Bob’s Blog

If you log on to Kansas.com, which you probably did since you’re reading my blog, you have seen the three design choices for Wichita’s downtown arena.

What I want to know is: Who designed C? It looks like an airplane hangar or, as one of my friends said, a laptop. It’s one of the worst designs for an arena I have ever seen. I’m guessing the same guy who designed the Kansas Coliseum must have designed this. Are you kidding?

Fortunately, nobody in The Eagle’s online poll is voting for C. In fact, more than 70 percent, at last count, are voting for B, which is the best of the choices. It’s attractive, distinctive and it should win hands down.

On Saturday, I’m doing a column in which I’m asking football fans _ really big, crazy football fans _ to be general manager for a day for their favorite team.

Are you interested?

I need a representative from each NFL team to be their team’s "general manager" and make a first-round draft pick. We’ll meet at Sidepockets, at the corner of Kellogg and Tyler, at 11 a.m. The food is great, the atmosphere is great and we’ll be sitting in the Lutz Lounge. What more could you ask for.

Anyway, you’ll be asked to make a draft pick, then critique the actual pick made by your team. I did this last year and it was a fun day.

I still need a representative for the following teams: Rams, Giants, Seahawks, Saints, Broncos, Eagles, Cardinals, Patriots, Bengals, Jaguars, Bucs, Packers, Ravens and Dolphins.

Let me know if you’re interested by e-mailing me at my work address: blutz@wichitaeagle.com. Please include a cell phone number.

I probably don’t pay close enough attention to the news, which is a disgrace since I do work for a newspaper. I do read The Eagle every day, but perhaps I have missed something. What I want to know is this: What’s up with the WaterWalk?

I drive by the location, over at Lewis and Main, quite often. And for months, the area has been vacant, stripped of buildings. For a while there, I thought I saw workers laying sewer and water lines. But lately, nothing. I just drove by today. It’s gorgeous. This seems like it would be a perfect time to be doing something out there.

But I didn’t see a soul, which makes me wonder just when this project, which excites me, is going to get going?

I feel badly for the management of Gander Mountain, which was supposed to be just a part of the WaterWalk, not the entire thing. Let’s get this thing going, people.

If you listen to Sports Daily _ and I’m sure you do _ you know I constantly get beat up by Bruce Haertl for talking about American Idol. Yet I continue to talk about it, because I love the show. That’s right, I love the show.

Well, I’m worried after watching Tuesday night’s edition, during which the seven remaining contestants sang the standards. I’m worried because I fear Kellie Pickler, who has an adorable personality and pretty good talent, might be voted off tonight. She was easily the worst of the singers Tuesday, but in typical Pickler fashion she admitted as much after her performance. "I butchered it,” was her direct quote.

Well, I hope the voters keep Kellie. I still want to see Ace go away.

d I’m standing by my favorite from the very beginning, Katherine McPhee, who was great while singing Someone to Watch Over Me, which just also happens to be one of my personal favorites. Katherine has it all: good looks, great talent and a presence that would make you swear she’s been doing this forever. She might not win the competition, but she will go on to be the biggest star out of this group.

Let me know what you think.

My vote, 1 through 7 after Tuesday:

1. Katherine McPhee
2. Chris Daughtry
3. Paris Bennett
4. Taylor Hicks
5. Elliott Yamin
6. Kellie Pickler
7. Ace Young

I read this quote yesterday from the greatest Kansas City Royals player of them all, George Brett. He was talking about the newest Royals phenom, Alex Gordon, who is playing for the Wichita Wranglers. Brett said he was in awe of Gordon’s physique, and said this:

"One day I’m in the shower with Alex and kind of looked over, and he had his back to me, and he was washing his hair. So I went over and put shampoo in my hand, started washing my hair right next to him. About eight other guys were in the shower and I said, ‘Who’s got a better body, me or Alex?’ It was the funniest thing said all spring.”

OK, anybody else uncomfortable? That has to be one of the five weirdest quotes I have ever read. Funniest thing said all spring? That’s one unfunny spring.

Speaking of Brett and Gordon, I finally saw Brokeback Mountain over the weekend. It’s too bad that the only thing people say about it is that it’s the "gay cowboy" movie. I really liked it, as a love story. Despite how I may have sounded about the Brett quote _ which is just downright bizarre _ I am totally for letting people live their lives the way they choose, as long as they’re not hurting anyone else.

Brokeback Mountain caused me to think. It was sad. Two days later, I still feel badly for how the two main characters were forced to live their lives.

I know a lot of people who refused to see the movie because of its subject matter. I think they missed out.