Strike 3 St. Louis!

Ok, here is the deal. Albert Pujols said he wanted a deal done by 12pm Wednesday, and somehow St. Louis has whiffed big time. He wants 10 years, $300 million. Yes that is a lot of money. But, he is also the best player in the game as we speak. As a Cub fan, its hard for me to even watch when he is up to bat vs. the Cubs. The guy can hit it to Northwestern's campus from Wrigley. He has been loyal to St. Louis, has even said he wants to play there forever, then pay the guy. Don't play games with him. I heard they offered $20 million a year instead of the asking $30. The guy said $30, give him $30. Can you imagine your team and city without him? That is the funny part, the Cardinals would be average at best. I hope he walks at the end of the year, cause the Cubs are going to be sitting pretty money wise after this year, and you better believe they will have the money. So Pujols, sign with the Cubs, make the Cardinals pay for disrespecting you like that. I heard today that a business man said that the deal is actually a good deal, because the first couple of years he will be playing like he is worth more than what you are paying him. In reality, even if he is 42 years old at the end making $30 million a year, its all worth it when the banners are waving in Wrigley Field that says World Series Champions. Those don't change, and they don't come down, so go ahead St. Louis, play Russian Roulette and you may end up like your buddies to the west of you in Kansas City.

Los Angeles Vikings?

As a Vikings fan I hate hearing radio personalities talking about the NFL returning to the 2nd largest market in the US. The reason why I hate hearing about it is because my team, the Vikings are running out of time on their lease and getting a stadium approved by the Minnesota government. Make things worse, who knows what the 2011 NFL season looks like right at this moment with the players and owners battling over labor disputes. It has been obvious the past 5 years that the Vikings need a new stadium, and they just kept getting the cold shoulder while the Twins and Gophers got theres. Then the dome roof collapsed, and the season went with it. Its easier to go to the Minnesota legislators if coming off a Super Bowl title or at least another NFC title. Right now the Packers are on top, and the Bears are right there too. With the Vikes having nobody at the QB position and the Lions getting better, how well does the Vikes future look in the North and in Minnesota. Here is the reality, the very successful Los Angeles Lakers started in Minneapolis. Then the biggest kick where it hurts was the North Stars leaving for Dallas and keeping the name as well. Minnesota is to hockey as Canada is to Hockey. Nobody thought Minnesota would lose their hockey team, let alone to Texas. But it happened, and it could happen to Minnesota again. LA is getting a stadium, and they are getting a team. The Vikes need a stadium, and it would be an easy move, which is the scary part. In this world, its all about the now, and as a business man you look at trying to be successful. Well when you see that the NFC West was won by a 7-9 team, you think we can win, and win right away. Competition in the West is not even close to the North at this point. And yes, Minnesota to the West would be so simple, because St. Louis would then take Minnesota's spot in the North. St. Louis and Chicago are rivals in most sports, and used to be in football many years ago. Its scary how perfect it would work, cause the reality is it may just happen.


Los Angeles Stadium image property of minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special...

Hawkeye Football Player's Perspective on Entrance to Kinnick

Julian Vandervelde talking about the first time he came out of the tunnel in Kinnick.

Iowa State 2006. It was my second time coming out of the tunnel, but it may as well have been my first. Coming down that hall and out of that tunnel is better than any roller coaster I've ever been on, and in 2008 I got to ride the newest one at Busch Gardens Florida 7 times in a row as part of the Outback Bowl. The darkness of the hall begins building the anticipation the moment you step in it. Surrounded by 100 huge men in full uniform starts to agitate your claustrophobia almost immediately even if you aren't claustrophobic. Huddled together, moving as one, surging forward you become one entity. Hearts racing, breathing picks up, you see the light at the end of the tunnel and begin to hear the spastic voices of the student section. As you get towards the opening and the fans see the team the dull hum quickly escalates to an earth-shaking roar. I will never again be able to listen to AC/DC's Back in Black without getting an adrenaline rush. The rush of The Swarm, the thousands of fans rising up on every side, there's really nothing quite like it. I remember that year, just before kickoff, a hush fell over the whole stadium as the two teams lined up. A sound that I can only describe as a shimmer started in the student section. Slowly the buzz of 70,000 sets of keys filled the stadium. Then the voices started. Again, starting in the student section and spreading to the rest of the stadium the voice of the Hawkeye faithful rose like a freight train approaching until it was almost deafening. At the kickoff I was worried about the sounds waking up patients in the hospital next door. Intense doesn't begin to describe it. And we won!

Where are We? What's going On?

I love sports, and keeping updated on the now and giving my opinion when something happens is fun. Much easier to say when talking to my friends and family than to sit down and blog about it. In the last 2 1/2 months, I have been busy with my family as baby #3 is coming soon, #2 is crawling everywhere like the Jamaican speedster Bolt. A lot has happened since I blogged last. My Hawkeyes finished poorly by getting whooped at TCF Bank Stadium in late November, and not too soon after that, the Bears slammed Favre's melon on that same turf a month later to end his career. The Vikes roof literally collapsed on there season, and the Seahawks made the playoffs and took out the returning Super Bowl Champions. My Hawks beat Mizzou in there Bowl game, the Ducks and Tigers went at it in the National Title game, and the Packers won the Superbowl.

So now what? The NHL has made it through the All-Star break, NBA is approaching the All-Star Break, pitchers and catchers are reporting to spring training, recruiting classes are in the books for college football, and the NFL has some major negotiations to get figured out.
     Oh ya, I forgot that NCAA basketball is going on. See when you live in Iowa, you have to rely on the Missouri Valley for a home state team to make it to the NCAA Tournament. Lets just say Morale in the State of Iowa has been low when it comes to NCAA hoops unless you are a UNI Panther fan. Its nice story when UNI plays well in the tourney, and the whole state supports them because they are a Missouri Valley team and I would guess most Iowa and Iowa State fans don't have any hatred towards them because they are the little guys in the state. But with that said, this state is starved for Iowa or ISU to be back into the tournament. They are the big dogs of the state, they just haven't been anywhere close to being big in the last 5 years. ISU started off strong, but have struggled in the conference, and what do you expect when your starters are playing 38 minutes a night. They will be scary good next year when 3 players who are out are in. Royce White is one of them who is a very talented player that transferred from Minnesota. White has NBA talent, and will make them much better.
Now, the Iowa Hawkeye basketball program was a good one to watch if you like going to bed at 7pm on Wednesday nights and needed a nap on Saturday or Sunday. Under coach Lickliter it was like watching paint dry and watching your grass grow. Coach McCaffery has brought some excitement back to Iowa City. No they are not doing much in the very tough Big Ten, but there is evidence of something growing. They are starting to play better, and they have beaten Indiana twice this year, beat Michigan State, and ran with the #1 team in the country Ohio State. Indiana and Michigan State are down, but Indiana was playing good basketball and beating teams prior to the Hawks coming to town. Do I expect Iowa to beat Wisconsin, no I do not, and its going to be tough the rest of the way, but the future looks bright. Besides, when was the last time you could talk about Iowa Basketball in a positive way in February?

P.S  Can somebody, anybody get Carmelo Anthony traded? Lebron called and said hey Melo, thanks for taking all the attention away from me and the Heat as you try to get to New York.