Just Another Athlete Cheating, But Different

A lot of people are making a big deal out of the 60 Minutes story on Lance Armstrong using performance enhancing drugs to win 7 Tour De France Titles. Here is my take on the whole deal. Barry Bonds most likely used substances to become a machine, and they took him to court and he basically got nothing with tons of evidence against him. How much money did that cost taxpayers for California or the city to go after him? Its not like Barry Bonds was selling illegal drugs to neighborhood kids. He did it to himself, ban him from baseball, but leave it in baseball. With Lance Armstrong, he participated in sport that is notorious for cheating. Have you ever seen the route and the course for the Tour De France? I am pretty sure you have to cheat just to complete it. Its no Ragbrai for those Iowans reading this. I really don't care if Lance cheated, and here is why. Lance Armstrong is basically a company or a brand, not just a name. He is also hope, and when I say hope, I mean hope for cancer patients. Lance has met a lot of cancer patients, and may have even given them some new energy to keep fighting when they felt like they couldn't go on. But he inspired people. Cycling and sports is something to do, cancer and life is real. So I don't care if he cheated or not, because in the end of the day, the real life, he has made a world of difference and has donated millions of his own money for a great cause. So I say who cares if Lance cheated or not, its not going to change the way I think of him as a person. Saving lives and giving people hope is way more important than cycling in France.

DUMB AND DUMBER

Their is no need for this movie to be re-made, because it could happen in the NBA in Los Angeles. The Sacramento Kings may be moving to Anaheim, CA. They want to leave a city that has no other sports team, a city who loves their kings, and move on down the coast to an already crowded house. You have the big brother who is the popular kid in school and everybody adores in the Los Angeles Lakers. Then you have the little brother that isn't so popular and just can't live up to big brothers expectation in the Los Angeles Clippers. Now an adoptive brother wants to move in.
The ridiculous part of the whole thing is this, in baseball New York, LA, and Chicago have 2 teams, but they are in different leagues. These 3 NBA teams are in the same conference and will play multiple times. Lets not forget that 2 of these teams play in the same building which is even more ridiculous. I mean Kansas City has a brand new arena with no pro team to play in it, Seattle would love to come back in, and why rip the hearts out of Sacramento leaving them no pro team. The other thing here is this, in LA most Dodger fans are in LA county and Angel fans are in Orange County. Both have been successful, not one is more dominant than the other despite what the fans say. But we are talking about the Los Angeles Lakers here. One, if not the most prestigious NBA franchise in the whole league, not just LA, the whole league. The Clippers shouldn't even be in that city, let alone to be allowed to play in Staples Center. Do you think the Knicks should share Madison Square Garden with the Nets? Didn't think so. Clippers are always in the Lakers shadows, they are the B team in town. So why would you move your franchise from Northern California to Southern California where the territory is already spoken for. Do you really think people in Anaheim are all of a sudden going to bail off the Lakers bandwagon to join the so called Anaheim Royals? I don't understand the logic here. Why does LA need 3 teams, when one is more dominant than the other 2 combined. Why not share the league in cities where there is no NBA.

Baseball Season Has Begun

So the 2011 Major League Baseball season is underway, and there is already some concerning storylines. Obviously the season just started, and there are many games to go, afterall a baseball season is more like a marathon than anything else. The Boston Red Sox woke up today and find themselves 0-5, when they are one of the most talented teams, so as a Cubs fan does that mean I shouldn't be worried yet as they sit 3-3? Difference is I know the Red Sox will be there at the end, they have a lot of talent, and started off slow last year. They can't be too worried, Baltimore and Toronto are tied for first in the East, the two doormats of the division. It is very early, and you can always tell when the Royals are sitting at the top of the American League Central. The Cubs find themselves in the middle of the pack of the Central. The good news is the Cardinals are struggling and are at the bottom. The concerning part is that the Cubs are 3-3 after playing two of the worst teams a year ago. On top of that, Cashner and Wells go on the disabled list already with Cubs traveling to Milwaukee for a weekend series. I want to see the Cubs get 2 out of 3 from the Brew Crew. I want to see Big Z bring it, and for Garza to continue to strike people out, but not give up all those hits. I wouldn't mind seeing the Dempster of 2009 either, so far he is throwing batting practice. Soriano is off to a nice start with 3 homers in 6 games, and Castro looks like mid-season form, and ready to bring it day in and day out. The biggest issue has always been consistency with hitting with this team. Soriano, Bryd, Pena, and Rameriz can all hit 30 homers a piece if they are consistent and healthy. I guess we will see if low expectations bring a looser ballclub or the same old Cubbies of high payroll and low production.

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.


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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.