Man-Crush Overload!!

In this video (which has no sound for some reason), you see President Barack Obama throw out the first pitch in the 2009 MLB All-Star Game. Catching the pitch is Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols. Both of these guys show up in my man-crush list.

Even in complete silence, the images are inspiring!

L'affaire Cutler

For the last couple of weeks, I've been following the Jay Cutler story with great interest. This is, of course, Jay Cutler the QB for the Denver Broncos, not Jay Cutler the professional bodybuilder. I'm not sure if anybody outside the sports media or the Denver area (or a Broncos fan) is as interested in the story as I am.

And that's what I don't get. Why, exactly, am I so interested in the story? I have no particular stake in the Denver Broncos. I'm not a hardcore fan, but I don't wish them a losing season. They're a classy organization in the NFL. And I like Jay Cutler. I think he's a fine young QB.

I've posted (shared) at least 1 or 2 stories a day on Facebook and Twitter. The above clip is from ESPN's "Around The Horn" program a couple weeks ago. You can find all these articles out there on the web. My Facebook friends are probably getting annoyed with these postings.

So, I was reflecting on why this story is so fascinating to me. It really shouldn't be. It's your basic "I'm being disrespected" story. It's also a story where I truly can see every side's point. I think that's 1 reason I find this story so compelling. Each side in the dispute makes some valid points. Each can make the argument that they are "right". That makes for some interesting observing.

But, when all is said and done, it comes down, really, to 1 thing. I miss football season. I love football. I love the NFL. I love spending Sunday afternoons and evenings watching America's real game. Since there's no more drama on the fields right now, I have to settle for drama off the field. And you have to admit that this story is way more interesting than pre-draft manufactured hype.

Erie Vs. Plymouth Pics (3-1-09)

I went to Erie, PA today to see the Erie Otters take on the Plymouth (MI) Whalers. It was mostly a good time. Erie was simply outplayed. There's no other way to say it. True, the 3rd period was really exciting, but the scoring and plethora of fights was simply a matter of too little, too late.

But all was not lost! I had a really cool experience at the game. Just a few feet above where we were sitting, the radio play-by-play guy for the Plymouth Whalers was doing his broadcast. So, I got to see a live game with live play-by-play! It was fantastic!

It did not get my picture with the mascot, as I had intended. But there's still a couple more games I plan on attending.

Anyway, enjoy the pics!

The Teams List

Here again, we have list that many (including myself) would be surprised to discover hasn't been published on here sooner. It's a lsit of all the sports teams I root for. Some I grew up watching, other I just jumped on the bandwagon. Regardless, they are just another facet of me. Anyway, this list encompasses a wide variety of teams and sports. Enjoy!

1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. St. Louis Rams
3. St. Louis Blues
4. Buffalo Bills
5. Buffalo Sabres
6. Erie Otters
7. Fredonia State Blue Devils
8. University of Nebraska
9. University of Buffalo
10. Los Angeles Lakers
11. Missouri River Otters*

This team actually no longer exists. But I still keep their memory alive.

Erie Vs. Oshawa Pics (1-30-09)

Last night, a friend and I took a trip down to Erie, PA to watch the Erie Otter take on the Oshawa Generals of the OHL. Good game: good offense, good goaltending, a couple good fights. A night of good hockey.

Enjoy the pics!

The Pundits List

I've been a fan of the op-ed column since high school. These little essays are usually a good way to get a good discussion going. And, with the advent of blogging, it seems like everyone is a pundit (myself included)these days . But here's my list of my fave pro pundits. Some are political and some are sportswriters. As always,. the list is in no particular order.

1. Robert Scheer
2. Joe Conason
3. Greg Freeman (RIP)
4. Jonah Goldberg
5. EJ Dionne
6. TJ Simers
7. Bill McClellan
8. Kathleen Parker
9. Kevin Blackistone
10. Jason Whitlock

0-16's Linehan Experiment

I won't belabor the point here. Nor will I drudge up the past with this post. All I will say was that the Scott Linehan era in STL was less than stellar. In the interest of fairness, so was the Jim Haslett era.

I bring this up for one reason. I read today that Scott Linehan will be the new Offensive Coordinator for the Detroit Lions. As many are aware, the Lions are the first team in NFL history to complete a 0-16 season. You might think that this is a perfect opportunity to gloat about Linehan going to the one team that could possibly be worse than my beloved Rams.

But I will not. I will take the high road. Think about it. The last 2 years in STL, the Rams won a grand total of 5 games. If Linehan puts together an offense that can win 5 games in 2 years for Detroit, that's a vast improvement over their last season, in which the won a grand total of 0 games. That may not be much, but it's a start. There's a lot to be said for baby steps. Plus, for one reason or another, some people make great coordinators, but lousy head coaches. Just part of the game.

Besides, I have to wish Scott Linehan luck there. I have no animosity toward the Detroit Lions. I look forward to their yearly game on Thanksgiving Day.

After all, I don't wish anyone a completely winless season. One win, fine. And there's only 1 team I'd like to see have a 1-win season.

I should note, the above pic was taken after Scott Linehan's last game as the Rams' head coach on 9-28-08. There's no place to go but up. Here's to improvement, Coach Linehan!

Rooting for Kurt Warner

So, I find myself in an interesting situation. I now find myself rooting for the Arizona Cardinals to win the Super Bowl. After years of hating the Cards for leaving the STL, I now wish them all the success in the world.

This is due primarily to the QB, Kurt Warner. I'm totally in the tank for this guy. And yes, that's mostly because he used to be the Rams QB. And yes, because he was the Rams QB who won the Super Bowl. But, if that's not good enough, I don't know what is. (BTW, the pic of Kurt holding the trophy is from that magical Super Bowl!)

Good luck, Kurt! I know I'm not the only Rams fan pulling for you.

Scorched-Earth Rams

So, my beloved St. Louis Rams made a couple changes. They fired their whole coaching staff. This means that Jim Haslett (my personal pick) will not be the head coach. A total scorched-earth policy.

But, I remain cautiously optimistic. The rumor is that Leslie Frazier (defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings) is the fave candidate. Here's hoping he does a great job! All he has to do is win 6 games, and he'll have won more victories than the last 2 seasons combined.

The actual photograph above is Jim Haslett. Sorry it didn't work out coach. I was pulling for you.

Guns & Pants

The headline in the Yahoo! article reads: "Guns, pants seized at Burress' home". Is that really a phrase you want to see in a headline about yourself? This, of course, refers to the recent travails of NY Giants WR Plaxico Burress. Still, though. Would you want a headline about yourself to have that phrase? Just trying to find a bit of humor in sad situation.

Here's the link: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=ApkYqQX4GPHtou7GgLRRpXM5nYcB?slug=ap-burress-searchwarrant&prov=ap&type=lgns

Avery's Suspension

By now, this clip has been seen around the world. It features Dallas Stars hockey player Sean Avery making some off-color remarks regarding players who date his ex-girlfriends.

I felt like I had to comment on this. See, regular readers (going back to the old MySpace and Yahoo 360 days) know that I've had several relationship which ended badly. Some of my reactions to those badly-ended relationships ended up on those old blogs. And those comments have gotten me into varying degrees of trouble at times. So, in a sense, this post is really a plea for leniency for Sean Avery.

Is this much different than my old postings? (Don't worry, I beleive they've been taken down.) True, I didn't go the extreme that Avery does. But still. We all say dumb things. Sometimes those dumb things are said more publicly than at other times. I also have be a bit more careful about what I say, when I say it, and who I say it to.

It's no secret that Sean Avery is not well-liked by his teammates. And, it seems likely that Avery is probably being punished for his enitre body of work as a pest in the NHL. That's no original thought. But is this worth an indefinite suspension? Watch the clip and decide for yourself.

The Sports Nickname List

Not many of us get to play pro sports for a living. Which is OK by me. I mean, I'd be happy with a pro paycheck, but I wouldn't be the same if I weren't a pastor. Of the few that do play professionally, there is an even greater group. I'm speaking, of course, those that get nicknames. Here's a list of my faves. As always, the list is in no particular order.

1. The Polish Rifle (Ron Jaworski)
2. The Freak (Jevon Kearse)
3. The Big Hurt (Frank Thomas)
4. The Golden Jet (Bobby Hull)
5. The Great One (Wayne Gretzky)
6. The Fridge (William Perry)
7. The Wizard (Ozzie Smith)

I know this list is skewed to American sports. If any of my international dear readers have any nicknames abroad, please feel free to leave a comment. I also am aware that I am probably skipping some.

Fredonia State Hockey Pics

These photos are a bit overdue as well. I took that at the Friday night matchup between SUNY Fredonia and SUNY Morrisville State. Enjoy!

The Mike Shannon List

Admittedly, Nik and I have shared a good many laughs at Mike Shannon's expense. So, here's a list of people's names that I would probably pay money to hear Mike Shannon say. If you're unclear about why this list is funny, email me, or ask any local St. Louis Cardinals fan. As always, the list is in no particular order. Also, most of these people are football players.

1. Ben Roethlisberger
2. TJ Houshmanzadeh
3. Oshimago Atogwe
4. Nnamdi Asomugha
5. Adawale Ogunleye
6. Akbar Gbaja-Biamila
7. Charlie Dooley (shout out to Nik!)

If you have other suggestions, feel free to comment.

Random Blues-Sabres Pics

Here's a couple pics from the Blues-Sabres game the other night. The Blues lost 4-3.
Enjoy!

I'm just posting these for the sake of posting something.

Giving Props to a Division Rival

The San Francisco 49ers are in the same division as my beloved St. Louis Rams. But, I have to give them props for hiring Mike Singletary as their head coach. Just like with the Rams and Jim Haslett, I believe a new era is starting out there in the Bay Area. After all, it's not really a great rivalry anymore if both teams are mired in a culture of losing.

I've liked Singletary since his playing days with the Bears. And I'm surprised he hasn't been up for a coaching gig up to now.

This video is his press conference after the game. Enjoy!

Here's to a renewed rivalry!

Not The Way To Win Votes

From the STL paper:

"The Blues rolled out the blue carpet for Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin Friday night, and in a bizarre accident, goalie Manny Legace tripped on the carpet before the game and eventually left with a strained left hip-flexor."

Now, I wasn't going to vote McCain-Palin before this incident. But taking out my goalie isn't going to win you any points.

Photo: http://www.stltoday.com/sports#stl-masthead

Rams Finally Win!!

I like the way the Jim Haslett era is beginning in the STL. My beloved Rams finally won their first game of the season. Last season, they took until Week 9 to get that 1st one.

The game came down to a final field goal by Josh Brown. It would have been an easy 33-yarder. But Richie Incognito decided he needed to start using profanity with the officials, and make things interesting by getting a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and backing the Rams up 15 yards.

This isn't the 1st time I've had issues with Incognito. I've long felt that he's a hothead who puts the Rams in bad positions. Coach Haslett needs to cut him and send a message. If this is indeed a new Rams attitude, then Coach Haslett should make Incognito into Persona Non Grata.

In the pics, the top one is from the STL paper. The middle one is Josh Brown out of uniform. The bottom one is Coach Haslett walking by. Clearly, the bottom 2 are NOT professionally taken. They're from my cell phone, and were taken after the Rams-Bills game a few weeks back in the STL.

Vacation Pics- Cards Game

These photos were taken at Busch Stadium. My dad and I went to the game. Enjoy!

Highs and Lows- NFL Week 2

let's start with the lows. My beloved St. Louis Rams got abused again by an NFC East team. Do not get me wrong. Those are great teams. Philly finally has a healthy Donovan McNabb. And the NY Giants are the defending Super Bowl champions. But seriously, the Rams do not have any plays inside the opponents' respective Red Zones at all.

There is something seriously wrong in that organization. And I'm not sure where the problem lies. If I'm being honest, it's probably at every level. Since their Super Bowl loss, they seem to have embraced a culture of losing. And when losing is described in terms of a "culture", you know the problem is systemic and not just a couple of isolated proverbial bad apples.

People are clamoring for head coach Scott Linehan to be fired. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I mean, I don't want anybody to lose their job in this economy. On the other hand, changes do need to be made and they should start somewhere. That's not to say that firing Coach Linehan is the answer. Like I said, this is a culture of losing. In that case, everyone should be on notice.

The highs: My adopted AFC team, the Buffalo Bills, is now 2-0. At least I have that to look forward to this season.