Had Nick Athan from Warpaint Illustrated on the show today, and he brought up an interesting possibility: Could Larry Fitzgerald actually end up in Kansas City?
The answer appears to be yes, and Nick thinks it could happen as soon as trades become permissible in the new post-lockout NFL.
As opposed to putting Fitzgerald along side Dwayne Bowe, Nick threw out the idea of having Bowe be a part of the package and go to Arizona. The likely package would be Bowe plus a second or third round pick in the 2011 or 2012 draft. Not a horrible option for one of the best WR in the game.
When you think about it, including Bowe in the deal makes sense. Despite the fact you are giving up a great young talent in Bowe, he's nowhere near (and never will be) the talent you get with Fitzgerald. On top of that, it's well documented that Todd Haley and Scott Pioli don't like to put up with the type of BS that Bowe has brought to the table on occasion.
The bottom line is the Cheifs need a go-to receiver. Bowe filled those shoes nicely last year, but there's no one in the league that would take him over Fitzgerald. The combo of Bowe-Fitzgerald along with Dexter McCluster in the slot would be deadly, but if you have to give up Bowe to make the swap happen, the deal still makes sense.
The Chiefs should look to draft a decent WR in the middle rounds of this year's draft, and pull the trigger to bring the pro-bowler to KC.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
5 Things to Watch at the Drake Relays
For the past several years, I've had the good fortune of being able to enjoy the Drake Relays at the track level. I worked in the marketing department at Drake for over three years, and last year was asked to conduct post-race interviews of athletes, an honor I will once again be handling this year.
I've seen a lot of cool things- records being broken, races that were too close to call, and epic battles that came down to the last few inches on the famous blue oval.
While the events during the week are still some of my favorites (see: the Pole Vault in the Mall and the Grand Blue Mile), I figured I'd share a few of the things that I'll be keeping a close eye on this weekend during the actual track meet while on the field. Here are the top 5 things not to miss at this year's Relays:
5. Shelby Houlihan (SC East) and Alex Gochenour (Logan-Magnolia), HS Girls Events
I know it's sort of a cop-out, but these two young ladies are going to be big stars in the track world someday. Gochenour (one of the best interviews on the track last year) will defend her titles in the 100h and 400h. She'll attend LSU next year (a former Iowa prep star named Lori Jones did the same thing). Houlihan is a distance runner, and has some of the top times in country in the 1500m and 800m. She lost a couple of very close races last year on way to winning the girls 800m (setting a new Relays record in the process). Both should provide memorable performances and compete for the most outstanding performer.
4. The Invitational Pole Vault and High Jump
My second cop-out in a row, but don't miss these events. Brian Brown is a former world class jumper, and the fields for these events are always loaded. The pole vault is a crazy event, and the field is full of former Olympians and past champions. On the other end, Brown still holds the meet record in the high jump at 7'-7". The long running joke at Drake is Brian is trying to hold onto his record, and always brings in a soft field. The opposite could not be more true. There are at least three guys in the field that are capable of smashing the record (Dusty Jonas, Jim Dilling, and Andra Manson)- it will just depend on the right conditions and a little luck to get it done.
3. Jeremy Wariner in the Men's 400m (Saturday, 3:42 P.M.)
He's the best in the world at 400m, and has been for a long time. Unless something major happens in the next year, Wariner will most likely sprint his way into London as the Olympic gold medal favorite. If that's not enough, he's already got a couple golds and a silver at home to prove he's the man. It's not too often you get to see this level of talent. The field for this event will be decent, but look for Wariner to run a dominant race.
2. Lolo Jones in the 100m Hurdles (Saturday, 2:41 P.M.)
She's the hometown hero, and has been dubbed the "Sweetheart of the Drake Relays." Jones was a late entry into the field, as she's been dealing with some undisclosed injuries. She ran last week without incident in Louisiana, so look for a good race. Jones won't be a heavy favorite in her speciality- she lost this same race a year ago to Damu Cherry, who is also in the field. Jones always runs well at Drake and will have the home field advantage, but this will be a heck of a race.
1. Alan Webb in the Men's Invitational Mile (Saturday, 3:21 P.M.)
I hated running the mile in elementary school when I was a kid. So did everyone else I knew. Amazing that the race I'm the most interested in is the same one I loathed in my youth. Then again, I was lucky if I could break 8:00, and these guys will likely do it in under 4:00. Webb leads a very talented field in this event, which also includes defending champion Boaz Lalang. I'll never forget Webb's performance in 2007 when he set a Relays record by running a 3:51 mile- still the world-record for the month of April. To this day, I've never seen a Saturday crowd at the Relays get on their feet and cheer for a finish like that one. Webb won't forget it either- it's the same day at those Relays he had his first official date with his wife, Julia. Now he's back in Des Moines to try and bring the crowd back to their feet once again. You can bet he'll have at least one standing.
I've seen a lot of cool things- records being broken, races that were too close to call, and epic battles that came down to the last few inches on the famous blue oval.
While the events during the week are still some of my favorites (see: the Pole Vault in the Mall and the Grand Blue Mile), I figured I'd share a few of the things that I'll be keeping a close eye on this weekend during the actual track meet while on the field. Here are the top 5 things not to miss at this year's Relays:
5. Shelby Houlihan (SC East) and Alex Gochenour (Logan-Magnolia), HS Girls Events
I know it's sort of a cop-out, but these two young ladies are going to be big stars in the track world someday. Gochenour (one of the best interviews on the track last year) will defend her titles in the 100h and 400h. She'll attend LSU next year (a former Iowa prep star named Lori Jones did the same thing). Houlihan is a distance runner, and has some of the top times in country in the 1500m and 800m. She lost a couple of very close races last year on way to winning the girls 800m (setting a new Relays record in the process). Both should provide memorable performances and compete for the most outstanding performer.
4. The Invitational Pole Vault and High Jump
My second cop-out in a row, but don't miss these events. Brian Brown is a former world class jumper, and the fields for these events are always loaded. The pole vault is a crazy event, and the field is full of former Olympians and past champions. On the other end, Brown still holds the meet record in the high jump at 7'-7". The long running joke at Drake is Brian is trying to hold onto his record, and always brings in a soft field. The opposite could not be more true. There are at least three guys in the field that are capable of smashing the record (Dusty Jonas, Jim Dilling, and Andra Manson)- it will just depend on the right conditions and a little luck to get it done.
3. Jeremy Wariner in the Men's 400m (Saturday, 3:42 P.M.)
He's the best in the world at 400m, and has been for a long time. Unless something major happens in the next year, Wariner will most likely sprint his way into London as the Olympic gold medal favorite. If that's not enough, he's already got a couple golds and a silver at home to prove he's the man. It's not too often you get to see this level of talent. The field for this event will be decent, but look for Wariner to run a dominant race.
2. Lolo Jones in the 100m Hurdles (Saturday, 2:41 P.M.)
She's the hometown hero, and has been dubbed the "Sweetheart of the Drake Relays." Jones was a late entry into the field, as she's been dealing with some undisclosed injuries. She ran last week without incident in Louisiana, so look for a good race. Jones won't be a heavy favorite in her speciality- she lost this same race a year ago to Damu Cherry, who is also in the field. Jones always runs well at Drake and will have the home field advantage, but this will be a heck of a race.
1. Alan Webb in the Men's Invitational Mile (Saturday, 3:21 P.M.)
I hated running the mile in elementary school when I was a kid. So did everyone else I knew. Amazing that the race I'm the most interested in is the same one I loathed in my youth. Then again, I was lucky if I could break 8:00, and these guys will likely do it in under 4:00. Webb leads a very talented field in this event, which also includes defending champion Boaz Lalang. I'll never forget Webb's performance in 2007 when he set a Relays record by running a 3:51 mile- still the world-record for the month of April. To this day, I've never seen a Saturday crowd at the Relays get on their feet and cheer for a finish like that one. Webb won't forget it either- it's the same day at those Relays he had his first official date with his wife, Julia. Now he's back in Des Moines to try and bring the crowd back to their feet once again. You can bet he'll have at least one standing.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Real Madrid Drops the Cup
Ouch. Good thing this wasn't in Columbia- they might have killed the poor guy. They didn't even seem to notice here...
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
A few of my favorite things
New blog, new audience- figured it might be nice to throw out a few of my favorite things and see what sticks.
MLB Team: Atlanta Braves
No real surprise here (to anyone that knows me at least). Just to get it out of the way- no, I've never lived in Atlanta, the south, or anywhere near the state of Georgia. I grew up as a kid watching the Braves on TBS with my dad. He couldn't really stand the Cubs, and that was the only other regular option.
My first memory of the Bravos was the 1991 World Series against the Twins that featured so many acrobatic plays, wall leaps, and excitement. I was hooked from an early age. Too bad I was only 10 years old in 1995 when they won the series. I think they are on the right track to get back to the show, but it might be a few years.
NHL Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
I never really considered hockey to be much of a sport until after the strike a few years ago, but when the NHL came back they gained at least one fan. The rule changes helped make the sport more exciting, and spelt the end of 0-0 ties and 1-0 wins that were like watching a junior high soccer game.
Why the Pens? Simple- Sidney Crosby is the man. He came along at the right time, and managed to be the savior for a sport that really needed the help. Plus, the rivalry against Ovechkin and the Caps is one of the most underrated in sports.
More favorite things coming later- thanks for tuning in.
MLB Team: Atlanta Braves
No real surprise here (to anyone that knows me at least). Just to get it out of the way- no, I've never lived in Atlanta, the south, or anywhere near the state of Georgia. I grew up as a kid watching the Braves on TBS with my dad. He couldn't really stand the Cubs, and that was the only other regular option.
My first memory of the Bravos was the 1991 World Series against the Twins that featured so many acrobatic plays, wall leaps, and excitement. I was hooked from an early age. Too bad I was only 10 years old in 1995 when they won the series. I think they are on the right track to get back to the show, but it might be a few years.
NHL Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
I never really considered hockey to be much of a sport until after the strike a few years ago, but when the NHL came back they gained at least one fan. The rule changes helped make the sport more exciting, and spelt the end of 0-0 ties and 1-0 wins that were like watching a junior high soccer game.
Why the Pens? Simple- Sidney Crosby is the man. He came along at the right time, and managed to be the savior for a sport that really needed the help. Plus, the rivalry against Ovechkin and the Caps is one of the most underrated in sports.
More favorite things coming later- thanks for tuning in.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Iowa Energy
The Iowa Energy find themselves within one game of the NBA D-League finals tonight, and I thought it would be fun to speculate as to the "major announcements" the league will be making prior to the game. Chris Makris, Iowa Energy GM, says there are two announcements the league will make tonight, and that top league officials are on hand.
For the first announcement, the smart money is on Curtis Stinson winning the MVP award. He's the best player in the league, and has been for a couple of years. A repeat first team selection, Stinson is averaging nearly 10 assists per game, and ranks in the top ten in the league in scoring. I'd be shocked if it was anything else.
It's too bad Stinson may never get a shot in the NBA. The newspaper had a nice article on this over the weekend- although Stinson didn't sound horribly hungry to make the jump to the show. The three biggest things he has going against him:
1.) Age
2.) Size
3.) He shoots the three like a high school girl
Selfishly, I'm sure the Energy would like to see Stinson playing in Iowa forever- he's a fan favorite, and still puts butts in seats. Still, he deserves a shot at the next level - he's earned that chance.
The other announcement is a little less cut and dry, but I'd have to imagine Nick Nurse will win the coach of the year award tonight. The Energy's roster has been a revolving door this season, and yet the team continues to win. Gotta give coach some props. A couple of playoff wins, a few regular season titles, and the league championship within reach make him one of the best in the league.
Here's my question for Nurse: how long (and how meaningful) is it to be the best coach in the NBA D-Leauge? Sure, it's a nice honor and good place to coach, but is this really where Nick Nurse wants to retire?
Here's an idea: get back into the college game! Nurse was an assistant coach at Iowa State for like 2 hours under Greg McDermott before he bolted for Creighton, and was a head coach at Grandview and in Europe prior to that. I'd bet there will be a MVC school looking for a new coach in the next couple seasons (for one reason or another), and it would be ridiculous if Nurse wasn't a candidate.
$1 beer night tonight (on a Monday!) at the game. I'm counting out my nickels and dimes as we speak.
For the first announcement, the smart money is on Curtis Stinson winning the MVP award. He's the best player in the league, and has been for a couple of years. A repeat first team selection, Stinson is averaging nearly 10 assists per game, and ranks in the top ten in the league in scoring. I'd be shocked if it was anything else.
It's too bad Stinson may never get a shot in the NBA. The newspaper had a nice article on this over the weekend- although Stinson didn't sound horribly hungry to make the jump to the show. The three biggest things he has going against him:
1.) Age
2.) Size
3.) He shoots the three like a high school girl
Selfishly, I'm sure the Energy would like to see Stinson playing in Iowa forever- he's a fan favorite, and still puts butts in seats. Still, he deserves a shot at the next level - he's earned that chance.
The other announcement is a little less cut and dry, but I'd have to imagine Nick Nurse will win the coach of the year award tonight. The Energy's roster has been a revolving door this season, and yet the team continues to win. Gotta give coach some props. A couple of playoff wins, a few regular season titles, and the league championship within reach make him one of the best in the league.
Here's my question for Nurse: how long (and how meaningful) is it to be the best coach in the NBA D-Leauge? Sure, it's a nice honor and good place to coach, but is this really where Nick Nurse wants to retire?
Here's an idea: get back into the college game! Nurse was an assistant coach at Iowa State for like 2 hours under Greg McDermott before he bolted for Creighton, and was a head coach at Grandview and in Europe prior to that. I'd bet there will be a MVC school looking for a new coach in the next couple seasons (for one reason or another), and it would be ridiculous if Nurse wasn't a candidate.
$1 beer night tonight (on a Monday!) at the game. I'm counting out my nickels and dimes as we speak.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Barry Bonds
So Barry Bonds may have gotten away with the majority of the loot, but he still get his hand caught in the cookie jar. Guilty on one count- obstruction of justice. I guess going 1-4 isn't terrible...heck, the prosecution is still hitting for a higher average than Albert Pujols right now.
While Bonds may be guilty on one count, I wouldn't count on him spending any time behind bars. Sure, he might get home confinement and some new ankle jewelry to go along with that cross earring, but his chances of landing in the joint are pretty slim.
What this does mean is that Barry is going to have a lot harder time getting into Cooperstown. Generally speaking, lying pieces of crap don't bode well with hall voters.
The perfect example is Mark McGwire- Mac's numbers are more than enough to cement his place in the hall. 583 home runs (10th overall), ahead of guys like Mickey Mantle, Harmon Killebrew, Reggie Jackson, and Ted Wililams. He led the league in home runs four different times, RBI's once, walks twice, slugging four times, and on-base percentage twice. He was a rookie of the year winner, and an all-star 12 times. Less we forget that McGwire and Sammy Sosa reinvigorated a sport that was on its death bed in the summer of 1998.
And yet, Mac only managed to gather 19.8 percent of the vote this last go-round. Rafael Palmeiro had numbers similar to McGwire, and he is feeling the same thing.
The bottom line is this: don't be a lying sack of crap. If you juiced back in the day (for whatever reason), just come clean. People have already forgotten that Andy Pettite admitted openly to taking steroids. Even Alex Rodriguez seems to be back in the good graces of the American people. Despite the fact that he plays for the Yankees, I cheer for A-Rod to catch and pass Bonds on the home run list. Pete Rose should take a lesson from all this and finally earn up to his mistakes. He'd be in hall faster than an Nolan Ryan heater.
For now, Barry can sit at home and be relieved he doesn't have to visit that big building upstate. Just know that it won't be the only building he's not sent to in the future.
While Bonds may be guilty on one count, I wouldn't count on him spending any time behind bars. Sure, he might get home confinement and some new ankle jewelry to go along with that cross earring, but his chances of landing in the joint are pretty slim.
What this does mean is that Barry is going to have a lot harder time getting into Cooperstown. Generally speaking, lying pieces of crap don't bode well with hall voters.
The perfect example is Mark McGwire- Mac's numbers are more than enough to cement his place in the hall. 583 home runs (10th overall), ahead of guys like Mickey Mantle, Harmon Killebrew, Reggie Jackson, and Ted Wililams. He led the league in home runs four different times, RBI's once, walks twice, slugging four times, and on-base percentage twice. He was a rookie of the year winner, and an all-star 12 times. Less we forget that McGwire and Sammy Sosa reinvigorated a sport that was on its death bed in the summer of 1998.
And yet, Mac only managed to gather 19.8 percent of the vote this last go-round. Rafael Palmeiro had numbers similar to McGwire, and he is feeling the same thing.
The bottom line is this: don't be a lying sack of crap. If you juiced back in the day (for whatever reason), just come clean. People have already forgotten that Andy Pettite admitted openly to taking steroids. Even Alex Rodriguez seems to be back in the good graces of the American people. Despite the fact that he plays for the Yankees, I cheer for A-Rod to catch and pass Bonds on the home run list. Pete Rose should take a lesson from all this and finally earn up to his mistakes. He'd be in hall faster than an Nolan Ryan heater.
For now, Barry can sit at home and be relieved he doesn't have to visit that big building upstate. Just know that it won't be the only building he's not sent to in the future.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
New Sponsor for Cy-Hawk Series
The Iowa Corn Growers Association announced they will be the new sponsor for the Cy-Hawk series. No huge shock here- the Iowa Corn Growers have been involved in the series for a couple of years now. They've been sponsoring the Corn-Fed Game Day promotion for the past couple of years.
The only change will probably be more of those good feeling ads during the game showing the sun setting on a combine set to nice music. Makes you feel good about being an Iowan. I think its a great pair.
The biggest question is, what happened to Hy-Vee? They sponsored the series for a long time, and suddenly dropped off. My guess (total speculation) is that Hy-Vee might be looking at the Iowa-Nebraksa series (especially football) and might explore the possibility there.
It's no secret that the Iowa-Nebraksa match up will be a marquee event, and with Hy-Vee rapidly expanding into the Omaha area, it seems like a fit. If Hy-Vee wants to really expand their marketing in Omaha, getting involved with Nebraska is the way to go- they're the only show in town during football season.
The only change will probably be more of those good feeling ads during the game showing the sun setting on a combine set to nice music. Makes you feel good about being an Iowan. I think its a great pair.
The biggest question is, what happened to Hy-Vee? They sponsored the series for a long time, and suddenly dropped off. My guess (total speculation) is that Hy-Vee might be looking at the Iowa-Nebraksa series (especially football) and might explore the possibility there.
It's no secret that the Iowa-Nebraksa match up will be a marquee event, and with Hy-Vee rapidly expanding into the Omaha area, it seems like a fit. If Hy-Vee wants to really expand their marketing in Omaha, getting involved with Nebraska is the way to go- they're the only show in town during football season.
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