By Cyote Williams | Times Vedette

I’m one of the people who enjoys most every aspect of the Super Bowl. I look forward to the game each year, regardless of the teams that are playing. I also enjoy the halftime show, regardless of the performer(s). Bad Bunny put on an incredible show this year. I even enjoy the commercials. This year’s game may have been a dud, but, somehow, the commercials were even worse.

Companies pay out the wazoo for an ad spot of just a few fleeting seconds during the Super Bowl. This year, according to USA Today, a 30-second spot cost $8 million on average. The average viewership for Super Bowl LX was 124.9 million viewers across all platforms, which is said to be the second-highest in the game’s history. If companies are going to spend that much money on their spot, then they might as well put together a good commercial.

This year, it seemed like every time the game took a commercial break, I was bombarded with gambling, AI and cryptocurrency advertisements. Some of them were downright awful. One commercial had plenty of living rooms singing the Backstreet Boys “Everybody (Backstreet’s’ Back)” until it revealed it was a Coinbase ad, which drew plenty of  boos and groans in the house I was in.

Svedka, a vodka brand, produced one of the most disturbing commercials I’ve seen with the AI generated robots dancing around. Who wants to see that? The Coinbase commercial has 126,000 views on its YouTube channel and just 804 likes. The Svedka commercial has 229,000 views and a mere 312 likes, Both of these companies better be thanking their lucky stars that YouTube started hiding dislike numbers a few years ago.

You thought those were bad? How about Ring, the doorbell camera company and its Be A Hero In Your Neighborhoodcommercial. Ring, under the guise of using AI to help find your dog, just announced to the world it has facial recognition capabilities it can access at any time. Call me crazy, but I don’t like the idea of a company having the ability to use facial recognition to track down anyone by using its cameras whenever it pleases. The backlash was so heavy that just yesterday Ring announced it would be cancelling its partnership with the police tech provider Flock Safety. Meanwhile, the commercial had 4.2 million views and 1,600 likes.

What happened to the commercials of old? Mean Joe Green, “Hey kid, catch.”  Simple, yet heartwarming. Or the incredibly goofy ones, like Budweiser’s “Whassup,” commercial. Not to mention all of the classic Clydesdale commercials Budweiser has made over the years. The E*TRADE talking baby commercial was a phenomenon that had staying power even after it aired, spurring plenty of spinoffs. My personal favorite came directly from the NFL in 2017 when the league paid homage to some of the game’s greats in this fun, action-filled commercial.

So, to the NFL and the companies that advertise during its greatest game, please try to do better next year.

Have a favorite Super Bowl commercial I missed? Reach out with comments, complaints, story ideas and more to cyote@dmcityview.com.

By Cyote Williams | Times Vedette

The NBA trade deadline was yesterday afternoon, and there was plenty of movement across the entire league. The professional basketball league has one of the crazier deadlines of the major North American sports. Trades are uncommon in soccer and not as widely used in hockey. The NFL will usually see some moderately important names move around, often times because a team is trying to shore up a weaker position group. The same goes for baseball. It’s common for MLB teams that are struggling to sell off their best assets to teams that are gunning for a World Series run. But, even the MLB has rules against trading draft picks. The NBA, however, goes wild every February. To put it into perspective, the Miami Heat was only one team in the Eastern Conference this season that did not make a trade.

The Stepien Rule, named after Ted Stepien, a former executive of the Cleveland Cavaliers, does prevent teams from trading away their first-round picks in consecutive future years. Let’s just say Stepien wasn’t the best team builder. Can you imagine being so bad at your job that a professional sports league creates a rule named after you to prevent yourself and other teams from blowing up your franchise too much?

But, seemingly like all rules, loopholes and workarounds exist. The main loopholes are pick swaps. A team can trade its first-round pick in consecutive years as a “swap,” meaning that the team with the pick being traded to has the right to choose which pick it wants. Through some shrewd business dealings, the mastermind that is the OKC Thunder’s General Manager Sam Presti, the NBA champion Thunder, have 13 first-round picks in the next seven seasons. That’s madness.

Following all of the wheeling and dealing that goes on in the few days leading up to the deadline is nearly impossible. National and local beat reporters do their best to detail the trades. Two things stick out to me with one team doing too much and one team doing too little.

My favorite team, the Chicago Bulls, did so much nonsensically dealing that it made my head spin. At one point, the team had zero healthy centers, no one taller than 6’9”, and had 10 guards on the roster. Last week, the Bulls had five second-round picks over the next seven drafts. Through all of their dealing, the team now has 14. As a team that has been historically bad at drafting talent for the last 20 years, I’m not sure what they are going to do with all that capital, but it probably isn’t good.

One of the league’s best talents, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, is staying put at least until the end of the season. The former MVP and NBA champion’s name has been swirling in trade rumors for months, but it looks like the Greek Freak will have to wait a bit longer before he finds a new home. One way or another, the franchise star is going to be leaving Wisconsin, and the Bucks need to find a suitable replacement for him or face a painful, lengthy rebuild. Waiting until the offseason may or may not be a smart move by the Bucks. Time will tell.

Reach out with comments, complaints, story ideas and more to cyote@dmcityview.com.

By Cyote Williams | Times Vedette

This week, I am detailing the leaders across major statistical categories in boys and girls high school basketball. Instead of separating them across classes like I normally do, I’ll include the overall top five.

Boys basketball

Points per game:

• Malachi Rice, Centerville, 30.5
• Eli Dee, Baxter, 29.6
• Jaxon Clark, Keokuk, 29.4
• Cael LaFrentz, Decorah, 28.7
• Josiah Harrington, North Scott 26.9

Assists per game:

• Drake Larson, Knoxville, 8.0
• Trey Bryte, ADM, 7.8
• Henry Adam, Pekin, 7.4
• Shay Stephens, Burlington Notre Dame, 7.1
• AJ Harder, Tri-Center, 6.9

Rebounds per game:

• Jaxon Clark, Keokuk, 16.9
• Graham Matlock, Rivermont Collegiate, 16.7
• Oscar Cline, Louisa-Muscatine, 15.1
• Cael LaFrentz, Decorah, 14.6
• Reese Montgomery, Red Oak, 14.1

Steals per game:

• Peyton Scott, Lamoni, 5.9
• Benny Doe, Woodward Academy, 5.5
• Kamden Bork, MMCRU, 4.4
• Wyatt Alesch, MMCRU, 4.4
• Judd Jirovsky, Grundy Center, 4.4

Blocks per game:

• Cael LaFrentz, Decorah, 5.3
• Luke Chrisman, Springville, 5.1
• Isaiah Sholes, Essex, 3.9
• Landon Davis, Waukee Northwest, 3.6
• Gavin Halbach, Northwood-Kensett, 3.5

 What stood out the most to me from these numbers? Jaxon Clark is a beast. The senior from Keokuk is averaging 29.4 points and 16.9 rebounds. Video game numbers. Also impressive is Decorah’s Cael LaFrentz, averaging 28.7 points, and the most blocks in the state at 5.3 per game.

Girls basketball

Points per game:

• Izzy Eisbach, Nodaway Valley, 33.6
• Braylyn Birmingham, Norwalk, 30.7
• Kendra Boatman, Keokuk, 27.1
• Nakia Ollivierre, Waterloo West, 26.1
• Lilee Boriskey, Edgewood-Colesburg, 25.8

Assists per game:

• Aniya Hardee, Bedford, 7.1
• Hayden Kuhlmann, Spirit Lake, 6.9
• Addie McLaughlin, Regina Catholic, 6.5
• Kinley Birt, Central DeWitt, 6.3
• Caydence Harmsen, Rock Valley, 6.1

Rebounds per game:

• Kennedy Brant, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, 14.5
• Rowan Jacobi, Springville, 14.4
• Eden Horn, St. Edmond, 14.2
• Corinne Anderson, Heartland Christian, 14.1
• Deidra Doeden, Cherokee Washington, 12.8

Steals per game:

• Brynn Clarahan, Sigourney, 7.8
• Bryndall Paterson, MVAOCOU, 7.0
• Lindsey Haken, George-Little Rock, 6.5
• Addy Oetker, Des Moines Christian, 6.4
• Isabella Schisel, Garner Hayfield Ventura, 6.3

Blocks per game:

• Taylor Evans, Prince of Peace, 7.1
• Breegan Lindsey, Central Decatur, 4.4
• Eden Horn, St. Edmond, 4.4
• Emma Zabel, East Buchanan, 4.2
• Izzy Gilbertson, Mount Ayr, 4.0

 Eden Horn of St. Edmond is the only girl who appears in the top five for two categories on the girls side for her exceptional blocking and rebounding ability. It must be a good time to be a basketball fan in Keokuk, as they have some of the best scorers in the state for boys and girls, with Kendra Boatman averaging 27.1.

Reach out with comments, complaints, story ideas and more to cyote@dmcityview.com.

By Cyote Williams | Times Vedette

I find it easy to complain or bemoan most things. This is not one of those things. Sure, college football is played on Saturday’s 99% of the time, and then the most important game of all gets played on a Monday. A Monday I somehow managed to get food poisoning during. But, besides those factors, the national championship game played between Indiana and Miami was one I will remember for a lifetime.

Two years ago, Indiana University hired Curt Cignetti to run its historically terrible football program. If there was a college football program across the major conferences that had been as historically bad as Iowa State, it would have been Indiana. That did not discourage Cignetti. In his opening press conference in 2024, he dropped one of the best quotes from any college football coaches of all time: “It’s pretty simple, I win. Google me.”

And, he wasn’t lying. Cignetti has been a head coach since 2011, starting in NCAA DII. In that time, including his now two incredible years in Indiana, Cignetti is 146-37. That’s a 79.8% winning percentage. For reference, Nick Saban’s winning percentage is 80.6%.

So, they’ve got the head coach. But, what about the roster? Well, by all accounts, the roster didn’t seem very good. Even heading into this season, coming off of an 11-2 campaign the year prior, 247Sports had Indiana’s roster ranked 18th, dead last in the Big 10. They were also picked to finish sixth in the Big 10. Clearly, the experts thought they were a one-season wonder. But, the Hoosiers sure didn’t think so.

Indiana made plenty of moves in the transfer portal, most notably adding Fernando Mendoza to the roster. Mendoza, originally a two-star prospect from Miami, had spent the last three seasons at the University of California. Now, the Heisman Trophy winner, playing in his hometown, essentially sealed the national title game with one of the greatest plays the sport has ever seen. Fourth down, QB draw, breaking tackles, spinning, diving, scoring. Incredible. In the highlight, the camera cuts to his parents in the stands. His mother, bound to a wheelchair due to multiple sclerosis, celebrates.

If that was not enough of a storybook moment, and to add even more context to the incredible run, Mendoza had played most of this Miami team the year before while at Cal. That game ended in part due to a Mendoza scramble when the Hurricane’s linebacker, Wesley Bissainthe, laid the boom, cracking Mendoza, effectively ending the game. Who did Mendoza steamroll and spin off of before heroically leaping into the endzone? Miami’s No. 31, Wesley Bissainthe. Hollywood couldn’t dream of a script this perfect.

I found some other fun facts about Indiana’s crazy two-season run. One month ago, Indiana’s most recent bowl win came in the 1991 Copper Bowl. Indiana had three bowl wins to its name in its entire history. They won three bowl games this January. Before 2025, Indiana’s record against AP top-10 teams was 6-116-1. In 2025, the Hoosiers went 6-0.

This was truly a remarkable turnaround of a program by Curt Cignetti, even if part of it was fueled by several, multi-million-dollar donations by alum Mark Cuban. All of the best teams are receiving some sort of major funding from one direction or the other. All the money in the world does not mean you make the right coaching hires or find the best diamonds in the rough. This team was clearly well-coached, found the talent no one else wanted or valued, and won one of the most improbable national titles in college football history.

Reach out with comments, complaints, story ideas and more to cyote@dmcityview.com.

By Cyote Williams | Times Vedette

If you are a football fan, you likely took part in the Wild Card Weekend (emphasis on wild) of NFL playoff games. For fans of teams inside and outside the playoffs, it was one to remember. For the first time in NFL history, three teams won opening playoff games by scoring a touchdown in the final three minutes. The Bills, Bears and Rams all won nailbiters. Memorable comebacks, highlights and lowlights will be remembered from this opening weekend for years. And, one press conference.

First year head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Liam Cohen, unintentionally found himself in one of the most talked about press conferences of the year following his heartbreaking loss to the Bills. Cohen and his Jags took the NFL by storm this season. Through his lead, he flipped the Jags record on its head. 4-13 last year, 13-4 this year.

A clearly dejected Cohen took to the microphones postgame, answering the typical hum-drum questions posed at these press conferences until Lynn Jones Turpin, a 25-year vet of the newspaper world and associate editor of the Jacksonville Free Press, spoke, not asking a question, but offering some encouragement.

“I’m going to tell you, congratulations on your success, young man. You hold your head up. You guys have had a most magnificent season. You did a great job out there today. You just hold your head up, OK? Ladies and gentlemen, Duval (referring to Duval county, a rallying cry for Jags fans), you keep it going,” Turpin said.

I, like many others, truly loved this moment. And, throughout her comments, you can see the light return to Cohen’s eyes and a smile cross his face. However, plenty of reporters took to social media to complain. Phil Lewis did a great job finding some of the tweets and outcry from journalists bemoaning Turpin’s words. I’ll summarize a few here.

“Nothing ‘awesome’ about fans/fake media doing stuff like that,’ Mark Long, Jags reporter for the Associated Press, said. “That person shouldn’t even have a credential,” Mike Harrington from Buffalo News said. “I don’t think people realize… how few chances you have to ask Qs in this specific setting. Reporters get 10-15 minutes with Coen to dissect a playoff loss for stories on deadline. Every Q is valuable,” Jimmy Watkins, Cleavland.com, said.

Some of those groundbreaking questions asked by reporters before Turpin’s comments? Three people asked the same exact question. One asked Cohen about Josh Allen, the Bills quarterback, and wanted him to elaborate on his toughness. Following several seconds of silence, Turpin added her comments, which were, by far, the most memorable and impactful part of an otherwise forgettable press conference.

Now, look, as a reporter, I understand that press conferences are not the place for plaudits and pats on the back. They are meant to ask questions and get insight. Could those comments have come a few minutes later following the press conference? Probably. Would it have meant as much? I don’t think so. One thing these big, oh-so-serious sports writers are forgetting is that sports are inherently emotional. Happiness. Anger. Sadness. Jubilation. It’s part of why people play, and it’s part of why we all watch.

Should something like this happen at every press conference from here until the end of time? No. But, sometimes, even in our oh-so-serious press conferences, human moments are permissible, if not good and necessary. If the reporters in the room did not want someone changing the vibe of the entire press conference, perhaps they should have asked some better questions.

Reach out with comments, complaints, story ideas and more to cyote@dmcityview.com.

By Cyote Williams | Times Vedette

I’ve found plenty to complain about lately. Gambling advertisements. NIL. Matt Campbell. The list goes on. But, thanks to a study I recently found, I have something positive to write about, and it directly relates to the athletes of ACGC and Panorama. So, I’ll sideline the complaints and focus on the positive.

I have always felt that with youth sports, the less specialization, the better. Kids, even all the way through high school, should participate in multiple sports rather than just one. The stress put on the same ligaments and muscles by doing the same throws, kicks, jumps, etc., far outweighs the good in what extra skill a young athlete might be honing. The more that athletes are able to work different muscles and learn different skills, the better.

An Analytical Review by Arne Güllich on science.org proved this. The review, titled “Recent discoveries on the acquisition of the highest levels of human performance,” actually goes beyond athletics and looks at academics as well.

“From athletes like Simone Biles and Michael Phelps to scientists like Marie Curie and Albert Einstein, identifying exceptional talent is essential in the science of innovation. But how does talent originate? Did the most talented athletes, scientists, and musicians reach peak performance relatively early or late in their career? Did they forgo mastering multiple sports, academic subjects, and musical instruments to reach world-class performance in only one?”

The review looked at published research in science, music, chess and sports and found two patterns: “Exceptional young performers reached their peak quickly but narrowly mastered only one interest (e.g., one sport). By contrast, exceptional adults reached peak performance gradually with broader, multidisciplinary practice. However, elite programs are designed to nurture younger talent,” Ekeoma Uzogara, the associate editor of education, said.

A chart within summarizes those findings well. The X axis is age, and the Y axis is human performance. In the early years, those with “intensive disciplined-specific practice” reached a high level at younger age but then plateaued. The other line, those with “extensive multi-disciplinary practice,” had a slow rise but eventually rose above the other once reaching “peak performance age.” The research found this to be consistent across Nobel laureates, world class chess players, classical musicians and Olympic champions.

Looking at Panorama and ACGC sports, there is a similar and common theme. The schools’ athletes consistently play multiple sports or have “extensive multi-disciplinary practice.” Now, are the athletes at these schools Olympic champions? Not yet, but, across both schools, in several sports, several individuals find themselves among the best in the state. Could that be a coincidence? Maybe — but it’s a scientific coincidence.

Besides making better athletes across the board, playing multiple sports lends itself to the entire point of youth sports: to have fun. It’s fun to play multiple sports, to make new friends and to continue to build community with one another. We should all do what we can to support this. 

Reach out with comments, complaints, story ideas and more to cyote@dmcityview.com.