What Is This?

Signs of life from the Cardinals? A come from behind victory, including 3 runs in the bottom of the ninth? A win for Anthony Reyes?? Clutch hitting from Rolen??

WTF?

Oh well, today is a Kip Wells start, against a pitcher the Cards haven't seen before.

Uh oh.

UPDATE:

The "Uh oh" warranted as the Wells and the Cards went down 5-0. But the storming back to win 9-5 is something else.

So they have won 4 of 5. A few more stretches like that and I might just post more often.

Not Quite A Corpse Yet

But between the farts and halitosis the layman could never tell the difference.

I couldn't be less inspired on the sporting front. It's especially depressing given that I have just entered the 21st Century and have a new 40 inch LCD flat panel TV on which to watch all of the god awful shit that has passed for sport the past few weeks. For Christ's sake, Miss Marple and Simon Schama's Power of Art Series on PBS have been the highlight of my summer.

The only good news is that I have yet to watch a Barry Bonds AB this season (or probably since 2005) and in the last 24 hours the Tour de France has melted down into a total doping fiasco. These two drug fueled comedies have been fun to watch. Sadly, Friday's Stage 18 passes through Domme, La Roque Gageac, St. Cyprien and Le Bugue. These are beautiful places I know very well and I had been looking forward to watching a real race pass through there. Oh well.

On the plus side, in a few short weeks, the Illini football team will begin yet another embarrassing Big Ten season....

I'm Not Dead

But I don't smell too good.

Actually, the real world is doing a bit to kick my butt these days. Some of it is good as I am preparing new classes I'm to teach in the fall. Other things are more speculative. (I'll go into those things later...maybe.) In any event, I've had little time to devote to sport blogging although not much has changed.

A) The Cardinals are still not good enough to be a .500 team.

B) The NHL season is still too far away.

C) I've seen DC United play maybe once in 8 weeks, which isn't enough to offer an even half-assed opinion. (I know, I know...like that has stopped me before.)

D) I've seen no Aussie rules this season at all.

E) The mere idea of Billiken basketball seems a far away promontory. (Ha! That high school English class finally payed off.)

F) The Cards still cannot beat Zambrano.

G) The Cards still make every AAA or AA rookie left-hander look like Cy Freakin' Young.

H) Beckham still hasn't played a meaningful minute in MLS.

All in all, I'm stuck in some serious summer doldrums.

As is southlandish presumably.

McKee On The Move?

From the Buffalo News:

Recent speculation around the league had the Blues trying to unload former Sabres defenseman Jay McKee, whose first year in St. Louis was an injury-riddled disaster that prompted second-guessing all the way back to Buffalo.

McKee played only 23 games for the Blues after suffering a sprained knee, a broken finger and a nagging pelvic injury after signing a four-year deal worth $16 million. It provided evidence for Sabres fans and front-office types to scoff at the contract.

Yes, the Blues overpaid for McKee. You know that, the Sabres know that and presumably McKee knows that. Again, he was looking for a four-year deal worth $9.5 million from the Sabres, which would have been fair for both sides.

McKee is considering junking his No. 74 sweater for something that brings him more luck, such as No. 77. Note to McKee: Don’t change a thing.

It seems like a silly move by the Blues, who have been doing most everything right this off-season. Right now you would not get fair market value for McKee. Yes, he was banged all to shit this last season, but that doesn't mean the deal is a bust. Most NHL players go through seasons like the one McKee suffered through. The Blues should sit tight and allow a healthy McKee to rehab his trade value. The Blues have a number of defense prospects so I understand the temptation to move McKee and his salary, but patience is what is called for here.

Besides, you are going to have some young defensemen taking on added responsibility as it is, and having a veteran influence like McKee could only help on the blue line.

I'd like to see what McKee can do for the Blue note.

What Part Of "Kip Wells Sucks" Does LaRussa Not Understand?

The line tonight? 1 IP, 8 hits, 6 runs, 4 earned runs, 1BB, 1K.

My head hurts. Why doesn't Tony's?

Begin Your Beckham Hyperventilation.....(Wait For It)....NOW!

From the BBC: Beckhams arrive in Los Angeles

David Beckham has touched down in California to start his new job as a player for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

The former England football captain arrived in the US with his wife Victoria, greeted by screaming fans.

After a night's sleep, Beckham is due to appear at a news conference of the LA Galaxy, where he will be introduced to the world as their new star player.

In a scene that resembled a Hollywood premiere, the Beckhams were welcomed by an army of TV crews and photographers.

The football star walked with a big smile on his face through the airport.

Barricades had to be set up to keep the crowd under control.

Hmm...I wonder if Yao Ming got that sort of reception?

Wake Me When It's Over

I hate the All-Star break.

Revive Me When The Cardinals’ Season Is Over

The painting, titled A Hopeless Dawn, says it all about the Cards season. Every goddamn time I’ve written them off, I look at the standings and find they are still only six out in the lost column, whereupon they promptly drop the next couple of games.

The painting hangs in The Tate Collection in London. According to their guide:

The kneeling woman, comforted by her mother-in-law, realises that her husband is lost at sea, but the open Bible, altar-like table and print on the wall hint at the consolations of religion.

Personally, I’d take a lot more consolation in a healthy Chris Carpenter and some production out of the five hole. But that’s just me.

This Is A God-!%*?, Mother ?!*%ing Outrage!

“Who do I have to fuck around here to get an X rating?”

According the good folks, er, dirty bastards, at Mingle2, all GASL warrants is an R rating. After IM’s obscenity-laced screed against Brazil*, I thought we at least had a chance at an NC-17. Fuck all. I guess we’re all going to have to try a little harder.

*I'll never look at truffle sauce in the same way again.

UPDATE: (by the IM)

Mingle² - Online Dating

Well we did it, thanks in part to copious cocaine references. Thanks Keith!

Random Thoughts Unworthy Of Full Posts

So, Albert is to participate in the Home Run Derby...I guess it could be worse. Edmonds could have said it wanted to do it.



The PD has a very nice story on TJ Oshie and his decision to stay at North Dakota for his junior year. I particularly liked this bit:

Oshie had not yet played a game for UND when the Blues surprisingly took him with the 24th overall pick in ’05.

"A lot of fans were saying, ‘What are the Blues doing?" Schlosman said. "They went way off the board for this kid. But by the midway point of the (2005-06) season, a lot of those fans were saying, ‘OK, never mind.’"

I see DC United lost to Houston one-nil today. This should surprise no one. Houston is clearly the best team in the league this season. Barring injury issues they should repeat without breaking too much of a sweat. United is playing for second best this year.

Screw Brazil (Title Revised)

I'm tired of watching dick for brains soccer refs eat the shit that comes out of Brazil asses like it was truffle sauce.

That is another way of saying I'm watching the U.S. v. Brazil under 20 World Cup game, and wishing I wasn't. First, Brazil flops around more than any 75 cent whore in Rio. Second, Edson should have been out with a red card. Any half way decent...no make that any ref with more than three functioning brain cells, gives him the second yellow he so fucking clearly deserved. Third, there is no way the U.S. keeper isn't fouled on the Brazil goal. But the FIFA fucks must have the fix in so Brazil can move on. (Big bucks don't you know.)

Brazil is the absolute worst thing about international soccer. This type of garbage goes on all the time when a Brazilian team is involved, especially at the non-senior level. I remember an Olympic finals game between Brazil and some African side (Cameroon?) that was the single most embarrassing moment in FIFA history. The ref was so obviously throwing the game to Brazil that the linesmen (who were from a different country than the ref) started to throw the game the other way. The African side was finally reduced by the ref to 8 men (yep, that is 3 red cards..and each and every one of them complete bullshit), but the linesmen kept calling Brazil offside when they CLEARLY were not.

Luckily, God does exist and the Africans (I really wish I could remember the country involved) scored a "golden" goal, as they had back in those days of yore.

Of course the real golden goal for all of soccer would be to banish the Brazil "mystique" to the ashcan of history. The U.S. is playing THIS sorry sack of shit team (although Jo is pretty damn good), they are not playing Pele.

Give us all a fucking break.

I Think The Reuters Guy Likes Freddy

From Reuters:

Argentina and the United States both hit six goals, while Brazil hung on for a 3-2 win over South Korea in the Under-20 World Cup on Tuesday.

Freddy Adu scored a superb hat-trick as the U.S hammered Poland 6-1 while Maximiliano Moralez and Sergio Aguero scored two each for Argentina as they destroyed Panama 6-0.

The 18-year-old Adu, rated the brightest prospect in U.S soccer, put his side 2-1 up with a brilliant turn and shot on the edge of the area in the 20th minute and then made it 3-1 just before the break with a fierce drive 15 meters out.

Poland, who enjoyed a shock win over Brazil on Saturday, had gone ahead through Dawid Janczyk in the fifth minute before Danny Sztela equalized four minutes later.

Sztela made it 4-1 after the break, racing on to a long ball down the middle before Josmer Altidore added the fifth with a tap-in in the 70th minute.

The outstanding Adu completed his hat-trick when he broke clear and rounded the keeper before slotting into the unguarded goal.

The US lead Group D on four points from Poland and Brazil who have three points after Brazil were forced to survive a nervy end after a late revival from South Korea.

Fierce? Brilliant? Superb?

Freddy?

If a corner has been turned in his career this could get really interesting really quickly, because, up until this point, Adu has been nothing but an intriguing tease. Oh, and a media side show.

I'm ready to be dazzled.

Blues Sign Kariya (No...Really)

I saw this late, late last night and almost couldn't believe it: Blues get Kariya, sign Jackman

After saying that the budget was tight and that the high-priced free-agent forwards were probably too costly, the Blues stretched out and landed one of the top veteran forwards available in left winger Paul Kariya.

Kariya, 32, signed a three-year contract for $18 million with the Blues late Sunday night, giving the Blues' offense a drastically different look now with Keith Tkachuk and Kariya in the fold.

"We hope so," said an exhausted John Davidson. "Put it this way: When you looked at the Blues a week ago, and then you look now, we're a little better hockey club. This should send vibrations through the organization that, 'Man we're getting better.'"

...

Davidson said the Blues worked on the Kariya deal "all day." The team had Al MacInnis, Doug Weight, Tkachuk and owner Dave Checketts speak with Kariya.

"I think he felt wanted," Davidson said. "Knowing Paul, he could have gone elsewhere for more (money). But I think he felt wanted by the club. In our discussions, he asked lot of questions about the city and the franchise. He's had experience with (Blues coach) Andy (Murray) at the World Championships. That plays into these things. We're lucky to have Andy."

...

A week ago, Kariya expressed through his agent, Don Baizley, that he was not keen on returning to Nashville, which is going through an ownership change.

He was one of the more attractive free agents on the market, after posting 24 goals and 52 assists in 82 games with the Predators last season.

The fourth overall pick of the Anaheim Ducks in the 1993 draft, Kariya has played in 821 NHL games, notching 366 goals and 500 assists. In 46 playoff games, he has 16 goals and 23 assists.

He is expected to be a key addition to the Blues' power play, which was horrific last season. Last year, 25 of his 76 points with Nashville came on the power play.

So what happened to the Blues' payroll crunch? With Kariya in the fold, the payroll for 2007-08 is approximately $44 million.

"I've had discussions with Dave, and the only thing we've been told is, 'Don't go and spend silly money,'" Davidson said. "Whenever I've gone to Dave, if it's reasonable, he's never said no. This is more than a reasonable situation.

"It gives us more identity in the market, he's an exciting player to watch play. Very few play with more energy and speed than Paul."

Checketts, however, did say last week that if the Blues signed a free agent that put the payroll over $40 million, the team would have to trade a player to get back to that number.

Davidson said that isn't the case as of now.

"No, we're not going to do anything," he said. "We're just going to look at our team, see how they play and hope that this is going to be a better team."

Well it should make for at least a better power play. I was expecting the Blues to get shut out of the "elite forward" market this summer, especially when I saw the deals some of these guys were getting. Scott Gomez, 8 years for $52 million? Chris Drury, five years for $35.25 million? In a sense it is the contract length of the Kariya deal that I thought would make it a non-starter. I'm surprised he didn't hold out for a 4 or 5 years deal, since that seems to be the way it is done in the "new" NHL. The money ($6 million a year) is either right at or slightly under market value.

Throwing all that aside for the moment, this is one happy Blues fan. Bringing Tkachuk back (as a center it seems) was a good move, but it didn't "add" anything we didn't have for most of last season. Kariya gives the Blues honest to God firepower, and a chance to outfit two scoring lines that can cause match-up problems for opposing teams. With Weight and Tkachuk at center, Stempniak, Boyes, Backes and now Kariya on the wings, and some nice depth to juggle things around when needed...I think it will add up to a much more potent offense.

And many more fans in the seats.

Davidson and Co. are impressing me more each with each passing week.