(Get) A Sporting Life

You might have thought, being a Blues fan for the largest part of my life, I would be used to the whole playoff chase thing. After all they made the playoffs every year from 1979 until they finally missed one in 2006. They were rarely threats to win it all, but making the playoffs was expected. Oh, once or twice they were close to missing the cut but it never really seemed all that likely. No, it took a season finishing dead last in the league to make missing the playoffs a reality. However, since that dead last finish the Blues have looked just as unlikely of ever earning their way into the playoff again. The NHL was no longer the league where nearly everyone made the playoffs every year. It was possible to be lost in the wilderness for considerable periods of time. (Witness the fruitless seasons in Columbus since 2000.) Given the state of the roster, the ownership situation, and the lack of any sure-fire talent in college/juniors, a lengthy basement dwelling period was inevitable. D...

Evidently, Billikens are just like potato chips; you just can't have one. United acquire M DiRaimondo in waiver draft D.C. United on Friday acquired midfielder John DiRaimondo via the waiver draft. DiRaimondo spent the last two seasons with the Colorado Rapids before being released on Wednesday. He made his MLS debut with Colorado in March 2008 after being drafted the previous year and appeared in a total of 11 games with the Rapids, scoring one goal. A native of St. Louis, DiRaimondo spent his collegiate career at the University of St. Louis, where he was named to the NSCAA All-American third team and was a Hermann Trophy finalist as both a junior and senior. I wonder what this "University of St. Louis" is, and if it is related to St. Louis University. Actually, I think this is a decent pick-up by DC. I can certainly view him as an improvement over Dyachenko.

I did the following for a comment thread at St. Louis Game Time (where I go by the name Rich of GASL), and I enjoyed it so much I thought I'd share. Rich of GASL : Oh, would that we had one of those superstars in St. Louis that will do no skating today! Andy Murray : What’s he that wishes so? My cousin Rich of GASL? No, my fair cousin: If we are mark’d to die, we are enow To do the Blues loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour. God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one injured superstar more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; (Unless it be those bastards of the Winged Wheel) Such outward things dwell not in my desires: But if it be a sin to covet a playoff spot, I am the most offending soul alive. No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from the IR list: God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one Kariya or Johnson more, methinks, would share from me For the best hope I ha...

Referee Sends Off An Entire Team In Argentina Violence in Argentinian football is not exactly an uncommon occurrence at the moment but last Saturday a situation erupted that was far from normal. Days after clashes in the game between Godoy Cruz and San Martin, an encounter in Primera C ended with one team having all their players sent off, including substitutes. Barracas Bolivar and General Lamadrid were the two teams involved, and when the incident occurred the home side were leading 3-0. However, with 60 minutes gone the game had to be abandoned after what can only be described as an extraordinary series of events. It started when three players and four staff from Lamadrid became involved in a dispute between the local fans of Bolivar. The incident soon escalated and within moments all the players from the away side came over to defend their team-mates and staff, clashing with the supporters. Plenty of punches were thrown and the violence had to be broken up by some of those present ...

Good fucking God almighty. I worried going into this season that referees might "magically" give a boat load of breaks to the Galaxy so that when Beckham returns he would be "playing for something." Look at this " penalty " and tell me what you think. DC was robbed pure and simple. So, was this a case of mind-blowing incompetence or a mandate from the league office? Time will tell. (Really that is the worst penalty call I've ever seen.)

Yours truly is not in tip-top condition these days. I woke up yesterday, went to take a leak and it felt like I was pissing glass shards. Because of my keen powers of observation I was able to helpfully point out "this hurts like hell!" A quick trip to the doctor later, with the accompanying examination of my prostate ("Moon RIVER!), it was deemed I had an infection and not a stone. The upshot is I've got meds and I still feel mostly like shit...though I'm not pissing blood anymore so I'll take that as improvement. (Those keen powers at work again.) I'm glad I'm feeling a little better because this is opening day for DC United. Things have been so screwy around the home front that I've had little time to keep up on MLS matters, though it may not have mattered much where DC is concerned. But here are some random thoughts as we go into the 2009 season: 1) My, but DC seems a little long in the tooth. Everything I read seems to be counting upon positi...

We shall speak no more of it.