It Was In The Cards, by Casey Mitchell

After one of the best Game 6's of all-time, Texas just couldn't hang with the Cardinals. When I was watching Game 6, I was already planning on writing about how the Rangers would be the new World Champions, but once Hamilton hit the 2 run bomb in the top of the 10th I was thinking there was no way that the Cards would be able be able to come back, and the series would be over. It's pretty cool that David Freese, a fan of St. Louis since he was a kid, was able to be the hero once again with his walk off homer. The former Eugene Emerald also set a record with 21 RBI in a single Postseason. I didn't get a chance to watch game 7, because me and my football team were to busy capturing a League Title for the first time since '03. But I saw the highlights, and it seemed that Texas was just demoralized from what happened in Game 6, and Carpenter was straight dealing... Deadly combo for the new World Champions

I guess some people just never learn.... First he gets caught speeding at 118 while smoking weed, then he gives the Ducks a 15 yard penalty before the game even starts, commits a stupid safety, and now he's back to his old speedy ways! Oh Cliff, what are we going to do with you and your antics? Don't get me wrong, I think he is one of our best defensive players, but at some point you just gotta say enough is enough. Chip Kelly tried to cut him some slack, but he could just never get out of Kelly's doghouse. It looks that the saga of Cliff Harris is going to continue all the way from "We goin' to the Natty" to "We smoked it all..."

THINKING OUT LOUD by ST

So if Cliff Harris has a valid driver's license and updated proof of insurance, why didn't he have a valid driver's license and updated proof of insurance. For those who've contacted me with stories of how everyone does this, I ask...REALLY? Is there a more boring, idiotic defense than the cliche of "if little Johnny jumped off the bridge"? There is a reason we have character issues and cross examinations as part of the legal process. History. Harris has given us no reason to believe anything he says. If he provides the proper documentation, I'll admit my error, but I'm wagering he should not have been behind the wheel. The arrogance of not buckling up is beyond discussion.
Observing the limited information Duck players offer, I'm thinking Chip Kelly would be an equally successful CIA Spy trainer. His specialty would be "Dealing with Interrogation". If caught, his guys would give up nothing and frustrate their captors to the point where THEY surrender information.
So no one showed up at the individual workout Terrell Owens held in California yesterday. Stunning! Over the hill, pain in the neck and coming off major knee surgery and turns 38 on Pearl Harbor Day. If he gets a snap in the NFL ever again, beer & burgers on me!
Who decides the careers fit the bio in my junk mail. Am I really qualified to become an Ultrasound Technician or X-Ray tech? Is my credit so bad that only Premier Bank will consider me for plastic? Truth is my wife and I have a credit rating over 800. Maybe these people need another gig!

REALLY? 25 YEARS? Awesome! By ST

So I'm at a place in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey called the "Wander on Inn". It's Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Place is pretty packed as after all, a New York team is in the series. Boston has the 3 games to 2 edge. Roger Clemens on the hill for the Bosox opposed by the Mets tough lefty Bobby Ojeda. Lot's of people forget that the Rocket left as the pitcher of record on the plus side. Would have had the World Series clinching win. A sac fly by Gary Carter tied it in the home 8th. The 9th was scoreless, ironically Mookie Wilson was called on to bunt with Ray Knight aboard and reached via an error. In the 10th, Dave Henderson led off with a homer off Rick Aguilera and all hopes looked dashed when another run got pushed across on a Marty Barrett single. I think you know what happened in the bottom half. After Barrett's single I left. Cursed a blue streak and insisted I'd never watch those (be creative) celebrate a series win on NY turf. I decided to throw the radio on and after the 1st two Mets made out Gary Carter singled. So did Kevin Mitchell. I pulled over into some kind of warehouse lot to hear the Ray Knight at bat. His knock to center made it a 1 run game. Pitching change. I made it easily back to the bar for history. Confession. I had to check the baseball reference site to verify a fact or two, but yes 25 years later I can nearly recite the magic or tragic in the air, depending on your angle. Still keeps me warm and smiling after all these years!

NEW HEAD SHOP by ST

One of my favorite stand up comedy routines is from around 1990, Dennis Leary "No Cure For Cancer". He jokes that the Jackson's are so out of whack as a family they give each other new heads for Christmas. I'll need to know where they do their shopping because mine exploded twice over the weekend. First was on our post game show after Oregon dropped the Buffs. A caller felt it was time for a change at quarterback. Thomas out. Bryan Bennett in. Baboom! Then yesterday the bloggers and comment section supporting Tim Tebow as a top notch NFL quarterback. FYI....each guy, Bennett and Tebow guided their teams to wins over arguably a team who is the worst at that particular level. No question, Colorado is in there with Indiana, Kansas and Boston College as the doormats of those leagues who have a conference title game with the winner gaining a BCS bowl birth. Tebow and the Broncos needed a late TD, onsides kick and 52 yard field goal to keep the crappy Dolphins winless. Bottom line? People are nuts!
This week, don't let anyone tell you Washington State is good. They're improved from a point that they're not an embarassment to division one football. Their lone Pac 12 win is Colorado. The other two victories are against 1 & 5 UNLV and Big Sky doormat Idaho State. The Cougs still stink!
How about Albert Pujols hitting 3 jacks in a Series game the other day? Joins a very petite list with Ruth and Reggie to do that in the Fall Classic. Texas/St. Louis has been great baseball, too bad no one cares. Chris Carpenter throws against CJ Wilson in Game 5 tonight. Wilson was all over the place in the opener with 6 walks in the 3-2 loss. 2 runners who reached via the free pass played a role in the limited scoring. The winner in that game was Carpenter who pretty much made one bad pitch that catcher Mike Napoli cracked for a 2 run homer.

Various Thoughts, by Casey Mitchell

I always love this time of the year when we got NFL, College Football, and the MLB Playoffs really heating up. To be honest, I could really care less about this whole NBA lockout dilemma considering no one plays defense until April. Earlier tonight, Texas tied up the series at 1-1 in a comeback win in the ninth inning. Coming into the series, most people thought this would be a series full of offense and excitement, but so far it's been a good ol' fashion National League contest. I think St. Louis is still riding on there adrenaline from coming back from 10.5 back in August. Texas is still looking for their first Championship in history, but I don't think they will be getting it this year. Who would have thought that the premiere match up in week 6 of the NFL would have been the Lions and the 49ers? Well, I have been waiting for a long time to see my Niners not only be competitive, but in my opinion, one of the best teams in the league. Even though it was over shadowed by the controversial handshake between Schwartz and Harbaugh, it was actually a really good, hard fought game. Quarterback issues also shared the headlines this week in the NFL. Christian Ponder replaced Donovan McNabb, the Raiders traded some killer draft picks for Carson Palmer, and John Beck is now the Redskins starting QB. The one quarterback story I am the most excited to see is the Tebow in Denver saga. I am one of the people who thinks Tebow is a great player, and this week he will be playing in Miami where he won both a State title and a National Championship in his career. Say what you want about the guy, but one thing you can't argue is that he know how to win.

FADING, FADING, FADING by ST

Last night the Cardinals edged the Rangers to take the opener of the Fall Classic. Game was televised on Fox. Smallest audience to view game 1 of the World Series since 1987. The average age of the viewer tuning in was 54. As a 51 year old I know my kids and their friends could not care less unless their team is in it. Many years ago the decision was made to put all World Series games into prime time on the East Coast and have it end in prime time on the West Coast. That meant a couple of generations of kids could not stay up to watch. Did the powers that be really think time would stop and they wouldn't have to pay the piper for this short sighted decision? When my generation was younger we would storm off the school bus to watch the playoffs and world series when games were played in the afternoon. It was part of our sporting DNA. Unless something dramatic happens calling baseball our national past time will be about nostalgia rather than facts. The unfortunate part is the actual games have been terrific all playoffs long. The bullpens and timely or clutch hitting has been the story. Cardinal starter Chris Carpenter went 6 strong and once again Tony LaRussa's bullpen shut the door in a 1 run game with Jason Motte chucking a 1-2-3 ninth. The St. Louis closer coming out of spring was Ryan Franklin, a reason I picked Milwaukee to win the Central. After 21 appearances and an era over 8 he was released. Fernando Salas was next. He did pretty well but in late August LaRussa and Dave Duncan decided Mott was their guy. Converted his 1st save on August 28th against the Pirates. And despite a couple of blowup games in September, they stuck with him as their playoff guy. He's been perfect. 8 games, 9 innings, 1 hit, no runs, 5 of 5 in save situations. Brilliant. Too bad millions of sports fans are missing it!

STILL GOING THERE? by ST

From goofballs like Hank Williams Jr playing the Hitler card to the recent rant by Bryant Gumble on HBO, I'm consistently amazed at folks who go to those extremes for attention. So disagreeing with a politician makes him the equal of a psycho mass murderer who was so sure of his virtue he took his own life before facing the music. Gumble pretty much said NBA commissioner David Stern acted like a plantation owner. Obviously that makes the players slaves. I see the similarities. After all, slaves had about the same lifestyle. The NBA MINIMUM salary is 473 thousand dollars a year. If a slave looked at a white woman in an improper manner they'd likely be killed. In 1831 Nat Turner led a slave rebellion. Prior to being hanged, he was skinned alive. I'm curious as to the feelings of people of color on issues like this. Descendants of slaves who had no say in their lives should be up in arms, protesting HBO. I get using vicious or even offending terms, but when called for. Comparisions to the vile and dispicable do not apply here. Very disappointed in Gumble. Of course the biggest laugh is his characterization of Stern as arrogant. Something about a kettle and a tea pot!

FAR TOO MINIMAL OUTCRY by ST

Things happen in sports that just aggravate me. I'm sure you feel the same. Rarely does something just tear your heart out. Tough losses don't count. 2 teams play a million times a day, it's gonna happen. I can't get past this completely unecessary death of Indy Car racer Dan Weldon. Monday morning quarterbacks who have things figured out 24 after the final gun are as annoying and pathetic as it gets. In this case they all deserve a big smack in the head with a tire iron. Officials from the circuit and Las Vegas Motor Speedway should be subject to an all out inquiry. I get the danger these guys face every time they rev it up. I also get they trust various manufacturers and those who run their sport to look out for their safety. I heard NASCAR dominator Jimmie Johnson talk about these open wheel cars hitting 225 mph on that style of oval lending itself to send cars airborne, thus eliminating any semblance of control. Unfortunately we're hearing most of this in the aftermath as a wife with her baby boys aged 2 and 6 months lost the most important person in their lives! I don't know much about racing, but I do know this sucks. I also know if in any way not holding this event at that venue needed more serious consideration then someone needs to be crucified to prevent further horror!

At What Cost, by Casey Mitchell

Oregon picked up their 15th straight conference victory as the Ducks took care of the visiting Bears on Thursday night in their retro-inspired unis. At the end of the night it wasn't about the big win, but all eyes were on LaMichael and what everyone thought was a broken arm. When ESPN showed the replay, I had to look away because it was just so grusome and I didn't think he would be back anytime soon. But after the game James said that he doesn't work well with medicine and he will do his best to come back ASAP! Come to find out that he experienced the same injury in high school and came back to lead his team to a state title. However, we are blessed with our running backs with Kenjon Barner and the Black Mamba. I've always thought that if LMJ had never been around, Barner would be one of the elite running backs in the country. I think even if James is out next week, we can still manage with Barner and Thomas.

As far as high school football goes, I really needed this bye week to realize what our team, the McKenzie Eagles, did last week. I am a starting Right Guard and D-End on the Eagles, and was part of our biggest win this season. We beat the Lowell Red Devils, for the first time since 2005, by a score of 88-80 last Friday night. Our quarterback, Will Totten, broke an Oregon record for most TD's thrown in a single game with 10 touchdowns and over 500 yards passing along with 117 yards on the ground. the 168 point affair broke the record for most combined points in a game, and Lowell's 80 points broke the Oregon record by most points by a losing team. We are now 4-1 and 2-0 in league looking ahead to Mapleton next week.

PATHETIC by ST

Brett Farve appeared on an Atlanta station and said Packer QB Aaron Rodgers should have won a Super Bowl sooner. Aside from scum like Vick and other felons and lowlifes, I'd have to say Farve has dropped on my scale to as low as it gets. He's nothing more than a sad little boy who craves attention and can barely survive without it. He's obviously jealous and bitter that within a few months of his retirement, he's become completely irrelevant. Rodgers took over after Farve blew the season with a stupid pick versus the Giants in the 2007 playoffs. In 2008, Aaron's 1st season running the show, the Pack had one of the worst defenses in the NFC, giving up more points than anyone in the division. The next season Rodgers took Green Bay to the playoffs rolling up 45 points and throwing for more than 400 yards but the defense got torched at Arizona for 51 points. They won it all the next year. How much of a complete and total moron is Farve? I should also point out that he was on 790 The Zone in Atlanta where you can find a couple of the biggest Vick apologists in the idiots who host that 2 Live Stews show so I shouldn't be totally surprised.
Can you imagine the fine line in sports? AJ Burnett walks the bases loaded in the 1st inning. Gives up a missile into the left centerfield gap that should have scored 3 runs. Curtis Granderson makes an incredible play to keep Detroit off the board. Burnett somehow gets thru nearly 6 innings allowing just a run while the Yanks batter the Tiger staff and win the game. So suddenly AJ is gutty, a gamer? Please. They should cut him today and feel lucky.
I'm going to cause quite a scene in the Autzen press box tomorrow night. I'm hoping the Ducks blow Cal out so I can focus on game 5 from the South Bronx. I assume they get TBS on their cable system?

HOW ARE AMERICANS NOT INSULTED? by ST

I'm confused about this whole Hank Williams Jr controversy. ESPN pulled his long time Monday Night Football Theme last night because earlier on Fox News Hank compared President Obama to Hitler. Unfortunately in our nation, left versus right trumps right versus wrong. Regardless of your disgust for the current administration(I voted for the prez but am pissed), that connection is disgusting. Regardless of your feelings towards Jewish people, gays, the handicapped or non-Aryans, as Americans how can you justify this? Research reveals about 184-thousand U.S soldiers died in the European theater and Atlantic during World War II. I'm thinking Hitler had a role there. Many of us have relatives(my uncle served in Patton's 3rd Army) who sacrificed. Obviously this doesn't account for those wounded or scarred for life. For the record, those who called Bush/Cheyney similar, hateful, ignorant names were equally pathetic. We are not a nation on the right path and no one side is clean in this mess.
I know it's not exactly lighting up our area, but from that final day of the regular season to what we've witnessed in the 1st round of the playoffs, the baseball has been terrific. Just enough runs and clutch pitching to make most of the games go down to the wire. Pennant Fever, Catch It!
The NBA negotiations have deteriorated to the point where Commissioner David Stern isn't ruling out starting the season late, like 1999. The sad part is no one is even approaching the idea of the season beginning on time. As someone who likes to talk odds, I'm thinking 80-20% against any NBA hoops at all until next Autumn.

JUST ADMIT IT by ST

Remember the end court scene in "My Cousin Vinny"? Joe Pesci's lawyer character is cross examining the so-called auto expert after his girlfriend(Marisa Tomei) explained how his client's car could not possibly have been the one at the scene of the crime. The expert is reluctant to admit the truth. People just hate copping to being wrong. This, despite it being a sign of strength, not weakness. That Cowerd fella on this station has that problem, especially with Cowboy QB Tony Romo. Keeps defending him despite the fact the guy is 31 and has ONE playoff win. Keeps throwing around excuses like Peyton Manning and Brett Farve have each one just one Super Bowl. Forgets to mention they've both been to another and played in multpile conference title games. It's a completely stupid comparison. Again, Romo is 31! The success comes when?? Romo has pretty much blown 2 game of the 4 he's played this year.
Listening to Dan Patrick this morning. Apparently at Game Day the ESPN goons would not allow a picture of him to be shown on camera at Madison this past Saturday. ESPN has kind of become the snotty high school girls. They act all arrogant and superior, but deep inside those insecurities fester because they know they're not! They'd prefer not to invite the smart, decent looking girls to the party because they know their limited appeal will be exposed. ESPN used to set the standard, but they've lost it! I find their actions borderline embarassing and unprofessional. Plus they shove a cheating sleaze bag like Lou Holtz down our throats!

Bye Week, by Casey Mitchell

After the convincing win over the Wildcats in the Ducks first ever Pac-12 game, Oregon fans can just sit back and enjoy the bye week. I thought last week was a great conference opener from LMJ breaking the Duck single game rushing record to our defense stepping up in the clutch. There isn't many things that make me happier than seeing Mike Stoops on the hot seat this early in the season. It made me realize how lucky we are to have a coach like Chip when I see Stoops on the sideline constantly crying and yelling on every play. If he doesn't get a win today against USC, he may need to get his resume' ready.... Sitting at #9 in the AP Top 25, the Ducks have a good chance of leaping two spots to #7 without even playing. The games that could decide where we will end up is the match up between the 7th ranked Wisconsin Badgers and the 8th ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers. I take the Huskers in that game by at least 10 points. Another big game to watch is the Florida / Alabama game. The two teams have combined for 3 National Titles in the past 5 years. I think the Crimson Tide will trip up this year, but it won't be this week. I'm taking Bama by 17.

Now that the playoffs have started, I'm sure that everyone has forgotten about Boston's historic collapse... NOT! Even if the Sox would have survived and made the playoffs, I'm not so sure they would have gotten past the first round. There pitching in September was just plain horrendous. I mean, they had two quality starts in the whole month! Now that it's over, Terry Francona has officially been fired as the Bosox Manager. Even if he didn't deserve to be fired, somebody had to pay for this one.