5 Minutes for Blogging, Jan. 2 (updated)
Let’s begin.
Dissent is welcome, but keep it clean or you’ll be sent to the penalty box.
1. WHAT UP WITH AARON MILES AND THE SMACK TALK? The dude got a World Series ring here, right? The Cardinals gave him more than 1,200 at-bats in three seasons, and skipper Tony La Russa showcased Miles’ ability to play multiple positions, all of which helped to get him a nice pay day from the Cubs. Good for Aaron. I’m genuinely happy for him. So why is he taking shots at the Cardinals on the way out? Show some class, pal. The experience in STL was a rewarding for you.
UPDATE: In an exit interview with Derrick Goold over and Bird Land, Miles did say some good things about the Cardinals and their fans. You can read Miles’ comments here:
2. IN DEFENSE OF ILLINOIS GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH: OK, so he’s accused of trying to sell a vacant seat to the U.S. Senate. The feds have called it a conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and solicitation of bribery. Well, in professional sports, the same thing is called a “Personal Seat License.” So if I am understanding this correctly, Blago apparently is a visionary who hoped to introduce a PSL program to the U.S. Senate. Pay him a fee, and you get the right to a seat. What’s the big deal? Pro sports owners do it all of the time and the feds don’t arrest ‘em.
3. I WAS ROOTING FOR KURT WARNER TO WIN THE MVP, BUT LET’S HUSH WITH THE WHINING: It looks like Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning is the Associated Press MVP for 2008, and this has Kurt Warner fans in a tizzy. No. 13 had a fantastic season for the Arizona Bidwills, passing for 4,583 yards and 30 TDs for a QB rating of 96.9. Manning is Manning; he has that “Pujols Factor” going for him in that he’s widely considered to be the best player in the game, season in and season out. Really hard for me to crack on a guy, Manning, who is so consistently excellent. With the way he runs the game on the field, Manning is the closest thing I’ve seen to John Unitas. But if you don’t think Manning was the MVP, I would debate that other candidates had an equal if not better case than Warner. RB Adrian Peterson led the NFL in rushing, and carried the Minnesota Vikings into the playoffs. Atlanta Falcons RB Michael Turner was No. 2 in rushing yards and rushing TDs, and was No. 1 in rushing attempts and No. 1 in rushing first downs. Turner keyed a franchise resurgence. I’m not sure why Miami Dolphins QB Chad Pennington didn’t get more run as an MVP candididate; he was second in the NFL in passer rating (97.4) and performed flawlessly down the stretch, with the Dolphins needing to win every game to complete their improbable run to the AFC East title. But the guy who gets overlooked most of all is San Diego Chargers QB Philip Rivers. He had the best NFL season that no one outside of SoCal is talking about: 4,009 yards, 34 TDs, only 11 INTs, a league-leading 8.39 yards per passing attempt, and an NFL-leading QB rating of 105.5. And Rivers got it done without as much bang from LT and the Chargers’ running game, which finished 20th in the league this season. Did Rivers feast on the weak AFC West? Sure. But he also had a QB rating of 94.6 against playoff-bound teams, and played well (97.8 rating) in the Chargers’ losses. There were a lot of good, legit candidates for the MVP this year. I didn’t even mention some defensive stalwarts. I’m just surprised that Rivers was never really in the conversation.
4. THE BEST NEW SHOW ON TELEVISION THIS SEASON WAS: “Crash,” which is winding down on its 13-episode run on Starz. It comes from the same creative minds that gave us the film “Crash,” which won the Oscar for best movie for 2004. And the TV series is an extension of the film, with new characters and story lines. The dazzling ensemble cast includes Dennis Hopper as aging eccentric Ben Cendars, a fading music producer with an addictive personality. And actor Ross McCall is devilishly perfect in playing Kenny, an LA police officer and one of the most despicable characters on TV. Also, there is only one word to describe the actress Arlene Tur, who plays the cop, Bebe: alluring. Just a warning — the show isn’t for kids. Or for prudes.
5. OK WHO YOU GOT THIS WEEKEND IN THE NFL PLAYOFFS? ROAD DOGS? It’s an unsual wild-card lineup, considering that road teams are favored in three games, and Indy being a “pick ‘em” at San Diego. But I think two home teams will prevail this weekend, Miami and Arizona. I know Atlanta is the trendy pick to win at Arizona, and that Arizona defense is horrible, having allowed 36 TD passes this season, and a third-down conversion rate of 44 percent. But ATL’s defense isn’t impressive, either. The Falcons have given up 4.9 yards per rushing attempt, and the Cardinals might be able to get something done on the ground with a refreshened Edgerrin James. And as long as the Cardinals can keep the Falcons defense off balance, then that will ease the pass rush on Warner, and he’ll be able to have his way against the ATL secondary. The Cardinals at home win in a wild one.
60-second bonus: A poster already pointed this out on Bernie’s Press Box, but to repeat: the Big 12 North went 3-0 in Bowl games … the Pac 10 went 5-0 in bowls, so let’s cease with the rippage of West Coast ball. I don’t think any team out there is better than USC. I wish the moneychangers would at least jolt the BCS system by adding one more game to the menu; how fired up would this sports nation be in anticipation of USC being matched against the winner of the Florida-Oklahoma tiff?
Thanks for reading…
-Bernie
BM-
You’re right - mea culpa.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/columnists.nsf/berniemiklasz/story/091981D46B2114798625752A000617EE?OpenDocument
Could you pass your advice on to Burwell? He’s been the one who could use you’re advice on being classy… Just tired of the negativity surrounding the Rams changes and people (see: BB) not being able to move on.
Again, my fault. It’s not easy telling you and Burwell apart. (ROFL)
Thanks,
“Bub” Dumas
“I have now found the offending quote Miles made about how he will now be able to play baseball the right way.”
That was the only thing he said that I though might have been the offensive statement, but even this is ambiguous. Here is the full quote:
“Being a Cardinal was great, and that part is over now. Now I’m ready to be a Cubbie and play the game the right way.”
I don’t really know what he means by being ready to “play the game the right way.” It’s a weird comment without any obvious meaning.
“Bub” Dumas…
It’s all good, and thank you for so many responses!
-B
Bernie, I understand you being upset at Miles for taking a few parting shots, but I find it hard to blame the man. I sat in front of the computer cursing for about a half hour straight when I found out he’d gone to the Cubbies. For the past three years I haven’t understand why he wasn’t the starter, as he had earned it a LONG time ago. True, we gave him an opportunity, but every time he earned it, we just sat him down again. I find myself likewise frustrated, and can only wish him well.
On a related note, I find it interesting how many of our castoffs have seemed to find themselves on the Cubbies recently. Maybe I just pay more attention when the players end up there, but it seems like quite a few have ended up in Chicago, what with Mabry, Marquis, Edmonds, and now Miles.
On a final note, I want to add why I believe Rivers has been overlooked. Besides the obvious answer of his team starting out 4-8, and until the past couple of weeks, assumed out of the playoffs, Rivers is a jerk. I find most people I talk to about the Chargers hold them in disdain simply because of Rivers. Speaking for myself and my friends, fans don’t like watching a quarterback scream at his teammates. We don’t like watching a quarterback whine to refs after every other play. Simply put, fans like a player who will accept responsibility once in a while. But Rivers exudes the belief that he can do no wrong, and for that reason, I will never cheer for him or vote for him to go to a pro bowl. Perhaps this is not a pure perspective on the process, but it certainly is to be expected when fans are involved in the voting process. I would no more vote for Philip Rivers to go to the pro bowl than I would vote for Terrell Owens. But you are right, he certainly should’ve been in the conversation, although even on his own merits, I don’t think he should have won.
I’ll miss crash too. Oh wait……I just have to walk out my front door.
We lose on this deal. How do you let that guy go? He should’ve been our #1 utility guy going into this season. Mozeliak continues to impress with his off season debacle. I don’t see anything wrong with what Miles said either. By the way, he’s right. He is gonna make them realize what they lost. Bank on it.
So, let me get this straight; it’s ok for you(the writers/radio guys, etc) and us(the fans) to take shots at the franchise, but when a former member of said franchise does it, all of a sudden it’s blasphemy? Am I missing something here?
Yes, that’s right.
Because we’re not employed by the ballclub.
Thanks for asking!
-B
Folks… I’m not upset at Miles, really.
Lil’ Scrappy is OK… but his experience here was good, so go out with a thank you.
-B
After Texas beats down Ohio State it will be clear that even a plus one wouldn’t solve anything this year. USC and UT both deserve a shot at the national title.