Farley, Chicken, Beach

• UNI's Mark Farley sounds like a guy who's figured out what makes him happy in life, and realizes he has it.
• Drake football media day leaves no doubt the Bulldogs have genuine student-athletes.
• Is The Famous Chicken at every I-Cubs game? I don't care. I love the Chicken.

• It appears Andy is having a great vacation. It's his first trip with his daughter Elin, but clearly they're bonding on the beach.

Orton Sounds Off, Cubs Dog Days, Stop Calling me

• Kyle Orton is getting frustrated. Who could blame him? Orton's been under-appreciated and underrated everywhere he's been. Still, Orton knows better than to take the bait when a reporter asks Orton what he thinks of 39 Tebow jerseys at Broncos practice and only two Orton's. Kyle's comment that, "Thank god the people don't make the decisions... My last goal playing quarterback is winning over the fans. My last goal." I think Kyle will want that one back. Nothing gained from zinging the fans, even if some have it coming. The cult of Tebow is wearing on Orton. (Big thanks to my friend Zubin Mehenti at our sister station KWGN in Denver for sending us the Orton interview Monday night.)

• Love the I-Cubs Dog Days night. America's pastime and man's best friend all in the same place? Can't beat it.
• The Cyclones leave for Italy Tuesday morning at 6 a.m. I'd like to go. Fred Hoiberg says Italy is as nice as any place on the planet. I agree. I think it was my favorite vacation spot. You just can't believe what you see there. (Note the look of awe.)

• UNI football coach Mark Farley said on our radio show today that he thinks about the last second loss to Iowa two years every day... because someone brings it up every day. Monday, it was Chris Hassel.
• Just watched Curb Your Enthusiasm. I want to eat Pinkberry yogurt. I'm not even sure if it's good.

• Harrison Barnes likes to appear on SoundOFF and have fun. Behind the scenes, he's gracious.
• I can't wait for the Ames Straw Poll. I'm hoping Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty will stop emailing me, calling me, and knocking on my door. (The third hasn't happened. Yet.)
• Would grown men dig through garbage, and fight over a foul ball? Sadly, this video proves they will: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_6SFBW5QlE

Harrison Stops By, Non-Stop Football, Stevie Williams & Katy Perry Should Just Stop

(Zach)

Don't Hate Because He Did What 99% Of You Would Have Done Too

I'm new (or perhaps I should say back in the game in Iowa after being away for a while) so maybe that explains why I just don't get all the anti-Harrison Barnes stuff I've seen from some, especially the "he'll leave and never come back/completely forget Iowa".  My first impression meeting him is that he is a humble kid who very much remembers and loves his roots.  For a guy who is probably going to be making millions of dollars in the very near future, he doesn't act like he's entitled or spoiled, and that's refreshing.  Guessing his family had a lot to do with that. 

I know there were a lot of hurt feelings over how his commitment went down.  I really don't think there was any ill will in it.  And anyone who really thinks he should have stayed in Iowa is probably oblivious to the situations at Iowa State and Iowa back then.  If anything, it's too bad Barnes couldn't have been a year or two younger.  Not saying it would have stopped him from going to UNC, but with Hoiberg and some decent talent at ISU like Royce White now, the Cyclones would have been much more attractive than they were a few years ago.

Media days are coming and going.  Iowa and Iowa State are done, Northern Iowa and Drake (if you care about Bulldog Football) are up tomorrow and Tuesday.  Media days are one of those events you really anticipate and dread all at once.  You anticipate them because it signals the start of football season after a long summer of next to nothing to talk about.  You dread it, though, because they always say the same stuff regardless of where you go and it also means you have to wait another long month before an actual game is played.  I'm ready for some football right now dang it!

Will Vandy Be Dandy?

I think both the Hawks and Cyclones have the pieces in place to be at least decent, probably good, and at best potentially great, it just comes down to the man under center for both.  With Iowa I feel pretty comfortable with James VandenBerg.  He's far from proven but he's shown something when they had to stick him in as a freshman a few years ago. 

I Think The Guy On The Left Has A Better Chance Than We Realize

With Iowa State it's the opposite.  Jerome Tiller has also seen time but never really impressed.  I've really not seen anything from Steele Jantz that makes me believe he'll start.  Maybe that changes with some more time in the system, but I just don't see it when I talk to him or see him on the practice field.  Maybe I'm completely wrong there, just my opinion.  Keep an eye on Jared Barnett.  Back in spring Rhoads talked about this QB competition as a battle between Jantz and Tiller.  All of a sudden we started hearing more about Barnett at media day whom Rhoads called his most accurate passer.  If Jantz or Tiller don't wow you in practice, why not hand the reigns to Barnett?  He's presumably the QB of the future anyway, and if the other two guys don't look any good it's safe to assume you probably don't have any better a chance with them to win then you would with Barnett.

That finish in the US Cellular 250 still blows my mind and I had a front row seat.  The Iowa Speedway couldn't have had a better season.  The Sprint Cup is coming sooner or later. 

What Is This, High School Musical?

Steve Williams called Adam Scott's win at Bridgestone Invite this week the best win and weekend of his career?  Aside from the notion that caddying is a real career (kinda depends on how good the guy your with is), that is just about the most laughable bunch of BS I've ever heard.  Look, I can understand why he's still bent at Woods and I can't blame him either, I just can't respect it because it's a flat out lie.  You've been on the bag for 13 major wins and a ton of wins at this event for crying out loud.  Just be honest and ask the question Shaq asked Kobe when he won a title with the Heat in 2006 (something to do with the taste of something as I recall).  This is like high school when you break up with someone and then go date her best friend/sister/someone hotter to piss her off.  Works great in high school but grow up Stevie.  This week should have belonged more to Adam Scott and less to you.

As for Tiger, Woods seems to have a habit of blaming others for his misfortune.  He blamed the media for blowing up his extra marital problems and exacerbating the situation.  He goes through swing coaches when he blames them for his swing problem.  And then he blames his caddy for anything from bad play to carrying another guys bags when Woods is on the shelf.  At what point is Tiger really going to look in a mirror and realize that HE is the problem.

Sexy?  Yes.  Talented?  Musically, No

Katy Perry should just begin her porn career and give up this thing she calls a "music career".  She's pretty much decided to go the Nickelback "I'm gonna sell out and just sing about sex, partying and drinking" route from day one, but the songs she makes just keep getting progressively worse.  "TGIF" is terrible and I can't turn to a station and not hear it. 

And no, I'm not some prude, I like plenty of music that has sexuality in it, the difference is it is ACTUAL MUSIC.  Listen to a few Rolling Stones tunes from back in the day ("Brown Sugar" anyone?).  You know what they were singing about, but the music actually sounded good and there was some actual emphasis on the craft.  If you think I'm wrong, check back in about a decade when the Stones tunes are still getting more play despite being nearly 50 years old than the Perrys' and Kei$has' who will probably have long since gone out of rotation.

Wreck of a Finish, SJ Plays Defense, Boogie Borg

By Chris Hassel
I admit I'm not a racing fan, but the finish to the U.S. Cellular 250 was nothing short of amazing. The folks at the Iowa Speedway couldn't have asked for a better finish to the 2011 season.

Shawn Johnson told our Zach Borg that the people criticising her comeback performance don't know anything about gymnastics. Shawn has never had to deal with criticism before, and it seems like she's having a hard time coming to grips with it. We're seeing a side of her we've never seen before. We'll hear more from Shawn Sunday at 5 & 10.

I'm not sure I'll ever get used to the sound Kirk Ferentz makes when he's uncomfortable at the mic. It sounds like he's trying to suck his sinuses into his throat.

I'm getting sick of hearing about Tiger's former caddie Steve Williams during golf telecasts. He's a caddie, and the only reason we know who he is, is because he was Tiger's caddie. Enough.

I woke up 6 hours early to shoot the new Football Friday promo. Here's a behind-the-scenes sneak peek.
http://www.twitvid.com/KTNMG

I'm hooked on AMC's Mob Week. Too bad there's a commercial break every 7 minutes. I'm pretty sure Al Pacino is in every single film.

Has there ever been a bad mob movie?

Harrison Barnes joins Keith and me on SoundOFF, Sunday night.

Low/High Expectations, Elvis Tigerhawk, Twitvid

I think it's fascinating how Hawkeye fans have unknowingly raised expectations for the upcoming football season, based solely on the fact that there are no expectations for the upcoming football season. They're setting themselves up for failure, again. I truly believe that most fans will be disappointed with 8 wins, even though I think 8 wins is right where this team is going to end up. This strange phenomenon begs the question: Will Iowa fans ever again have low expectations for a season?

I love the fact that Hayden Fry remains involved in the Hawkeye football program. I just wish he would've retired one year sooner. I'll never forget how bare he left the cupboard when he retired in 1998.

I'm saddened every time I see an old Hawkeye game on BTN, due to the fact that there's actual grass in Kinnick Stadium. Field Turf doesn't belong in there, even if it was often a muddy mess.

I'm not sure what to think about the season. The schedule sets up very nicely, but I don't see Iowa winning at Penn State, at Purdue, or at Nebraska.


I have to admit, even as a lifelong Iowan, I had never heard of Fred Flintstone in the Tigerhawk until Keith pointed it out. Maybe it's just me, but I think it looks more like a cartoon Elvis than Fred Flintstone.





Iowa State will likely only be favored in two games this season --- home against UNI, and home against Kansas. The schedule is an absolute bear. While the Big 12, as a whole, isn't as good as it was with Colorado and Nebraska, teams like ISU, Kansas, KSU, and Missouri, will suffer. The south will continue to dominate even though, technically, the south no longer exists.

I really hope Steele Jantz wins the starting QB job. We know what we're going to get with Jerome Tiller, and quite frankly, it's not that good. 

We have a prize for the first Cyclone fan who comments about the fact that there are 5 lines about Iowa, and only two about ISU. It's a surprise.

Michael Annett believes the biggest sporting event in Iowa is the US Cellular 250. That's no surprise....he's a NASCAR driver. Sprint Car fans will tell you that the biggest event is the Knoxville Nationals. It's not even close --- the Cy-Hawk football game wins, hands down.

Twitter is now forcing people to watch a 30-second ad before every Twitvid. I'm declaring this the beginning of the end for Twitter.

Jumbo, B1G, HD

• At Iowa State football media day Thursday, the Cyclones rolled out their most anticipated newcomer in years: The HD Jumbotron. It's so big, it overwhelms the north end, but how can that be a bad thing? I'd make one whole wall of my living room an HD screen if I didn't really enjoy having a wife and kids.

• We don't ever learn much at media day---it's mostly a photo op---but it's interesting to hear Paul Rhoads say this will be his most talented team. Rhoads' Clones won 7 games his first season, but that 2009 schedule was not the bear this Big 12 2.0 is. If Rhoads coaches ISU to 7 wins in 2011, Jamie Pollard should start drawing up a lifetime contract.
• The Vegas over/under is 3 wins. I'll take the over.
• No starting QB yet. Rhoads says he won't platoon. Smart man.
• The Big Ten, or as it's now written, B1G (silly), announced members will begin playing nine conference games in 2017. This is mostly good for fans, and despised by coaches. Fans see one additional meaningful game, while coaches who want to keep their multi-million dollar jobs know job security decreases when wins do. The negative for fans is that we're headed for an NFL type preseason, where schools play what amounts to exhibitions against FCS schools before conference play begins.

• The Cy-Hawk series will continue, and it will mean more than ever because the other games will be against schools you won't recognize.
• Our radio show listeners say the next improvement to Jack Trice Stadium needs to be bowling in the south end zone. It's an easier fix in the vote for Kinnick Stadium: Tigerhawk logo at midfield. That won't happen with Kirk Ferentz coaching.
• Cool scene on Walnut Street in Des Moines Thursday as Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne showed up and played Bags with Nationwide employees (as in NASCAR Nationwide series).
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes is getting stellar reviews. 86% of the nation's critics, as of Friday morning, recommend seeing it. I'm shocked. I still won't see it. Unless you tell me I'm really missing something.

• The boss delivered a new HD big screen for the sports office. It's the little things in life. Who am I kidding? It's big.

Fred Flintstone Revealed, Stanzi American Patriot, Hanrahan Bobble-head

During our last conversation here, we were discussing whether you're able to see Fred Flintstone's image in the tigerhawk logo:

After I mentioned it Tuesday night in our sportscast, Erin, John, Ed, and the crew stood around trying to see Fred. One-by-one, with some help, they did. I'm also happy to report, the last holdout, Chad Kendall, finally saw Fred too, and he didn't have to sleep at the TV station.

Here's Fred:



Got it now, right?

The Broncos coaches confirmed what players knew all along: Southeast Polk's Kyle Orton gives Denver the best shot to win, not Tim Tebow.

The Kansas City media learned what Hawkeye fans already know, Ricky Stanzi loves America. Here's a replay from our sportscast: http://www.whotv.com/videobeta/a5252f3e-80d2-401f-9222-4e9ddd787039/News/Stanzi-Talks-NFL

High school football practice is underway. Love it.

Nice to see Norwalk's Joel Hanrahan was psyched about his bobble-head. Here's what Joel tweeted Wednesday:
Today is my bobblehead day @iowacubs and we are playing the cubs, must mean good things for the #buccos they are pretty cool! First 1 4 me.
He was wrong about good things for the Buccos. Cubs won 1-0.


Good story from the IceBorg about Iowa State's trip to Italy. The Clones sound ready for Italian fun, even if they don't run into the Godfather: http://www.whotv.com/videobeta/71e6b5d9-480f-4f91-816c-56d59e7bb542/News/Cyclones-go-to-Italy

Fred Flintstone in the Tigerhawk

• Cardinals vs Brewers Tuesday night was an instant classic. Cards had to win. Cards did win. 8-7 in 11.
• Kyle Orton is the most underrated quarterback in the NFL. It's good to hear from our friend Zubin Mehenti at KWGN in Denver that Orton is now taking all snaps with the #1 offense. Fans may want Tim Tebow, but players and coaches know Orton gives the Broncos a better chance of winning.
• I realize a judges panel agrees with the U of I that the Southern Miss Golden Eagle too closely resembles Iowa's Tigerhawk, but I disagree. Sure, there is a resemblance, but it's not a copy. How many ways can you draw a yellow or gold bird? Southern Miss will have to make a lot of changes.

• After I mentioned in our 10 p.m. newscast, that if you look at the Tigerhawk just right, you can see Fred Flintstone's head, John, Erin, Ed and the entire production crew stood around monitors staring... trying to see it. One-by-one, with a little help from me, they all yelled, "Got it!", or something similar. Director Chad Kendall kept trying but was still in a determined daze when I left. Do you see it? (I'll make it clear in the next blog.)

Longhorns, Schmucks, and Tourists

• Texas doesn't win them all. No high school games on the Longhorn Network for at least a year. Texas will have to manage without yet another recruiting advantage.
• Zach Johnson is a nice guy.
• Anyone buying this Randy Moss retirement talk? Me either. He'll be back. Just as soon as the price is right.
• UNI is the overwhelming pick to win the Valley --- and the Panthers are the closest thing to a breather on ISU's football schedule.
• I can't believe how bad "Dinner for Schmucks" is. It's awful.
• My expectations for "The Tourist" were so low, I found it passable. I was also oddly fascinated by Angelina Jolie's acting style in this movie. She seems completely in love with herself. She also needs to eat a sandwich.

• Ed Littler from KHAS was out of line when he asked Kirk Ferentz to autograph a license plate for a woman Ed hoped to impress. However, Littler didn't hurt anyone, and some of the media outrage has been over-the-top. Ed needs a reprimand, not a flogging.
• So Martensdale-St Mary's had a few players turning flips on the field after winning their second straight state championship... I wouldn't want my kids doing it, but I don't think it's a big deal. You know what is a big deal? Winning 87 straight games.
• Dowling Catholic boys, have yourself a year why don't ya.
• The Vikings quarterback of the future is Donovan McNabb? Great choice... 10 years ago.

• New research shows 71% of adults consider themselves NFL fans. That number is staggering.
• I just watched "Inception" again. I still don't get it.

Football Starts Up, Miffed At Martensdale, QuickTrip Des Moines Hot Spot?

(Zach)

We really will be full tilt into football this week.  Iowa and Iowa State hold their media days, and even high school football begins practice on Wednesday. 

Count me in on the boat that can't wait to get out and see some football games, though I gotta admit it's a little weird to think that summer has gone by so fast.  If there is one downside to football season, it means we're not too far from cold weather and winter.  Still, I'm a native Iowan who grew up in a family that couldn't afford tickets to Iowa or Iowa State games.  How much do you think I'm gonna dig my first experiences on the sidelines?

National expectations around both Iowa and Iowa State are low.  I think both will be in for better years than most outside the state are expecting.  Iowa always plays better when they don't have sky high expectations, and ISU always seems to find a way to pull a few rabbits out of their hat (Nebraska and Texas wins).

We got some calls on SoundOFF from viewers particularly miffed (to the point of obscenity) about the backflip celebration that Martensdale-St. Marys had after winning their 87th straight game and second consecutive 1A State Title.  Was it a little much?  Yeah.  But these are 15-18 year old kids, many of whom played their last high school game.  Boys will be boys, and I've seen worse even at the college level.  I'm not sure how much of these complaints are legit or sour grapes.  One thing I do know is that the Blue Devils knew a lot of people around the state rooted against them this year, and they fed off it.

Andy Fales was a bit ticked the Cardinals lost to the Cubs tonight.  Look, I get that his team is in a pennant race, but the Cards are now 7-2 against the Cubs and had a six game winning streak against Chicago snapped tonight.  You can throw the dog a bone every now and then Mr. Fales.

So last night I'm driving home after the show and grabbing a quick drink at the QuickTrip store on Ingersoll near the station.  It's between 12:30 and 1 AM, and this place is PACKED.  Everything from kids to 20 somethings to middle aged people were there as much to hang out as they were there for buying stuff or getting gas.  Heck, when I left I was stopped on the road just by the place because some drunk girl in a very nice black dress suddenly got out of the passenger seat and stumbled across the street and into the store.

Can't Say The Highlight Of My Saturday Night Out Is A Stop At QT

Not that I'm bragging about my swinging bachelor night life (which usually consists of me either-A. Staying way to late at the station or B. Playing video games because I don't have the money to go out),  nor am I taking a dig at QuickTrip or any convenience stores (I worked at a few back in high school/college after all).  I guess I just wonder how or when did the QT become the hip, now, with it and wow spot of Des Moines?

87 & Counting, Sold Out, Football Season

(Zach)
I think Iowa really has something special with this state baseball tournament.  Early guess is there were about 30,000 total at the tournament.  After working in three states where baseball is an afterthought and your stuck with dull legion ball (North Dakota, Colorado, Minnesota) and another where there was no high school baseball season at all (Montana), I really enjoy a place where people get passionate for state baseball.

Martensdale-St. Marys saved their best for last in the state title game.  After winning their first two games against Coon Rapids-Bayard and English Valleys in their final seventh inning at-bat by one run, it looked like Kee, Lansing (one of the most storied programs in 1A) had a good shot to end the famed winning streak. 

No shot.  Down 3-2 after two the Blue Devils scored six unanswered and cruised to an 8-3 win.  It's their national record 87th straight win, second straight 1A title, and the first time in Iowa prep history that a baseball team has had back-to-back perfect seasons.

In other words they're pretty good.  They made some noise at the end with a bunch of players doing backflips after they won.  To quote Joakim Noah when he talked about the Miami Heat, "they're Hollywood as hell".  Difference is the Blue Devils actually back it up on the field.

There's been a lot of talk about recruiting and shady practices at Martensdale-St. Marys.  They've not been investigated officially, nor has anything come to light.  Until something does, it comes off as sour grapes.  Open enrollment ain't perfect, but unless you can prove something illegal, kids have a right to play where they want to.  And personally?  If I had a choice, I'd want to win.  Heck, I did have the choice when I was in school.  I played at a football power in Colorado where we won a state title, but I had to play behind two future FBS college players.  If I really want to play more I suppose I could have transferred to the cross town school (which went 0-10 my senior year), lord knows my play wouldn't have been missed too much.  But I loved playing with my friends, and I loved contributing and playing for a winning team, even if I didn't play as much as I could have elsewhere.

Whatever you think of the side issues, you have to respect what they've done, especially after this tournament.  They were not at their best against English Valleys and Coon Rapids-Bayard, but they found a way to win.  Great teams do that.  And then they blew the doors off a good Kee team.  All of this in the face of a constant media spotlight and while a lot of people across the state were rooting against them (much the same way many root against the Yankees or Red Sox because they are the front runners).

Throws 90 and is only a Junior

Martensdale-St. Marys may be the team of the tournament, but Calvin Matthews of Davis County in 2A was the player of the tournament.  The big horse (who's only a junior) of the Mustangs staff used his 90 MPH heat to strike out 31 batters in 15 and 1/3 innings in their three wins.  He also hit the heck out of the ball, clubbing a homer and driving in several runs.  He's already committed to Iowa, but had scouts from several major league teams watch him throw.  That's the beauty of these state tournaments-you always get one kid from a small school we seldom ever see emerge.

In 4A Dowling won their first state title since 2001, beating Mason City 6-1.  Hard to believe it's been that long since they last won a state baseball title.  They started the season with a football title in fall, had a boys soccer state title in the spring, and now baseball.  The hoopsters have to feel like they let down the whole school ;).

The allotment of general public tickets for the Big Ten title game in December went on sale at 9 AM this morning.  Within two hours they were gone.  So yeah, I think expanding to, in part, play a championship game was a good idea.

For some of you, football season started with Big Ten Media days (just a hint here but it's really not that interesting.  Coaches and players basically say the same thing every year.  "We've got a good team and gotta take em one game at a time", blah blah blah).  For others it starts with training camp opening, and for the high schoolers pretty much right after state baseball ends.  For me, it started at about 7 PM tonight.  That's when my favorite baseball team sent the best pitcher in franchise history (Ubaldo Jimenez) to Cleveland for four prospects and a case of Natty Lite.  I finally have a tiny idea of what it is like to be a Cubs fan (although I have seen my team play in the World Series in my lifetime.  So I got that going for me.).

Before 2007 I used to call the Rockies the "New Cubs".

Speaking of the Cubs, I've got a great charitable venture for you.  The MLB trade deadline is tomorrow.  If you want to give the Cubs the gift of getting rid of a ridiculous contract for an over the hill veteran (Alphonso Soriano anyone), you would be worthy of sainthood.

The Heroes Game, Nebraska Media, Preggo Pictures

(Chris)

I don't know what to think about "The Heroes Game". It's intriguing, because it's unlike anything that's ever been done...but it seems strange that random people will have their name's and hometown's etched in the trophy. Either you're going to need a microscope to read the names, or the trophy is going to be the size of an armoire. 

Iowa State fans aren't too happy. Hy-Vee dumped the Cy-Hawk series for "The Heroes Game". Fareway and Dahl's may see a increase in traffic over the next few months.

The Iowa-Nebraska rivalry is off to a rather tame start. Kirk Ferentz had the perfect opportunity to light a fire between the borders at the Big Ten Kickoff, in Chicago, today. Some Nebraska media member (I think he's a TV guy) interrupted a Ferentz interview to ask the coach for his autograph. That's not the worst part of the story. The worst part is that Ferentz reportedly obliged!

You know it's football season when the calendar turns to August. I know it's football season when someone accuses me of being a Hawkeye homer.....and another accuses me of being a Cyclone apologist. Football is here!

The DJK fiasco is still alive and well. He still hasn't confirmed that he's signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Or at least I don't think he has...here are 3 of his latest tweets:
1. "Tonight's social performance is brought to you by #LouisVuitton & #AceOfSpades. #koulianosANDzembillas @s_zembillas Cy & Si"2. "1 of the koulest things Wayne ever said:"I see yo homies dressed in black like they finna ride- but that fashion statement telln ah lie" wow"
3. "HINT: When she txt me,I call back... She all that."

Dowling and Mason City will meet for the 4A baseball championship. Seems fitting considering the two teams have been jockeying for position atop the rankings all season long. If Dowling wins, they would begin the academic year with a championship on the football field, and end with a championship on the baseball diamond. Not too shabby.

Why must some preggo woman insist on posting pictures of their expanding midriff on facebook? That's not what I want to see when I wake up in the morning and check my feed.

I'm beginning to wonder if Bill Fennelly does any actual work in the summer (sarcasm). All the guy tweets about is Cardinals baseball --- and he tweets at least 5 times a day.

After a four-month hiatus, Keith Murphy returns to work on Sunday. I hope he remembers the parking lot code.

Devils Playing w/ Fire, Terrible Trade, Dandy Donut(burger)

Martensdale-St. Mary's does it again. Make it 86 straight after coming from behind, for the second straight game, and beating Coon Rapids-Bayard, 5-4. Games like these make the streak that much more impressive. The Blue Devils will go for back-to-back perfect seasons, Saturday at 2pm. Needless to say, that's never been done before.


The Cubs traded Kosuke Fukudome to the Indians. That's about 3 years too late.

Meanwhile, the Bears traded their best receiver (Greg Olsen) to the Panthers for a third round draft pick. What?!!?!?!?!?? A lot of people think the Bears are going to be as good as they were a year ago. As a Bears fan, I don't. They always have a breakout year every 4 or 5 years, and the next year is a total disappointment. It happened in 2001, 2006, and now 2010. Chicago was a combined 11-21 in the following season. I expect the Packers to run away with the division, and the Bears and Vikings to fight for a wildcard spot. I'm still not sold on the Lions.

How has Hamm's Beer not reached out to John Hamm? I'll tell you why....because not even Don Draper can top this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o83xxWCel8g

Keith is still out on his private island in the tropics.We're told he's hired someone to hand-feed him grapes while he lays out in a hammock over the ocean.

It was a lot of fun talking college football on Murphy N Andy, today. I'm finally starting to get that feel that the season is right around the corner.

Add this to your State Fair wish lish http://www.wlsam.com//Article.asp?id=2248437

Flying Sausage, Osemele Impatient, DJK Denial

It's brat season. Most people grill them, others chuck them...

http://dmjuice.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110728/NEWS/110727032/1001/NEWS

Kyle Orton looks like he's on his way out in Denver. The Broncos want to get rid of him before he becomes a free agent after the season. The Dolphins appear to be the front-runner for Orton's services. I'd say Miami sounds a little better in the winter than a mile high.

Cyclone fans aren't the only ones getting antsy about the ISU quarterback situation. Offensive lineman Keleche Osemele was asked what he would like to see heading into August practice. He answered, "I'd like to find a quarterback." Most ISU insiders believe it's going to be Steele Jantz.

Adrian Clayborn signed a 4-year, $8.2M deal with the Bucs --- and it's all guaranteed money. He's the first rookie to have his entire contract guaranteed since Rick Mirer, in 1993. I hope that's not a bad omen.

DJK still insists that he hasn't signed with the Eagles. That's contrary to what every NFL website in the world is saying. I honestly don't know what to believe. On Tuesday, he told me to call him back on Wednesday and he would tell me the whole story. When I called him, he answered --- and then hung up on me. DJK loooooves being an enigma.

DJK Drama, Kinnick Trophy, Big Cuz

Where there's DJK, there's drama. On Tuesday, several outlets were reporting that Derrell Johnson-Koulianos signed a free agent deal with the Eagles. Even hawkeyesports.com reported that he had signed. But according to the man himself, "It's just a sick joke." Yup, that's what DJK told me when I called him around 9:30pm. He said he hasn't signed with anyone, but he also said that if I called back tomorrow (Wednesday), he would have some news for me. We'll see, I guess.

I really hope DJK gets a chance, and I'm sure he will. I wish the Bears would sign him. It's really not a risk to pick him up, considering he'll be making chump change for his first contract. He has some up side. After all, the guy he supplanted as the all-time leading receiver in Iowa history had a pretty good NFL career of his own.

11 Hawkeyes from last years team are now on NFL rosters, and all 11 defensive starters in 2008 have been on an NFL roster at one time or another. Those are powerful numbers.

We'll find out, on Friday, what kind of trophy the Hawks and Huskers will be playing for. In an invitation the U of I sent out to the media, the word "hero" was defined, leading some to believe Nile Kinnick could be tied into the trophy. Kinnick went to high school in Nebraska, but no one thinks of him as a Nebraskan. He played at Iowa, won the Heisman Trophy at Iowa, and the stadium is named after him. There's no way Nebraska would agree to a Nile Kinnick trophy, in my opinion. We'll find out when Gary Barta and Tom Osborne unveil the plans over omelets and sausage biscuits on Friday.

I think the boys from ADM were happier when they left Principal Park after a loss, than Martensdale-St. Mary's after Monday's walk-off win. ADM hadn't been to state since 1983. It was truly a dream come true for the players.

Congrats to my big cousin, Ben Peters, who shot the low round of the day at the Iowa Amateur at Glen Oaks CC, Tuesday. He shot 4-under-par. Ben played multiple times in the Quad-City Classic (before it was called the John Deere Classic). One year my parents took me out of school to follow him around the course. My hope was that he would get a huge check and give me some of the money. That's the kind of kid I was.

NFL (Un)Lockout, Martensdale Survives, Iceborg vs. Hazzle Dazzle

(Chris & Zach-We're trying this combo platter version of the blog since Chris forgot to hit send before leaving and IceBorg wanted to get a word in, his comments are in italics.)

The NFL lockout is over. Quite Frankly, I'm completely NFL-ed out. I don't want to hear anything about the NFL for a few weeks. If ESPN, and other media outlets, wouldn't have made this a nightly story for the past 4 months, we wouldn't have noticed a difference. The only thing we're missing is the Hall of Fame Game, which is pointless anyway.

I concur.  Anyone with half a brain knew the NFL wouldn't cancel the season.  Too much money in the preseason, much less regular season, to lose.  But lets be real here, if it wasn't the lockout, Ed Werder or Rachel Nichols would have done daily updates camped out on Brett Favre's lawn all summer....oh wait, there's already rumors he's coming back again?  DANG IT!!!!

A bunch of former Hawks and Cyclones will get picked up by NFL teams, Tuesday. We'll see more signings than usual since the rosters have been expanded to 90 players. Even Brad Banks is confident he'll get a shot in training camp.

Brad might but he won't last long.  All due respect, he was way to up and down for AFL to stick in the NFL.  Practice squad if he's lucky.  But what about DJK?
 
Shawn Johnson is letting her frustrations be known. Today she tweeted this: "The fact that people are comparing my scores between these classics & the 08 Olympics is amusing 2 me. Learn the sport." I like the fact that she's showing some fire. You don't have to put a smile on your face 24/7. She's motivated, and she wants to prove her doubters wrong. 

I would rather spend a week in jail than a week on RAGBRAI.

I'm a heavy set guy who played defensive line.  How do you think I feel about RAGBRAI?  And you're complaining?  

Martensdale St. Mary's is still alive --- barely. The teams' 85th consecutive victory was one of the hardest to come by. English Valleys, which had won 9 games all season, took a tie game into the bottom-of-the-7th, when the Blue Devils finally broke through for a 2-1 win. After the game, the players admitted they may have been overlooking their opponent.

We came REAL close to what would have been one of the biggest upsets in Iowa prep history.  Martensdale tied the game in the fourth, but only because a two out error by the English Valleys pitcher kept the inning alive.  The Blue Devils made some uncharacteristic mistakes, and if they play that way against Coon Rapids-Bayard the streak will end.

You do have to appreciate the streak though after a game like this.  I know there are critics who think this is a cheat and sham, but Martensdale has probably won plenty of games like this in the streak.  Today proved that even the best teams have bad days or run into a hot opponent.  It says quite a bit that they can win when that happens.

One other note, in the Coon Rapids game the Crusaders scored 12 runs in the 7th against Preston after the game was tied at 1.  Preston lost, by my count, five or six balls in the sun.  I was at a distance, but I don't think I saw any Preston players wearing sunglasses.  Makes sense, not like you would need them at 4 PM in the afternoon right?  Memo to high school coaches-if you play during the day, run by the dollar store and tell your players to take a page from ZZ Top-"go get yourself some cheap sunglasses". 

The Rangers lead the Twins 18-1, in the 5th inning. Stick a fork in the Twinkies --- they're done.

The Twins are always done.  Even if they make the playoffs they just get swept by the Yankees.  Sorry Emily Carlson.

Vegas has set the over/under for total wins for Iowa and ISU. I thought Iowa would be at 7, and ISU would be at 4...but I was wrong. The Hawks' over/under is 8, and the Clones' is 3. I'd be very surprised if ISU doesn't win 4 games.

The Big 12 Media Days have begun, in Dallas, and Iowa State is picked near the bottom of the Big 12. Only one team was picked below ISU --- Kansas. And Kansas is really, really bad. I've seen Iowa picked anywhere from third to fifth in the Legends Division of the Big Ten. No one thinks the Hawks will finish ahead of Nebraska, or Michigan State. Personally, I think Nebraska is overrated. They'll have a tough time adjusting to the Big Ten, especially with the toughest schedule in the conference on tap.

The thing that amazes me is about all the Nebraska hype is that people seem to think this is 1995.  People look at Nebraska's tradition and think they'll own the Big Ten.  Problem is Nebraska hasn't been Nebraska for about a decade (basically since they lost a national title game they had no business being in back in 2001).

Curb Your Enthusiasm is the best comedy on TV when it's right. Sunday night was one of those nights. Larry David is my hero, but the best character on the show might be Marty Funkhouser.

Entourage used to be pretty funny. Now, it's turned into a drama. The first episode of the final season wasn't bad, but I thought Vince's house burning to the ground was a bit much.

To quote Homer Simpson in one of my favorite shows: "What in the hell are you talking about?"

State Tournaments Done Right , Lock It Up Lockout, Testify NASCAR Fans!

(Zach)

Nice to have a slow day between tournaments.  Softball wrapped up last week.  The folks in Fort Dodge put on a great tournament in a terrific facility.  Great atmosphere all around.  Wasn't their fault Mother Nature was such a witch with the heat and storms.

Now it's full tilt on to baseball.  Granted we've already had two days on Friday and Saturday.  Personally, I love this tourney.  I covered it as an intern in 2005 the first year they played it at Principal Park.  I know the grounds crew hates it since they have 40-50 some games on that field, but it's a lot of fun to see kids and fans get into it and play in the state's best baseball park.  Gilbert had 2-1 walkoff win on Friday.  The scene on the field and in the stands is what it's all about.

Which gets me to two things I REALLY like about these tournaments that usually don't happen in most state tournaments anywhere.  Personally, I've covered state tournaments in five states over the last five years.  First up, I like that we don't have a ton of consolation games (in fact there are none for baseball).  I get that parents and kids spend a lot of money to come here, but I can't tell you how many times I've been to a tournament where they play consolation games on the same field as the championship game and the title game gets pushed an hour or more back because of it.  From what I've seen Iowa does it right.  In softball consolation games were on other fields and actually (I believe) had a time limit.

I also wonder what kids think of consolation games.  My high school sport was football, and there ain't no third place game.  Part of me would have loved one last chance to strap on the pads and go out a winner.  But for the most part, I and my teammates were so disappointed at not winning the title, that I don't think a consolation game would have made us feel better.  Sometimes there's a good life lesson in dealing with defeat.

Where A State Tournament Belongs

The other thing Iowa is doing right in this tourney is the venue.  I think state tournament championships belong in the best venue in the state.  I will admit to being a bit of a hypocrite here.  When my Loveland Indians won the state football title in 2000 we played at our home stadium (Colorado moved title games to Mile High Stadium in 2006).  Playing in a smaller venue made the crowd seem that much larger (we had about 5,000), as opposed to a large stadium where the crowd can get swallowed up by 80,000 seats.  That said, I'd have loved to play in a pro or college stadium.  I knew I wasn't going to play in the pros (or college for that matter), so I think it would have been fun to experience playing in a pro venue.  Same deal here.  All due respect to the UNI dome (and yes I know weather would come into play), if you're a prep football player, wouldn't you want to play just once at Kinnick or Jack Trice (depending on which college team was away the week of title games)?  Again, I think Iowa is doing it right here with track (Drake Stadium), baseball (Principal Park), and hoops/wrestling (Wells Fargo Arena) among others.  There are exceptions (Fort Dodge has a better and larger softball facility for example than any college in the state).  I do wish they'd work some kind of rotation between the UNI Dome and Kinnick and Jack Trice though.

Apparently the NFL lockout is ending tomorrow.  The best news in all of this is not that we'll have football, it's that the labor deal is believed to last for about ten years.  If there was one thing worse than the lockout, it was listening to the coverage and legal speak about the lockout.

Sure sign that the lockout is ending?  There's talk that Brett Favre wants to come out of retirement.

The Menace Maniac-An Good And Under-Appreciated Mascot (Albeit a knock off of Mr. Met)

 The Des Moines Menace qualified for the PDL soccer playoffs today with a 1-0 win at St. Louis.  Yes I know it's soccer (say, was there a World Cup recently?  Like most of America I can't remember) but two thoughts:  1.  Give dap to organization.  They get pretty good crowds and put out a good product with a sport that's not overly popular in the US.  2.  They beat a team from St. Louis.  It's a chance to bust on Andy Fales love of all things St. Louis.

The Chicago Cubs won their third straight game for the FIRST TIME all season.  If somebody kept a stat for that type of thing that has to be a record.

The NASCAR preacher had to be getting some money under the table from sponsors to throw out this prayer didn't he?   At least he remembered to score a few points with the wife.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I7uqf6AJCI&feature=related

Shawn Stumbles, Cy-onara, Stormy Ending

(Chris)


Shawn Johnson returned to competition for the first time in three years, Saturday --- and the rust was apparent. She nearly fell flat on her face while dismounting from the bars, and moments later, fell off the balance beam. Shawn finished 11th, and 16th, on the bars and beam, respectively. I can't say it's too surprising considering she took two fulls years off after her amazing performance in Beijing. Not only was she not competing, she wasn't training at all. Next month the competition is for real at the Visa Championships.

The Cy-Hawk trophy is no more --- hallelujah! Iowa and ISU have decided to retire the 35-year-old trophy. I'd like to think it's because it the schools knew they couldn't continue to play for the ugliest trophy in college football, but the real reason is likely $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. This has a sponsorship written all over it. I expect the Hawks and Cyclones to be playing for the Iowa Corn Trophy beginning this September. Iowa sports information says that the old trophy will be put on display in a prominent place in our state. If they know what's best for them, they'll throw it off the top of the Principal Building.


We got our first up-close-and-personal look at the new scoreboard at Jack Trice Stadium, tonight. The board wasn't operational for the high school Shrine Game, Saturday night, but it looked great. I was worried it would be so big, it would look out of place. I can't wait to see it in action, September 3rd against UNI.

It was a fitting end to the 2011 season for the Barnstormers. Iowa held a 4th quarter lead with under 1:00 to play, but a late score sent the Stormers to their 13th loss of the season. I'm not sure if J.T. Smith did enough to secure the head coaching position for next season.

I ran into Brad Banks before the game. He was held out of the final two games with a hand injury. I got the sense that he wasn't hurt as bad as his air-cast made it seem. When I asked him if he would be ready to try out for a team when the NFL lockout ends, and big grin came to his face. Banks said he thinks his hand/wrist will recover very quickly.

Diante Garrett was expecting to hear his name called in the NBA draft, instead he will hear his name called by some P.A. announcer with a Croatian accent. Garrett has signed on with KK Zagreb in Croatia. Garrett said on his Twitter page that he needed the money. This doesn't mean he won't eventually end up in the NBA, but with the lockout threatening to wipe out the 2011-12 season, this was the smart choice.

Keith is gone, this week, so I'll be with Andy for SoundOFF. I hope Fales wears his new plaid sports jacket. He likes it so much, he was wearing it while vacuuming his house last week.