Sunday, October 30, 2011

A Temporary Post

I'm sure MLB will pull it soon, but for now they are allowing the embed of this video. So I can't not post it.


I Know That Guy

It's our very own Angus, who trekked down to Busch Stadium Friday Night to join in the fun. He even got in to the ballpark later after the game.


NFL Picks Week 8

Football seems like such a letdown after the events of this week. The experience of it all proves once again that, for pure excitement and unbridled joy, baseball is still king.

But, this season will soon pass into a memory, and football marches on.

Last week was my poorest performance of the year, an 8-5 mark. For the year that puts me at 73-30. ESPN Experts here. That's first place for me!

Another 3 games missing as there are 6 teams with byes. Including the Bears, who could use a week off. The next month of their schedule looks brutal.

Good looking game Monday Night, my initial instinct was for San Diego. But I'm no longer going against the teams that have momentum.

Baltimore.
Carolina.
Houston.
Giants.
New Orleans.
Tennessee.
Detroit.
Buffalo.
Seattle.
San Francisco.
Pittsburgh.
Philadelphia.
Kansas City- Monday Night.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

I Don't Know Why I'm So Tired

"Is this really happening, Bill?" - Jack Buck at the end of Game 1 1988 World Series.

It's just a silly game with sticks and balls, right?

Then why do I feel so great?

Thanks to the Cardinals for the most thrilling month of baseball I can remember.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

NFL Picks Week 7

What's going on here?

Last week's 10-3 makes my record on the year 65-25. Last year it took me until week 13, in December, to reach 40 games over .500.

This surely won't continue.

I feel funny even posting about football with the World Series going on. But it's difficult to blog about baseball right now.
Long time readers know of my unwillingness to comment on baseball series while they are going on, although I have occasionally broken that rule.

But I'll make one baseball comment as it relates somewhat to football. Last night's game featured a blown call that may or may not have had something to do with the outcome of the game. The NFL doesn't allow that to happen due to instant replay. You've got to get it right when two teams are playing for a championship.
The baseball powers have to do something about their lack of instant replay usage.

At any rate, back to football picking. I'm in second place, one game behind Golic. The rest of the ESPN Experts picks are here.

Six teams have a bye this week, thirteen games on the slate.

And there are still 3 winless teams- St. Louis, Miami and Indianapolis. I'm starting to become a believer, that it's possible any of them could run the table in reverse like the Lions 3 years ago. Having two teams do it would be awesome.

Jets.
Chicago.
Carolina.
Detroit.
Cleveland.
Miami.
Tennessee.
Oakland.
Pittsburgh.
Green Bay.
Dallas.
New Orleans.
Baltimore- Monday Night.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

World Series Eve

"It's official and I now can admit it. I have absolutely no clue what this Cardinals team is going to do or where they are going to finish. Or what cartoons they like to watch in the clubhouse (although I sincerely hope Jonny Quest and Pink Panther are in the mix).

Injuries to key people, blown saves, and losing streaks equal first place.

This season is just plain inexplicable.

But it is fun to watch.
" -- Scottius Maximus July 5, 2011.

Little did I know...

Right now, on the eve of the World Series, I'm strangely relaxed. Just like I was at the start of the NLDS against the Phillies.

But that didn't last long. In fact, after the Cardinals jumped out to a first inning lead in Game 1, I really thought they had a good chance to win. And when you think you have a chance, the relaxation ends. I was hooked and reeled in at that point.

What followed was lots of baseball fueled anxiety only a playoff situation can engender. Every pitch becomes a possible game changer, heightening and sharpening one's senses to the slightest shift in momentum.

It's a good feeling when it's over, although not so much while it's occurring.

That's wrong...it's not a good feeling- a great feeling! Sunday night I couldn't help but recall the exhilaration of the 2006 pennant.

That feeling you get from winning the pennant...is just a "very Brady" feeling:


Five years ago, no one gave the Cardinals a chance. At least this year, no one has said "Rangers in three", like they did with the Tigers.

For the first time in 29 years, the Cardinals have home field advantage in the World Series. I hope it ends like the last time the Cardinals got 4 games at home.

Then, of course, there's going to be the lack of sleep for the next week. Because the games go on and on, the adrenaline is going, and then one must watch the post-game interviews on ESPN News or MLB Network. Makes for some late nights.

But who'd trade a World Series appearance for a few hours more of sleep?

Sunday, October 16, 2011

NFL Picks Week 6

Last week's record of 10-3 puts me at 55-22 for the year. I am now in a tie for second place with the ESPN Experts, a game behind Hoge.

At least this week I won't have to pick between watching the Bears or the Cardinals like I did on last Monday night...oh no, wait a minute, I see the Cardinals-Brewers game has been changed to a night game now that Texas has finished off Detroit. That's nice.

The Bears looked hideous last Monday night. I mostly watched baseball, flipping back to football to check the score from time to time. What I saw when I did watch was an embarrassment. The entire offensive line including coaching is a nightmare right now.

And they've done the impossible. They've turned Jay Cutler into a sympathetic figure.

I'm sure NBC is very happy to have the Bears on their only game of the week. They'll certainly have a lot to talk about.

Six teams once again have byes this week, leaving us with only 13 games. A lot of potentially good games this week.

I'm shocked at the number of people still picking Philadelphia at this point. And I'm shocked at how bad the Rams and Colts are. At least the Colts have an excuse.

Detroit.
Green Bay.
Atlanta.
Cincinnati.
Giants.
Pittsburgh.
Washington.
Baltimore.
Oakland,
New England.
New Orleans.
Chicago.
Jets- Monday Night.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Tuesday Reading

The Maps.



The umpires in the NLCS are terrible. They are inconsistently calling balls and strikes and missing plays as well. I hope they don't cost someone the series.

Not that an umpires call could cost a team a championship or anything.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Weekend Reading

Revelation 17-22.


Hard to believe but we've done it again. And in record time. Although I doubt we'll win anything.

I'm not sure why, but we're done more than 6 weeks sooner than last time we did this in 2009. Did we miss something?

Anyway, thanks for playing. We'll do it again some time.

Sunday, October 09, 2011

NFL Picks Week 5

Last week was another 11-5 week, the 3rd time in 4 weeks with that record. For the year I am 45-19. That's good enough for a 5th place tie with the ESPN NFL Experts.

The quarter was 8-8, 29-34 on the year. I think it's fair to say the experiment is over. I CAN do better than a coin flip this year.

First bye week of the year, six teams are sitting it out this week. So there are only 13 games.

And, of course, there's a Bears game Monday night. Which brings me to an ethical dilemma, what do I watch tomorrow night?

Why they are having baseball opposite Monday Night Football is beyond me. But I'll bet there will be complaints about the MLB NLCS ratings being down this year. It isn't hard to figure out. They stick the game opposite the Bears on MNF. And they stick it on a remote outpost of a channel on TBS.

And they wonder why ratings keep falling. The baseball powers are just stupid. Playoff games should begin late afternoon or evening, and be only on the big 4 networks. Period.

But I digress, this is supposed to be a football post.

The Jets are in trouble, just like the Bears, who will probably fall 3 games off the pace this week.

Pittsburgh.
Giants.
Cincinnati.
New Orleans.
Houston.
Buffalo.
Indianapolis.
Minnesota.
San Francisco.
New England.
San Diego.
Green Bay.
Detroit- Monday Night.

Friday, October 07, 2011

RALLY SQUIRREL! RALLY SQUIRREL!



Oh, and Carpenter helped, too.


Thursday/Friday Reading

Revelation 9-16.


This is hilarious! The Rally Squirrel is really quite cheeky. Wish I'd have thought of this, but I do not twit. He does have over 17,000 followers in just a few days. Hat tip to ESPN Page 2.

Update- this is also great!

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Tuesday And Wednesday Reading

Revelation 1-8.


Great playoff series so far. Looks like Carpenter will go again on Friday. There's no one else on the team right now or in the past 24 years who I'd rather see get the ball with everything on the line. Even if he isn't what he used to be.

Monday, October 03, 2011

Monday Reading

2 John, 3 John, Jude.


It's amazing how I am not at all "relaxed" anymore about the playoffs, even though 2 days ago I was. I'm going to lose a lot of sleep again this year thinking about and watching these games.

Sunday, October 02, 2011

NFL Picks Week 4

Last week's 12-4 was another excellent week. I am now 34-14 on the year. Never expected to get out this fast. ESPN Experts here. I'm one game back of Golic, tied for second with Schefter, Schlereth and Wickersham.

My quarter on the hand, is struggling, a disastrous 6-10 last week, 21-26 for the year. If it doesn't do better this week, the great quarter picking experiment will be declared over. It wouldn't be ethical to continue on.

The Bears, of course, got jammed by the refs last week. Not that they deserved to win that game, they were clearly outplayed, but they still could have won if it wasn't for 2 bad calls. The Bears season is on the line this week.

I'm not surprised, I fully expected to see them fall back to the pack this year.

We have Minnesota and Kansas City in the Futility Bowl this week. Minnesota has been less awful, but I'm going for the home team.

The Chiefs nemesis, the Raiders, look great, however. They appear to be back. The Raiders should run all over the Patriots mediocre defense.

Last week before the byes.

My picks:
Dallas.
Chicago.
Buffalo.
Cleveland.
Kansas City.
Washington.
New Orleans.
Houston.
Philadelphia.
Giants.
Atlanta.
San Diego.
Oakland.
Green Bay.
Baltimore.
Tampa Bay- Monday Night.

Quarter picks:
Dallas.
Carolina.
Buffalo.
Cleveland.
Kansas City.
St. Louis.
Jacksonville.
Pittsburgh.
San Francisco.
Giants.
Atlanta.
San Diego.
Oakland.
Green Bay.
Baltimore.
Indianapolis- Monday Night.

Sunday Reading

1 John.


I stopped watching after the top of the 6th. So...the Cardinals won, right? Right? Please tell me they did.

What? What could have possibly went wrong?

I can't believe LaRussa is gambling tonight, throwing Carpenter out there with 3 days rest, something the old guy has never done in his career. Just proves that desperate people do desperate things. I like it. Why not? It's going to take some risk taking to win this series.

Saturday, October 01, 2011

Saturday Reading

2 Peter.


No worries this playoff round. As far as I'm concerned the Cardinals are playing with house money, fortunate to even be in the mix. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Kind of like 2006, when no one gave the Cardinals a chance, it appears even fewer than no one is giving them a chance this year. I don't dispute that the Cardinals aren't the favorites, but to give this team "no chance", as Baseball Tonight's Karl Ravech said on Scott Van Pelt's radio program, is a bit of a stretch.

Really? No chance?

Then again, St. Louis hasn't won a post-season game since this.