A Tradition Unlike Any Other……Your Friday 6 Pack.

1-Kentucky cut down the nets Monday…final thoughts on the 2012 NCAA Basketball Season?

Matt – I liked the resurgence of the Big Ten teams, Iowa getting better is always nice, and Indiana seems to be back.  But this season I don’t think was memorable, I wish players would have to stay 3-4 years if they go to college.  College bball is too much of a tease, you get a taste of these players and then they are gone on NBA benches or NBAD League teams.

Wendt – I have to be honest, I didn't watch a minute of the game Monday night. Can't stand Kentucky and their fans and really don't care a whole lot about Kans.

Painter – Another Kentucky team stacked with potential pros? Anyone wonder why they were the best in the land?  It was good to see the excitement come back to the state of Iowa during the winter

Blake – Better, more entertaining season than the past few, and probably benefited from the NBA lockout with players sticking around for a second season.  Entertaining final game, and the best team won the championship

BSox – Kentucky is GOOD…well was GOOD…you know since the team is moving to the NBA. Otherwise, I thought it was a great season, and a lot of interesting games through. I mean who would have thought duke, and mizzou would go out in the first round? Good times though all the way around

Majors – The right team won. It is rare when a team that offensively talented can also be that unselfish as well as that defensively talented. They were good

Silker – Typical season of freshman kicking ass and the occasional sophomore sticking around for another year. It was alright with some good games. I wish you could see teams for three years not just one.
Zach - Realistically, Kentucky was king throughout and Calipari is right by saying he has the best job in all of basketball.

2-Hello friends….its Masters week in Augusta….who puts on the Green Jacket Sunday afternoon?

Matt – Tiger will be in the top 5 when it’s all said and done.  I don’t know if we’ll see Rory, after Norman’s epic collapse he wasn’t the same at Augusta.  I hope in the final 2 groups we get Tiger, Rory and Phil, that would be epic.  I’ll take a tip from Faherty and say Sergio breaks through and wins it. 

Wendt – It won't be Tiger and it won't be Rory, probably some no name again

Painter – I'd love to see Rory McIlroy redeem himself from last year and if he can't Zach Johnson would be my next pick

Blake – I'm so freaking excited for the Masters for some reason.  I want a Tiger-Rory showdown on Sunday.  I'll take Rory, making up for his collapse last year

BSox – Tiger Woods…otherwise no one cares. Serious, when tiger doesn’t win, the vast majority of the country doesn’t care, only the golf nuts care

Majors – I am pulling for local boy Bubba Watson. He and Boo Weekley both live by me. I actually dated Boo's wife a while ago, but I was not country club material, lol

Silker – Does Zach Johnson get his second? I think this year is Rory vs Tiger with Rory showing he is the new big thing winning his first green jacket
Zach - Louis Oosthuizen. Why? No idea.

3-Baseball first pitch is upon us….who’s your NL Champ, AL Champ and World Series Champ?

Matt – I’ve picked Philadelphia the past 4 years as NL Champ, that’s changing this year, I think they are too banged up and getting old.  My pick is the Yankees over the Dodgers in 6, Jeter walks off after game 6 in to the Yankee Sunset.  But wouldn’t it be great to get the Pirates vs the Royals?

Wendt – Philadelphia vs Detroit with Detroit winning in 6 games

Painter – I don't follow baseball closely enough to make a real intelligent prediction so I'll say the Astros will beat the White Sox in the World Series just because they are the teams I follow the closest.

Blake – The NL is wide open.  Phillies are getting old, the Cards lost Prince Albert, the Brewers lost Prince, the Marlins are insane.  Could leave the door open for the Giants.  In the AL, I'll take the Tigers, and they win the Series

BSox – No idea, I’ve heard the rangers could be up there again. I’ve heard good things about the Yankees, and Detroit, but way too early for me to pin anything down. Sorry folks

Majors – NL- Phillies, but not 100% sold on that. Utley is a shell of himself, Howard is recovering from Achilles. AL- I would love to say the Rays, but the Tigers are scary. Go Indians!!!  WS- The Tigers

Silker – NL will be the Phillies AL will be the Yankees and the world series champ as much as I hate it will be the damn Yanks
Zach - AL: Angels, NL: Cardinals, Pujols gets season and WS MVP as Halos win in 6 with home-field.

4-Which season has the best opening day/weekend?  NFL, MLB, College Football, NBA, NCAA BB, NASCAR?

Matt – I really like what the NFL has done on the Thursday night making it a party and celebration with the previous super bowl champ.  College football opens with too many cupcake games.  NASCAR is fun too with the Daytona 500.  MLB has a lot of buzz too but really only about 10 teams have a chance to win it all opening day.  NFL gets the nod.

Wendt – I love college football but there is something about MLB's opening day that will always be special to me

Painter – All of those opening days/weekends have seemed to lose their luster in the last few years.  I'd like to offer a different one: opening weekend for golf's major championships, aka The Masters

Blake – I hate the trickled out starts.  Baseball started last week.  The NFL plays on a Wednesday this year, nobody notices when the NBA or College Hoops starts.  I guess I still have a place in my heart for Baseball's opening day

BSox – For me, I like college football’s the best. But the nfl doesn’t hold anything back either. Ncaa bball is fun just because of all the early tournaments and the midnight hoops

Majors – I would love to say the NFL or College Football, but Baseball and the tradition win out

Silker – I am not a NASCAR fan but if you like a party it is NASCAR. However who can take anything away from college football weekends? It is a party and a good kickoff to an awesome year
Zach - Damn, I hate to say this but football does the best job marketing itself. I wish baseball would do the same way. Instead, they want to start the season in another country.

5-American Reunion opens this week – what “PIE” character are you most like?

Matt – I’m definitely like Jim. 

Wendt – I'm probably a mix between Stiffler and Jim

Painter – I think Jim with a little Kevin and a little Stiffler would be the closest match

Blake – I'm stoked for this movie.  I graduated with those guys.  I'm most like Kevin, aka Rookie of the Year

BSox – I think if you mixed jim and stifler together, you’d get something close to me

Majors – Hmmm...The Sherminator? I am kidding! Jim I guess, kinda end up in some crazy situations from time to time...

Silker – I would say Jim because I am a stupid awkward. However have all these guys careers really hit this low that they have to make another?
Zach - I'll go with Jim.

6-James Cameron did a dive in a solo sub to one of the deepest trenches in the world….what one thing on your (non sports game/event) bucket list do you want to do the most and cross of in 2012?

Matt – I’d love to hit the boundary waters or white water rafting but doubt that happens this year.  A day or so on Ragbrai as it goes to Garwin would be cool too!

Wendt – I'd love to ride a day on RAGBRAI

Painter – There are a few things I'd like to do this year but doubt will happen:  Go to the Summer Olympics, visit Lambeau field for a Green Bay game, go to a NASCAR Sprint Cup race, and go to a Stanley Cup Finals game.

Blake – I'm wanting to do some sort of race or triathlon

BSox – Get through this whole marriage thing alive :-)

Majors – Hmmm...swim with sharks? Oh wait, I do that everytime I am at the beach. How about... climb a mountain. Fo sho

Silker – I want to skydive since I am already learning to fly and so on. So skydive
Zach - Go on vacation to Hawaii.

My Bucket List

So I posted a blog, What's in your Bucket


And this summer after doing my 5K, I have some updates:
Ragbrai
Newton 8K
Skydiving
Canoe boundary waters – w mike/kyle/ryan jason brayden
White water rafting
Go to Europe (germany/Italy/Denmark)
Family to Disney World

What’s in your bucket?

Bucket list?

This past Sunday night on WHO’s Soundoff I heard Andy Fales say he crossed the Kentucky Derby off his bucket list this past weekend. That kind of got me thinking. What is on my bucket list? What do I want to see or do before I die? Am I even too young to have a bucket list? Now I know some of the things other’s I’ve heard will have more access to getting to these things than I will so my bucket list would probably not be as “fancy” as the others. Would I have a different bucket list for my sports events than regular life events too? I think that I would have to separate it because sports would dominate more than other life events. And my listing would probably be more realistic things I can do instead of like climbing Mount Everest or riding a horse in the Kentucky Derby.

So here…we…go….

Sports Bucket List:

1 – Iowa Rose Bowl – I’ve got to do my first Iowa bowl, but I want to get to Pasadena sometime when the Hawkeyes are there.


2 – Wrigley Field in October – I’ve been to Wrigley for opening day and in the summer, and the first home game after 9/11, but I want to go to a game there in October, preferably the NLCS or World Series.


3 – All 11 Big Ten Football Stadiums – I’ve been to a few, but want to hit them all. Been to Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio State, and Minnesota at the dome. Will get Minnesota’s new stadium this year. I’d like to also do all 11 with my son too someday.


4 – Brickyard 400 – It’s the Indianapolis Speedway with the best racing sport. I think the Indy 500 has lost a little luster, and also taking my son there would be AWESOME.


5 – The Masters – Seriously, who wouldn’t want to watch the world’s best in one of the most beautiful places, Augusta National.


And now on to the regular life stuff…..

Life Bucket List:


1 – Go white water rafting – ever since I was young and saw this on TV, I thought it would be a huge rush and be just a blast to do.


2 – Take Shawnna to Italy – I know this is one place she really wants to go to, and I really want it to be a surprise should I be able to pull it off. The history and food and site seeing would blow both our minds I think.


3 – Take the family to Disney World – I want to knock this one off in the next couple years while the kids are still young and loving the princess’s, Mickey Mouse and the Cars characters. Seeing the kids take it in young would be the best.


4 – Go camping and canoeing on the Boundary Waters with Brayden. This will have to be something later down the line, maybe when he’s 10-16. Something a father and son can do.


5 – Go parachuting – again another rush that I think would be awesome, and have heard it is amazing.