Lolo buzz reached its peak when she unknowingly crossed the path of the king of hype: Tim Tebow. Tebow, another self-proclaimed virgin, was good naturedly taunted by his Jets teammates as he walked into the locker room, “Lolo! Tebow!”. Lolo responded on twitter, “Ask Tebow if he wants a glass of milk. If he says yes, ask him if he prefers chocolate. if he says no, then no more Tebow date suggestions”
Funny.

Keep in mind, Lolo still has to make the Olympic team next month in Eugene, Oregon. I’m sure she will.

Martensdale-St. Mary’s baseball coach Justin Dehmer is right to suspend one of his stars, Robert Walker, for throwing a tantrum at the end of Tuesday’s game. Walker was frustrated to make the final out in a one run loss to East, that ended the Blue Devils 88 game winning streak. Walker tossed his bat, helmet, and according to the Des Moines Register’s Tommy Birch, made an obscene gesture. They take their baseball seriously at MSTM, some say too seriously, but that can’t be allowed.

I had a Little League coach bench me for a World Series game after I struck out, and threw my bat down. I was the kind of kid who lived for baseball, so being benched was the worst punishment in the world. The coach was 100% right, and it was a life lesson that serves me well to this day. I won the sportsmanship award the next season, which was my proudest honor. Thankfully, I also had the chance to tell that coach, Jim Hutchinson, as he was dying, that his one simple act of discipline made me a better boy, and a better man. Thank you, coach.

Shaq as GM candidate? This might be worse idea than Shaq as rapper.

The Celtics and 76ers played a game Wednesday night that I hope Larry Bird and Julius Erving didn’t watch.

USA Today gutted part of its sports department. You know what’s good about that? Nothing.

Football is less exciting without kickoffs. Kickoffs aren’t causing the mounting concerns over concussions. It’s the volume of blows to the head.

I enjoy the Vegas over/under for wins in the NFL season. Among the choices and my picks: Bears 8.5 (over), Broncos 7.5 (over), Lions 8.5 (over), Packers 12.5 (under), Chiefs 8.5 (under), Vikings 7.5 (under), Rams 6.5 (under), Saints 11.5 (under), Cowboys 8.5 (over), Giants 10.5 (under), Patriots 11.5 (over).

Channel 13 will broadcast 272.5 hours of coverage from the Olympics in London, all in HD.

The Des Moines Register reports that Dolphin has a clean bill of health.

It’s been almost a year since Dolphin was diagnosed with prostate cancer.  During his treatments, he didn’t miss a single game.

This year will be his 16th consecutive Iowa broadcasting season.

Monday night, ESPN. Tuesday night, HBO. Lolo Jones is everywhere. As you’d expect from Mary Carillo, her feature story on Lolo was terrific. Lolo’s life story is fascinating, with more chapters to come. The hype focused on the discussion about Lolo’s virginity, which made me uncomfortable to watch, but she’s always been an open book, and she’s not changing now.

I can’t imagine a world where you can spend as much time and resources on one story as HBO does, but I’d like to live in it. We sent dozens of clips of Lolo, as requested. Two made it into the story.

The NBA playoffs will be more interesting with the Heat around for at least two more weeks. That’s going to happen.

The Barnstormers Rodney Filer says he’s done after this season. The former Hawkeye has 10 touchdowns, and 3 injuries. He’s also 38. Filer sure seems like a good guy.

It’s always disappointing, though predictable, to see fans defend giving an athlete another chance largely because those fans want to win. I’m not surprised many Cyclone fans don’t think receiver Albert Gary allegedly robbing someone at (BB) gunpoint is reason for dismissal. He’s good. I’m sure they’d feel differently if a loved one were on other end of a gun not known to contain BBs. At least Gary served a three game suspension. That’s more than he would have coming at some schools.

Whether it’s dodge ball, basketball or aerobics, Skyzone has something for everyone.

“I love selling the adult tickets,” says General Manager, John McLeran.  “It gives them a chance to be a kid again.”

Skyzone is made up of a network of trampolines.  They make for a low impact, high intensity workout. 

“The main court is like a grown-up playground,” says McLeran.

It’s also were we try Skyrobics. 

“You can literally do anything you can do in a normal fitness routine, on a trampoline,” says Wellness Manager, Dave Warburton.  “It’s actually harder.”

Warburton is the Skyrobics instructor.  Like any aerobics class, it begins with a warm-up.  We start with jumping jacks and scissor kicks.  This may look easy, but maintaining your balance is a little tricky and forces you to engage your core.

“Every time you’re on a trampoline, there’s give and take.  So every single muscle in the body is having to work,” says Warburton.

After some stretching, the real work begins.  We’re separated into two groups.  While one group does jumping jacks, the other climbs the walls of the giant trampoline.  It requires timing, strength and stamina.

“The more muscles you use, the more calories you burn,” says Warburton.

It also takes some coordination.  Don’t be surprised if you wipe out on your first few attempts at Skyrobics.  At least it’s a soft landing, which also makes this workout joint-friendly.

“That’s what’s so amazing about the fitness side of it.  Its low impact,” says McLeran.  “If you have problems with your knees, it’s much softer.”

That makes this workout ideal for people of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels.  But it doesn’t make it any easier.  At this point, we’re sweating buckets and sucking air.  And after a brief water break, it’s back to work.  This time, the cardio work includes hopping, skipping and running across the length of the trampoline.  We are now toast and our legs feel like jam.

“So, just the muscle endurance you get out of it, cardio you get out of it, it’s tremendously harder,” says Warburton.

Yes, it’s hard.  But it’s also fun.  And that will keep you coming back for more.

I respect Lolo talking about this private matter, as it could give someone else the courage to wait, if that’s his or her desire. Not easy.

Lolo is clearly going to be a face of the Olympics. She’s also the subject of an inspiring documentary by ESPN Films. In that movie, which replays Wednesday at 2 a.m. and 2 p.m. on ESPNU, Lolo reveals that when she lived in Des Moines, she became a professional shoplifter beginning in sixth grade. Not earrings. Food. Lolo’s family was impoverished, and for a time, homeless.

No surprise, the film shows Lolo is a tireless hard-worker in her goal of winning Olympic gold. Four years comes down to 12 seconds. No pressure there.

Carlos Marmol wore an I-Cubs uniform at Principal Park Monday night, but Marmol’s not expected to pitch until Friday in Memphis.

Dallas Clark is now a Tampa Bay Buc. It’ll take getting used to not seeing him in a Colts uniform.

The Big Ten won’t match-up Iowa and Wisconsin in football four out of six years, but will continue protecting the pretend rivalry with Purdue. Not everything about conference expansion is positive.

ESPN pulled Pam Ward off college football games. The cheer you hear is from Hawkeye fans.

I was sorry to see Bee Gee Robin Gibb died of cancer. The Bee Gees were easy targets, but they had some monster hits, and for a couple years in the late 70s were as big as any band has ever been.

I sure wish Bodemeister would again take on I’ll Have Another in the Belmont.

The Clements vs Manatts is getting uglier, and it can’t be good for Iowa Speedway.

The first six years of the Big Ten new legends and leaders pits Iowa against Wisconsin just twice.

First batter Zach Coppola. He rips one into the gap and Coppola is on his horse. It’s a lead off triple and Dowling is in business.

Couple batters later. A little small ball from Nick Navin. Chopper up the middle scores Coppola.

Keith:

South Hardin High School won’t field a varsity football team this fall.

Despite being class 2A, only 8 junior and senior boys showed interest in playing.

I feel for those eight.

Andy:

I do, too.  It’s apparently too late for them to play for other schools, too, so it’s really a bummer.  Usually it’s population that dooms small Iowa schools, but as you said, this is a 2A school that just didn’t have enough boys interested in football.

Keith:

Brett Moffitt of Grimes is not the man he used to be. The young NASCAR star lost 50 pounds since January!

Andy:

I didn’t recognize him at all when he walked into the radio studio the other day. That’s great for his health, but it’s gotta be even better for his race car, right? It’s like he just tossed a giant sack of feed out the window!

Keith:

Perfect weather for state track.

Make you feel better or worse about the Drake Relays??

Andy:

Much, much worse, man.  The officials at drake are like “where was this stuff when we had 20,000 people in town last month?

Keith:

The Wall Street Journal had an article calling for the demolition of Wrigley Field.

What a boneheaded suggestion. The cubs need to renovate, not annihilate.

Andy:

Well, nobody knows sports like the Wall Street Journal…  Wrigley Field is the draw, not the team that plays there.  Even Cardinals fans would hate to see that.

Keith:

There’s a new restaurant in West Des Moines, and it turns out, “Twins Peaks” is not an homage to the weird television show.

Andy:

That’s right, it’s about hiking and climbing.

Paul: And I’m Paul Robin Pixner. King James was a very powerful man, but he was not a confident man. The King of England had a deep and dark secret. He had a receding hairline. This King James covered up with feathered hats. *This modern King James (lebron) covers up with headbands. In the 14th century, men with receding hairlines were believed to be pedophiles. In the 21st Century, men with receding hairlines are believed to be normal, if somewhat insecure and less desirable to flowered women of child-bearing age. 

Elliot: America’s pastime of baseball is entering the second portion of the regular season schedule. Over the fortnight, several thousand inebriated, elitist on-lookers could only watch as their beloved Chicago Blue Stripe team were subjugated by repeated sticks on balls by the players of the so-called White Socks—a thinly veiled, racially-charged pejorative term likely dating back to the years where racial segregation existed even in footwear. Meanwhile, it was in New York where the Yankees fight for freedom ended at the hands of the Red Legs of Cincinnati—formerly owned by chain-smoking, Nazi sympathizing, leather-faced cretin, Marge Schott . The Reds did what the confederacy could not. They conquered the mighty Yanks, despite their pinstriped union rags. A pity.

Paul: Over in Los Angeles, the mysterious case of a slumping base-baller has finally been solved by a simple DNA test at Cedars Sinai Hospital. A man going by the name of Albert Pujols, who claimed he was 32 years of age, is actually 57-year-old, Miguel Dilone. The former Bear Cub retired from baseballing in 1985, after scoring 6 homeruns in his 11-year career. Dilone credits shaving his head, and growing a goatee for his youthful look.

Elliot: In the oil-rich yet social-equality-poor land of Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to scratch were it itches. They also aren’t allowed to drive. The Saudi’s believe that if a woman gets behind the wheel of an automobile, it will be the end of virginity in the country. American Danica Patrick not only is allowed to drive a car, the drive-racer is allowed to wreck her car. Over, and over, and over. It’s unknown whether or not Ms. Patrick, daughter of Beverly Ann and Terry Jose, is still a virgin.  She would like to be considered a serious athlete, and her masochictically-mysoginistic attire would suggest she’s well on her way.

Paul: We pause now for this week’s recreational moment from around the world: it takes us to the German state of Bavaria, where grown men measure self-worth by the size and strength of their very small appendages:

Elliot: Join us next week for a very special “All Things Considered”. Foot-soccer may be the most popular game on the planet, but there’s a new sport that’s taking the middle-east by storm. NPR foreign correspondent Murat Elhamri has a preview. Murat?

Youtube Video

Elliot: Thanks Murat. We look forward to your report on the next NPR Sports Cache. Until, then, I’m Elliot Feinberg. 

Paul: And I’m Paul Robin Picksner.  We wish you a recreational fortnight, and hope that you fully enjoy the game of sports. 

Keith:

Iowa Speedway

Another great weekend for the Iowa Speedway.

A sprint cup race seems inevitable when packed stands are again shown on national TV, and drivers rave at every chance.

Stenhouse

No one more than Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  He’d like the entire Nationwide Series at Iowa Speedway.

If Stenhouse had cruise control, he could have used it today.

Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick said her goal was to finish on the lead lap.  If her goal had been to hit the wall and finish 30th, she’d feel better.

I’ll Have Another

I think the Preakness had what the Pioneer Hi-Bred 250 lacked:  drama.

“I’ll Have Another” running down Bodemeister on the back stretch was one of the year’s most thrilling moments.

Big 12/SEC

I think the Big 12 partnering with the SEC at the top of the college football food chain is shrewd.

The Big 12 goes from life support to power broker in one year.

Lebron

I think Lebron James showed today why he’s arguably the most talented basketball player of all time.

James still needs a ring to join any conversation of “all-time greats”.

Kerry Wood

I think Kerry Wood retiring after striking out a batter on three pitches was a good time to exit.

Wood didn’t stay healthy long enough to live up to the hype, but he still provided enough thrills to make a Cubs fan misty.

Van Halen

I saw Van Halen last night, which was a relief.  I figured they’d break up before the show started.

David Lee looked 57, but I’m glad I got to see Eddie play guitar.

By the way, opening act:

Kool and the Gang

Kool and the Gang.

Wait, what? Kool and the Gang opening for Van Halen???

Was the Gap Band booked?

Did the Kentucky Headhunters break up?

Andy:

Preakness

I think there`s something potentially wrong with this picture: Secretariat, Seattle Slew, Affirmed…I`ll Have Another?  It`s like the nobility takes a drunken step off the curb and twists an ankle! But that was an awesome Preakness.  But with Dullahan running the Belmont, I`m in a tough spot.  With my apologies to the Donegal Racing guys, I gotta go with my heart and pull for the Triple Crown hopeful.  I`d like another I`ll Have Another.

Iowa Speedway

Other than sunnier skies, I`m not sure anything could`ve gone better for the Iowa Speedway.  A dominant performance by the Nationwide points leader, who clearly  loves this track.

Big 12

For the last two years at this time we`ve been ringing the death knell for the Big 12 conference. But now, it looks as solid as a nose guard in a three-point stance.  Any ground shared with the SEC is high and dry.

Kerry Wood

I think even Cardinals fans can tip their hat to Kerry Wood.  I remember wincing at the sight of him in 1998, but a Hall of Fame arms doesn`t equal a Hall of Fame career, and as they say, that`s baseball.

Boring Time

You know, on Friday, I was all set to talk about how boring this time of year is in sports, but after all that, I think I need to reconsider.

Twin Peaks

Finally, tonight…I thought that Twin Peaks was a strange name for a restaurant opening in West Des Moines, where the highest point is the air conditioning unit on the roof of the Barnes and Noble… but it opened this weekend.  Now, I haven`t been there, yet, but I can tell you right now, this place is gonna need some sort of gimmick because selling mountain food in Iowa is never gonna cut it.

This is two of the best football conferences in the country, two of the big fish in the pond, saying ‘we`re gonna take charge of our own destinies.’  Here`s hoping that other conferences follow suit.

Keeping this bowl system alive makes about as much sense as pursuing a master`s degree in cursive handwriting.  For too long, it`s been a millionaire boys club posing as a charity.  A popularity contest claiming to be a championship.

As fans of teams like Iowa and Iowa State, we`ve enjoyed the perks of being picked over teams that don`t travel as well, but that`s not fair and you know it.  The very idea of being invited to a championship rather than qualifying for one goes against the very core principle of sports.  The games are supposed to be on the field, and the Bowls have been playing theirs off of it.  Research has shown they don`t give nearly as much back to the communities that host them as they say they do, and they`ve made a fortune off bilking the very teams and schools that provide them with free entertainment.  The rich men who run them have lived like pashas on porn set all the while putting up a ridiculous non-profit front.  It`s time for their tower to be stormed and the royalty inside thrown out on its rump.  Let`s take this college football revolution all the way and let`s get back to screaming at the games themselves rather than the stupid system that sets them up.

The bowl games had their day, but so did the horse and buggy.  On the modern interstate of college football, they`re only snarling up traffic.  I`m Andy Fales, and that`s what`s bugging me.

The Cubs were awful this weekend.

Ricky Stenhouse dominated the Pioneer Hi-Bred 250 at the Iowa Speedway.  Stenhouse had time to run in and use the bathroom during pit stops.

Danica Patrick didn’t win. I wrote this before the race started.

I was jumping up and down during the stretch run of the Preakness. I’ll Have Another running down Bodemeister showed why horse racing can be so thrilling. Do we finally have our triple crown winner? I hope so, but I doubt it. I’ll Have Another just doesn’t sound like the name of a great horse.

Saw Van Halen Saturday night. Not a big fan, but wanted to see Eddie play guitar in-person before the band implodes again, which surely it will. David Lee Roth looked old (he’s 57), and wore dance shoes on some wooden platform designed to help him move like he’s still 27. Overall, it was a good show. Way overpriced at $170 for a ticket. Most interesting part of the night was the opening act: Kool & The Gang. Kool opens for Van Halen? What’s next, Ying-Yang Twins open for REO Speedwagon?

I’ll Have Another, has another. The horse that wasn’t favored to win the Derby, or the Preakness, has won both. What a dramatic finish at Pimlico. It looked like Bodemeister was going to run away with the win most everyone thought he would get, but I’ll Have Another ran him down at the wire. I’m going to be torn at The Belmont. Dullahan is going to try to get in the way of history. It could be the first time since 1978 that a horse has won the triple crown. As much as I want to root for the Iowa-owned horse, I can’t root against I’ll Have Another at this point.

Ankeny-owned, Cozzetti, raced admirably. Cozzetti was a long shot, and didn’t challenge for the win, but he placed a respectable 7th.

How long until someone compares Bodemeister to LeBron?

There was some kind of soccer game on in the sports office, today. I guess it was a big deal or something.

The Barnstormers scored 19 points, tonight. NINETEEN! Needless to say, they lost. Final score: Jacksonville 55, Iowa NINETEEN!

Is it just me, or does that really tan woman all over the news look like she’s been dipped in chocolate?

The Waukee Warrior girls took the shuttle hurdle relays title and the 4A State Championship.

Dowling, Urbandale, and Valley, round out the top 4 in 4A.

Dubuque Wahlert took the girls 3A title, Cascade took Class 2A and Griswold won Class 1A. 

On the boys’ side, Iowa City West won the Class 4A championship, Decorah took 3A, West Marshall won Class 2A and Manson-Norwest Webster won in Class 1A. 

For all State Track results, click here.

Ankeny owned Cozzetti will run in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Racecourse in Baltimore.

This is the first time that two Iowa-owned horses have competed in Triple Crown races in the same year.

Iowa-owned Dullahan came in third at the Kentucky Derby.

Cozzetti will have tough competition.  He’ll race against Derby winner I’ll Have Another and second place derby finisher Bodemeister.

You can watch coverage of the Preakness on Channel 13 at 3:30.

Friday’s action started early, and the competition lasted well into the evening.

Kerry Wood’s career came to an emotional end, at Wrigley Field, Friday. The former phenom will be remembered as an underachiever, but Wood’s career was better than average. Wood was a part of four different playoff teams in Chicago, and he retires as the only player in history with 75 wins, 50 saves, and 10 strikeouts per 9 IP.

Wood and Sammy Sosa were my two favorite Cubs, growing up. Wood was appointment television in the late 90′s. I’ll never forget the day he struck out 20 Houston Astros. I’ve never seen a more dominating pitching performance. Kerry Wood will go down as one of the most beloved Cubs of all-time.

It was a big day for the Big 12. The conference that was seemingly dead in the water a year ago, is now leading the way in college football. On Friday, the Big 12 came to a 5-year agreement with the SEC to pit its conference champions against each other, on January 1, if left out of the proposed four-team playoff. Smart move. The SEC is the best college football conference in the nation. If you’re in bed with them, you’re going to be just fine. I’m guessing we’ll see other conferences like the ACC attempt to follow suit.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. goes for a three-peat at the Iowa Speedway, on Sunday. Stenhouse won both NASCAR Nationwide races, last year, but he won’t be able to count on Carl Edwards for a bump across the finish-line. Edwards isn’t racing in the Pioneer Hi-Bred 250. Danica Patrick will. She is signing autographs on Saturday at the Speedway. It’s going to be a zoo.

I wonder if LeBron will consider the season a ‘success’ if the Miami is able to win another game against Indiana. The Pacers should be up 3-0. LeBron apologists are ripping on Kobe for not taking the final shot against OKC, on Wednesday. Kobe wanted the ball, but he didn’t get it. That’s the difference between LeBron and every other NBA great. Jordan, Bird, Magic, all wanted the ball in crunch time…make or miss. LeBron doesn’t want the ball because he can’t stand the thought of missing the final shot.

Am I the only one that looks forward to cutting his/her fingernails? I absolutely love it. I wish there was a special fertilizer I could sprinkle on them so I could come them every day. Toe nails? Not so much. It’s too hard to get down there.

I attending a birthday get-together, Thursday night, for a Des Moines media member. It was a who’s who of media members. Everyone was there — except for the birthday boy. The guy was a no-show because he said he had to get up early. That’s gotta be a first.

WANTED: Birthday no-show Tommy Birch