabs...etc.

-I'll miss John Adams when its run ends on HBO this Sunday night. The President, as played by Paul Giamatti, is a fascinating combination of runaway ego and crippling insecurity---like an 18th century Richard Nixon. As Adams' wife, Laura Linney should practice her Emmy speech now. She's stunning.

-Watched Bridge to Terabithia today with my son. Liked it, but somehow didn't know about the shocking twist. Wow. What a downer.

Lucky You is a watchable mess. Somewhere a good movie was left on the cutting room floor.

-B.Ross is trying to get me to the Young Jeezy concert Friday night at the 7-Flags Events Center. I have a rule. I don't go if I've never heard of the artist.

-Welcome back, R.E.M. The new album rocks.

-I'm re-reading Everybody's All-American, by Frank DeFord, for the first time in decades. I forgot how uncomfortable some of the racist language makes me. I have no doubt it's an accurate reflection of the times (the South in the 1950s, see Augusta National above), but it's still hard to read. I always liked the move too, with Dennis Quaid and Jessica Lange. It's not perfect, but it's entertaining (and sad). I'm surprised more stories haven't been done about athletes struggling to cope when the cheering stops.

-Think about it, Keno. You've got it great here. Then again, can it get better? I think it can. It won't ever be as unexpected, but Davis could coach Drake to more conference titles, and there's still that NCAA tournament game win.

Keith

Milwaukee IV

Just returned from Milwaukee IV, my annual baseball and buddies trip with Mark Baden, Ryan Lund, and the ghost of Todd Bailey. If you're a guy (or gal) and you do something similar, you know how much fun a weekend like this is, and how necessary. Few things recharge the batteries like good times with old friends. These days, it takes me a little longer to recover, but it's still worth it.

Some random thoughts from the trip:

-The folks at the Des Moines Airport are nice and make an unpleasant experience about as tolerable as possible. Going through security, the nice guy behind me from Iowa Falls forgot he'd have to take his shoes off, so he was walking around barefoot on that carpet of foot fungus. Yuck.

-Nothing beats a direct flight these days, and with gas prices, it's not much more expensive to fly if you drive a guzzler like I do. I don't recommend the seat directly across from the blue urinal. I was stuck with it on Midwest and let's just say someone had a long flight. Well, two people if you count me.

-When in Milwaukee, I highly recommend touring the Sprecher Brewery, although it's a good idea to have a designated driver. $3 buys you a tour from a condescending guide who's trying out ill fated material for Night at the Improv, but it's all good when you hit the finish line with tickets for four micro brews. Full disclosure, we didn't finish the tour (but we did finish the beer).

-When in Wisconsin, don't order gumbo. (Maybe that's what happened to the passenger on Midwest.)

-The NBA doesn't compare to the college game. Oh sure, the players are more skilled, even when watching the Bucks, but they don't care as much, and neither do the fans. The cheerleaders do bring energy, if not clothes, but there's only so much $9 cocktails and $7 beers can overcome when watching multi-millionaires go through the motions.

-Go see U2Zoo if you get the chance. Cover bands scare me too, but this one was worth the $30 cab ride from the Indian-American driver who had a crush on Mark's WISN colleague, Shelby Croft. I digress. U2Zoo sounded great. Then again, we were at an Irish pub drinking Guinness. U2Zoo may have sounded like drunk leprechauns playing spoons and kazoos.

-If you're a guy, and you miss "guys weekend", expect a lot of obnoxious late night phone calls, even if you have an excused absence. (Todd, congratulations on the baby girl. Next year, try to think ahead.)

-Tailgating is not just for football. Those Wisconsin people know how to eat and drink. That's probably why they make us look thin. Anyway, Miller Park is a great place to park early, break out the grill, and chill. Unlike last year, it wasn't 15 degrees, which was nice.

-I hate baseball indoors, but I'm warming up to it in places like Milwaukee in early April. Good luck to the Twins not having a roof. That should be fun in April and October (if they're able to play in October again. I hope they are.)

-I could go on and on about the mindless things fans do at Major League games, but Andy and I cover much of this in "Pick a Side": Baseball Etiquette. If you missed it, it's in the whotv.com sports video player.

-If you're at Miller Park, do not run onto the field. We saw two guys get clotheslined by security and then beaten on the ground. Those guys walked off the field like a Cyclone quarterback in the mid-nineties (i.e. dazed and confused).

-How can the Milwaukee Brewers superstar be a vegetarian? We're talking land of sausage! Prince Fielder read his wife's copy of Skinny Bitch and decided he was done with meat. As I write this, he's still looking for his first home run (after hitting 50 last year). Coincidence?

-The Brewers have a good young team that's fun to watch. They're in dire need of another pennant. The outfield wall looks pretty bare, save for ads, and the one shining moment in 1982. I do love that old school logo. My friend, Ryan, says it's cheesy. Ryan's wrong again.

-The one thing that beats pregame tailgating? Post-game tailgating.

-You don't feel any older until you're winded by throwing a Frisbee. You also have to put up with the looks from people who wonder why in the world you're throwing a Frisbee.

-iPod improves a tailgate more than anything this side of the Dick Butkus Quick Cook Grill. (Actually, I can't vouch for the Butkus grill, but I once watched all 30 minutes of the infomercial when it ran on WOI. I think the remote was broken.)

-There's nothing worse at a crowded bar or restaurant than the stealth gas bomber. Sure you can get away with it, but man up and go outside, dude.

-There is no better investment when you've been drinking than a taxi.

-Pizza always tastes better when ordered after 11 p.m. I had one friend who looked like Hasselhoff eating a burger. Not pretty. (Okay, that was Ryan too.)

-What is it about $12 movies in a hotel room that makes you order them when you think $4 is a lot for a rental? (No, I'm not talking about porn. If there's one thing less appealing to me than watching porn alone in a hotel room, it's watching porn in a hotel room with two dudes.) Nevertheless, Superbad is really crude, and really funny.

Evan: McLovin? What kind of a stupid name is that, Fogell? What, are you trying to be an Irish R&B singer? Fogell: Naw, they let you pick any name you want when you get down there. Seth: And you landed on McLovin?... Fogell: Yeah. It was between that or Muhammed.

-I returned from the trip to find a "McLovin" T-shirt courtesy of Shawn Terrell (He mistakenly thinks my birthday is in April). Complete coincidence, but more appreciated than ever.

-I'm fortunate to have such good friends.

Back with sports soon.
Keith

Thank you for all the passion regarding SoundOff. The e-mails and blog feedback seemed to turn toward the show itself this week, no doubt thanks in large part to the "What's Bugging Andy?" on TV ratings. I don't think we've had so many people love a segment this much since Andy tore into the Doppler radar wars several years ago. We'll air some of the e-mails on SoundOff this week. The letters have been non-stop since Sunday night, and 99% positive.

I always appreciate and respect the way many of you have an idea of what the show should or should not be. Of course, we can't be all things to all people, and anything successful attracts haters, but we are pleased that more people are watching than ever, and positive feedback is at an all-time high. I think Andy's return is the main reason. Sometimes you don't fully appreciate someone until he or she's gone. I'd like to think the show evolving is another factor. As for the haters, one thing I've learned, to my amazement, is that they're the most devoted viewers of all. I never understand that, but we'll take it.

It seems like a good time to give background on some of the frequent questions about SoundOff.

We dropped "Sports" from the title many years ago. Sports topics still drive the program, but as longtime viewers know, we like to talk about many things outside the sports world too. I think this is a big reason our most frequent compliment comes from women (and occasionally men) who say some variation of, "I don't like sports, but I love SoundOff".

Inevitably, the flip side of that is the hardcore sports fan who wants us breaking down Drake's match-up zone defense, but that criticism is infrequent, and there are plenty of places to go these days for over-analysis of sports. When we started 11+ years ago, there really wasn't. How much insightful Final Four talk can we give this Sunday night that was somehow missed by six hours on CBS and another two hours on ESPN? Now if we had a local team in San Antonio, that's another story. We'd wear it out. First and foremost, local.

The seasons also dictate passion from you. During college football and college basketball, we talk more sports, and go after laughs and pop culture less. When local teams are done in those two seasons, emotional investment dwindles for many of you. You may love the Cubs, but it's a 162 game season. How worked up can you get over a Sunday loss to the Reds in April?

The most frequent complaint we hear is, hands down, some variation of, "I can't believe how stupid some of the callers are". Now this is a touchy one, because those callers are also our viewers and therefore our customers, but I also try to remember that the vast majority of people watching would never, ever call-in, and then do the show for them. We've also taken fewer calls lately, added other segments including frequent on-set interviews, and tried to do a better job of screening. Now that we're on 7-second delay, it's improved, but it's also meant too many people are watching on TV (7 seconds ago) and not listening on the phone, so they're not ready when we go to them. "Mike in Newton, you're on SoundOff. Mike? Hello, Mike." And yes, we ask them to be ready. We'll keep working at it because many of the calls are great, and occasionally even a bad call is highly entertaining for all the wrong reasons. We don't want to lose that interaction. It's also a nice way to show more game video.

We want you to have fun, learn a little here and there, and occasionally get you to think about something in a new or different way. Humor is subjective, so what's funny to my father is not always funny to my mother (another example: I love Will Ferrell movies. Andy thinks they're stupid). Learning depends on how much you know coming in, or how much you think you know, and "thinking" leads to your most passionate e-mails. If you agree, you're nice enough to let Andy or I know. If you don't agree, then you really let us have it. Perfect. The show, after all, is called SoundOff. (More background: The name came about back when I used to co-host the WHO radio Sound-Off with Mike Newell. We were under the same ownership and roof at the time---we're not any longer---and the TV & radio managers liked the synergy of the host and brand. In other words, WHO radio had a great name, and graciously agreed to let us steal it. Thank you. When you're #1 like WHO, you take it as a compliment, not a threat.)

If you have any other thoughts or questions, I welcome them, and I'll try to answer. Andy and I, as well as Heather, Shawn, Chris, B-Ross and the rest of the crew, love doing SoundOff, and appreciate how fortunate we are to work at a station that turns us loose every week. I'm proud that after all these years, and so many new sports shows on TV & radio that weren't here when we started, that our audience keeps growing. I don't know how long that will last, but we'll keep trying to entertain and inform you, and if we don't, you won't have to run us off. We'll pull the plug on ourselves.

Thank you for caring. Thank you for indulging me.
Keith

-Vivian Stringer was dropping F-bombs? I didn't see that, or hear it, but I have heard plenty of coaches turn court-side seats into an R rating. Larry Eustachy and Johnny Orr could both make Chris Rock blush.

How do you feel about profanity? I used to swear more than I do these days. I'll still do it for comic effect on occasion, which some would say is wrong. I'd say check out Steve Martin at the rental car counter in Planes, Trains & Automobiles or the wedding singer in Old School. Most other times I remember some advice a coach gave me once, "find a more intelligent way to communicate". That's often too much to ask, but avoiding George Carlin's seven words you can never say on TV, keeps me from accidentally saying one of them on TV, not to mention in front of the kids. Ask any parent, we all have stories of an overheard word our kid couldn't stop saying. Funny, until he blurts it out at daycare or church.

The silliest thing I say is "son of a biscuit". I picked that one up from Gary Thompson. Gary is so square, he never swears. He's everybody's all-American.

-For those of you who miss SoundOff, Shane's right, you can listen to the audio, or if you just want to see some of the video clips, including What's Bugging Andy, they're almost always online the next day in the video player on the whotv.com sports page.

-Kirk Ferentz had to do something. He did a good job of finally acknowledging the big, embarrassing elephant in the room: 14 or so arrested Hawkeyes in one year. Maybe a life coach will help, and it can't hurt.

-Are there fans anywhere coming off a three win season more optimistic than Cyclone fans? It's still too soon to schedule vacation time in late December anytime soon, but Iowa State's relatively strong finish does look promising.

-How did things work out for Tyler Smith?

-Before Celebrity Apprentice, the only thing I knew about Trace Adkins was that he sang Honky Tonk Badonkadonk. This guy is sharp. He doesn't say much, but when he does, it matters. I hope he wins. (Ratings tell me I just lost 80% of you.)

-Can't wait for the Iowa Speedway to open again. We had a blast out there last year.

-Welcome back Barnstormers. If you have kids who enjoy video games, chances are good they won't be bored.

-I'm going to my first Stars game of the season Friday night. I usually see a few, but haven't made it this year. I'm anxious to see if the atmosphere has improved. I know the hockey is good.
-Can't accuse the Iowa Energy of stocking the roster with unknowns. Haluska, Horner, Thomas, Stinson... we know these guys. It's just hard to become emotionally invested in the NBDL, but the franchise is doing all it can to make us care.

-32 degrees and snowing on March 27th?! I'm almost ready to start swearing more.

-If you read this before Friday night's at 10 p.m. newscast (3/28), and you have pride in the role wrestling plays in our state, don't miss Brad Argo's special report . It's terrific. (The story should also end up in the video player at whotv.com at some point.)

-Finally, if you get a chance, check out this week's Cityview. Andy brought it to my attention. Remember the time of year and enjoy: http://www.dmcityview.com/ The cover story is on the new pro basketball team, The Des Moines Dribblers.

-Hope to see you Sunday night. Andy and I will discuss what makes us Iowans.

Keith

Some scattershot thoughts:

-Classy move by Klayton Korver, showing up for SoundOFF, even after that heartbreak. He said the outpouring of support from viewers lifted his spirits. I'm sure Adam Emmenecker did too when he called into protest his spot-on look alike, fitness "celebrity" John Basedow. Emmenecker says Korver's the one who cares about his hair. Come to think of it, Klayton does have that High School Musical 'do.

-I don't think you have to worry about Keno going anywhere yet.

-Worst part about working this time of year? People stopping by the office to tell you in painstaking detail how their bracket's doing. I know I complain about this every year, but I can't help it. It's getting worse. Know this: no one cares about your bracket but you. Trust me. (Until you win. Then you can brag.)

-The NCAA women's tournament will be back in Des Moines soon. Iowa State and the city did a great job of hosting, and the crowds were among the largest in the nation (thanks to ISU playing). Now about that parking...

-I've never worked with a team having a big season that was more accommodating than Drake. Mike Mahon and company put on a clinic how to maximize coverage and positive feedback. Of course, it helped that Drake had a terrific group of student-athletes to show off.

-I reluctantly started reading The Kite Runner because Andy gave it to me for my birthday, and that's what friends do. You have to read the book, or watch the movie, or wear the tie --- but I owe Andy an extra "thank you". I was dragged out of my comfort zone (I don't read much on war-torn Afghanistan), and, to my surprise, the book is fantastic. I heard Jon Miller (I think it was Jon) say on the radio a few months back that the movie is good too. Thanks Andy (and Kahala).

-I'm into John Adams on HBO. I haven't read the book, which I understand is great, but I may after watching the mini-series. My trip to Washington D.C. has me feeling the history. I can't believe the guy from Sideways and The Negotiator can play a President, but Paul Giamatti is pulling it off.

-The Good Shepherd is a well made, cold movie. I suppose that's by design since Matt Damon plays a detached CIA agent, but it's not very entertaining.

-Did I mention the best part about watching the NCAA Tournament? HDTV.

-Congrats to Kyle Okposo for his first career NHL goal. Okposo and the Des Moines Bucs were the greatest show on ice two years ago. It was free donuts most every night.

-Iowa State played its heart out against Rutgers. Bill Fennelly told us on SoundOFF, his Cyclones would have to play a near perfect game, and get help from Rutgers, to win --- and it nearly happened. Well, nearly may be pushing it. They made a game of it though.

-If the state of Iowa seemed even classier over the weekend it's because Vivian Stringer returned. Don Imus messed with the wrong lady.

-Do you get the feeling the Hawkeye wrestling program is about to make another run of national championships? There's no doubt Tom Brands brought back the swagger. Iowa used to win most matches just by showing up. The Hawks aren't there yet, but they looked old school in St. Louis. Cael and company will have something to say about Iowa dominance, and I can't wait to watch.

-One final note. In the month of February, more people watched SoundOFF than ever before. This kind of growth doesn't usually happen in year 11, and trite as it sounds, we couldn't do it without you. I know most of you who read this support the show, and I sincerely appreciate it.

Though it's nice to be #1 again, that's not why we do the show, and it's not our goal. We want to have fun, entertain, and once in a while, make you think. As long as we're doing that, we'll still feel successful even if we finish behind an infomercial for Gold Bond powder and all its magical, soothing powers. Scratch that---bad choice of words---check that, we probably do need to beat infomercials to stay on the air.

I'd be remiss if I didn't note that I'm well aware the SoundOFF surge in viewers is due, in large part, to the triumphant return of one, Andy Fales. A lot of people didn't fully appreciate Andy's talents until he was gone, and now he's back, a second chance for both sides. (The improbable Drake story didn't hurt either.) Thank you all.

-Oh yeah, speaking of thank yous. I owe several to the people I work with in this sports office. My good friend Ryan and his wife, Heather, gave Jenny and me front row seats to see Bruce Springsteen in Minneapolis. We received the present back in November after Ryan heard Bruce was coming March 16th, Selection Sunday.

Ryan correctly predicted that there was no way I'd have to worry about Iowa, Iowa State or UNI going to the NCAA tournament, so plans were put in place. He never considered Drake. Why would he. So long story short (too late!), I decided I need to stay and work. Andy, Shawn, Chris, and Heather came to me and said I needed to go see Springsteen, and they'd make sure everything was covered. Shawn and Heather volunteered to come in on their days off. Jenny and I had a one of our best times ever. Bruce and the E-Street band rocked, and our coverage back here never missed a beat. Thank you.
(And a thank you to my mom for watching the kids. That one probably should have come first.)

Keith

This is why live sports are the ultimate reality show.

In just over two hours, the Drake Bulldogs first NCAA Tournament game in 37 years provided jumping-up-and-down highs, and punch-in-the-gut lows.

It was one of those shared experiences for many of us that we'll never forget. Central Iowans ignoring their work, huddled around televisions, and yelling at the screen. Nobody objected.

When Drake showed so much heart, and worked its way back from a 16 point deficit, it seemed like another incredible chapter in a storybook season. When the Dogs finally pulled ahead, you could hear people yelling and clapping --- and many of those people didn't really even follow Drake before this season. This team, these guys, made us care. The way they played, and even more importantly, the way they handled themselves when they weren't playing.

The end was cruel for Drake, just as it was exhilarating for Western Kentucky. The Hilltopper coach called the NCAA Tournament the greatest show on earth, and he might be right, even when it feels like a punch in the gut.

I was proud of the way Drake kept fighting, the way the Bulldogs handled defeat with class, and perhaps most of all, the way they represented Iowa.

Once in a while a team comes along that reminds you why you love sports. This was such a team. Even in defeat.

Anyone hear if Wartburg won the national wrestling championship?

Seriously, did you catch this blog's feedback section turning into a debate on what schools, sports, and athletes deserve more media attention? I appreciate the passion, both from the defenders and attackers.

This spirited discussion has no right or wrong answer, so I won't pretend I know exactly what we should and shouldn't report. However, like you, I do have opinions. My views are shaped by both research and observation.

Here's the cold reality: no matter what we cover, someone gets left out, and they're not happy. There is absolutely no way to please everyone.

The challenge with most all college sports in our state beyond D1 (FBS) football and men's basketball is that you are dealing with niches of strong support. For anyone to suggest that our news or SoundOFF audience is as interested in Wartburg wrestling as they are Drake's amazing basketball season is ludicrous. Setting aside the fact Wartburg's not even in our viewing area, and Drake is, it's not even remotely debatable. Make no mistake, you can find a Wartburg wrestling fan who cares about the Knights as much as any one fan cares about the Bulldogs, but when it comes to mainstream interest, it's a no-doubter.

There are people all over the metro area, and beyond, talking Drake hoops right now. Thousands of them are folks who don't typically follow sports. I know because I hear from them all the time. This team's once-in-a-lifetime season excited people in ways that take the story beyond sports fans.

Remember a few years ago when Northern Iowa played in the national championship football game? I thought that was a huge deal, and it no doubt was to Panther fans, but most other people just had a passing interest, another source of Iowa-based pride. I'll never forget being in a packed bar/restaurant the night of the title game. There were a couple hundred fans on hand, and only about six of us paying close attention to the game. What do you think that bar would be like if Iowa or Iowa State played for the national championship in football? This state would revolve around that game the entire week. The same will happen the next time Drake, Iowa, or Iowa State play in a Final Four. There would also be a lot of interest and pride in our viewing area---Central Iowa---if UNI made the NCAA basketball semifinals, but it would not be like the other three. That's not disrespecting UNI, it's the reality of where we live and where the most passion lies.

Women's basketball is another tough call. This week, I heard from a really angry fan of Amy Stephens' Bulldogs. This viewer was offended at our lack of coverage for the ladies in comparison to the men. I can't tell her she's wrong to feel the way she does, because she's entitled to her opinion, but the reality is a much smaller percentage of people get really worked up and passionate about the women's teams. Iowa and Iowa State just made the NCAA Tournament. How do you think the buzz compares to what it would be like if the men were in?

It's not easy, and no one has the right to say your sport doesn't matter, because it does. It's just a question of widespread interest.

Forget the argument, "well, if the media covered it more, more people would care." Yeah, maybe a few more here and there, but I know from personal experience, we could do nightly stories on Simpson's excellent women's basketball team, or Grand View's baseball team, or Valley's swimming team, and you're still not going to convert people to passion. They either have that or they don't. We're in the business of trying to inform and entertain as many of our viewers at once as possible.

Once in a great while, a story comes along that's so compelling, people who didn't have passion before, suddenly care. Recent examples: Zach Johnson, Shawn Johnson, and the Drake Bulldogs.

I ran track for four years in high school. We were never on a local sportscast. Andy Fales swam in high school---same deal. (I do remember how exciting it was when the local TV stations came to our football or basketball games.) I went to college at a division II school, we were overlooked compared to the big boys. It's not going to change, and it's not the media's fault.

Another argument I often hear is that "these girls (or boys) work every bit as hard as those basketball players you keep showing". True. They do. Members of the marching band, debate team, and student council work hard too. Should we show highlights? With unlimited time and resources, we would. Why not.

The most difficult conversations I have are with proud parents of athletes in sports that receive next to no media coverage. There's no good answer because their kids are no less important than those who play football, but the interest of others is different. I love to run, but I don't generally want to watch others run. (There are exceptions.)

I wish we could be all things to all people. You'd be happier, you'd like me more, and more people would watch our television station. However, we have to make choices every day. Sometimes those choices are dictated by what else is going on. The Barnstormers have a scrimmage Saturday. On some Saturdays we'd be there. This Saturday, there's no chance.

We'll keep doing the best we know how, and the "how" keeps evolving. We're all still learning.

Thank you for your time and thoughts.

What do you say we move this in another direction next time?

Heard anything on Drake lately?


Yes, we're covering the Bulldogs a lot, and they deserve it.


Not to go too far overboard, but the Dogs delivered the kind of story that made many of us---certainly me---fall in love with sports in the first place. Like you, I've had it up to here with juiced up baseball players, arrested Hawkeyes, and the sex scandals of high school coaches.


Here come the Bulldogs to remind us of the good stuff. Stuff like teamwork, chemistry, unselfishness, joy, camaraderie, discipline, hustle, humility, and academics. These guys are true student-athletes, not NBA majors.


I can't tell you how many people have called, written, or stopped me to say how refreshing they find these Drake Bulldogs. "Refreshing" is the word used most often, and I agree. "Contagious" probably places second.


I strive for objectivity at all times, but as I've said before, no one is completely objective. However, a reputable journalist should always offer full disclosure. To that end, I find it hard not to get caught up in what these Dogs are doing, and the way they're doing it. If they slip, we'll report that too, but I doubt they realize how much they've raised the spirits of many Iowans during this otherwise dreary winter.


I realize a few people want to put a turd in the punchbowl. Life offers some unhappy people who want to pull others down, but I think the vast majority of Iowans know they're seeing a once-in-a-decade story, maybe once-in-a-lifetime; others may genuinely not like Drake. I never forget that my grandmother went to see ET and hated it. She thought it was a stupid movie and didn't really care if ET lived or died. My best friend and I went on a double date in high school to see Kramer vs. Kramer and his girlfriend rooted for Meryl Streep. Andy Fales roots for the bull in a bullfight, which is more understandable than not backing Dustin Hoffman. You just never know what others see.


A few buzzkills who read this blog scoffed at me, and many of you, a few weeks ago for suggesting Keno Davis as front runner for national coach of the year. This just in: The Sporting News named Keno Davis National Coach of the Year.

One of my favorite SoundOFF moments happened this past week when Adam Emmenecker and Klayton Korver got off the bus after winning the MVC Championship and came straight to the studio with their trophies and net. They could have slept, partied, watched ESPN, or knowing Adam, studied, but they wanted to share their high with the rest of us, and they were giddy. Again, it reminded me why I love sports.

A shout out to Andy and Shawn Terrell for doing such a good job in St. Louis all weekend, and Chris Hassel for anchoring our coverage here so I could go with my family to Washington, DC. I had the opportunity to tour the White House and Capitol, along with the other monuments and it was a patriotic thrill. Big thanks to Congressman Boswell and his staff for all their hospitality.

A few days in our nation's capital serves as a stark reminder how much terrorists changed the world on 9/11. Flying makes you feel like a suspect, and though you understand it, even appreciate it, it is inconvenient and frustrating. You can't get near anything in DC without going through a metal detector, and you wouldn't want to.

I did miss my new TV while I was gone. I'm like a kid with his new all-time favorite toy. HDTV makes me want to see everything in high def. I'm re-watching movies, following games I usually ignore, and feeling let down when something is not in HD. It really is awesome. I can't believe I'm about to type this, but I could even see myself staying home to watch a game on TV when I could be there in person. Yikes.

It really is Hilton South for the Cyclone women in Kansas City. Did you realize no Big 12 team has won more tourney games there than ISU? The Clones are 14-5, and I think after that blasting of the Buffs, I-State is in the NCAA tournament, which would be great news for the Des Moines economy and next week's NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena.

I doubt Lisa Bluder was ever really on the "hot seat" in Iowa City, but to start the season with that bad buzz, and end it as "Big Ten Coach of the Year" is quite a turnaround. Congrats Lisa. Bluder coached the Hawks to a share of the Big Ten title, but next to no one noticed---or at least they didn't bother to show. The U of I needs to figure out why more fans don't follow the women's basketball program. Go spy on Iowa State for ideas.

Bill Fennelly's doing his best job of coaching at Iowa State, and that's saying something. Des Moines needs the hobbled Cyclones in the NCAA tourney and Bill is coaching his head off to make it happen. Iowa State and Iowa at Wells Fargo Arena sounds good. Maybe the Iowa fans on this side of the state would support the women.

I called Klayton Korver, "Kyle", on SoundOFF. That's about the 17th time that's happened in the past five years. Sorry Klayton. Once was more than enough. The First Family of Iowa basketball deserves better.

Is there a better story in college basketball than Adam Emmenecker? Former walk-on with no division one scholarship offers takes on four majors and two minors while leading one of the nation's losingest basketball programs to a 25-4 record. As I watched Drake honor Adam on Senior Day, I felt proud. I imagine his mom and dad couldn't contain themselves.

Good story from the Register's Andrew Logue on Leonard Houston and the reason his dad couldn't make it to Senior Day: prison. Houston overcame a lot.

Shawn Johnson will win the all-around gold in Beijing. I'm more sure of that than ever after she finished second at the American Cup. Shawn tried new, harder routines and she didn't get all depressed after stumbling. I'm sure she's disappointed, but she still had fun. Shawn will stick it when it matters most.

My youngest son, Colin, celebrated his 4th birthday at a Bucs game at 95KGGO Arena. He loves that place. One of the nicest guys in sports, Brad Chiafos, took us on a tour of the locker room between periods. Uh, thanks Brad... I guess. The smell defies description. Andy tried with "Bigfoot's butt crack", but that doesn't quite capture the full stink.

I honestly don't know how I lived without high def television. All of you are right, the difference is staggering, and watching basketball---or any sport---is best of all. I love it. Can't wait for baseball.

Here's a paraphrased example of a phone call from a viewer we can count on at girls (and boys) state tourney time: "I just watched your so-called newscast, and I noticed you don't think Iowa City is in the state of Iowa. You sure found time for Waukee, Dowling, and Roosevelt, but not time for every team. And you call yourself a complete broadcast... (click)" (Teams subject to change from year-to-year, but you get the idea.)

These calls, understandably, ring in because people who have relocated to Central Iowa want to see the old Alma mater or hometown. Unfortunately, on days when a lot is going on (take Wednesday for example: Girls State, Kansas at ISU, Iowa at Penn State, ISU women at Missouri, Indiana State at UNI, Bucs sold, IRL merger, boys basketball substates...), we have to make choices, and towns or schools in the channel 13 viewing area come first. Nobody watches us in Iowa City, unless they have a really BIG antenna (or they're on whotv.com).

Having said that, I'm often amazed how far our signal goes. I'm always happy to hear, and sometimes surprised, who's able to watch. I appreciate the feedback too because we need to know. We're trying to do the best we can. I've added scores or highlights in future sportscasts many times because I learned we're on in a place I wouldn't have guessed.

I wish I could say we'll cover Ft. Dodge as much as Des Moines, but the reality is proximity matters when it comes to coverage logistics. I'm sorry we can't be everywhere. It would make my inbox and voice mail a much more pleasant experience this time of year. I only ignore the people with no manners...

Big props to Shawn Terrell. Tuesday night he and Andy Fales covered the Drake game at Missouri State. Shawn drove back half the night, woke up Wednesday morning, reported live from Girls State at 5 & 6, then zipped up to Ames where he reported on Iowa State's loss to Kansas. He even found time to feed Jayhawk interviews to the NBC in Kansas City. Shawn, take a bow. And a nap.

I'm finally going Hi-Def. I think I was one of the final holdouts in the newsroom, but I decided I want to see the glorious grass of baseball fields in HDTV. I'm told it doesn't disappoint. I don't want to start a cable vs. dish war, but we stuck with Mediacom, and so far, I love it. The digital recorder improves on TiVo, the signal, compared to basic cable, is sharper even on non-HD channels, and with Mediacom phone and Internet, I was surprised at the bundled up price. Less than I expected (though I still need the Big Ten Network, and wish I had NFL Sunday Ticket.). I already have that, "why didn't I do this years ago" feeling. Then I remember the answer: cost of the 4o" Sony HDTV I wanted. Two years ago, it was $2500+. Last week I found it for $1300 locally, and $999 online with no tax or shipping. The picture is glorious. Can't wait to see the Cubs blow it in high definition.



Spiderwick Chronicles at the Science Center of Iowa's Imax screen is awesome. The kids will love it, parents will like it, and you'll make up for the additional box office charge at the concession stand. SCI's prices are reasonable, especially when compared to the ridiculous $4 Coke and $7 bag of popcorn at the chains.


Even with the win over Butler, Drake looks vulnerable. Adam Emmenecker is everything you want in a student-athlete, and deserving of all the praise, but his one flaw, the inability to shoot the 3, has defenses starting to sag off him. We'll see if it matters in St. Louis and beyond.

Do you think we've over-covered Drake? Under-covered? Just right? Vote at whotv.com on the sports page.

Have a great weekend! I can't wait to see Semi-Pro. Andy makes fun of me, but what can I say, Will Ferrell makes me laugh.