Question of the Week

Duct tape is such a versatile tool. Whether you make clothes out of them, or reattached something back together with it. Here’s the weirder uses our team has come up with:

Cody Sandusky

Host of the Home Stretch
Notre Dame Basketball Play-by-Play Analyst

I rode in a few cars in college that opted for “duct tape” as the interior of choice… either that, or it was affordable and could quickly be repaired or replaced. Thankfully, most of the duct tape was used on secondary portions of the vehicle, like the armrest/console, portions of the dashboard, and the roof of the car. It was not the most stylistic or functional choice available, and it was far from appealing to most of our female classmates, but it held the inside of the car together, which was the main goal for broke college students. I’m waiting to see if someone uses that “diamond-plated” pattern of duct tape to line the bed of a truck.

Karley McDaniel

Promotions Director

My track record with cell phones isn’t great. Actually, it’s a continuous, systematic failure… Nevertheless, duct tape was a key performance tool in attempting to hold working components together. Phones were harmed in the making of those repairs.

Drew Koeppel

Writer

When I was in high school I made a wallet entirely out of duct tape.

Hope you enjoyed this weeks post. If you’d like to submit a question, just leave it in the comments below and don’t forget to join in on the fun and comment below with your answer!

Suppose you could have any exotic animal as a pet. Be it a rhino, giraffe, tiger, koala, or any other exotic creature, which would you pick?

Cody Sandusky

Host of the Home Stretch
Notre Dame Basketball Play-by-Play Analyst

There are some days I barely want a pet in general, so I cannot say I’ve stretched my imagination to this extent. My fiancé is fascinated with the thought of owning a couple of capybaras, so that may be my answer by default. If you have never seen these creatures, just do an Internet search. Capybaras are considered “the largest breed of rodent in the world” so, y’know… sign me up for two? I guess?

Rusty Hendricks

Sikeston Sports Broadcast Announcer

I have always likes bears. Koala bears, Panda bears, even Polar bears. If I could have a baby Panda bear and raise it until its fully grown, that would be my pick. Who doesn’t want to just pick up a bear and give it a big “bear hug” (pun intended)? Panda bears are playful yet cuddly (at least at a young age). Perfect combo right? Plus, pandas know KungFu right? At least that is what the movie says. I am going with Pandas.

Stephen K

Digital Manager & Webmaster

Realistically, I have to go with an elephant. I can actually ride it and it wouldn’t murder my face. Unrealistically, I want a Pegasus… cause flying horse!!!

Drew Koeppel

Writer

I’ve always wanted a Capuchin monkey. These are the little monkeys you may have seen at the fair. You can give them a coin and they will tip their hat to you. I’d train it do all sorts of things.

Hope you enjoyed this weeks post and don’t forget to join in on the fun and comment below with your answer!

This week we ask the staff what song they would pick to start playing when they enter a room. Here’s what they said:

Cody Sandusky

Host of the Home Stretch
Notre Dame Basketball Play-by-Play Analyst

“As a fan of professional wrestling, I would be lying to say I had not considered this type of question many times in my life. My response varies by the day, but today feels like a chill day where I want people to be able to hum along and relax when I enter a room; I’ll go with “”Superman”” by Lazlo Bane, otherwise known as the theme song to the TV show “”Scrubs.””

Conversely, I’m almost always in the mood to sing and dance throughout my day, so selecting a song to play when I enter a room that would allow that reaction is a cool idea. If that is my mindset, Bruno Mars’ “”24K Magic”” is the easy answer at the moment. Other options range from “”Strong as an Oak”” by Watsky to “”My Shot”” from the musical “”Hamilton”” to “”I’m the Boss”” by Big Bad Bosses…

Let’s be honest, this list could go on all day. Just ask me the next time you see me and I’ll give you the current answer. ”

Drew Koeppel

Writer

This is a tough one. It would ultimately depend on the mood I’m in. I’m struggling between ‘Use Me’ by Bill Withers, ‘Walken’ by Wilco, and ‘Jeep’s Blues’ by Duke Ellington. I think I have to go with Duke on this one. A quote from the movie ‘American Hustle’ – “Who starts a song like that?!….It’s magic.”

Hope you enjoyed this weeks post and don’t forget to join in on the fun and comment below with your answer!

Lent is about to begin and while not all of us are Catholic, we asked one of the toughest questions of all time. If you had to give up bacon or cheese for the 40 days, which would you choose?

Eric Sean

Sports Director

Well since these questions are total cheese, I’d have to say I’d give up the cheesy questions and the dairy and keep on trucking with the most underrated food group, the queen mother of all vices…….bacon. Either you like bacon, or you’re wrong. It’s like a high-five for your mouth!

Cody Sandusky

Host of the Home Stretch
Notre Dame Basketball Play-by-Play Analyst

Easy – I would give up bacon. I love bacon, but I only have the time to make it occasionally. Sandwiches are a decent portion of my daily diet (easy to make in the office quickly and all of the supplies can be kept in a refrigerator), and a slice of cheese is a must to make the meal complete. Cheese can be added to a large variety of meals and can even be a snack (string cheese), whereas bacon has to be cooked thoroughly and – outside of the turkey bacon I can heat up for breakfast in a decent time – isn’t timely for many situations. It would be a lesser sacrifice, which defeats the entire purpose of giving up something for Lent, but I’m all about keeping cheese in my diet.

Rusty Hendricks

Sikeston Sports Broadcast Announcer

Cheese or bacon? Do I really have to choose? I love both. I am a huge fan of bacon. I enjoy bacon in just about every way. Bacon is one of the main food groups, right? Kidding aside, even though I love bacon I actually think I would choose to give up bacon for lent. I am a meat lover. So if I could still have other meats I think I could make it. But I eat cheese on everything. Most meals I eat include cheese in some form or fashion. It would be awful tough to give up cheese. So if I had to pick, I would give up bacon for lent.

Karley McDaniel

Promotions Director

I’d give up bacon. Not because I’d want to. But because I’d lose my sanity over a life without cheese before I would a life without bacon.
Whatever it is, throw some cheese on it before you serve it to me. It’s a Gouda idea….

Stephen K

Digital Manager & Webmaster

As much as I love bacon, I feel that cheese is more of an everyday encounter and that 40 days of no bacon is painful, I’m afraid 40 days without cheese would be torture for me.

How about you? Join in on the fun and let us know your answer in the comments below!

The Oscars are coming up this week so we thought we would ask the staff which movies coming out in 2017 that are excited to see. Here’s what everyone said:

Erik Sean

Sports Director

Excited to see Beauty and the Beast. My wife and two daughters loved the original animated Disney production. Nothing is better than family movie time when everyone is hyped up about seeing the film. Does it get any better than talking and dancing teapots ? I think not.

Cody Sandusky

Host of the Home Stretch
Notre Dame Basketball Play-by-Play Analyst

I’ve already missed the early movies I’ve wanted to see – “Hidden Figures,” “La La Land,” and “The Founder” being the big three. Heck, I’ve yet to see “Rogue One” or “Moana,” if that tells you how far behind I tend to be concerning films.

I am a huge Marvel film fan, especially the ones released by Marvel Studios/Disney, so “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” and “Thor: Ragnarok” are a trio I am excited to see. “The Lego Batman Movie” looks like a blast, so that is another soon-coming priority. “Logan” looks good, “Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi” is a must-see, and I’ll be interested in seeing “Super Troopers 2” if it indeed releases this year…

Let’s not lie, I’m probably going to catch 90% of these on Blu-ray. The Marvel films are the best options for what I will actually see in theaters this year.

Rusty Hendricks

Sikeston Sports Broadcast Announcer

There are a number of movies coming out this year that are intriguing. Not sure they stack up to some years, but nonetheless some good choices for this year. New movies such as Star Wars (The Last Jedi), Pirates of the Caribbean (Dead Men Tell No Tales), Fast & Furious (Fate of the Furious), Wonder Women, Justice League, and Power Rangers head line the year. I feel like my childhood is being relived with a ton of remakes and sequels! Those do seem interesting to me. But I think the movie “Dunkirk” is the one I would like to see the most. You may not have heard of it because it probably wont receive a lot of publicity, but I think it will be a good movie. Dunkirk is set in WWII where Allied forces from Britain, Belgium, France, and Canada where surrounded by the German army in intense battle. It is directed by Christopher Nolan. It is expected to be released in July. I have a soft spot for War movies, and because of the cast and crew, I think this movie would be extremely well done. I hope its a good one! I look forward to it.

Karley McDaniel

Promotions Director

I’m not a huge movie buff but there’s a few I’m down to see this year.

1. Assassin’s Creed – Although this is technically a 2016 release, it HAS carried over to 2017. When I first saw the Unity game trailer I didn’t want it to end. Behold, I now have 1 hr and 55 minutes of action to revel in.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – Little explanation needed; the movie soundtrack is gonna be killer. The sarcastic humor will be on point. Will it be better than the first? Probably not, but I just can’t say…

3. Super Troopers 2 – The original is near and dear to my heart. Plus, I have to make sure this one doesn’t ruin the reputation of its predecessor.

Stephen K

Digital Manager & Webmaster

There is no shortage of movies I’m looking forward to see this year including: Logan (Hugh Jackman is such a great Wolverine), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, Transformers: The Last Knight, Thor: Ragnarok, The Fate of the Furious, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Wonder Woman, Fist Fight (looks so ridiculous), Ghost in the Shell (Just saw this trailer in the last few days and it looks so BA!), and War for the Planet of the Apes. These are just the films I’m aware of, but there are 3 that I’m most excited about… Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Will always be a Star Wars fan; loving the new trilogy so far), Alien:Covenant (The original Alien is one of my all-time favorites), and Blade Runner: 2049 (Original Blade Runner is one of my all-time favorites and I’m also looking forward to seeing Harrison Ford return).

What about you? Which 2017 movies are you excited to see? Join in on the fun and let us know your answer in the comments below!

With a brand new President in office and President’s Day nearly upon us, this week we asked the crew which US Presidents, of any era, they would like to have dinner with.

Cody Sandusky

Host of the Home Stretch
Notre Dame Basketball Play-by-Play Analyst

I have a response for each scenario, so I will start with deceased: Theodore Roosevelt. I debated back and forth between Franklin D. Roosevelt and his cousin, but I think Theodore Roosevelt would be wildly intriguing. History notes that the “Bull Moose” possessed ample levels of energy, a love of sport and nature (despite his push to ban football at one time), and charisma beyond most in the political sphere of the time. Discussing the current nature of sports, politics, and the world itself with Teddy Roosevelt would be great interview material and a great life experience.

The living US Presidents afford a wide spread of options and perspectives, but I would be remiss not to have dinner with Barack Obama. I am intrigued in discussing leadership in a social media society and the continually changing global landscape in light of advancing technology and “flattening” of the world. The chance to talk shop on basketball most definitely does not dampen my desire, either.

Rusty Hendricks

Sikeston Sports Broadcast Announcer

There are a number of presidents I respect and would have liked to meet and chat with. Ronald Reagan, George Washington, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Jimmy Carter. But two stick out to me. Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

As a child I remember doing an assignment on Theodore Roosevelt (maybe 5th grade). I was fascinated by his ruggedness. I thought it was so neat that he was an avid hunter, particularly bears. He was a real cowboy! He was very popular at the time of his election and seemed to live a full life. He would be really fun to talk to I am sure.

But I also have a strong connection to Abraham Lincoln. I am actually related to him! My mother’s maiden name is Lincoln and because of our genetic ties he has always been of interest to me as well. One think I didn’t receive from him is my height. (I have attached a picture of myself on a family trip to his museum in Springfield, IL 8 years ago). Lincoln did so much for this country. He really grew as a person and had to make a ton of tough decisions as president. But he had humble beginnings which I have a lot of respect for.

I guess if I had to pick just one, I would choose Lincoln. But why not have both at the table for dinner?

Stephen K

Digital Manager & Webmaster

Franklin Delano Roosevelt would be my first pick as he served as our President through some of our country’s major historical events in the 20th century including the Great Depression and World War II, as well as spearheading the New Deal. I’d like to hear his stories about his meetings with Churchill and Stalin, his experiences in being elected a record four times as president, and just his general experiences in his 12 years as President.

What about you? Which Presidents would you like to have over for dinner and what would you like to talk about with them? Or would you rather have a political party?! Join in on the fun and let us know your answer in the comments below!

Whether you have made your plans for Valentine’s Day or not, perhaps you can pull some inspiration of what to do (or possibly what not to do) from our experiences… or at least get some entertainment out of our responses! We hope you enjoy the post and have a wonderful Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart!

Cody Sandusky

Host of the Home Stretch
Notre Dame Basketball Play-by-Play Analyst

I should preface this post with a note: I am terrible at buying gifts. I am not sure why that is the case, but I find it to be true. I can speak on the fly while on the air, so that type of creativity is my strong suit. Creativity in gift-giving, however, is a trait I lack.

Nonetheless, I have one specific gift I have given to my soon-to-be wife that still makes me laugh: A plush Yogi Bear toy. Let me explain.

When my fiancé and I started dating, we went to work trying to create a cute nickname for each other outside of the standards – “babe,” “sweetheart,” “honey,” and so on. Because of my penchant for eating and my generally goofiness, she quickly went to Yogi Bear (or Yogi, for short) for my moniker. The name stuck – to the point that her siblings began calling me Yogi from time to time – and supplanted my actual name. This led to a frantic search for something Yogi Bear-related that could make for a cute first Valentine’s Day gift. Local stores were a bust, as was much of the Internet. Thankfully, Amazon yielded a single Yogi Bear plush toy, which was sent to my home as quickly as possible. She laughed a little upon seeing it, but I didn’t think it had quite the impact I hoped it would.

The nickname has waned in usage (having been mainly replaced with “Coco,” so I’m not sure if it is an upgrade or downgrade), but Yogi mans a post alongside some of my more sentimental gifts in her room… so, I’d call that a successful gift.

Stephen K

Digital Manager & Webmaster

The funniest Valentine’s day I remember receiving was one of those giant chocolate chip cookies with the icing on top, like a cake, but a cookie. It had a giant icing heart. The front desk had called and said I had a valentine’s delivery and I was highly confused considering I was single, but it was from a friend who knew I loved those massive cookies.

What about you? Tell us about your funny Valentine’s Day experiences. Join in on the fun and let us know your answer in the comments below!

In honor of Groundhog Day, but with the Bill Murray movie twist, we asked our crew what day they would want to experience again, whether it was just once, or on-demand now and then.

Looks like I’m fielding the question solo this week…

Stephen K

Digital Manager & Webmaster

I came up with this question, but ironically I had some difficulty coming up with an answer. I don’t have any kiddos and have never been married. Nothing comes to mind about something that was so amazing that I recall, but I recently had an experience that I would like to recall and experience again…

You may not know, but I have been announcing for Cape Girardeau Roller Derby for about 5 years now. I love working with and being involved with the team.

They have this tradition of circling up and giving “warm and fuzzies” while they cool down and stretch at the end of practice.

Recently they put me in the center of the circle and each of the dozen or so skaters took a turn boasting, complimenting, and bragging on me and it is definitely one of my favorite moments. I was pretty red faced by the end, but I was honored, touched, proud, and felt so loved.

A big thank you to the ladies of CGRD for such a memorable moment!

Hope you enjoyed this weeks post. Join in on the fun and let us know your answer in the comments below!

As football playoffs continue and we get closer to the championship, we asked the team which NFL team would they move to Cape. Here’s what they had to say:

Rusty Hendricks

Sikeston Sports Broadcast Announcer

The NFL left a sour taste in my mouth once the St. Louis Rams left to LA. So I may need some time before another NFL team could step in and get my support. But if I had to pick a team, it would probably be the Arizona Cardinals. For one thing they used to play in St. Louis. They played for 28 years in the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s. So I think because of that, older generations would have an easier time supporting them. We already have the St. Louis Baseball Cardinals. So fans could still wear Cardinal Red! Bottom line is if we had a local team to back, winning helps cure a lot of problems. Historically great teams like the Patriots, Steelers, Packers, and Cowboys are cemented where they are at. So I couldn’t even really imagine them relocating anywhere else. Give me a winning franchise and a top notch owner and I could get behind them.

Stephen K

Digital Manager & Webmaster

I lived in St. Louis as a kid and in my neighborhood we grew up on St. Louis Cardinals Baseball, St. Louis Blues Hockey, and St. Louis Cardinals Football. I would love to see the Cardinals return to Missouri, and there you have my choice.

Hope you enjoyed this weeks post. Join in on the fun and let us know your answer in the comments below!

Back from it’s holiday hiatus, the question of the week asks you to reminisce about your first car.

What you loved about it or hated about it. Did you scrape by and save up for it yourself or were your parents able to help you to get it and how many speeding tickets you got.

Here’s what our crew had to say:

Cody Sandusky

Host of the Home Stretch
Notre Dame Basketball Play-by-Play Analyst

Ah, my first car. Upon receiving my license at the beginning of my sophomore year but before I had my own car, I drove my mother’s 1999 Chevy Blazer. I was admittedly spoiled: leather seats with warmers and adjustable lumbar, CD/tape player, room to pile a number of people in the back (only five legally, but who hasn’t put friends in the trunk area of their SUV in high school… sorry, Mom), and it allowed me some level of autonomy and freedom.

That freedom was amplified (and the level of comfort lowered a bit) when I received my first car in October of that year – A 1995 Mazda Protege.

The car was a gift from my parents and it was greatly appreciated. The dark green four-door sedan became the sole evening/weekend transportation for many of my friends, as I was the first to have a car (and a license, as I recall) and a steady income. The Protege was a solid vehicle in terms of construction, no body damage or failing interior. The light gray cloth seats were intact, the windows rolled down, and the heater was great… unfortunately, the in-dash CD player had its face plate stolen before we bought it, so the radio wasn’t functional, and the car did not have working air conditioning. Thanks to my older brother, the in-dash radio problem was rectified soon after I started driving the car, so the essentials were in place.

I was never given a speeding ticket in the car, but I did total the vehicle during the winter of 2008. Driving down a side-street hill in Jackson, I locked my brakes trying to slow down and avoid sliding down the icy road at too great a speed. Unfortunately, that caused the steering to lock up and I rear-ended a car parked at the bottom of the hill. My two friend and I were alright, but the front end of the car was destroyed; the hood folded up like an accordion, the radiator had a huge puncture, and the bumper was beyond repair. No airbags deployed, though, so maybe the car wasn’t as secure as I believed at the time… we were only going 30 miles per hour, so that may have played a part. Alas, I had to say goodbye to my first car.

The Protege served me well and I can thankfully say that my first car was a good one rife with fun memories.

Rusty Hendricks

Sikeston Sports Broadcast Announcer

My first vehicle was a 90’s Red Dodge Dakota pickup. I was lucky enough to buy it from my Aunt when I turned 16. Of course since it was my first, I had a close bond with it. Not going to lie, it was tough to let her go. One thing I didnt like about it was the heater and air conditioning. The heater worked great in the summer and the air conditioner worked well in the winter. But not the other way around. So I spent many hot summer days with the windows rolled down (and I mean rolled). Plus, winter days bundled up to stay warm. I am so thankful I have a vehicle now with a heater that works well.

Karley McDaniel

Promotions Director

2008 Pontiac Grand Prix; white with heavily tinted windows, black interior with red detail. The engine purred when it started, it accelerated smooth as silk and high speeds felt a little too comfortable.

The car was given to me by my parents for my 16th birthday. Three months later I got my first speeding ticket. 75 in a 55…hence the line about smooth acceleration. I’m not that spoiled though, my first job at Dairy Queen immediately followed that speeding ticket. Good thing I loved my car, because I was driving it to work five days a week to pay back my debts.

Stephen K

Digital Manager & Webmaster

She was a 1989 white Mustang coupe. Loved that car dearly as it was the one place that was mine and only mine! My aunt helped me secure the loan wile I was working for her and my uncle at Estes Deli & BBQ in Jackson when I was 17.

There were minor things about my car that I would have liked to be different. I would have loved to have had a GT hatchback, but it was mine and I loved it. I roamed many a road listening to my cassettes or CD via the personal CD player and cassette adapter. Tom Petty, The Beatles, Pearl Jam, Pink Floyd, Nirvana, Green Day, Hendrix, and so many others. So many great memories in that car with my friends.

Hope you enjoyed this weeks post. Join in on the fun and let us know your answer in the comments below!