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
“Because we’re not employed by the ballclub.”
Neither is Miles, any more!
We never were employed by the ballclub.
-B
Haha, this is ridiculous. I understand your point, Bernie, about being grateful for the opportunity. I’m sure Miles is thankful. However, it’s not like any of us have never complained about a previous job or employer before. And Miles barely did that, really.
It is different for him, because he’s complaining to the media, whereas we complain to our friends and family, but it’s hard to blame the man for being human, and I certainly wouldn’t imply that he lacks “class” because of it. Just my opinion.
Life is good for Mister Miles. He’s playing ball, got a nice contract, will play for a first-place team, will have good times. His experience in STL was positive and happy and it enabled him to better himself financially. He has a World Series ring. In all, the uniform was good to him. So what would be so wrong about smiling as he departs? I had no idea that such mild, soft criticism — if indeed it qualifies as criticism at all — would so upset the protective Little League Mothers and Fathers out there. Your baby boy will be fine at Wrigley Field. Miles has done well for himself, and a big, bad fat and irrelevant sportswriter like me can do him no harm. Be happy for your guy. It’s OK!
-B
Thanks for your time in STL Miles….and enjoy the weight and pressure of that 100+ year curse at Wrigley Hockey Field. Do you realize that the Cardinals have won a World Series in their “new” ballpark before the Cubs have?
Aaron who? Yeah the average guy that played like an average guy. I’d take 100 Dave Eckstein’s before another Aaron Miles. What a joke that guy is. Did he actually contribute to our WS? Taguchi did! Wainright did! Alot of guys did but I don’t remember him doing anything. Let that guy go to the Cubs. He will have fun till September and then it is choke city! People will not remember that clown in 3 years. I will just call him Royce Clayton.
I was called a rich hater the other day by TVG(a jerk and ajoke as a qb and sportscaster. they need to make an effort to clean up that swamp before the allstar game. Hasnt st .louis taken enough hits by RICH people! give something back for a change
Bernie, you know, you really stirred the pot about Miles, all based on an ambiguous statement “play the game the right way.” Maybe he was meaning he plays the game the right way. He did here, he will there. Personally, that makes sense to me.
So maybe reconsider. I don’t know what he meant. So maybe we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. He has the right to be a little disappointed. All I heard from him was a little disappointment.
I still read your stuff. You and Gordo are sane, or at least within sight of sane.
Burwell makes a brilliant comment one week, then contradicts it the next like opinion 2 was how he felt all along. Does he ever read his part columns?
Bernie,
I think situations like this one w/USC v. the winner of FL/OK are what would bring about a playoff…if two teams/schools would have the nerve to dive in and play the game! The NCAA would have to create a playoff due to all the interest the game would generate. If only University Presidents would stay out of the way.
Typical Bernie. He can criticize anyone for not saying exactly what he thought they should say, but yet cant take any criticism from the masses.
You offer your opinions Bernie…then thicken your skin