Lott steps down.

I just saw this article...announcing that Lott is going to step down as Majority Leader. I don't have time to expound, but I wanted to share the news.

One more note about the Iowa Hawkeyes

Ok, I admit it folks. I am obsessed right now. I have been a diehard Hawk fan through the bad years, and now that we are having a successful year I think I may need to enter a 12-step program or something. The entire upper Midwest seems to have Hawk fever right now, and I have been known in the last few months to do my fair share of bitching about all of these bandwagon fans that have emerged from the woodwork...."Where were you when we sat in the cold during the 1-10 season?" I've been exclaiming all over town, "Where were you on that fine Homecoming when we finally won a Big-10 game under Kirk Ferentz?". And now "For the love of God why do you all have to pile into the Hawk Shop at one time?" (I stood in line there to buy an Orange Bowl shirt for 35 minutes last week...I seriously think the place was in violation of the occupancy fire codes!)

This morning I found this article on Hawkeye Football.com that explains at least this author's renewed passion (bandwagon) for the Hawks. I think he makes some great points about why people love this Iowa football team for example:

"Over this dreadful autumn that marked the one-year anniversary of 9/11, saw us prep for war in Iraq, saw our retirement funds turn to ether, the Hawkeyes were the right team to emerge at the right time." "...who can't like a local team that goes 11-1? Iowa's brilliant turnaround from 1-10 goat to 11-1 thoroughbred is a great story, impossible to resist, and nobody embodies that story like head coach Kirk Ferentz, who himself had to endure the goat-like indignity of following a coaching legend."

It's a great article. It's great to be in a position to have bandwagon fans (even if I bitch about it.) And as always...It's great to be a Hawk! On Iowa! Go Hawks!

Blue Chip Recruits

Due to the amazing success of the Iowa football program. There are a number of high profile recruits looking at wearing the black and gold next year. If you follow the Blue Chip Diaries on ESPN.com, you'll be familiar with the fact that Chris Leak and Tom Zombrowski are both considering Iowa for their collegiate homes.

Zombrowski was here last week, and in this week's edition of his diary he summarizes his visit. From what he says, it sounds like it went extremely well, however, he does explain that he loves every place that he visits. I love the quote that he writes from Brian Ferentz, after Ferentz finally got his picture in the paper because of going to the Iowa Basketball game with Zombrowski. Ferentz said: "I'm here for two years, the coach's son and I never get my picture in the paper. You're here for one day and you've already done it." It sounds like in typical Iowa fashion (remember the "Pep Rally" we wanted to throw for Luke Recker’s campus visit??), we managed to portray ourselves as completely star struck and obnoxious. That image is not completely inaccurate however, in this state we tend to idolize the Hawkeye football players more than other states do because of our lack of professional sports teams and the fact that we have nothing better to do. I can imagine that it could scare a timid player away, but it could also attract someone in search of fame.

Either way, I can't wait to see our final recruiting class for next fall. There should be some great players in it. However, it does need to be mentioned, that the beauty of this Iowa program is that we don't need super-star recruits (not that they aren't appreciated) to be good. We believe in taking hard working kids, and teaching them to play the game and play the game very well. It's indescribable, how exciting it is to watch this program mature.

I've given into the Blogosphere's pressure and I've jumped on the Weather Pixie bandwagon. Enjoy!

Where there's a passion there's a site!

Ok, sometimes I have way to much time on my hands (not this week) and I run across weird websites that make me think "Who has time to program these things?" But...it just proves that if something exists, someone is passionate about it and has posted a website about it.

Here are two that I stumbled on this morning that just amaze me!
The Utah Baby Namer

Ellen Feiss Fan Site....in case you don't know who she is (as I did not) she stars in on eof the Apple "switch" ads. And people actually made a fan site dedicated to her??? For serious folks, get a job!

Anybody else stumble on crazy sites they would like to share with us? Comment away!

Whew...blogger looks like it's back to normal.

Time permitting, I have some thoughts brewing in my head that I will blog about. It's just been crazy at work prepping for year end financial reports and all...

I was going to blog more today. But Blogger just ate the same post twice, and the edit screen is being weird. So...no more blogging today. Plus, being the moron that I am, I have lost my glasses and blogging is actually painful right now.

You know it's been a long time since you've blogged when...

You pull up blogger and it no longer "remembers" you, and you have to log in again. And the edit screen is completely different than the last time you were here...

YIKES...I shall never let two days go without blogging again! Sorry folks...but I do have a job ya know!

Holiday Shopping Help.

Need help finding the perfect gift for that hard to buy for someone on your list? Over at Morning News there's a great guide for those in holiday gift idea distress! Even if it doesn't actually help you find the right gift, it will give you something to laugh about for the afternoon!

Health Care Musings

David Hogberg of Cornfield Commentary, has an article up at The American Prowler about potential changes to the Health Care system. He doesn't expand on them in depth, but his mention of the Health Reimbursement Arrangements in the IRS tax code is something that employers should pay closer attention to and he's right wouldn't be a bad thing for Republican's to PR blitz about. I don't agree with him completely about his health care issues, but it's worth a read none the less.

Your tax dollars at work!!!
Check out what YOU are paying a government employee to do!

Hawkeye Fever

The Black and Gold fever is running wild around much of the upper Midwest right now, so I thought I'd share this poem for all the Hawkeye Fans and all wannabee Hawkeye Fans to enjoy.....

Twas a week after Christmas and all through the stands,
Everybody was cheering, and clapping their hands.
The banter'd been spirited, setting the stage - A Post season battle set to do wage.

The Hawkeye's were underdogs (based on the spread),
But visions of victory danced in their heads.
And Ma in her jersey and I in my cap,
Were set on the sofa to watch the first snap.

When there on the TV arose such as fuss,
I inched myself forward and tried not to cuss.
I rose to my feet and I stomped on the ground,
I grabbed the remote and turned off the sound.

The site wasn't pretty, my Hawks were behind,
(What's worse, they were playing a team I maligned).
And then, what on the flickering screen did I see,
But a great Hawkeye offense and one awesome D.

The QB was quick with an arm like a cannon,
I knew in a moment it was not Matt Sherman(!!!)
With Vick like! scrambles and Montana like aim,

He guided his offense and called them by name.

"To Hinkel, to Clark, to Jones and Brown,
Run Russell, Run Lewis, Run Cervantes, first down"
Hammer the middle and throw the ball long,
Now down the field, down the field, down the field all.

When e're he felt pressure he scrambled away,
And gave up not one single sack the whole entire day.

He passed on the defense with quickness and speed,
(Like teachers in Ames, pass kids who can't read.)

Like cop-killer bullets through bulletproof vests,
We tore through their defense, like Hawkeye's possessed.
Tackles were broken and coverages blown,
And next thing I knew, we were in the end zone.

After winning the game for the gold and black,
Brad ran for the showers without looking back.
But I heard him exclaim as he grinned in delight,
"Merry Christmas Miami, and turn out the lights"