Let it be Iowa Chops.

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The team formerly known as the Iowa Stars will announce its new name Wednesday at 2 p.m. in Wells Fargo Arena. You're invited. Those of you who read this blog, or watch SoundOff, know I've pushed Iowa Chops for months. You'll never find a name everyone loves, but after first floating Chops out there, it easily won our online vote (I only voted 7 times). Iowa Chops works on several levels including, most importantly, the unique local level. Merchandise would sell, not to mention pork chops, and it wouldn't take fans long to invent an Iowa Chop-chant. I also expect you'd have a built in corporate sponsor.
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At one time, the Stars organization settled on Iowa Thunder, but since then the Anaheim Ducks became Iowa's AHL affiliate, and they shook up the front office. Let's hope they also shook themselves and listened to the fans: Chops, not Thunder. (If it is Thunder, I don't mind it, but Andy will go nuts. He hates Thunder. Then again, while I was pushing "Chops", he was lobbying for "Corn Dawgs". If it's Corn Dawgs, or Corndogs, I may cry.) Give us your pick in the whotv.com poll.
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Along with the new identity, Iowa's AHL organization will announce a dramatic reduction in ticket prices. I hear prices are nearly chopped in half. That's key, though it will put pressure on the organization to sell twice as many tickets. If they can't, the AHL shouldn't be here anyway.
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Chris Hassel just sent me a text message from Wrigley Field: "HARDEN TRADE WINS WORLD SERIES...ON PAPER." Yes, now if the Cubs can just find a way to play it on paper, the drought finally ends.
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Good job by the Cubs answering the Brewers addition of CC Sabathia. I know Jim Hendry says it wasn't a response to Milwaukee, but it was, and it's a good one---if Harden stays healthy. He's no Prior, but he's no Maddux either.
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Great job out of Kurt Warner coming back to his hometown and helping out. I know it's part PR, but Kurt has enough history helping out to know his heart's really in it.
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Hawkeye wrestling assistant coach Wes Hand steps down at Iowa to "pursue other interests". That's something you don't often see after a team wins the national championship.
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Sorry I'm so short (insert 5'10" joke here). I'll return in 24 hours or your money back.
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Now back to Shane from Marshalltown and Anonymous...

Keith