NBA Season Begins, NFL Season Winding Down

Sports fans, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I personally enjoyed myself over the weekend. After all, what could be better than Christmas Eve NFL and Christmas Day NBA and SNF? It was a good sports weekend.

I'm the first to admit that I've never really followed the NBA much. There isn't a team in my hometown of St. Louis so I tended to follow college basketball more than the NBA.

The big talk around here is of course, the Lakers and the Clippers. The Clippers are now suddenly a real threat with the addition of Chris Paul. There's a lot of bandwagoning going on in LA. Suddenly all of these people are Clippers fans even though they probably couldn't tell you the last time they a) watched a Clippers game or b) went to a Clippers game.

The Lakers are having a shaky start to the season. Not sure if it's time to start panicking if you're a Lakers fan, but they are definitely not the same Lakers team that won the championship 2 years ago. They tried to trade for Paul first, but the NBA rejected the trade, which of course has a LOT of people upset because the NBA approved the deal for the Clippers. I guess I see where the NBA is coming from they are trying to prevent teams from being able to hoard all of the top players on one team. They need to do this, to keep the league competitive. If every NBA player wanted to play for the Lakers and all of the good ones went there and the Lakers won the championship by a landslide every year it would be boring, and fans would stop following the league. Except for Lakers fans of course.

So I get it. Paul definitely seems to be helping the Clippers quite a bit. They've started the season 2-0 and beat the Lakers in their preseason opener. Will be interesting to see how this shortened season unfolds.

As the NBA season starts to heat up, the NFL season is coming to an end, which makes me sad. I know I still have a month of playoffs still but I hate when the NFL season ends.

Tim Tebow's storybook season has had a major reality check the past 2 weeks. If anyone really thought the Broncos would beat the Pats, well, they were proven wrong. Because as bad as the Pats defense is, the Pats offense is just too explosive for Tebow and co to try and overcome all of those points. And then this past weekend Buffalo just crushed the Broncos 40-14. Guess the Disney story is over. However, the Broncos can still make the playoffs. They play Kansas City this weekend and they are beatable (though Green Bay may beg to differ). It looks like it'll either be the Broncos or Oakland.

In the "suck for Luck" race, the Colts won another game this past weekend under Dan Orlovsky. The Rams, Vikings and Colts are all tied for that worst in the league title with only 2 wins, however, the Colts are in the lead due to schedule (the Rams and Vikes had much harder schedules, whereas the Colts had many more winnable games).

It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. The Rams play the 49'ers this weekend. Sam Bradford won't play. The Rams aren't going to win this game. The 49'ers are fighting for that playoff bye week and I don't think they will have too much trouble winning this game (but I could be wrong, the Rams did beat the Saints).

The Colts play the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are just awful. A very winnable game for the Colts. So if you're Bill Pollian and Jim Isray, do you tell the team to basically kind of throw the game to ensure you keep the #1 pick? If the Colts win, they will lose out on that opportunity and it will go to the Rams (unless the Rams win). The Rams won't draft Luck, they already have a franchise quarterback in Bradford. But they can get a lot for that pick, and the Rams need all of the help they can get.

If the Colts win this weekend they may well indeed pass up an opportunity of a lifetime. We all hope that Peyton is able to play again but there are no guarantees. And even if he does play he probably has 3-4 good years left? I think you have to take the opportunity to get Luck. If Peyton turns out to be healthy and good to go then you deal from there, but the Colts have to look to the future. And that's tough for me to say because I really love Peyton and hope he plays and retires with the Colts but we just don't know if that's going to happen or not.

Pro Bowl players were announced today. Tebow didn't make the list, so sad. Honestly? The Pro Bowl is the biggest joke of a game. MLB, NBA, NHL all seem to make their all star games have some sort of meaning or are at least entertaining. The Pro Bowl is a complete joke. Truly. It means nothing, the players just want the honor because it can be added to their resume, and the game just seems to lack any sort of heart. I've tried to watch it but I usually end up tuning it out and it just becomes background noise.

The playoff picture will be complete after this weekend. Looking forward to the final games of the season and the chance to put the Rams and the Colts horrendous seasons behind them and look forward to next year. How about a Colts-Rams Super Bowl in 2013? Hey, it could happen!

Tebow Time

It seems that everywhere you turn someone is talking about Tim Tebow. Every sports talk station I listened to this past week was talking about Tebow. Every interview with coaches, former NFL players, etc. all talked about Tebow.

The Tebow phenomena has seemed to take the country by storm. It is a nice story, very Disney-esqe. In fact, my opening to my fantasty football recap last week was "Coming soon to a theater near you, by Walt Disney Pictures 'Angels in the Endzone' starring Tim Tebow and the 2011 Denver Broncos."

It's so true, right? Hollywood has written this script over and over again. They guy no one thought could have the talent. The team everyone dismissed. Then all of the sudden they have a miracle year and prove everyone wrong.

And it's hard not to like Tebow. He's a very religious guy, but I don't feel like he shoves it in anyone's face. He just is very devout, and in a league that's full of players who accidentally shoot themselves in the foot with a gun in a club (see Buresss, Plaxico), or run a dog fighting ring (see Vick, Michael) or kill someone in a drunk driving incident (see Little, Leonard) it is refreshing to see someone who really seems to have good ideals and values. Someone that we would actually be okay with our kids looking up to and admiring.

Tebow's luck ran out today against the Patriots, but honestly, did anyone really believe that the Broncos could outlast Brady and co? The Pats defense has been atrocious, but the reason the Pats are still able to win is because their offense is so explosive. And while the Broncos defense is pretty solid, after about 3 quarters they started to get tired, and Tebow and co. just couldn't keep up with the Pats explosive offense.

Of course, we knew they would lose. Jesus took the day off. At least, according to SNL he did:

The Broncos still look poised to make the playoffs. Their last 2 games are against Buffalo and Kansas City. Both winnable games (although KC just ended Green Bay's winning streak today so don't count the Chiefs out. Fortunately for Denver they will be playing at home).

Odds are, Denver will make the playoffs. Will they may it to the Super Bowl? Never say never, but it would be a tough road. They'd have to beat the Patriots, Ravens or Steelers. Not an easy feat. But Tebow has God on his side, right?

One thing is for sure, the Broncos are fun to watch and it will be interesting to see how the rest of the season turns out.

Albert Pujols Signs With The Angels

Sports fans, I'm back. I'm making it a resolution for 2012 to actually keep this up to date and write at least one blog a week. I always have so much to say and think about what's going on in the sports world but work and life have been so crazy I barely have time to even relax sometimes!

Last week it was announced that Albert Pujols signed a $254 million 10 year contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. This was a shock to many, as the Angels had not even been reported by anyone in the sports media as being interested in signing him. The Miami Marlins seemed to be the only ones pushing for him other than the Cardinals, and as of late Tuesday it appeared that the Cardinals would likely be able to sign him.

However, in those final hours the Angels came out of left field and offered Pujols the long term commitment and money he was looking for, and ultimately chose to sign with the Angels.

There's been a lot of anger from Cardinal Nation in light of the signing. I've heard of jersey burnings and talks of taking down the statue near his restaurant. This is ludacris.

I don't hate Albert Pujols. He made a business decision, even if he won't admit it. He claims that the Cardinals didn't show commitment and really upset him because their first offer (after the 9 year almost $200 million offer before the 2011 regular season) was 5 years for $27 million a year (which would make him the 2nd highest player in the league). Supposedly he cried. Only $27 million a year for 5 years? Sorry if I can't sympathize with your tears Albert.

Honestly, I do not blame DeWitt in his approach to this. Albert Pujols had to know that there was no way the Cardinals could afford to give him an A-Rod type of deal and still build a competitive team around him. The Cardinals organization saw that Albert wanted more money and they attempted to compromise with a shorter term more money per year deal.

Obviously, the Pujols camp didn't like this (hence the crying) so the Cardinals relented and ultimately offered 10 years for $210 million.

Albert claims it wasn't about the money, but it was. How much time has he spent with the Angels front office vs the Cardinals? It seems he felt that the Cardinals should have been willing to pay whatever for him because the Cardinals got him at a discount for so long. But Albert, didn't you also say you wanted to win? The Cardinals could not afford to pay you what you wanted and still be able to spend the money to keep the team competitive. They tried to offer you something that would earn you enough money to be set for life but it wasn't enough for you.

So, off to the Angels he goes. I get it. He gets the big money deal he wanted. He has the chance to live in LA, and buy an expensive home on the beach with an ocean view if he wants. He has the glitz of Hollywood and will be able to make tons of money with endorsement campaigns as he will be more accessible. But more importantly, the Angels are an American League team. What does that mean? Albert has the option of playing 1st base, or being the DH. If he starts to have problems physically handling 1st base? He can be the DH and retire that way. The NL can't offer that.

So you know what? Good for him. I hope the Angels and the LA fans treat him well. I hope Albert does well, but not so well that he beats the Cardinals. The good thing about this situation is, unless the Cardinals and the Angels meet up in a World Series, won't have to worry about that.

Cardinals fans shouldn't hate Albert. He gave us a lot of fun and great years and he is a good guy who does a lot with charity and I am sure the Pujols Foundation will continue to do a lot for St. Louis, just like former Ram Kurt Warner still continues to do with his charity. But that depends on how Cardinals fans treat Albert following this news. If Cardinals fans run him out of town, what does that say for the best baseball fans in the country? Could Cardinals fans be that horrible to force Pujols to no longer have a presence in St. Louis?

Bottom line, it sucks for Cardinals fans to lose Albert. But the Cardinals are not in bad shape and will continue to compete without him. Who was the MVP of the NLCS and the World Series? Oh yeah, David Freese. Not Albert.

5 years from now, we'll see where Albert is and where the Cardinals are. Albert may help the Angels get to the postseason the next few years. But the Cardinals will still have a good shot at doing that too. Remember they have Carpenter, Wainwright, Berkman, Freese, Holliday, Craig and others who can help the Cards win. The Cardinals will be fine and will continue to compete as always.

I'm sad to see Albert leave, but I get it. I just wish Albert would admit that it was about money and we'd all move on.

For those of you who are still angry, check out this parody:

In general, Albert, I wish you luck. I hate that you aren't a Cardinal but I'm glad that DeWitt wasn't willing to pay $254 million. Thank you for your years with St. Louis. We will remember everything you've done for us and perhaps, someday, we'll see you again in the World Series.

And you know what? We will kick your a#$.

Have fun in LA Albert.

Cardinals Win World Series, La Russa Retires

There's not much to say about game 7 of the World Series because, well, after the first inning the Cardinals shut Texas down and pulled off the win to emerge to their 11th World Series title (2nd highest titles in the MLB).

I'm writing this late, because well, maintaining a blog is harder than I thought and I have not been timely with my posts. But I will say that this World Series title is the most epic in my history. I barely even remember '82 and '06 was great but '11 had that just amazing game 6 game. I will remember the details of that game more than the errors Chris Duncan made in the outfield that could have cost the game in the series in '06 against Detroit but...oh wait I went there. Sorry Chris.

After the World Series parade and festivities on Sunday following the win, La Russa announced his retirement. I was not surprised, thought part of me hoped for one more year. But I understand where Tony is coming from. He had a rough season health wise, and his wife and he's reached the point where he wants to move on to the next chapter of his life. As long as I'm not seeing him in a Cubs uniform next year I'm okay with this. He should retire and enjoy his life. I honestly don't seem him back as a manager, but he will be involved in the MLB. Maybe he should be an announcer. I think he could provide more intriguing insight than Tim McCarver.

There have been many names thrown around for the new manager but my top 2? Oquendo and Matheny. Reason? Trust from the current players. This team is talented and good. They could repeat in 2012, especially with Wainwright healthy. So having a manager they trust and already know could be very good.

We shall see. On top of that Albert Pujols is officially a free agent. Let the bids begin...

Now that baseball is done, and the NBA season seems, well, N/A, it's all about the NFL and the NHL. Plus college sports of course. More soon.

*Edit* This should have published just after the WS. If it didn't, I blame blogspot.

Couldn't Write a Better Script...

Game 6 of the 2011 World Series will go down in the history books as one of the most memorable games in history. The game played out much like a movie script, though I'm not even sure Hollywood could write a better one.

First off, you set the scene. Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals. The air is cold and crisp, as it typical in fall in St. Louis. Hometown fans are nervous, as they know it's do or die time for their team. Visiting team is confident, having a 3-2 series lead and coming off a win at home.

Game begins and right off the bat, Garcia, the starter for the Cards gives up a run. Not to worry, the Cards come back in the 1st with 2.

The game continues with back and forth scoring, and silly errors committed by both teams. Holliday drops a fly ball. Salas has a bad throw to 2nd. And so it continues, until the game is tied 4-4.

Top of the 7th. Texas strikes big scoring 3 runs. The hometown crowd is stunned, but still hanging in there knowing there's 3 more at bats for the Cardinals. Bottom of the 7th, Cards get no runs. Suddenly, a dark cloud forms over Busch Stadium for the home team.

8th inning. Cards shut Texas down, but only get one run out of the inning. Score now 7-5, 2 run deficit.

Cards escape the top of the 9th without giving up a run. Theriot strikes out. Texas is 2 outs from winning their first WS title as Albert "El Hombre" Pujols comes up to the plate. Pujols hits a double and the tying run is at the plate. Berkman walks. 2 on. Craig strikes out. 2 on, 2 outs. It's all up to hometown boy, David Freese, who triples, scoring Pujols and Berkman. Tie game.

It's now in extra innings and the vibe is tense. Jason Motte, the not-quite-officially-named closer is up, trying to get a 1-2-3 inning. Pop up. 1 out. Then, Elvis Andrus hits a single. 1 on, 1 out. Next batter flies out. 1 on, 2 out with Josh Hamilton limping to the plate. Homerun, 2 runs score and now it's 9-7 Texas in the 10th.

But the resilient Cardinals would not back down. In the 10th the 1st 2 batters single, and with the pitcher's spot up Lohse sacrifice bunts and advances the runners to 2nd and 3rd. 2 on, 1 out. Theriot grounds out, and here comes Albert Pujols. They walk him. Lance Berkman is now the last hope for the Cardinals. Down to the last strike for the win for Texas, Berkman hits a line drive and the runners score. Game tied 9-9.

Top of the 11th. Cardinals bring in Westbrook, a pitcher who's hardly seen any postseason time. No problem, the Cards get through the inning with no runs and now it's the bottom of the 11th.

David Freese is up to bat. He had been money in the 9th, driving 2 runs in. Here's the pitch...swing and back back back...we will see you tomorrow folks! Freese hits the game winning home run, forcing a game 7 to be played tomorrow night in St. Louis.

Even Disney can't write a script like this. It is so...indescribable. This Cardinals team, who came back from 10.5 games behind in the wild card as of August 24th, just won't quit, as Joe Buck stated. They would not accept defeat and somehow, with their backs to the wall over and over again, they delivered. I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like it.

And I know I've never seen a game like game 6 of the 2011 World Series, and probably won't see it's equal ever, or at least not for a long time. It might be the craziest game I've ever seen.

And now we look to game 7. In St. Louis. At Busch. With potentially ace Chris Carpenter starting on short rest, thanks to the rain out on Wednesday. I like the odds. I think the Cardinals have a real solid chance of pulling this off.

After all, after a win like that, how can momentum not be in your favor? Plus you have the home crowd behind you?

Anything can happen of course, but one thing this team has taught me is to ALWAYS believe.

And I do believe. I said Cardinals in 6, but I'll take Cardinals in 7.

We'll all know the answers soon. For now, as the legendary Jack Buck would say "that's a winner!" and we'll "see you tomorrow night."

Cardinals are in the World Series!

Okay, so this post is a couple of days late. But to my credit, I've been in a bit a shock about the whole thing. The St. Louis Cardinals are in the World Series after winning game 6 of the NLCS.

The NLCS was not pretty by any means. In fact, the Cardinals relievers pitched more innings than their starters. That's...unnerving. But, at the same time, the bullpen really stepped up. However, one has to wonder how they'll manage the World Series. We could use some good outings from our starters, particularly Carpenter, Lohse and Garcia. Jackson was taken out of game 6 of the NLCS after 2 innings! Though to be fair, the Brewers had to pull Marcum after the 1st. Game 6 was pretty ugly when it came to pitching, the Cardinals just ended up pulling out more offense.

Also, the Brewers made a ton of mistakes. There were so many fielding errors in this series. While I'm happy to see my Cardinals in the series, I do feel bad for Milwaukee. They are a better team than the one we saw in the NLCS. But, as we seem to see every year, teams that get hot late in the season can be very dangerous. And if there is one thing I've learned from the 2011 Cardinals team, it's that they have heart, passion and drive to succeed.

So, here we are. Tomorrow is game 1 of the World Series, in St. Louis (thanks to the NL's win in the All-Star game) against the Texas Rangers. The Rangers don't scare me for some reason. I'm not saying they aren't good, they most definitely are. Nelson Cruz scares me a bit since he's been hot in the postseason. But the Rangers pitching has not exactly been lights out. They are beatable.

We'll see how it goes. I am just thrilled to see the Cardinals make it this far. Of course, I hope they win and if they lose I'll probably be in a bad mood for a few days (come on, there is nothing worse than seeing your team make it to the big game only to lose. Believe me, I know. Superbowls XXXVI and XLIV still hurt). But I will know that this was a team that was never expected to get this far, and they performed far better than I had hoped (at least as of August of this year. You never give up hope, but certainly in August I thought it was a total long shot).

So, let's do this Cardinals. Bring St. Louis that 11th World Series title. 11 in 2011!

Is This Thing On?

Remember when I thought it was an awesome idea to have a blog? Right. Last time I posted something in this blog the St. Louis Cardinals were thought to be completely done for the season. This week they just beat the Philadelphia Phillies in a nail biting game 5 of the NLDS to advance to the NLCS against division rival, the Milwaukee Brewers.

Just goes to show you, never give up. I am truly amazed and proud of my hometown team. This team really pulled it together in the last month and half of the season and every day, there seems to be a new hero on the team. Sure, Pujols, Carpenter and Molina are still leaders. But did you see that amazing play bu Furcal in the game on Friday? And how about Theriot's hitting?

Or maybe it's the rally squirrel. Have you all heard about this? A squirrel ran across home plate right as the pitch was being delivered. See the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsQYS5zS5u4. Brave squirrel, indeed.

It's very exciting, and I'm so happy to see my team have the chance to make the World Series. And strangely, enough, the last time the Cardinals were there they played the Detroit Tigers. Who are currently competing in the ALCS against the Rangers. Potential for a Cards-Tigers rematch? Perhaps.

The Brewers are good. This is going to be a very tough series, for both teams. The Cardinals have this amazing momentum though. Anyway, game 1 is tomorrow and I am looking forward to watching the series.

In football...my teams are both 0-4. The Rams had such promise going into the regular season. Sure, they've had to play the Eagles, the Giants and the Baltimore Ravens and haven't played a single division rival in the NFC Worst yet but wow, has it been ugly. They actually had a chance to beat the Redskins, but the offense is lacking. Not sure what's going on there but changes are needed.

In Colts land, they lost Peyton Manning for the season due to him having to have a 3rd neck surgery. Isray hasn't said he's out for the season, but he is. It's a 2-3 month recovery time, and since he had the surgery right before the start of the season, out for the season.

The Colts pulled Kerry Collins out of retirement to try and lead the team but it's been pretty disastrous. Collins got injured, and Curtis Painter, who looks more like the poster child for a surfing championship than a QB, had to step in. The Colts actually had some life last week against Tampa Bay. Painter threw 2 long TD passes to Pierre Garcon. But, LaGarette Blount was able to run through Indy's D and ultimately TB won. Was nice to see some life in the Colts offense, but it seems to be the "suck for Luck" sweepstakes.

Which isn't a bad idea for the Colts. Peyton is one of my all-time favorite players. But he's had 3 neck surgeries in the last year. That's very troubling, not just for fans, but for him as well. He needs to rest and take care of himself and hope that he's able to play next year.

But the fact remains that Painter is not the future of the Colts team, so taking advantage of this wash of a season to draft Luck? Smart investment. Peyton could come back and give another 3-4 years of greatness. Or, he could be completely done and have to retire. If it's between playing and risking paralysis or not, would you do it? Not saying it will happen but it's possible. 3 neck surgeries is serious.

I hope Peyton is back. I want to see more. Either way, he won't go away. Peyton will be a coach one day, I'm sure.

In other sports news, hockey is back, and the NBA may not happen. No NBA? But what will Ron Artest, excuse me, Metta World Peace do? Dancing with the Stars of course! Oh but wait, he was so terrible he was the first one voted off this season. Stick to basketball Metta.

That's all I have folks. Hope to update this a little more frequently. GO CARDINALS!

Football is Officially Back!

Hello sports fans!

Football pre-season has begun! I cannot tell you how exciting it is to actually watch an NFL game, even if it is just the pre-season.

My two NFL fan bases, the Rams and the Colts met up on Saturday night. Not surprising to me, the Rams won and did so by a really nice margin. I had predicted this, because the Rams played more of their potential starters, and the Colts? Well Manning and Freeney didn't play for one, and the rest of their main starters (Wayne, Garcon, Clark, Addai) didn't really get much play either. Also, the Colts are known to lose in the pre-season yet win in the regular season.

I'm glad it was a pre-season game because it is SO hard for me to choose between these 2 teams. Growing up, I had no allegiance to any team because the Cardinals moved to Arizona when I was 4, and the Rams moved to St. Louis when I was just starting high school. So I've always been a football fan first. We have a good family friend, Pat Leahy, who was the kicker for the NY Jets and we followed the Jets in the years he played. Also followed the 49'ers a bit since I have some family who live in the area and Green Bay, because my mom loves the cheesehat. And we had friends in Wisconsin.

In other words, it's hard for me to figure out who my long term favorite team is. The Rams are the first team I really followed regularly because they came to St. Louis at a time where my sports fanaticism peaked. Sure, they were terrible in the beginning. We had to endure Chris "the concussion king" Miller and Tony Banks as QB's. They were rough years but I got to go to live NFL games finally!

I always had been a fan of college football. My family just always had their favorites (Notre Dame, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Mizzou to name a few) and I used to get such a kick out of watching all of the bowl games back when they all were on or around the same day and you could watch several games at the same time (if you had multiple TV's, like my uncle, or went out to a bar/restaurant).

That's where the Peyton Manning love begins. He was so fun to watch at Tennessee (even if I wasn't rooting for the team, he was fun to watch). Then he chose to sign with the Colts, and I was going to college in Indiana at the time. I didn't want to become a Colts fan, because the Rams were my home team.

But as time went on, and I ended up living in Indianapolis for several years, my respect for Manning just kept increasing. And I found myself rooting for the Colts more and more. I then decided that the Rams would be my NFC team, the Colts my AFC team and should they ever meet in a Super Bowl I'd be totally screwed and would have no idea who to root for.

Anyway, that's just a bit of background of me. So the Colts and Rams pre-season game was obviously of strong interest to me.

I'm not worried about the Colts yet because this is what they do in pre-season. The Rams, however, impressed me a lot. Bradford looked sharp, Dahl, Mikell and Hines all got interceptions (okay, it was Painter and Orvlovsky, but still nice to see good defensive plays). Cadillac Williams ran for a TD and Bradford threw a TD pass. And how about Josh Brown kicking a 60 yard field goal? Did Brown's stock just go up in fantasy football after that? I think so.

Okay, it wasn't just the Rams and the Colts this weekend. Cam Newton made his debut in Carolina and looked good, and so did the Brown's Colt McCoy (one of the best football names, BTW) . The Patriots has a field day with the Jags, Mizzou alum Blaine Gabbert didn't have the best outing but there's time still.

Am looking forward to watching how the pre-season unfolds.

There is this thing called baseball going on. The Cardinals are currently 5.5 games behind Milwaukee, and at this point if they want any hope of making the postseason, they have to win the division. That's going to be really tough. Have to hand it to the Brewers, they've been playing spectacular lately. The Cardinals trade of Colby Rasmus for Edwin Jackson isn't panning out so well so far. If Colby were here would the Cards be in a better position? Doubtful. The pitching is a big problem, so I don't think Rasmus is a factor. However, am sort of feeling like the Cards jumped the gun on that trade and we should have gotten more for him.

We're almost to mid-August, so about a month and half of regular season left. Still a lot of games to play and anything can happen. It'll be interesting to see how it all ends.

I think Philly takes the east, the west? Arizona is in the lead at the moment but I think the Giants will pull off another division win. The Yankees and BoSox? One of them will win the division and the other will be the wild card. The Rangers and the Angels race has been fun to watch. I'd like to see the Angels pull it off. The central? Still could go to Detroit, the White Sox or Cleveland. Nice to see a close race to keep the competition going.

And...that was a long sports rant for me, so I'm going to leave it there. Happy NFL is back, disappointed in the Cardinals but still hoping! More in the world of sports soon!

Free Agency Madness

It was certainly interesting to see all of the moves that were quickly made once a deal was made and the NFL was up and running again. On top of that, the trade deadline for MLB was on July 31st and with the NFL back and running free agency signings seemed to happen every hour. I'll admit, it does make me VERY excited about the NFL season this year.

Quick baseball update...so the Cardinals traded Rasmus, which only time will tell if it's a good deal or not. On top of that, Cards signed former Dodger Rafael Furcal. Furcal is certainly an upgrade at shortstop. I was trying to think of the last time the Cardinals really had a strong shortstop. David Eckstein was really more of a 2B guy than a shortstop (though he does get an A+ for effort. There is a reason why he won MVP in the 2006 World Series), and Edgar Renteria was decent. It was probably back to Royce Clayton, who took over after Ozzie Smith retired in the mid 90's. Wow.

We'll see how he does, if he stays healthy, he can be a big benefit to the team through the end of this season. Would be surprised to see him re-signed next year though. Think he is a short term fix.

Cardinals are currently 3 games behind Milwaukee. They are hanging in there, but I'd really like to see the Cards take the division. It's August, so the time to buckle down and really play like you're playoff potential is now. The Cards have a shot at a wild card spot but I'd rather see them win the division. I'll be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out.

So much craziness in the NFL. Where even to start?

The Colts signed Peyton. I have to admit, I've always had a lot of respect and admiration for Peyton, but he really upped the ante with how he handled his signing. He made it clear he wanted to stay with the Colts but also wanted the team to have the money to keep the team competitive. After signing Manning the team was quick to sign Joseph Addai (who, IMO isn't the best running back out there but he is a great blocker on the field) and get some other players set. The Colts haven't made a ton of moves in free agency, so I'm not sure how they are going to fare this season. The biggest problem is their run defense. They'll have to figure out some way to get the defense together to stay competitive. I still think the Colts are the best in their division, but Houston may end up giving them a good run for the division title.

As for the NFC Worst, I mean West...like a lot of the changes the Rams have made, and think they are definitely positioned to be a better team, though they are going to have a tough time this season. They do not have the easiest schedule. Their home opener is against the Eagles and boy are the Eagles looking scary.

The Rams have signed Walker as a receiver, who I like and just recently signed Cadillac Williams as a potential back-up running back to Steven Jackson, which is a move I also like. Seattle managed to grab Rice, but who is going to throw to him? The Cardinals got Kolb, which means Fitzgerald will have someone to throw to him but the Cards also lost some key players. And the 49er's? Well, they didn't do much. So who do I think has the best chance of winning the NFC West? The Rams. The Rams have amped up their defense and offensive line, they have Bradford coming off of a pretty amazing rookie season, and quite frankly, the competition in the NFC West, as it has been, is still not that high.

There were a lot of interesting moves, of course. Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson is a Patriot. I suppose of all people to possible keep Chad in line, Bill Belichick is the one. They also picked up Albert Haynesworth, 'nuff said. Randy Moss decided to retire (or at least, that's the last I heard). Plaxico signed with the Jets. Personally, I'm just glad he's not in St. Louis. Plax can see if he can find a rhythm with the Jets but he was too much of a gamble. I like that the Rams signed Sims-Walker, he's young and I think he could be great with Bradford.

Other important news? My second favorite NFL player of all time, Marshall Faulk, was entered into the NFL Hall of Fame this weekend. What an amazing and humble athlete he is. He's had an amazing career, and I'll admit, until Marshall came around, I couldn't name a Rams running back. Quarterback? Wide Receiver? Of course. RB? Nope. Faulk made me appreciate the skill and importance of a RB and boy, was he fun to watch. He deserves this honor, so happy for him. He's the first St. Louis Ram to enter the hall (I said St. Louis, not Ram) and I know he's going to be followed by other greats like Bruce, Warner and Holt. I have so much respect for him. Thank you Marshall, for what you brought to the game, and for being an awesome person inside and out.

I'd talk about Tiger Woods golf news but I honestly don't care. Is that bad? Perhaps. I'm anxious for NFL to start and for the Cardinals to gain some games on the Brewers so they can get back into first place.

And that's it for now sports fans. More of my thoughts on the sports world to come soon!

Rasmus Trade & NFL is BACK!

Hello sports fans!

Only have a few quick moments, promise a longer post later this weekend.

Colby Rasmus trade: Expected, but did not turn out the way I thought. I like that the Cards picked up some pitching, which they need desperately but not sure it was worth dealing off Rasmus. However, maybe his issues with LaRussa were bigger than we thought. Starting to make me wonder if it might be time for Tony to retire. We just gave away our biggest hitting prospect for what? Maybe a chance to win the NL Central this year. But next year? And the next? Who knows. Maybe Rasmus will do better in a different environment, maybe not. We'll just have to wait and see.

NFL is BACK! Thank goodness I don't think I could have survived without the NFL this fall. Since the lockout has ended so much movement going on it's crazy! But kind of fun to see hour by hour what happens.

I have a lot to say about what's going on but have to keep this short for now.

First, Rams just signed Mike Sims-Walker and I like this. The Rams needed a veteran wideout. We weren't going to get Rice, and I'm on the fence about Plaxico and Edwards. Sims-Walker is young and I'm interested in seeing what Josh Daniels can do with him, and how he and Bradford work together.

In Colts news, Vinateri and Bullitt have been signed. Peyton Manning...still waiting. Isray has insisted that he wants Peyton to be the highest paid athlete in the NFL. Peyton today said that he'd take less money if it means he gets a deal signed and that the team has money to sign other players. Wow. Talk about a team player. Are you listening Albert? I have always had so much respect for Manning but this is really admirable. Hell, he makes enough off of endorsements anyway!

That's my quick update for now, more later this weekend when I have time to actually write.

Are you ready for some football?

Talkin' Baseball...

The All Star Break is over, so we are more than half way through baseball season. The Cardinals are still hanging in there, right now it's a 3 way race for the NL Central between the Cardinals, the Pirates and the Brewers. However, pitching is still a major problem.

The Kyles, Lohse and McClellan have struggled lately. The last 14 games started by either Kyle? Cards are 1-13. Ouch. Bernie Miklasz has a great article about this here.

As the trade deadline looms it is clear that Mozeliak needs to focus on finding some pitching or else the Cardinals are really going to struggle down the stretch and any hope of playoff contention may be out the window.

There has been lots of talk about the possibility of trading Colby Rasmus. I have mixed feelings about this. For one, the Cards have invested a lot in him and it would be a shame to trade him only to see him succeed elsewhere. On the other hand, there is the drama of the Tonys. Tony Rasmus, Colby's dad, and Tony LaRussa, Cards manager. Colby has been struggling lately at bat, certainly not at the level that Cards staff or fans hoped. Bernie thinks that it might be wise to send him back to AAA Memphis for awhile, if the Cards decide to keep him. Perhaps that may help. They have to do something. Can't let him continue to slump and just watch him fail.

If they do trade, they can't trade low, it would have to be a great deal, and my personal opinion is unless there's some top notch pitcher out there that we can get and possibly sign at the end of the season to a longer term deal, I don't know if trading him is the best idea. I'd hate to see Colby traded for a short term fix that may or may not pan out.

Many professional players are sent back to the minors to help them focus on things they are having problems with and they come back stronger and better players. So that is my hope for Colby. If the Cards really want to keep him, then let's find a way to help him get back on track so he can be the player we all know he can be.

NFL news...the owners have come to an agreement to end the lockout. Now, the players have to come to a decision. That's going to take a lot longer, and it looks like the opening preseason game featuring the Rams and the Bears is going to be cancelled, which is a total shame. I was really looking forward to the Rams getting some high profile coverage, it being the first game of the NFL season (and televised nationally) but things were going to be postponed or cancelled, we all knew it.

I just hope a deal is put in place soon. I don't know how I would survive the fall without NFL football. I'm already reading to start planning my fantasy football teams.

At least, I know for sure, college football will be in full gear shortly.

Apparently keeping up a blog is harder than I thought. If football season was in gear I'd be posting at least once a week. I love baseball, but it's a long season and it hard for me since my team is in St. Louis and I'm in LA, so I hear a lot more about the Dodgers and Angels.

The Mavs on the NBA championship. Well deserved. Dirk is a beast. What an amazing player to watch. I would have liked to see the Lakers do a 3-peat, but they just were not on it this year. The Mavs played hard and in the end LeBron just could not lead Miami to the win. Which makes me happy, as I'm not a huge fan of LeBron. Is he talented? Most definitely. But as a person? Don't really care for him.

Speaking of the NBA, what in the world is up with my bro Ron Artest changing his name? Ron explains the name change here, but still. Metta World Peace? Ochocinco I can understand, even if it is incorrect Spanish (ocho = 8 cinco = 5. 85 = ochenta y cinco). I just...well, good luck getting people to call you that Ron.

The NHL finals came down to a grueling battle between Vancouver and Boston and in the end, the Boston Bruins pulled off the win. So what did fans in Vancouver do? Riot. The Bulls won the NBA championship in 1992 and which resulted in riots in the city. They WON. Vancouver LOSES and riots ensue. Really Vancouver? So not classy. Makes you wonder what would have happened had they won. Yikes.

Baseball, baseball. Pujols got injured, came back and the Cardinals still have no bullpen. Yet they are tied for 1st at the All Star Break. Though right now the NL Central is pretty much up for grabs among the Cards, Brewers, Reds and...the Pirates? Wow. First time in a long time I can recall them being in the running. It'll be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out. The Cardinals organization is going to have to do something on the pitching issue, because even though they are hanging in there in the NL Central, there's no way they'll get further than a division title without some help.

Speaking of the All Star Game, for the second year in a row the NL won. I'll admit, I only watched bits and pieces of the game (although to my credit, the game started at 5pm my time. I didn't even get home until 6:30). I'm glad to see the NL dominating after so many years of the AL winning. I still hate that the All Star Game determines home field advantage. I understand why Selig did it, I just don't agree with it. Home field should go to the team with the best record, just like the NFL.

Oh yes, the NFL. Talks have resumed and today the top players said "we want a deal." Please football gods, let's end this. Players should be reporting to camp any moment now. We're a month away from preseason. Just settle it before things get even uglier than they already are.

Okay, promise to post more and resurrect this blog. More of my thoughts on the world of sports soon!

I Fail At This Blog

So...a month and no update? I know, I fail at this.

So...what's been happening?

The Lakers totally fell apart, and the Mavs crushed them in a 4 game sweep. Don't know what to say about the Lakers. They blew it.

So now? I'm rooting for anyone but the Heat. Sorry LeBron, just can't get into your court. So, go Bulls and I suppose go Mavs. That could be a fun final. Chicago-Dallas.

Cardinals baseball has been promising despite the loss of Adam Wainwright. However, the recent sweep in Cincy was no bueno. Good news? Cards are only behind one game, and it's a long season still. A lot can happen between now and September.

NFL...well. mediation is scheduled to continue on June 7th. I'm already tired of this. I want to see my man Peyton play this fall. I want football, I miss it already! There is just something about football, I don't know what it is, but I love it.

Got a long way to go, and no telling how these talks will go. Just want an assurance that football will resume in August (pre-season) as planned, is that too much to ask?

Cards Owning It in the West

The Cardinals have suddenly got hot. I'm not sure what exactly happened, but I'm not complaining. Lance Berkman has 6 home runs already this season. And it's...April 17th. Outstanding.

I had the opportunity to go to the game on Friday. Yes, I went into Dodger Stadium wearing my Cardinals gear (not obnoxious about it, just wearing the Cards stuff) and did not get beat up or hounded at all. Of course, the Cards won that game 11-2. Dodger fans didn't really have much ground to give me trouble. Plus, security is AMPED UP. Everywhere I looked there was a security officer.

Glad to see the Cards hitting. We've had excellent pitching for the most part so far, but the offense has been awful. Keep it going boys.

In other news, basketball playoffs have started. And won't end until sometime this summer. No really, basketball won't end until like late June. It's fun to watch but wow, still a lot of games left to play.

Cards May Need a New Closer...

The Cardinals went to San Francisco today to take on the World Champion Giants. Despite the fact that the Cards came back to pull off a lead in the top of the 9th, once again, Ryan Franklin has two outs, men on base and boom! Gives up a hit that ties the game in the 9th. The Cards ended up losing in the 12th.

Manny Ramirez announced his retirement today after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. Are there any players left in baseball who aren't taking any drugs? Not really surprised by this news, but disappointed nonetheless.

In other news, Peyton Manning and his wife Ashley apparently gave birth to twins. The Manning dynasty could continue through Marshall, baby boy Manning. No one knew the Mannings were expecting, they kept it very private. Good to know that celebs can live a private life in a world where Lindsay Lohan's home is on constant watch.

Congrats to Peyton and Ashley. Now if the NFL can just reach an agreement with the players so the Colts can sign Peyton to a long term contract. That would make me happy.

Sports Madness

The NCAA Championship Game was on Monday, and unfortunately, my Butler Bulldogs did not pull off the win. They had a very tough opponent in UConn, and in the end, UConn was able to break through Butler's defense and once they had a 10 point lead, Butler had no chance.

Both teams played hard, and in the beginning the defense on both teams was very strong. But Butler kept missing shots that they shouldn't. Matt Howard had an awful day, and when he has a bad day that is not good for Butler.

Congratulations to UConn, they played a great game. And congrats to Butler and coach Brad Stevens. They made it to the championship game 2 years in a row. They didn't win, but that's still impressive to get to the final game both years. I think Butler will be a contender for a long time as long as Stevens is still around.

Baseball season has begun and the Cardinals look...well, scary. They had a chance to win the home opener and our closer, Ryan Franklin, gives up a home run with 2 outs in the 9th. *Head desk* It's going to be a long season, I'm afraid.

A lot can happen, there's many more months to go. I'm going to a Cardinals-Dodgers game next week, it may be the only chance I get to see the Cards live this season. Hope they look stronger next week than they have so far. Of course, it would help to get Matt Holliday back in the lineup. Word is, he is not going to be placed on the DL. Hope he heals fast and is back on the field soon.

In Lakers news, they have been on fire since the All Star game. They have already clinched their division, so playoffs are inevitable. Can they three-peat? I think they have a solid chance. Not sure what exactly changed after the All Star game but the Lakers need to keep at it. I'm happy to see them doing well and would love to see them three-peat.

What else...I've sort of lost interest in hockey since the Blues aren't going anywhere. The NFL is still on lockdown and we have the draft coming up. That should be interesting. Not sure what's going to happen here. Teams will make their picks but won't be able to sign them until a deal is done. With this in mind, it'll be interesting to see how teams approach their picks. As it looks right now, a ruling may not happen before the draft.

One thing's for sure, the world of sports is never dull!

NCAA Madness

I have been very lax in updating this. Been quite the busy month, much to catch up on!

So the best thing about March is...the NCAA tournament of course. And this year it definitely delivered when it comes to crazy upsets, underdogs making it and screwing up everyone's brackets.

I had picked Kansas to win in my bracket. I'm not a fan of Kansas, as I'm a Mizzou fan and well, Mizzou fans are anti-Kansas. However, I felt that watching the team the season they seemed like the team to beat.

Well, they got knocked out of the tournament by VCU. Um, yeah. Who predicted that one? I'm okay with it messing up my bracket though because I am so happy to see the teams that made it to the final 4 duke it out.

My favorite? Butler. Coach Brad Stevens went to my alma mater, DePauw University. So I am thrilled to see his team doing so well. I hope they win the whole thing. I think they have a real shot. If there's one thing this team had proven, it's that they do not give up. At DePauw we have a saying. It goes like this: DePauw never quits. Perhaps that bit of wisdom has been passed from Coach Stevens to his team.

Also in basketball news, Matt Painter turned down the Mizzou job offer and is staying at Purdue. I hope I'm not the only one surprised by this. I just couldn't see him leaving Purdue. So, the search continues for a new coach for Mizzou. Did see some mumblings on stltoday.com's message boards about Brad Stevens. Ha. He's not leaving Butler any time soon, I can guarantee you that!

In other big news, tomorrow is THE day. Opening day, that is. Baseball is finally here and ready to go. I'm nervous about the Cardinals season but am optimistic. The great thing right now is that everyone starts at 0. And there's a long season of baseball. You never know who will step up as a hero or what casualties you might endure. Playing this season without Adam Wainwright is going to be super tough for the redbirds. But, the Cardinals have one of the best pitching coaches with Duncan and Kyle McClellan has looked sharp in spring training as a starter so we'll see how that goes.

Either way, I'm excited for baseball season to begin. It's just one of the best sports there is, and there's nothing like going to a baseball game. I will be watching my Cards take on the Dodgers in a couple weeks as the Cards head to LA early this season. Might be the last time I see Pujols in a Cards uniform (I hope not).

Speaking of Albert, check out this awesome site if you want to keep Albert as a Cardinals: http://www.stlwantspujols.com/. May not make a difference in Albert's ultimate decision, but it can't hurt!

Oh Boy...

I am not particularly fond of TMZ, mainly due to the fact that I believe there are more important things going on in the world than Lindsay Lohan's latest court drama or another one of Charlie Sheen's rants.

However, had to share this because it's just too funny. And yes, it's sports related.

Yes, that would be MVP quarterback Tom Brady, wearing a headband similar to something Kimmy Gibbler wore on the 80's/90's sitcom Full House. Here's the link to the TMZ article.

Tom, dude. Seriously. What is going on? As Hans and Frans would say, "you look like a girly man." It's beyond time to cut the hair. Start looking like a man who goes out and plays tough football and less like a future model actor for a Pantene commercial.

I think Kimmy's facial expression in her picture sums this up nicely. "Really? Really Tom?"

Plaxico...

It's March, and I haven't updated in a bit. It's not due to not following sports, it's just that things have been really busy and I haven't had much time to write down my thoughts.

Apparently, Plaxico Burress will be released from prison on June 6th. I have heard lots of talk about the Rams potentially signing him to help fill their wide receiver void. My response to this is, "are we really that desperate?"

No offense to Plaxico, well wait, yeah, it is. The guy is in prison because he was carrying a gun without a holster in public and it accidentally shot off. Fortunately no one was hurt, except for poor Plaxico who shot himself in the leg/foot. In more ways than one, haha.

I'm sure he's had a chance to keep in shape, Michael Vick certainly came out of prison in prime football playing condition.

But I don't know if I want that kind of drama in Rams park. The NFL is full of divas, Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and T.O. come to mind. I would hope that if Plaxico returns to the NFL he can remain focused on the game and certainly won't be wandering around with guns in his pocket.

I guess he's worth a look, though I hope the Rams can do without. Draft a good wideout early on and start building for the future.

In Cardinals news, the loss of Wainwright hurts but spring training continues and the Cardinals seem to look okay so far. We shall see how things proceed. Only a month away from opening day! Cannot wait for the regular season to start.

Have more thoughts on everything sports in my world but will have to follow up on those later.

Boyes Traded to Buffalo

My favorite Blues player, forward Brady Boyes has been traded to Buffalo. Granted Boyes production in the past 2 years hasn't been nearly as good as his first two seasons but he was still my favorite. In return, the Blues will receive a 2nd round draft pick in 2011. Not a bad deal at all from the Blues organization standpoint, but it's still going to be sad to not say "yeah Boyes!" at Blues games.

In Manning news, talk are ongoing about signing him to a new contract but no deal seems imminent. I'm sure the Colts will be able to find an agreement with Peyton, but it's not going to be a quick progress.

As a follow up to my last post, Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright is out for the season. He needs Tommy John surgery. Major blow to the Cardinals. Now they are going to have to struggle to try and make up for one of their ace pitchers. Don't write them out though. As Bernie Miklaz, pointed out so perfectly in his recent article for the Post, the Cardinals still have a great chance at winning the NL Central.

Let's hope so, because if the Cards hope to keep Pujols come the end of the season, being a winning team will certainly tip the odds in their favor. Pujols wants money, but he also wants to play for a team with a chance to win.

So the Cardinals still have to try and find a way to win. Without Wainwright.

NBA All Star Game and More

I'm a bit late on posting about the NBA All Star Game. I did watch the game, at least, most of it. I have to say that it was a fun game to watch. It's nice to see the players out there having fun and showing off their talent.

Kobe Bryant had a big day. Just mere hours after Kobe became the first non-actor to land a spot in cement at Graumann's Chinese Theatre, Kobe became the MVP of the All Star Game. In the end, the game ended up being somewhat close by Kobe and the West ended up with the win. Congrats to Kobe on both his permanence at Mann's and for his MVP performance in the game. Was very fun to watch.

Have been a bit distracted today as a major issue arose in Cardinal Nation today. Adam Wainwright, one of the team's ace starting pitchers, left spring training with an elbow injury. The team is waiting on a second opinion before making any announcements but it looks like Wainwright may need Tommy John surgery, and if that's the case, bye Waino. Maybe we'll see you next year. Obviously I want what's best for Adam and wish him well but if he's out for the season, wow, what a blow to the Cardinals. First they don't sign Albert, then they lose Waino? Not a good start to the season. And it the regular season hasn't even started yet!

In NFL news, mediated talks continued today between the NFL and the NFLPA. The news? Well, nothing yet. They're still talking. At least there is movement forward to get a resolution. Plan is to reconvene on Friday, so we'll see how that goes.

The Colts organizations says they are making progress towards signing Peyton Manning to a long term deal. Signing Manning has been stated at the team's top offseason priority. Manning will likely end up as the top paid quarterback in the league, and I can't really argue with that. Though I am a bit biased, anyone who knows me knows that Peyton is my favorite NFL player, and has been for a long time.

That's all for today. More updates soon!

Weekend Update

It's NBA All Star Weekend in Los Angeles. When it comes to NBA basketball, I must admit that I am behind the curve when it comes to following the sport. St. Louis didn't have an NBA team, so growing up I watched a lot more college basketball (cannot WAIT for March Madness to begin!) than pro.

Los Angeles is beyond a doubt a pro basketball town. In St. Louis, almost everyone (guys and girls) are Cardinals fans and can at least talk at some length about the sport, the team and their favorite players.

For Los Angeles, that's the Lakers. Though there is this incredible basketball player that everyone is excited about and he's not a Laker. That would be Blake Griffin, of the LA Clippers.

The big talk of the week was the Slam Dunk Contest, which Blake Griffin would be competing in. I was unable to watch much of the contest but this year the contestants did not disappoint. It is amazing the talent that these players have.

Blake Griffin won, with his final dunk involving him leaping over a car and slamming the ball into the net. I'm still baffled and I've watched it over and over again (thanks sportscenter!). See the video here, courtesy of ESPN.com.

The NBA All Star game is tonight. The Lakers have Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol starting for the West, and the Clippers have Blake Griffin. Nice representation for the LA area. Should be an interesting game to watch (at least, WAY more interesting than that joke of a game called the NFL Pro Bowl). Will have some post-game comments after the game tonight.

In other sports news, the Rams released O.J. Atogwe in a somewhat odd move at a first glance. Otogwe was due a 8 million dollar roster bonus on Monday. Ah-ha! In an effort to not have to pay that bonus, the Rams opted to drop him, in the hopes that they will be able to re-sign him before the season (which is highly likely). I hope they do re-sign him. The Rams have enough issues that need to be addressed (mainly on offense - wide receiver needed for Bradford ASAP!), replacing Otogwe does not need to be one of them.

In hockey news, the St. Louis Blues made some bold moves on Friday in order to try and help salvage a lackluster season. They traded defensemen Erik Johnson, Eric Brewer and forward Jay McClement, and in return picked up forward Chris Stewart and defensemen Kevin Shattenkirk (is that his real name, or his Star Trek name?).

As Johnson was the Blues #1 pick in 2006, this move has some scratching their heads. However, Johnson has been a bit of a disappointment. He was not the consistent player the Blues had hoped for.

If there was any worry about how this trade may impact the team, the Blues came out last night and in stunning fashion killed the Ducks in a 9-3 win. New forward Chris Stewart scored 2 Power Play goals, and Shattenkirk looked sharp and earned his first assist on a Power Play.

Erik who? Though it's early, it appears that this move was an excellent choice by the Blues. They need to put themselves in the position to win more games and if Johnson wasn't fitting the bill, time to get some new blood on the team. Hope this means good things for the Blues in the future. They are dead last in their division right now, so it would take a lot of things to happen for them to hope to make the playoffs.

And now, to prepare for the NBA All Star Game. Go West!

Edmonds Retires, Colts Drop Sanders

I have a special place in my heart for Jim "Jimmy Baseball" Edmonds. During his tenure as a Cardinal, he was one of my favorite players on the team. He is perhaps, one of the greatest centerfielders the Cardinals have ever had, and I can still remember going to games and watching his amazing ability on the field.

He also was an excellent power hitter in his prime, and I will always think fondly of the days when the Cardinals had the Power 3: Edmonds, Rolen and Pujols. They were on the team that made it to the World Series in 2004 and should have won. Yes, I'm still bitter about that one.

So, I was very excited to hear that the Cardinals organization had signed Edmonds back to the team in January, even if it was to the minors with odds of him actually playing being slim. Why? Edmonds wanted to stay in St. Louis and be a Cardinal. But the Cards released him and he still wanted to play, so he played for other teams. But I will always think of him as a Cardinal and am happy to hear that he has opted to retire and therefore will retire as a Cardinal. Thanks for the memories Jimmy. Wish you all of the best in retirement. Maybe you can come back to the Cards as a coach someday?

In other big news, Jim Isray, owner of the Indianapolis Colts announced that they have dropped safety Bob Sanders. Sanders is known for his hard hitting on defense (I saw him many times dive head first to get a tackle), but that hard hitting has left him to be injury-prone in recent years. So while some may be surprised by this move, I am not. The Colts have had a lot of new defensive players step up in Sanders absences due to injury, and if you look at the Colts season this year defense wasn't really their biggest problem. Injuries on offense and lack of a solid running game played more of a factor. Freeney and Bullitt were on fire many games this season. Sanders who?

I'm sure Sanders will find another team to sign with. The Colts have a lot to think about right now, and some of that is opening their payroll so that they can sign Peyton Manning into contract. No doubt this will happen. Unlike the Cardinals situation with Albert, Isray will do whatever it takes to keep Manning, and is prepared to pay top dollar.

The NFL Draft will be coming up shortly, and it will be interesting to see how it turns out. The Colts need a running game, that's for sure. The Rams need a wide receiver. I can see them drafting Julio Jones from Alabama, and most of the mock drafts seem to agree. Sam Bradford is the real deal, and the Rams need to focus on building a team around him by giving him strong receivers to throw to. If Donnie Avery is back and healthy, that will help a lot. But I think they will still draft a WR.

Will post more NFL draft thoughts as it gets closer.

Albert Pujols, Part Deux

So a deal won't happen (if he happens) between the Cardinals and Albert Pujols until the end of the season. Not really that surprising. There have been many rumors about what the Cardinals organization offered, but no one really knows what went down.

When you really think about it though, it's sort of smart on both parties to wait until the end of the season. What if the Cardinals offered the $30/10 deal and Pujols has a down season and they could have signed him for less? On Pujols side, he wants to be the highest paid player in baseball. So, why not wait and see if free agency gives him that chance? Even if he wants to stay a Cardinal, it forces the Cardinals to compete with the market.

Pujols is dedicated to the team and has made it clear that he plans to do what he has always done. Work hard, be the best player he can be and hopefully help the Cardinals win a championship.

He arrived in Jupiter today to start spring training. The Post Dispatch quotes him as saying the following: "It's part of negotiations with the Cardinals," Pujols said. "I have so much respect for this organization. They gave me the opportunity to play 11 years ago. No matter what went down yesterday because of the deadline, it doesn't mean I don't want to be a Cardinal."

I say, take the man's word for it. I don't for one minute believe the Cardinals don't have a significant chance of signing Albert beyond 2011. It's just not going to happen right now.

Good news? Baseball is almost here! I hate the time of the year after football ends and baseball begins. It's the worst time for sports. I like hockey and basketball, don't get me wrong. But football and baseball are my primary loves.

Cardinal Nation, you may be upset that "El Hombre" is not a guaranteed Cardinal after this season but the good news? You have him now. And the team has a great shot of having a decent season this year. Bring it boys. Let's Go Cardinals!

Albert Pujols

This week is a big week in the world of Major League Baseball. Spring training officially begins for the 2011 season!

Oh, and this guy named Albert Pujols has a deadline for negotiations with the Cardinals on the possibility of re-signing and ultimately finishing out his career as a Cardinal.

Reports thus far about how contract negotiations are going? No one really knows. Pujols and the Cardinals front office agreed to postpone today's original deadline to noon EST tomorrow in order let Stan "The Man" Musial have his day today. For those of you who don't know, Stan Musial received The Presidential Medal of Freedom today from President Obama. Check out the Post Dispatch's article on the festivities here.

I truly hope that Albert re-signs with the Cardinals and retires as a Cardinal. If this happens, he will be remembered as one of the greatest Cardinal players in history, on a par with Stan Musial.

But I can't blame him for wanting to test the free agency market. There's nothing wrong with seeing what you can get. It doesn't mean he can't still sign with the Cardinals. It just means he can explore his options. But I shudder at the thought of Albert in a Cubs uniform just because they were willing to pay just a bit more than the Cardinals. Hell, I shudder at the thought of Albert in a Cubs uniform PERIOD.

Albert has said repeatedly how much he respects the Cardinals organization, and how much he'd like to stay and retire a Cardinal...I hope that he really means that. The Cardinals need to pay him. Maybe not what he wants, but come close. He's earned it. Do you really want the best player in baseball to walk off and become a Cub? Yankee? Angel?

There are only a few teams that have the pockets to afford Pujols, and some of those teams have already signed first base players to high paying contracts (Yankees, Red Sox). It doesn't make sense for those teams to dish out the money for Albert, it would be only for the sake of having signed the best player in baseball.

I hope that Albert and the Cardinals shock us all by announcing tomorrow that the deal is signed, sealed delivered and Albert is officially a Cardinal long term.

If not, it's going to be a long season with constant whispers and theories on when/if Albert will sign with the Cardinals, or what other teams might approach him. Though Albert has said once spring training starts he doesn't want to think or talk contracts, do you really think he and his agent are not going to look at a significant deal if the Cards pitch one to him? I think they would be incredibly stupid not to.

Either way, if a deal isn't announced tomorrow, it's still far from over and it's going to be a long season of speculation. The Cardinals have to focus on the 2011 season and hopefully getting to the post-season. And Pujols will be there to help lead the way. At least until the end of 2011.

California Sports Diva!

Welcome to the California Sports Diva blog! I have thought about writing a sports blog for some time, and have finally gotten around to taking the time to get one up and running.

This blog is going to be about my thoughts about anything sports related. As any sports fan, I do have my loyalties to certain teams and that will become more and more evident as I post. But, I will try and post about any major sports item of note, regardless of what team is pertains to.

Just to get it out of the way, my favorite teams are: St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Lakers, St. Louis Blues, Mizzou Tigers and DePauw Tigers (they may be Division III, but it's my alma mater!).

Okay, so you may be wondering...if I'm the California Sports Diva, why so much St. Louis love? I currently am a resident of the beautiful Los Angeles, California, but I was born and raised in St. Louis, MO. While I love living in LA, I still root for my hometown teams. I don't believe in changing allegiances just because you move. I for one, will be a loyal Redbird fan for life, no matter where I live!

I hope to make this a fun, somewhat humorous blog about all of the craziness going on in the world of sports today. Enjoy reading!