Scott Pierce [pictured at the left] made my workload today a lot easier with this e-mail:
"As a Cardinal fan, I hope Bob Brenly is the manager of the Cubs someday. The way he completely lost that D-Back clubhouse suits me just fine. Beware of expert analysts. I've often said to ex-coach color commentators, "you get smarter with headsets on."
"I really think there's a physical problem with Lee. While a couple of years ago was a career year for him, he's not this bad. He's a solid player. His numbers the last couple of years just don't make sense. The Bradley signing was the dumb move by the Cubs. They needed a CF, not another high-priced corner outfielder. They've got 3 of them now (Soriano and Fukudome) and can't trade any of them because of their salaries.
"By the way, Missouri S&T used to be called Missouri-Rolla. A difficult part of our
football schedule is going to be that back-to-back road swing to San Diego and Davidson.
I know it wore me out and nobody was hitting me with pads on.
"One final thing.....if you get a chance [this] morning, come see our opening day at the
Kiwanis Miracle League. It's located just across the street from your favorite DSM
ballpark. Everything starts at 9:45 a.m. with a sculpture dedication. The Miracle
League field gives kids with physical or mental challenges a chance to play baseball.
It's really cool."
Scott Pierce
[RON MALY'S COMMENTS: Pierce's comments about Bob Brenly are in response to me writing several times that I'd like to see the former Arizona Diamondbacks manager succeed Lou Piniella with the Cubs. Sooner rather than later. Brenly won a World Series with Arizona, but later was fired and now is a commentator in the Cubs' TV broadcast booth--holding up his end of the bargain much better than play-by-play announcer Len Kasper, who tends to put me to sleep with his work. [Kasper and Brenly are pictured at the right; Brenly is at the right]. I figure a guy like Brenly, who has already won a World Series, might get the Cubs over the hump when the postseason comes -- or, rather, if it comes. Piniella's postseason record with the Cubs is 0-6. It's going to be a challenge for the Cubs to even get into the postseason this year, using a lineup that should be playing at No-Name Field in Des Moines. Speaking of baseball fields, Scott, thanks for your note on Kiwanis Miracle League field. I can't get there this morning because I've got a Little League game being played by my grandson's team at 10 a.m., but I'll take a look at the place soon. Pierce's comments on Derrek Lee of the Cubs and the Missouri S&T football team that's on Drake's schedule were in connection with things I wrote in a column this week. Thanks for your thoughts, Scott.]
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Somebody help me.
At the top of the Register's sports page today it said -- or should've said --No-Name Classic
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Even worse, the headline said, Nielsen out front again
Huh?
Isn't it supposed to be Nielsen in front again?
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Teamwork. Togetherness.
Can't beat it these days in the newspaper business.
It seems to me that the Des Moines Register just couldn't get along without WHO-TV and the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
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I'm very glad Iowa has a better basketball team after playing three games in Italy and Greece.
Yoo bad the fourth game, which was supposed to be played tomorrow in Athens, was called off. I'm sure the Hawkeyes would've been even better with four games.
I asked a guy I know, who is a little closer to the scene, about that 2-1 record.
"Hey, I thought going halfway around the world to play four games was hardly worthwhile," the guy said. "Be interesting to hear what Coach Lick thinks they got out of the trip. Those two wins might look pretty big next winter, though."
I'll bet the scenery pictures the players took are good, too.
