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That Was the Month That Was
Well, now. Who would have imagined so much could have happened in the world of sports since we visited last month? The summer of 2010 featured the warmest temperatures on the planet since they started keeping track of weather data in the late 1800s. And it seems almost every aspect of sports went a little crazy with the heat. Here’s a brief recap.
The Brawl: I haven’t seen that much pushing and shoving in Cincinnati since The Who concert in 1979. Also, I have to say I’m a little surprised by the reaction of most Cardinal fans and players who complained about Johnny Cueto kicking Jason LaRue and others with his spikes. Isn’t that the primary objective of a fight?? To hurt someone?? And I get the idea Cueto might come from a place where there aren’t exactly a lot of, shall we say, “rules of engagement.” But, why get mad at Cueto and Reds second-baseman, Brandon Phillips? This Cardinal squad appeared lackluster and short on team chemistry before the brawl. Lately they look as tight as the cast of Oceans Eleven! Don’t be mad at Cueto and Phillips. Throw them a parade!
Albert on Dave: Pujols appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman in what had to have been the longest, sustained period in which Albert smiled and was in a good mood. He didn’t say anything stupid or embarrassing and he didn’t talk about God for half the interview. I say, good job!
The White Rat: As good a baseball man as he’s always been, Whitey’s also been particularly cognizant of the fans. On his induction day in Cooperstown, the guy who’s always teased about how much and how long he talks, cut his speech short when he realized the ceremony had dragged out, that the weather might become a problem, and that the thousands of fans that had traveled to upstate New York to witness the event might be inconvenienced. Is it any wonder the man is beloved in St. Louis?
Please Save Us: Sam Bradford made his pro football debut in an exhibition game against the Vikings. He looked like a talented young quarterback…playing on a team that’s won exactly six games in the last three seasons. Imagine that.
The Trade: It is possible to like and respect Tony LaRussa, John Mozeliak and Bill DeWitt, and still hate this trade. Ryan Ludwick never seemed to get the respect he deserved around here and this wasn’t the first time the Cardinal brass talked about getting rid of him. Even if Jon Jay wins a batting title and Brian Westbrook wins a Cy Young Award I still won’t like the trade because it sends a crappy message to everyone. The message is, even if you do your job well, post terrific numbers, become a fan favorite and perform as a model teammate, that’s not good enough. I understand the economic and contractual realities of pro sports as they apply to Ludwick’s situation and I still don’t like the trade and, apparently, I’m not alone in that feeling. Watch what happens the night of Thursday, September 16th when Ludwick returns for his first at-bat at Busch Stadium. It may turn out to be one of the most emotional displays for a returning ex-Cardinal in history.
Getting the Cart Before the Whores: The unthinkable occurred as Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer of all-time, watched his life, reputation and career disintegrate in full view of the world. Never before has a man lost so much, but still had so much left.
Shad Khan…We Hardly Knew Ye’: The upstate Illinois billionaire emerged out of thin air as the possible savior of the Rams franchise. It seems Shad had the big money necessary to pull off the deal Stan Kronke didn’t. But the good-old-boys at the NFL didn’t want no “Shahid” in their club, so despite the fact it violated all the rules they, themselves wrote up, they opted to let Stan buy the team on installment, issuing him a coupon booklet and sending him back to Missouri. What a country.
The Brawl-Part Two: Just our luck. Just when we could have used a real brute to take off some heads of those mouthy Cincinnati Reds, everyone is off the steroids. Damn!
Legends of the Fall: Mizzou football, Blues hockey and the pennant races in baseball all are upon us. I wish I had a dime for every time I’ve heard myself say it. We live in exciting times.