This is the final edition in a monthly series called “Down on the Farm” that chronicled my visits to various minor league parks throughout the 2011 season. (Part 1 can be found here, part 2 here, part 3 here and part 4 here.)

In this edition, I regale you with tales and photos from my visits to brand new Werner Park in Omaha’s suburbs to see the playoff-bound Storm Chasers. Lastly, I’ll update you on how the seasons ended for my new home team, the Lincoln Saltdogs of the Independent American Association, and my former home team, the Indianapolis Indians.

The Omaha Storm Chasers were the “O-Royals” for multiple decades before they changed the team’s nickname this off-season to complement their opening of a great new yard. As you pull up to the ballpark off Highway 370 in Omaha’s rapidly growing suburb of Papillion, you feel as if you’re entering a scene out of Field of Dreams, just one state to the west. There is literally nothing around the park — other than soy bean fields and signs advertising future development — though that will change in the coming years with planned retail shops, restaurants, offices and hotels.

Werner Park sits atop a hill with a clear view of downtown Omaha’s skyscrapers – 20 or so miles northeast — on a clear day. Parking is just $2, but if you’re willing to park on gravel in the tailgate lot, just about 500 feet farther out, it’s FREE. Good deal.

As with any new park, you first notice how clean the facility is, and how friendly the staff is. We were given private seats in one of the six press boxes, with money to spend on food. Prior, Media Relations Manager Mike Feigen spent about 20 minutes explaining to me and my wife some of the nuances of Werner Park.

And there are many, as this is a top notch facility that, though built for under $30 million — the land was donated by a developer — spent wisely. Groundbreaking was August 2009.

Werner Park is one of the more unique baseball ballparks I’ve seen around the nation, as it does not resemble a traditional minor league ballpark.   It’s wide open, with great views of the field from the moment you enter, as well as a 360 degree concourse (about 1/3 of a mile)  to amble around.

A classic ballpark, and not necessarily a “stadium,” there’s no upper deck general seating — which is odd for any level of Minors, much less the highest.  Werner Park employs something of  a “pit-design,” with all 6,434 fixed seats below the concourse.

And needless to add, the Storm Chasers have kept the “family experience” strong, which is what makes Minor League ball so popular in America. Not only are there the usual food options, play areas, and abundant space for kids (basketball court, merry-go-round, wiffle ball field, picnic areas, grass seating), but for adults: social areas/party decks to grab a beer, 14 luxury suites up high, low, and even a 15th along the left field  foul line that seats up to 18 people – with netting for protection.

In many ways, the verandas, canopies and ushers in straw hats, give Werner Park the feel of Major League Spring Training–and believe me, that’s a compliment. But whereas Spring Training prices have skyrocketed to $25 on average for a decent seat, you can sit as low as third row — in a 21 inch seat with cup-holder and a great view of the field — at Werner Park for $9 on a weeknight. The first 50 kids into the park each night are charged just a $1 admission.

Fans have responded by showing up at nearly 6000 per night, which makes this semi-small yard look quite full. Through 2010, the Omaha Royals played at Rosenblatt Stadium, which held well over 20,000. Even with a “big crowd” there of 5000 — which was rare — that ballpark would still look empty most nights. I recall this experience from when I stopped by on a cross-country drive in August 2005.

As explained in a recent Omaha World Herald piece about this halcyon season:

Attendance at the new park is up 4.3 percent — or 248 fans per game — from last year, but the size of the crowds has been much more consistent. Instead of swinging wildly from more than 10,000 for some weekend games to 1,000 for weeknights, the Chasers have consistently drawn 4,000 or more, with two “hard” sellouts of 9,023. In other words, had Rosenblatt’s capacity been capped at 9,023, attendance this season would be up 16.1 percent.

On the field, like in Indianapolis where I’ve chronicled, the Storm Chasers had to adjust to the Royals plucking their best players all season. Future starts now starting down I-29 in Kansas City like Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer were both long gone by the time I arrived in late July, and Johnny Giavotella followed a few weeks later.

Catcher Salvador Perez, starting pitcher Danny Duffy and relievers Greg Holland, Louis Coleman, Blake Wood and Everett Teaford also departed for the big stage at some point in 2011. Nearly all these guys are well under 25.

But believe it or not, a ton of talent remains in Omaha.

The pitching is led by four men with big league time: PCL Pitcher of the Year Luis Mendoza (who had a would-be no hitter in July and will start the playoff opener Wednesday), Vin Mazzaro, Sean O’Sullivan, and 2006 World Series champ Jeff Suppan, still going strong at age 36. 22 year-old first round pick Mike Montgomery  rounds out the league’s second best rotation in terms of ERA.  Recently-promoted to KC, Jessie Chavez, who spent 140 games with three different clubs in The Show, and 21 year-old Dominican Kelvin Herrera, shared closer roles this season.

Giavotella and Mendoza were named Omaha’s Pitcher and Player of the Year on August 30.

As for the bats, they fell off a tad with all the promotions, but the team still posted nearly a .290 average, and was second in steals. Specifically, the top three hitters were speedy outfielder David Lough (who has hit at every level), Lorenzo Cain (who had a 43 game stint in Milwaukee last year), and 26 year-old DH Clint Robinson, who ranks near the top of the Pacific Coast League in most major offensive categories, and became only the second player in franchise history with 100 RBIs in a season.

Omaha placed more players (3: Mendoza, Giavotella and Robinson) on the All-PCL team than any other squad. And as of now — in a classy and uncommon move I heard about Sunday – KC manager Ned Yost plans to hold off any call-ups from Omaha until the playoff run ends.

All that considered, a 79-63 record and the playoffs — which begin Wednesday night in Round Rock (Texas) for the Chasers (home games this weekend )  – are the crowned jewel on arguably the most incredible season in the franchise’s 43 year history.

End of season update on Lincoln and Indianapolis

For the first time in three seasons, Lincoln missed the American Association’s playoffs; but in some ways, that doesn’t tell the entire story, which is not all gloomy.

When I ran last month’s “Down on the Farm” featuring the Saltdogs and Haymarket Park, they were basically on the precipice of playoff elimination, teetering between 4th and last place in the division, two games under .500 at 39-41. They needed to get hot, and they did. In short order, the team ran off 9 of 11, and by finishing the 2011 campaign at 51-48 (above the .500 mark for the 10th time in 11 seasons), went 12-7 down the stretch — despite dropping their final two contests in Sioux City.

In particular, when the Saltdogs left Star City  and “the best playing field” in the American Association on August 22 for their final road trip (after taking 2 of 3 from first place Winnipeg), they were right in the thick of the playoff chase, just two games back of the Wild Card leaders. But after a win in the opener at Gary saw them reach the zenith of the season (1 out of the Wild Card and 1.5 out of the division lead) the Railcats pounded Lincoln three straight, ending any hopes of September baseball in the Prairie Capital for the 8th time in 11 franchise seasons.

The ‘Dogs can be proud that five players from this year’s team, including four in the final month, had their contracts purchased by big league organizations. That was a league high, and by recollection of team president Charlie Meyer, the most in Lincoln club history.

Lincoln ended up 7th — out of 14 American Association teams — in league attendance at 3,217 per game. Included in that number was the 6th largest crowd in club history (7,187) for 2011′s penultimate home game, one of the 9 games I attended over the season’s final month.

The Indianapolis Indians have a similar story, and frankly, even more impressive.

Since April, I’ve been writing about the low expectations in Circle City after a disastrous 9-21 beginning to 2011. The Indians clawed their way back all summer, despite seeing their roster change daily due to Pittsburgh’s purging of the top farm club. In the end, the Tribe weren’t officially eliminated from a quest for their first playoffs since 2005 until the final 48 hours of the season.

Finishing well above .500 (76-68), second place in the International League’s toughest division, is one thing; but moreover, since losing 21 of their first 30 through May 7, Indy went 67-47. That served as the top mark in all of the International League.

The club also finished with a winning record for the first time since 2006, as well as just the third time since 2001.

The Indians placed 5th in International League attendance at just 8,170 per game, slightly under 600,000 cumulative fans for the 2011 campaign.

Individually, All-Star 1B Matt Hague was named the Indians Team Most Valuable Player after
leading the Tribe in games played, at bats, runs, doubles, total bases and walks.

Additionally, the Washington native easily paced the IL in hits (164), which was the fourth most by an Indians hitter in the last 40 years. Hague was also 3rd in the league in total bases and doubles, while  playing in 141 games during 2011, breaking the Victory Field era record (since 1996).

And that concludes my season-long journey, which began on a cold April morning in southern Kentucky, then took me from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri to Iowa, Texas, Nebraska and elsewhere. I hope you enjoyed reading these reports on Minor League Baseball as much as I did producing them.

In May’s edition, I regale you with tales and photos of my journey to Round Rock (Texas) to watch the Express on a lovely Saturday night with my wife. I’ll also update you on the progress of the Indianapolis Indians.

Dell Diamond and Nolan Ryan’s Round Rock Express

At the time of this publication, the Express are off to a franchise best start at the Triple A level (24-14) — which goes back to 2005. The Rangers affiliate is comfortably perched atop the Pacific Coast League’s American Southern Division.

We took in a game on Saturday, May 7, on a warm but pleasant night, from the comforts of their spacious press box. The stadium sits about four miles east of I-35 — adjacent to farmland and, naturally, railroad tracks — on the outskirts of Round Rock. Roughly 20 miles north of the state capital in Austin, and basically equidistant from Houston or Dallas, Round Rock was the second fastest-growing city in America as of 2009.

The Dell Diamond itself, as expected, was a beauty, and Round Rock runs a first class operation to match. The fixed-seating capacity of the stadium is just under 9,000 with room for more than 3,000 more on the grass berm beyond the outfield wall.

A left-field upper deck — extremely rare in minor league facilities — similar to that of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, with room for 600, was added for the move up to Triple A in 2005.  It’s only 370 feet from home plate, and Round Rock’s Chad Tracy hit one up there during the contest. Right field is open air with a sprawling view of the central Texas plains.

There was a large weekend crowd of over 10,000, which was quite enthusiastic, especially when the Express came back from a 6-2 deficit against lowly Nashville to win 9-8 on a walk-off single by former Texas Longhorn Omar Quintanilla – on  ”Longhorn Night” at the ballpark, no less.

The Diamond has 30 private suites, a 20 by 50 foot swimming pool, hot tub, basketball court, a 26-foot high rock wall, and a 500 person capacity conference center along the right field line, among other amenities.

But folks meandering the ballpark didn’t interfere with the bulk of the crowd that was focused on the game. A few between inning games are performed along with some clever TV/movie clips, however the staff certainly does not go overboard — which is a plus.

The Express spent five seasons as members of the Texas League (2000 to 2004), attracting nearly 3.5 million fans, good for the most successful five-year stretch in Double-A history. In the inaugural season as a member of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 2005, Round Rock drew over 700,000 fans, or about 10,000 per contest. At 8,000 per game, they lead the PCL in attendance so far in 2011.

Round Rock’s ownership group is led by Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan, while his sons (Reid and Reese) hold executive positions. Reid, who designed the ballpark as well the even-newer Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi (named best venue in North America over the last two seasons), was in the box this night, and my wife enjoyed hanging out with his daughters inside the air-conditioned press lounge.

As we departed southward back toward San Antonio, there was no doubt this was one of the finer minor league properties in America.

Indianapolis Indians Update

When I last updated you, the Indians were struggling a bit at 2-9, but also enjoying short-term progress; well, 30 days later, much the same can be reported. The team was a brutal 8-19 when they left Circle City for Norfolk and Durham on May 4, but after a 4-4 road trip — including a “Back in Time” game at Durham Athletic Park, the 85-year-old ballpark made famous by the movie Bull Durham — the Tribe stood at 12-23, coming home to face Columbus, the best team in all of Minor League Baseball. (The Clippers lead the International League in batting average, runs, hits, home runs, RBI and walks.)

So what did the erstwhile “lowly” Tribe do? Indy responded by taking three of four from the first place squad in the just-completed series, allowing only 14 earned runs over 36 innings.

The Clippers had previously defeated the Indians in seven straight contests entering the four game set that wrapped up Monday afternoon before a season high crowd of 12,168 at Victory Field. Indianapolis is drawing about 5,500 fans per game over 21 dates, good for middle of the pack in the International League.

Indian pitching has been solid of late, but not top prospect Rudy Owens so much as starter Justin Wilson and the bullpen, led by Nebraskan Tony Watson and Cesar Valdez. Brian Burres, who spent parts of the past five seasons in the Majors, has also had three quality starts after struggling early on in 2011.

Indianapolis is still running like crazy, easily pacing the IL in steals with 53. Hitting has come along with guys like Alex Presley, who leads the IL in hits and stands third in average. Speedy Chase d’Arnaud, serving as the lead off man of late, is 11 for his last 21.

A huge help came in the form of John Bowker, who joined the club on May 8. Tribe play-by-play man Scott McCauley said the outfielder, who split last season between San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Indy and Fresno, ”immediately becomes the Tribe’s best power hitter.” Indy is currently near the bottom of the IL in homeruns.

On his MLBlog, McCauley added, “The hard-working Bowker has an incredible work ethic and it will be important for the young players to see how you properly go about your business.”

Media Relations Manager Brian Bosma deems this “The Bowker Effect,” as John’s bat has shifted the lineup around to aid others as well. First baseman Matt Hague, who moved down from 4th to 5th in the order, has responded by going 9 for 20 in his past five games.

Overall, the Tribe has a 6-3 record with Bowker in the lineup, and the offense has averaged over five runs and ten hits per game during that stretch.

Indianapolis still sits in the cellar at 15-24, but they’re also 7-5 in their last 12, and just had a season-best four game win streak. The Indians may trail Columbus by 11 and a half games, but they won’t see the league’s best team until mid-July. Indy welcomes Buffalo (17-22) to Victory Field this evening.

But on the other hand, considering every other failed entity in America has been granted a bailout the past few years, it’s their turn, especially locally.

Therefore, though as a fiscal conservative I mostly agree with the premise here on Deadspin, we should remember the fact that the Pacers, unlike the Colts, have NEVER asked the city for anything, especially during their rough beginning (1970s) when they nearly ceased to exist and relied on PRIVATE donations (a fundraiser/telethon) to save the franchise.

Meanwhile, the Colts have asked for and received A LOT from Indianapolis; no need to enumerate, but there is plenty. This culminated in, among much else, a perpetual 9.5 percent sales tax on food that I’ve paid every day at lunch downtown the past five years.

So yes, Indy is bailing the Pacers out, but no, I don’t think we need to bash the Pacers unless we bash the Colts — which we won’t because the Colts are winning now while the Pacers are not, the 180 degree opposite of 20 years ago. The animus on talk radio today was very much anti-Pacers, pro-Colts. No surprise. Such short memories.

* – {BTW, as an Indiana resident, I feel the need to clarify some cliched commenter who noted “I, for one, cannot believe that a state full of white people…” This is beyond incorrect.

Indiana is nearly ten percent black, with Indianapolis being well over 25% black. In fact, this week Indianapolis (not New York, Detroit, Chicago, Boston, Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, et al) is hosting “Black Expo,” a ten-day event that is “the largest ethnic/cultural event in America.”  The city has hosted this event’s 350,000 people (99.9% African-American) each July for decades.

Indiana has one of the fastest growing Hispanic populations in America. We also have approximately 250,000 Muslims in the state, which is close to 5% of the population. There are thousands of Asians and Asian Indians who work downtown at Eli Lilly’s Global headquarters. Go here for more.

Indiana may not be quite as ethnically diverse as California or Texas, for example, but I bet it’s in the top 20 — surely more diverse than some of the “multi-cultural paradises of tolerance” like Oregon, Vermont, Massachusetts and New York outside of NYC.

So, for better or worse, the times are changing in the Hoosier State. Time for people and the media to update their brains*}

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* – Conseco Fieldhouse photo credit: Matt Kryger / The Star

And while you could probably make a pretty compelling argument that college basketball should not really be considered “amateur”, that is a debate for another day.

This post is designed to give you everything you need to know about the 2010 Final Four in Indianapolis, especially if you plan on attending, as well as the history of the Final 4s that have been held in the great city that I once called home.

2010 Final Four in Indianapolis Preview:

• 2010 Final 4 City: Indianapolis
• 2010 Final 4 Site: Lucas Oil Stadium
• 2010 Final 4 Date: Saturday, April 3rd (Title Game on April 5th)
• 2010 Final 4 TV: CBS
• Official Website: 2010 Final Four in Indianapolis
• StubHub: 2010 Indianapolis Final Four Tickets
• TicketsNow: 2010 Indianapolis Final Four Tickets
• RazorGator: 2010 Indy Final 4 Tickets
• TickCo: 2010 Indy Final 4 Tickets $20 off on orders of $200 or more at TickCo.com. Use Promo Code: ORDR20TC – promotion ends March 31, 2010

Also, if you are coming to Indianapolis from out of town, the following two links will help you get great deals on flights and hotels.

• Travelocity: Flight+3 Night Hotel Stays from $299
• Priceline: Save up to $325 on your Final 4 travel package to Indianapolis

Now, let’s take a quick look at the history of the Final Four in Indianapolis. Here are few quick notes that I found interesting, and then you can view the table below that breaks down every Final 4 that has been held in Indy.

• No Final Four in Indianapolis has featured a title game between two #1 seeds.
• In every Indy Final Four but one, there has been at least one team seeded #4 or lower that has made the Final Four.
• 20 teams total have played in the Final Four in Indianapolis; three of them have been #8 seeds. Thus, it’s only fitting that the greatest Cinderella run in tourney history, #11 seed George Mason in 2006, culminated in Indianapolis.

History of Final Four in Indianapolis

Table notes:

• Clicking on the year will take you to the Wikipedia page for that year’s Indy Final Four.
• The RCA Dome and the Hoosier Dame were the same venue; the name was changed from Hoosier to RCA in 1994. It was demolished in December of 2008 once Lucas Oil Stadium was completed.
• No, that’s not a type. The Purdue Boilermakers have, in fact, made a Final Four. Surprising, I know.

We are obviously still a month away from the Final Four, and far, far away from filling in the most important information in the table below, but it’s here waiting for when 65 teams have been whittled down to four.

2010 Final Four TV Schedule, Tip Time, Dates, Announcers, Spread

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Midwest Sports Fans (MSF) Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that MSF makes a small percentage of anything purchased upon a click-through. That said, MSF only writes about stories that we believe will interest our readers, and we only link to and endorse sites and services that we would use or have used ourselves. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I lived in Miami for two years after graduating from Indiana University and after living my entire life in Bloomington and West Lafayette (strange combo, I know). I’d been to Miami many times before, perhaps once a year on average, because my mom grew up there and we still have a lot of family down there.

Still, actually living in Miami was a pretty big culture shock for a small town Indiana dude like me.

That is why I am taking some time this morning to provide a few tips to all of the Hoosiers who will be heading down to Miami this week and next for the Super Bowl.

I know that many Colts fans made the jaunt a few years back when Indy beat Chicago in the Super Bowl, so some will have familiarity with the city, but I am sure that there will be many other Miami newbs bopping around las calles de Miami for the next fortnight. Those people need serious, expert, no-tongue-in-check-whatsoever advice.

And that’s why you come to Midwest Sports Fans.

First off, as has been immortalized in many movies, TV shows, songs, and video games, Miami can be a dangerous place. Luckily for you, one of the jobs I had in Miami was a face-to-face marketing gig for clients like the Florida Marlins and Pizza Hut that placed me directly in some of Miami’s most notorious areas.

Yes, I have seen the parts of Miami that most pampered, suburban Midwesterners would have trouble conjuring up even in their most frightening of nightmares. Among the areas that you might want to stay away from if you’re visiting Miami from Indianapolis (and thus, will naturally look a gigantic tool and stick out like a sore thumb):

• Overtown – I know it sounds like it could be a nice area with cool outlet shopping, but it’s not. I think it got its name because you have a fair chance of your life being over if you go there.
• Liberty City – You should not confuse this with the touristy part of Philadelphia and think that you’ll see historic bells or get lessons on the Continental Congress. Rather, the people of Liberty City might take liberty with your belongings – against your wishes – should you venture too far in. There’s a reason one of the Grand Theft Auto games was named “Liberty City Stories”.
• Carol City – I know that the name sounds pretty innocent, and Carol City is actually immediately south of where Sun Life Stadium is, but this is another area where Midwesterners without any street savvy have no business being.

Now, for the record, I have been to all three of these places, gone door to door even at night, and I’m still here writing about them after having no issues. The fact of the matter is that some of the nicest, most genuine people I met in Miami – and they are few and far between – lived in these areas.

However, I also had a coworker get the snot beaten out of him and robbed one night too. So I guess I was lucky (which helped combat being incredibly naive/stupid). This has nothing do with race, creed, or anything else…the stats say you should stay away from these areas, and anyone in Miami would tell you the same thing. Heck, people who live in these areas would tell you to stay away, like they told me.

My advice to you: stick to the touristy areas where there are plenty of bright lights.

• South Beach is fun and colorful, though extremely expensive.
• Aventura has really nice shopping for all of the ladies out there.
• If you want a dinner recommendation, drive down to Shorty’s in Kendall one night. Amazing BBQ that I’ve been eating since I was a kid. (Do not, however, go to any of the other Shorty’s that have popped up. The original is by far the best.)

Other than that, I’m a relatively boring person, so I’ll defer to KVB for other Miami recommendations. He actually went out and had fun when he lived there. I, on the other hand, worked like a dog…and almost got bitten by many of them too.

With all of that said, I want to provide one more public service to my Indianapolis brethren preparing to make their trek to Miami. I have compiled some photos of Colts fans below and offered some friendly advice to these people, and to anyone who may resemble them.

Photo credit: AP Photo/AJ Mast

For all of the grandmas and grandpas out there, don’t be lulled into a false sense of security by the reputation that Florida has for being a retirement haven. That’s Orlando and Tampa. You’re going to Miami…so leave the “rob me” wig and matching spectacles in the hotel room.

Look dude, if I had to profile the kind of person that would get their ass kicked in Miami about five minutes after getting off the plane, you’re it.

Now, I should mention that I own a miniature pinscher, often wear the jersey of my favorite team, and sometimes make the gestures of a turd sandwich when in front a camera. So, in a lot of ways, I’m just like the guy in this picture.

However, I don’t dress my dog up like a bitch, nor do I allow said photos to be published online as if proud of them.

You might want to put your wallet on a chain buddy. There are special sirens that go off in Miami when people like you arrive. You may not actually have “kick my ass” written on the back of your shirt…but it won’t matter. To really show my kinship with the other Midwesterners reading this post, I’ll quote the famous country lyric: “you say it best when you say nothing at all.”

Photo by Jason Clark, Courier Press

This is what it looks like when people in Indianapolis go clubbing: lots of chubby, goofy white people wearing Peyton Manning jerseys. This is decidedly not what it looks like when people in Miami go clubbing.

Friends from Indianapolis, I still go back to Miami from time to time. Please do not embarrass me by showing up to South Beach clubs with your jerseys, goatees, sweat stains, and random muscle spams (oh…that’s dancing?). I’ll catch all kinds of grief next time I go down there. Let’s try not to embarrass ourselves too much, okay?

Photo credit: Classical Geek Theatre

No, you cannot combat the scariest parts of Miami by making an angry face and pretending to be a hardass. Don’t try. Just get out of your car, hand over your wallet, or surrender your table, whatever is being asked of you. Don’t ask questions and don’t try to fight it. You’re from Indianapolis (from the Nap!…yeah!)…know your role.

Photo credit: Matt Kryger / The Star

Well this picture kind of sums up Colts fans doesn’t it? Wannabes.

What other fan base would straight copy another fan base’s historic piece of fan gear – the Packers’ cheesehead in this case – and paint over it to make it their own? Colts fans, that’s who.

Look Indy fans, you’ve enjoyed a hell of a run over the last decade thanks to Peyton Manning, Tony Dungy, and the brilliance of Bill Polian, but it’s hard for me to have too much respect for you knowing two things:

• The Colts had very little fan support before the team started winning. Go to Cleveland and see what real fan support is all about.
• The Pacers had great fan support when they were winning, yet now are basically an afterthought in the city. I guess this is what the Colts have to look forward to once Peyton retires.

Indianapolis, which is a city I’ve lived in and still love, remains a fair-weather, fake, second rate professional sports town. Cry in the comment section if you wish Dolts, but it’s true. Pictures like the one above – and no offense to the kid, who I’m sure was forced to wear the cheesehead by overbearing parents – prove that Indy fans can’t create traditions of their own so they steal them from others.

That’s lame.

So. as you embark on your journey to sunny South Florida, here’s one more piece of advice Colts fans: don’t be lame.

Don’t wear blue “rob me” wigs in public, don’t put clothes on your mini dog and prance around town with him, don’t wear jerseys to clubs, don’t try to act like a hardass, and most certainly don’t walk around using another fan base’s tradition to pretend that yours actually has one.

As I mentioned before, I have to go back to Miami and I’d really like to only take grief for how big of a dork I am. I don’t want to have to answer for my entire home state as well.

Oh, and one more thing: no, your 14-0 start is not as impressive an accomplishment as the Dolphins’ 14-0 regular season in 1972 and subsequent perfect playoff run. Even if you win your 17th game in the Super Bowl. 17-2 does not equal 17-0.

Want to get your ass kicked real fast? Try arguing that down in Miami. You’d be safer sleeping in a tent in the middle of Overtown than spouting that nonsense anywhere in the vicinity of a Dolphins fan or, worse yet, former player.

Because here’s one final piece of advice: forget being frightened by Liberty City or Carol City; you never know when Mercury Morris might be lurking around the corner, ready to freestyle.

Update: My friend just emailed me the following good advice:

Get some drinks in and party but don’t get Indy hammered. A fight in broad ripple result in fists. Not always the case in Mia.

I know me of all people…like pot calling kettle, but last time I went to broad ripple I was kinda shocked with the level of blackout drunks.

Great advice here. The stakes are definitely higher in Miami. Don’t be a fool Hoosier natives.

Update: Here is more from the same friend, who once got separated from his friends on New Years Eve and ended up sleeping in the street until being serendipitously found the next day. We’re all lucky he’s still here to provide these expert tips:

I think the grove might be a better place for Indy fans. Unless of course you get to sip soda at the clevelander with mariotti

In Mia it is best to order drinks on the rocks and skip the mixer. Otherwise you’ll be drinking a 15$ coke.

Update: You can stop hating Colts fans. I picked the Colts to win in my official Saints-Colts Super Bowl spread pick and prediction post.

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* – Mercury Morris photo credit: AP Photo – Charles Rex Arbogast via PennLive

Factoid: Did you know that the first Fletch book came out in 1974 and was trying to be adapted to screen for Burt Reynolds or Mick Jagger? Gregory McDonald rejected both studio attempts and agreed to Chevy Chase years later. Good move.

Fletch has had a long history of rumors that more movies would be produced than just Fletch and Fletch Lives (1989). Since then, more Fletch movies have been whispered about with Kevin Smith or Bill Lawrence directing. Funny men Ryan Reynolds, Jason Lee, John Kaslinski, or Zach Braff have been thrown out as suggestions for reprising the title role of Fletch. Not-so-funny men Ben Affleck and Joshua Jackson were also rumored. But movie Studios and potential talent have ultimately always backed away.

Fletch may simply go down among other iconic, classic movies that never get rehashed or remade (hopefully) without the original star(s), like The Blues Brothers or The Naked Gun.

Below KVB tells us about Fletch Fest, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation that the event will support, and his love for Harold Faltermeyer.

Q: What is Fletch Fest?

KVB: Fletch Fest is a movie and music benefit rolled into one night, and we are in our first year of what should be a yearly festival. Thursday, September 3rd, we have an 8pm outdoor screening of the movie Fletch and the 5$ door price goes directly to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. They are a great national organization that wanted to kick off their Poker for Research event (October 8th) with another fun event before the end of summer. Fletch Fest is in the back of a great venue, Rock Lobster, in the heart of Broad Ripple in Indianapolis.

Q: Whose idea was it?

KVB: Sarah Jones (founder) and I talked about Lebowski Fest and what other great movie tribute festivals we would love to go to. Our common “Fletch fetish” made Fletch Fest the top idea on our list. After forty-five beers and three boxes of wine (we weren’t that drunk), we had to tell our friends of the ridiculous idea. Their positive reactions and the ensuing hours of everyone quoting the movie made our decision for us. We should throw Fletch Fest at least for a good time with our friends, we all decided.

Fortunately it turned into the opportunity to organize it with Matt and Nikki Javit for the local JDRF. And fortunately one of the best bands in Indianapolis is headlining the night, The Franchize. Lead singer Nate Davis (not the QB) happens to be a huge Fletch fan and loved the idea from the minute he heard it. In fact, his band has done a remix of the Fletch theme live and will perform it that night. The cult love for Fletch is legit, along with JDRF’s organization and all of our sponsors who are supporting Fletch Fest.

JRod: What are your donation goals?

KVB: Anything! JDRF has many yearly events and now Fletch Fest is icing on the cake. We just want the awareness and for people to have a good time before Labor Day weekend starts. Note: Ballers, bring your check book if you feel you want to donate more then the $5 ticket to a good cause. And yes, all in the name of Fletch.

JRod: What’s the schedule of events for the evening?

KVB: Before the Fletch screening we will have some independent short films (Really Really Big Show) and a Fletch trivia contest with the winner receiving a prize. There is a raffle throughout the night for more prizes and drink specials from one of our sponsors, Ketel One. All of our great sponsors will have areas set up and steak sandwiches will be catered.

To wrap the evening up, you can hear great live music from Drew Mowell (acoustic from the band Records) and the headliner The Franchize (hip-hop, rock, funk, soul) until the venue kicks us out. It should be a fun, eclectic crowd of JDRF supporters, filmmakers, 80s movie fans, musicians, and just party people who want a unique experience in the Indianapolis night scene. I even have one friend traveling from New York City for Fletch Fest.

JRod: What makes Fletch such a great movie?

KVB: It’s re-watchable, quotable, and hilarious. It has Chevy Chase in his prime, he improvs every scene, and kills it. From a filmmaking standpoint it is a classic 80s movie and has the unique synthesized theme music by Harold Faltermeyer (Beverly Hills Cop I and II, Top Gun). I can’t wait to watch it projected onto a big screen and big sound system. It was directed by Michael Ritchie, who also directed sports classics The Scout and The Bad News Bears. He also wrote the story for Cool Runnings.

JRod: What is your favorite alias that the character uses and why?

KVB: Impossible to pick one. But out of the ones where he doesn’t use a real person’s name as an alias (like Harry S. Truman, Billy Jean King, or Peter Lemonjello) I would have to go with Mr. Poon. “What is Poon anyway? It’s Comanche Indian.” He looks ridiculous and talks with a bloody band aid over his nostrils because the vice president of the United States closed a door on his face. “Whack!” Good scene and funny one liners.

JRod: If you could play miniature golf with Chevy Chase and two other people, who would they be?

KVB: Him and his alter-egos Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher and Clark W. Griswold.

JRod: Is it true that you believe the term “catches” in football should be replaced by the term “fletches?”

KVB: It is true. If I can’t get that passed through Congress I want everyone to replace their curse words with “fletch.” Fletch it! What the Fletch? Fletch You Mother Fletcher!

JRod: How many fletches do you believe OSU alum Brian Robiskie will get this year for the Browns?

KVB: 25 to 30 fletches.

JRod: The 2009 White Sox…WTFletch?

KVB: I’d rather focus on the positives in my life right now. Like Fletch Fest, a bloody mary, a steak sandwich, and a steak sandwich.

JRod: Anything else you’d like to say?

KVB: Thank you for the exposure. Say “Fletch Midwestsportsfans.com” to get into Fletch Fest for FREE (not true, pay the $5 for JDRF!). Fletch Fest Thursday, September 3rd. Rock Lobster 814 Broad Ripple Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46220 – 8PM – www.fletchfest.com

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* – Chevy Chase as Fletch photo credit: Film Babble

The weekend has finally arrived and we want to present one last post on the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, giving you some insight into the actual details of this year’s event as well as the story behind this blogger’s obsession with the Indianapolis 500.

My first memory of IndyCar racing is the thrilling end to the 1982 race where Gordon Johncock and Rick Mears battled the last few laps and ended with Johncock winning his 2nd Indianapolis 500. As a 9 year old boy, I could hear the drama…and the engines and excitement on the TV, but I didn’t get the bug in 1982.

In 1989, my father told me we were going to go the Indianapolis 500. Living in Cincinnati, that meant a 2 hour drive to something I wasn’t really sure I would enjoy. I thought about getting up early, leaving at 6am and heading off to this big old loud place where I would sit for 500 miles and hope my dad was enjoying himself.

I was certain he would be the only one.

Our tickets that year were in the Backstretch Bleachers, and our ticket price was $18.00. Our seats were on the top row, and we had an amazing view of of the infield and the madness that happened back then. It’s certainly a lot more tame these days. In fact, in 1989, I saw a woman on top of an RV that was parked in the infield, surrounded by drunk men on the ground, undress completely. This was still 2 hours before the race, and was about the time I started to feel at home.

As a 15 year old boy, I was in my happy place. But that alone wouldn’t have been enough to keep me coming back…and it’s a good thing, because that was the last time I would witness such an exhibition.

My real love for the speedway came as the cars went by for the first time. They took their warm up laps and I will never forget hearing the engines roar as the cars crept by. Seeing them weave back and forth, bringing warmth into the tires and hearing them hammer the throttle just a touch was incredible.

After a few warm up laps, the field of 33 cars got into formation and heading out of turn 2 and down the backstretch I saw 11 rows form up into the most beautiful pack of machines I had ever seen. They passed by me around 90 miles per hour and it seemed like slow motion to me. I remember smiling and feeling the hair on my arms standing straight up. The flag went green and the race was on. In many ways, my life would never be the same again.

My father and I will celebrate our 21st consecutive Indianapolis 500 this Sunday. This will be the third year in a row where we sit apart at the speedway. Once I moved to Indianapolis in 2006, logistically and socially it became more difficult to retain the tradition of sitting together. But on this Sunday, as in the 21 previous race days, I will think of all the great memories we have shared there.

I will remember why I am there, and who took me back in 1989 and gave me a passion that can carry me through life’s difficult moments. No matter how bad it gets, there’s a hell of a man behind me…and there’s always the Month of May.

Dad, this post is dedicated to you for being a tremendous father, a legendary man, and a great race day partner for all these years. Thanks.

Here is all you need to know for the 2009 Indianapolis 500, the 93rd Running.

When: Sunday May 24th 1pm Eastern

TV: ABC pre-race starts at noon. Versus will cover Post Race duties immediately following.

Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Weather: As of 10:30am on 5/22: 30% Chance of Isolated Showers with more rain later in the day. Rain looks to arrive, if it will around the 2pm hour. I am relatively confident we will get the race fully completed. If the race gets to 100 laps, and rain hits the speedway it could be called as an official race. IF rain comes less than half way, and it gets called, it would go on the next possible day. I am hoping that’s just trivial information, more than something we will need to understand.

Starting Field:

Here is the official starting field for the Indianapolis 500.

Thanks for reading our 2009 Indianapolis 500 posts this week. To see the entire list of posts we’ve published, look up near the top of the sidebar. I hope they help you enjoy this weekend’s race just a bit more. I am looking forward to my 21st 500, and hope there are at least 21 more in my future. God Speed to all race fans making the journey…and to the 33 drivers in the race.

And God Bless the troops who protect this Nation with their lives.

For pictures and more on Race Day: set your twitter radars here and follow me all day long.

Check Back Tuesday for our 2009 Indy 500 recap.

DATELINE: INDIANAPOLIS

The 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500 is less than three weeks away and the excitement is building. Midwest Sports Fans will have at least a weekly update leading up to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. In this first edition we will discuss the week aheads events.

Tuesday May 5th:

The Rookie Orientation Program begins tomorrow. Their are 5 rookies entered into the 500, and they will gain some valuable track time tomorrow and Wednesday in preparation for the rest of the week. On Wednesday afternoon, the track will switch from the ROP, to the full field’s opening day of practice.

The Rookie Orientation Program is a training ground for first time drivers at the speedway. If a driver has not been in an IndyCar this season until the month of May they may also participate but their completion of the program isn’t a requirement. It can be merely a refresher. The ROP is split into different phases at increasing speeds to insure the drivers can get comfortable as the speeds increase from the mid-100′s to the 200 mph phases. All of this hopefully, prepares them for their qualification runs.

Wednesday May 6th:

Wednesday will be the conclusion of the ROP and will be the first time all entrants are able to stretch their legs around the 2.5 mile oval. As of this posting, there are 31 drivers entered. A total of 40 cars have been entered and we will see the TBD’s turn into drivers as we get closer to the event. It is not uncommon for drivers and teams with a limited budget come in during the second weekend of qualifications to get in the show.

Thursday May 7th:

Full Field Practice

Friday May 8th: (FAST FRIDAY)

Full Field Practice

Saturday May 9th: POLE DAY!

Qualifying starts, spots 1-11 are filled this day. They allow qualifying beyond the first 11 and some drivers will be bumped into the 2nd day of qualifications. Only the fastest 11 will have secured spots come Sunday, the 10th.

Sunday May 10th: 2nd day of qualifications

Qualifying leaves off where it ended on Saturday. The main difference is that the best driver on Sunday can only start at the 12th position. Spots 12-22 will be filled on Sunday and bumping will begin when the 22nd qualifier is in the field. By the end of the weekend 22 spots will be full, and the rest will wait until the next weekend.

Weather:

The weather is always an issue during the month of May in Indianapolis. This first week of track activity is proving to be no exception. As of 4pm on Monday, the forecast is calling for a beautiful day tomorrow, but strong chances of rain on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The Pole Day forecast is currently mid 70′s and only a 10% chance of rain. It’s early still, but the weekend looks like it could be very dramatic with such limited track time.

I will be at the speedway a few days this week, and also for Pole Day. Set your twitters radars here for updates and pictures from the track.

Check back next week for a recap of the weekend, a look ahead to the next set of activities on the schedule.

Note: This post is from 2009. To view our 2010 March Madness coverage, use the following links:

• 2010 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket Breakdown
• March Madness 2010 Schedule, Sites, and Tickets
• MSF Bracket Challenge
• Mens NCAA Tournament Bracket, TV Schedule, Announcers, Spreads
• Midwest Region Bracket Picks, Predictions, TV Schedule, Sites, Announcers
• East Region Bracket Picks, Predictions, TV Schedule, Sites, Announcers
• South Region Bracket Picks, Predictions, TV Schedule, Sites, Announcers
• West Region Bracket Picks, Predictions, TV Schedule, Sites, Announcers
• History of Final Four in Indianapolis
• Women’s NCAA Tournament Schedule, Sites, Tickets

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(Note 3/16, 1:12 pm: March Madness is here! Each of of these regional primers will be constantly updated with the official brackets and TV schedules, my predictions, ticket resources, game point spreads and odds, plus the results as they pour in over the next two weeks. Just as we did with out conference tournament posts, this series of posts is designed for you to bookmark and come back to anytime you need information on one of the regions in the 2009 NCAA Tournament.)

2009 NCAA Tournament: Midwest Region

Here is the pertinent meta information for the Midwest Region of the 2009 NCAA Tournament:

• Sweet 16 and Elite 8 Location: Lucas Oil Stadium — Indianapolis, IN
• Top 4 Seeds: #1 Louisville, #2 Michigan State, #3 Kansas, #4 Wake Forest

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• Ticket Information for First and Second Round Sites: first round locations are based on pod system. Find the location for each game below, and then follow the links to get ticket information for all first and second round sites in the 2009 NCAA Tournament:
  StubHub: 2009 NCAA Tournament First and Second Tickets
  RazorGator: 2009 NCAA Tournament First and Second Round Tickets

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• Ticket Information for Regional Semifinal and Regional Final Rounds in Indianapolis:
  StubHub: 2009 Midwest Regional Final and Semifinal Tickets – Indianapolis
  RazorGator: 2009 Midwest Regional Final and Semifinal Tickets – Indianapolis

Now, let’s break down the bracket for the Midwest Region of the 2009 NCAA Tournament. First, a few quick notes:

1. This should go without saying, but for any March Madness first-timers: all games are on CBS. You’ll have to check your local listings to find out which games are on in your area. But all games can be viewed live online for free at the following link:
   Watch NCAA Tournament Games Online at March Madness On Demand
2. If you want to view the schedule in actual bracket form, there is a link underneath the table.
3. The table below provides the following details on a game-by-game basis: date, time, location, announcers, and the point spread.
4. I will add/update the information as it becomes available. If any piece of information is missing and you know it, or know where it is, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment. I’ll appreciate it. I promise.
5. #1 seed Louisville will play the winner of the opening round play-in game between Alabama State and Morehead State. That game will take place Tuesday night, 3/17, at 7:30 ET. Morehead State is favored by 2.5 points.
6. All spreads are as of 3/16 and provided by Sportsbook.com via DocSports. Follow the links for the most current spread info. Announcer schedules courtesy of Awful Announcing.

And now, here is the schedule breakdown for the 2009 NCAA Tournament Midwest Region (all times ET):

Midwest Regional Bracket, TV Schedule, Sites, Announcers

Follow the link for a PDF of a printable 2009 NCAA Tournament Bracket, delivered by CollegeHoopsNet.com.

FYI, the in-studio hosts for CBS’ coverage of the 2009 NCAA Tournament this year will be Greg Gumbel, Greg Anthony, and Seth Davis. Here are the 8 announcer pairings for the first and second round games:

• Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg (will handle Final Four)
• Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery
• Dick Enberg or Carter Blackburn and Jay Bilas
• GUS JOHNSON!!! and Len Elmore
• Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner
• Ian Eagle and Jim Spanarkel
• Craig Bolerjack and Bob Wenzel
• Tim Brando and Mike Gminski

If there is anything specific you’d like to know but don’t feel like looking up for yourself, just ask in the comments. We’re all about on-demand information here at MSF.

UPDATE 3/17: It’s time for some predictions.

Earlier today, I posted my official one-and-only NCAA Tournament bracket predictions. I actually devised what I call a subjective-objective metric-based approach to my predictions this year. For a complete explanation of the metrics I used and how the system worked, read the complete Mens Tournament Bracket Prediction post. (FYI: Some of the analysis-based verbiage below may not make complete sense without reading the explanation in the bracket prediction post.)

Here is the section specific to the Midwest region:

Midwest Region Predictions

First Round Picks – Midwest Region

• #1 Louisville
• #9 Siena over #8 Ohio State
• #5 Utah over #12 Arizona
• #4 Wake Forest over #13 Cleveland State
• #6 West Virginia over #11 Dayton
• #14 North Dakota St over #3 Kansas
• #7 Boston College over #10 USC
• #2 Michigan State over #15 Robert Morris

Siena and Ohio State were actually pretty evenly matched up, with Siena having a slight 3-2-1 advantage. Siena has a much better record on the road and more experienced guards, so I feel comfortable about that one. But it’s an 8/9 game so who the hell knows.

The one that will jump off the page is #14 North Dakota State over #3 Kansas. NDSU went 10-4 on the road this year, makes just under 74% of their free throws, has all senior guards, and only turns the ball over 11.3 times. Their Strength of Schedule is obviously not very good, but they played outstanding against their level of competition. Considering Kansas’ poor play very late in the season, and their relative youth, I am not afraid of this upset pick. If I had to bet money, I’d obviously put it on the Jayhawks, but now I won’t be at all shocked if they go down, much to the dismay of Bill Self.

Second Round Picks – Midwest Region

• #1 Louisville over #9 Siena
• #5 Utah over #4 Wake Forest
• #14 North Dakota State over #6 West Virginia
• #2 Michigan State over #7 Boston College

I like Utah over Wake Forest because of the experience factor, the fact that Utah turns the ball over more than two times per game less, and Utah’s ability to hit free throws at a 78.2% clip. Wake Forest clearly has the more talented team though; so again, this is a game where me being wrong would not be surprising at all.

And once again, you see my tourney darkhorse North Dakota State winning again. Considering the numbers I stated above, does this surprise you? West Virginia shoots less than 70% from the line, has relative inexperience at the guard position (a 2.5 score to NDSU’s 4) and turns the ball over slightly more.

Sweet 16 Picks – Midwest Region

• #1 Louisville over #5 Utah
• #2 Michigan State over #14 North Dakota State

Louisville beats Utah across the board, except for free throw shooting. The Michigan State-North Dakota State game was actually a tie by the categories. Michigan State wins in road record, seed, and strength of schedule, but falls short in FT shooting, guard experience, and TO/game. Non-adjacent favored seeds win out though, so NDSU’s Cinderalla story comes to an end.

Elite 8 Pick – Midwest Region

• #2 Michigan State over #1 Louisville

Honestly, this surprised me a little bit. When I first sat down to look at the brackets, the Spartans were a team I looked at as potentially being ripe for an early upset. But looking deeper, many of their metrics, at least with respect to my personal basketball biases, make them a tournament-ready team. Add in the extra motivation of the Final Four being in Detroit, and I can see this happening.

The Spartans win 3-2-1, with the teams tying in guard experience and Louisville besting Michigan State in seeding and TO/game. Michigan State’s other advantages were by slim margins, which is to be expected. I think this would be a great regional final that could go either way (a refrain you will probably hear repeated as we move forward), but as a Big Ten fan I would love to see Tom Izzo and the boys make it to Detroit.

Oh, and by the way, the Browns wasted one of its finest defensive displays all season, losing to Indianapolis, 10-6, falling to 4-8, and thus, shattering all hopes for any chance of contending for a playoff spot.

Anderson’s injury to his left knee comes days after starting quarterback Brady Quinn was lost for the season due a fractured right index finger. Both can now share the bench and watch as third-string quarterback Ken Dorsey runs the offense for the Browns final four games.

(John Kuntz/The Plain Dealer) Derek Anderson writhes in pain after being sacked in the final minutes of Sunday’s game by the Colts’ Robert Mathis. Anderson suffered an injury to his left knee that will be determined on Monday and could end his season.

Actually Dorsey nearly won the game with a Hail Mary pass to wide receiver Braylon Edwards, but Edwards was triple-covered and never had control of the ball.

After Peyton Manning took a knee, Shaun Rogers flung his helmet down in disgust and walked off the field. If you were to tell me the Browns defense would allow only one field goal, hold Manning to just 215 yards and intercept him twice, I would have been thrilled and anticipated a win.

Unlike last week’s ugly, lackluster 16-6 loss against the Houston Texans, the Browns came out with fire and focus on Sunday, forcing Manning to make very uncharacteristic errors such as fumbling on the one-yard line in the last play of a great Browns goal line stand.

The defense held Manning without an offensive touchdown for the first time in 91 regular season games. With its fifth consecutive victory at the expense of the Browns, the 8-4 Colts are deep in the hunt for an AFC wild-card berth.

Had the Browns gotten into the end zone just once and won, cornerback Brandon McDonald should have been awarded a game ball. He intercepted a pass to Reggie Wayne (that unfortunately, the offense could not convert into a score).

Then and in a perfectly timed play in the end zone, Brandon McDonald hung onto the right arm of Reggie Wayne after what would have been touchdown pass, stripping the ball free and forcing the Colts to settle for a field goal.

Once again the Browns play calling left much to be desired. The wind off of Lake Erie made it difficult for quarterbacks, but placing the ball into the arms of running back Jamal Lewis 24 times was predictable.

With the exception of the Monday night win against the visiting New York Giants and Eli Manning, offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski’s play calling has been uninspired.

(Why do these grown-up NFL quarterbacks need every single play whispered into their ears? Major league baseball pitchers, after all, decide each pitch they throw.).

When the Browns headed into the fourth quarter with a slim 6-3 lead, fans began to believe the impossible would happen and the Browns would own both Manning brothers this year.

But once again Browns fans hopes were dashed on its first possession in the fourth quarter when Dwight Freeney hit Anderson’s arm, the ball came out and Mathis recovered in and ran 37 yards for the only touchdown in the game.

Six minutes later, with 1:16 minutes left, it was first down at the Browns 45 yard line. But Browns nemesis, Mathis, plowed through tackle Kevin Shaffer from the right side, pushing Shaffer’s helmet into Anderson’s knee, first, then Mathis wrapped up the leg on Anderson’s way down.

The Plain Dealer and WKNR AM 850 reported that some fans actually cheered when Anderson got hurt and chanted for Dorsey. Others said the cheers were for Anderson after he got up and was helped off the field.
But I believe the Browns fans’ jeers and cheers stemmed from the frustration of a football season gone sour and of knowing that on Monday, they’d go to jobs they did not like, face their bosses and find a way to make the December mortgage payment and have a little left over for Christmas.