I love sports. Sometimes I have things that I just need to say or have on my mind. This is where I try and put those thoughts into words. Please read and enjoy!
For weeks, the possibility of a broken record in the NFL has been on the minds of many. Dan Marino's record for most passing yards in a season was in reach of a few quarterbacks, but none more than Saint's quarterback, Drew Brees. On Monday night, Brees only did what he always does, play like one of the best in the game.
He weaved, side-stepped, and danced around in the pocket all night long. He threw with an accuracy that would frighten a military trained sniper. The sound from the pounding linemen could scarcely be heard before the ball had already hit one of his receivers. All this was just a typical night for Drew Brees.
Brees continues to be one of the best around. (AP-Bill Feig)
Even with his impressive abilities and already a Super Bowl ring on his finger, Brees has been nothing if not humble throughout his career. His quick to give credit where credit is due, or to put blame on his own failure. He has long been considered a "classy" guy.
This especially irked some people on the conclusion of his final drive of Monday night's game. With 5:08 remaining in the game and the Saints already up 38-16 on rival Atlanta Falcons, Brees marched once more. The defense had turned the Falcons over on downs on their own 33-yard line. That distance is easily within striking distance of Drew Bress, but that isn't the point.
Some felt that the Saints should have tried to run out the clock. Let's start there. There's five minutes left in the game. Yes, many teams might decide to coast in that situation and let the running backs take over. Of course, most teams don't have one of the best quarterbacks in the game who is only 30 yards away from breaking a legend's record set in 1984.
Now the issue of the score. Yes, the Saints were up 22 points, and often, in any sport, it's thought of as unsportsmanlike to run-up a score on a blowout late in a game. However, that's not the point here, and shouldn't be. Drew Brees is shooting for history. Does it really matter whether the Saints won by 22 or 29? Either way it's a blowout. The Falcons got embarrassed either way, and can use it for motivation when the two teams likely meet in the playoffs.
Drew Brees and the Saints had every reason to push for history. (AP-Rusty Costanza)
The final touchdown actually had no true relevance to record at all, it was merely icing on the cake. If Brees started on his own 1-yard line. I would have loved for him to just get the 30 yards and then he could hand it off the rest of the night. However, he has handed a circumstance that put both him and his coach in a tough position.
Instead, he was able to cap off a very short drive that put his name in the record books and, because of the touchdown, was able to enjoy the moment. He stood there smiling and acknowledging his teammates who helped him and the fans that supported him.
Anyone who thinks that this was a classless move, such as members of the Atlanta Falcons, is probably looking at this out of frustrated emotion. They're going to look back on this and think of how stupid that statement sounds. One of the classiest men in sports was given one of the best opportunities that he could ask for, and we're supposed to care what the score was? The score will be the furthest afterthought in the future. The National Football League and its fans will remember a talented, humble, and "classy" man who simply did his best and joined history.
Concussions are certainly nothing new in sports. They've been one of those unfortunate issues that has hovered over everyone's heads. They can diminish a players ability at the very least, if not lead to them giving up the game entirely. Unfortunately, the initiative to remedy this problem has only just begun in a number of sports where it should have started decades ago.
Many have questioned the new kickoff rule, but not the thought behind it.
Of course, sports are dangerous. I don't think their is anyone that could argue that point, but how dangerous they have to be is something else entirely. Every sport has begun to develop safer helmets every year, and they may even force players to begin wearing the helmets, even if they don't like them. I have no problem with that at all. Who care if it looks stupid or feels a little different from what you're used to? The benefits greatly outweigh those points. Another move has been to change rules in the game. The NFL has done that by moving the kickoff 10 more yards so that players can't get up to full speed.
However, I've got a little issue with that idea. I understand changing the rules for safety, but not when it changes the complexion of the game, which this rule did. The first half of this season was all boots into the back of the endzone with no returns. This took away a big part of the game. Now it seems that teams have begun to try and drop the kick as close to the one as they can, but that often just leaves the receiver with maybe a few seconds to move before the kicking team is all over them. The problem is that the guy becomes defenseless and we're back at square one. I could go on, but I'll digress.
This is an image we all hate to see.
While I do applaud some rule changes and improved equipment, I have to wonder why it's only happening now. My concern comes from one story in particular. Sydney Crosby, the star of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has been suffering through a concussion since last season. This is one of the NHL's biggest stars and he's young.
There's my biggest fear right there. No one likes to see a veteran have to go out on anything but their own terms, but if a veteran has to quit because of a concussion then I think the general populace can cope. A real tragedy is when the younger stars have to go through it. These guys are young and healthy and usually go all out all the time. That's begging for a concussion, but we love them for their tenacity.
If we love them so much and want them to actually stick around then maybe it's about time we kick things up a notch and protect the future of our sports. That's all I'm sayin'.
Unfortunately, steroids could be rearing their ugly head once more in baseball. Recent reports are that Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun has test positive for PEDs. I personally hope it's a false-positive. Despite playing in the same division of my hometown Cardinals, and playing with one of the most ridiculous players in baseball, Nyjer Morgan, I actually respect Ryan Braun. I hate what he does to my team every year, but if that's the only thing I hate about him then he's probably alright.
Everyone is hoping that this is a mistake, and we can truly
move on from the Steroid Era.
However, that's not the only reason that I hope he's clean. I'm quite frankly sick and tired of hearing about the failure that was the steroid era. It's not just because it was a black spot on the history of the MLB, but it's just one of those things where you're waiting for the next at-one-time big star to fall due. It's almost to the point of "Oh really? I guess I'm not surprised." when it comes to these announcements. Except, Braun seems to be a little different case.
He's not a particularly big guy, and there don't really seem to be any of those obvious signs that seem to scream "Steroids!" Despite being one of the games best sluggers, I don't think there are many who would honestly have thought Braun would use steroids. If he is, then it shows that the part of the steroid era has crept into some of this era's younger stars, and that's something that no one wants to see.
Here's an interesting piece from the New York Times that puts a little bit of all this into perspective.
Anyone who followed college basketball on Saturday probably saw some upsets and good games, but they all will be overshadowed by what happened on the court of the Cintas Center and not for good reasons. A fight at a bar or party is one thing, still not good but certainly different. However, when you are on national television, in front of thousands of fans, and carry the name of your school on your chest then there's no excuse.
Whether this were in a game or not, it would be a bad thing, but the situation has only compounded the issue. When it came to the players, no side one. Cincinnati got things started by calling out Xavier player Tu Holloway before the game. While that can be good fun at times, don't do something like that and expect the other side to sit quietly and take it. They should, but don't expect it.
Both teams got down and dirtied their own reputations. Al Behrman-Associated Press
Unfortunately, Holloway didn't as he was instigating the entire Cincy bench near the end of the game, and then things got way out of control. Yancy Gates blindsided Kenny Frease with a punch and Cheikh Mbodj literally tried to kick him while he was down. Then Gates looked to try and go on a rampage against the entire Xavier team.
Of course, Xavier is almost just as guilty given their taunts at the end, and, quite frankly, some poor words after the game by Holloway. "That's what you're going to see from Xavier and Cincinnati... We're a tougher team. We're grown men over here. We've got a whole bunch of gangstas in the locker room. Not thugs, but tough guys on the court."
So, not only is Holloway showing no remorse for his own lack of dignity on the court, but he's got the guts to continue to talk trash about the other team after the scuffle. I understand a heated rivalry, I've been a part of the Missouri and Kanasa rivalry, but that's not an excuse. Some jostling, a hard fought game, and the cheers and jeers of fans make a good rivalry. Holloway does mention letting your play do the talking, but he clearly had some extra words to go along with his play.
The only bright spot has come from the coaches thus far. This may seem like a "duh" kind of thing, but Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin's sincere frustration over the whole thing is good to see. Throughout his entire interview you can see the anger he has with his players and himself.
Coach Cronin won't take this lying down, and that's good
for everyone.
"I have never been this embarrassed in my entire career. It's a complete embarrassment. Toughness is doing the right thing. ... If my players don't act the right way, they will never play another game at Cincinnati."
He also mentioned how every player lost there jersey until this gets sorted out. That's a blow right there. Those players have lost a symbol of their identity. That's a very good demonstration by Coach Cronin that he won't take this from any of his players. His words were very strong after the game, and very nice to hear.
What will happen to the players on both teams remains to be seen, but both institutions should be outraged and the players ashamed. There's no place for this on any level, and if they are the "grown men" that Holloway claims, they have a strange way of showing it.
In a week of deals in the MLB, the NBA decided to weigh in, and the NBA did so directly. The league shut down a deal to send Chris Paul to the Lakers in what would have been a three team deal that would have spread many on the Laker roster around.
Instead, the NBA, which now owns the New Orleans Hornets, nixed the deal that the Hornets organization had been piecing together. Almost as quickly as word got out that the trade would happen, the announcement came that it was actually not going to happen.
Does David Stern even realized what just happened?
I understand that the NBA has obvious stake in what goes on in New Orleans, but does that mean it should shut down a deal by the people that are involved in its day-to-day operations?
The situation stinks. It appeared that the deal would have actually hurt the Lakers the most, giving up guys like Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom, and Chris Paul could get a trade. It's not clear what the NBA and David Stern's official stance is on the decision, but there's not much he could say that would make a lot of sense.
Even though the NBA owns the Hornets, they've mostly seemed distant to anything related to the Hornets but this one move is drastically different.
Funny enough, Bill Simmons and I (and probably Chris Paul) had the same reaction of "Wait, what?" to this whole scenario.
Albert Pujols is walking away from the only team he's ever known. The name in the picture above seems to be the only one that matters to him. More than ten years of success, ten years of being competitive, ten years of praise from the games greatest fans and it all means nothing.
Pujols always said that the name on the front of the jersey was more important than the one on the back. He's mentioned taking a "home discount" in order to keep the team competitive in the past. Apparently, that's changed recently.
The Cardinals would have been ready to easily pay him more than his teammate Matt Holliday, but Albert simply wanted more. He's let his own legacy take over everything he had ever said before about the game or the team.
It started when talks ended before spring training. You could understand some gap between club and player, but it seemed more like a chasm. However, that only adds to the reason that it would have been great to see both sides come together. If taking those leaps weren't daring and impressive, why would we even care who Evel Knievel was?
Either side could have taken a leap, but neither did. Both sides have rights to blame, but most of it is on Albert because he only has to worry about his own money. The Cardinals have to look out for the organization as a whole, while trying to stay competitive year in and year out. However, something seems to have changed in Albert.
Character
Albert has always been regarded as a player of character. He's been respectful and often humble in the way he went about his business. However, last spring seemed to subtly hint at something we didn't want to believe. The subtleties continued during the season while he was struggling. He would call out reporters that questioned his abilities and was quick to point out his body of work in the past. That doesn't seem to be all that humble.
We all know what he's done, and quite frankly shouldn't have worried about him this season, but when he's almost becoming his biggest promoter it once again points to something that fans don't want to believe.
Could Albert Pujols be a sellout? It's possible. We have yet to hear from Albert since his signing, and he did supposedly turn down a $275 million deal from the Marlins, but we can't exactly say it was for chump change either.
Even Stan "The Man" wanted Albert to stay.
It's not just the money that is going to hit fans the hardest, because, let's face it, that's a LOT of money. But the other problem is how different Albert has behavedthe past year .
Spring training and his performance during the year were mild indicators, but his signing has put Albert Pujols in a terrible light.
He has talked for so long about wanting to finish his career in St. Louis, about wanting to try and be like Stan "The Man" Musial. When did that pure and goodhearted wish become overrun by a greed for money and his own fame?
He's always talked about how great the Cardinal fan base in St. Louis and beyond has been. Does he think that Angels' fans will be better?
What has changed Albert thoughts on these things? Or have they not changed at all, and Cards fans have simply been strung around for years?
Business
From a business standpoint, the only ones who completely foolish are the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They're putting a ridiculous amount of money into a player that won't be worth that much come the second half of the contract. They're dollar amount only makes sense in the mind of Albert Pujols, who's the biggest winner of them all.
The Cards stood their ground. They knew how much would be too much to compromise the TEAM. They understood how much was too much, in fact they were probably the only side that did.
For Albert, he got what he wanted; a monster contract that would assure his playing into his 40's.
It's easy to call out Albert in this whole state of things, partly because the only thing to defend him is the sheer amount of money, but how he responds to the criticisms could determine who he is in the eyes of Cardinal Nation.
Many will be able to get past this day, and I'm sure many will join me as I give him his well deserved applause if he makes it to St. Louis. He's done so much good for the city and the team that he deserves at least that much, but how he handles things going forward will determine how much of that respect he'll keep.
I'll say right off the bat that I am not in favor of the BCS. It's motivated by money and that's really all. Most of the other reasons that I've seen for those that favor it are hardly believable. There still be plenty of money to be had with a playoff system because there are still games, more in fact. The extra games would be during winter break. So, what class time are the athletes missing? As for the concern of more injuries, it's football. They take the risk every time they step out onto the practice field, let alone an actual game.
The look that on the face of many college football fans after the final BCS standings. Brett Deering/Getty Images
Regardless, here's a little something I put together on this year's BCS mishap. I disagree with the final decision this year, but I tried to stay somewhat neutral overall.
The Cardinals were riding high. They were doing flips and turns with chants of "happy flight" and "do it for Torty." The champagne and beer was flowing, spraying, and soaking deep. They had battled daily for a playoff spot for a month straight. Every moment built up tension and pressure that was released along with the champagne on that Wednesday night.
The team was full of a joy and elation as if they had just won it all. That may might not be far from the truth. They had won against doubt, won against fear, and won against the odds.
Though, now the odds were once again against the Cardinals. Their Wild Card title earned them the right to play the NL East Champ, Philadelphia Phillies, whom many considered the best team in baseball.
Of course, that same team had lost to the Cardinals in 6 out of 9 meetings during the regular season. So, why should the Phillies be favored in a best of 5 series? Well, that tells you how good they are right there. The Cardinals were one of the hottest teams heading into October and they had Phillies number during the season, but it's hard to count out the Phillies.
They've got one of the best starting rotations in baseball history and a dynamite offense. They could shut-down and blowup any opponent. They showed some of what they could do in Game 1 of the NLDS.
Aside from one mistake in the first that surrendered a three-run shot from Lance Berkman, Roy Halladay allowed only 3 hits over 8 innings. He finished the game with a streak of 21 straight batters retired. The offense lifted him to a victory with 11 runs to give him and the Phils an 11-6 victory in Game 1.
The first four games became a back and forth match between the two teams. Games 1 & 3 went to the Phillies, and Games 2 & 4 went to the Cardinals. In that game four one of the more bizarre happenings in a postseason occurred. What happened spurred t-shirts, signs, and even a second mascot for the Cardinals, the Rally Squirrel.
In the fifth inning, Roy Oswalt delivered ball to Cardinal second baseman Skip Schumaker. As he did so a squirrel darted right in front of home plate. The critter immediately high-tailed it to the stands nearby. A squirrel had also been found on the field the day before, but this time it decided to be right in the middle of the action.
The Cards were leading at that point in the ball game, and would eventually win it. However, that one event joined another member to the ever growing St. Louis Cardinal Animal Kingdom. In the previous months, the pet tortoise, Torty, of Cardinal Allen Craig began to have a following in the clubhouse. Torty would later have his own Twitter account, which now has a following of more than 21,000.
At the rate the Cardinals are going, they may have to open a petting zoo in the vacant lot outside Busch Stadium.
In the end, however, no critters would overshadow what would happen in Game 5. It was touted as one of the best postseason matchups, Carpenter versus Halladay. Two Cy Young award winners would compete in the deciding Game 5 of the NLDS.
As both friends and former teammates, the two aces would provide a nail-biter for postseason lore. Halladay was tagged for a triple and a double in the first that scored one run, just one. That would prove to be the only difference for the night.
Halladay gave up 6 hits, Carpenter gave up 3. Halladay had 7 K's, Carpenter had 3. Halladay allowed one run to score, Carpenter allowed none.
Every throw, every swing threatened to change the complexion of an entire season. Through it all, Carpenter was the better pitcher that night and the Cardinals took advantage of it. That will make for a fun conversation on the old fishing boat with his friend Halladay in the offseason.
Matt Slocum/AP
Of course, fans won't forget their favorite critter making an appearance in Philly as well.
So, one might think that after eliminating the best team in baseball that things would get easier for the Cardinals. Not really. Now they had to face the second best team in baseball, and it was a team that they knew all too well.
The Cards had split the season-series against the Milwaukee Brewers but were left behind in the standings as the Brewers finished the year 6 games ahead of the Cards.
The season had also revealed a lot of angst between the two teams, particularly from Nyjer Morgan, a.k.a Tony Plush.
However, despite the tempers of the regular season, the October air did well to cool it off in the postseason. The series was uneventful from an altercation standpoint, but the games were anything but.
A very familiar walk to all of Cardinal Nation in the Postseason.
Matt Slocum/AP
The Cardinals averaged over 7 runs per game, due in large part to 12 run contests twice in the series. What was the real story of the NLCS? Tony LaRussa.
Well, that's not entirely true, he was half of the equation. His bullpen was the other half. The bullpen had done a fantastic job in the series against the Phillies, and they would need to work their magic again for Tony with the starters faltering.
Jason Motte, the Cardinal closer that is not the closer, only allowed one hit in the 2011 postseason by the end of the series against Milwaukee, but that one hit came against the Phillies.
It became a strange but regular dance for the Cardinals. The starters would last three innings, LaRussa would make all the right moves, and the bullpen would shut down the opposition. The combination of bullpen and managerial genius would be a huge part of the Cardinals' success. Some wished that the MVP for the series could be given to the bullpen. That sentiment was shared by the one who would be voted the NLCS MVP, David Freese.
Of course, he had given his share of big time hits that helped to give the team the leads that the bullpen held. He had been the clutch player for the series, and the nation was getting their first tastes of the budding star.
Freese hit .545 in the series with 3 home runs and nine RBIs. Only Lou Gehrig had similar numbers in the postseason, when, in 1928, he hit .545 with 4 home runs and nine RBIs against the Cardinals.
With the Brewers behind them and the MVP sorted out, it was onward to the Big Stage. The Cardinals would face off against the Texas Rangers, who were making their second consecutive World Series appearance.
The strangest part of the series was the similarities of both teams. They were nearly identical matches. The greatest similarity was how the bullpen had carried the teams to this point, and ironically this would change for both teams.
Neither bullpen was lights out in the World Series. Both struggled to find the same rhythm they had earlier in the post season.
US Presswire
In at least one game, however, the bullpen of the Cardinals was able to take a backseat and watch the show. That show centered around Albert Pujols and the offense. Albert decided to have one of the greatest offensive games of his career in Game 3 of the World Series.
Pujols had 3 home runs, 5 hits, and 6 RBIs which tied the postseason record for each. He also set a new record for the most total bases in a game with 14. He joined pretty good company that night with his three home runs, one of which was a moon shot off the second deck. Only Reggie Jackson and Babe Ruth had hit three home runs in a single post season game before Pujols. Ruth did it twice against the Cardinals in the 1920s.
The historic nature of that night would only be matched by what happened in Game 6, or at least the end of it. The majority of the game was full of miscues and errors and succeeded to pent up the frustration of Cardinals fans. Some completely gave up hope and called it a night, some might periodically check back in with little hope for the end, but if you missed the last three innings then you missed something special.
Going into the 9th, the Cards had managed to scratch back up to within striking distance of the Rangers at 7-5. The Rangers put in their closer Neftali Feliz to win the World Series for them, but the Cardinals would give in. Pujols hit a one-out double to left-center and was followed by a Lance Berkman walk. Allen Craig, the hero with a solo shot in the previous inning, struck out looking. So, it came down to David Freese.
Freese had already shown that he was clutch in the NLCS, but could he do it again? Freese would find himself down to two strikes against Feliz. This was it. Two strikes, two outs, the Cards seemed finished, but Freese cracked a triple over the glove of right fielder Nelson Cruz to tie the game.
The Cards had new life, but the Rangers were hungry for the win and Josh Hamilton wanted to contribute. In what could have been a Hollywood moment for the Rangers, Hamilton launched a two-run shot in the top of the 10th that seemed to almost seal the deal for Texas.
When the Cards took to the plate in the bottom of the 10th, they decide to manufacture runs after two singles and a bunt. However, once again they would be down to their last strike, and this time it was Lance Berkman that drove in the tying run on the brink.
Jeff Curry/US Presswire
After a quick top of the 11th, it was time for the Cardinals to capitalize, and it didn't take long. The first batter was the October hero, David Freese. He wasted no time in rewarding the 47,000 strong at Busch Stadium with a 428ft shot to straight away center field to send the series to Game 7. Only minutes after dropping an easy pop fly, David Freese had more than redeemed himself.
To Cardinal Nation, the Red Birds seemed invincible. They had made one of the greatest comebacks in postseason history, no team had won after being down to their last strike twice. Of course, that confidence had been with the team further back than just the postseason. Without confidence in their abilities, no team could do what the Cardinals had done to that point. Now they just had to seal the deal.
The Cards were prepared to do it. With an extra day due to postponing the original Game 6, the Cards could put their ace on the mound one more time. He delivered just as advertised. He didn't need another nail-biter like in Philadelphia, but he was more than enough.
Carpenter gave the Cardinals 6 strong innings, the offense scored more than enough, some good defense was mixed in, and the bullpen closed it out. A full team effort clinched the St. Louis Cardinals' 11th World Series, second only to the Yankees in the majors.
The improbable never let up for the Cardinals, and neither did they. Perseverance and confidence defined the team in which few had faith. They capped one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history, and turned the 2011 season into one hell of a ride.
A nice montage of the Cardinals improbable 2011 World Series run.
For a Cardinal fan, the last week has been a roller coaster of emotion that might have given some a case of whiplash. Oh wait, the last two months have been that way.
Of course, if this were a real roller coaster, we'd have looked at the beginning of the ride and demanded a refund. There might have been some small ebbs and flows to start, but about halfway through it seemed to slowly decline with little hope for going back upward.
NBC Sports
Backing away from the metaphor for a moment, everyone knows the major blow the Cardinals received before the first Spring Training game. Losing one of your pocket aces, Adam Wainwright, before the first hand would dishearten any team. The Cardinals, however, pressed on putting the best they had on the table.
Of course, they had to mix and match with their pitchers and hope the end result could at least be satisfactory. Let's face it, the first half of the season was full of experiments and hope. Kyle McClellan had never started a Major League game before 2011. He made the most sense to start, within the organization, but it was still a long shot.
Then there was the signing of Lance Berkman. At 35 years of age, Berkman had come off his worst season since he began his career. According to Baseball-Reference.com, Berkman's batting average, home run total, and RBI totals from 2010 were only better than his numbers in his first year back in 1999.
Granted, he did switch leagues during the season, not just teams, but age was certainly on everyone's mind as well.
However, health remained the biggest factor of the St. Louis season. After Wainwright was out, Fans couldn't have imagined things getting much worse. Unfortunately, they did. Matt Holliday missed a ton of games because of anything from an appendectomy to a wrist injury and even missed the end of a game because a moth flew into his ear. Yikes. He missed 38 games during the regular season, and I don't think most of those were because he just needed a break.
The Cards got few breaks for themselves. On June 19th, against the Royals, all of Cardinal Nation made one unified gasp as they saw their star go to the ground in pain on collision at 1st base. If anyone was going to carry their team through the tough times, it was going to be Albert Pujols. Now, it seemed like all hope would fade away when news came that he would miss 4-6 weeks.
Everyone knows that Pujols is super-human, but no one thought he could recover as quickly as he did. After the minimum 15 days on the disabled list, Albert was back on the field to put the St. Louis Cardinals on his massive back once again, even amongst the multitude of injuries that continued to plague the Cardinals.
Some fans couldn't believe
what the bullpen was doing.
One thing Pujols couldn't carry on his back, though, was the Cardinal's bullpen. The bullpen struggled in the beginning with blown save after blown save by Ryan Franklin, and on June 29th the Cardinals decided they had had enough. They cut Franklin from the roster altogether to make room for newcomers. Franklin lost the closer role early after a slew of blown saves, and he finished with an 8.46 ERA in 2011.
So, the ride was falling downward and maybe even beginning to spiral a little bit. Many fans had lost or were losing hope for the season. That's something especially rare for a fan base that is rarely out of contention and has such a rich history of winning. However, the trading deadline proved to be new life for the Cardinals. By July 31st, the Cards had sured up their bullpen with Marc Rzepczynski, Octavio Dotel, Edwin Jackson, and later claiming Arthur Rhodes.
Things were finally starting to fall into place, or were they? The Cardinals only won 15 of their 28 games in August. Be that as it may, an important date fell during that month, August 25th. That date in the regular season will be remembered as the beginning of one of the greatest runs in baseball history.
The Cardinals were 10 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the Wild Card, and with the Brewers continuing to roll it looked liked the Cardinal coaster was about to turn toward the end. However, on August 25th the cars went into another gear along the track. The Cards went on to win 23 of their last 32 games from that date on. Including a huge series against the Braves that they swept.
The 1969 Mets found winning ways.
The improbable was becoming more possible with each passing day. However, the goal was still in the distance and still a long shot. Hope was beginning to rise, but skeptics still held the majority. Only the 1969 Mets came back from that kind of deficit. The Mets were 9 1/2 games back of the Cubs in August. They won 39 of their last 50 to win the NL East division by 8 games.
The 2011 Cardinals won 31 of their final 50 games, but they couldn't blow past their competition. Every game leading into the final week grew heavier and heavier with importance. The Cards were inching closer and closer. The work of nearly seven months was coming down to the wire.
In fact, it almost came down to a 163rd game playoff against the Braves, but the Philadelphia Phillies would help bring the Cards to the post season by defeating the Braves in an extra inning affair.
The practically impossible had happened. The Cardinals had crawled up from hopelessness to hopefulness. They now had their sights set on a showdown with the Phillies. They were going to play the team that helped them into the playoffs. The team regarded by many as "the best team in baseball."
Tony La Russa knew what lied ahead, and he was ready...
Here is a piece that's a part of a project for 48 hours of football in a college town. You can check out the project as a whole here.
Parents Become School Kids Again
It seems as though every Friday night in the fall is similar. A cold chill fills the lungs, but it’s not the only thing that fills the air. Pride and excitement are what keep fans coming week after week to high school football games in Missouri. Most are parents that follow their sons from game to game and high school to high school.
The fans of Hickman High School are no exception to this. They travel to away games throughout the year. On a 43-degree night in Troy, Hickman fans arrive with the usual jackets and blankets that they have ready to battle the cold every week.
Mark and Mary K. Brown (left) watch Hickman
play Troy-Buchanan with their friend, Sandy Beair (right).
Among those fans are Mark and Mary K. Brown. Not long into arriving at the field, they’re meeting with friends and talking it up with other parents. Mary K. does most of the talking and even leaves Mark and their daughter Jessica to go find seats.
Eventually they meet up again along with their friend, Sandy Beair. The duo of Mary K. and Sandy chat up a storm at the game, talking about anything from their high school days to how the Trojans of Troy-Buchanan run onto the field.
After they run past the band and cheerleaders through a paper sign, Sandy asks, “Why don’t we do that?”
They also talk about their two young boys, Charlie and Shane.
Charlie Brown is a senior offensive tackle, and Shane Beair is a senior wide receiver for the Kewpies. The two boys are good friends just like their mothers. The boys also play baseball together in the summer and hang out at each other’s house “all the time,” says Mary K.
Shane Beair (2) and Charlie Brown (65) stick together.
According to Charlie’s sister, Jessica, the mothers and sons have some more similarities.
“You two are like little school girls,” says Jessica, referring to Mary K. and Sandy.
Mary K. gives her daughter a confused look.
“I’ll tell you when you’re older,” Jessica answered.
While Jessica cracks jokes and Mary K. and Sandy crack smiles, Mark Brown goes virtually unnoticed for much of the beginning of the game. While the girls are busy chatting it up and following along with the Hickman cheerleaders, Mark keeps a watchful eye on the team on the field, particularly number 65 on offense.
Mary K. makes sure he’s doing his job too after nearly every play.
She looks to Mark and asks, “How did he do?” Mark gives her a quick nod and a short “Good.”
Eric Dickerson and Craig James were members of the SMU team that almost lost it all.
The last thing I talked about what was whether those gifted with athletic ability should attend college or jump right into professional play. Much of my argument was for the different kinds of education that the athlete will receive in college both in the books and in life.
But what about when an athlete makes that decision to take his talents to the college level? Recently the idea of paying these athletes has become a popular topic. To me, this is absurd. If you really want to get paid then go pro. Otherwise, get your education and be happy.
That basically sums up what I'm about to talk about further. I've already mentioned that the reason someone goes to college, or what the reason should be, is to get an education. This is something that seems to have been forgotten, not only recently but for years. It's a common joke about athletes that cruise through school on their talent and not their brains, and jokes are almost always based on truth.
Terrelle Pryor has been in the center of
much of the controversy at Ohio State.
But something more concrete has come to light in more recent years. Further back were the incidents at Southern Methodist University where players were played under the table and the university almost lost it's football program due to the severity. More recent issues have been found at Ohio State and Miami University. All of these have shown instances where money and benefits for players became more pivotal than their education.
The NCAA has handed out suspensions and penalties in each of these instances, and that is certainly a good thing to see. I don't necessarily agree with the NCAA all the time, but this is an important thing to happen. Some might say that it is their job, but it's still good to see. Unfortunately, these penalties probably won't change the mindset about college athletics and its athletes.
Most will shrug off these penalties and maybe make some small changes to their programs, but that won't change the big picture. These kinds of deals will continue to go on even after the NCAA is done, simply because the ideals have not changed.
I'm not going to pretend to have the answers, just an understanding of the problem. The true question is not about whether college athletes should be paid, but rather if we should acknowledge that we pay them. Players receive benefits and money all the time, but schools aren't willing to acknowledge it.
Of course, scholarships are one form of payment that NCAA is okay with, and I'm not against it either. Do athletes dedicate more of their free time than most students? Possibly, depending on your thoughts of the "joke" I mentioned earlier. If you don't buy the joke, then these players have the same school work as the rest of us but add all of their athletic obligations on top of that work.
If this is the case, and many would believe it's so, then there is absolutely no reason that some athletes shouldn't be allowed some sort of compensation for their time and representing their respective schools. However, beyond this basic compensation is where the issue begins.
The point of college is education. That is priority one. Some athletes believe that they are special and deserve special privileges, and schools oblige because they are afraid to lose the athlete.
This concern by the schools stems from universities being more business than education. Schools have become more concerned with image and filling seats for a game rather than graduation.
Blame doesn't sit with any one group. Athletes, schools, and even fans need to collaborate to change how we think about college athletics. Then the conversation of whether athletes should be paid wouldn't even be necessary. College is for education. If you want to get paid, go pro.
Speaking with a friend the other day, we were on the topic of LeBron James and we got onto the topic of whether athletes should jump right into a professional career or take their talents to college. This, of course, has been a topic in athletics for years now, and is a part of the debate for paying college athletes which I'll discuss at a later date.
Let's start with going to college. What are the advantages to going to college? There are quite a few. The first is what most seem to forget when discussing college athletics, education. Most people go to college to get an education that will help them be better prepared for the rest of their lives. And I'm not just talking about those boring elective classes that teach you how to grind through long, boring meetings that seem to drag on forever. What I'm more concerned with are the lessons learned that have an impact on the everyday.
In college, you understand that you are part of a bigger picture of things. Whether that is because your university is literally bigger than you or because you realize the importance of teamwork and working with others. You meet a number of characters in college and each presents you with the opportunity to learn how to handle different people. YOU GROW UP!
Now, I don't want this to be simply a Lebron bashing, because that's a band wagon that's easily ridden, but also because I don't have a huge problem with the man himself. He's made some bad "decisions" this year and beyond, but he is still a nice guy with a ton of talent.
Some call Bryce Harper "The Chosen One." Chosen to do what?
Basketball is not the only sport with this problem, Baseball might be even worse about the number of kids that sign with teams right out of high school, or at least at a young age. The Washington Nationals Bryce Harper is an example of this point.
In my mind, both he and James are still kids that still thinks that the world revolves around them and they can get away with what they want. Harper has already been ejected from a number of games in his brief minor league career, and how it happens just demonstrates how much of grown up he has become. His antics don't always get him ejected but they are bad just the same. Whether it's drawing lines in the dirt, spiking his helmet, rushing the approaching dugout, or blowing the apposing pitcher a kiss, Harper still thinks that just because he signed the big contract that he is a big deal.
Harper hasn't even proven that he can play in the big leagues yet, and James chokes under playoff pressure. I don't think there is any doubt that both of these guys are tremendous athletes, but there comes a point where you need to bear down and just do your job.
It's certainly painful, but do they always recover?
But let's pretend that an athlete is not full of themselves and won't get the billion dollar contract. Why should they go to college? The same reasons still apply, because no one graduates high school fully mature. In addition, let's look at the assurance of athletics: none. An athlete can brake their leg or tear a tendon or any number of injuries. If nothing else, injuries can diminish an athletes skills if not completely end their career, and this can happen in an instant at any time. This is the danger of sports, and what do the athletes have after that? Some get into broadcasting, which is hit or miss, but otherwise they can fall off the face of the earth.
A sports career can last, typically, 10-20 years at best, and then they live off their name. But if you don't end up making a name for yourself then you are back to square one. A college education is something that lasts a lifetime and will always leave options in the future. It's just a safe bet and makes sense.
The biggest potential wrench for an athlete becomes affording for college. Some institutions provide full-rides for athletes, but not all do and not all athletes get them. Money is a big player in athletics, and college athletics is no exception. But that's for another time.
Like I said, I know these aren't the only two guys, and I also know that college isn't a complete fix. Some have attended college but still have issues. And there are those who haven't gone to college, have a ton of talent, and still have respect for the the game and their opponents. Atlanta Brave's Jason Heyward is the first to come to mind. He's playing for a contending team and has been a pretty good addition for them.
However, when it comes down to it college is a valuable asset to anyone, and athletes need an education as well. They need to learn how to handle relationships. They need to learn how to handle being on their own. They need to learn how handle life "in the real world," where the world is bigger than them.
Has professional sports lost something in recent years, is it fading away, or is it simply not the norm any more?
How athletes and coaches act nowadays has become a farce of what it was once. Showboating and smack talk have become part of sports whether we like it or not. However, there are some things that are hard to put into words but you know are just plain no-no’s.
Nyjer Morgan (center) being held back by
teammate Prince Fielder (right)
The recent spat caused by Milwaukee outfielder Nyjer Morgan, or Tony Plush or whatever personality decides to drop in, is just a recent example of some of the unprofessionalism in sports today.
Morgan has had a reputation for getting into trouble, most notably last season when he was suspended for 8 games for a number of incidents as a member of the Washington Nationals.
Those incidents, unfortunately, seemed to typify Morgan’s behavior during play, but his actions beyond play are not much better. His public disagreement with his manager would be an example.
For a long time this season it appeared as if Morgan was beginning to change some of his ways. However, that ended this week with the incident against the Cardinals.
According to Chris Carpenter, Morgan had been running his mouth for the past couple of days.
"Every time, every time. When he hit that double he was screaming," Carpenter told MLB.com, referring to a hit earlier in the game. "Yesterday he screamed, a couple days ago when he hit that ... Which I don't mind. Do whatever you want. But when you strike out like that and try to throw the chew (at) the mound to our pitcher and yell? Come on, man. You need to be more professional than that."
In the video, Carpenter had a chance to say two words at most before he turned around. So, in Nyjer Morgan’s mind, his couple of days of mouthing off wasn’t as bad as Carpenter’s two words?
In an interview after the game, Morgan didn’t seem to think that he could be at fault for any reason. But if what Carpenter said is true, then how could he think that? That is unless his actions are becoming the norm of sports.
This would be an unfortunate turn for sports to take. It’s one thing to be competitive, but it is another thing entirely to be a nuisance or conceited.
For instance, I don’t mind barreling into a catcher as long as it necessary and it’s the only way to get to the plate. However, running your mouth every time that you do something just lacks class.
Trust me, Nyjer. You wouldn't
want Albert in the ring.
Morgan also extends his personalities past the diamond. He does have his own twitter account, which some might find entertaining, but sometimes it’s misused. An example would be his comments about Albert Pujols after the altercation the other night.
"Alberta couldn't see Plush if she had her gloves on!!! Wat was she thinking running afta Plush!!! She never been n tha ring!!!"
I’m sorry but let’s look at this practically standpoint. Albert has 3 inches and nearly 60 pounds on Nyjer! Not to mention that most of that difference is muscle. I’m not boxing expert, but I’d say that the chances fall in Pujols’s favor.
Now let’s compare what they’ve done in their careers, to see who “deserves” to smack talk. Pujols has a .328 career average versus Morgan’s .289 average. Morgan has 8 career home runs. Pujols hits 8 home runs in a month. Pujols has 3 MVP Awards, while Morgan has none. Pujols has a World Series ring, and Morgan, apparently, has been in a boxing ring.
So, I think it’s safe to say “What were YOU thinking?” Fortunately, for Morgan, he’s picking a fight with a guy who is least likely to retaliate. Albert will let his bat and baseball glove do the talking for him, rather than get in twitter fight with “Tony Plush.”
Morgan also seems to lack an ability to be humble. So, when he’s on a team that actually can win games and go to the playoffs, something his former teams were unable to do, he feels the need to boast about it. In the interview after the game, he brushes off his behavior on the fact that the Brewers are in first place. His personal sense of superiority absolves him any problems that come up.
Nyjer Morgan is certainly not the only player in baseball, or sports in general, that acts this way, but it’s unfortunate that we even have to talk about these guys.
The true professionals are the ones who let their play do the talking. Those who only know how to bark loudly are the ones that should be heard the least. Both Pujols and Carpenter have handled this better than Morgan, and they are far better than I in allowing some leeway for Morgan's shortcomings.
I don’t know if this is a surging trend among athletes or if it’s an unfortunate smear in our era of sports.
Either way let’s hope that these bad habits won’t continue into the next generation of professional athletes.
Another year, another opening week of college football, and everyone is hoping that this year will be the year for their team. They hope that they can compete for the big prize at the end of the year. Every year it’s the same thing, whether expectations are higher or lower than last year.
This is similar in every sport, but it seems that college football holds something universal. Fans sacrifice, suffer, and enjoy more than fans of most other sports.
For the city of Columbia, Mizzou, and all its fans the excitement has been building up to see how the uncertainties of the season would be answered and if hope for a championship was reasonable. However, when it came to the day itself, fans just looked to enjoy the day.
This would be difficult task for some, given the fact that the game was at 11 o’clock in the morning and that means getting up early for tailgating. On the other hand, that was the least of the worries for the rest.
Mother Nature decided that sweating proverbial bullets over the beginning of the season wasn’t enough, fans had to sweat the natural kind in over 90 degree heat all day.
Whether fans arrived early or late for the game, everyone had to endure a scorching heat that barely let a bead of sweat reach the surface before expiring it. Everyone had to find his or her own way to fight through the heat.
Some tried to drown it by downing bottle after bottle of water or your preferred beverage. There were enough hand fans to make a wind farm jealous, and yes there were poor souls who had nothing to subdue the heat they found themselves enduring.
Some simply baked in the oven that seconds as a football field known as Faurot Field. Unfortunately, not everyone got off unscathed. One girl sitting in Mizzou’s student section tried to brave the heat, but fought a losing battle when she fainted in the second half or maybe a player waved to her.
Either way, many fans stopped waiving and bottles were put down. Fans who had been waiting months to see their team on the field had diverted concern to this girl. Fortunately, she did come to and her friends followed her to be cooled off. In the end, that will probably stick with those who witnessed it for the rest of this season, at least.
Sometimes things get to us. It could be a bad call, a bad season, or even the heat. But fans never let that stop them from hoping for the next game, for their team, or for their fellow fans.
I don't know if you're like me and are kind of wondering what that thing was that lasted 135 days. Oh yeah, the big scary NFL lockout. Yeah, about that... What was the general population getting worried about? Does anyone actually think that a billion dollar industry was going to disappear over night? Of course not.
Both sides had too much to lose to allow for this to happen. The amount of money that the owners make is ridiculous, and almost downright criminal. The players are getting paid plenty as well, but they'd have virtually nothing else for them with a lockout. Unlike the NBA, NFL players are not wanting to play in Europe or any other league simply because there is virtually no money it. NBA stars can still get huge salaries elsewhere, but football is not so far reaching.
SQUIRREL!!!
So, if both sides couldn't let this happen then why was it reported so heavily over the past 4 months? Because, to quote Jon Stewart, "The media really is like the dog in Up."
Stewart wasn't referring to sports journalists specifically, but it certainly is applicable to all kinds of journalists. You look at the history of journalism and you'll see that journalists find a story that seems popular, especially if it's different, and they milk it for all that it's worth until what comes out is absolutely trivial.
Now this may not be a journalist's choice because often they get thrown into stories that they have no interest in or even know virtually nothing about the subject. Trust me, this happens more often than producers, reporters, and audiences would like, but there's little that really can be done about it. However, that's a topic for a very different time and place.
How could you hate that!?
The Proverbial... SQUIRREL!!!
But I digress. In order to stay competitive, news organizations are always looking for something new to get ahead of the competition. Whether it's the tennis ball of a new epidemic or the sound of the mailman's truck with the latest tidbit on Presidential candidate high school crush, journalists chase it down like it's responsible for the shabby doghouse they live in. In this case it's the "NFL Lockout Squirrel" that's drawn the chase of sports journalists. And boy do I hate squirrels, at least in this metaphorical case.
This 135 day marathon followed every bit of that formula for unnecessary coverage. It was something different, it gave the illusion of being something truly scary, and it had the potential for a lot of interesting information, right? Well maybe not so much on that last point. Every day there seemed to be an "update" on the lockout as if something had actually happened. We would hear potential suggestions for the new CBA, but then we'd find out that they barely get past introductions.
Now I'm sure there are diehard football fans that feel they need to be updated on every little bit of information that is available, and that has been geared thanks to the Internet and our obsessive compulsive need to have up-to-date information. However, there is a BROAD line that separates what's important from what's trivial. Quite frankly, I would have been content with the first day being, "There is an NFL lockout" and why, and then the last day being, "The NFL Lockout is over" and here's what was agreed upon.
We're talking about meetings, man. Not a game. Meetings.
Instead, we got a long summer of possibles and maybes, and long time before a real answer. So, what I emphasize about this video is our PATIENCE!
Now if only we could be patient in our informational intake. Unfortunately, journalism is sucked into this "We have to have the breaking news" state of being. People spend countless and pointless hours waiting for the news to break when they could be doing something actually productive. Is it really going to kill the audience if they receive the information 5 minutes later because it will take that long for it to be texted or tweeted anyway?
In the end, this is simply the state of journalism and its audience right now. People want information now, and journalists have to provide it for them, even if the information is trivial.
As for the NFL, the preseason is underway, there are already injuries, there are new rules in place, and it's not really different from any other year. People are going to make the argument that shortened practices and such will be the reason for this or for that, but really it's football! People are going to get hurt for a number of different reasons, most of which don't start with "Lock" and end with "out". Plus there are much cooler ways of getting hurt, like playing guitar hero.
So, the next time the media tells you to be scared about the impending apocalypse, just sit back have a nice chuckle. And remember:
If this guy hasn't predicted it, it probably won't be that bad.
