Friday 6 Pack

1-The Stanley Cup Final begins this week…the LA Kings take on the New Jersey Devils…who’s your pick and in how many games?

Matt – Playoff hockey is about as good as it gets.  I’m going to take the NJ Devils in 7.

Wendt – Los Angeles Kings in 6 games

Painter – The Devils have a lot of experience on their side.  This hurts to say but I'll take NJ

Blake – Brouder's been playing well, but the Kings seem unstoppable.  It all depends on which goalie gets the hottest.

Majors – I am going with the Kings in 6. Hot goalies are tough to beat!

Zach – Kings in 6

2-Memorial Day is one of the check points in MLB…who in the Show is your surprise so far?

Matt – Well I’m not surprised the Cubs suck.  I picked the Dodgers in the World Series so not that either.  Gonna have to say the AL East.  The Orioles and Rays are tied for first.  The Red Sox in last place.

Wendt – Probably a tie between the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals

Painter – Yeah....uh.... 

Blake – Baltimore and Washington leading their divisions is certainly a surprise.  Talk to me at the All Star Break, then I'll get really excited if both of those teams are still out front.

Majors – My Indians are still standing strong, so that is a plus. I am surprised though in the Phillies, they have just gotten old, fast. it happens, and sometimes it can happen in an off season.

Zach – From a team standpoint, it's obviously Baltimore playing so well. Individually, it's Melky Cabrera hitting around .370.

3-Summer is little league season, what’s one of your favorite little league memories?

Matt – First year of majors and 2 split teams in Garwin…playing Green Mountain(who we were consolidated with) and my buddy on the mound, down 1…2 outs and bases loaded.  The GM team hadn’t won in 2 years.  First pitch put it down the middle and I swung, got under it and popped it straight up to the pitcher.    I’ll remember that till the day I go to my grave.  The next year we had all my class on one team and lost 1 game in the regular season.  Played LeGrand in the 1^st round of the playoffs and lost by 1.  That one sucked too.

Wendt – I remember hitting a homerun that hit a tree in the backyard of a house that was out in right field. Yeah that was a shot my friends

Painter – Only real memory I have was having to play 2nd base the last game of the year and I got the tag down for the 1st and 3rd outs of the last inning.  I had never played or even practiced at 2nd and I played the position perfectly all game, according to my coaches.

Blake – Duh, hitting a Home Run!

Majors – I have quite a few, but a funny one was when I was traded. I mean, seriously, who gets traded in Little League? My team needed a pitcher, the other team needed an outfielder, so it worked out well. Had a great season that year too. 

Zach – Personally, I won a couple local titles as a LL player.

4-The French Open has started, do any tennis majors get your attention, or is this mostly a niche sport in your thoughts?

Matt – The only real tennis major I watch is Wimbledon.  It’s the Masters of tennis.  I’ll catch some of the finals but that’s about it.  I did enjoy Jimmy Connor’s run at the US Open though in the early 90s.

Wendt – I probably watch a little bit more when an American is in the fold to win.

Painter – I don't get into tennis at all but I know a lot of people that will watch the Wimbledon finals.  I do think it's a horse racing type sport where it's a niche for most of the year but casual sports fans will only pay attention a few weekends every year.

Blake – I love watching the final weekend, especially when you can wake up and watch the finals.  That's about it.

Majors – Tennis? Ummm...next. 

Zach – Wimbledon is going to catch my attention since All-England Club is going to be used twice this summer. That might be advantageous to a few players

5-The History Channel is showing a 3 part mini-series of the Hatfield’s & McCoy’s, one of the fiercest rivalries ever….what is your favorite rivalry in sports and/or game?

Matt – IOWA-PURDUE!  :)  JK!  Bears-Packers is good but free agency has hurt NFL Rivalries, and remember how good Knicks-Bulls or Pistons-Bulls were?  Cubs-Cards is always good too, though as much as I am a Cubs fan you have to respect St. Louis.  Michigan-Ohio State is the best in college football…as for my favorite I’ll go with the Iowa-Minnesota-Wisconsin triangle, it sucks the Hawks-Badgers are playing yearly right now.  Those 3 together play for 3 great trophies too, Floyd, the Ax and the Bull.

Wendt – Iowa and Wisconsin use to be fun in college football. Lakers/Celtics is always great. Bulls/Knicks was fun in the 90's. 

Painter – This is all I have to say

Blake – By the way, recording the series and excited to watch it.  Favorite rivalry is Cubs-Cards.

Majors – Iowa & Iowa St, right? I am in the middle of the Iron Bowl, Florida/Florida St as well. The South has some fierce ones, for sure. As a Raiders fan, I truly HATE the donkeys & queefs. The dolts aren't worth my hatred either, haha.

Zach – Kudos to History for putting on such a great series this week. It's silver-screen worthy. The most intense rivalry in sports has got to be Yankees-Sox

6-A popcorn movie question….Who, in your mind, is the best villain in all of movies?

Matt – For me it’s a tie.  Darth Vader is the ultimate bad ass, (spoiler alert)yes he turns good at the end of Jedi, but he is just bad….the other is the Joker, 1 psycho dude.  Hans Gruber is pretty good too.

Wendt – Hannibal Lector was a great bad guy

Painter – The Joker (The Dark Night), Caster Troy (Face/Off), Gabriel Shear (Swordfish) and Cyrus Grissom (Con Air) are my favorites. Could even put Danny Ocean on there.

Blake – Hmmm...gotta go Darth Vader.  There are a few others, Jaws from the Bond movies, The Joker, but I think Darth runs away with it.

Majors – Wow, good one. As cliche and easy as it sounds, Heath Ledger & his Joker were unbelievably bad. Wait, what about Sheriff Buford T Justice! He was a bad guy, right?

Zach – Best villain: I'll go down the Disney route and Mufasa in "Lion King."

NO 6 PACK next week - The 6er dude will be out.

Memorial Day Weekend

This was the first weekend in a while there was no girl scouts, no soccer….nothing, just had to live life.  The weekend started with me taking Addy to a water park for a birthday party.  Tip for anyone going to an indoor water park…its humid!  I shouldn’t have worn jeans.  It was steamy.  Addy had a good time though.  I sat by the pool, at the bar with a couple $6 drinks.  It was a good night.  Saturday the old kids and I hit the zoo while the little one was out cold for her AM nap.  After lunch Bray took a nap and so did Ry in the afternoon.  Then did some grilling of supper and some laundry. Also had Hayden get her first summer time cut.  No more clumps of hair all around. 

Sunday was also really fricken HOT.  So the morning was just hanging out at home.   Watched a little bit of the Indy 500 pre race stuff, then after lunch figured the old kids needed to get out so too them to the Science Center.  Last time there with them we did the Egypt exhibit, this time they were getting ready for the Mars exhibit, opens in about a week so we’ll have to get back there for that.  We just hit the animals, too many snakes there, the discovery zone and the kids played a lot.  Addy and I got the little water power generator going pretty good.  Bray got to run around and explore too.  We watched a little film in the planetarium about the moon landings.  Then hit the play area.  Addy found a friend she knew there and played a bit with her there.

I love that we have this option in Iowa and have a the science center, but I think they need to build on and be bigger, add more stuff.  If you can get through in about an hour and the exhibits change but nothing else does, add on.  It will become stale.  It should be something that takes 2-3 hours or more.  That being said I’m excited to go back for the Mars exhibit.  (I’ll rant on the zoo..again later)

After the science center the kids wanted a snack and asked them what they wanted, they both responded “HIGH LIFE” (I love my kids!)  So we went to the High Life Lounge and had some tots and some drinks, grainbelt for me and shirley temples for the kids.  They had a blast, just sitting at the bar eating and then playing with the buck hunter game.  We went home and had some supper and Bray and I watched the 600…Addy did girl stuff with her mom.

Monday it was just me and 3 kids pretty much and it, and it was a pretty good day.  We hit the zoo early in the am and were there for about an hour and a half (please Zoo add on and get bigger – good job adding a Rhino in 2013 but build on and compete with Omaha, and get more monkeys!), the kids had fun again and usually do all the time there.  Saw the Tiger and Snow leopard up close.  The lions also a bit too; one was laying on a rock close to the fence and they are awesome creatures up close.  We left the zoo at the right time, there was a LOOOONG line forming as we left.  We then headed downtown and hit the Sculpture Park and I let Ryleigh go out and run.  She loved it, she ran after her older siblings.  I got a great shot of her and Addy walking up to the letter sculpture. 

After about 30 mins or so there we went east to the Capital to check out the cannons and memorials.  The kids asked a lot of questions about the memorials which is good, Addy especially was starting to realize the meaning of Memorial Day.  There are a bunch of memorials up by the capital and cannons and cool statues around the capital that everyone should see.  And you get a great view looking downtown Des Moines and to the ball park on the river.  Des Moines isn’t really that bad of a place.

We then headed home for mac & cheese with hotdogs for lunch and Ryleigh went down.  When Ry woke up all 3 kids were then out on the deck playing and it was perfect.  It was great weather, I brought out Bray’s cube and had the ipod playing some good ole country music, and some nice cold beverages too.  We grilled burgers, brats and dogs and the kids wanted to eat outside so I complied.  It was awesome, perfect.  A trip to DQ and then shower time and it was bed time just in time for the Hatfield’s & McCoy’s on History Channel. 

Overall Monday topped the weekend of GREAT!  Hoping not to insult others BUT my kids are the best 3 kids in the world!

6 Pack - 3 Day weekend style

1-Friday Cubs Pitcher Kerry Wood retired after one final K.  Thoughts on his career and lasting image of Kerry on the mound for you?

Matt – For me it’s easy.  The 20K game and that last pitch that baffled Derek Bell.  That is one of my favorite games ever, any sport!  The walk off with his boy at the dugout Friday was pretty dang good too!  He’s top 5 of my favorite Cubs!

Wendt – Thought if Dusty Baker didn't ruin him back in the day he would have been a dominant starter for years to come. A great Cub and happy he was able to go out on his own terms

Majors – Kerry Wood, the coulda shoulda kid! Loved watching him pitch, wish he could have done more for my Indians. Glad to see him go out on his own, as well as a final K

2-Queitly the San Antonio Spurs are making a run at another NBA Championship.  The Thunder stand in the way and then the Eastern Conf Champs.  Where does Tim Duncan rank on the all time player list?

Matt – He’s not flashy like MJ, Kobe or Shaq but he’s gotta be top 10-15 all time doesn’t he?  He doesn’t boast or want the spotlight, he just WINS!  And he plays a team game. 

Wendt – He's not flashy, doesn't talk, and is boring. With that being said he's a top 20 all timer for sure

Majors – I am a big Duncan fan. I think he is one of the most fundamentally sound players in history. All time rank? I have him top 10, maybe top 8

3-College Football conference expansion is back.  Did you miss it?  With the SEC & Big XII agreeing to a Rose Bowl like agreement for their champions, the rumors are flying of Clemson and FSU to the Big XII…Follow Chip Brown for all your expansion news.  Thoughts on the SEC & Big XII agreeing to have their champions meet and what bowl/location is the best place for the game?

Matt – To me it seems like the start of a playoff and super conferences.  I could see the SEC/BIG XII and Pac12/Big Ten just meeting 2 weeks after the Conf Champs game then the champ game 2 weeks later.  The ACC and Big East need to make moves to not be left out.  The best place, I don’t think you can just put it in New Orleans without the Jerry Dome and Cotton Bowl putting up a stink. 

Wendt – I've said it once and I'll say it again, Clemson/FSU will NOT be heading to the Big 12 (sorry Big 12 fans) I get sick of Chip Brown so I won't be following him on twitter (one of my top 5 annoying tweeters)

Majors – I think the matchup could be interesting. The issue is the Big XII doesn't play Defense, so the SEC may be able to wipe them up. I am sure it would be a middle location, maybe NOLA?

4- Getting ready for the football season HawkeyeNation.com is running the Mt Rushmore of the Ferentz era and now top 3 wins in the Ferentz era.  What are you 3 top wins for the Hawkeyes under Ferentz?  (ISU Fans we’ll get to you too next week)

Matt – In no particular order….2010 Orange Bowl….2008 vs Penn State….2002 at Michigan

Wendt – 2002 vs Purdue (Dallas Clark long TD), 2004 the drubbing of Wisconsin, 2004 over LSU (the catch)

Majors – First of all, there are ISU fans? Ok, top 3? Wow, the Penn St night game, the Orange Bowl win over GA Tech. That was a beating. Third? I still love the LSU Hail Mary from Drew in 2005. 

5-Memorial Day weekend marks the running of the Indy 500.  The 500 has lost luster since the AJ Foyts, Mario Andretti’s and Al Unser Jr’s have ran and drank the milk, will it ever be what it used to be?

Matt – The rise of NASCAR has diminished the Indy 500 and also the short Indy Car season.  It would have helped if Danica would have won one.  It was something I always thought would be cool to see but now I’d rather go there for the Brickyard 400.

Wendt – I'll end up watching a few laps but really don't care about Indy racing

Majors – Can they survive without Danica? I am kidding... I think the sport is pretty cool, I would rather watch F1 than Nascar, at least Indy & F1 make right turns.

6-Men In Black 3 comes out Friday.  Is this Will Smith’s best character he’s played?  Did we really need this 3^rd movie made?

Matt – The answer is the Fresh Prince of Bel Air.  That’s it that’s, the list.

Wendt – I really liked Smith in "Hitch" "I am Legend" and "Enemy of the State" I'm actually thinking I'll see MIB 3 in the theater, looks fun

Majors – No & no. Fresh Prince, c'mon now! He was great in I am Legend.

You can't sink the Friday 6 pack

1-Josh Hamilton is en fuego, 18 homeruns in 33 games, that’s a season pace for 88 homeruns.  I’ll set the over/under at 55, prediction time, what’s he hitting and is Barry Bonds record safe?

Matt – It would be great to see someone like Hamilton knock Bonds off that petistal, that being said I don’t think he’ll do it.  Pitchers will start to walk him and he’ll eventually “cool” down.  I’m going to say under and he’ll hit like 49, which is still a really good year.

Painter – Over and Bond's record is safe. Pitchers will start pitching around him as much as possible.  Plus there's no way he could keep up this pace anyway.

Blake – I frankly can't believe there hasn't been more talk about the season Home Run mark, but let's revisit this in June and see what his pace is.  Then we can legitimately ramp up the hype

Majors – Barry Bonds is safe, but not by much. I think Hamilton will hit 57. One thing to remember with Hamilton, he does not hit well in the daytime. So he has that going against him

Silker – What did Rob Washington put in the beer in Texas? Last time we had hitters like this we spent the next decade talking about steroids and having the Feds get involved in the game. Hopefully the same isn't true here and he is just playing good sober baseball

2-Both the Lakers and Clippers are in the Western Conference Semifinals in the NBA Playoffs, both are considered the underdog, which team has the best chance to advance to the Conference Finals?

Matt – The Lakers I think have the best chance to make it a series but I don’t think they are going to.  Monday they were rolled by the Thunder!  I’m gonna say they both lose, the Clippers in 5 and the Lakers in 6.

Painter – Best chance? Honestly think it's the Clippers

Blake – Um...neither really.  After seeing the Game 1 destruction by the Thunder, neither will be in the Conference Finals

Majors – As a Lakers fan, I will say not them. The Thunder are too athletic, and Kobe even said so last night. I think the Clippers could beat the Spurs athletically, but they are banged up. I think the Spurs are an older team, but a very smart and savvy one, so the Clip better bring their athleticism to the party

Silker – After monday nights lakers game it has to be the Clippers. However Griffen and Paul must be playing their best to win

3-This I’m going to borrow from the Dan Patrick Show…you have a chance to have a 10 year career in any of the major sports, knowing what has gone on with the NFL and NHL with concussions, which sport are you choosing?  NFL, MLB, NHL or NBA?

Matt – NFL would be nice if I’m like Peyton Manning’s backup…you get paid nicely and you get a front row seat to watch a great QB.  But I think MLB is the answer, you get to travel to cities more than a day…and really you come out very healthy after our career is over.

Painter – NHL, always has been my choice and always will be

Blake – After initially thinking MLB because of salaries and ease on one's body, I went with the NBA instead.  Better groupies

Majors – Easy, an outfielder in MLB. Yes the grind is a rough one, but you get to play in the outfield every day? Yes please

Silker – All sports have their down turn. All players get injured. For a ten year career, I would have to still say NFL with the MLB close behind. Head injury or tommy John surgery?

4-KCCI is “Crusin’ for Comfort Food” breakfast style….where’s your favorite place for breakfast and favorite menu item?

Matt – The Waveland Café….the Lumberjack Breakfast I believe is what it is called.  Anything that has some eggs, biscuits and gravey!

Painter – Only time I go out for anything other than doughnuts is to McDonalds and I always get 2 sausage burritos

Blake – Snooze Diner.  Oh, it's in Denver though

Majors – CJ's, for sure. Affordable and great food. Another Broken Egg is awesome as well, but pretty pricey. Bagelheads...yum, best bagels around. If I am in Iowa visiting friends/family/ I want Casey's donuts!!!

Silker – Nothing beats a Perkins breakfast. Anything

5-Garret Macnamera surfed a 78 foot wave off the coast of Portugal.  What is the most ‘extreme’ thing you’ve done or would be willing to do?

Matt – I want to go do the rapids on like the Colorado River…don’t know how ‘extreme’ that is considered but getting in there with all the rocks and waves going on would be sweet.

Painter – Haven't done anything extreme but I'd love to go skydiving or swim with sharks.

Blake – I'd parasail in a heart beat

Majors – I have gone rappelling & caving back home in MO many times. Fun stuff... I also swim in the Gulf of Mexico regularly, sharks, jellyfish, rays galore

Silker – I am open for anything. However two weeks ago your tax dollars spent to train me in airplane acrobatics which was pretty awesome. Nothing like doing flips and upside down flight at ten thousand feet

6-Battleship opens this week as the second really big blockbuster of the Summer Movie Season.  Avengers is raking in money being the first movie ever to make over 100million in a movies second week.  Any chance that Tim Riggins and Liam Nesson take out the Superheroes? 

Matt – HULK SMASH SHIP!  I think they both do well but I think you’ll see Avengers take the top spot again with about 70 million and Battleship will take in maybe 50 million, there’s not a lot of money for them both to make big money I’m thinking.  Avengers is going to be a top 5 all time grossing movie after it’s all said and done.

Painter – Battleship will make more than the Avengers this weekend only because the Avengers has been out for 2 weeks now.  I have a feeling that Battleship is going to flop though

Blake – Good God, Battleship looks horrible.  Talk about combining "Battle for Los Angeles" and "Transformers"

Majors – I don't think Battleship will take over. I have a close friend stationed on the USS Enterprise and she has told me some cool stuff about the movie. I think it will be fun, entertaining, but not the one to take down the Avengers. Now where is GI Joe?

Silker – None. Looks horrible. Avengers holds on but barely

Best and Worst of the Weekend – GOOOOOAALL!!!

Weekend was pretty good, really good weather and some good times.  Friday night my oldest and I went to go pick up supper at La Hacienda and then to pick out a movie.  Her choice was “We Bought a Zoo”.  It was pretty good, really liked it.  Matt Damon did a pretty good job and it’s a great daddy-daughter movie.  There are some times that I wonder about with my boy and the way Damon interacts with his son, that made me think of interaction with mine.  The little girl in it was just cute too!  There were some sad parts too but it but it was really good with the idea of not giving up, living an adventure and the relationship with a father and kids.  It’s on redbox, recommend going to get it!  3 / 5 Stars. 

Saturday my oldest and I went down to the farmers market late morning, my boy had allergies bugging him so he stayed home.  Addy and I talked about what she wanted to get her mom for mother’s day.  We walked around a bit and she found what she wanted.  After that we headed home to a mess with the dishwasher leaking water and suds all over.  I’m thinking great Saturday!  It wasn’t much the door wasn’t closed all the way and thankfully my boy noticed it before it got any worse.  The rest of Saturday involved the kids playing outside and grilling.  I rented New Years Eve Saturday night but allergies killed me and I ended up crashing hard.

Sunday the kids got up WAY to early.  Made them breakfast…my youngest has a new food love, cinnamon eggo waffles.  She LOVES them.  I did my normal Sunday morning, watching CBS Sunday Morning and Face the Nation.  It was amazing out so all the kids played outside, had Ry out on the deck baby gated in and she loved it.  She got into the older kids side walk chalk.  Her mouth was blue after she put it in her mouth…also had some blue chalk on her face and looked like she had a makeup artist from Bravehart working on her.  :) 

Sunday also meant another soccer game.  We played a team that we played in week 1.  It wasn’t much of a matchup and the kids really played well.  Lotta good defense and moves and offense.  Gave up 1 goal if I remember right.  Also Addy got her first goal of the year!  One of our fastest players wanted to help get her a goal and so Addy kind of cherry picked down at our goal and then our team would go to kick it down there toward her and lead her to kick it in.  After a few near misses and a ball that just went in she finally got it and kicked the ball in.  She had a HUGE  smile on her face, ran over to me and gave me too fives and a hug.  Then ran back out there to play more.  She almost got a few more goals.  It was fun and find myself getting into it more each week.  Also got the team and Addy’s soccer pictures in the mail too.  They looked really good, I wish we weren’t a man down in the team picture.   They are a great group of kids.  The rest of the day was spent with laundry, bath night, supper, the kids playing outside and napping and then Celebrity Apprentice to end the night.

Pretty good weekend over all, Monday morning wasn’t fun but hopefully the rest of the week is better, it looks like it will be nice and I’ll get to mow in and also maybe see Avengers again. 

One thing I’ll say that is the worst is my snacking and the ankle.  I like frosting and that’s bad when I have a bum ankle.  My ankle hurts more when it’s in a tennis shoe that I run in and its more so the cut of the shoe and where my ankle bone is.  What makes it worse is that there were donuts at work on Friday and I had another one this morning.  Donuts are tasty but bad.  Goal is to get down 10-15 pds by the vacation taking the kids to Wisconsin. 

Friday 6 Pack

1-Junior Seau, the Hall of Fame LB from the Chargers (and Dolphins and Patriots) committed suicide with a gunshot to the chest last Wednesday.  Nothing has been found that it was due to concussions and NFL head injuries, though people are connecting the dots.  First thoughts of Junior’s career and lasting image in the NFL and also in your opinion how will this affect the image of violence and head injuries in the NFL?

Matt – Junior to me always looked like he was having fun playing football.  He’s a Charger in my mind too, #55 pumping his fist in Jack Murphy Stadium.  As for concussions, the dots are lining up to much and I think it puts a focus on the NFL to improve maybe the helmets and maybe take some precautions more so too.  Also as a parent it makes me wonder about letting my kid play football too.  I want him to if he wants too but also got to think of his health.

Painter – Seau was one of the greatest linebackers to ever play the game.  I would have liked to see him walk away sooner but that's gotta be easier said than done.  Sadly the head injuries and violence is part of the game.  Most fans like football for the violence rather than the strategy.  I'm becoming more in favor of dropping all forms of tackle football and going to more of a flag football type of game.  Not only would it cut down on the violence but also the unnatural weight gain

Majors – As a Raiders fan, I have a strong respect for Junior. He was one of those guys I knew I should not like, but loved him anyway. I will always remember him as a great player, great man. We never know the demons some people face.  As for the NFL, I don't think much will change. It is a true barbarian sport. The only way to get the injuries and such under control is to go to a flag football system, which won't happen

Zach – It may make the NFL think about protecting its players more, but I think that has already been in place for a couple years now

2-The Saints Bounty Gate had punishment handed down last week with the biggest punishment on Jonathan Vilma getting a year.  Feel this is too much for Vilma?  Just right or not enough?

Matt – I think this is right and just.  With safety being the biggest thing now in the NFL’s front office, this came at the wrong time for Vilma.  You can’t go Boba Fett on people and their lively hood.

Painter – There's been so much going on with the bounty deal that I don't even know what to think about it anymore

Majors – I live just a couple hours from NOLA, so I am in the middle of 'Aints territory. it is blowing up around here, all types of controversy. I think the year is pretty harsh, I expected 6-8 games. It will be interesting to see what comes of the appeals. I don't want to hear the players complain anymore about Goodell hearing the appeals, they are the ones who approved it in the CBA

Zach – It's more toward 'just right' if anything else, but a season-long suspension is a serious and hefty one

3-Kentucky is wanting to shut down the basketball rivalry with Indiana (after losing in Bloomington last year) unless it’s in a bigger venue that is at a neutral setting.  How is this good for either school?  The fans?  And an already watered down regular college basketball season?

Matt – C’mon. The college basketball regular season is already watered down. This ticks me off as much as Iowa and Iowa State not wanting to play at UNI or Drake. How are these decisions good for the fans, and the already terrible regular season? I don’t want to see any more games by big schools vs schools for the blind and deaf. Give us big great matchups. I loved when Iowa played UNC and Duke in the late 80s and early 90s. This is total crap and a BIG middle finger to the fans.

Painter – With the 1-and-done NBA entry rule college basketball has become pretty watered-down as it is.  If Kentucky wants to shut down rivalries then they have that power.  It's almost like the non-conference football schedules

Majors – Eh, it stinks, I guess, but I am not much of a college basketball guy anyway. The players come and go so fast it is hard to keep track. I enjoy the tourney and some rivalry games, but that is about it

Zach – It's not good for either school. Kentucky is just bitter that it lost at a true road site. Indiana was the better team that night, and this proves that Calipari is a bitter SOB about many things

4-Mariano Rivera’s career may be over after blowing his ACL in Kansas City shagging flies pregame.   Who is more responsible for the Yankees dominant run from the mid 90s to their last championship a couple years ago, Rivera or El Capitan…Derek Jeter?

Matt – Apparently this is normal activity for him but I’m shocked he did this.  I hope his career isn’t over but I am glad I got to see him in NYC and come out to Enter the Sandman.  As for the most important figure, it’s clearly Mariano.  He made (most) games for the  Yanks a 7 inning game.

Painter – Jeter by far.  Rivera only pitched one inning every few games while Jeter played every inning of every game during the playoffs.

Majors – I am a firm believer in everyday players having a big role in the games. Mo is a great pitcher, and was available more than a starter, but Jeter was the rock of that team. I am so against pitchers being MVP's it is ridiculous. I do like Rivera though, and wish him a speedy recovery

Zach – Rivera, Rivera, Rivera. He has played the equivalent of two full seasons in the postseason and his numbers rival that of a video game. Absolutely dominant

5- Bob Bowlsby took a new position as Big XII commissioner.  The conference is going through change, Texas A&M and Mizzou are leaving (marking the 4^th orig Big XII member to leave) and West Virginia & TCU are coming in.  Put yourself in his shoes…to make the Big XII stable and on par with the SEC and Big Ten what do you do?

Matt – First thing I’d do is talk to Texas and tell them this is 9+1,this is a ten team conference.  Then you have to look at adding 2 more teams to get the football championship and the first one I’d make is to Notre Dame.  Force their hand with the new National Championship playoff that is coming.  That would be a big statement and also hurt the Big Ten who tried to get the Irish for years.  Add them with Louiville…Split the divisions to be Texas/TCU/Tech/Baylor/ND/Louisville and OU/OKState/ISU/KU/KSU/WVU.  After that go to NBC/NBC Sports and negotiate a TV deal and show the mothership that there are other outlets who want college football.  But they made a play this week to extend contract with ABC/Fox through 2025. 

Painter – First and foremost take the power away from Texas.  One school cannot be making the decisions for the rest of the conference.  2nd get rid of the Longhorn Network and replace it with a conference network and make it available to everyone in the country

Majors – Institute a new rule in the Big XII football. Teams MUST play defense, haha. They are actually not a bad conference, their lower teams are on par or above the bottom dwellers of the SEC. (Kentucky, anyone?) I think he has to continue to keep the football strong, and hope the basketball can remain popular as well

Zach – Not much he can do until his conference starts being competitive with SEC and B1G

6- The voting is over…the pewter family is dead, or melted down and the new Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk trophy is a wood base, Herky and Cy in a corn field holding up a football.  Do you like the trophy that was fan decided?  Would you have done something different, or do you want to see the old one back?

Matt – This is a better choice than the Pewter family, but really I don’t know if I like it yet.  What happens when ISU changes their logo and Cy every 5 years, is it interchangeable?  I thought a legacy trophy with Nile Kinnick and Jack Trice would have been cool.  Or a Barn with the scores every year on the side.  That’d be cool.  But what we got I’d take the old one back.

Painter – I still like B-Sox's Cornbelt Championship.  I've never seen a rivalry trophy that's actually a championship belt.  At least this one is much better than what we saw last fall

Majors – I think the new one is ok. It represents the state and the teams well. Better than the family one

Zach – What was wrong with the old one? Don't change something that isn't not working. I don't hate the new trophy, but this drama could have been avoided if it was simply left alone

Best and Worst of the Weekend - Avengers

Haven't done one of these in a while so I figured I'd throw one of these out here.

Friday was a fun, stressful day.  I took a half day from work to go see the year's first major box office hit, The Avengers.  It was AWESOME!  I'm thinking that I will try to hit it up again before movie #3 on my list for the Summer of 2012 comes out.  After that I went to the High Life/El Bait Shop for a couple beers before going home.  Picking up the kids it all changed.  

Brayden had a rough weekend last weekend, week all this week and then Friday from the note sent home from school it all just seemed to blow up.  When I could I took him out for a drive for daddy-Bray time.  We had a nice long drive, talked a bit and then went to a park to just chill.  After that we needed some supper and went to one of his favorite places...the High Life for some cheeseburger baskets.  We then hit the new ped bridge across the river and looked on to Sec Taylor Stadium and the I-Cubs game.  830 came and it was time to go home.  He crashed pretty quick.  Friday night then I spent relaxing.

Saturday morning came and it was going to be a busy day. There was a lot going on, got fruit from the first Des Moines Farmers market.  Addy had girl scouts.  Then after lunch Addy and I went to the Duck Derby at Jordan Creek Mall while Bray and Ryleigh napped.  We had a good time there though it was hot and there were a lot of people and we didn't have any ducks in the race.  Addy got a few things, meet Miss Teen Iowa and touched a blue tongued lizard.  After that we made a run to Target and got me and the kids a new outfit and some other things.  Mine is a pair of cargo shorts and a Capt America shield tshirt.  After I got home I had the fun job of cleaning out clogged gutters and picking up dog crap and sticks.  I haven't had a chance to get to the lawn mowed due to time constraints.  Saturday night Addy had been bugging me all day to see the Supermoon so after the kids had crashed for a while I woke her up at 930 and her, Hayden and I went and walked down the street and checked out the moon.  It was ok, nothing HUGE and spectacular.  But we had fun no matter what.  Oh and I watched IRON MAN on FX.  


Sunday came early with Ryleigh waking up at 630.  The other kids were also awake too and were (as Brayden puts it) starving hungry.  Made breakfast and they were happy.  Then the wheels kind of started to wobble.  Got my Sunday viewing of Face the Nation and CBS Sunday Morning in.  Sunday afternoon Addy and I had her 5th soccer game.  We had a full team for only the 2nd time and had our best athlete back.  Surprising how much a difference his speed and athletic ability make.  It was pretty hot, and the kids listened to what I was coaching them on Tuesday.  We rolled and a couple of the kids played their best games.  This coaching isn't that bad, actually kind of fun and I find myself getting into it.  Afterwards getting home with the 2 old kids I had them pick up sticks again after another storm, and I depooped the yard and got the yard mowed....finally.  After grilling supper I went out to get Hayden in I walked off the step and hit the mud and rolled my ankle and was down on the ground.  I heard a huge pop and it killed!  Limping I made it up to the chair and its current on ice and I'm watching Celebrity Apprentice.  


Overall it was a pretty good weekend.

The Avengers

Friday afternoon I took a half day and went to go see the Avengers!  I've been pumped for this movie since Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America came out.  How they would tie them all in and their worlds together.  Iron Man was created in more of a real world...Captain America kind of but with a little stretch of a fantasy and then Thor is mythical and being tied into all of this.  Then add in Loki, Hawkeye, the Black Widow and Nick Fury, on and the HULK.

The whole thing was amazing from start to finish, and past the credits.  It was fun watching the 4 main characters grow a little bit more and also try to grow as a team and the pains that came with it.  In my opinion Robert Downey Jr and the Hulk stole the show.  Not saying that the Chris's weren't great because they were but I think Downey Jr's Iron Man is more established and the Hulk also needed to be reintroduced.  There was also the addition of Hawkeye in here and Black Widow and more Nick Fury.  Tom Hiddleston was great too as Loki.  

The credits scene sets up an Avengers 2.  I can't wait for that, and Thor 2, Iron Man 3 and Captain America 2 and may end up going to see this one again in the theaters!  That'd be a first in a long time seeing a movie twice in the theater.  Right now its a clear leader in the club house too for my 2012 Summer Movie Awards and Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-Man have a big hill to climb.

4.5 / 5 Stars

6 packers… ASSEMBLE!

1-RG3 and Andrew Luck headlined the NFL Draft over the weekend.  Any picks that made you go hmm…or how did you think your team did with their picks?

Matt – I’m still shocked that McNutt went so late, and that the likes of Nick Toon went ahead of him.  Did these scouts miss the whole Big Ten football season?  The pick of Kirk Cousins by the Redskins is a head scratcher too.  They took RG3 with the #2 pick…that pick looks like they aren’t completely confident in that pick?  I think Cleveland Browns fans will love Trent Richardson too!

Wendt – I'm not sure why the Bears didn't go after some offensive lineman and why in the world did Washington draft Cousins? Just silly. 

Painter – I didn't follow the draft very closely this year but I am happy with Green Bay taking Mike Daniels

Blake – The one that everyone is talking about is Kirk Cousin's being taken a few rounds after RG3 to the Redskins.  That makes no sense.  It puts pressure on RG3 right out of the gate, and takes away a position player that could have helped the team

Majors – I was ok with our picks. (Raiders) It is a new regime, no more just picking fast guys, we actually picked real players. I am looking forward to the new direction of the team

2-Marvin McNutt, the Hawks all time leading receiver, was drafted in the 6^th round by the Philadelphia Eagles, shocked at how far he fell?

Matt – Totally shocked!  I was thinking 4^th round.  Thought he’d look great as a Bear too.  The Eagles totally got a steal here. 

Wendt – There had to have been questions on his speed because his pass catching was unbelievable

Painter – Yes and no.  I thought he would have been a 4th or 5th rounder but Iowa WRs haven't produced well in the NFL (for the most part)

Blake – Absolutely.  I remember talking about him as a late 1st, or 2nd rounder at one point during the season.  I think a lot of teams went Defense this year, because of the offensive explosion in the last few years

Majors – I was a little. Iowa doesn't have a huge rep for WRs, per se, and with Marvin only being a WR a couple years, I guess it makes sense. Will be fun to see what he does

3-Speaking of the Hawks, they’ve had the most draft picks from the Big Ten in the last 2 years and in the last 3 years they have 18 picks but only 14 Big Ten wins?  Good talent and bad breaks or bad coaching moves? 

Matt – 2009 the Hawks got all the bounces….2010 they went the other way.  2011 was a transition year.  Of those 14 Big Ten wins 5 are over Michigan (3) and Penn State (2).

Wendt – Bad coaching moves/bad breaks

Painter – The coaches are ultimately responsible when you have that much talent but can't get the wins.  Good for them that they can develop players, bad for them for not using that talent to win

Blake – Most of the bad breaks have been associated with bad coaching moves

Majors – I think there are some bad breaks in there, (see RB depth chart/injury report), but I think coaching has been an issue. There is a definite need to shake things up a little

4-Bryce Harper made his debut this weekend for the Nationals.  He’s already made a leaping catch.  Will the kid live up to the YouTube hype?

Matt – The Nats have a couple guys with a lot of hype with him and Starusburg.  I hope for the kids sake he is half as good as the hype.  It would be good for that city and team. 

Wendt – I don't know much about him to be honest

Painter – Who?

Blake – I can't stand the guy.  I think he might turn out to be the cockiest thing the game has ever seen.  That being said, the kid can swing a bat

Majors – If he doesn't, he will be the next Todd Marinovich

5-Derrick Rose blew out his knee in game one of the Bulls opening playoff series vs the 76ers.  How much does this hurt the Bulls chances of title number 7?

Matt – Well I put on Google+ my NBA playoff prediction.  I had the Bulls over the Thunder in the finals.  This really hurts that pick. I think they can get past the first 2 rounds but beating LeBron will be near impossible now.

Wendt – I didn't think the Bulls would get out of the East with Rose so without him they are dead man walking

Painter – Doesn't hurt at all, they weren't going to win the championship anyway

Blake – Uh, did you see game 2?  It might even be a mental block with the team, knowing Rose isn't coming back this time.  I'm still in shock over it all.  They legitimately had a chance at the title

Majors – A LOT. See you next season, guys, and that isn't a guarantee since he will still be recovering

6-The Avengers opens this Friday in what could be a record breaking weekend.  Of the 7 heroes (Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Capt America, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, & Black Widow) who is your favorite Avenger…and are you going to see the flick this weekend?

Matt – Of the 7 I like Iron Man, he’s like Batman, rich dude with a lot of toys!  And he’s confident, cocky and just has fun kicking tail.  And yes I’ll be seeing the movie on the 4^th!

Wendt – I actually watched Iron Man for the first time on Sunday, it was really good. Will I go see The Avengers in theaters? No, but maybe on DVD

Painter – If my life depended on picking a favorite I'd go with Iron Man (the suit is amazing), otherwise I really have no favorite.  I will be catching the movie on Friday night.

Blake – Love me some Captain America.  Uh, no, I go to 2 movies a year

Majors – Capt. America has always been one of my top 5 superheroes, top 3 really. (He, Batman, & Green Lantern). I doubt I see the movie this weekend, but will definitely check it out