First.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!! That’s funny!

Royce Ring…come on, that’s the best we can do? This takes low hanging fruit to the extreme. Is Pedro Barbon Jr, Tony Fasses, or E Yan still available?

Fassel might be OK, but why have so many teams (including the Rams) passed on this guy since he was fired. Think of how many jobs have been filled (and some multiple times) since Fassel has been a serious candidate. Did he take time off from coaching on his own behalf…or is there something that we don’t know. With that said, I would still rather take a shot with him than bring back Haslett who ended the season on quite a hot streak.

I think Cox and Dungy are both excellent at what they do. Excellence over the long haul, the regular season year after year is proof enough. It is nice to win championships, for sure, but once you get to the playoffs anything can happen. Was Tom Osborn not a great coach before he won his first nat’l championship? He was a great coach, and his first nat’l championship didn’t change that fact. He was not a better coach after the game then he was over his first 25 years of excellence year after year. Is it Marty Schottenheimer’s fault that Ernest Byner fumbled or John Elway drove 98 yards? Not really. If either of those thing do not happen, then Schottenheimer has coached (and perhaps won) in a Super Bowl or two. However, Byner and Elway happened and Schottenheimer now has a stigma which is undeserved.

Hey B,
Interesting read….I definitely think the cards are taking a wait-and-see approach with acquiring any significant pitching help. That’s disappointing because management should help Tony field the best team possible instead of stockpiling “projects”….
The comparison between Dungy and Bobby Cox is an intersting one, but I find it hard to not like Dungy’s style and demeanor comared to Cox’ penchant to whine and pout at every call that doesn’t go his team’s way. Additionally, I find it unfathomable to penalize a team with a 12-4 record (the Colts) by forcing them to play on the road against an 8-8 - albeit division winning - opponent in the first round of the playoffs. Not really fair, despite San Diego’s surging play in December. Just my opinion…

The Cardinals are officially a joke! Mo reminds me of the guy who’s such a discriminate buyer that he shows no respect to anyone. I mean TLR & Dunc are miracle workers but Mo is asking the impossible of them. You can just look at Mo and tell he’s a jerk, seriously. Does anyone out there have confidence that Card’s mgmt is seriously trying to put together a winner? I had no problem rooting against the Rams this year because of the total lack of class on the team (no Warner, Faulk, Bruce, etc.) But watching the Cards go down the sh…. is really gonna hurt.

Mo and Dewitt are absolute jokes. Cant sign Miles (Lohse gets 10 million to pitch every 5 games, Miles plays 4 out of 5 and cant get a quarter of that)…Larussa says we need a relieve and now we are looking at injury man Carp???…We need lefty relievers (we sign 2 injury-proned/junky relievers)…we need starting pitching and we are looking at Kyle to fill that gap (rookie who hasnt started a game in a year, Duncan doesnt work well with rookies)….that list goes on and on…non the less Mo and Dewitt are freaking morons. Period.

*relieve…meant to say closer

I like the blog someone left: Royce Ring is this the best we can do? Dewitt fraudulently led us to believe they would be aggressive in the off-season! Then withdrew that after yet another oh-fer in the offseason. Not only did we strikeout we also lost ground. Not even trying to sign Miles and Lopez??? Going with Adam Kennedy??? What a bust! It is really hard to keep the faith when our owner doesnt even try. Obviously, MO is just a patsy for the owner and maybe the reason Jocketty was really fired was because he wanted more latitude? What is really sad is now I am having nightmares of Albert in pin-stripes. Guess what Dimwitt if you dont make this team competitive you wont re-sign Albert.

To make the comparison between Royce Ring and “low hanging fruit” is, quite frankly, an insult to “low hanging fruit.”

Bernie, love the blog man especially since your one of the very few in St Louis I care to read. With your choice of Gaslight Anthem as one of your favorite albums of 2008, your credibility with me is that much higher. I’m checking out the other two right now. Keep up the good work.

It’s hard for me to comment on Cards without getting a little annoyed, but I’m trying hard to stick by them.

As for the music choices, I know it was hard for you to choose a top 3 with so much great music out there in the last year, but allow me to add 3 of my favorites from last year, keeping with your bend towards the commercially less successful:

Rabbit Habits by Man Man
Mission Control by The Whigs (great live band)
Dear Science by TV on the Radio

Whew, that was tough!

I’m sorry - I screwed up on my favorite-album list. I left two out, so I made it my top five faves instead of three… I added Alejandro Escovedo’s “Real Animal” and Vampire Weekend’s “Vampire Weekend.” Sometimes I write too fast for my own good.

I appreciate your list of 3, Joe G!

-B

tee vee gee called me a rich hater because I said fix up the swamp before the allstar game. I apologize dewitt is quite the baseball man. jus like tvg was a qb! NOT.

Free Utah…

Royce Ring…has a nice ring to it don’t you think…and if he can “ring” up lefthanded hitters better than the Villone-Flores Project..I am fine with it…I don’t care if it is low hanging fruit or he is fruit or he chews juicy fruit…just as long as he doesn’t serve up cantalope size fastball fruit. Perhaps he can play second base as well…oh wait a minute…we have a low hanging fruit situation at second base. Nevermind!

Free Utah…

Give me Tony Dungy or Bobby Cox anyday, all day, anytime, anyplace…they are winners and that is all their is to it. On their worse days they are in the upper 1% of their respective professions…Borderline peerless in our lifetime.

Free Utah…

Not sure what the Cubs are thinking by signing Milton Bradley…he hasn’t met a clubhouse he can’t destroy…the Cubs aren’t worried about the Cardinals…they are trying to “keep up with the Cashman’s”. Yes, talent matters…they are now done with the Great Ship Edmonds and will now board the Destroyer Bradley. While the Cardinals stagnate in a prison of status quo…they at least will not have the volatile side show that the Cubs are bringing in. Cardinal Nation is awaiting the first scud. If the Cubs don’t win they have nothing to defend…The Cardinals can at least “hide” behind the economy and this great robust Camp Luhnow farm system that is going to offer up the next round of Gibson’s, Simmons’ and Hernandez’s, in defense of their current organizational malaise…right? Unfortunately, the Yankees are ruining the game for everyone, not just the Red Sox. So we all have to suffer…

Free Utah…

Were their five good albums in 2008? How about soundtracks? Juno, Tropic Thunder, The Dark Knight, Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Twilight…pretty good stuff if you are into movie soundtracks.

The Rams have to hit a home run with their coaching hire…The Cardinals, The Blues and Mizzou are all front page news and the fans gravitate to them…the buzz that used to be the Rams has been squelched and the franchise is in a serious, serious bad place. What ashame a nice city like St. Louis is the black eye of the NFL…usually it is the other way around…

Alex Steen has a lot left to prove…if he gets close to his dad’s talents this will have been a good trade. He is not on the Michel Mongeau, Garry Holt, Harvey Bennett or Blair Atcheynum radar screen yet…so far Steen is a nice guy that plays hockey, but has to show up every night…the consistency isn’t there with the Blues hence it isn’t their with any of their players night in and night out…Commander Murray will stay the course.

Did I say free Utah?

13-0 and nothing left to prove…once again the BCS (Bowl Clusterf*** Series) has done it again…

Over and out

You might try these 2 from “back there”:

Neil Young - Sugar Mountain. Acoustic solo concert from 40 years ago.

The Byrds - Live at the Royal Albert Hall 1971. The great guitar duo of Mcguinn and White in action.

Or for something different:

Thomas Dutronc - Like a Manouche sans Guitar (Like a Gypsy without a guitar). The son of two French Pop singers studied gypsy guitar with Django Rheinharts brother for 3 years puts it together with pop sounds for an interesting mix.

Bernie, I liked the music I heard from the albums you mentioned. I just you tubed ‘em.

2 of my favorites from ‘08 that come to mind are:

“Tell It To The Volcano” by Miniature Tigers (The Wolf, and Cannibal Queen are good first tracks to hear)

also liked “Way To Normal” by Ben Folds. Especially the song “You don’t know me”.

How can the Rams consider Jim Fassel when he didn’t even make their list of finalists before they hired Scott Linehan?

For the same reason that Jim Haslett is being considered when he didn’t even make their list AT ALL before they hired Scott Linehan.

Someone mentioned the possibility of Albert Pujols becoming a Yankee. Not with MT signed up for 8 years and 180 million. I do not see Albert opting to be a DH. I do wonder if we will let him get away though. Cardinal brass will have to open the vault for Albert and perhaps that is why they have been thrifty this offseason.

Re: The Bradley signing and your “but who’s going
to catch the ball?” comment . . . Fukudome is
merely outstanding defensively—great range and
a strong arm. Nice to know you’re really up
on things, Bernie.

BERNIE, you have got to get your hands on some CCR!!! No not the CCR that was famous in the 70’s the new CCR. A little Cross Canadian Ragweeed, I think you will enjoy any of there albums, and remeber dont fight the urge to dance while listening…hehehe

Bernie-I couldn’t get into the Alejandro Escovedo album, I’m working on Fleet Foxes and agree with you about Vampire Weekend. Two of my favorites of the year was Acid Tongue by Jenny Lewis and @#%&*! Smilers by Aimee Mann.

squonk63119 - St. Louis is the black eye of the NFL? The good people of Detroit would like to have a word with you. lol

cooperstown - Are there two Fukedome’s now? Because the one I watched this past season was a terrible fielder. Decent arm, but that was about it.

Bradley is an excellent signing so long as he stays healthy.

Hey Bernie,
First the music. Anything that Bruce Hornsby plays on is great. He released two CD’s in ‘08, Camp Meeting, a jazz album with Christian McBride and Jack DeJounett and a bluegrass record with Ricky Skaggs. He and Ricky played the Touhill back in October. On the Rams coaching search, this all seems eerily similar to the search that yielded us Scott Linehan. I’m really hoping the choice is much more informed than before. On the Cardinals, where is the freed up money from the back-loaded contracts (ie Edmonds, Rolen, etc.) going? I thought the Cards were supposed to have a big surplus to spend this year.

Bernie,since you’re a Paperboy Reed fan,might I steer you to Catfish Haven? Trio out of Chicago with a amazing r&b/rock sound.Kinda Mitch Ryder-esque.Highly recommended.also,Jamey Johnson had THE best country music CD out there-”That Lonesome Song”.Hope you give them a listen..

I have to admit that I am more of a fan of the hard rock/metal genre. My personal favorites were Seether-Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces and Metallica’s Death Magnetic. Metallica got back to their roots with this album.

Bradley is a switch hitter I believe, not LH.

As a Cardinal fan, I love that the Cubs spent 30 million on this guy. While he was awesome when he played last year, Texas is a known hitter’s park and his power stats were never even close to that good before then. Beyond that, he is question mark to play, especially in the field where he has to now, every single day. He is also completely insane–a fact that has and will continue to cost him game time.

Both Dungy and Cox have had Hall of Fame careers and the fans should be happy to be in the hunt every year. If you want to criticize their post season success then you should have included LaRussa’s 27 years as a manager and only 2 world series titles, many times with the best team.

Bernie, here’s four of my favorite records of 2008, which I think you should check out:

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds—Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
The Helio Sequence—Keep Your Eyes Ahead
TV on the Radio—Dear Science
The Black Keys—Attack & Release

Attention: IA_Birds_Fan:

There’s just one FUKUDOME, and he has
great range and a strong arm.

Who is FUKEDOME?

3.) This will definitely be a disappointing season if the cards fail to pick up some significant starting pitcher/second baseman. Relying on Carpenter and Kennedy is not what I call confidence.

4.) Pretty good top five……. Here’s mine: 5.)Vampire Weekend (I hate that there getting hit hard because their popularity, it’s still a great album indie kids!!), 4.) She & Him (Zooey is amazing), 3.) Of Montreal (Bernie they should of been on your top five of 08! Please don’t tell me your not into them…) 2.) Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs (Solid Album, enough said) 1.) We are scientists (Great, fun album and put on a great live show) Honorable Mentions: Fleet Foxes, Keane’s Perfect Symmetry, Weezer’s Red Album (Greatest man that ever lived is one of my fave weez songs now, but still miss the blue and pinkerton days but the bands gotta grow I guess), . I can’t wait for 09, hopefully there’s new Shins, arcade fire, and jimmy eat world albums in the mix!

“How can the Rams consider Jim Fassel when he didn’t even make their list of finalists before they hired Scott Linehan?”

I can’t believe Bernie asks that question. This town’s sports writers have been obsessed with slamming the front office management of the Rams for months, even years, because of non-football people making football decisions…and Scott Linehan is a prime example. So to answer the question, Jim Fassel didn’t make the cut last time around because we had front office people who didn’t have a clue what they were doing. I personally don’t care whether or not Fassel gets the job but if Devaney sees him as the best candidate, I think his decision has more credibility than the previous administration’s decision to write him off.

“Low Hanging Fruit”- I would be happy if this R. Ring guy could knock some “Low Hanging Fruit” off a tree right in front of him. Look at his control problems, and how many times he has been released by other teams. Cubs fans must be laughing at us.

Big Man,

Why the CD you pushed my way has to make the list, right? I am still wearing out The Hold Steady’s “Stay Positive” on my iPod. Also spinning through a stack of Snow Patrol albums …

dg
-30-

Royce Ring. Ugh.

Anyway, when it comes to music in 2008, I like your picks. Here are mine.
7. Conor Oberst - Conor Oberst (Best Song: Danny Callahan)
Bright Eyes’ frontman releases new album with different backup band. Album shows lots of growth in terms of songwriting and style, and is a true gem.
6. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend (Best Song: Campus)
I loved this album when I first heard it, and I still love it now. The only thing is, it came out so early in the year, it didn’t crack my playlist during much of the second half of 2008. Mostly because of my #2 pick…
5. Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer (Best Song: Language City)
Many people hated on this album who loved WP’s debut. Me, personally, I heard this album first, and was initially underwhelmed, but it grew on me heavily.
4. She and Him - Volume 1 (Best Song: Sweet Darlin’)
Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward tear it up on this album. I literally started listening to it two weeks ago, and I haven’t stopped since.
3. Girl Talk - Feed The Animals (Best Song: Still Here)
A free album available on illegalart.com “Not A DJ” Greg Gillis aka Girl Talk creates ridiculous mashup music that is memorable and amazing. He’s also at the Pageant on Jan 7.
2. MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (Best Song: Kids)
If music were alcohol, I would have gotten drunk of MGMT like 80 times this year. I heard “Time To Pretend” on radio in LA in like April, and I have been all about them ever since.
1. Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak (Best Song: Robocop)
Regardless of what you think of Kanye West or mainstream music, the guy is a ridiculously talented artist. This album has the best production of the year and a robotic voice, double thumbs up.

BTW go see The Wrestler. Mickey Rourke is a legend.

-Ike!

“New Surrender” by Anberlin.

Hello Bernie,

Just a note to the MO bashers out there… PLEASE remember: Rolen for Glaus

DeWitt…another story.

Cheers

testing

I have become very angry with Mo and DeWitt Jr. To hear Mr. DeWitt get on TV and say for the last three years “I am going to be very aggressive with the payroll and go get the players we need to win” has been at the very least misleading. I’m all for developing our minor league players and being careful not to over pay free agents but we have to be willing to pick up one or two proven players. All we ask for is the Cardinal Brass be honest with the fans and do not mislead us and get our hopes up only to dash them in your offseason choices.

weezer’s red album was good, worth a listen. As for previous entries calling Dewallet an idiot, I must disagree. Disrespectful of the fans, sure. Dishonest in his claims to ‘be aggressive”. Absolutely dishonest in his claims that the new ballpark would enable ownership to sign top-notch free agents(I distictly remember ownership saying ’sign’ not ‘just missed”). But idiocy? Not a chance. Fans will flock to the ballpark in droves even if they finish fifth. Season ticketholders renew to get all-star tickets. Irespect the passion of the true cardinals fans, but most of the people in the stadium don’t fit that bill. Fact is, dollars speak louder than words, and Dewallet can’t hear anyone over the roar of the Busch stadium money presses.

I guess TLR asked for a guy with experience and something got lost in the translation as Big MO picked up a guy with last name of Ring and not a guy who had won a ring!

As far as the Rams go: Get it over with and hire Marshall Faulk at whatever he wants to coach the team. At least he will offer instant credibility with the fans and would generate ticket sales. How about bringing Mad Mike back to run the offense too….

Blues Buzz: Does anyone else out there look at the standings and think that the Overtime losses and Shootout Losses are there only to make really bad teams look a little more competitive in the standings?

Bernie,
Check out
Andy Conrad - This Is Not A Revolution (http://www.machine-inc.com/index.php)

He’s an indie artist from St. Louis with a cool sound. Writes and plays everything on his albums. Very talented. Reminds me of Sufjan Stevens.
-KD

Lotta good options on albums of the year. Here’s a couple missed so far…

Tell-Tale Signs–Dylan’s outtakes are better than just about anybody’s anything else.
Cardinology by Ryan Adams & the Cardinals
Mudcrutch by Mudcrutch–one of Tom Petty’s best albums and his name isn’t even on the cover.

In regards to Steen, I think he has way more assists than Stemper. And Steen has made some really nice passes since he has been here. I think this was a good trade.

Bernie,

I enjoy reading your stuff but never bother to comment. However, your Fleet Foxes acknowledgment (well, that plus the fact that we saw one of the Boss’ best performances ever this past September) prompted me to recommend my 1B to your #1 of 2008: Kaiser Chiefs’ “Off With Their Heads”

I agree with fkohn33,

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds—Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!
TV on the Radio—Dear Science
The Black Keys—Attack & Release

and would like to add:

Kaizers Orchestra-Maskineri

For fans of The Holdsteady and Dylan, check out The Holdsteady’s cover of Dylan’s “Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?” from the soundtrack to the weird 2007 Dylan flick “I’m Not There.”

Also, for another of their rarer (but also one of their greatest, in my view) tracks, listen to “212 Margarita” on 2005’s Virgin Digital Sessions.

I found both songs on ITunes, which is likely the easiest way to get them.

Bernie, try The Moondoggies’ “Don’t Be A Stranger.” Southern rock at its core, but with harmonies as good as Fleet Foxes.

Speaking of “The Gaslight Anthem” you can download The 59 sound for FREE on Amazonmp3. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001DWXUZ6/ref=pe_19690_11070910

Rose Royce would be a better pickup. This is overripes picked up off the ground. Try Bocelli’s “Incanto” for a refreshing look back at great music and a time of elegance, with a great DVD thrown in.

> Well, at least Cubs ownership spends money

Perhaps it would be more succinct to write “Cubs ownership p*sses away money”?

Bradley is a cancer. He will initially provide some pop to the lineup, but by midseason he will be more distraction than asset. In the balance, he doesn’t make them any better or worse, just $30M poorer. So as a Cards fan, I’m happy with that deal.

If cancer could get cancer, it would be called Milton Bradley.

Bernie, I always enjoy your music recommendations.

My favorite cds of 08:
The Walkmen “You & Me”; Shearwater “Rook”; Firewater “The Golden Hour”;
Frightened Rabbit “The Midnight Organ Fight”; The Whigs “Mission Control”

Honorable mention:
Cold War Kids “Loyalty to Loyalty”; Yeasayer “All Hour Cymbals”

Coming up fast (I discovered them recently):
TV on the Radio “Dear Science”; Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds “Dig, Lazarus, Dig”

I was critical of the Stempniak trade - no doubt. I thought (think) that at 25 it was too quick to give up on Stempniak but you’re right so far, Steen has played decent and Stempniak hasn’t done much in Toronto.

I really like Colaiacovo and always did but Steen never impressed me.

I’ll gladly have a helping of crow now but I reserve the right to give it back at a later date.

Royce Ring? Was Tony Fossas too expensive?

A few more noteworthy 2008 albums in no particular order:

- The Hold Steady: Stay Positive
- The Felice Brothers: The Felice Brothers
- The Moondoggies: Don’t Be A Stranger
- My Morning Jacket: Evil Urges
- Old 97’s: Blame It On Gravity
- Nada Surf: Lucky
- Jenny Lewis: Acid Tongue

Bernie. Good list but there are some missing that others have mentioned. I agree the Fleet Foxes might be the best CD of the year. But check out: TV on the Radio’s “Dear Science”, The Walkmen “You & Me” (especially the song “Four Provinces”). And I know I’m cheating here but both of these CD’s come out in early January that have already leaked and you must check them out: Andrew Bird’s “Wild Beasts” and Animal COllective’s “Merriweather Post Pavillion.”

Bernie,

My top 5 for 2008:

My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
Black Keys - Attack and Release
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Devotchka - A Mad and Faithful Telling
Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs

The last two are not their greatest releases but are two of my favorite bands and still a lot better than most music released in 2008