Turncoat.

So you spent all your time talking about the STL tradition, how much you respect the Cardinals all the history, etc. You were poised to be the greatest Cardinal of all time...Saying how much you like the community...and then you bolt for the $$ and the AL so you can be a DH when you get into your late 30s...ANAHEIM??? Jesus, at least go to the Cubs so we still get to see you. The glowing baseball tradition of Disney's team...Ugh. Guess I don't have to worry about that Pujols jersey anymore.

#11

Tim McCarver finally shows some lucidity: "How did this happen?" Joe Buck calling to echo his late great legendary father Jack's call of Kirby Puckett's Game 6 walkoff in 1991...what a Game...unbelievable...nearly a week later and I still have trouble believing that happened.

I've now had a few days to soak it all up, digest and reflect, and I've come to the conclusion: That was one of the greatest World Series' ever. The Cards and Rangers was supposed to be the Rangers power destroying the Cards, who were just supposed to be happy to have made it this far, and yet, it ended up being a very closely matched series.
From the first 2 games being so tight, and leaving STL split, to Pujols' Game 3 performance for the ages, to Game 6 (of which I think people will write books)where the Cards were down to their last strike in the 9th and 10th innings, came back from behind 5 different times, and local boy Freese came through twice to break the Rangers' spirits and force the first Game 7 since 2002. Game 7 was nearly anti-climactic, except that it was an exciting game too, with Freese yet again coming up clutch to tie all but sealing his MVP performance, and a 5th inning where the Cards scored 2 runs on 3 walks and 2 hit-by-pitches to go up by 3.
Of all the sports I watch, all the favourite teams, this is the team that is in my blood, and has been with me since I can remember. The Cards were in the World Series in 1982 (coincidentally against their now division-rival Brewers) and I was in St. Louis, visiting my grandparents, when according to them, I just became fascinated with the Series and the Cards, which no doubt thrilled my grandfather, who made sure to outfit me with Cards gear, including a 1982 Series Champs ballcap that I still have today, and a Stuffed Fredbird (the team mascot - who sat clutched in my hands for Game 6 and 7 this year - laugh if you want). Obviously I don't recall those days as I was 2, but I have clear recollection in 1987 of being in tears after Minnesota won Game 7, and suffering through the dry spell of the 90s with only 1996's NLCS loss to the Braves, coupled with Ozzie's retirement to make it worse.
There was just something this year, with Wainwright being out for the season, Pujols missing time with a broken hand, that I just wrote the season off early. But then I started to pay attention in late August and the math said they still could do it. That drive to the wildcard was epic, culminating in the fantastic Game 162 night where baseball witnessed the most amazing night in a long time. After that night, watching with my friend Neil, he said to me, that's amazing, but I don't think you'll get by Philly. I had to be realistic and agree, it didn't seem likely to beat the best team in baseball in the DS. But lo and behold...it all came down to Game 5, a pitching duel for the ages, between best friends, Cy Young winners, ex-Blue Jays Carpenter and Halladay. What a game that was...the NLCS was a blur, and then the Series.
But, here we are, Cards win World Series #11 in 2011, and I'm on such a high from it, the Rams could go 1-15 again this year and I wouldn't be phased; the Habs could miss the playoffs, I wouldn't worry. Because this year, the whole world got a dose of what I've been having for nearly 30 years : Cardinals Fever.

Round 2

OK so Round 2 is upon us, and I have trouble believing that it will hold nearly as much excitement as Round 1.

In the West I was 3/4, wrong about Anaheim, but congrats to Nashville.
I was 0/4 on the length of each West series as well...

In the East I was 2/4, only 1 OT goal from Montreal over Boston, and pleasantly surprised with Tampa Bay (guess they took more out of Pittsburgh than I thought!)
I was 1/4, correctly guessing that the Capitals would only lose 1 in the first Round.

Round 2:

WEST:

VANCOUVER over Nashville in 6 (I'd say 5, but Pekka Rinne looks great, and the Sedins are playing like shit)

DETROIT over San Jose in 7 (Zetterberg needs to be healthy, and he's not 100%, but they still edge out Joe Thornton who puts up a valiant effort, I just don't see Niemi making 2 Western Finals in a row)

EAST:
WASHINGTON over Tampa Bay in 6 (Roloson is playing great, but Washington is rested)
PHILADELPHIA over Boston in 6 (Tim Thomas keeps them in the series, but the B's need Lucic to step up large, and Philly won't be falling apart)

Eating the Dinosaur - Chuck Klosterman

I just finished reading Chuck Klosterman's Eating the Dinosaur, and, much like every other book he's written (aside from Downtown Owl, which was a novel) I tremendously enjoyed it, and had to force myself to not read it all in one night. I really enjoy reading, and unfortunately, studying History at Queen's destroyed my enjoyment reading, and made reading more of a process of trying to soak up as much information as possible for later use in conversation or essays. Luckily, after university, I got back to reading for fun, and have found I enjoy it more now than ever, and I think the university style reading still affects how I read, as I find myself wanting to further research things I read within books. Back to the book itself, a collection of previously published essays, a couple I had read, but most I hadn't. I find this to be a good way to break up a book, so that you can read piecemeal, and not lose connection with the story if you put the book down for a few days or weeks. As with all his work, I found myself readily agreeing to much of what he wrote, and the ideas made for great philosophical discussions, or chatter with friends. It's funny, because I remember reading SPIN magazine when I was in high school and university and absolutely HATING his articles...I think maybe he's evolved as a writer, and I've evolved as a reader/thinker. This is great, because it makes me feel smarter, like I somehow 'get it' now, whereas I didn't earlier...or maybe he just was a shitty writer back then. (probably not, I should go back and reread some of his stuff). It doesn't make sense to get into everything this book covers, but suffice it to say, if you read this book and couldn't find something to be interested in between the covers, I'd be very surprised. Sports, Music, Culture, Politics, Philosophy, Society, it's all there. I think what I really like is that it makes Pop-Culture seem like it's actually important, and a worthy field for intellectuals, and not just people who've got nothing better to do. Highly recommended.

Playoff Hockey: the most wonderful time of the year.

The NHL Playoffs kicked off last night, and with it, Spring is officially here in Canada. I say it's the best time of the year over NFL playoffs because of the 7 game series'. I love the NFL Playoffs, but there's always something about long series with momentum shifts that really makes it more compelling.

Based on last night's game, Vancouver might actually get by Chicago this time.

Here are my predictions for the first round:

WEST:
VANCOUVER over Chicago in 6 (Roberto Luongo will hold up better than Corey Crawford)
SAN JOSE over L.A. in 5 (Joe Thornton is getting old, and if the Sharks don't go deep this year, I can't see their window staying open. That and the Kings are missing their 2 highest scorers and don't have much in the way of secondary scorers to step up.)
DETROIT over Phoenix in 5 (The Wings are just too deep with too much experience, and Phoenix will be in Winnipeg by September)
ANAHEIM over Nashville in 6 (Getzlaf/Perry are dominant, and when your 3rd highest scorer is a D-man you're not going deep)

EAST:
WASHINGTON over N.Y in 5 (Ovie rested going into the playoffs should pay off)
PHILADELPHIA over Buffalo in 6 (I'd say 5 but I expect Miller to steal a game. Kris Versteeg is also going to be much more valuable this run than Simon Gagne was last season)
MONTREAL over Boston in 7 (Habs fan can't go against his team. Price is a different player from his last playoff experience and P.K Subban is a year older. More grit to this team than last year, and fuelled by hatred of the Bruins makes for a great series. Tim Thomas is great and Boston is big and mean so this will be a tough one.)
PITTSBURGH over Tampa Bay in 6 (No Crosby, No Malkin, no run this year. Fleury wins a series for them, but Tampa takes too much out of them for second round)

Stan the Man and his hopeful successor.

To the left is a picture of the greatest St. Louis Cardinal of all time. In the nearly 110 years of this team, there have been great players for sure, but if you're asked about the Cardinals, anyone over 30 can tell you 1 name: Stan Musial. The Man played 22 seasons, from 1941 to 1963, was selected to an all-time record of 24 All-Star Games (tied with Willie Mays), was a 3-time National League MVP, and won 3 World Series titles, all in the Gateway City.



There were good players on the Cards before him, some great, some hall of famers (Rogers Hornsby, Dizzy Dean), and the same afterwards (Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith), but no one who really deserved to be in the same rarefied air. (This being written by a boy who grew up LOVING Ozzie Smith, but knows Stan the Man was more than just a nickname.)

Just yesterday, Stan was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama, at the ripe old age of 90. (seen above seated next to another class act, Bill Russell) Stan held 17 MLB records upon his retirement, but more remarkable than that was that in 3026 appearances, he was never once ejected from a game.

In 1968, a statue of Musial was erected at Busch Stadium, with the following inscription:

"Here stands baseball's perfect warrior. Here stands baseball's perfect knight."

The greatest Cardinal of all time.

It would be nearly 40 years after Musial's retirement before a worthy successor would appear...

Albert Pujols debuted with the Cardinals on Opening Day 2001 (nearly 60 years since Musial debuted [2nd half of a doubleheader on Sept. 17th 1941]), hitting a Home Run and never looking back. Named an All-Star his first year, winning NL Rookie of the Year, Pujols just got better. In his 10 seasons with the Cardinals, he's a 9-time All-Star, 6-Time Silver Slugger, 2-Time Gold Glover at 1st (though he started off in the OF, and moved to 1st Base, much like Musial before him), and, like Musial, a 3-Time NL MVP. In 2004, he helped lead the Cardinals to the World Series, where the lost to the Red Sox (asterisk needed, as God was on Boston's side that season). In 2006, the NEW New Busch Stadium opened up [note: Sportsman's Park was later named Busch Stadium when the Busch family bought the Cardinals, and then Busch Stadium was opened in 1966, so the current Busch Stadium is the 3rd Cardinals Stadium to be called Busch] and Pujols was the first Cardinal to Homer in their new Stadium. That same year Albert lead them to their first World Series in 24 years. This was my 2nd time seeing them win it all, though I had also seen the losses in 1985, 1987, and, as mentioned above, in 2004.

Today the day after Stan received his Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Cardinals and Albert failed to agree on a new contract. This whole preamble has pretty much been to make the case that Albert Pujols is as instrumental to the Cardinals now as Stan Musial was then, if not more so. Give Albert whatever he wants, he's the best player in the world right now, and no less than Sports Illustrated named him MLB player of the Decade for the 2000s. He should be able to cement his legacy and join Stan the Man in the Hall of Fame as the Greatest life-long Cardinals of All-Time. Let #5's Jersey be retired alongside his predecessor #6, and all will be right in Redbird land.

If this doesn't happen, then it will be tragic. Horrible. Awful. Please don't make 2011 the last time we see Pujols in the Red and White...