* None of the college football games on tap for tonight do much for me. Wisconsin might be fun to watch, but the Badgers won’t have any trouble with UNLV. I heard the first segment of Jim Rome’s radio show today and I agree with him that these games tonight are a terrible way for college football to make a splash on the sports landscape. There should be a more meaningful game on the first night of the season. Didn’t Virginia Tech and Boise State kick things off last year? I know there are some interesting games coming up this weekend, but the first night doesn’t feel special. And it should.
* I also know I should be excited about the Heights-Carroll matchup to open the season for those teams Friday night. What’s not to love about this game? Both teams are always good and Heights is coming off a Class 6A state championship. I just wish this game wasn’t always played to open the season. Don’t City League officials know enough to schedule this showdown for a little later in the season, when both teams have had some time to put things together and it isn’t so hot? Bad scheduling, City League folks. It’s not like you don’t know these schools are powerhouses every season.
* I love the new music format we’re using on “Sports Daily,” to honor birthdays of musicians. I arrive to the studio now at least 20 minutes early to pick the music we’re going to play to bring us back from commercial breaks. Why does this excite me so much? Good question. I’m not sure I really want to know. I just want to enjoy the moment.
* This is the 51st day of 100-plus degree temperatures in Wichita, right? Great. Let’s put that on our Chamber of Commerce flyer. Since I am from here, I can say that we might have the worst climate in the United States. Hot, hot, hot in the summer. Often very cold in the winter. And at the risk of sounding old (which I’m not), do we really ever get much spring and fall? I love fall weather, but it doesn’t seem like there’s much of it. In September, October and November, I’m going to record high temperatures for the day. I’m curious to know how many of them will be in the 70s and 80s, which is what I consider ideal daytime temperatures. I’ll report back with this on Dec. 1.
* When do we get tired of all the bickering in Washington and hold all of the politicians, regardless of party, responsible? Or are we resigned to the in-fighting and back-stabbing that appears now to just be politics as usual? I am worried about America. I know you don’t come to Bob Lutz for political insight, but I just had to share that.
* I love referring to myself in the third party. It’s pretty cool. I wouldn’t be surprised if I do it again soon.
* We bought tickets this morning to see Don Henley perform at the Hard Rock in Tulsa on Oct. 14. I’ve seen Henley numerous times as a solo artist but my wife, Debbie, has not. My son is also taking his girlfriend on this nice little family outing. Tickets were . . . I don’t want to tell you what tickets were. But Henley is one of those guys who commands my billfold to open and the credit card to come out of its pocket.
* As I write this, the St. Louis Cardinals - my team – has jumped out ahead of Milwaukee, 2-0, in the first inning. A win by the Cardinals gets them to within 7 1/2 games of the Brewers in the National League Central. That’s still a big deficit considering there is less than a month to play in the regular season. And I really don’t want to be sucked back in to a pseudo pennant race that really doesn’t exist. Bob Lutz is better than that. But Bob Lutz hears a quiet voice in his head telling him that maybe, just maybe, this thing isn’t over yet. I want that voice to stop.
* How much longer does the Big 12 have? I get asked that question a lot nowadays because of the departures of Nebraska and Colorado and, soon, Texas A&M. I say five years. But the conference could dissolve much sooner than that. In fact, I really think it might last just another year or two. The major realignment in college football is like a boulder rolling down the side of a mountain. There’s nothing that will stop it.
* I’m curious to see Kansas State‘s game against Eastern Kentucky on Saturday night. Not because I think it’ll be any kind of a game. I want to see the development in K-State quarterback Collin Klein and I want to see how Wildcats’ coach Bill Snyder uses his running backs. I cannot believe that Bryce Brown is third on the Kansas State depth chart. If Brown isn’t the main running threat for the Wildcats, then something is amiss.
* Thanks so much for reading. I’ll check in with another blog tomorrow.