Tisdale, Illini Bump off WIldcats

What? Northwestern was in the top 25? That can't happen for long, so the Illini brought reality down on the Wildcats last night 89-83.

Mike Tisdale came around with 11 for 14 FG, leading the Illini with a career high 31 points and 11 rebounds. The game was nip and tuck.

Anyone up for the Wildcats hosting the Illini in Evanston? 1/23/10 7PM at Welsh Ryan

Wapella.com Mourns the Passing of Daryl Lane

Daryl Lane, 92 of Wapella has passed away. Our condolences to the Lane and Karr families.

Great Moments in Wapella.com: Kenny and Dolly Dole Out Christmas

Here's a retread from 2006

This album from 1984, when Kenny & Dolly worked together to bring a very Merry Christmas to their many fans. Kenny and Dolly look very merry indeed in this album cover.

Here's a little story I found about Kenny

I remember the day I first met Kenny Rogers like it was yesterday. I arrived to take Kenny from a large meeting of corporate executives to his press interviews on behalf of Dole Pineapple. I slipped in the door, intending to stay in the back until Kenny was ready to go. Kenny saw me come in, stopped the meeting with the Dole CEO and approached to shake my hand, "I'm Kenny Rogers." This was just one example of the way Kenny Rogers treated everyone with respect and made them feel that they mattered. He sent a powerful message that he valued others, from CEOs to press assistants.


Here's a clip from Kenny & Dolly singing "Winter Wonderland". Merry Christmas to All you good people from Wapella from Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, and the entire staff of Dole Pineapple and Wapella.com.

MXMAS: Thats Motorcross for Christmas

Back in the day, Glen Ellyn’s Jim Lambert was a frequent visitor to the motorcross track in Wapella. Jim tells fine tales of traveling to the village brotherly love and even coming back with some hardware from a race or two. Jim is seen pictured below - #767 actually and he’s in a nice spot in the race.

Jim is having a tough bout right now and is in the hospital today fighting away just like he fought in his Motorcross day in Jimtown. The staff at wapella.com wishes Jim and his family all the best at Christmas and knows that the same fighting spirit that he showed in Wapella will prevail.

Godspeed Jim Lambert! Note: also pictured below is a recent snapshot of Jim in a Billy Jack hat.

Good Day For A Long Tall Glass of Leo Sayer

Big Tip of the Rock and Roll Glass to AJW who just purchased a (disputably short) copy of The Very Best of Leo Sayer. Sayer has been on the charts in the UK for 4 decades now, with his good time rock and roll (maybe not for his good hair and good looks).

Sayer hit the USA with a few hits and the steely determination to make it big back in 1973 prompting one Wildcat now living in Downer's Grove to shoot with

Just purchased and not just because of Leo’s hair or his fabulous shoes. You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, When I Need You, More Than I Can Say……..it doesn’t get any better.

The Pride of New Athens Illinois: Congratulations Dorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog

The Hall of Fame welcomes the great one, Whitey Herzog. Here's Whitey in action:


“I just got 45 games dumber.”
— Herzog after Bruce Sutter signed with the Atlanta Braves after the 1984 season.

“The Yankees have got (Rich) Gossage and (Sparky) Lyle. We’ve got Hungo, Mungo, the Duck and the Bird.”
— When Herzog’s Royals met the Yankees in the 1978 playoffs, the Yankees had a more high-priced and effective bullpen than the Royals’ four of Al Hrabosky, Steve Mingori, Marty Pattin and Doug Bird.

“We need three kinds of pitching — lefthanded, righthanded and relief.”
— Discussing some of the bad pitching staffs he had to endure in his several managerial stops, notably the 1973 Texas Rangers.

“Baseball has been good to me since I quit trying to play it.”
— Thankful for all he’s received since he played his last big-league game in 1963.

“People said I had my own type of baseball, ‘Whiteyball.’ I don’t know about that. But I knew we were going to run. I knew we had to run.”
— On his championship teams featuring a running game designed for spacious Busch Stadium and its artificial turf.

“If I would say who taught me the most, it would be Casey Stengel. He told me things about fundamentals that I had never heard before.”
— Herzog on the New York Yankees’ Hall of Fame manager.

“I knew the first time I didn’t win, I was going to get fired.”
— Talking about his days in Kansas City when he was not in favor with owner Ewing Kauffman. When Herzog’s Royals finished three games off the pace in 1979 after three straight division titles, he was dismissed.

“Where the hell you been? I got trades to make.”
— Herzog to a Post-Dispatch reporter in December 1980, in a Dallas hotel lobby. Herzog, who had just taken over as the Cardinals’ general manager, either acquired or sent away 25 players in the next four days at baseball’s winter meetings. “Everybody thought I was crazy.”

“He’s another Baby Ruth.”
— Analysis of the June 1984 day in Chicago when Cubs second baseman Ryan Sandberg hit two home runs off relief ace Bruce Sutter in the same game.

Return of Really Stupid Music Video

There was something quite naive about the early 1980's MTV music video and the idea that a slopped together video recording with dubbed over vocals would somehow change the music world. Also, half-dressed women show up for no apparent reason. Come on, who actually though ZZ Top would be more appealing visually than on record?

The music world didn't change all that much, though movies and TV went to shorter cuts, punchier gags, and lower production values/stripped down performances. Night Ranger with Sister Christian, Survivor, The Bangles all were video hits that may have stalled (even quicker) without video.

Butch Walker is the busiest guy in show business producing hits, promoting shows, and even performing himself. I can't grip whether this video is a parody or he actually thinks it is profound to do a voice over saying

I don't want to drive around
And listen to your burned CD's
Through your sh***y car speakers
Of every band you think you've discovered
It's just gonna make me feel insecure

I'll go with a parody, but the song is still catchy, and the video is ridiculously amusing.
Rock on Butch Walker (who looks like he might be from Waynesville) with "The Weight of Her"