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.

Scattershot thoughts from June 29th

• Parkersburg has provided us with endless examples of how this town represents the best of us, but none better than the support of the Becker family.
• I've thought this before, but now it really hits home. Tiny Aplington-Parkersburg has four players in the NFL. That's unbelievable. Thomas must have been some coach. Word is, he was an even better man.
• I still can't believe the 24/7 coverage of Michael Jackson's death on CNN, Fox, MSNBC and other networks---days later. I guess it's the perfect storm of worldwide famous entertainer with a stunning body of work and long history of creepy weirdness dying before his time under mysterious circumstances.
• Back before all the plastic surgery, molestation accusations, and prescription drug addiction, I saw MJ in concert. It was the best live performance I've ever seen.
• Farrah Fawcett got a raw deal even after the end. She went from headline to footnote. I had her iconic poster on my wall way back when. It seemed racy at the time. Tame now.
• I found myself following USA soccer this week, and like many bandwagon jumpers, I actually thought we might be having the long promised breakthrough moment with the win over Brazil. No way to lose a 2-0 lead in soccer! Never mind.
• Albert Pujols is not human.
• Manny Ramirez is.
• Could anything upset Cubs fans more than Mark DeRosa going to the Cardinals?!
• The Cubs don't have what it takes to win a championship. They may not even have what it takes to win a mediocre division. Too many headcases, too few leaders.
• A reminder, it's WimbleDon, not WimbleTon.
• Chris Evert is right: too much grunting in the women's game. On "Murph & Andy", we played a clip of Williams vs Sharapova. One listener said he thought he was listening to Cinemax.
• I really thought Shawn Johnson would return for her Senior year at Valley. I think there's next to no chance we see her competing in London.
• I hope all Lolo's bad luck and misfortune is used up long before London. That woman deserves gold.
• The girls "sport" with the most disabling injuries---by far---is cheerleading.
• Josh Hamilton is a guy I'd pay to see, especially batting practice. It will be a bargain if Hamilton swings at Principal Park to start the fireworks early.
• I'm proud of Chris Hassel for completing his Hy-Vee Duathlon.
• I love vacation with extended family and friends. It's fun, but not exactly relaxing. The only reason I enjoy seeing a vacation end is so I can catch up on my rest.
• Disney World in June has a lot of happy faces---and they're all 8 and under. The parents look miserable.
• Another NASCAR Sprint Cup race decided by fuel conservation strategy. It's like having a lead in the 6th inning and hoping for rain.
• Shawn Terrell will watch the Coke Zero 400 just to show support for the sponsor.
• Henrick Motorsports moved into our Daytona rental as we moved out. They jokingly complained about us leaving them "crappy beer". It was Bud Light Lime.
• Kids say Transformers 2 is better than the first. Adults say it's too long and too loud. I haven't seen it. I did see "Pelham 123" with my dad. Pleasant surprised. We liked it.
• I hope Ricky Rubio somehow plays for the T-Wolves. We need a reason to remember Minnesota has an NBA team.

Scattershot Thoughts from June 18th

Even the Vikings owner knows Brett Favre's calling the shots... The AHL business model in Des Moines was destined to fail from the jump... I love the U.S. Open at Bethpage... As I was sitting in my favorite recliner, my wife called to inform me she had just sold something on Craig's List: MY FAVORITE RECLINER!.. A guy who corked his bat also corked his body? Say it aint So(sa)... Signing Pedro Martinez would fix all the Cubs hitting problems... Shawn Johnson laughed at the Onion... Jose Canseco went from looking like a cartoon to actual being one, but the whisteblower still did more for the game than most, no matter his motives... Jamie Pollard is doing a good job in the areas his boss cares about most. That's the reason for the vote of confidence... Has anybody checked on the Barnstormers this week? When you see someone choking like that, you should always make sure they're okay... I'm not a fan of watching someone win a race because some other driver mismanaged his fuel. I want to see speed, not conservation... Good for Kyle Orton... High School umpire Don Briggs was smart to let the story of him ejecting an entire crowd die down, but most people just wanted to pat him on the back... The movie "Major League" is 20 years old? How is that possible? "Up your butt Jobu"... I watched three movies on DVD this week. "Run Fatboy Run" was better than expected, "Righteous Kill" worse than expected, and "U571" just as expected. Gripping... Coldplay at Wells Fargo Arena was one of my three favorite shows of all time. Great seats, good friends, and a band working hard to make it a memorable night... NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspends Donte Stallworth indefinitely. Good. Taking a man's life, while driving drunk, should cost more than 30 days... Kirk Ferentz sent the wrong message to his team, the media, and Iowa fans when he reacted defensively and sarcastically to questions about his son's arrests and suspension. He's just sick of it... Paul Rhoads, a first time head coach, will make more than five million dollars over the next five years, and he's the lowest paid coach in the Big 12? When did the train jump the tracks... I'm going on vacation. It won't be to the Boundary Waters... For anyone interested, I'll update the family circus on Twitter (keithmurphy13). I promised Andy I would no longer take a laptop or get emails on Blackberry. I'm trying... Finally, good luck to Chris Hassel in the Hy-Vee Triathlon. And by that, I mean good luck to anyone running or biking anywhere near Chris. His wife, Kristin, will do the swimming. She's normal...

Scattershot Thoughts, June 12th

Tim Floyd is likely the sacrificial lamb for all the scandalous accusations lobbed at USC's athletic department. As one writer put it, Floyd was the 13th most important coach at USC---behind Pete Carroll and his 11 football assistants... Floyd always knew the coach with the best players usually wins, and he was willing to do just about anything to get those top recruits, but I'm still stunned he's yet to speak up and say he didn't pay cash for O.J. Mayo... Floyd always had a wandering eye. If it weren't the Bulls, it would have been someone else. For every job he's taken, he's quietly pursued two others... None of that changes Floyd's significant contributions to Iowa State basketball for a short time. It was a great run... Worst thing Tim did was allow his players and assistants to get the news from the media that he'd resigned... The Pens and Red Wings deserve a big audience for game 7. At least more viewers than "I'm a Celebrity. Get Me Out of Here"... I'm watching the NBA Finals, and it's felt less interesting than several earlier series' this post-season, though that makes no sense with two OT games... Kobe's easy to appreciate, hard to love... The last thing NASCAR needed for its constant battle with redneck stereotyping is a driver reportedly testing positive for Meth... Raul Ibanez came to his own strong defense. I don't think we've seen anyone firmly deny steroid use like that since Rafael Palmeiro or A-Rod. Bad examples. Actually, I believe him... How fast did the Royals go from 18-11 to 24-33?... The Brett Favre soap opera is like a bad movie. I should turn the channel, but I can't... Speaking of bad movies that suck you in, Road House tops my list followed by Tango & Cash and Saving Silverman... Letterman already beating Conan. That didn't take long... Megan Fox has hammer thumbs. Why do we find a supposed flaw on one of the hottest women in the world? Must make us feel better about our messed up selves... The Venezuelan government has banned Coke Zero. Shawn Terrell better stay out of that country... Movie you watched with your parents you wished you hadn't? For me, it's Something About Mary and Crank... Kyle Busch looked like a complete doofus smashing that guitar after winning in Nashville... The Hangover is hilarious, though we don't need any more R-rated comedies with frontal male nudity played for laughs... It's not good for the Cubs when Bob Brenly is urging any Little Leaguers watching to turn off the TV... Phil Mickelson never looked more human than he did when talking about the love and admiration he has for his wife, who has breast cancer... Britney Spears is coming to Des Moines? Thank goodness it's Iowa-Iowa State football week or my wife would have me at Wells Fargo Arena... Did anyone watch the Major League Baseball draft?... Not much beats a summer deck party with good friends... The last thing Rick Stanzi needs is comparisons to a young Tom Brady... I'm sorry to see Little League season winding down, but it will be nice to have time for something else on weekends...

Scattershot Thoughts for June 6th

Since Chris Hassel was willing to openly talk about how much "The Notebook" makes him cry, I'll say how amped I am to see Coldplay in Des Moines Friday night... Growing up, the two movies that always made me cry were "Brian's Song" and "The Champ". As an adult, it's "Field of Dreams" and "Saving Private Ryan"... George Karl says Jesus couldn't defend Kobe. That's silly. Jesus could turn Kobe to stone... The NBA Finals ended after one game. It's over... Any Bronco fans who defends Brandon Marshall has his or her head buried in the sand... I think Randy Johnson will be the last 300-game winner I see in my lifetime, and I'm hoping I live for a while... Whenever I get a news bulletin from the Des Moines Register, I worry Principal has had to lay off more people... How about Tiger's chip-in at the Skins with Jack? Awesome... Former I-Cub Randy Wells has pitched well enough to win several times. Welcome to the Cubs, Randy... Kate Hudson & A-Rod? At least Kate doesn't artificially enhance... All you need to know about some college football fans losing all perspective is that Tennessee's quarterback reportedly received death threats... I thought the Royals would matter this season. They do when Greinke's pitching... The #1 auction item request from the Old Yankee Stadium? Urinals... The Phoenix Mercury wearing an ad for Lifelock is the tipping point for a trend we'll see a lot more of. Heck, when you get right down to it, we already see it in college football with Nike... Nice 2 for 1 coaching deal at Iowa State with Chris Bono joining his friend Kevin Jackson in the wrestling room... Sammy Sosa says he'll wait patiently for the Hall of Fame. That's good Sammy, because that wait will end as soon as the Hall opens a wing for strongly suspected steroid cheats... Tony Larussa sues Twitter. I read about that on Twitter (keithmurphy13).... I'm watching "I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here" to see if Spencer Pratt is as big a D-bag as Hassel says he is. He is. Or he's a genius... Koko Taylor, Queen of the Blues, died. I saw her at Peoples in Ames 15 years ago. She was great... There's definitely a double standard for drug cheats in the NFL. It hardly came up when Rodney Harrison retired from the Patriots and joined the NBC Sunday Night Football team... Eric Peterson reports Cael Sanderson tries not to go out when he's in Ames because of some knucklehead hate from wrong-headed Cyclone fans. Cael delivered 4 national championships, a gold medal, and some class. Be disappointed, but wish him well... Apparently Charles Barkley can say whatever he wants.... LeBron was fined and did apologize. I guess that ends the discussion about whether he was wrong... It's too early to put your Chops gear on e-bay, but it doesn't look good. Worst case scenario is a lower league putting a team in WFA. Yuck... Soccer will never pull crowds in America as long as 0-0 games are common (and they are)... Will Ferrell scored all kinds of cool points for me on "Man vs Wild" in the Arctic Circle. He didn't just do a cameo. He got into it. "Land of the Lost" still looks awful though... I missed Andy on KXnO this week but really had a good time with Chris, Shawn Terrell, and Bryce Miller. Thanks guys...

Remember Chuck Harmison?

Harmison led Ames to an undefeated basketball season 33 years before Harrison Barnes did. Harmison later went on to play for Iowa State and then bounced around pro basketball like Paul Shirley, only before Shirley.

Anyway, for those who remember Harmison, or know him as the CEO now, a journalism teacher in Kansas made a documentary. If you have any interest, contact: Michael Swan at Rubi Slipper Productions, 1403 Park Ave. El Dorado, KS 67042
Cell: 316-323-9049

The documentary will likely not hold the interest of anyone who's not familiar with Chuck, but for those who are, it's a 30 minute trip to a time that seems even longer ago when watching video.

-Keith

(scattershot thoughts below)

Scattershot Thoughts from June 1

LeBron James showed bad sportsmanship. Period... The Principal Charity Classic is fun, well run, and hopefully not done... The last remaining survivor of the Titanic just died, and she never saw the Cubs win a World Series in her lifetime... In a long series featuring the NBA's no doubt, best two teams, the Lakers win... Did I really hear Charles Barkley call Kenny Smith "Numb Nuts" live on TNT?... The Stanley Cup is decided... The NHL playoffs are awesome, but they don't deliver enough viewers to keep from being bumped off NBC by "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here"... Roger Federer will win the French Open and stake a claim to greatest ever... NASCAR has done everything but give Dale Jr a head-start. He's just not that great a driver... "Twilight" won best picture at the MTV Movie Awards. Did kids actually watch the movie?... Shawn Johnson was there. Shawn Johnson is everywhere... Do you think Bruno teabagging Eminem was real or staged?... Can't wait to see what Conan does with the "Tonight Show", but I still miss Carson... Whatever happened to Arsenio?... Iowa-Iowa State kickoff time of 11 a.m. is too early... My schoolboy crush was Brooke Shields. Ah, "Blue Lagoon"... Matt and Miller are good together... Deace and Miller are good together... Nachos and Miller are good together... I'm taking the kids as an excuse, but I can't wait to see "Up"... "The Hangover" looks like the funniest movie since "Role Models"... Worst MLB uniform ever? Gotta be the '76 White Sox in shorts and pointed collars... I'm tired of rain...

Snookie's, Beam Me Up, Johnny Orr Floor,

• Maybe it was all the crappy weather over the weekend, but gosh the sunshine feels good.


• Is there anything better than Snookie's ice cream (an Iowa Icon) on a hot day?


• I can't wait to see my first I-Cubs game of the year Friday and my first Barnstormers game Saturday. I also need to get to the new Kauffman Stadium in KC. Andy gives it rave reviews, even after buying 2 sandwiches, 2 fries, and 2 beers for $45.


• The Iowa Speedway just does it right. We had a great time there this past weekend, even though it felt like January at Lambeau Field.


• Johnston High's Brett Moffitt doesn't look old enough to have his license, but the dude can drive.


• If you ever wondered how much better some older guys can play golf than you, check out the Principal Charity Classic. Not only will the Champions Tour golfers leave you in awe with their skills, it's a really well run, first class tournament.


• The new Star Trek is fantastic. I don't even like Star Trek, and this movie delivered. The chemistry, spark, and tension between young Spock and young Kirk makes the movie. It's obvious director J.J. Abrams grew up on Star Wars and not Star Trek. People applauded at the end in the theater where I saw it (Cobblestone).


• I"m happy my young friend, Shawn Johnson, won Dancing With The Stars. Shawn looked so excited, and she told me a long time ago it was her dream to be on the show. I never missed watching Shawn dancie, but I couldn't get into the rest of the show at all. Not so my mother. She watched each week with two cell phones and the house phone so she could vote more times for Shawn---not making that up. Mom called me in tears when Shawn won.


• The 30 Rock finale was genius.


• Mark Cuban needs to remember apologies should be delivered face-to-face whenever possible, not on blogs.


• NBA finals will be just what the Commish wants: Lakers vs. Cavaliers.


• Iowa State should honor Johnny Orr with "Johnny Orr Floor" or "Johnny Orr Court" or at least a street out front of Hilton Coliseum. Andy's Iowa Icon story on Johnny was a reminder of just how much Orr did for not only the Cyclone basketball program, but Iowa State's identity. Johnny Orr created Hilton Magic and set the stage for higher levels of success by Tim Floyd and Larry Eustachy. He is an Iowa Icon, and he's earned more than a banner hanging from the Hilton ceiling, though that is a good start. He's nearly 82. Don't wait too long.


• "We're going to take it one game at a time" was our sports cliche bracket winner when the Des Moines Register's Bryce Miller took on Andy. The underdog, "We shocked the world", finished second.


• Tana Goertz "37th hole" reference has taken on a life of its own.


• There are new "Big Ol' Fish" pictures here at whotv.com. Clayton Welch of Prairie City caught this Big Ol' Bass in a pond. Check out more pictures of ginormous fish here.

Is Brett Favre a Viking yet?

Floyd's No Fool, Big Baby's a Man, I'm Done with Crackberry (sort of)

• Tim Floyd strikes me as a coach who would do just about anything to land a recruit, as long as Floyd stays within the NCAA'S gray areas. I have a hard time believing a smart guy like Floyd would hand over an envelope stuffed with $100 bills. I have no trouble believing someone was handing money to Mayo. It never added up that he picked USC. Especially with Floyd's frequently told story of how he didn't even recruit Mayo; Mayo reached out to him.
• Hear those crickets? Not a lot of outrage or panic about losing the AHL, or Iowa Chops. Can you imagine what it would be like if the I-Cubs were in jeopardy?
• Mark Cuban, where did you grow up? Real man 101 teaches you to never disrespect someone's mother. Billion dollars doesn't buy common sense.
• Big Baby is a big man. He took the high road when he apologized to that kid he accidentally bumped after hitting the game-winning shot in Orlando. The kid's dad demanded an apology? Give me a break. It was an accident and no big deal. Entitled whiners wear me out. For once, I wrote that and I'm not talking about the NBA guy in the story.
• Ron Artest watched someone die on a basketball court from a table-leg-stabbing?! Artest really is tough. Kobe better keep that in mind.
• Bobby Jenks: "Yeah, I was throwing at him." Good for you, Bobby. Someone should tell the truth. I support the minimal $750 fine based on the honesty principle. Jenks can find $750 in his change jar.
• If Roger Clemens had just kept his lying mouth shut this week, no one would have noticed yet another book trashing his reputation. Clemens can't get out of his own way.
• No regular season NFL game, let alone the Super Bowl, should ever be played in London.
• Bobby Scales, 31 year old rookie, is a great story. Only Andy would ignore it.
• Props to Ellis Hobbs. He kept his promise.
• Had a great weekend at Honey Creek Resort on Rathbun Lake. Hard to find nicer people than those who are wandering the halls at that place. We also attended a breast cancer fundraiser at the Skein Block restaurant on the fabulous Albia town square. Albia has everything, except T-Mobile cell service.
• Speaking of that, I've removed all email and Facebook settings from my Blackberry. Friends did an intervention. I was becoming that guy. When you start to ignore face-to-face communication, if only for a moment, for the unlikely chance something important just dropped into your cell phone, you're missing the big picture. Can't be that guy.

Mariah vs Favre, Greinke vs NASCAR, Hassel vs Hurdles

• Bigger diva: Mariah Carey or Brett Favre?
• I've been saying for weeks Favre would end up in a Vikings uniform, partly because he wants to stick it to Packers management, and partly because the Vikes have everything in place for a Super Bowl run, except a pro bowl caliber quarterback. Favre won't win a Super Bowl in Minnesota, and he's been bad in the playoffs for years, but he's the best option available, and it will be fun to watch. We'll have a good seat for the circus.
• The best story in baseball is Zach Greinke. I love that he didn't want to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and when they put him on anyway, Greinke predicted it would be the worst seller in a long time. Or at least since SI put NASCAR on the cover.
• Darryl Strawberry claims he slept with 1,000 women, or as Wilt Chamberlain calls it, a down year.
• My educated guess is that A-Rod used steroids beyond the admitted years with Texas, but I hope Selena Roberts has more proof than the hearsay and anonymous sources in her book.
• Love the story of the Cubs' Bobby Scales. 31 years old, substitute teacher in the off-season, 11 years in the minors, and he finally plays in the Show. This is a script Dennis Quaid would love.
• Get the NHL teams out of the sun, and back to the cold where they belong. NHL didn't work in Phoenix? Duh.
• Ovechkin vs Crosby deserves more viewers.
• Has Lil' Kim always looked like that?
• The reviews for Star Trek are so strong, I may have to go see it. I've never been a Trekkie or Trekker or whatever they call themselves, but neither has JJ Abrams, and he directed.
• Steve Deace says Wolverine sucks. And we know how much Deace loves Wolverines.
• Get the guest appearance Emmy ready for Michael J. Fox on Rescue Me.
• Congrats to Chris Hassel for winning an IBNA award for "Outstanding Sports Coverage" for his reporting on Lolo Jones. Goes without saying that did not include the video of Chris running the hurdles.

Reno Hightower, Earworms, Chocolate Colored Tux

Albert Pujols is the best player in baseball. I don't even see how you can debate it. Who's second?...

Go Big or Go Home. That's what the Vikings did on draft day. Percy Harvin will either be a star or a bust...

Shonn Greene did the right thing. He's nearly 24. He was the first pick on day two. He's in a perfect situation. And there's next to no way Greene would have a better season. The guy was great...

0 players drafted from Iowa State. That's how you go 0-8 in the Big 12...

Sage Rosenfels is right. It's absolutely ridiculous Matthew Stafford, who hasn't played a down in the NFL, will make far more than Tom Brady (and just about everybody else) this season...

The Cubs will come around. Cold bats, wounded players and still at .500...

Head coach at Iowa State is still one of the top five wrestling jobs in the country. Jamie Pollard can hire a guy who leads the Cyclones to a national title in the next three years---as lon as half the team doesn't leave for Happy Valley...

NBC's Chuck Todd says ESPN has helped created a society with short attention spans. Ya think...

The Register reports Des Moines could have a team in a proposed professional track league. Don't bother...

NASCAR ratings, attendance, and buzz are all way down. Why?...

"He's wearing the white shoes!" How can you not love Reno Hightower...

Anyone believe the Amish really build those fireplaces?...

I still can't believe Burger King has built an ad campaign for kids meals around the song, "I like Square butts and I can not lie"...

Andy and I spent 30 minutes of the "Murph and Andy" show talking about what Stephen King calls earworms, songs you can't get out of your head, even if you want to. For me right now, it's Poker Face, $5 Footlong, and thanks to Andy, "Daniel", as in Daniel my brother...

I'd like to apologize in advance for the soon to be seen 1982 chocolate colored tuxedo I thought looked good...

Brackins, Cael, Lolo, KXnO

• I apologize for the delay. My boss wants us all to turn in our prom pictures to go along with the "13 Fascinating Facts" at whotv.com, and I've used all my available time to think of ways to avoid embarrassing myself with the Burt Reynolds Bandit look.
• Cyclone fans have remained resilient despite numerous kicks to the gut, the most recent by Cael Sanderson. The loyalty and faith were returned by Craig Brackins. There is no doubt in my mind he would have been a first round NBA draft pick, guaranteed to make more than two million dollars. He says he has unfinished business at Iowa State. It's a smart move. Big picture, I believe Brackins will have a longer career and make more money. He needs to bulk up, and improve even more. I'm sure he'll do both.
• No one needed that good news more than Greg McDermott, not even Jamie Pollard. It's interesting that Brackins says Mike Taylor had a huge influence on Craig staying another year at Iowa State. Taylor says the NBA is a job, a grind, and enjoy college while you can. Taylor also spoke highly of McDermott's integrity and genuine interest in what's best for Brackins. This endorsement, from a guy who was kicked off the team by McDermott. Says a lot.
• No one knows for sure why Cael Sanderson left Iowa State for Penn State, but I think three things mattered most: More money, Iowa Hawkeyes, less pressure.
• Lolo Jones is a force of nature. It's fun to see her charisma lift the spirits of everyone around her. Kind of like Craig Brackins in Ames.
• Andy and I really appreciate all the well-wishes, support, and enthusiasm many of you have shared for our new radio show on KXnO, "Murph & Andy". We just completed the first week, and we had a lot of fun. We knew it wouldn't be easy, especially this time of year, but thanks to Jon Miller, Corey Coon, Greg Chance, and others, we're learning on the job. Thanks for listening in when you can.

Rhoads beats Chizik, Jay Cutler's Sister, Shandys Rule

• Don't miss a great documentary on HBO, Thrilla in Manila. It makes clear how indefensibly cruel Muhammad Ali was to Joe Frazier. Frazier remains bitter to this day. The movie also shows what many consider the greatest boxing match of all time, where both men nearly killed each other, and Ali famously said he felt like he was dying. Neither man was ever the same again, in or out of the ring. Frazier stopped by the SoundOFF studio a couple months ago and couldn't have been more gracious, but he's a broken man.
• If American Idol were a fight, they'd stop it right now. Adam Lambert by knockout.
• Southland surprised me. Much better than I expected. It's really good. Hopefully it catches on.
• I spent a few days in Denver for guys getaway weekend. Man, is that good for the soul. We saw the Stars vs Avs in a shootout, the Rockies spank the Phillies on opening day, and Bruce Springsteen rock a sold out house. We also found an Irish pub that didn't mind taking our money. Todd Bailey and I ordered Shandys (that's Guinness and Lemonade), which our friend Ryan Lund made fun of as he drank Coronas in an Irish pub.
• Apparently I don't walk enough. We walked everywhere in Denver and my legs are still sore. That's kind of sad.
• On top of that, my forearm still hurts from playing 72 holes of Golden Tee. That game is addictive. I did not improve.
• Met Jay Cutler's sister in Denver. I think she might have actually introduced herself that way. "I'm Jay Cutler's sister". It's fair to say she's bitter toward the Broncos.
• Give Paul Rhoads his first clear win over Gene Chizik: acting. Rhoads is WAY better in those Applebee's ads.
• Can't wait to see the new upgrades at Kauffman Stadium. That's a great place to see a game.
• First class news conference out of Ed Podolak. As Sean Keeler said, now the real work begins. I believe Hawkeye fans will help.
• 12,000+ at a hockey game in Des Moines? Didn't think it was possible. Props to the Chops. Now they need to do it without ice that looks like it belongs outside an International Falls bar.
• The Masters came alive on that front nine when Phil started playing out of his mind, then Tiger dropped an eagle. Everything that followed was anticlimactic, and that includes a poorly played playoff. Entertainment picked back up when Chris Hassel played Jim Nantz on SoundOFF.
• I'll never forget how thrilling it was as a boy to watch Mark "The Bird" Fidrych on Monday Night Baseball in 1976. He was a phenomenon. Hard to believe The Bird's gone.
• The Mayor could be the next GM. ESPN the Magazine thinks Fred Hoiberg will take over the top spot with the Timberwolves.
• Jon Miller and Steve Deace make a good team. That's a smart move out of KXNO. Miller is good by himself and so is Deace, but they're both better together. I always made a point to listen when Deace was on Miller's show, and now that's daily---though 6 a.m. is a little early for me.
• The Padres need to lose those tan pants. They've come a long way since the Taco Bell uniforms of yesteryear, but tan? Baseball pants should be white or gray.
• Andy and I will host Cy's House of Trivia Saturday night. We get the answers ahead of time, so we should sound smart. Like Alex Trebek.

Ed's Back In The Booth, Ferentz Should Give Son Another Chance, Terror Alert: Code Brown

• It will be good to see Ed Podolak back in the booth where he belongs. Friends tell me he looks like a new man. I don't think the party scene at Hawkeye Huddles will be the easiest atmosphere for Ed, but I know Hawk fans will be respectful of what Ed's doing. This could be a win-win for everyone.
• I don't think Kirk Ferentz should kick his son off the football team because I don't think any college player, even the coach's son, should be booted for underage drinking and public intox. If one of the offenses were drunk-driving, I'd say dismiss him, but I think you give young Ferentz, or any player one more chance. Three strikes, you're out. I do think you have to suspend James a minimum of three games, and take away his allowance. I can't imagine how upset Kirk is that his son put him back in his embarrassing position again.
• Good to hear Larry Cotlar will be back on the air soon. 1700, The Champ, hired the Cotman to begin updates Monday. I wouldn't be surprised to see Larry with his own local show soon.
• Marty Tirrell is still giving his opinion at http://www.62andeven.com/ Jeff Jorgensen runs the site and contributes. He does a terrific job of finding interesting sports video and informational nuggets. Marty and Jeff also included Chris Hassel's latest impression, which shows Marty gets it, the same way skewered politicians laugh at themselves after SNL digs in.
• 3-D adds nothing to animated movies for me, might even take away. I paid the extra couple of dollars per ticket for Monsters vs Aliens, but the muddier picture isn't worth the occasional object moving toward you. Seth Rogen made the movie as B-O-B, though Stephen Colbert as the President has the best line, "Boys, set the terror level at Code Brown, cause I need to change my pants".
• To get ready for the Masters, I stopped at the Manhattan Deli on Ingersoll and ordered the "Zach Johnson". That's a good sandwich.
• Jenny and I had a date night dinner at "Sam & Gabe's". Why have I never been there before? That place is awesome. The "small" prime rib was the size of my head and couldn't have been more delicious, while Jenny thought her Halibut the she's had.
• Props to the Star Bar in Des Moines for exchanging my T-shirt that didn't fit after it sat in my car for nearly a year. This may surprise you; the shirt has a big star on it.
• Hasn't Jack Bauer earned the benefit of the doubt by now?
• Congratulations to Shawn Terrell for winning an Edward R. Murrow award for his reporting on Raccoon Valley Little League teams wearing Negro Leaue uniforms and inviting former KC Monarchs star Ernie Schoolboy Johnson to watch a game, and talk to the kids. Photojournalists Brian Fiser and Chris Hassel also worked on this terrific story.
• I'm off to Denver for the annual guys weekend. We have a triple-header of economic stimulus: "Stars vs Avs", "Phillies vs Rockies", "Springsteen vs Immortality". I can't wait. I'll try to send some pictures via Twitter at keithmurphy13
• My book for the plane is Jeff Pearlman's "The Rocket That Fell To Earth". It's the story of the rise and fall of Roger Clemens. If it's half as riveting as Pearlman's book on Barry Bonds, I may finish it before the plane touches down in Denver.
• For those of you who have sent follow-up questions to the FAQ below, I'll try to answer them next week. Thank you for stopping by.

FAQ

I'm asked a lot of questions. Some through e-mail, a few over the phone, most when I'm out and about. For the curious, here are the most frequently asked questions, and some quick answers:

• Are you a Hawkeye or a Cyclone? Thankfully both, and neither. I didn't go to either school. I used to provide mediocre TV play-by-play for the dog basketball games on the Iowa State schedule, but that came with the job at WOI. I love a good story, and don't care if it comes from Ames or Iowa City. When the Hawks are doing well and the Clones aren't, I'm frequently labeled a "Hawkeye" and vice-versa. My wife is an Iowa State alum, so keeping the kids objective is more of a challenge, though Colin favors the Hawkeyes because Herky is all over his favorite blanket.
• Do you and Andy hang out off-camera? Yes. I consider Andy one of my best friends, and I'm constantly entertained by his humor and intelligence. Our wives, Jenny and Kahala, are also close, and sometimes accuse Andy and I of bromance---but only when we're not paying enough attention to them. We take the hint immediately.
• Did you ever play sports? Yes. I lived to play sports. In fact, I wish I had been more well-rounded. I played four sports: football (quarterback/safety), basketball (point guard), baseball (pitcher/shortstop), and track (jumps)---though my high school baseball coach made me pick between my first love and track. I stayed with track because the high jump, long jump, and triple jump were so much fun. Football was my passion, and I played briefly in college as a tackling dummy before future Falcon Jessie Tuggle knocked me into broadcasting. He did me a favor.
• Are you from Iowa? I've lived in Iowa longer than anywhere else---nearly 20 years---but I grew up in Vermont, went to high school in Florida, and attended college at Valdosta State University (Georgia).
• What's your favorite sport? Hands down, college football.
• Favorite athletes? Johnny Bench, Dan Marino, and Dr. J.
• Favorite athletes to interview? Tim Dwight, Lolo Jones, Ha-Keem Abdel Khaliq, Adam Emmenecker, Fred Barr, Shawn Johnson.
• Coach? Johnny Orr. Never knew what he'd say next. Just ask Dick Vitale
• Why didn't you take that job at ESPN? I was under contract at WHO, and I love living in Iowa. It was flattering to hear from ESPN, but let's be real, ESPN didn't really need me then, and it sure never missed me. Working at a place like channel 13 is a chance to be more a part of something both on and off the air.
• What are your favorite pro teams? Cubs are my top pro passion, though we go to more Royals games than anything else. For decades, I lived and died with the Dolphins, but geography, and Jimmy Johnson, dulled my enthusiasm. We enjoy the Chiefs, especially the tailgating. Lately, that's the best reason to go.
• Favorite games? (on the job) Cap One Bowl, Tate to Holloway. Iowa State vs Michigan State in Elite 8. (off the job) Marino and the Dolphins spoil Bears perfect season on Monday Night Football.
• How glad are you Andy came back? Thrilled. I really enjoyed working with my friend Heather Burnside, and I thought she was terrific, but even Heather wanted to see Andy and me teamed up again.
• Why did Andy really come back? 1) Kahala 2) Des Moines 3) Channel 13 4) Have you ever been to Missouri?
• Is that John Bachman's real hair? Yes. The man has been blessed. He doesn't age either. I can't help but like him anyway.
• Hey, what happened to Round Guy? He retired from channel 13 shortly before his induction into the SoundOFF Hall of Fame, but he's still rockin' over at 95 KGGO in the mornings, and now co-hosts a sports talk show at noon on 1700 The Champ.
• What's Ed Wilson really like? Funny, loyal, and considerate. Everyone should have a friend like Ed.
• How long have you been at 13? 13 years. I've now been here more than twice as long as I worked at channel 5.
• Why do you guys love negative stories? We don't. No one gets into sports to chase downers. I'd rather cover a Final Four than a fired coach any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
• Do you get along with people at the other stations? Yes. We're friends, and friendly competitors.
• What do you talk about in the commercial breaks? Usually something from our personal lives. Or we're laughing at what Ed's doing/singing/saying.
• You guys look like you're having fun. Is that real? Yes it is.
• Is Chris Hassel nuts? Yes. But in a good way.
• Why does Erin love Nebraska football so much? She's from Nebraska. What else can you love in Nebraska?
• Is Shawn Terrell related to Marty Tirrell? No. Different spelling. Different family.
• Who writes your stories? Me.
• Do you still get nervous? Not with the familiar, like anchoring a sportscast, but sometimes I still get butterflies speaking to a class or hosting a banquet. Basically, I'm an introvert who plays an extrovert on TV.
• What did Andy do that time you couldn't stop laughing on SoundOFF? Which time? When he was off-camera. I can't tell... But I can smell.

That covers a lot of ground, but if you have any other questions or follow-ups, feel free to send them to keith.murphy@whotv.com

Thank you for the questions and the time.

Keith

Bears or Broncos, Help Wanted for QB, Lolo is Energy.

• Who wins the trade: Broncos or Bears? Bears fans have been without a Pro Bowl quarterback for so long, they reacted like Jay Cutler is Tom Brady. Cutler's been acting like an entitled brat, but the dude can play. He gives the Bears the early edge, but don't give up on the Broncs. Orton was good last year before playing hurt. He is also highly respected among his peers, something Cutler is not. Throw in two #1 draft picks, and if Orton fulfills his potential, long term nod to Denver.
• I'll be surprised if the Barnstormers don't draw a record crowd Saturday night. People are ready for football, and more importantly, ready to party.
• The Barnstormers make $200 a week, 250 if they win. Quarterback Joe Brannen needs a part-time job. If you're interested, send me an email. I'll get it to Joe. (af2 not quite the glamorous life of the NFL.)
• I wish Lolo Jones would come by the station every day. The woman energizes the place like no one else. No wonder the Energy made her spokeswoman for a night. Energy, she has.
• Iowa State's Heather Ezell advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA 3-point shooting contest with a broken shooting hand.
• I'm getting smoked in KIIC Radio's "Stump the Chumps" bracket contest, and it gets worse. If North Carolina wins, Chris Hassel wins. The whole thing. More than 500 people entered, and Hassel would win.
• Jake Kelly's exit is devastating to Iowa's basketball program, but I believe Jake when he says he just wanted to get back to his family. I can't imagine losing my mother in a plane crash at such a young age. I wish Jake well at Indiana State and hope Drake can get a hand in his face.
• I miss the local shows on KXNO. Don't worry, the station is reloading. Meantime, 1700 The Champ launched its first daily local show, "Out of Bounds". It features SoundOFF Hall of Famer Round Guy and Andy Garman. It's noon to one p.m.
• Heartfelt condolences to the Mahon family for the loss of Bev. Bev's love of movies, and reasonable prices, lives on at the Varsity Theater.

Don't Kill The Messenger, Marty Is Sincere, Lickliter Tries Too Hard.

• Of all the misguided energy in the fallout of the KXNO firings, nothing is sillier than the kill the messenger mentality of listeners, viewers, and message board posters who are trying to figure out how channel 13 received the audio. The audio isn't some secret recording or exposed conversation, it's exactly what went out live over KXNO's airwaves. It unquestionably allowed far more people to hear it, but if Clear Channel's firings were based on the actions of those three employees, the replay of the recording should have absolutely no impact on that decision. None. If it did, it was for PR, not principles. Period.
• I believe Marty Tirrell is genuinely sorry for what happened. And he should be. You should never talk to another human being that way, let alone a co-worker in front of others. I also think Marty's an expert at landing on his feet, partly because he's a genuine radio talent. Why do you think so many people speak of him with so much passion, both positive and negative. Local radio is far more interesting with Marty on the air. He'll be back. (Oh, and credit where it's due: Marty's contrite letter of apology couldn't have been better.)
• Larry Cotlar did the right thing not accepting the Energy offer to work with Marty. I believe Energy owner Jerry Crawford had good intentions, but Cotlar had nothing to gain, and further association with Marty would only serve to remind the public of their fight. It's too soon. Reconciliations should be private for now.
• Geoff Conn loved KXNO. He's the kind of guy who gives all. I hope someone will hire him soon.
• Enough. We're all tired of it.
• No one should ever complain that the Des Moines media doesn't cover women's basketball. In this economy, virtually no TV stations traveled to the NCAA Women's Tournament, and three stations, not to mention the Des Moines Register & Ames Tribune, followed the Cyclones to Berkeley, California.
• Shawn Terrell did his usual outstanding job. My favorite video of the week was the Cyclones sitting around the locker room, the night before their game, doing their homework. How much of that do you think goes on in the men's Elite 8?
• Todd Lickliter tried a little too hard to sound upbeat at his news conference---it came across as fake---but he has to try something. Hawks are flying the coup at an alarming rate. When players leave for more minutes it's one thing; when starters bail, it's another. When four guys who all had big games leave the same week, something stinks. I like Lickliter. I think he can coach. I highly doubt it works out at Iowa. It's not impossible, but winning with that style in the Horizon League is a lot easier than the Big Ten. Have you seen Michigan State in the tournament?
• Iowa State also lost two players, but it was hard to notice with the Hawks exodus, and Josh Parker's departure at Drake. The Bulldogs looked like they were having no fun changing systems this season, and Mark Phelps hopes Parker is the only one to act on it.
• Jake Kelly announced his exit on Facebook! Apparently Curt Schilling is his media advisor.
• Who's the best coach in the state? I think you can make the case for Bill Fennelly. No one gets more out of his players than Fennelly. You can also make a case for Tom Brands. The man just won back-to-back national championships. However, the three most recent wrestling coaches at Iowa won NCAA titles. Before Fennelly arrived at ISU, the Cyclones had one 20 win season in school history. Post Fennelly: 9 including 2 Elite 8 teams. Only winners in this discussion.
• I watched the Cyclones amazing last minute comeback against Michigan State with a group of friends at Jethros. It's the most I've ever seen a group of people (not at a game) get into women's basketball. It's too bad Jethros didn't turn the game audio on---no one needs to hear Third Eye Blind when the joint's erupting in cheers---but the food, drinks, and video were great.
• Have you ever noticed Tracy Morgan has really small hands?
• Our kids are still smiling from the Globetrotters. They loved it. Nice article this week in Sports Illustrated on the resurgence of the Trotters.
• Whatever the Iowa Chops are paying Tana Goertz, she's worth it. The Chops Apprentice competition put fans in the stands, and added buzz.
• 24 is great again this season.
• Chris Hassel keeps nudging me to tweet on Twitter. I think this means I should update my status.
• Speaking of Hassel, his latest channeling of Marty Tirrell was sharp, funny, and oddly affectionate. You can watch in on the video player at www.whotv.com/sports
• We just put it in new gutters. That's the kind of crap your house needs, costs a lot, and no one notices.
• I'm getting my butt kicked in the KIIC Radio "Stump the Chumps' bracket contest. I hope this won't get me banned from Rathbun Lake's Honey Creek Resort. We love that place.
• Can't wait to see my first Barnstormer game of the season. If you didn't get to a game last year, try it. Affordable and fun. The Stormers will win several more games this season too.
• I asked what color you think Missouri's road basketball uniform most closely resembled. Your best answers: baby poop, the Crayon no one takes out of the box, macaroni and cheese, pea soup.
• I love "Friday Night Lights", it's my favorite TV show, but Tim Riggins is increasingly the least believable looking high school Senior since Stockard Channing in Grease (and she was 34). He's a great character, but looks old for college.
• My youngest boys enjoyed "Sideways Stories" at the Des Moines Playhouse. I have a bit part on a TV monitor as Mr. Kidswatter, which my kids got a kick out of, but the real cast is talented and fun. Star 102.5's Colleen Kelly also does a great job as the voice of one of the teachers. Now that I've seen the play, I wish I could tape my lines again.
• Love the new Guitar Hero commercial with the coaching legends and Metallica. Always good to see Bob Knight in tube socks and tighty-whities.
• I'm always looking for ways to stay in shape at home with a time-crunched schedule. Martial Arts instructor Fred Nicklaus says he'll make it happen in 9 minutes a day with his combat workout. I'll keep you posted.
• Mom's taxi is back in service. That's code for Little League season is upon us.
• Gosh, it was hard to watch the intervention of Dennis Rodman on Celebrity Apprentice. I hope he gets some help.
• Jayne Appel just scored again.

The Shove, The Incident, The Principal

• Brent Metcalf was wrong. The clock was at zeroes when he pushed Darrion Caldwell mid-flip. It was bad sportsmanship, and Caldwell could have been seriously injured. But since he wasn't, let's call Caldwell what he was at the end of that match: a hot-dogging knucklehead. It's okay to be excited, jubilant even---it was a stunning upset for a national title---but you don't celebrate like that. Especially in wrestling.
• I feel for the nice people at KXNO. It's an absolute mess to have a profane fight between two on-air personalities go out over the air, accidental or not. We've all heard the F-word at work, many of us have used it, and it's not the first time it's been heard over a surprisingly hot mike. I'm more disturbed by the anger. I'm not sure I've never heard a verbal beating like the one Marty Tirrell gave Larry Cotlar. There's more we don't know. Why was Marty so mad? Who really misused credentials? How was the mike turned on? Why didn't anyone notice? But the one certainty is this: you cannot argue like that in front of other employees, and you certainly don't do it in a studio full of microphones---even when you have every reason to believe it's not going over the air.
  
• "There's no such thing as bad publicity". If you believe this, and many do, Marty is more valuable to KXNO than ever. He's raised his profile times ten, maybe more. (For the record, I don't believe all publicity is good publicity. See Larry Eustachy.)
• I have a friend who was at a table full of people when one of the women accidentally pocket-dialed a "friend". The woman started trashing her "friend" and part of it was left on voice mail. They no longer speak. Always talk as if just about anyone can hear you, and for the most part, you'll stay out of trouble. No one is perfect at this, but it's a good goal.
• I enjoyed Will Ferrell as President Bush in "You're Welcome, America", but I thought it would be funnier.
• I can't believe some of what I hear on HBO's Eastbound and Down.
• I'm not into Dancing with the Stars except when Shawn's on. She's in it to win it. I'm not surprised how well Shawn's doing. She's a world class athlete with an unmatched work ethic. I guess that works for the balance beam and the Fox Trot.
• Seeing some of the unfortunate facial hair at boys state reminded me of my ill advised woolly chinstrap in high school. There's something about proving you can grow a beard. Fortunately we didn't have Facebook back then.
• Frank Deford, will you please stop making me cry when I watch HBO's Real Sports. I'm starting to feel like Dick Vermeil.
• What was A-Rod thinking this time?
• I can't ever remember if a Brent is a Brett or vice-versa. To all the Brents I called Brett, and all the Bretts I called Brent, I apologize.
• I make my Des Moines Playhouse debut this weekend, via videotape, as Principal Kidswatter in Sideways Stories from Wayside School. I'm confident my theatrical career will not progress beyond this month.

Cameron Crazies love Harrison Barnes, Ed Podolak looks great, Drake's in what?

• Glad to be wrong. UNI made it to the NCAA Tournament. But Portland? Against Purdue? Thanks NCAA Selection Committee.
• I understand Drake playing another game, in whatever tournament comes after the NIT, but don't try to sell us on "first time Drake's received back-to-back post-season bids in decades". Come on. Use the game at Idaho to get better for next year, but don't pull alongside Iowa's football press release in 2007 for being "bowl eligible" even though no one invited the Hawks.
• I am one of the "Chumps" in KIIC Radio's "Stump The Chumps" bracket contest. It's free, there's a nice prize (flat screen TV), and the radio station donates a dollar for each entry to the Southeast Iowa Race for the Cure. Go to www.kiicradio.com to enter
• The Cyclone women get a 4 seed. Yeah! Only to find out the 5 is Tennessee. Ouch. And they're playing near Nashville (Bowling Green, KY). Goodness.
• Iowa hosts. It would be nice to see something usually missing from Carver-Hawkeye Arena lately: fans.
• Harrison Barnes is the total package: unlimited talent, bright student, engaging personality. On SoundOFF, he showed off his polished interview skills, though he's not ready to reveal much. Harrison also showed a willingness to have fun, especially when the red light wasn't on. He's a great kid, and after spending some time with his mother, Shirley, it's easy to see why.
• Harrison says he hasn't eliminated any schools from consideration, but there's no doubt Duke made quite an impression on him. As Harrison told me, sitting court side at the Carolina-Duke game and having the Cameron Crazies chant his name was unbelievable. The rest of us can only imagine.
• A friend who ran into Iowa icon Ed Podolak says Ed looks like a million bucks and says he feels the same way. That's great to hear, and I'll be shocked if Ed's not back in the booth in September.
• The World Baseball Classic is a cool idea, but I just can't get into it. I'd rather watch a Cubs spring training game.
• Gosh it's frustrating being behind a person who refuses to stop talking and texting on a cell phone even though it's slowing the line down. At Kum & Go earlier this week, I finally offered to pay. I got the Stink Eye.
• Steve Alford, conference coach of the year, but still Not In Tournament. Or NIT for short.
• Andy Fales brings me a fresh batch of homemade pickled eggs each year, and no one else at work eats them but me. I mean, I work in a newsroom! You can put down a plate of burned cookies baked without sugar, flour or eggs, and they'll be gone in five minutes. The pickled eggs? No takers. Ever.
• I'm geeked that Coldplay is coming to Des Moines. I can take the 40 Year Old Virgin jokes. Coldplay rocks, and I can't wait to see U2's heir apparent in person. Huge pull for the Iowa Events Center.
• Since I sent out a Twitter (keithmurphy13) that I'll go see Journey at the State Fair just as soon as Steve Perry rejoins the band, dozens of people emailed me to say the new guy "sounds just like Perry". I understand but that doesn't make Creed-Pearl Jam or Adam Duritz-Van Morrison.
• Why is a comedian doing the best job of holding national news-makers accountable for what they say? Jon Stewart's TKO of CNBC's Jim Cramer was riveting television, even if Stewart did hit below the belt a time or two.
• "Here comes the Funcooker!"
• The return of ER's old cast has been nostalgic fun, and a reminder of how great the show once was. First class move by George Clooney. Nice when a big star remembers how he became so famous. Most don't.
• "Kings" is like nothing else on television. Definite potential.
• Nicolas Cage is starting to look scary.
• I was nearly hit by a car while playing Wiffle Ball with the kids. A nice, cautious neighbor who drives a Prius slowed down to about 5 miles an hour, and I never heard the car creeping up on us. I don't think it was making any sound. Good for the environment, bad for hearing.
• If you have kids who like basketball, take them to see the Globetrotters. They won't be disappointed. My grandma took me for my ninth birthday and I'll never forget it.
• Who's a bigger mess: Denise Richards or Paula Abdul?

Purple Reign, Fallon Failin', Twitter what?

• UNI will Dance! The Panthers nearly equal Drake's magic carpet ride of a year ago, winning both the regular season and conference tournament titles. Let's see if UNI can surpass Drake's NCAA "one and done".
• Osiris Eldridge was out of his mind. He made at least two shots from the concession stand. UNI vs. Illinois State was an Instant Classic.
• Andy texted early in the championship game that he thought more UNI fans would be in St. Louis. Maybe there was a teachers' convention somewhere else.
• It is startling to watch Iowa on TV and see all those empty seats---especially on weeknight games.
• The Hawk fans who did show Saturday, saw a thrilling win against Penn State. Jake Kelly took it to the bank. It's been a good year for Iowa when Penn State visits Iowa City.
• Jimmy Fallon is talented, likable, and eager to please. I'm rooting for him. However, Fallon had a rough first week replacing Conan. Not everyone can host a good talk show (see Chevy Chase, Pat Sajak, Magic Johnson... many others), but the ones who are great at it (see Letterman, Leno, Ellen) make it look so easy, most people don't realize just how hard it is. Fallon prepared for months and the first week still had many terrible, unfunny skits (the chair was a low point), awkward interviews (Deniro), and guests more comfortable than the host (Justin Timberlake, Tina Fey). The Roots are a highlight, as was "slow-jammin' the news", and it's always a treat to see Van Morrison live. Way too early to give up on Fallon---took Conan months to find his footing---but a reminder late night is littered with talented failures.
• U2's live performance of "Magnificent" on Letterman shows the World's Greatest Rock Band has another classic.
• Why is it no matter how many times you tell kids, they put an empty jug back in the fridge? The only thing more annoying is when they pour a glass, but leave an eighth of an inch of lemonade so they have plausible denial about why they didn't re-fill the jug.
• Colin is now 5, and the little guy kind of likes a girl in his pre-school class, but Colin announced at dinner Friday night, it's not going well: "Her say, 'I hate you. Get out of my life!" You can't make this stuff up.
• Will Ames High School need make-up days for all this missed school?
• Why does Paula Abdul clap like a seal on American Idol?
• I'm now posting scattershot thoughts throughout the day via Twitter. I don't even completely understand it, but you can follow my stream of consciousness on Twitter at keithmurphy13
• Is Ed Hightower at every game on your TV too? Or is it just mine---some kind of Hightower Network.
• Saturday Night Live, please stop with the MacGruber. MacGruber jumped the shark when it became PepsiGruber for the Super Bowl.
• The Rock Obama was funny.

McDermott Opens Up, Pornstache vs. Shorts, and Colin Calls 911.

• I think Greg McDermott really helped himself on SoundOFF Sunday night. No one questions McDermott's integrity or authenticity, but I found him surprisingly open about the mistakes he's made, warning signs he's missed, and lessons he's learned. It's hard not to root for the guy.
• McDermott has had a perfect storm of bad luck---most of it not his doing. At the end of the day, the team with the best players usually wins. How much better would Iowa State have been last year had McDermott not kicked Mike Taylor off the team? How many more games would the Cyclones have won this season with Wesley Johnson helping Craig Brackins? How long will it take us to wonder the same thing about next season if Brackins goes pro?
• Brackins needs at least another year to get stronger---maybe two.
• Does it feel to you like Drake won the mythical state championship?
• I'm still trying to get over the fact my father ordered a Cobb salad with a side salad. Who does that?
• Montell Marion's critics look pretty smart right now. He's still young. I hope he can turn it around.
• A-Rod is full of crap.
• Tim McClelland is a good guy, and a great umpire. The best in the Bigs. The man almost always gets it right, but Tim's wrong to give the Major League Baseball steroid cheaters a pass because they were just trying to gain an edge. It doesn't matter if baseball didn't have a rule prohibiting performance enhancers. It was against the law, and a well known health risk. It's also unfair to all the guys who didn't cheat, but got left behind. My friend Tim needs to check instant replay on this one and reverse the call.
• Not even eagle-eyed Tim could see the uniform numbers on the Hawkeyes new away jerseys. What were they thinking going black-on-black? The only thing that can save this for me is if Mediacom puts the Big Ten Network in HD. You can see anything in HD.
• The way I cringe when I see a picture of me with a mustache 25 years ago is how basketball players of this era will feel when they see themselves wearing XXXL shorts.
• On second thought, the pornstache is much worse.
• I love Celebrity Apprentice. Not only is it entertaining, but one look at Joan Rivers' face will keep me from ever having plastic surgery.
• Speaking of the Apprentice, when I was working my first job in Georgia, and Hershel Walker was a god in that state, fresh off his Heisman winning season, he agreed to a lengthy interview with me. When I got back to the station, the audio had a terrible hiss. I ran out to the airport (I was a one-man-band), and caught Hershel as he was getting on a booster's private jet. The man got off the plane with a smile, and did the entire interview again. I'm rooting for Hershel.
• I saw "Milk". Thought it was good, but overrated. Sean Penn gives an Oscar-worthy performance, though I still preferred Mickey Rourke in the "The Wrestler". It you are at all homophobic, Milk will make you uncomfortable at times. It's rated R for sexuality. So is "The Reader". If a 35 year old woman seducing a 15 year old boy makes you uncomfortable, avoid this one too. I thought this was one of the best movies of the year, though like Milk, not upbeat. Kate Winslett proves she has no acting equal right now.
• My mother just put an 8x10 picture of my son Cade on her wall with me cropped out! Mom, when did I become the guy you crop out of the picture?! Grandmas love their grandkids.
• It was great to see Providence knock off the #1 team in the land. I miss Keno.
• Is it possible U2's new album can live up to the over the top reviews? (e.g. Rolling Stone: 5 stars). It's constantly compared to "Achtung Baby" which is second only to "Joshua Tree" in my U2 library.
• My dad secretly watches "The View". He'll never admit this.
• Facebook took over my life for a week, but it's finally calming down. It is a joyous jolt to reconnect with so many people you thought you'd stay in touch with, but for one reason or another, did not. I held out for a long time, but I'm glad I came to my senses.
• "SoundOFF Nation" on Facebook is nearing 400 fans in 10 days. That even tops "Andy Fales is a god".
• Yes, it's true. My four year old son Colin called 911 because his older brother wouldn't play with him. Some things you can't make up.

Succumbing to the Power of Facebook

• Uncle. My Facebook holdout ends after 98 days. Shawn Terrell made sense when he said, "Look how long you waited for HD, and now you're an addict who actually needs treatment". Then Chris Hassel forced my hand with the terrific job he's doing building two Facebook pages: "SoundOFF Nation" and "SoundOFF with Keith and Andy". The first is an interactive fan page with videos, behind the scenes pictures of cast & crew, viewer profiles, and more extras than a collector's edition DVD. The second site is a group page, which I don't completely understand yet. Both SoundOFF sites added more than a hundred members in their first weekends despite no publicity. Nice job, Chris. You can sleep when you're dead.
• As for my personal Facebook page, I don't really know what I'm doing. I've added many pictures and re-connected with a lot of friends, classmates, and former co-workers. I definitely have room for improvement. My profile picture looks like it was taken at Glamour Shots, and my status update is usually something stupid like, "Keith is rearranging his sock drawer."
• I'm still not sure what to do about friend requests from people I don't know. Recommendations?
• It was in this blog while talking up Facebook's "Andy Fales is a God" that I jokingly mentioned "Keith Murphy Brushes His Teeth Daily" is stuck on one member, my mother. Well, someone took that title and had a little fun with it. Though my mom still hasn't joined, a few people have. And I've had a few laughs seeing where my head will turn up next.
• Tim from Des Moines wonders what it will take for Todd Lickliter and Greg McDermott to start winning. The answer is simple: better players. Lickliter led Butler to the Sweet Sixteen. Mac took three UNI teams to the NCAA Tournament. You don't do those things if you can't coach. Really coach. However, you can't win in the Big Ten and Big 12 with MVC or Horizon League talent. The bigger question is, can these guys recruit? Early returns aren't good.
• Has any team in the history of college basketball lost in the semifinals and been more celebrated than Drake's 1969 team? The answer is no, yet relative to Drake's history, the characters on that team, and the fact they nearly upset UCLA, it's understandable.
• UNI won't make the Dance. Neither will anyone else. (men's tourney)
• Iowa's new basketball uniforms look okay to me. At least they made the numbers smaller, and the names larger on the back so you can actually read them. Black on black is interesting for numbers on the away uniforms. The switch from white to gold at home is a "thumbs down" to many fans who have already emailed SoundOFF.
• The one downside to getting HD is it's really hard to watch games that aren't in high def. The Cyclones on Cyclone Television Network and the Hawkeyes on Big Ten Network (Mediacom version) are a huge drop off in quality after watching college basketball on ESPN (in more ways than one).
• Anyone else not getting KDSM, Fox 17, in HD this week? I miss seeing Simon Cowell's make-up.
• State wrestling deserves its rep as the nation's best tournament. It's well run, exciting, and sold out when it counts most. I played four sports in high school, but I don't think in one calendar year I worked as hard, or endured as much pain, as wrestlers do in one season. Between cutting weight, when everyone else is living on junk food, and being nearly tortured in some holds on the mat, I have a lot of respect for these kids and the sacrifices they make. I don't have the data, but I'll bet former wrestlers do pretty well in life.
• Big congrats to Ballard for absolute domination, and to Roosevelt for finally putting a Des Moines team in the top three.
• Is there a more misleading stat than "announced attendance"? I've seen Chops, Hawks, and Cyclones games where the announced number was nearly double the people in the stands.
• In this economy, niche sports need to be smart about marketing, and Iowa State showed how to do it with "Beauty and the Beast". Wrestling and gymnastics going on at the same time may be a gimmick, but it brought attention to sports that desperately need it.
• Most 17-year olds can't focus for more than a few minutes at a time, unless they're playing video games. Shawn Johnson can focus for five hours at a time, which is why she could win "Dancing with the Stars". Marathon practice sessions are nothing new to Shawn. She also told me the dancing could help her win more gold in 2012, since the judges obviously favored artistry over tumbling in Beijing. I still think we all need to leave Shawn room to change her mind about the Olympics. Three and a half years is a long time, and a lot of work, from now.
• Thank you Charles Barkley for showing the world how to apologize and actually appear as though you know you did something wrong, and you're really sorry. A-Rod, please note.
• Frank Deford's story on HBO's Real Sports about the six year old golfer who's blind in one eye is one of the all-time inspiring tear-jerkers. Bryant Gumbel's report on the police shooting of an African-American baseball player in a small, mostly white Texas town was sports journalism at its near best---only Bryant's obvious emotions kept it from perfection, but Gumbel's only human to be outraged. It was outrageous.
• If you haven't seen Slumdog Millionaire, you should. I know it sounds and looks to a lot of people like it couldn't be that good or that entertaining, but once you see it, you'll believe.
• "Taking Chance" on HBO is incredibly moving, yet never manipulative. I cried. You will never hear the name of a fallen soldier again without thinking about the trip home.
• Jenny, Colin and I went to see Ames High play at Hoover Friday night. Wherever Harrison Barnes and the undefeated Little Cyclones show up, it's THE event. Barnes' shot was off a tad, though he scored 28 points, but it's easy to see why he's one of the nation's top recruits. He's so smooth with and without the basketball. Hoover's Charles Zanders is a terrific coach, and it wasn't a surprise to see the Huskies gives the Clones all they could handle. Great game, and the gym was so packed, it felt like a sauna despite the 21 degree weather outside.
• Thanks to a bit on SoundOFF a month ago, I'm now seen as a champion of the Snuggie. I have a confession to make... Snuggies suck. They're stupid, don't fit well, and thinner than Kate Bosworth. Sorry. The book light is nice though. No it's not.

Scattershots: Daytona 380, Fear the Bong, and Rockin' the Faux-Hawk.

• NASCAR blew it. A sport already reeling from economic stress needed to start the season with a bang. Not a flat tire. Nothing is more anti-climactic than declaring the winner of the sport's biggest race, the Daytona 500, during a rain delay. Can you imagine the NFL calling a winner after the third quarter? The Masters after the third round? Major League Baseball after the 6th inning in game 7? The Daytona 380 is a terrible idea. If there's too much rain to finish that night, race the next day, even if the stands are half empty. The Daytona 500 jump-starts NASCAR's entire season, and ending under an umbrella brings no one new to the party.
• Authorities in South Carolina are trying to build a case to arrest Michael Phelps. In the history of ill-advised bong hits, few have paid more of a price than Phelps already has. (update 2/16: South Carolina Sheriff's office says there will be no charges against Phelps.)
• Don't think winning cures all? Six months ago Kirk Ferentz was under fire for all the arrested Hawkeyes off the field. Four months ago, Ferentz faced harsh criticism for his coaching on the field. Iowa then went on a roll, upset #3 Penn State, and blew out South Carolina in a January bowl game. Ferentz just signed a new 7 year contract.
• Good to see Ferentz and Gary Barta were smart enough to not add any more money to Ferentz's deal. The $3 million a year already caused Ferentz more strife than he ever wanted. Not his fault. If channel 13 wanted to pay me $3 million (they don't), I'd take it.
• I didn't think there was any way for the Packers to come out of the year long Favre soap opera looking better than Favre, but they do.
• Can't we make Hank Aaron the home run king again? Probably not.
• Pitchers and catchers report to spring training. I'm trying to get excited, but I'm still suffering from A-Rod fatigue and Cubs hangover.
• According to the Birmingham News, Gene Chizik says "he's never made a mistake, and never failed". This guy is unbelievable. He made too many mistakes to mention at Iowa State, and he most certainly failed. Iowa State's fortunate to get out of the Chizik era without owing this fraud money.
• I was sick on the couch all weekend. That means I watched a lot of losing basketball. It doesn't take a bad cold to realize what Greg McDermott and Todd Lickliter are missing: talented players. These guys have both proven they can coach. You won't take UNI to NCAA tournaments, or Butler to the Sweet 16 if you're a coaching moron. In the big conferences, you have to have the players. They don't. Both need to seriously upgrade recruiting, or they're going to be out of jobs in the next couple years.
• Have you ever tried Tabasco sauce on popcorn? Andy's wife, Kahala, does this... and I'm hooked. Though it burns my fingernails.
• I wish I had enough hair to rock a faux-hawk like Dave Price.
• I don't buy Joaquin Phoenix's wackjob act, but I do think it's a fascinating stunt, reminiscent of Andy Kauffman on Lettermen twenty years ago. People fell for that too.
• We just watched the chick flick, "Definitely, Maybe". It was definitely, maybe pretty good. I liked it. (Assist to Geoff on correcting title.) "Swing Vote" was a swing and a miss. Kevin Costner is likeable---all the actors are good---but the movie doesn't know what it wants to be: silly, serious, or satirical. Also watched "W". Josh Brolin brings it, but W just isn't quite entertaining enough.
• What's your favorite Valentine's Day treat? I'm leaning toward the chocolate covered strawberry. It's much better than a chocolate covered hard boiled egg.