Tuesday Reading And...

4 Maccabees 2.


Does anyone not in the media care about this Jason Collins thing?  I really don't want to know what these people are doing off the field, regardless of the side of the street they're walking on.

Is this going to be the new stat announcers will let fly during the game? 

"Coming in to pitch now for the Cardinals is Joe Schmo, a hard-throwing left handed gay guy"?  Or "entering the game for the Knicks is Kilroy, a heterosexual shooting guard"?  Does that info really matter?

Will it be a stat at the bottom of the TV screen when a hitter comes up?  Average, HR, RBI, orientation?  Will they put it on the back of bubble gum cards?

Why not also report how many partners they've had, if this info is really relevant to sports.

Enough already.

Monday Reading And Tardiness

4 Maccabees 1.


I hate being late.  So I wouldn't want to be some of my plants this spring.  I have yet to see the lilacs bloom. The redbuds have just started, I just noticed a few flowers today.

"Welcome to the party, pal."

It's May in 2 days.  We are about a month behind where we were last year.  Most trees have no leaves yet, and they're going to be falling off in 5 months or so.

They're officially AWOL.

Weekend Reading And Bible Apps

3 Maccabees 7.

Just started using the ESV Bible app on my phone during Sunday School.  It's pretty fast to look things up.  I also have the catechism on my phone.

What other church related apps should I get?

Friday Reading And Busch Stadium

3 Macabees 6.


I am still of the opinion, in the stadium's 8th season (hard to believe), that the left field part of the stadium looks unfinished.  It shows a complete lack of thought and creativity.

I know I am biased in thinking the old stadium was far more attractive, and could have be renovated in a way to update it to the 21st century.  Like they're going to do to Wrigley Field.

Given my bias, though, don't you agree?

Thursday Reading And Movies

3 Maccabees 5.

I don't go to a lot of movies, but I am looking forward to Iron Man 3 and Star Trek this spring.  Although I haven't seen a lot of ads for them.





Maybe because HGTV and DIY doesn't fit the ad profile for these movies.

Wednesday Reading And A Fast Start

3 Maccabees 4.

When I saw the Cardinals opening schedule, with 15 of the first 21 game on the road, against Arizona, San Fran, Pittsburgh, Philly and Washington, I thought a  near .500 record, 9-12 or 10-11, would be fantastic.  I'm amazed that the Cardinals have managed 13-8.

Gotta credit Mitchell Boggs...errrr, I mean Matt Adams and Shelby Miller and Adam Wainwright.

I just hope there's no letdown now that this harder section of the schedule is done.

Tuesday Reading And GBS

3 Maccabees 3.

People are dropping like flies.  Good thing flies don't drop like people, I guess.

Just read that George Beverly Shea died at 104 years old.  There was a time when Billy Graham Crusades were on the air every few months.  We used to watch them when we could.  I don't think there's been one on TV for a few years.

Anyway, George always did the warm up on the broadcast for Mr. Graham.  His voice was stunning to hear.  Wish I could sing like that.

Monday Reading And Pujols

3 Maccabees 2.


Last year I checked Albert Pujols' stats fairly frequently.  It was a good way to entertain myself.  This year I've checked them twice.  I'm hoping that means I don't care much anymore.

When he signed with the Angels, I thought it would take 4-5years until it looked like the Cardinals made the right decision.  Although he had been in decline for the last 2-3 years he had been with the Cardinals, I thought his production would continue to be at least All Star worthy for a few years.

So far, the Angels haven't even gotten that.  His numbers have been average to above average.

Ten years, Angels?  But look on the bright side, Angels fans.  At least your not paying him $241 million, instead of just $240 million.

Weekend Reading And Cars

3 Maccabees 1.


Car shopping this week.  Keeping an open mind, although I'm anti-SUV.  Any favorites?

Friday Reading And The Office

2 Esdras 16.


Lots of news these past few days.  Which means like me you probably missed the reports flying around that Steve Carell was on set when "The Office filmed its finale.  But does it mean he'll be onscreen playing Michael once again?  We'll know in less than 4 weeks.

Thursday Reading And Pat Summerall

2 Esdras 15.


Interesting discussion on local radio after Pat Summerall's death this week.  Whose voice is the soundtrack of your life?

Summerall and Madden are definitely football.  Although some argued Cosell and Meredith.

Buck and Shannon are Cardinal baseball.  Although Harry Carey got some votes.

Basketball for me is Marv Albert.  College football definitely Keith Jackson.  College basketball Enberg, McGuire and Packer.

Golf is also Summerall.  And tennis.  So I guess that means Summerall had the most impact, over all other announcers, in my lifetime.

But the biggest reason he is the greatest is what follows. 

He was the voice of Cartoon Network's "The Big Game".  And in life, even when all other things are equal, being the voice of The Big Game always trumps not being the voice of The Big Game.

His unmistakable voice hits the mark at 3:09.

Wednesday Reading

2 Esdras 14.

Interesting book, this one is.

Tuesday Reading And Math Problems

2 Esdras 13.

I think this comic routine is fairly old.  I'm pretty sure I saw it on I Love Lucy maybe, although the premise I'm sure is from much earlier.

I know I saw a variation of it on The Dick Van Dyke Show.

But this one, I think, is the best, due entirely to Carroll O'Connor.

Monday Reading And Bullpen Woes

2 Esdras 12.


We'll soon have a gasoline shortage if the Cardinals bullpen doesn't keep dousing certain victory with it and setting it all on fire.  I seem to recall 2011 starting out like this.  Although in the end that didn't turn out too bad.

Weekend Reading And New Unis

2 Esdras 11.

Loved the look of the new alternate uniforms in action for the first time.  I'm still not sure about the "St. Louis" on the front, but the piping and Musial tribute patch as well as the off white color really clicked.

Friday Reading And Just A Bit Long

2 Esdras 10.


Courtesy Jim Rome. 

Jarrett Jack "jacks" one up at the buzzer.  He almost made it.  If by "almost made it", I mean it landed where no ball has ever gone before.

Thursday Reading And I Smell A Rat

2 Esdras 9.

Denard Robinson is the latest athlete to butcher a first pitch.  How can these people perform so badly?


There are so many bad first pitches, I'm beginning to think these people are doing this on purpose to get air time.

Wednesday Reading And It's About Time

2 Esdras 7:132- 8.

In almost 9 years and 2115 posts, I've never wrote the words "how about those Knicks?"  Until now.  First division title in 19 years.

Tuesday Reading And KY

2 Esdras 7: 1-131.

Even though I like UK, it's nice to see the NCAA championship stay in-state.

Monday Reading And College BB

2 Esdras 5-6.


I don't have a cat in this hat, but I think everyone can agree that the officiating of the national semifinals was atrocious.  I hope tonight it is better.  Basketball refereeing, more than any other sport, is too subjective to be anything but whimsical.

Weekend Reading And Google Alternatives

2 Esdras 3-4.


I've been using iGoogle for several years.  Also Google Reader.  Both are being phased out this year.  So I'd like to know what to use to keep feeding me my favorite blogs and what to use as a home page.

In the past I have used Yahoo as a home page.  It was alright but not the greatest.  I might try it again.  I've also used Bloglines, but got away from that to use Google Reader.  I've thought of going back to it.

Anyone with any ideas, please let me know.

Friday Reading

2 Esdras 2.


The season is going pretty much as I thought it would so far.  A couple of tough series to start off against Arizona and San Francisco, at far less than full strength of a lineup.  I'm just glad to have 1 victory right now, although with a little luck could be 3-1.

I was thinking the Cardinals would be 2-4 or 1-5 heading home.  I'm leaning toward the latter right now.

Thursday Reading And Roger Ebert

2 Esdras 1.

I've been following Roger Ebert's blog the past few years.  I've been following his career for the last 35, give or take, dating back to the original "Sneak Previews".  So his death today bothers me.

He grew up down the road from me in Urbana and was a proud graduate of the University there.

His was probably my favorite blog.  There was always something interesting, even though I didn't often agree with his politics, and definitely did not agree with his views on evolution or theology.

He had a way of putting thoughts on "paper" that reigned supreme above all others.  I consider him the greatest writer of my time.  My favorite posts on his blog were those on his remembrances of life growing up in central Illinois.  The best one, about "Steak 'n Shake" restaurants, is a must read.

Then there were the posts about his devastating illnesses and, pardon my saying, the flaws in his appearance the past few years.  He never seemed embarrassed or ashamed, and seemed to even keep a sense of humor about them.  I'm sure it helped a lot of people.

In my high school years, Ebert was known as "the fat one" on his and Gene Siskel's "Sneak Previews".  I know that's a less than kind way of referring to someone.  But we weren't right, anyway.

That he was a proudly agnostic evolutionist is undeniable.  My hope is that he rediscovered his Catholic faith before he died.  A recent post about this made me wonder if something was up with him.  Today's news of his death confirmed that there was.

Wednesday Reading And Red Hats

1 Esdras 9.


I like the Cardinals' look in red caps on the road.  But I don't like the supposed conspiracy behind it, which I learned about from Uni Watch.

Tuesday Reading And Jack Pardee

1 Esdras 8.


A lot of people know the Chicago Bears as the Monsters of the Midway.  Not me.

During my life, they have sort of been the antithesis of the Cardinals.  They have one championship in the last 50 years.  If it wasn't for 1985, they would essentially be the Cubs football doppelganger.

When I was growing up, the Bears stunk.  From 1969 to 1975, the Bears won 1, 6, 6, 4, 3, 4 and 4 games.  They won more games in 1985 and 1986 than in those 7 years combined.

In 1975 the Bears hired Jack Pardee as their new head coach.  It was also the year that Walter Payton arrived on the scene.

For the first time in my life I had hope the Bears would be good.  Unbelievably to me, they made the playoffs the 1977 season.

And then Pardee bolted the Bears for the Redskins.  Talk about feeling betrayed.  I was happy when his next stint was not successful.  He then moved on to another NFL team and then the college ranks.

But he did change my expectations of the Bears' performances from one of perpetual losing to one of hope.  When I heard he died yesterday, I had to make note of it somehow.

Monday Reading And The Great DIY Videos

1 Esdras 6-7.


Opening Day is here, and the Cardinals kick it off shortly. 

The final videos in the baseball season countdown are DIY projects from YouTube.  In my opinion, I've saved the best for last.

The first one is my favorite video.  It brings a smattering of historical Cardinals interspersed with David Freese and the final out of 2011.  There's Stan the Man and Ozzie and Bob Gibson and Dizzy.

But my favorite part is the face Yadi makes at around 4:05, the moment of victory, his smile about to split his face open in pure joy.  We all know what that feeling was like, and his smile just captures it perfectly.

It's the smile of winning.  Nothing tops it.  Video 2 captures that same moment from the perspective of the fans and conveys that same feeling.

Now, let's do it again this year.  D.V.