John Rodgers

(picture obtained from www.kernels.com)

For my final project for class I wrote about the radio broadcaster for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. The Kernels are the single-A affiliate for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They play in the Midwest League, which includes teams from Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

John will begin his 14th season in the booth for the team next season, making him the broadcasting dean of the league. The 51-year-old began broadcasting later in life, after previously being a college professor and coach.

He is beloved by all of his listeners and has been a favorite in the Cedar Rapids community and around minor league baseball.

I have included a few links where you can listen to the voice of the Kernels from this season. You will have to copy and paste the link so that you can open the media files with the appropriate program. Then search for the following dates and click on the game to listen in. Make sure to click on the KMRY radio broadcast to listen to John.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/multimedia/audio.jsp

September 5---Cedar Rapids Kernels @ Clinton Lumberkings 8:00 p.m.
Division Semi Finals
5-4 win
Kernels win series at advance to Division Finals.

August 27--- Cedar Rapids Kernels @ Beloit Snappers 8:05 p.m.
Kernels clinch playoff berth
3-2 win

August 17--- Beloit Snappers @ Cedar Rapids Kernels 3:00 p.m.
5-4 win
Clay Fuller with a walk-off home run.

August 16--- Beloit Snappers @ Cedar Rapids Kernels 8:00 p.m.
6-5 win
Clay Fuller hit by pitch to win game.



The Kernels at Dale & Thomas Popcorn Field @ Veteran's Memorial Stadium are a hidden gem in the eastern Iowa area. It's great fun for the family, and they can also host your bachelor parties, class reunions, or other outings. The Kernels play an exciting type of baseball of base stealing, good defense, and smart hitting, just like the Los Angeles Angels. If you can't make it out to a game, or few, this season, you can listen to John all next season call the games on 1450, KMRY.

BOWL PICKS

I’m taking a break from my Cubs news for the day and taking you through the College Football Bowl Games. Now I’m a fan of college football, but I certainly don’t know crap about most of these teams and don’t care to watch them play in a pointless bowl game. So, we’ll see how it goes.

EagleBank Bowl---Wake Forest vs. Navy---Washington DC
Well there could be worse games to start off the bowl season. I'll take Midshipmen because they are playing in their back yard, and they surely can't lose in our nation's capital.---NAVY

New Mexico---Colorado State vs. Fresno State---Albuquerque
Here's the first one where I don't know crap about either team---FRESNO

magicJack St. Petersburg---Memphis vs. South Florida---St. Pete
This one might not even be close. South Florida playing in their home city, basically. Tampa is a suburb. Played at legendary Tropicana Field, the worst place to watch any sport event ever. South Florida's offense rolls up the Tigers---South Florida

Pioneer Las Vegas---BYU vs. Arizona---Vegas
Vegas loves the Cougars. BYU is making their fourth straight appearance in this bowl game. They knocked off UCLA in last year's game, but I'm taking Arizona who ranks 16th in the nation in scoring and is riding high off their rivalry game win over ASU---ARIZONA

R+L Carriers New Orleans---Southern Miss vs. Troy-- New Orleans
I've been to Troy, Alabama (not that I'm bragging about that) , and former Iowa State coach and Columbia, Missouri partier Larry Eustachy is Southern Miss' basketball coach---TROY

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia---Boise State vs. TCU---San Diego
The most ridiculous name for a bowl might be the best non-BCS game. TCU's two losses are to BCS teams. They only gave up 35 points at Oklahoma and lost by 3 at Utah. Great game, but I think the Horned Frogs squeak it out.---TCU

Sheraton Hawaii---Hawaii vs. Notre Dame---Honolulu
So you're telling me Notre Dame has another terrible season, their coach will be on the shortest leash of anyone next season, and they still get to spend a week in Hawaii? Wow...But, Hawaii is a tough place to play, especially when you're playing Hawaii! Just ask Cincinatti who only won by 5 last weekend. Crazy things happen to teams when they go play there. It just seems like the refs always favor the Rainbow Warriors---HAWAII

Motor City---Florida Atlantic vs. Central Michigan---Detroit
Motor City bowl reps are probably the only people outside of Champaign, Illinois sad to see the Fighting Illini not bowl eligible. They probably would've gotten the Big 10 Illinois, but they're stuck with this worthless game. Luckily for them, it's the only game of the day and in primetime---CENTRAL MICHIGAN

Meineke Car Care---West Virginia vs. North Carolina---Charlotte
I'm really excited for this matchup. A pair of 8-4 teams do battle here. I like North Carolina to pull it out, and really look for UNC to seriously contend for the ACC next year---UNC

Champs Sports---Wisconsin vs. Florida State---Orlando
Intriguing game between Bowden and Bret. FSU will bring more fans. The Badgers were in town last year for the Cap One Bowl. FSU has more quality wins (Clemson, Miami, VA Tech, NC State) than Wisconsin, who only beat 2 bowl teams (Fresno State and Minnesota)---FSU

Emerald---Miami (Fla.) vs. California---San Francisco
Another fun one. I look for Cal's offense to come alive and win this---CAL

Independence---Northern Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech---Shreveport
Talk about another bowl that got screwed. This was supposed to pit SEC and Big 12 teams against each other, but neither conference had enough bowl eligible teams. Who wants to go to Shreveport anways?---LA TECH

Papajohns.com---NC State vs. Rutgers ---Birmingham, Ala
Rutgers looked amazing in putting up 63 last week versus Louisville---RUTGERS

Valero Alamo---Missouri vs. Northwestern---San Antonio
The Wildcats need to quit crying about not going to the Outback. This is still a great bowl one they can win. I'm picking the Big 10 in a game that surpasses 100 total---NW

Roady's Humanitarian---Maryland vs. Nevada---Boise
Maryland's great holiday gift is to travel to the blue turf! I bet they're excited. Just be thankful you're not playing Boise State. I'll still take the turtles---MARY

Texas---Rice vs. Western Michigan---Houston
Western Michigain is much better. I mean they've beaten two Big 10 teams in the last 2 years---WESTERN MICH

Pacific Life Holiday---Oklahoma State vs. Oregon---San Diego
Year after year one of the best games of the season. Another game that might surpass 100 total points. But, OSU's 3 losses are to OU, Texas, and Tech. Plus, there coach IS A MAN!---OKIE STATE

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces---Houston vs. Air Force---Fort Worth
Ummm...I'll go the Falcons because they have 8 wins versus Houston's 7---AIR FORCE

Brut Sun---Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh---El Paso
The worst place to be for a bowl game besides Boise (At least El Paso is warmer) This could be a really good game. I go with the Beavers---OREGON STATE

Gaylord Hotels Music City---Boston College vs. Vanderbilt---Nashville
Vandy beat Auburn and South Carolina, but lost to Duke. It's their first bowl game in 26 years and where do they go? Nowhere they stay home in Nashville. I still think Vandy pulls it off. One of the bigger upsets of the bowl season---VANDY

Insight---Kansas vs. Minnesota---Tempe
The Gophers suck, and KU just beat Mizzou. Kansas in a rout---KU

Chick-fil-A---LSU vs. Georgia Tech---Atlanta
GA Tech ran all over Georgia, and LSU's best win was at South Carolina. The national champs fell hard this year. Maybe Les Miles should've taken the Michigan job. GA Tech at home---GEORGIA TECH

Outback---South Carolina vs. Iowa---Tampa
In a battle of two very good defensives, it's Iowa's Shonn Greene who will win it for the Hawks. South Carolina's offense is terrible---IOWA

Capital One---Georgia vs. Michigan State---Orlando
This game looks ugly on paper. The Cap One really wanted Iowa, but Big 10 officials really wanted them to stick to the standings and take the Spartans. It could be close, but I see Georgia pulling away in the second half---GEORGIA

Konica Minolta Gator---Clemson vs. Nebraska---Jacksonville
A great game, but Clemson got its swagger back under their new head coach against South Carolina. Clemson wins easy---CLEMSON

Rose Bowl---Penn State vs. USC---Pasadena
Big 10 teams just don't beat USC at the Rose Bowl (or period really) I'll be rooting hard for Penn State, but I just don't see it happening. It's tough going out there when you're from the Midwest---USC

FedEx Orange---Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech---Miami
Cincy is better than people think, and Virginia Tech isn't that good at all. A boring game to watch, but I like the Bearcats---CINCY

AT&T Cotton---Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech--Dallas
This classic SEC-Big 12 matchup is always fun to watch. Ole Miss might be the best team no one talks about, like Iowa. Their 4 losses were all by 1 score each. And they beat a top team in Florida. Sound familiar? But, what a tough matchup for them. The Red Raiders will put up 50.---TEXAS TECH

AutoZone Liberty---Kentucky vs. East Carolina---Memphis
Why this game is played in January I have no idea. East Carolina wants to keep a hold of Coach Skip Holtz before he bolts for another job---EAST CAR

Allstate Sugar---Utah vs. Alabama---New Orleans
I don't think Utah is all that good, but they drew a good matchup for them. It's closer than people think. 'Bama's defense wins it though---ALABAMA

International---Buffalo vs. Connecticut---Toronto
Not many people will watch this one, but I will. UCONN's QB is a native of Eddyville, Iowa. He played in my conference in high school. Buffalo's Turner Gil may take the Auburn job before this so who knows if Buffalo will be ready to go. I gotta take the Iowa guy---UCONN

Tostitos Fiesta---Ohio State vs. Texas---Glendale
Ohio State loses another BCS game, but it might be to the best team they've faced in any of those games. Texas wins easy, and if they do and OU beat Florida---Maybe a split national title??---TEXAS

GMAC---Tulsa vs. Ball State---Mobile
Another game that should've been played two weeks earlier. Tulsa's offense is sick, and Ball State won't handle it. Tulsa will probably be the underdog, but they pull off the upset---TULSA

FedEx BCS National Championship---Florida vs. Oklahoma---Miami
OU might have the best offense we've seen in college football in a while, but they're used to the Big 12 defenses. Tim Tebow is on a mission (probably literally) and he wins it for Florida---FLORIDA

CUBS NEWS...

Tonight on SportsCenter, Peter Gammons said the Cubs are not quite out of the Jake Peavy sweepsteaks, which Lou said they were. He said the Cubs are looking to work out a 3-way deal between the Padres, Cubs, and Orioles.

Gammons also said the Cubs may be looking towards Bobby Abreu to fill the right field spot.

The Cubs continue to state that few changes will be made during the winter meeting, which open up next week in Las Vegas.

On a sad note...Henry Blanco's brother was found shot dead in Venezuela. Police are treating the death as a kidnapping/murder. The older brother was reportedly being held at ransom for $200 million. Henry was in the process of negotiating with the kidnappers.

Henry is currently playing winter ball in Venezueula