Former Hawkeye DB turned 3rd Base Coach

When Iowa Football speaks of those who make it to the next level, the NFL is the league most will consider. But out of the last 20 years an All-Big Ten Defensive Back has made his way into the coaching ranks of Major League Baseball. Recruited to play two sports as a Hawkeye from New Jersey, Bo Porter excelled in baseball following his college career. After bouncing around the minor leagues with a couple of opportunities in the majors, Porter has found success as a coach.

Porter spent five years in the Marlins organization and was elevated to third base coach by manager Fredi Gonzalez. Bo joined the Diamondbacks prior to the 2010 season, but has managerial aspirations. He was most recently rumored as a replacement for Gonzalez at Florida, and has had other interviews. The time is near when Porter will be the manager of a Major League Club, and while in St. Louis for a three-game series, he sought the advice of Cardinal manager, Tony LaRussa.

Part of Bo's responsibility is throwing Batting Practice before games. In St. Louis, BP was taken inside Busch Stadium on this warm afternoon. Hitting Coach, Jack Howell oversees the session. Howell is a native of Arizona, and the barbs were being tossed between the ex-Hawkeye Football player and the fan of the Arizona Wildcats. The Hawkeyes and Wildcats meet again in 2010 after the Hawkeyes won the 2009 battle in Kinnick Stadium.

Howell utilizes video with all of his hitters. A video coordinator travels with the team and takes in all the different angles shown of home plate. The Arizona hitting coach will spend time after innings looking at some pitches and swings, but will rarely try to fix anything in-game. Typically he utilizes the video to check on location of pitches, or noticing anything that may be out of place in a player's swing. However he will sit down with the hitters after the game if he observes anything needing work.

Without a doubt Porter will be calling the shots soon at the Major League level. At the end of the season there will be many more openings, and it will be no surprise to anyone to see Bo sitting in the dugout was the team's Manger.

Turning 6 at Wrigley Field

Six years ago one little boy was born and Colin celebrated this birthday as he did his 5th, at Wrigley Field in Chicago. On Saturday the Cubs took on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Colin has enjoyed a bit of a Cubs winning streak. Heading into Saturday's game he witnessed Cub victories in each of his three games he saw in 2009. Mom and Dad were hoping that streak would continue.

Although we stayed near O'Hare airport, it didn't mean we weren't close to the Chicago Loop area. The advantage of styaing near the world's busiest airport was taking advantage of Chicago's "L" system. Our hotel was steps from the Blue Line which...

...allowed Colin to enjoy train and bus travel to get to Wrigley Field.

And the bus dropped us off at the corner of Clark and Addison, or better known as the Friendly Confines, Wrigley Field. The home of the Cubs has a different look with banners surrounding the famous marquee promoting the more notable Cub players.

Another change to the historic park is the addition of the PNC Club of Chicago. Located on the suite level down the left field line, this club has tickets sold on a season ticket basis and allows the fans an opportunity to have the benefits of a suite, without committing to an eighteen person box.

Throwing out the first pitch and singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning was well-known actor Vince Vaughn. Native Chicagoan Vaughn is a life-long Cubs fan.

Coaching third base for the Diamondbacks is former Iowa dual sport player, Bo Porter. Porter played for Iowa in the early 90's was a defensive back for the football team as doubled for Duane Banks in baseball. He played a while in the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs farm system before getting an opportunity to coach third base for the Florida Marlins and currently for Arizona.

It wouldn't be right for Colin to be without a pretzel at a sporting event. It also wouldn't be right if Dad got a picture of both looking at the camera. The other picture had Colin looking elsewhere.

Once the pretzel had been eaten, the peanuts were next on the menu.

The Cubs came back to win 7-5 and it was "white flage" time as the "W" flag was raised.

Video appears above of the last out and what has become the Cubs favorite song.

Colin's Birthday Weekend in Chicago

Colin turned Five on Friday and he celebrated the event with a weekend in Chicago with Dad, the Cubs and all different types of transportation. As much as enjoys trains, planes and automobiles, this was the weekend for him, and of course a Cubs game was the weekend for Dad. The picture above is taken in front of the famous Chicago Theater after the Cubs game on Saturday. Colin wanted to ride the trains and where better to go than downtown Chicago.

Colin aboard the Blue Line "L"

Transferring to the bus for the ride down Addison Street.

Staying at a hotel near O'Hare allowed Colin to keep an eye on many airplanes landing.

And the luggage cart was his own "Blue Line train."

It was the Cubs and the Marlins playing the third of a four game series. The third base coach for Florida is former Iowa Defensive Back and Outfielder Bo Porter. Bo played for the Hawkeyes in the early to mid nineties. He has been with the Marlins for three seasons.

Peter Cetera formerly of the band Chicago led the crowd in Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the 7th inning stretch.

Here Colin and I take a picture from our seats, perhaps some of the worst in the ballpark. While trying to economize our trip to the Windy City, we decided to purchase the cheapest seats the Cubs had to offer, however, stay away from Row 9 of the Upper Deck Reserved in Section 509. Row 9 is the last row and those in Section 509 could not see the Center Field Scoreboard. On this sunny day with temperatures in the 60s, our seats backed up to a chain link fence with a cold wind howling into our backs. Colin did tough it out and we made it through seven plus innings.

And what I feel is the money picture from the entire weekend, Colin and I outside the Friendly Confines.

Of course we had to take time to do a little swimming. If we weren't riding on public transportation, we were in the pool.

But Colin needs time to relax following the game. Here he is showing off his new Cubs hat bought earlier in the day at Wrigley Field.

This was an exciting weekend for Colin. He was jumping for joy. Although it is difficult to see, there is definite seperation between his legs and the bed.

It was a long weekend, but it was a good weekend. Colin crashed hard every night.

For those of you with Facebook accounts, more pictures will be posted there.