Friday 6 Pack

1-Bubba Watson out dueled Louis Ousthiezen in two sudden death holes to win the green jacket in a wild weekend at Augusta.  Phil, Kuchar, Freddie and a couple others had shares of the lead this weekend before Bubba won.   Final thoughts on this year’s Masters?  And should Bubba be a favorite heading into the US Open?

Matt – Saturday was great with 7 different leaders.  I wish Freddie would have been there Sunday, but the last 9 holes were amazing with Phil, Kuchar, Hanson Louis and Bubba all making shots.  I was rooting for Kuchar, his shot on 16 hurt.  Glad Bubba got it in the playoff and it was a great scene afterwards too when he won.

Wendt – I'll be honest, I watched a few holes but that was it. I guess I'm all about USA USA USA when it comes to golf tournaments

Painter – I love that guys like Bubba, Louis, Rory, Keegan, and the other youngsters are winning these major tournaments.  I've said for a while that it's good for the young guns to win tournaments while Tiger and Phil struggle.  It shows the sport has a future.  In no way should Bubba be the favorite for a tournament that's over a month away, but a Master's win sure doesn't hurt his chances

Blake – I'm glad that Bubba was able to pull it out.  I don't know how you could root against him knowing his recent adoption and going for his first major.  That second shot out of the woods and onto the green was one of the most amazing golf shots I've seen.  And no, he is not the favorite, just because there are no favorites in golf anymore.  It'll be someone else, just like the last, what, 14 major's have been

Majors – Bubba! Bubba! Bubba!!! You guys need to listen to me more often, haha! That was a crazy shot ont he 2nd hole of the playoff. I thought the Masters was great this year. I think golf has some great young players, there can be some great rivalries in the near future. As for the Open, I think Bubba could do it. Lots of competition, though...

Silker – I didnt watch it, but i saw the highlights. It looks like a great last round. From Phil to Bubba, to Tiger falling all apart. No Bubba is not the favorite. I dont think  you can really call anyone in the top 10 a favorite at any match anymore.  There is no dominate Tiger of the early 2000s that would win at all costs

2-Bobby Petrino crashed a motorcycle with a 25 year old female friend that he “forgot” about when telling his boss, is now on paid leave from Arkansas.  Will he be coaching next season for Arkansas, and if you were the AD what would you do?

Matt – First off, is anyone surprised?  If you are…WAKE UP.  He will end up being retained I think…why, 21-5. If he was 13-13 he’d be gone.  If I was AD…I’d probably can him, as with Tressel and the Saints, the cover up is worse than the crime.

Wendt – He'll be coaching and honestly, do we know if he and this 25yr old were bumping uglies or not?

Painter – Well we all know that Petrino is no longer employed by Arkansas which was the right decision

Blake – I think I fire him.  It's not the crime, it's the cover up, and this one is brutal.  There was no reason for him to even hold a press conference if there were circumstances that hadn't come out yet.  That means not only is he a filthy liar, he's a stupid one too.  Not the type of person I want leading my program

Majors – See, what ha-ha-had happened was...  and yes, he should be fired. Wonder what her fiancée thinks about all of this? 

Silker – Time shows NO! I would do the same thing. He lied and he deserved to get fired. However he will probably be the Saints coach for 6 games next year

3-I’m going to steal this from the Dan Patrick Show….you can choose to change one of the two, what do you do.  The BCS/College Football Post Season or College Basketball’s One and Done rule?

Matt – Since I love college football more it’d be college football and get a 16 team playoff and then also cut the bowls by 10 and get rid of the 6-6 bowl teams.

Wendt – College Football needs a playoff, so I'd change that in a heartbeat

Painter – I'd change both but the most pressing to me is the football bowl system.  The BCS is horrible and there is no reason a playoff would hurt the game and the students

Blake – I fix the BCS and the football playoff.  I don't mind the One and Done rule from the NBA point of view, it makes for better basketball at that level

Majors – That's easy, College Football. Rotate the bowl games as playoff games, it will be fine. The basketball rule doesn't bug me as much

Silker – BCS. Make it a playoff! One and Done is fine! WE NEED A PLAYOFF!

4-Saturday is Iowa’s spring practice; should Kirk go back to actually having a Spring Game or continue this practice that will still pack thousands of fans into Kinnick Stadium and fans in the parking lot to tailgate?

Matt – I have a lot of memories with my dad going to the spring game and took my kids to the spring practice a few years ago.  I like the game part but hell with the Iowa running backs going down like crazy I’m ready for them to not even be on the field at all.  Give me the game though.

Wendt – I guess if he chooses not to hold a "game" and instead a practice that's his opinion. We really don't need another reason to have a running back get hurt I guess. 

Painter – A game would be more fun for the fans but it's more important to build continuity in your units.  A game would most likely require splitting the players up in some form.  Don't mess with it unless people stop coming

Blake – Does it really matter?  Both are really just practices and pretty vanilla at that

Majors – The Spring Game would be cool. I don't mind the practice, but the game would be fun. The fans will show either way

Silker – Really Iowa Fans, you tailgate for a practice? That is like tailgating for a T-Ball game. Kirk give us a game! show us what you have or don’t have. It’s not like you will be closing the season out with your starting running back anyways so it wouldn’t matter if he got hurt

5-Spring and Summer are around the corner…as a kid what are some of the sports/games you played a lot?

Matt – My buddies and I played a game we called Tennis ball.  It was baseball in the tennis courts so we had a fence, but it also had dodge ball in it where you could chuck the tennis ball at the players too to get them out.  Lotta hours spent playing that. 

Wendt – Baseball, tennis ball (same thing except a tennis ball to hit instead) basketball, tag, hide and go seek, Ghosts in the Graveyard. We were outside doing stuff from sun up till sun down

Painter – We played a lot of home run derby, we're talking from 10 am until 5 or 6 pm Monday through Friday.  In the evenings we'd get back together for video games of some sort

Blake – Baseball!

Majors – Baseball, Wall Ball...

Silker – Loved baseball, it was always fun to go out and play. Other than that, Kick the can and such was always fun as a smaller kid

6-Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw are selling out stadiums this summer with their Brothers Under the Sun tour…best concert(or most fun you’ve had) at and also who do you wanna go see that you haven’t?

Matt – My favorite concert because of most fun was probably Kenny Chesney with Montgomery Gentry at the Mark in the Quad Cities in 2003.  It was on my birthday and a blast just hanging out there and then hitting the district later.  I’d love to go to the Tim & Kenny concert and have friends who are going.  I think an Aldean and a Eric Church show would be a party too! 

Wendt – We saw Garth Brooks in 1997, that was alot of fun. No real concert I "want" to see

Painter – Nine Inch Nails in Minneapolis in 2008 was a great show.  Some of the visual effects were bad ass.  I'm looking forward to LAZERFest this year and getting to see Chevelle, Shinedown, POD, Volbeat, Adelita's Way, and Theory of a Deadman.  Beside those bands I'd love to see Disturbed, Breaking Benjamin, and Smashing Pumpkins

Blake – Most fun is probably when Dave Matthews played Principal Park.  I want to see Jimmy Buffett, but, yeah, I'm not rich

Majors – I am pretty lucky, we have tons of concerts around here. I have seen Kenny 5 times now, Godsmack 4, plus many, many others. I would love to check out Zac Brown Band, Jason Aldean, Three Days Grace..

Silker – Best Concert I have been to is a tie between Garth Brooks in 1999 and Neil Diamond. Both were great performers that kept the crowd in it the whole show! I want to see Coldplay, but I have tickets for them this fall, so I would have to say U2 and Zac Brown Band

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.

Best and Worst of the Weekend – A tradition like any other…..

Best – Saturday afternoon, evening and all day Sunday.  Friday was like a blur when I got home.  Saturday afternoon the kids and I got out and played more wiffle ball, got in the sun and the breeze and it was great.  Grilled pork chops and had beans and hasbrowns and ice cream, even a walk and it was GREAT!  Sat down and watched Little Fockers with Shawnna, a nice relaxing night.  Sunday was more of the same.  I did nothing!  Loved it.  Well other than dishes and make breakfast and lunch.  I relaxed.  I sat down and watched the last round of the Masters, something I remember doing with my dad and enjoyed every second of it.  When Tiger was charging I even called Dad to see if he was watching.  Shawnna even sat down and watched some with me, calling Rory McIlroy (a pimply faced kid).  Even made some fresh egg salad sandwiches for lunch.  Congrats to the kid who won the Masters, we won’t be seeing you again.   She was awesome too on Sunday, she did a boat load of laundry all day long, and really appreciated it!  The kids and I played outside (till we almost got blown away) and inside and it was nice.  I wish I could have started the weekend over with Sunday instead of having Saturday morning. 

Worst – Well the worst was me.  Saturday I was tired, stressed out from work and just hearing crying and whining and I didn’t handle it well…I feel bad that I kind of ruined the morning atleast by blowing up when I should have just stepped away.  Luckily the afternoon was a different story and I napped and it wasn’t so bad.  If anyone heard Mt. Matt explode, I’m sorry…One thing I know I need to work at.  

Little Fockers – well it seemed like the worked too hard to get this one.  The first one seemed to just flow so great and was funny all around.  The 2^nd I thought you could feel that they were trying a little bit too much, this one, really didn’t need to be made.  They should have stayed with 2 Fockers instead of 3.