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Harrison, The Hawks, and High Hopes Gone Haywire

Whether you are a Cyclone fan or a Hawkeye fan, the last couple weeks have been an emotional roller coaster. Last Sunday, the chances of Harrison Barnes becoming a Cyclone and the Hawkeyes chances of winning at Ohio State looked about as slim as a toothpick. Barnes listed Iowa State along side the four best college basketball schools in the history of the game (Duke, North Carolina, Kansas and UCLA) as possible destinations, with everyone assuming he would choose one of the big four. On the other side of the state, the Hawkeyes National Title hopes went bust the moment QB Ricky Stanzi’s ankle did the same in a loss to Northwestern, making their Big 10 title hopes shaky at best going into a contest at Ohio State. No matter if you were a Cyclone fan or a Hawkeye fan, things didn’t look promising.

But then things started to happen that made hopes on both sides skyrocket. Early in the week, Barnes, the Ames High basketball phenom and nations #1 recruit, announced he would be opening up his basketball press conference to the public AND that he would be having a reception following. Just two days before his own press conference, as local sports-radio hosts began speculating (along with thousands of ISU fans) that he may be leaning towards the Cyclones, Barnes was spotted at teammate Doug McDermott’s press conference sporting an ISU sweatshirt. Local media were now wondering out loud how Barnes could possibly choose anybody BUT Iowa State given the week’s developments. Meanwhile, over in Iowa City, hopes were still tempered by the fact the Hawkeyes would be starting a freshman QB at Ohio State, a place the Hawks had won just four times in the last 47 years. Little did any football expert around the country know that freshman QB James Vandenberg would play the Hawkeyes into a 24-24 tie in regulation, with a chance to win in overtime.

And so the stage was set. After initially thinking they had no chance at signing Barnes, Cyclones fans’ hopes were now sky high heading into the ESPN nationally televised press conference on Friday afternoon. Harrison Barnes was set to make his college selection. I even pulled my 7-year-old son out of school an hour early to go witness “Cyclone history.” And then, our emotions hit rock bottom as Barnes announced to a completely stunned crowd of 3,000 ISU fans that he was choosing North Carolina. I immediately texted the following message to a co-worker: “I haven’t felt like this since the Elite 8 loss. Welcome to life as a Clone fan.”…Twenty-four hours later, Hawk fans’ hopes went sky high as well as freshman QB Vandenberg and the “comeback kids” (as they’ve been affectionately called this year) battled from a 14-point deficit to force overtime against Ohio State, only to have their own hearts torn out in a heart-breaking overtime loss.

The irony was amazing. Two sets of fans--Hawkeyes and Cyclones. It really was an emotional roller coaster. We all thought we had no chance…then we thought we had a great chance…and then all of our hearts were ripped out, all within a two-day period. Harrison and the Cyclones. Vandenberg and the Hawkeyes. High hopes gone haywire.

Andrew Gogerty

Bring On Basketball!!

The most exciting basketball season I can remember in quite a while is about to tip off.  All of my favorite teams have a lot to be excited about and I believe are poised for GREAT seasons. 

The Colo-Nesco boys return two of the better players the program has seen in awhile in Brandon Eley and Travis Guy.  Eley, a junior, is the returning Mid Iowa Player of the Year.  Guy is a sharpshooting three-point specialist and the senior veteran.  Together they averaged nearly 28 points per game, leading the Royals to a second straight substate appearance, losing a close battle to Ventura in 2009.  They will team with senior shot-blocking specialist Michael Warren, fellow inside bruisers Weston Neuendorf and Ethan Jamison, and the athletic and speedy Austin Larsen at the other guard spot to give the Royals a very well rounded offensive attack.  Look for the Royals to make a serious run at this years state tournament. 

The Iowa State Cyclones have their most talented team since the Fizer/Tinsley days.  They are big, athletic, and deep.  This is the deepest Iowa State team I have EVER seen.  Craig Brackins returns after a brief consideration of the NBA as one of the nations best players.  Marquis Gilstrap has been chosen as the Big 12's Preseason Newcomer of the Year.  The athletic, slashing 6-7 forward is exactly the type of player the Cyclones have been missing the last few years.  He may be the best small forward at ISU since Jeff Grayer.  Too bad he only has one year of eligibility.  Look for Lucca Staiger to finally live up to last years hype.  He showed flashes of brilliance last season, but was inconsistent and relied on the three-point shot a little too much.  Word on the street is that he's been unstoppable in fall practices.  Lanky 6-4' guard Diante Garrett is a veteran junior who averaged nearly 10 points per game last season.  He can be a matchup nightmare for teams with his ability to post smaller guards up.  Freshman point guard Chris Colvin is one of the most highly regarded point guards ISU has ever recruited.  The 6'3" point guard from Chicago is fast, creative, and can really make things happen on offense.  The Cyclones have plenty of depth in the frontcourt with 6'11" center Justin Hamilton and 6'11" senior Jamie Vanderbeken who can score just as easily from three-point distance as he can inside the paint, creating more matchup nightmares for opposing centers.  I really think the Cyclones can make a serious run at the Sweet 16, with a possiblity of the Elite 8...or better.

Elsewhere, locally, is Ames High the most exciting boys' high school team the state has ever had??  On November 13th, national phenom Harrison Barnes will make his college selection.  ISU fans will be on hands and knees praying for a commitment to the Cyclones on Friday the 13th!!  Ames will play on national television on ESPN against Waukegon IL on Thursday, December 17th. And last, but not least, the Ballard Bombers girls' team will begin defense of their Class 3A State Title this fall.  Watch the news for junior forward Taylor Greenfield.  The team lost 4 senior starters from last years team, but Greenfield is poised to become one of the state's elite 3A players.

Andrew Gogerty

Fantasy Football Retirement?

The Denver Broncos are 5-0. Five wins, zero losses. If you would have told me 2 months ago that my favorite team since boyhood would be undefeated on October 11, I would have told you to go get your brain checked out. The last time the Broncos started 5-0, they had a quarterback by the name of John Elway (best ever) and won the Super Bowl. With all the off-season controversies (Coach Shanahan firing, Jay Cutler saga, Brandon Marshall fiasco) and a complete overhaul on a defensive unit that was one of the worst in football last year, no one would have guessed this. So…why am I not more excited??

The answer is simple. My three fantasy football teams are a combined 3-12. All three are 1-4 after this week. I’ve never had a single fantasy team start 1-4, let alone three! And there lies the potential problem with fantasy sports. You cannot let it override your passion for your favorite team. I always told myself that if it ever got to that point, I would hang it up. I’ve been playing fantasy football since 2003. The Broncos haven’t had much to cheer about in the last 7 years, so fantasy football has been a fun way to keep the season interesting, and historically, I’ve done pretty well in my leagues--so it was all good. But now comes the moment of truth. For the first time since I started playing, I’ve got a scenario I’ve never dealt with before—the Broncos are really good, and my fantasy teams are really bad. So, when I should be feeling elated about the best story in the NFL so far this year with the Broncos’ 5-0 start, those feelings are being overridden by the worst performance in my own fantasy history, and it’s not right. Fantasy Football is ruining my enjoyment of the game. Period.

I’m at a real crossroads here. I talked with my brother about this dilemma this week, and he thinks I’m crazy if I retire from fantasy football. His favorite team since childhood has always been the Dallas Cowboys. He admits to the fact that he cheers for his fantasy players more than his own team, even if it means his favorite team losing in favor of his fantasy team winning. And he’s not alone. This is a dilemma all fantasy players face (unless you draft your entire team of players from your favorite team). I’m guessing there are thousands of football fans across the nation that chooses that scenario every week. You could make the argument that Fantasy Football is part of the reason the NFL has become so popular. Seemingly everyone plays it now, and it helps peaks the interest of even the most casual of fans.

I guess I need to take a step back, eat some humble pie this year, and look forward to next year with my fantasy football teams. Like a true Cyclone fan, my fantasy football season looks to be over early. At least I’ve got the Broncos to keep my interest this year. And the Vikings. A Vikings/Broncos Super Bowl sounds awfully fun right about now. Go Denver!

Andrew Gogerty

Monday Night Football Blog
Vikings vs. Packers
October 5, 2009

It’s the biggest Monday Night Football game I can ever remember as Brett Favre looks for payback against his old team, the Green Bay Packers. It feels like a Super Bowl game, and many people are treating it like one with parties and gatherings.

What a week for Minnesota sports fans. Tonight it’s Vikings/Packers; tomorrow it’s a one-game playoff between the Twins and Tigers right back at the Metrodome for the right to go to the playoffs. Have there ever been bigger back-to-back sports days in Minnesota history?

Sure seems like the Monday Night Football brain trust finally got it right in the booth. John Gruden is great in there. He’s smooth and he actually brings something to the table, unlike the third-chair clowns they’ve had in there the last several years—Dennis Miller and Tony Kornheiser were terrible. Too bad Gruden will most certainly be back in the league coaching next year.

This is how crazy all the Brett Favre hype is. Adrian Peterson, THE BEST PLAYER IN THE NFL, has barely been mentioned in the pre-game.

The Packers got the ball first, and came out very determined and focused on their opening drive. Aaron Rodgers is playing like he’s got something to prove. Boy it seems like Donald Driver has been around just as long as Favre, doesn’t it? The first drive of the game results in a big fumble recovery on a sack by Jared Allen. What a difference maker he has been on that Vikings defense the last year and a half. All the character issues have been worth the gamble by the Vikings front office. So far.

Pink shoes. Pink gloves. Pink armbands. Where’s the pink football?? I bet more wives would watch if they made the football pink. Hmmm….Yeah, better keep it brown.

Nice play-action call on 2nd and goal for the Vikings. Touchdown. Favre to Shiancoe. That’s the other element of a stud running back like Peterson. He’s a great decoy.

Quick answer by Rodgers and the Pack. 67 yard Touchdown strike to Finley. Rodgers is having his way with the Vikings pass defense.

End of first quarter. 7-7.

Packers go for it on fourth and three. Jennings catches the first down pass on a ricochet. Vikings coach Brad Childress can’t get his challenge flag out in time. What a moron. All works out though; Rodgers throws interception two plays later deep in the red zone.

Favre to Rice, laser beam. Touchdown. Vikings lead 14-7. The man can still play!

Will Blackmon blows up his knee on that green-painted concrete, also known as astro-turf. Man. They can’t get rid of that dome fast enough.

Adrian Peterson stripped by Clay Matthews. Touchdown Green Bay. 14-14.

After big pass play to Percy Harvin and a Green Bay penalty, Peterson goes in for 1-yard touchdown run. 21-14 Minnesota. At the end of the first half, Favre is 14-17, with 154 yards, 2 touchdowns and no INT’s. Looks like he’s in his prime. He’ll be 40 on Saturday!

Halftime

First drive of second half for Vikings, 80-yard drive. Touchdown pass, Favre to Berrian. Favre had ALL DAY on that drive.

Packers go for it on fourth and goal at the Minnesota 3 yard line. Incomplete. That could be the ball game right there.

End of third quarter. 28-14, Vikings. They’re running, they’re throwing, they’re playing defense. They look like a Super Bowl contender.

Fourth Quarter safety by Vikings. 30-14. Packers can’t stop Jared Allen. Is he the leagues Defensive MVP so far??

Aaron Rodgers leads team on nice scoring drive with 3:40 to go. After the two-point conversion failed, it’s 30-20. Meanwhile, my fantasy match up with my cousin Chad is sizzling. Coming into tonight, I had a 15-point lead with Percy Harvin going for me and Donald Driver and Ryan Grant going for him. My lead is down to 5, and with another Packers drive looming, I may be doomed.

A quick three and out drive for the Vikings leaves plenty of time left for the Pack. And plenty of time for my fantasy match up to go up in smoke. After my worst start ever, I’m looking for my first win of the year, and after a couple of Donald Driver and Ryan Grant catches, I’m in big trouble. Luckily, the Packers drive stalls, and they settle for a field goal. With the onside kick looming, I’m gripping to a .42 (four tenths of a point!) lead. As long as Minnesota recovers the kick, I’m safe. Way too close for comfort.

Vikings recover onside kick, retain the win, and secure the fantasy victory for me. What a game! Favre was sensational. Rodgers was equally impressive despite a worthless offensive line. Jared Allen was a beast. The Vikings look Super Bowl worthy, and the game was the most watched event in the history of cable television.

Andrew Gogerty

           Milton Bradley is a Disgrace to Milton Bradley
 

 Milton Bradley, Chicago Cubs outfielder, meet the real Milton Bradley, the board game trailblazer, and a man that has more honor and character in his little toe than you have in your entire body. Unfortunately, the name Milton Bradley has lost some of its luster. The name that used to be only recognized in conjunction with board games, bringing joy to families and homes across America is now one of the most despicable names recognized in today’s sports world.

The name Milton Bradley used to be associated with fun, unity (actually bringing families and friends together), and affordable family entertainment. Now, when someone mentions the name Milton Bradley, all you think about is an overpaid, divisive, overrated, spoiled brat of an athlete that knows nothing about unity, fun, or respect, and represents everything that is wrong with Major League Baseball--an event that used to be an affordable family activity.

Milton Bradley, the game inventor, was born November 8, 1836 in Vienna, Maine. He founded the Milton Bradley Company in 1860. He produced everything from Biblical games in the 1870’s, to packages of games for disheartened soldiers during the Civil War to help liven their spirits. He was also a champion of the Kindergarten movement after being inspired by Elizabeth Peabody and Friedrich Froebel, a German scholar who originated ideas about early childhood development. Bradley devoted much of his life to creating literature and games to promote creativity and improve the mental capacity of young children, even when it was unprofitable for him to do so. Initially, he provided much of the material at no cost to educators. His dedication paid off, as Kindergarten teachers in the decades to follow began purchasing many of the materials he created. The company later invented classic children’s games like Candyland, Operation, Battleship, Connect Four, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Twister and Yahtzee. Bradley died on May 30, 1911. The Milton Bradley Company was acquired by Hasbro in 1984 and now operates as a division of Hasbro.

Milton Bradley, the baseball player, was born on April 15, 1978 in Harbor City, California. According to Wikipedia, “Bradley is named after his father, Milton Bradley, Sr., who filled out the birth certificate form without his wife's permission. As Milton's mother says of his father, ‘He wanted a Junior, and made [darn] sure he got one.’ Junior… has always been teased about his name, but has never changed it because the memories it evokes ‘only drive him harder.’” Bradley, whose nickname is “Meltdown,” has a checkered past when it comes to his behavior. He chased after a Kansas City Royals TV announcer in 2008, and is widely known for his dugout tirades and testy confrontations with Major League umpires. He has been given the undesired label of “clubhouse cancer.”

The moment the Chicago Cubs signed him last winter their 2009 season was doomed. Many people predicted the negative impact he would have on the team, and it’s just another reason the Cubs haven’t won a World Series in over 100 years--poor decisions by General Management. While he was an All-Star in 2008, he brought a lot of baggage, and everyone had a feeling the potential negatives far outweighed the positives. The Cubs could have re-signed Mark DeRosa, a popular utility player with the team last year. This year, DeRosa has hit .258, with 23 home runs and 78 rbi’s. Bradley has hit .257, with just 12 home runs and 40 rbi’s for a starved Cubs offense. Bradley was recently quoted as saying, “You understand why they haven’t won in 100 years here.” He’s right. It’s because they keep signing morons like him.

Andrew Gogerty
 

Brandon Marshall Could Use A Life Lesson From Ed Thomas

As I watched the pre-game ceremonies live from Parkersburg, Iowa on ESPN, there was a theme that was evident:  Ed Thomas was a man of great character and integrity.  He was a coach that taught his teams pride, passion, and hard work.  The Aplington-Parkersburg community, his former players, and even his rivals revered him.  He left a legacy all of us would strive to leave.

As the emotional tribute rolled on, I glanced at the bottom of the TV screen to the following scrolling message:  “Broncos suspend WR Brandon Marshall due to conduct detrimental to team.”  The contrast at the bottom of the screen about Marshall with what was being said on the television about Ed Thomas was as different as night and day.  Clearly, Brandon Marshall would have been well suited to spend a couple of years under Thomas’ tutelage.

Brandon Marshall is in his fourth season with the Denver Broncos.  He has been one of the most prolific receivers in the NFL over the last two seasons, catching 206 passes for over 2500 yards and 13 touchdowns.  He is set to make 2.19 million dollars this season. 

His checkered past includes 4 arrests since 2006, with 7 police related incidents involving his former girlfriend.  His charges range from drunk driving to domestic violence.  But it’s his on-the-field behavior that is the center of Brandon’s most recent controversy.  Ever since the Broncos hired new coach Josh McDaniels during the off-season, Marshall has acted like a complete kindergartner.  To truly appreciate how unbelievably childish his behavior was, you have to see it.  Go to You Tube at YouTube - Brandon Marshall Suspended by Broncos    After viewing this video, Brandon Marshall should be your new, least favorite player in all of sports.  He makes T.O. look professional, and I’m a huge Broncos fan.  I mean, PUNTING a ball instead of handing it back to the coach?  Are you kidding me?  He told a reporter a couple of weeks ago that he wasn’t even close to knowing the playbook (or caring to know it), and his attitude in practice is pathetic.

If I were Coach McDaniels, I would send him away for a month without pay.  I would make him spend one week with the Thomas family in Parkersburg, show him the videos of Ed and the documentaries that have been made.  I would make him spend another week there doing community service, helping rebuild the community.  The third week I would make him visit children’s hospitals 8 hours a day for the entire week.  Then, the final week, I would lock him in a practice facility 24/7, doing nothing but running and learning the playbook.  And not just the Broncos playbook, God’s playbook—The Bible.  After all, the themes of character, integrity, and hard work are as much a product of Ed Thomas’ faith as anything.  Maybe Mr. Marshall should take a closer look at the three F’s made famous this week by the Thomas’ and Aplington-Parkersburg:  Faith, Family, Football.  Now that sounds like an attitude changing formula.

Andrew Gogerty

The Best Team Nobody’s Talking About

Maybe it’s because we live in the Midwest. All we hear about is the Cubs and Cardinals. Sometimes the Twins. But even from a national level, there’s a team NOT named the Yankees or Red Sox that seemingly NO one is talking about. One glance at tonight’s lineup card should make you do a double take. SEVEN of the nine guys in the lineup are batting over .300!

Here’s a look at the lineup after the 8/17 game against the Baltimore Orioles:
1. Chone Figgins-- .310
2. Maicer Izturis-- .301
3. Bobby Abreu-- .309
4. Vlad Guerrero-- .306
5. Juan Rivera-- .314
6. Kendry Morales-- .304
7. Erick Aybar-- .311
8. Gary Matthews Jr.-- .243
9. Jeff Mathis-- .209

Did I mention the fact that Tori Hunter is rehabbing in the minor leagues and is batting .306? OR that Mike Napoli, the team’s regular catcher, had the night off? He’s batting .297 with 16 home runs. Have I also mentioned that Vlad Guererro has been on the disabled list half the season? You’re talking about a guy that normally hits .300 with 30 homeruns and 100 plus rbi’s. Cubbies fans—how do you feel about the fact you could have signed Abreu, but instead went after Milton Bradley?

This team has it all offensively:
Speed--37 stolen bases for Figgins; 25 for Abreu; 13 for Hunter; 11 for Aybar; 10 for Izturis; AND Power—25 home runs for Morales; 19 for Rivera; 17 for Hunter; 16 for Napoli; 11 for Abreu; AND Average.

So why is no one talking about this team? Possibly because their pitching ERA of 4.84 ranks near the bottom of all Major League teams. John Lackey and Jered Weaver are a decent top-of-the-rotation duo, but outside of that, injuries and poor performances have plagued the Angels. But perhaps the biggest reason is that West-Coast baseball just doesn’t have the glamour and appeal of its East-Coast adversaries. Never has. Sure, you have your long-time Dodgers fanatics across the country, but tell me how many Angels fans you know. It took a crazy marketing ploy known as “The Rally Monkey” to make people take notice in the 2002 World Series. Does anyone even remember that the Angels won that series? Partially it’s due to the lackadaisical attitude of California fans to their sports teams not named the Lakers. Partially it’s due to the national medias love affair of everything Red Sox and Yankees.

The Angels are currently 70-45, 4.5 games up on the Texas Rangers in the AL West. Mike Scioscia is one of the games best managers. The team has made the playoffs 4 of the last 5 years. They may not have the pitching to make it past the first round of the playoffs, but it’s time the national media gives the Angels some love and attention.

Rough Week To Be A Sox Fan

I haven’t felt like this as a Red Sox fan since October 16, 2003.  That was the night Aaron Boone of the Yankees hit a walk-off home run to defeat Boston in game 7 of the 2003 ALCS in extra innings; a game the Sox had in the bag before the infamous Grady Little debacle.

Since the All-Star break, the Red Sox are 8-13.  The Yankees are 17-5.  Everything that could be going wrong is going wrong.  We were 8-0 against New York heading into this weeks series, so you knew they were looking for some payback.  We couldn’t have picked a worse time to face the Yankees.

It all started last week when the steroid reports came out on David Ortiz.  It’s been a rough year for the big slugger anyway, a key factor in the Sox recent struggles.  Now, the team has to face the rest of the season with a distracted/frustrated slugger, a guy who is normally the life of the clubhouse.  The happy-go-lucky mentality of this team is clearly missing right now.  They’re not having fun and it shows on the field.

Injuries continue to pile up.  Dice-K, Wakefield, Jason Bay and Jed Lowrie are all hurt, key figures in last years run to the ALCS.  The Dice K situation was a sideshow all its own last week after his grumbling about the teams training regiment.  Meanwhile, shortstop has been an Achilles-Heel all year long.  Nick Green plugged the whole long enough to get Lowrie back.  Now Jed’s hurt, and Julio Lugo (who platooned with Lowrie) is gone after a trade to the St. Louis Cardinals where he’s batting .357.

After a rough two-game series against Tampa, the Sox went limping into the new Yankee Stadium just to get some salt rubbed into their wounds.  John Smoltz proved quickly that his return to the Majors was nothing short of a disaster as he gave up 8 runs in 3 1/3 innings and was released the next day.  The Yankees put up 13 runs in a rout of the series opener.  It was an omen.

Friday night, the Sox looked to Josh Beckett to right the ship.  He pitched brilliantly, as did the rest of the Sox staff.  The game went into the 15^th inning, tied at zero…until A Rod’s walk-off home run.  Saturday brought more lifeless bats from the Sox and another shutout.  It was a miserable ending to a miserable week.  The most miserable since October 2003.

The pessimistic Red Sox fan would point to 2006 and say the same type of collapse is happening to this year’s team.  I would disagree.  We still have arguably the most potent 1-2 punch in baseball with Beckett and Lester at the top of our rotation.  Although the bullpen has looked tired and beaten lately, the Sox still have the best bullpen ERA in baseball.  Even though he got beat yesterday, Clay Buchholz pitched well enough to win that game.  Wakefield and Dice K should be back soon, and if they perform the way they should, the pitching will be just fine.  Every team goes through slumps over the course of the season.  The Yankees were clearly in one of their own early in the year.  The problems they faced then were remarkably similar to the ones the Red Sox are facing now. 

Get to September, get everyone healthy, get the bats rolling again, give the Ortiz saga a couple weeks to wear off, and I think we’ll be looking at another Yankees/Red Sox classic in the ALCS.

--------------

“It’s a challenging time for this team, there’s no doubt about it,’’ he said prior to last night’s game. “We’re not playing the type of baseball we want to play. We’re not getting consistent quality starts. We’re not hitting with runners in scoring position. It makes for a challenging time.”

                --General Manager Theo Epstein after Thursday’s 13-6 loss to the Yankees

Andrew Gogerty

5 Burning Questions Entering NFL Season

August is upon us, school is just around the corner, and training camps have begun.  It's the beginning of a new NFL season, and despite the news that Brett Favre will NOT play this year (for now), there are still plenty of intriguing storylines heading into the season.  Here are 5 interesting questions that will impact the next 5 months:

1.  Can Sage Rosenfels lead the Vikings to the playoffs?  The answer:  Yes.  Not as the star player by any stretch of the imagination, but with the leagues best running back in Adrian Peterson, a good offensive line, and a solid defense, my Grandma could lead this team to the playoffs.   Throw in rookie playmaker Percy Harvin, a guy who can stretch the field, and I will go on a limb to say that Sage can not only lead the Vikings to the playoffs, but to the Super Bowl.  True, Rosenfels is unproven, although his 7 years in the league means he's not exactly a rookie.  The most action Rosenfels got as a starter was in 2007, when he played 9 games, throwing for 1684 yards and 15 touchdowns, with 12 interceptions.  He was 6-4 as a starter with the Houston Texans the last two seasons.  For those clamoring for Brett Favre, here's how Sage's numbers would have stacked up as a full time starter over 16 games based on last years statistics:

Sage Rosenfels:   3816 yards; 8.2 Yards Per Pass; 66.7 % completions; 16 TD; 26 Int

Brett Favre:                 3472 yards; 6.7 Yards Per Pass; 65.7 % completions; 22 TD; 22 Int

As you can see, there's not a lot of difference, with Sage actually outperforming Brett in most categories.  The interceptions were a little high, but over the course of his career, Sage has more touchdowns than picks (30 TD; 29 Int).  And, Favre played on a much better team with the Jets than Sage did with the Texans.  Maybe the question shouldn't be 'can Sage LEAD the Vikings to the playoffs?' but rather, 'can he HELP them get there?'

2.  Is Matt Cassel the 'real deal?'  The answer:  We will soon see, but my feeling is--Probably.  Even though he was a perennial backup at USC, Cassel was a Parade All-American coming out of high school, and it's not like he didn't have any competition at USC, playing behind Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart (both Heisman Trophy winners).  And Cassel has had the best tutoring any QB could ask for, playing for mastermind Bill Billicek and mentor Tom Brady.  A similar scenario produced Hall of Famer Steve Young, who played behind Joe Montana and under the leadership of 1980's mastermind Bill Walsh.  I'm not saying Cassel is the next Steve Young, but with budding receiver Dwayne Bowe, a winning mentality having played at USC and for the Patriots, and coming off a 21 Touchdown, 3693 yard season, Cassel may be just the guy that can lead the Chiefs back to the playoffs in a weak AFC Western Division.

3.  Who will have a better statistical season--Jay Cutler or Kyle Orton?  The answer:  Kyle Orton.  This one may surprise a lot of people, but if I have the choice between Cutler and Orton in my fantasy football drafts, I'm taking Orton.  Not just because I can't stand Jay Cutler for the way he's acted in the off season, but because I legitimately believe Orton will put up better numbers than Cutler, even though Cutler will probably win more games.  The reasons:  Denver has FAR better receivers in Brandon Marshall (one of the elite receivers in the league) and Eddie Royal; Chicago relies heavily on its running attack with Matt Forte and is not considered a passing team; Denver's defense is so bad it will consistently be playing from behind, forcing a lot of throwing--if Denver is going to win games this year, they will have to put up a lot of points; Josh McDaniels offensive style and schemes helped last years unknown QB commodity Matt Cassel put up 3600 yards and 21 touchdowns--enough said?  If you still don't trust my judgement, you can ask me about the 4 Fantasy Football Championships I've won in the last 3 years :)

4.  Will Tony Romo's split with Jessica Simpson make a difference for the Cowboys?  The answer:  Absolutely!  Just ask yourself this:  If you were dating Jessica Simpson, how would that alter YOUR professional career?  Exactly.  Tony's mind is now free and clear, the Cowboys are breaking in a BILLION dollar stadium, he got rid of that cancer named Terrell Owens, has a great running game with Marion Barber and a pretty good defense.  Prediction:  Cowboys vs Vikings in NFC title game.

5.  Finally, the question EVERYONE is asking, 'Will Michael Vick make an impact in the NFL this year?  The answer:  It all depends what teams he signs with, but my feeling is "yes."  Look at some of this seasons starting QB's--David Garrard (Jacksonville), Shaun Hill (San Francisco), JaMarcus Russell (Oakland), Jake Delhomme (Carolina), Brady Quinn (Cleveland), and even the aforementioned Sage Rosenfels in Minnesota--and tell me Vick wouldn't be a better solution.  He's got talent, he should be in great shape (what else is there to do in prison), and more than anything--he's got a chip on his shoulder and something to prove.  He's been broken, he's done his time, he appears to have changed his character issues, and, if I’m a General Manager, I'm giving him a call.

Andrew Gogerty

The REAL Reason For The Red Sox/Yankees Role Reversal

"The Game That Changed History" 

The Boston Red Sox are 8-0 against the New York Yankees this season. Since July 24, 2004, they have a winning record of 51-46 against them, and have 2 World Series titles to the Yankees 0. For those of you unfamiliar with the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry, here’s an idea from Wikipedia about the history of the series prior to 2004:

“From 1920 through 2003, the Yankees won 26 World Series championships and 39 pennants, compared to only four pennants for the Red Sox. To make matters worse, in every year that the Red Sox won the pennant — 1946, 1967, 1975 and 1986 — they lost the World Series four games to three, leaving them with no World Series titles. During this time, the Red Sox finished second in the standings to the Yankees on twelve occasions—in 1938, 1939, 1941, 1942, 1949, 1978, and every year from 1998 to 2003. During the 84 year period, the Yankees finished with a better regular-season record than the Red Sox 66 times, leading one sportswriter to quip that the Yankees' rivalry with the Red Sox was much like the rivalry "between a hammer and a nail".”

So. What is the reason for this massive role reversal? You can rationalize it many ways—the brilliance of General Manager Theo Epstein (a Yale graduate), the “stupidity” (as one of my New York friends recently said) of the Steinbrenner regime, the play of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz during the peak of their careers, “The Bloody Sock”, or the dominant pitching of guys like Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez, Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon. All these things probably contributed to the reversal, but the REAL reason is the game from July 24, 2004.  And I was there! 

For those of you who don't know me, I am a lifelong Red Sox fan.  Almost.  My first memories of baseball are from the 1984 season. I was nine years old, and like most around central Iowa, a Chicago Cubs fan. I loved Ryne Sandberg, Leon Durham, Jody Davis, and Gary Matthews. Then, 1985 came along, and I was suddenly a Kansas City Royals fan. George Brett, Frank White, Willie Wilson, Bret Saberhagen, and Dan Quisenberry led the small-market, Midwest team to a World Series title, and for a couple years, I was hooked on them. I was your classic band-wagon jumper. Then came the end of the 1986 season. I hadn’t really been a Red Sox fan at any point of my 11 years of childhood. I had, however, been a fan of Fenway Park (even though I’d never been there), specifically the “Green Monster”—Fenway’s giant green wall in left field. As with many young boys, one of my favorite summer time activities was playing wiffle ball in the back yard. My brother and I passed many a summer with multiple games per day of that wonderful sport. We had it down to a video-game/fantasy sports science before there even was such a thing. At the beginning of summer we would each draft a complete roster of our favorite major league players, position by position. We would have 8 position players, a DH, about 3 starting pitchers, a couple relievers, and a closer. We would also have about 3 or 4 bench players as utility. We even drafted a second team as a “minor league team” that we could call players up from if our current players were “struggling.” Then, we played. And played. Three or four games a day of wiffleball, with our lineups and batting orders, keeping stats on paper of every at-bat, homerun, rbi, strikeout, win, loss and save. It was pure fun. What made it even more fun, were the “stadiums” we would build in our backyard. After all, it’s not a homerun in wiffle ball if you don’t hit it over a chicken-wire fence, or the railing of a deck, or the roof of the house. We had all three, AND our own version of the “Green Monster” made out of a couple sheets of plywood, stacked on top of each other. And so, the love of the “Green Monster,” combined with the regular season success--and eventual, legendary failure--of the 1986 Boston Red Sox with stars like Dwight Evans, Jim Rice, Wade Boggs, and Roger Clemens made me an instant Red Sox fan—1,159 miles away. I’ve been a Red Sox fan ever since, an avid one. The continued pursuit of the team for an elusive title, the rivalry with the Yankees (my brother’s favorite team), and the quest to “reverse the curse” only made my passion for the franchise grow stronger, year after year.

My first visit to Fenway Park was Tuesday, September 4, 2001 against the Cleveland Indians. My wife, 2 year old son, and I sat down the third base line, less than 20 feet away from the “Green Monster.” I’ll never forget that first step inside Fenway. I nearly cried. My wife took a picture of me touching the wall—that glorious wall—with all its history, and the hundreds of tiny dents from baseballs that have peppered it over the years. Dents from guys like Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and even Bucky Dent, some of the greatest hitters in Major League history. The Red Sox lost that day, but it was still one of the greatest days of my life. We returned home from Boston three days later, September 7, 2001—4 days prior to the 9/11 attacks on New York City. The two planes that hit the towers flew directly from Boston’s Logan Airport, the place we had just flown from, days earlier. Four months later, my wife gave birth to our second son, who we named Logan.

My next trip to Fenway Park was the most memorable—and the one that altered the course of Red Sox/Yankees history. The date was Saturday, July 24, 2004. I was in town with my wife for my first ever Yankees/Red Sox game. I woke up at my downtown Boston hotel at around 7:00 a.m. to a complete downpour. It wasn’t just a downpour, this was some of the heaviest rain I have ever seen. I think they got something like 3 inches of rain that morning, and the game seemed in jeopardy. All I had to lean on was my mom’s old saying—“rain before 7, done by 11.” Eleven o’clock rolled around, and sure enough, the skies were clearing. My wife and I ate lunch at the original Cheers Restaurant in Boston’s Back Bay, and then it was onto Fenway, with hopes there would still be baseball.

I was on my own as I entered the gates of Fenway Park with my ticket for seat 5, row 11, section 4 in the right field grandstand.  We had purchased the ticket as part of a "Saturday Special" package before the season started, and had sold the remainder of the games from that package on Ebay.  We had only purchased one set of tickets, so my wife was headed back to the hotel while I prayed for baseball.  Things looked bleak from the get-go with the tarp still on the field, several large puddles in the outfield, and Yankees and Red Sox personnel huddled in the outfield trying to decide what to do.  The decision to play baseball developed as follows according to a Boston Herald article that followed the next morning: "...heavy overnight rain turned the Fenway outfield into a swamp, and one Sox official said before the game that the contest was in 'serious jeopardy.'  So while Sox officials met in Francona's office, Sox catcher Jason Varitek wandered in and delivered a message on behalf of the players:  Game on."  Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein stated, "It became clear that our players really wanted to play.  So we made an extraordinary effort to get the field ready and it worked."  The game was so much in doubt, the Yankees thought the game had been postponed, much surprised when the game was suddenly "on" again.  The miraculous decision to play the game was only the first of a chain of divine events that were about to occur that day in Boston.  After an hour delay, the field was ready, the Anthem was sung, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver were in their broadcasting spots in the booth for the nationally televised game, and I was about to officially witness my first ever Yankees/Red Sox game.

You have to understand, before I go further, that to this point of the season, the Red Sox had been greatly underachieving.  "Sleepwalking," is how one Red Sox beat writer stated it.  This, after a gut-wrenching, Game 7 American League Championship Series loss to the Yankees in 2003.  The Red Sox were supposed to have used that loss as motivation to catapult them to the 2004 World Series, but through the first 97 games of the '04 season, the team had shown no emotion.  They were 53-44, 8 1/2 games behind the Yankees. 

The team needed a spark, but fell behind quickly--again, in this game.  Before they knew what hit them, the Sox were down 3-0 in the top of the third inning, and my first Yankees/Red Sox game wasn't going so well.  Then, with 2 outs, and no one on base, and Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez at the plate, everything changed.  Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo threw a pitch that plunked the diva slugger right in the left arm, and...it...was...on!  ARod started cursing some words back toward the mound, walking like he was getting ready to charge, when Boston's catcher Jason Varitek kindly (not!) told him to get to first base.  Before you could blink an eye, the two were shoving each other, and--in one of my favorite moments in sports history--Varitek shoved his glove right into ARod's face!  You need to know that ARod is my least favorite player in all of sports, so to see this happening live, was just about the coolest thing ever!  From there, the benches cleared, there were several more fights scattered across the field, Yankees pitcher Tanyon Sturtze suffered a cut from fighting with Boston's Gabe Kapler, and 4 players were ejected:  Boston's Jason Varitek and Gabe Kapler, and New York's Alex Rodriguez and Kenny Lofton.  And the fun was just beginning.

The Yankees/Red Sox rivalry is so fierce that, even before the fight, you could feel the electricity in the stands.  After the fight, it was ramped up to a new level.  There were at least 4 separate instances in the following innings where police had to escort Yankees fans out of the outfield seats for brawling with Sox fans.  On every occasion, you would first hear a low murmur in the stands, followed by everyone turning to see where the action was, and then security making their way to the section to haul off the enemy Yankee fan.  Each instance was concluded with a loud cheer of approval from the crowd, as if we had just won a contest.

The brawl in the top of the third jump-started the Sox offense in the bottom half of the inning.  Billy Mueller drove in the first Boston run of the game, and later came around to score on a Johnny Damon ground out to cut the Yankees lead to 3-2.  We were right back in it.

The rally continued in the bottom of the fourth as David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez came around to score off a Nomar Garciappara single.  The Red Sox now led 4-3 and I was having the time of my life.

The sixth inning was nothing short of a marathon.  The Yankees scored 6 times in their half of the inning to take a 9-4 lead.  New York fans were getting cocky and testy again in the stands.  There were more security escorts, this time of Red Sox fans.  Just when I was beginning to lose hope, the Sox rallied again.  In an innning that would last 45 minutes, the Sox answered right back with 4 runs of their own to cut the lead to 9-8, shutting up the mouthy New York fans.  We had ourselves a real barn-burner.  I was now thinking that this game would be utterly impossible to ever top.  The rivalry.  The drama.  The fights.  The high scoring, back-and-forth game.  And there were still three innings to go.

Before the seventh inning stretch was sung, the Yankees had scored again on a Ruben Sierra homerun, making it a 10-8 Yankees lead.  The Sox couldn't answer in the bottom half.  A two-run deficit with two innings left may not seem like much, but you have to remember one important thing--the Yankees had Mariano Rivera ready for the ninth.  The untouchable, unbeatable Mariano Rivera; possibly the greatest relief pitcher to ever play the game of baseball.  The Yankees play a song called "Enter Sandman" whenever he enters the game, because (usually), it's "lights out", "game over" as soon as he takes the mound.  Rivera was so dominant in 2004, he had set an American League record with 32 saves by the All-Star break.  In 57 opportunities that year, Mo saved 53 games (93%).

The eighth inning went by uneventfully, setting up a crucial top of the ninth.  Everyone in the park knew that a two-run deficit against Rivera was going to be very difficult to overcome, and a 3 run deficit would most surely secure our fate.  So, there was a collective sigh of relief when Ramiro Mendoza set down the Yankees in order.  It was onto the bottom of the ninth, down two, and the unbeatable Mariano Rivera was entering the game.

So, what do you do when your beloved team is down by two, with only 3 outs left, facing the games most unbeatable pitcher?  You pray.  And pray some more.  Maybe God has better prayers to answer than the frequent petitions of a nut ball sports fan, but on this night, He was listening.  Nomar Garciaparra doubled to lead off the inning.  A glimmer of hope on an evening when the skies were just beginning to part from the rainy day, with a beautiful sunset in the distance.  I'm not making this up.  Trot Nixon flied out, advancing Nomar to third with one out.  Still down two, only two outs left.  Kevin Millar came to the plate and promptly singled, scoring Nomar.  Now, it's a whole new ballgame--tying run on first, one out.  Crowd on its feet, my heart is racing...Racing.  Hope is alive and well.  I knew that if we could somehow win this game, it would go down as one of the greatest games in Red Sox history.  Not only Red Sox history, Major League Baseball's regular season game history.  I knew, then and there, that if the Red Sox were able to pull this game out, it was just the kind of game that could ultimately propel them to the 2004 World Series title, a title they had not won for 86 years.  I knew, then and there, that if--SOMEHOW--the Sox could get to Rivera on this day, that maybe, just maybe, it would put an unprecedented hint of doubt in his mind.  I knew, then and there, that THIS could be the game that changed the course of Yankees/Red Sox history.

And so, with one out in the bottom of the ninth, runner on first, Sox down one, Billy Mueller came to the plate.  There's nothing more exciting in sports than a last second victory, or in baseball's case, a walk-off home run. And, really, that's the only thing that could cap a storybook ending to this unbelievable day.  It was going through everyone's mind--Hit it out Billy.  Please, Dear God, let him hit one out of here.  Mueller only had 7 home runs at that point of the season, but he was one of Boston's most popular guys.  He was the gritty, hard-working, blue collar type, the type that's not afraid of one Mariano Rivera.  And that's when it happened...Crack!!!  Long fly ball...DEEP right field...To the wall...GONE!!!  A TWO-RUN HOME RUN FOR BILLY MUELLER, AND THE RED SOX WIN!!

As I saw the ball clear the right field bullpen directly in front of me, it was a feeling that was completely indescribable.  Mass pandemonium.  I was hugging complete strangers.  I cried.  You know how they say, after something great happens, sometimes it feels like you're walking on air?  I knew exactly what that meant on the night of Saturday, July 24, 2004; the night that changed Yankees/Red Sox history. 

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The team still finished behind the Yankees for the Division, but managed to win the Wild-Card.  After disposing of the Angels in the first round, the epic rematch with the Yankees was set with a birth in the World Series at stake.  The Red Sox were down 3 games to none, and by all means, were done.  No team in baseball history had come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.  But I still had FAITH.  I pledge to you that I stood in my kitchen and told my wife, down three games-to-none, convincingly, that we would come back to make history.  The statement went something like this: "All we have to do is win game 4, then we pitch Pedro and Schilling in games 5 and 6 which we can win, then anything's possible in game 7."  And sure enough, with enough drama to write a book about, and several nights of extremely late baseball, the Red Sox came back to win that series, then swept the Cardinals for the 2004 World Series Title--the first title in 86 years for the Red Sox. 

Wind Turbines Dominate Local Landscape

Like them or not, wind turbines are now a local landmark

My children have no problem knowing when we are getting close to Grandma’s house.  They gauge the distance to my mom and dad's "4 wheeler and candy heaven" by the proximity of the windmills out of the windows of our minivan.  Highway 65 between Colo and Zearing is dotted with scores of the huge, white, 3-bladed energy savers. 

Before the windmills, my kids would always look for the Zearing water tower to know that we were getting close to our destination (they live just north and east of Zearing).  Oh, how times have changed.  Ever since last fall, the only thing they look for is the wind turbines.  And, lets face it, these aren't exactly the equivalent of an old, lonely, farm windmill, creaking in the wind on a breezy summer day, or a picturesque Holland windmill nestled along the banks of the Rhine river.  But they are, now, a landmark of central Iowa, so we might as well enjoy them for what they're worth.

What they're worth, according to an article on kcci.com, is energy that “could someday power more than 45,000 homes (August 18, 2008).”  According to Wikepedia, Iowa now ranks second (Texas is first) in the United States in wind power capacity, and “the 28,206 MW of power the U.S. generates is enough to serve over 8 million homes and avoid the emissions of 52 million tons of carbon dioxide annually—the equivalent of removing 8.8 million cars from the road.” 

If energy savings isn’t a good enough reason to like them, maybe another reason is:  they’re bat-killers!  According to WindIntell.com, the “rapid reduction in air pressure near turbine blades…can cause internal hemorrhaging through a process known as barotraumas.”  If this is indeed the case, let’s build more!  Apparently, the wind turbines have caused a ruckus among animal rights activists to the point that they have “conducted over 600 studies…linking wind turbines with avian mortality.”

The earliest windmills in Holland date all the way back to 1274.  They were originally “used as corn mills, but they also produced paper, oil, and sawed timber.” (us.Holland.com) At their peak, there were over 10,000 windmills, but now number just over 1,000.  The irony is, technology is what led to the decline in all of those original windmills.  Now, technology will be the driving force (along with government) in the creation of thousands of windmills in the years to come.  They may not have the picturesque appeal of a Holland windmill, or even the old serene farm windmills, but hey…they point the way to Grandma’s house. 

Andrew Gogerty

Autographs

When I first saw the phrase "book signing" on the Colo Crossroads website, I was a little freaked out.  Seriously, why would anyone want MY autograph?  

Autographs were a treasure when I was little.  One of my favorite things to do was visit the Crown Center in Kansas City during baseball season.  The opposing team always stayed there, and if you timed it just right, you could stand within arms length of them as they boarded their team bus to go to the ballpark before the game.  I got some dandy autographs during those years--Tommy John of the New York Yankees, Nolan Ryan of the Texas Rangers, and Oil Can Boyd too.  Those were the Yankee years of Rickey Henderson, Dave Winfield, and Don Mattingly--autograph possibilities that were like striking gold if you got one.  I saw them up close and personal, but wasn't lucky enough to get their John Hancock. 

I was, however, fortunate enough to land the signatures of two of the all-time greats in baseball.  During one of those summer trips to K.C., there happened to be an Old-Timers game going on, and I was able to get the autographs of Hank Aaron and Ernie Banks.  They were sitting in the lobby of our hotel, and I'll never forget them talking with my Dad like they'd known him for years.  Too bad todays athletes aren't as approachable. 

Coach Miller would always tell us to be careful how we conducted ourselves because the younger kids looked up to us and admired us.  I knew he was right, because I used to be one of those kids.  I'll never forget asking my parents if I could go get autographs of some of the players at Vets Auditorium during the 1984 state tournament.  Seems cheesy now, but those guys were my heroes when I was little.

I don't feel worthy enough, or accomplished enough to be giving autographs by any means.  This is a book that I have written, not out of hope for fame or fortune, but as a sort of a gift back to the community that gave me so much.  To me, the phrase "book signing" is just a fancy way of saying "the book is for sale."  But if you insist, I will sign it for you--just don't expect it to be worth anything.

Andrew