Big XII Conference: 1996-2011

Here lies the Big 12 conference.  Its downfall is surreal.  The word "surreal" is over-used a lot, but it's the only way I can describe what has happened and what appears could happen.

Iowa State fans are walking around in a daze, and it's hard to blame them. Based on what's been reported so far, ISU and Baylor appear to be the only Big 12 teams without a decent backup plan.  For the Cyclones and Bears, the only good option is to hold on to the Big 12 for dear life and hope it stays afloat.

If there's a sliver of a silver lining for Iowa State, it's that everyone seems to be in store for a quick resolution. An extended period of limbo would kill recruiting.  The Texas Board of Regents meets Tuesday, and after that meeting, we should have a pretty good idea which conference The University of Texas wants to belong to.

At this point, what can the Big 12 do to convince Texas to stay?  Offer the Longhorns a bigger share of the revenue split?  That wouldn't be fair if we were talking about any school in the Big 12, let alone Texas, which already has one of the biggest athletic budgets in the nation.  But giving Texas a one-sided deal to stay in the Big 12 is still better than the alternative for most of the remaining schools.

I understand why Nebraska jumped to the Big Ten.  It's a good fit, and it makes sense on several levels.  But I had to chuckle at a few of the reasons offerered by Athletic Director Tom Osborne.  Osborne went on at length, stating how many of the Huskers' outdoor sports were at a competitive disadvantage because of the climate in Nebraska vs. the climate in Texas.  Last I checked, Nebraska had pretty solid baseball and softball programs. 

Shifting gears, is there a more polarizing sport in the United States than soccer?  I find most people either love it or hate it.  The cool thing about the World Cup is that it unites soccers' passionate fans with others who don't follow the sport at all.  Everyone seems to be able to cheer for the red, white, and blue.

Shawn

Conference Chaos, Hawk-Husker Hate, A-Team

• Can you believe what we're seeing on a daily basis... checking every few minutes to see the latest rumor on which college team is going where. Mind-boggling.
• Credit Colorado with being proactive, getting the jump on Baylor. The Buffs aren't a big player in all this, but they were the surprising first team to start the dominoes.
• Nebraska hasn't even officially joined the Big Ten and we already have Cornhusker and Hawkeye fans spewing hate and smack on our radio show. The Nebraska - Iowa rivalry will get nasty, and great.
• Even when/if Texas leaves the Big 12, don't write the obit. Whoever's left will try hard to hang on to the brand and find some way to keep it going. 
• Is it pointless to fire Dan Beebe at this point?
• Missouri wants out of the Big 12 in the worst way, but if no one wants Mizzou, it will have to stay, and the Big 12 is desperate enough to play nice.
• I feel for Cyclone employees and fans. It's always worse when you feel you can't do anything. It's why parents are far more stressed watching their kids play a game than they were to play in one themselves. Still, Jamie Pollard is right. It's not the end of the world, and it's not over yet.
• Pete Carroll, John Calipari is proud of how you got out of town just ahead of the posse. Nice.
• Tom Izzo, call Tim Floyd before you take Cavs job.
• I'm watching SportsCenter and Stuart Scott is YELLING AT ME.
• I want to see the A-Team. There, I said it.

• Colin is doing great. Thanks for your nice thoughts and emails. Besides, chicks dig casts.

Birthday dinner at the ER

• After Wednesday's 6 p.m. news, I took a break from realignment overload to celebrate my mom's birthday. I was halfway to Woody's Smoke Shack when my wife called to say, "head to Mercy Hospital instead". My son Colin, who's 6, fell down the stairs on his way to the car. He fractured his elbow, which is extremely painful. In the ER room next to us was Governor Culver and his son. We exchanged ER stories, past and present. Both boys are now doing fine. Mom's birthday dinner moved to the Mercy McDonald's with a shirtless Colin sporting a new cast and a sling that looks like it was cut from one of my Dad's loud shirts.
• While in the ER, I joked that I was surprised to find the Governor, but not the Big 12. Someone immediately snapped back with, "Check intensive care", another added, "Look in the morgue".
• Been a long night. I need to end this early. Thank you for stopping by, and congrats to all the Blackhawk fans. Cubs, you're on the clock.

Expansion Overload

• What a great job by Big 12 bully Texas of making Nebraska look like the heavy. If Nebraska leaves the Big 12, Texas will likely take five teams with it, and join the Pac 10. If Nebraska stays, Texas stays. No one really cares what Missouri does (expect Missouri and its fans). If Missouri is the only team to exit, which seems unlikely, the Big 12 would just invite someone else.
• Nebraska is tired of the Texas tilt in the Big 12. If the Big Ten invites Nebraska, I think it's clear the Cornhuskers are gone. And really, the Big Ten is a better fit. Obviously, the Big Ten is at least interested.
• The Big Ten started this entire dust up, in part, to try and force Notre Dame to look into the future and see itself on the outside looking in. It may work. I doubt it.
• Forget the 18 months. This is all going down soon. Iowa State fans are worried when the music stops, the Cyclones won't have a chair. Cyclone fans who want to stay in a BCS conference should hope the Big 12 stays together, which it may. If not, the Cyclones will land somewhere, but it won't be the Big Ten. Iowa State doesn't offer the TV market, football following, or revenue that the Big Ten cares about. It's not about education. What a joke.
• Hawkeye fans are much more excited. Just thinking about rivalries with Nebraska and Notre Dame is enough to quicken the pulse. There's a downside too. Iowa risks being a less important cog in the conference.
• I find it a little sad that we're seeing the extent college football runs the show. It's all about football. More accurately, it's all about football money. Presidents and ADs have seen what kind of money conference championships and TV deals bring. Now they're eyeing some kind of mega-conference playoff. Nothing will ever be the same.
• It is nice to have something passionate to talk about in Iowa in June.

Kid Mistakes

Don't condemn Jewel Hampton and Jordan Bernstine for their arrests in Iowa City early Saturday morning. I know a few Hawkeye fans that favor a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to scrapes with the law.  That's asinine. Maybe it's because I know a lot of former college athletes, or maybe it's because I lived in Iowa City for four years and know the culture, but I almost consider off the field incidents to be like injuries... you have to expect a few from time to time.  It's unrealistic to think 100 members of a BCS football team will "toe the line" 365 days a year. 

Now, two or three years ago, the Iowa football team had a problem. Many of the off the field incidents were not simple misdemeanors, which is what Hampton and Bernstine are accused of.  I'm not sticking up for players accused of possessing/selling illegal drugs or sexual assault.  Kirk Ferentz was a little slow to recognize, back then, that he had a serious problem.  But Ferentz did address the problems eventually, and even with these latest arrests, Iowa's off the field incidents have slowed to a trickle.  And Ferentz deserves some credit for that.

Based on what has come to light thus far, Hampton and Bernstine were drunk in a bar on a Friday during a time when school was not in session.  Hampton got into a argument/fight (haven't seen any report of injuries) and Bernstine is guilty of not walking away and shutting his mouth when he should have.  These are kid mistakes, and since the spring of 2008, most of the off the field incidents involing the Hawkeyes have also been kid mistakes (public intox, interference with official acts, public urination).

I don't think most fans realize the effect playing football at a high level has on these athletes.  Football is a violent game, and playing it requires a mindset and an intensity that is abnormal.  And these are 18-22 year old kids that are not yet fully mature mentally and emotionally.  At times, some of them will struggle to turn off the "switch" when they walk off the field.  They deserve a few chances to figure it out.

Based on what I know about the incident, and based on Ferentz's track record with discipline, a one-game suspension is the maximum penalty either player will receive.  Frankly, I'll be surprised if either player misses a game.  I'll throw a qualifyer in though... Ferentz sort of keeps a mental file on each of his players.  That file includes not only scrapes with the law, but also behind the scenes stuff that the public rarely hears about (skipping class, late for practice/meetings, etc.)  If either player was in Ferentz's doghouse before this incident, then the punishment could involve game suspensions.  Most likely though, I'm guessing the punishment will involve Hampton and Bernstine running the Kinnick stairs until they puke, and both will be in uniform against Eastern Illinois.

Bottom line, for all the reasons I mentioned above, very few college athletic programs have zero tolerance policies.  What do you think that would do to recruiting?  Any kid that only wants to eat, sleep, study, and play football usually enrolls at Army or Navy.  And last I checked, Iowa City was nothing like West Point.

Shawn

The Wizard, Conference Expansion, and The Rat Pack.

I've been sitting at the keyboard for ten minutes trying to sum up my feelings for John Wooden, who passed away Friday at the age of 99.  Like many, I've always admired him from a distance for many reasons.  The biggest reason... Wooden always struck me as a man that tried to live each day better than the day before.  That's a pretty good motto to live by.

It took me awhile to come around, but I'm finally getting caught up in all the speculation regarding conference expansion.  I'm a traditionalist when it comes to expansion/realignment, so I'm not in favor of it.  I think it's all about greed.  But as someone that enjoys college athletics more than sports at any other level, it's becoming very difficult not to pay increased attention to the topic.

I seem to enjoy the Principal Charity Classic more and more every year, mostly because I get older every year.  It's always been a phenomenal event, but with each passing year, more and more of the golfers I grew up watching on the PGA Tour join the Champions Tour.  It's a real priviledge to be able to interview and watch guys like Fred Couples, Nick Price, Fred Funk, and Corey Pavin up close.  And believe me, these guys can still play.

For some strange reason, Dan Winters and I have this unusual ritual at work... We'll often sing dumb songs to each other in passing, like we're Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.  Tonight in the make-up room (yes we all wear make-up) I had the pleasure of giving Dan an "earworm" before the 10 pm news.  It was straight out of Willy Wonka... "come with me... and you'll be... in a world of pure imagination."  The song was still stuck in Dan's head when Jay Leno started.  Erin Kiernan thinks we're weird.  I think I agree with her.

Shawn

A Lesson In Grace, Red Card Regret, Another Karate Kid?

• I will respect and remember Armando Galarraga far more for the class and intergrity he's shown than if he had pitched an official perfect game. Galarraga's compassion for umpire Jim Joyce's pain over the blown call is one of the best examples of character and sportsmanship I've seen on a big stage in a long time. Credit too to Joyce for manning up, apologizing, and owning the mistake. Galarraga and Joyce showed grace and class, so it did not surprise me when less than 18 hours after outrage, Tiger fans cheered Joyce. They took their cue from Galarraga. There's a real lesson here.
• Commissioner Bud Selig made the right call. You can't overturn a call the next day. What if it had happened in the 5th inning, and then Galarraga was perfect the rest of the way? The missed call's legacy will be more use of replay---I just hope someone figures out how to do it without slowing the game down more.
• Ankeny boys soccer coach Rick Isaacson drew a red card at state after officials took a late game-tying goal for the Hawks off the scoreboard. Isaacson immediately felt bad about losing control of his emotions and stopped to talk to our Shawn Terrell on camera. Isaacson said he needed to set a better example for his players. You  know what Coach, you've already started doing that.
• Legendary coach John Wooden is 99 years old. He's had a remarkable life. Wooden is reportedly in bad shape and not expected to leave the hospital. One of the great privileges of my life was a lengthy talk with Coach Wooden about basketball. I also sat next to him at the McDonald's All-American Banquet that I hosted. Wooden had absolutely no arrogance or airs about him. I've never seen anyone near that famous be so humble and down to earth. It was easy to see why his players love him so much, even though they often didn't realize how much until after all his lessons started impacting their lives in positive ways.
• The Lakers made it look easy in game one. A Phil Jackson coached team has never lost a series after winning game one.
• Ben Roethlisberger pledges a better lifestyle. That won't be hard.
• Touchdown Tim Dodge retires from the Barnstormers to take a job with the Ankeny Police Department. That's good for Ankeny, bad for the Barnstormers (and criminals). Dodge always represented the Hawkeyes, Steamwheelers, and Barnstormers with class.
• It's already time for a Karate Kid remake? That makes me feel old. I'll take the kids to the new one, then excitedly take them home to see the real deal on DVD. They'll think the new one is better.

Blown Call, Kid Retires, Horner Hired

• Blown call. Detroit's Armando Galarraga pitched a perfect game, but he's not credited with one, thanks to Joyce's missed call on what should have been the final out. The scorebook says Galarraga pitched a 1-hitter, and the Tigers blanked the Indians 3-0.
• Expect a non-stop media firestorm over this one. I think popular sentiment will be to overrule the call and award Galarraga the perfect game. I'm not in favor. Mistakes---even big ones---are part of baseball. The moment is gone. We already know Galarraga deserved a perfect game, but it didn't happen.
• Props to umpire Jim Joyce for manning up and admitting he blew it. I'm guessing Joyce feels worse than anyone, including Galarraga. It wasn't even that close of a call. Joyce must have been overcompensating. He does have that Tombstone mustache.
• Replays coming now. No stopping it. Just what we need, longer baseball games.
• Why all the perfect games, including (should be) three in the past year from the American League? It's tougher in the AL because the DH gives you three quality at-bats the pitcher would not.
• The Cubs didn't lose to the Pirates Wednesday night. It rained.
• Ken Griffey Junior made us proud during an era many players let us down. We'll miss the Kid.
• Playoff hockey is awesome. The Blackhawks are my second favorite team in the NHL, but I was kind of pulling for the Flyers just so this highly watched series would go at least five games. Game 3 was an OT classic, but since it was on Versus, not many  people saw it, and locally, Mediacom doesn't carry Versus in HD. We now know the series is going back to NBC for game 5, and as you may have heard, channel 13 is in HD.
• As much as I'm loving hockey, if I had to watch just one Finals, I'm going with the NBA. Celtics-Lakers is as good as it gets.
• Can you believe the Belmont Stakes is Saturday? Yeah, no one cares.
• Good move by Valley hiring Jeff Horner. It's a high school version of the Hoiberg hire at Iowa State, but I think both will work. It will be far easier for Jeff.

Polls, Balls, and Mancards

Fanhouse.com (never heard of it before today) ranks the Iowa football team #2 in the nation in its "Post-Spring Top 25."  That's too high.  Everyone seems to be forgetting how much experience the Hawks have to replace on the offensive line.  Riley Reiff is another first-round pick in the making at left tackle, but after that, there are four question mark... beginning with Julian Vandervelde.  Can he regain his 2008 form?  Vandervelde missed most of fall camp in 2009 and never really caught up.

Adidas rolls out (pun intended) its new "Jabulani" ball just in time for the World Cup, and every soccer player north of Cape Town hates it.  How does that happen?  I openely admit I don't understand soccer, and don't really want to.   But I play golf.  And if I showed up to the first tee and was told I had to play 18 holes with a Lady Precept, I wouldn't be very happy about it.

So Keith pulled Hassel's mancard after Chris reluctantly went to see "Sex and the City II?"  First of all, I didn't realize Chris was still in possession of his mancard.  I assumed it was revoked somewhere around the time Chris first pranced around half-nude on SoundOFF.   Second of all, many of the of the nipples-exposed antics on SoundOFF are Keith's idea, so I find all this mancard talk just a bit ironic.

Teri Hatcher is playing in the Principal Charity Classic Pro-Am Wednesday morning, and if my background check comes back clean (fingers crossed), I'll be within a few feet of her.  Everyone seems to remember Hatcher from "Seinfeld" or "Lois and Clark," but I remember Hatcher fondly from her days playing "Penny Parker" on "MacGyver."  I miss that show.

Shawn

Hassel loses Mancard, Pirates Own Cubs, "There Are No Words"

• I don't mind working holidays, except for the time away from the family, which is no small matter. However, the phone doesn't ring, emails screech to a halt, small-talk is nearly non-existent because smaller staff means smarter work habits, and someone always brings treats. All things considered, a pretty good day.
• Never mind. I just got back from dinner. It's B-E-A-UTIFUL outside.
• I'm watching the Stanley Cup finals. Hockey is the sport I appreciate more each year. I just love it in person, and with HD, it's like being there. 
• I love elementary school "field days/Olympics" in Iowa. I've been to seven at Perkins Academy in Des Moines, and I'm always so impressed how encouraging the kids are to each other. Not a hater in sight. (Unfortunately, that's learned by some later in life.)
• For those of you asking, Chris Hassel will be allowed back on SoundOFF Sunday night. We had to pull his mancard for seeing Sex & The City 2 on opening weekend. The best review I've seen says it's "awful and way too long".
• The Cubs can't contend when they can't beat the lowly Pirates. The Cubs have lost 8 of 9 to the Pirates! That's terrible.
• No one's hoping for better weather more than the Principal Charity Classic. It's a great tourney, and the skill humbles, but most fans won't sit in the rain---not for golf. I'm with most. 
• Ate a good meal at Lonestar Steakhouse in Des Moines tonight, but for dessert I ordered a space heater. I remember from my days of working at the movie theater, the active employees set the thermostat for themselves, not the people sitting and freezing.
• Andy just left for his annual trek to the Boundary Waters. He loves it. I'd rather watch Dancing with the Stars. 
• I brought it too strong. I'd rather camp.
• Andy left with a buzz cut to fight off ticks. You can't make it up. The way his hair grows, he'll return with an afro.
• "Special Relationship" on HBO is good. Michael Sheen should play Tony Blair as much as possible. I couldn't picture Dennis Quaid as Bill Clinton, but Quaid pulled it off, though he's no Sheen as Blair.
• My wife hates smores. Who hates smores? Sure they're messy, but that make up for it in sweet awesomeness.
• "There Are No Words" promo for the Stanley Cup is great.
• My heart says Celtics, my head Lakers.
• Shawn Terrell claims he's been in Peterson, Iowa. I have no proof that such a town even exists.

Staying Alive, Streaking, Sex (and the City)

(Chris)

Matt Dermody pitched Norwalk to a state title, last year. This year, he's hoping to pitch Iowa to a Big Ten title. The freshman earned the win in an 8-3 Hawkeye victory in the Big Ten tourney. Iowa has now won two games in the tournament. Two more than they had won since the Bush administration. The George H.W. Bush administration.

The most impressive sports streak, in the nation, belongs to Garrett Wittles. Not only does the FIU sophomore have a 52 game hitting streak...last night, he pitched 3 innings, and got the win, in an 18-16 victory in the conference tourney! http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5229869

One Bill Fennelly is good. Another Bill Fennelly is better. Bill hires son Billy to be ISU's new director of player development. Big Bill calls it 'A dream come true'.

Randy Wells gave up 5 runs in 0 innings, Friday. The Cubs' starter was taken out before retiring a batter. Ouch.

A day after Ryne Sandberg blew a gasket, the I-Cubs blew a game. After coming back from a 4-0 deficit to take a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the 9th, the Cubbies lose on a walk-off homer, in Nashville. A win would have moved them into a tie for first.

Boston, finally, put an end to the Magic. I'd love to see the Suns take LA to a game 7...but who the heck wants to see a Boston-Phoenix final? Not me.

If you're a man, and you've already seen 'Sex and the City 2', you have no excuse. That's why I'm not going to tell you that, my wife, made me go.

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Saturday night. Time to break out the old Griswold double-zero Blackhawks jersey. 49 years of waiting may soon be over for Chicago hockey fans. At least, I hope so.

Last Team Standing, 2:30 Kick, Pants On The Ground

• Could Boston possibly choke away two 3-0 leads in the same post-season? The Bruins did it, and the Celtics sure look old and tired.
• It's ridiculous the University of Iowa is the only D1 school left in our state playing baseball, but at least they're winning. Nice job, Hawks. First post-season win in 20 years.
• I'm headed to the I-Cubs noon game Thursday. Ed tells me it will be a perfect day. I'm hoping for a fast game so I can see it all before our radio show starts at two.
• The baseball gods still don't like lights at Wrigley. Power outage for 18 minutes Wednesday night.
• The Iowa State at Iowa football game will kick at 2:30 p.m. Perfect. 11 a.m. is too early, 6 p.m. too late (and too many drunks).
• If you need tickets to the sold out CyHawk game, call Kansas. Someone there can hook you up.
• Twins fans are still cheering rain. That won't last.
• Would you pay $5 for an edible logo of your favorite team on a pizza? Me either. What if you were hosting a watch-party? Maybe.
• Can't wait for the holiday weekend. We're headed to Clear Lake for some R&R. I hope you have a great one. (Non-American Idol viewers might want to stop here.)
• Watching American Idol finale on DVR. Might as well blog as I go... Christina Aguilera and Carrie Underwood can flat out wail. Alanis Morissette, Michael McDonald and Hall & Oates still sound good---Barry Gibb, Chicago not so much. It was good to see Bret Michaels rocking again too.
• Oh no, "Pants On The Ground" guy gets another 15 minutes. He's right though.
• Nice touch. Paula Abdul appears. Never mind. Blows moment with bad jokes.
• All winning Idols appear to thank Simon. This show is one long tribute to Simon. Crystal and Lee forgotten. Then again, the entire season has been somewhat forgettable.
• Janet Jackson sounding more like Michael than ever.
• Joe Cocker appears. I immediately miss John Belushi. Cocker still has it.
• The wrong singer wins (again). Lee DeWyze seems like a nice guy, and he's got some talent, but Crystal Bowersox sang him off his feet Tuesday night.
• Oh well, at least the show ends with U2's Beautiful Day. Get well, Bono.
• Simon's done with Idol, so am I.

Talking With No Teeth, RichRod Slapped, Put Me In Coach

• Is there anyone in the NBA tougher than Steve Nash. One eye, reset nose, whatever it takes. He's Rocky, and the Suns "don't know it's an exhibition. They think it's a damn fight!" (to paraphrase Apollo Creed's trainer). Not even Steve Nash is tougher than Chicago's Duncan Keith. The Blackhawk loses seven teeth, still plays, then gives an on-camera interview, and then seeks medical attention.
• Flyers vs. Blackhawks. Bad for Canada. Good for us.
• ESPN reports back channel talks are going on between Phil Jackson and the Bulls. Back channel talks are code for everyone maintains plausable denial. Jackson will shoot this all down, if he hasn't already by the time you read this.
• Michigan completed its internal investigation into the football program and basically slapped itself, and coach RichRod on the wrist. Michigan practiced too much---all programs work the gray areas---the Wolverines just had ticked off players who didn't like the coach and told the teacher. 
• Tiger says he'll play in the Memorial. I'm surprised to find I don't even care.
• New York/New Jersey lands the 2014 Super Bowl. Good. The biggest game should occasionally be played in football weather. Plus, no wardrobe malfunctions.
• Does anyone care about doping in sports anymore, or are you just tired of it? Floyd Landis' bombshells mostly brought yawns.
• The Hall of Fame will honor John Fogerty's Centerfield. Can you hear the handclaps in your head?
• The American Idol final features two good singers, who seem like nice people, but are kind of boring. Crystal deserves to win, Lee is more what the show is about. Who you got?

Magic Heart, Warner's Eye, Football Weather

• Hey Magic, you surprised me. I thought you had no heart. You proved me wrong. Nice job.
• The question of the week: "What's wrong with Kurt Warner's eye?". Kurt says he was recently poked in the eye. It should be fine soon.
• LeBron Cavs fired Mike Brown. Winningest coach in the NBA can't keep his job. I actually understand too. He seems overmatched in the playoffs.
• NBA series take way too long. Several days between games? Stupid. Hard to get traction of interest.
• RIP Law & Order. You were good to us.
• "Lost" lost me a long time ago. Did it turn out to be purgatory? That was always my guess, but then I was raised Catholic.
• I hope NY/NJ gets the Super Bowl in 2014 (we find out Tuesday). Why shouldn't the big game be played in football weather? Most of the people in the stands are corporate types, not true blue fans anyway.
• The Blackhawks vs. Flyers. Nice. Two sweet jerseys too. Edge to the Blackhawks. Simply classic.
• I worked the Little League concession stand over the weekend. I remembered the most important thing: avoid the cash register. If you're new to Little League parental duties, don't forget this all important tip.
• We're still moving into our new HD house. Like any move, we're finding challenges, but overall, thanks to the hard work of a lot of people who understand stuff I don't, it's gone smoothly. We weren't all systems go for SoundOFF, but we appreciate your patience, understanding, and all the nice comments about the sweet new look. Thanks.

Photo Finish, Where's the Beef, Rant Writer

(Chris)

Great finish to the Goodyear Dealers of Iowa 200, Sunday night. Max Gresham nosed out Ty Dillon by .039 seconds to take the checkers. It's too bad Grimes resident Brett Moffitt wasn't in the mix at the end. The 17-year-old led 54 laps, fell back to 2nd, and then was spun into the wall with 5 laps to go. Afterwards he had this to say, to the Des Moines Register, about the wreck, "Just racing with idiots, that's what you're going to get." Now that's a kid speakin' his mind.

There's, definitely, something going on between Kurt Warner and Northern Iowa. He's such a nice guy. He makes all the right moves. He loves giving back to the people that helped him get his start. So why has it been 16 years since he's been back to his alma mater? He says it's because he's not the kind of guy that likes being in the spotlight. Isn't that exactly what he did at the Barnstormers game, Friday? Of course, it is.

The biggest question to come out of Warner's appearance was this: "What's wrong with his eye?" Answer: I don't know. I was at the press conference, but I couldn't muster up the courage to ask him why his right eye was swollen. Now that we're HD, that's all anyone noticed.

What a great year for the game of hockey. First, the US faces Canada, in the Gold Medal game. Now, the Blackhawks are in the Stanley Cup Finals! Okay, so I'm biased. But, no one can say they don't have one of the best jersey's in all of sports. If it was socially acceptable to wear a hockey sweater, in public, I'd have one. I may still get one, anyway. If Clark Griswold can pull it off, so can I.

Some are already complaining about the "hot" and steamy weather. Give me a break. Just be glad the winter coats won't be coming out of the closet for a few months.

The FDA is recalling several thousand cans of corned beef because of higher than acceptable levels of a drug used to treat cattle for parasites. Fortunately, no sane person has purchased a can of corned beef since prohibition.
 
What do Mike Tyson, Allen Iverson, and 'Broadway Joe', have in common? They all paid this guy his services: http://tiny.cc/omw3e ... they, also, like 'Modern Family'.

Flood Stage

There's no shortage of pun when discussing Katie Flood.  The Dowling senior was part of a historic female duo at the State Track Meet.  Flood, along with Dike-New Hartford senior Hannah Wilms, combined to win 25 state titles.  Unbelievable.  I always thought it would be cool to run fast, but I never could.  I won a green ribbon for finishing fourth in the sack race on track and field day back in 4th grade... that was pretty much the highlight of my sprinting career.

The I-Cubs have figured something out, and it's led to 11 wins in 12 games.  On Saturday, the I-Cubs beat Colorado Springs 1-0, which should re-ignite the "which sports is more boring... soccer or baseball?" debate.  Actually, the Menace outscored the I-Cubs on Saturday, beating St. Louis 2-1.

Finally this week, I took a passing glance at the NBA playoffs, and what I watched didn't hold my attention.  How does the Magic win eight straight games to start the playoffs and then forget how to play basketball?

I wish I could see more of the Stanley Cup playoffs.  Studid Dish Network.  Someone will inevitably respond to that statement by telling me how great Direct TV is, but it also has faults.  So does Mediacom.  It just depends where your viewing priorities lie.

Shawn

Record Flood, Floyd the Cheat, Poker Face

• Dowling Catholic's Katie Flood is amazing. Fastest high school 3000 meters in the nation. Flood's a nice role model for girls too. She's not an 85 pound stick; she looks athletic and healthy.
• Harrison Barnes finished fifth in the high jump (6'4"). Hey, can't win everything.
• Do you still believe Lance Armstrong's clean? Is it possible in the most corrupt doping sport in the world, the guy who was the best, was virtually the only one not cheating? I want to believe him, I really do.
• Tour De France winner Floyd Landis denied doping so emphatically, he convinced many skeptics he must be telling the truth. He wasn't. It took years, but Landis now admits he was cheating his butt off. It was just like Pete Rose, only insert doping for gambling.
• Love that Hall-of-Famers Andre Dawson and Tony Perez got right in Hanley Ramirez' face and told him he crossed the line. More legends need to do this. Fines don't work when a player makes $70 million.
• "Kurt Warner Night" should fill The Well Friday night. Not sure which has happened more, Barnstormers retiring Warner's 13, or Brett Favre unretiring, but both seem to work out.
• Warner will work the NFL Network broadcast booth with the guy Iowa recruited ahead of Warner back in the day, Paul Burmeister. You couldn't start a TV career next to a better guy than Paul, and Kurt will be a natural.
• Remember Butterbean? He's now an MMA promoter.
• Gale Sayers called out the Bears and Brian Urlacher didn't like it. Too bad. He's Gale Freaking Sayers.
• If the Lakers and Celtics both sweep, they'll wait a week and a half between games.
• 3-on-3 basketball could be come an Olympic sport. Really.
• World Cup odds: Spain, the favorite, at 5-1, Brazil 6-1, USA 75-1.
• Southwest Airlines sees a surge in business thanks to its "Bags Fly Free" campaign. Are you paying attention other airlines?
• Lost in all the Leno-bashing is the fact that since returning he's taken NBC back to #1 in late night, and easily outpaced Conan's ratings.
• Am I the only one who thinks it's ridiculous that poker players are allowed to wear sunglasses? Shouldn't a top tell come from someone's eyes? Dumb. Page Lady Gaga.
• Maybe you've heard... our newscasts are now in HD. As readers of this blog know, I try not to watch anything not in HD, so I'm happy we're able to deliver the local news, weather, and most importantly, SPORTS!, in high definition. Once you see the difference, it's hard to settle for anything less. We're even going high def on SoundOFF. That could be a mistake.

Shirts My Dad Wears, PR for HB, Erin Andrews Tweets

• I'm feeling another classic Celtics-Lakers match-up coming on. Man, I miss Bird vs. Magic.
• Craig Sager's TNT suit Monday night had to be a dare. Even by Sager's standards it was ridiculous. My dad wouldn't even wear that suit, and we have a Facebook site devoted to my father, "Shirts My Dad Wears". http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Shirts-My-Dad-Wears/171011848881?ref=ts
• Paddy O'Prado, Super Saver, and Lookin' At Lucky will all skip the Belmont. Most of us can go back to not caring about horse racing until the next Derby.
• Uh-oh. The Cubs gave Lou Piniella the dreaded vote of confidence. Actually, I think the Cubs will stick with Piniella through the rest of this lost season, but Ryne Sandberg better keep renting in Des Moines, just in case.
• Glad Chris Hassel was able to do a story on Harrison Barnes, track star. It's time Barnes finally received some media coverage.
• A package deal for John Calipari & LeBron James? Even if it were true, and I doubt it is, if I'm the Bulls, I pass.
• Erin Andrews is now tweeting the phone number to vote for her on Dancing with the Stars. Edward R. Murrow first did this in the 60s.
• I still haven't seen Iron Man 2. Do I need to make it a priority?
• I have two Friday Night Lights waiting in the DVR. I've got to catch up. I hear the new season is great, even with the budget cuts to the show.
• The worst part of my week is I can't get "We Built This City" out of my head. I blame Sioux City. And Starship.

World Cup, Brockmire, and Phone Tumors

(Chris)

Another ho-hum sports week is in the books. Andy Fales has learned that Paddy O'Prado won't race in the Belmont Stakes, in three weeks. That means Paddy's triple-crown career is over...and Andy's career as a horse racing reporter is likely over, as well.

The Cardinals fell out of 1st place in the NL Central for the first time since July 31, 2009. I'm guessing it won't last long. The Reds have it going, right now, but 4 1/2 months is a long time. I think the Cards will win the division by 8-12 games.

My favorite part of SoundOFF was, during FaceOFF, when Andy did his best FIFA World Cup promo. I must admit, he knocked the South African accent out of the studio. I'll try to get into the World Cup, but I'm afraid I'll have to stick to watching highlights of the one or two goals scored a game. I really want to like the sport, but when there's no scoring, there's no excitement. I loved playing soccer as a kid, but we would actually put the ball in the net.

I'm much more interested in the NHL playoffs than the NBA playoffs. I like them both, but hockey has it going on this year. And if you think hockey is anything like soccer, check yourself.

Shawn is right. 'America, the Story of US' is an amazing series on the History channel. I get goose bumps every time they roll the open. It's a must-see. Chances are, if it's on History, or Discovery, I'm going to love it.

If you have a sense of humor, and don't mind a few dirty words, google 'Jim Brockmire'. He's a broadcasting "legend" ... I've memorized the entire 4-minute video. Believe me, it's much better than 'We Built Sioux City'.

Guess what? An international study has found that cell phones don't cause brain-tumors. Did anyone actually believe that rumor, in the first place? The study also found that telling a lie does, indeed, give you white deposits on your fingernails. Fascinating.

Paddy, NBA, and The Story of Us.

I don't profess to be a horse racing expert, but Paddy O'Prado looked down-right disinterested down the home stretch at The Preakness Stakes.  At one point, it looked as though Paddy forgot he was in the middle of a race, as he nuzzled up to the horse to his right.  He rebounded to finish sixth, which is disappointing to his owners at Donegal Racing.  After all, Paddy finished third at the Kentucky Derby, a race with nearly twice as many entrants as The Preakness.

Andy Fales reports no decision has been made about whether or not to enter the horse in the Belmont Stakes.  My guess is Paddy O'Prado will not run in New York in three weeks.

I can't get into the NBA playoffs.  Even the Lebron drama doesn't interest me.  Actually, I haven't watched much NBA since 1998.  The style of play, egos, and artificial arena noise are a total turn-off for me.  That being said, the Bulls of the Jordan era were the exception for me.  I never missed a game.

I love The History Channel, and America: The Story of Us is my latest obsession.  Check it out on Sunday nights.  It trumps The Pacific on HBO during the same time slot, and I never would have thought that a few months ago.

Shawn