THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: News came out Thursday that the names of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were on the list of 104 Major League Baseball players who tested positive in a 2003 test for performance-enhancing drugs. While the names of baseball players continue to leak out and those caught are held up for scorn and derision, it seems that NFL players caught using banned substances receive much less criticism. Do you believe that is the case, and if so, why?

JOE STRAUSS
It’s absolutely the case. The NFL reigns supreme in its relationship with and control of media. The hypocrisy of the Shawne Merriman example versus anything within baseball is striking. The guy tests positive, receives the requisite wrist slap and returns to get the third most votes for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The perception is that NFL media are along for the ride, much as MLB media stand accused of during the 90’s. Why doesn’t the NFL require at least the same testing threshold as MLB? It’s not meant as a rhetorical question. Why does the NFL as an institution so tightly limit access to its players? It’s a fascinating question no one seems interested in answering.

JIM THOMAS
Many of the same media members who are railing against Ramirez and Ortiz were the same ones fawning over Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire 10 years ago. There is less romanticizing and moralizing in football. In football, you test positive, you get suspended, you do your time, and you get on with it. For all the talk about steroids in baseball, how many big name players actually have been suspended? In addition, the biggest stars in football — quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers — don’t necessarily play positions where steroids might help performance. You don’t need to be a mass of muscle to throw a football (See: Joe Montana), make a defensive lineman miss (See: Barry Sanders), or get separation from a defensive back (See: Isaac Bruce).

RICK HUMMEL
A very interesting question and one which baffles me. All I can surmise is that baseball has a much longer tradition than pro football and individual statistics and records mean so much more for fans in baseball than in pro football. But, it is interesting that a four-game drug suspension in football is treated like a hamstring pull while a similar penalty in baseball is treated like a major felony has been committed.

DERRICK GOOLD
Much less criticism? Less criticism and coverage is only the start. Mark McGwire, for example, cannot crack 25 percent on the Hall of Fame ballot because he is suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs due to his famously uncomfortable appearance before Congress and because a report in The New York Daily News linked him to possession of PEDs. There’s no positive test to hang the vote on. By contrast, San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman was suspended for four games for a positive test in 2006. There was proof. There was punishment. He missed four games. And he still finished third that season for the voting for the Defensive Player of the Year. Merriman was part of the promotion campaign for Madden ’09. Think Alex Rodriguez will be the face on Topps baseball cards next season? Those are anecdotal examples of what has become a confounding part of our sports culture. Steroids are a societal problem, not a baseball problem. Yet, steroid news gravitates toward baseball. Perhaps it’s because the NFL is the gladiator sport, the physical, rough-and-tumble show. Perhaps it’s baseball’s roots, its devotion to its history, the value it places on its numbers. Perhaps it’s the culture of the sport, of the coverage, of the fanbase. Or, perhaps the NFL is on deck, awaiting its turn to face the heat.

BILL COATS
That does seem to be the case, although the situation with the Carolina Panthers a few years ago caused a pretty good stir. I’m not sure why football is less criticized. Maybe because it’s a much more physical sport played by much bigger people who must spend many, many hours in the weight room to be able to perform in their game. Less suspicion because of that, perhaps?

JEFF GORDON
Excellent question. Performance-enhancing drugs play a big role in sports. It has been a massive issue in Olympic sports like track and field and weightlifting. It has been a massive issue in cycling. It has been on the football scene forever, from high schools on up. And yet revelations of steroid/HGH in baseball causes outrage — as if Our National Pastime is supposed to be above it all. Fans act like the Hall of Fame is some sacred place when, in fact, it is loaded with scoundrels. I guess baseball is the most romantic of all the major sports and that stirs feelings of betrayal. It shouldn’t. Ballplayers push boundaries in competition, just as all athletes do.

LUKE THOMPSON
Unfortunately, I think this is true, due to the way we perceive the two sports. Even though football is more popular, baseball remains America’s pastime, with a much more sacred history. Old records matter more, and we tend to relate better to our favorite players because they’re out there for 162 games for everyone to see. Meanwhile, football players seem less like everyday people, maybe because they only play 16 games and they’re all wearing helmets and pads that make them look even larger than they actually are. That makes it a lot easier to look the other way when these freakish athletes are caught with steroids or the average weight of offensive linemen increases by ridiculously unhealthy amounts in a fairly short period of time.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: With much more strident testing policies in Major League Baseball now, and with all the negative publicity and fan backlash that comes with being exposed as a user of an illegal substance, what do you think would compel a player today to keep using performance enhancers? And what could possibly make them think they are not going to get caught?

JOE STRAUSS

The discussion shouldn’t be limited to the use of PEDs themselves but also to masking agents, such as what Manny Ramirez attempted. Anyone who believes MLB is on top of cutting edge PEDs is naive. For example, there is no testing for HGH, which has benefits of its own. (HGH users have only been caught via federal investigators tracking mailed substances by quacks and outlaw pharmaceutical firms. Discipline has been virtually non-existent.) Manny likely was told a substance would slip detection and either abused it or plain got unlucky. There are all kinds of reasons for continued use. Greed and stupidity top the list. At least outing Ramirez punctures the argument that MLB will hold back on disciplining a superstar 50 games.

QUESTION: “Speaking of PED’s, would you be surprised if….”

ANSWER: “Don’t even finish the question. The answer is no.”

RICK HUMMEL

I don’t know if there is all that much fan backlash. Certainly there is from the media but I think the fans want production and tend to forgive and almost forget if a player produces. Why a player uses may, in some cases, be as simple as trying to keep up with — and get ahead — of his peers. As to the last point, historically, athletes have deemed themselves invisible.

JEFF GORDON

This is a big step forward for baseball. It discourages players from experimenting with the stuff. It warns owners and GMs to stay away from suspected juicers. It reassures fans that MLB is serious about this issue. World-class athletes have stayed a step ahead of testing technology for decades. So the cat-and-mouse game will continue. After Ben Johnson went down hard after the Seoul Olympics, track and field stars continued to juice. Even he resumed juicing, after serving a two-year ban. So, no, the ManRam suspension won’t totally clean up baseball. If a player is really committing to juicing, this suspension just makes him be more careful.

DAN O’NEILL

Let’s see now, what would compel a major league baseball player to use performance-enhancing drugs. Hmmmm? Could it be the $24 million a year Manny Ramirez signed for, or maybe the $275 million Alex Rodriguez plays for, or is it maybe the $72 million Miguel Tejada got a few years ago? Players are going to do whatever it takes because one good season, or one good stretch can result in a lifetime of wealth. Players have been trying to find an edge throughout the history of the game, from spitballs, to corked bats, to steroids. And some will continue to try because there will always be that enticement of a giant payoff. Yes, some have been caught. Most likely, many more have not.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)

Two things compel the guys who are willing to cheat to succeed: money and fame.

To them, the risk is worth the reward. Even if they get caught all they have to do is serve a 50-game suspension and give up 50 game checks, which isn’t all that big a deal if your performance has already netted you more than $150 million over the years. They deal with the shame by cruising around South Beach in their $150,000 sports cars.

What makes them think they won’t get caught? People cheat on their taxes, cheat on their spouses, steal from their companies and flat out just take what they want all the time. What makes anyone think they’ll get away with it?

There are four possible explanations — too stupid to realize they’ll get caught, too arrogant to think anyone could outsmart them, plain old crazy or they just don’t care about getting caught.

Take your pick with Manny…

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Assuming good health, how close do you think Ryan Ludwick will come to matching last year’s productivity, which included 37 HRs, 113 RBIs and a .299 average?

DERRICK GOOLD
Ryan Ludwick can have a better season in 2009 and not come near the numbers or the accolades of his breakout year in 2008. That said, the number he’ll come closest to duplicating — and likely surpassing — is that RBI total. More games and more opportunities coupled with a more prominent spot in the middle of the Cardinals’ order will give him a ample chance to repeat as a 100-RBI outfielder, even with a drop in homers and average.

RICK HUMMEL
If Ludwick hits 25 homers and drives in 90 it still will be a good year. He probably isn’t a .300 hitter. Put him down for .275.

JEFF GORDON
Ryan is a grinder. He kept making adjustments last season. He will punish bad pitching and get lots of breaks against tough righties. So I see him hitting .280 with 30 homers and 95 RBI. La Russa will want to spread it around to keep any one of these guys from getting exposed.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
His history suggests that his batting average may come down a bit. Ludwick has a .270 career average in the big leagues and he was a .273 hitter in 2,780 at-bats in the minors, so something around .270-.280 would be logical for ’09.

I don’t expect his home run total to slip much, if at all. Ludwick has never hit fewer than 24 home runs in any pro season during which he’s picked up at least 400 at-bats and he’s hit a home run every 18.1 at-bats in the Major Leagues. It’s fair to assume he’ll get more at-bats in ’09 than he did in ’08 because he really didn’t cement himself as an “everyday player” right away last year. He enters this season with that distinction and should get 40-50 more at-bats as a result.

I think he’s a little better than his “career pace” indicates, so I think it’s safe to count on Ludwick for 35 bombs. His RBI total will depend on where he hits in the lineup. If he’s hitting 2nd a lot his RBI total will dip but if he spends the year hitting 4th or 5th I think he’ll top 100 RBI.

My projections: .275, 35 HR, 110 RBI, .350 OBP, .550 SLG, .900 OPS

TOM ACKERMAN (Sports anchor of “Total Information A.M.” on KMOX)
Ludwick is capable of putting up similar numbers, but I think it’s asking a lot. Never underestimate the value of scouting reports. Teams have compiled enough video to know his hot and cold zones. Ludwick should have ample protection in the lineup and plenty of RBI chances, so he’ll be close to those All-Star stats.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

BUT I’M A-ROD: Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News has a hilarious column on Alex Rodriguez showing up today for his hip surgery in Arizona. In Bondy’s world, A-Rod would be treated just the same as the rest of us in today’s American health care system. Here’s a quick sampling of his column:

A-Rod: I’m here for my surgery.

(No answer.)

A-Rod: I’m here for my surgery, with Dr. Philippon.

Clerk: Just a minute. (into telephone) Peggy, I have someone here. I’ll have to call you back.

A-Rod: I’m A-Rod.

Clerk: Is this your first time here, Mr. Rod? Fill out these seven forms.”

If you want a good mid-afternoon chuckle, you should check out his column.

L.T. SHOULD GO TO BIG EASY: The San Diego Chargers and five-time, Pro-Bowl running back LaDainian Tomlinson continue to haggle over terms that would keep Tomlinson with the team this season. Tomlinson, who has three years remaining on an eight-year contract he signed in 2004, is being asked to take a pay cut to remain with the team after suffering through an injury-plagued season in 2008 when he had a career low 292 rushing attempts and 1,110 yards. The Chargers apparently feel comfortable asking L.T. to take the pay cut after putting a franchise tag on running back Darren Sproles, which guarantees Sproles will be paid at least the average of the games top five running backs.

San Diego is the only home Tomlinson has ever known, but if I had produced the way he has for the Chargers the past eight years and had other teams pursuing me (reportedly the New Orleans Saints), I’d go ahead and kick the dust of San Diego off my heels and head south. Furthermore, I’d feel totally disrespected by the team franchising a scatback like Sproles while asking L.T. to take a cut. Here’s hoping L.T. decides to join a backfield with Drew Brees and continues to light up the league for another couple years. That would be poetic justice, as it was the Chargers that sent Brees packing a few years back in a similar scenario — and we’ve all seen Brees’ aerial attack for the Saints. Imagine if he had L.T. in that backfield to help him out.

THINGS TO PONDER

RETURN TO THE ROAD: Former NBA star Charles Barkley has been released from jail after serving his three-day sentence on a drunken-driving conviction. Everyone be careful out there.

TRENT EDWARDS IS T.O.’S NEXT VICTIM: The Buffalo Bills have just mortgaged their future. They’ve taken on a 35-year-old wide receiver by the name of Terrell Owens, formerly known as one of the best WRs in the game and currently known as the guy who has served as a divisive force in three different NFL locker rooms. I’m sure the lure of T.O. is hard to pass up, but the Bills have just washed away the future of young QB Trent Edwards. Owens will devour Edwards, who will be entering just his third NFL season in 2009. Owens has thrown his previous three QBs under the bus, including Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo. And those are three pretty high-profile QBs. How is a young guy like Trent Edwards going to handle T.O. in his face demanding the ball? And what about the chemistry Edwards already has with the team’s No. 1 WR Lee Evans? This has disaster written all over it, and not just for the Buffalo Bills. Specifically, it likely will come at the expense of destroying the psyche and ego of a pretty good young QB in Edwards. I’m really surprised conservative coach Dick Jauron signed off on this one.

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STAT OF THE DAY

4 DEGREES OF SEPARATION — I found this cool tool called the “Oracle” on baseball-reference.com that allows you to link any two major league players by a shortest possible list of teammates. By just punching in their names, I was able to connect Stan Musial to Albert Pujols in just four degrees of separation. Here they are:

1. Stan Musial played with Dick Schofield for the 1953 St. Louis Cardinals
2. Dick Schofield played with Jerry Reuss for the 1971 St. Louis Cardinals
3. Jerry Reuss played with Bobby Bonilla for the 1990 Pittsburgh Pirates
4. Bobby Bonilla played with Albert Pujols for the 2001 St. Louis Cardinals

If you wanna have a little fun with some of your favorite players of the past and present, check out this site.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: With Drew Bennett already cut and now Torry Holt asking for his release, how early do you see the St. Louis Rams targeting a wide receiver in this year’s draft? Are there still quality options after Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin are gone, or will the Rams have to consider striking early for a quality WR?

JIM THOMAS
Let’s see what the rest of free agency brings, but there aren’t really many options left, at least younger ones. As for the draft, the problem with taking a wide receiver at No. 2 overall is that you still need an offensive tackle. If the Rams opt for a receiver at the top of the second round, Kenny Britt of Rutgers and Brian Robiskie of Ohio State are possibilities.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Barring a trade or free-agent signing, the Rams will have to make WR a priority in the draft. If they don’t go for Jeremy Maclin or Michael Crabtree in the first round — hopefully after trading down — they’ll have to take a hard look at WR in Round 2. But they can’t pass on a better player at another position. They can’t force it. Finding a taller more physical receiver might have to wait for next year’s wish list.

JEFF GORDON
Crabtree is an option, of course, but LB Aaron Curry looks like a great pick for the defensive side — and you have to believe Spags will push for him. The Rams are going to run a ground-control offense. This will be a run-first team. Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton both have nice upsides. The free-agent wide receiver pool isn’t great, but the Rams ought to at least add depth with a veteran and then pick somebody later in the draft for more depth.

KATHLEEN NELSON
I think the Rams first might try to get one of the geezer wideouts to provide a little stability. Drafting a first-rounder and throwing him immediately into the fire would be unfair to the draftee. Remember when the Rams drafted Torry Holt? Isaac Bruce was the man, and Holt had a role model from whom to learn. I wonder how Torry would have fared as the undisputed No. 1. I’d bet not as well as he did; Bruce took the pressure off Holt

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

HOLT AMONG GAME’S ELITE? I heard a ridiculous discussion on the radio last night about whether or not Torry Holt was one of the game’s “great” receivers during his time in the league. Are you kidding me? As Jim Thomas pointed out in his story today, Holt, the No. 6 overall pick in the 1999 draft, has caught more passes (817) for more yards (11,872) than any receiver in the NFL this decade. Need more perspective … Thomas provided it. Over Holt’s 10-year career, his average of 80.1 yards per game is the highest for any WR in league history. At the age of 32, Holt is 11th overall in career receptions (869) and 14th in career receiving yards (12,660). It’s guaranteed he’ll continue to build on those career numbers and move on up the list.

Anyone who looks at those numbers and doesn’t believe Torry Holt has been one of the league’s elite receivers over the last decade should just stop watching football. Right now. Turn it off. Watch rugby.

Now, with that said, it’s hard to say if the Rams would be making a mistake to cut Holt now. He is coming off his worst season ever. But generally speaking, WRs don’t necessarily deteriorate at the age-30 plateau as quickly as, say, RBs. Many WRs continue to put up decent numbers into their mid-30s. And how many of Holt’s reduced numbers in 2008 were a product of him losing a step, and how many of them were the product of a completely dysfunctional offense where the QB spent more time on his back than on his feet?

There are no easy answers here, and I believe Holt has played his last game as a Ram. But rather than celebrating his departure, I think Rams fans should celebrate all he gave this team for 10 years. Other than grumbling a bit at the end of last season as he was worked out of the offense, Holt was always a classy guy. There is no arguing the production he put up while here.

IT ALL STARTED WITH MADONNA: Long before the steroid revelations and the tearful apologies, I told you the A-Rod kingdom would fall sooner than expected … and it was because of the bad mojo he brought on himself for dating Madonna. Now, just days after saying A-Rod had a cyst on his hip that needed to be checked out, ESPN is reporting that Rodriguez needs surgery and will be out up to 10 weeks. This is the same cyst that earlier this week Yankees manager Joe Girardi said A-Rod had played with all last season. Of course, ESPN doesn’t have the news nailed down yet, and they are sourcing the story completely on something A-Rod’s brother said. So we’ll have to wait and see what’s really going on here.

I’m just thinking out loud here, but if I had a relationship with Madonna and I had a “cyst” on my hip, I’d be asking doctors to do all kinds of tests on that thing to find out exactly what it is. I’m just sayin’.

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

CAN YOU IMAGINE? So we’re sitting here in the office this morning discussing Terrell Owen’s divorce from the Dallas Cowboys. Trouble has followed T.O. everywhere he’s been, like Schleprock in the Flintstones who always walked around with the dark cloud over his head. That said, his prolific numbers keep teams coming back for more. Which team, we wondered, would take a chance on T.O. My first thought was crazy Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders … but with a young coach and young QB, that might be too much for even the Raiders. And then this was mentioned: How about the Patriots? Holy cow, can you imagine the knocking knees of DBs if you were facing a Patriots offense with T.O. lined up on one side of the field and Randy Moss on the other … and with Tom Brady throwing them the ball. Unstoppable … on the field, at least. But chances are they’d never get that far as T.O. and Moss would likely implode the Patriots before mini-camps were even completed. Still, it’s an interesting thought and Patriots coach Bill Belichick has a record of making guys buy into team first … who knows.

Regardless, according to the Dallas Morning News this morning, Terrell Owens had to go. Some interesting thoughts considering how vital he was thought to be to the Cowboys and QB Tony Romo just a short while ago.

Just curious, if Torry Holt were to be released, would any Rams fans like to see T.O. end up in St. Louis?

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THIS DAY IN HISTORY

MARCH 5, 1973 — New York Yankees pitchers Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich announce that they have traded wives, kids and dogs. While Peterson eventually marries the former Susanne Kekich, Marilyn Peterson and Kekich soon part. (Source: “This Day in Baseball” by David Nemec and Scott Flatlow)

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Missouri wide receiver Jeremy Maclin reportedly is moving quickly up many draft boards. Maclin plans to run this weekend at the NFL Combine. He’ll likely work out before scouts at a pro day at Mizzou. Given his rising stock, where do you see Maclin being selected in the NFL draft?

JIM THOMAS
Maclin is widely considered the second-best wide receiver in the draft behind Michael Crabtree of Texas Tech. It now looks like he will be taken in the top 10. There’s no substitute for speed. Al Davis has believed this for decades. That’s why Maclin will go to Oakland with the No. 7 overall pick. Just throw deep, baby.

BILL COATS
Maclin is a two-headed monster: an accomplished wide receiver as well as a dangerous return man. The Rams could use both, but probably will use the No. 2 overall pick to address more pressing needs. So, my guess is that the Raiders, who also need a wideout and a returner, grab Maclin with the seventh pick in the first round.

KATHLEEN NELSON
The Jets could use a QB and a fast receiver. QBs like Mark Sanchez and Matt Stafford should be long gone by the time the Jets pick. That leaves Maclin to the Jets at No. 17.

STU DURANDO
The consensus seems to be Oakland at No. 7 and that makes sense considering the Raiders’ lack of receivers. Now, if they can move up to get Michael Crabtree or if Crabtree miraculously falls that far, Maclin will drop, maybe to the Jets at No. 17. And because I cover Illinois football, I’ll add that cornerback Vontae Davis is also a projected first-rounder and could climb as high as Green Bay at No. 9.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Maclin is not going to be taken ahead of Michael Crabtree. And the teams that are willing to take receivers in the first round is limited. Still, there are the Oakland Raiders sitting there with the No. 7 pick, and the Raiders love to take guys who can go deep. Of course, who knows what the Raiders will do? So look for him there. If not, he may drop a bit.

JEFF GORDON
With Michael Crabtree losing stock value, Maclin could easily become a Top Ten pick in this draft. The Packers need help at receiver and Pro Football Talk’s mock draft has North Carolina receiver Hakeem Nicks going to Green Bay at No. 9. That seems like a reach, based on earlier assessments of Nicks. Maclin has to be a better pick there, right? Right?

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
How about the No. 7 pick to the Oakland Raiders? Al Davis loves game breakers, loves the deep ball, and needs someone who can bring that element to his team in ’09. The top two receivers on the Raiders’ depth chart right now, according to their own Web site, are Javon Walker (15 catches for 196 yards in ’08) and Ronald Curry (19 catches and 189 yards in ’08).

Even if they sign a big name free agent, Maclin still makes sense as a game changer who can stretch the field and also make the Raiders return game more dynamic. JaMarcus Russell needs receivers and Maclin will be the best on the board after the Seahawks take Michael Crabtree with the 4th pick. Maclin’s speed and explosiveness just scream, “Draft me, Mr. Davis!”

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

I AM TIGER WOODS: “I’m now ready to play again.” And with those six words from Tiger Woods, golf tournament organizers and their sponsors began cheering from the mountaintops. Woods made the announcement yesterday that he will play in next week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play. The return of Woods will get the cash flowing at tournaments and for television advertising … geez, I’m thinking this one man might just save the whole economy from pending doom. Perhaps the late-Earl Woods was right when he predicted his son would do more than change golf, but that he would change the world.

Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times apparently seems to agree. The headline on his column today reads, “Tiger Woods’ comeback is bigger than the game.”

IT’S NOT OVER YET: It looks like the Alex Rodriguez steroids saga is not over, and it may just be beginning. According to a report in today’s New York Daily News, A-Rod has had a longstanding relationship with a steroid-linked trainer. The Daily News says that Angel Presinal was banned from private areas of every MLB ballpark after an October 2001 incident involving an unmarked gym bag full of steroids, but that he has been close to A-Rod dating back to his time with the Rangers. A-Rod has said he only used from 2001-03, but a source tells the Daily News that “Presinal accompanied A-Rod for the entire 2007 season, staying in the same hotel as the A.L. MVP, but in a separate room with the “cousin” Rodriguez pegged three days ago as his steroid source from 2001-03.”

So do you believe A-Rod when he says he only used steroids from 2001-03? Stay tuned. It ain’t over ’til it’s over.

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THINGS TO PONDER

THE WALTZ OF WALT: I was glad to see Keith Tkachuk get the game-winner in overtime last night. And he did it in his traditional style … planted in front of the net. “Big Walt” just doesn’t seem to get the respect he deserves in this town. It seems so many folks mention him first when discussing the trade deadline. Tkachuk has 18 goals and 17 assists this season for a total of 35 points. That’s good enough for a three-way tie as the team’s second-leader scorer (Patrik Berglund and David Perron also have 35 points), with only Brad Boyes’ 50 points coming in higher.

I’m not sure why fans in St. Louis wouldn’t want Tkachuk to stick around for another season or two — his veteran presence in the locker room has to help all the Baby Blues. And it’s not like he’s not putting up any numbers. Unless they can get a first-round pick for Tkachuk — which I don’t think the Blues can right now — I hope to see him back on the ice for the club next season.

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ON THIS DATE

FEB 20, 1953 — Anheuser-Busch buys all but seven shares of St. Louis Cardinals stock from recently imprisoned owner Fred Saigh and installs August A. Busch Jr. as club president. (Source: “This Day in Baseball”)

MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS:
THE STEROID EDITION

ALBERT, COME GET YOUR HARDWARE: Steroid talk is back in full bloom thanks to Alex Rodriguez. And Rick Reilly of ESPN.com says “It’s time to right some wrongs, one MVP at a time.” Reilly takes a stroll back through the Steroid Era, taking hardware away from those on the wrong side of the argument and handing it over to those he feels are the rightful owners. And no one would collect more in Reilly’s World than St. Louis Cardinal Albert Pujols.

Reilly writes, “You already have two MVPs, Albert, and you’re about to get three more, since Barry Bonds ripped you off worse than Bernie Madoff to win the award from 2002 to 2004.”

CARDINAL REDEMPTION? Joe Posnanski has a great piece on SI.com today about how things have been gone down over the years in the Steroid Era, from investigations to commissions, from committees to congressional hearings. And he points out that the day Mark McGwire and numerous other players appeared before Congress in a grilling Q&A session, perhaps McGwire took the best stance of all by just saying nothing.

Posnanski writes: “Nobody in baseball came across well that day. But the general consensus seemed to be that the big loser was a giant red-headed slugger named Mark McGwire. Nine times that day, McGwire said: “I’m not here to talk about the past,” or something very close to it. … Funny thing, though. Here it is, almost four years later, and since that day we’ve had the Rafael Palmeiro drug test, the Barry Bonds soap opera, the generally unhelpful Mitchell Report, the Roger Clemens ultimate fighting competition, witch hunts galore and now the Alex Rodriguez saga. … And looking back you have to wonder if McGwire is the one guy in this whole absurd steroid mess who actually got it, the one guy who has come out of this thing with his dignity reasonably intact.”

I don’t know how much his dignity is intact, but Posnanski does a great job making his case in this compelling piece. Check it out.

THE WATERCOOLER

He was young, he was stupid, he was naive. Those seem to be the prevailing answers A-Rod gave yesterday when asked why he tampered with steroids from 2001-2003. Young? Yes. Naive? Maybe. Stupid? Definitely. And this isn’t just about breaking baseball’s rules, this is about life and death. There were plenty of examples and literature available at that time to make folks aware of the dangers of using steroids. But perhaps the dangers just didn’t outweigh those lucrative contracts.

The whole saga got me to thinking about Ken Caminiti and how in a 2002 interview with Sports Illustrated he became the first former player to admit to using steroids. Two years later, at the age of 41, Caminiti was dead.

These slippery-slope thoughts led me to the question of the day for our panel. Please note in advance that these answers were not meant to imply wrongdoing by anyone and really have nothing to do with steroids. It’s just about players that left us too early. Perhaps you have some to add to the list.

QUESTION: History is littered with athletes dying too young (Remember Lou Gehrig’s speech in Pride of the Yankees?). Of all the athletes that have died too soon, who do you think you most missed having a chance to see play longer — or who you think might have had the greater impact on his sport if he had been around longer?

JOE STRAUSS
During the early and mid 80’s, Ralph Sampson, Michael Jordan and Len Bias were arguably the three most influential players in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Sampson and Jordan’s career are well-chronicled. But few remember that many basketball mavens rated Bias one of the top collegiate forwards ever. His cocaine-related death after the Boston Celtics made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 1986 draft took down the Maryland basketball program and played a significant role in the Celtics going 22 years between their 16th and 17th NBA Championship. There are those who believe had Bias not ingested cocaine two days after being drafted that the Celtics would have challenged the Detroit Pistons’ reign in the late 80’s and the Bulls’ dominance with Jordan in the early 1990’s. Not too long ago Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski rated Jordan and Bias the two best players he’d coached against. Bias was arguably the last great college player before the NCAA adopted the 3-point arc. Bias possessed a great mid-range jumper, a shot now little appreciated in the college game. It’s hard to believe a generation has passed since his death.

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
There’s no way Dale Earnhardt could have made a bigger impact on auto racing. His image was plastered on every piece of merchandise you could imagine and sold in gas stations from coast to coast. I wasn’t a big racing fan growing up, but Earnhardt made me watch. His legacy was cemented before his untimely death, but his glorious career had more to offer.

GERRY FRALEY
NASCAR took two hard body blows in 1993 when Alan Kulwicki and Davey Allison, two of its best drivers, died in separate air accidents. Kulwicki, 39, was the defending Cup champion when he was killed in private-airplane crash near Blountsville, Tenn. Kulwicki had a degree in mechanical engineering from Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and he was in the forefront of applying science to racing. Allison, 32, was the polar opposite. A second-generation member of the “Alabama Gang,’’ Allison was the classic hard-charging, push-it-to-the-limit driver. He had 19 wins and 66 top-five finishes in 191 Cup starts. Allison died when the helicopter that he was piloting crashed in the infield at Talladega Superspeedway. A year earlier, Allison’s younger brother Clifford died from injuries received during a wreck while practicing at the Michigan International Speedway.

DERRICK GOOLD
Tempted to say Len Bias becaues of the pyrotechnic talent he had on the basketball court, but I’ll side with Roberto Clemente because of what he would have accomplished off the field, too. Clemente, at 38, had all of the numbers of a Hall of Famer — 3,000 hits, an MVP in ’66 — and there’s no telling how much more time he had in the game. It’s what he meant as an ambassador for the game and as a humanitarian that was snuffed out too young.

BILL COATS
I was a huge Roberto Clemente fan. I marveled at his great defense and big arm, his unorthodox hitting style, and I loved the all-out approach he took to the game. When his plane went down, it was a real jolt. He finished with 3,000 hits, exactly. Who knows how many more he might have produced.

STU DURANDO
When athletes die at an early age, my sadness comes from what I know of them away from their sport. I think about the well being of the family and young children they leave behind. I wonder what will become of the good work they might be doing in the community. I don’t think I’ve ever given consideration to what will be missed in terms of their athletic contributions. So, I can’t answer the question in those terms. I would use the example of Adam Litteken as a death that hits home. Adam was a high school hockey player at Francis Howell Central who died suddenly on the ice in 2007. He and hundreds of other young athletes have died suddenly and in relative obscurity from undetected heart conditions. Each time I read about a similar death I am saddened to think about the lives that have ended before they had a chance to really get started.

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ON THIS DATE

FEB. 18, 1998 — Beloved Chicago Cubs broadcaster (and former Cardinal broadcaster) Harry Caray dies at age 84.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: After laying a third-period egg in a very important game at home against Vancouver Tuesday night, what do you think is the most important thing fans should watch for in how the Blues respond tonight at Nashville?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
Keep an eye on the Blues’ defensive play. For the most part, the forwards played well in Tuesday’s 6-4 loss to Vancouver. Andy McDonald will take a few weeks to round into form, but he looked good on a line with T.J. Oshie and Patrik Berglund. The Blues were two for three on the power play, scoring those two goals in only 1:34 of power-play time. Chris Mason wasn’t great, but he made some nice saves. But the Blues’ defense, which has played well the last couple of weeks, let them down with five giveaways. Mason made 47 saves in a 1-0 shutout win over Nashville back in November, but he won’t do that again tonight if the Blues play defensively like they did Tuesday. Look for Mike Weaver to be back in the lineup, replacing Steve Wagner.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Hockey is a pretty simple game. Tenacity matters in this sport, and the Blues didn’t have much of it Tuesday after taking that 2-0 lead on Vancouver. They backed off. This is a team that must have an underdog’s mindset. They have to bring the effort and the physical play for 60 minutes. That didn’t happen against Vancouver. The Blues went into a cruise-control mode. So they have to come out flying tonight, and take the play to Nashville. I didn’t think Chris Mason was sharp against the Canucks. Granted, he was the victim of some fluke stuff, but he’s the clear No. 1 goaltender now, and the pressure is on him to play consistently well. He’ll have to be on top of his game tonight.

TOM TIMMERMANN
Plain and simple, they need to win, no matter how it looks. They can’t afford a losing streak at this time of the season. They may be close points-wise, but it’s going to be tough to climb over all those teams since everyone is playing each other.

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, Team 1380)
The most disappointing thing to me in regards to Tuesday’s loss was how nonchalant the Blues performed in the third period. At this time of year you can’t afford to allow the opposition to dictate the pace of the game, especially in the third period. The Blues put themselves in bad situations by taking irresponsible penalties and failing to do the little things that matter when you’re trying to protect a lead late in the game.

The Blues will try to give a smarter effort tonight in Nashville. It starts in their own end with goaltender Chris Mason, who failed to come up with the big save when the club needed it in the worst way against the Canucks. It’s crucial the Blues get a lead early to prevent the team from chasing the game.

REED LOW (Former Blue and co-host of “The Low Down” on KFNS)
They need to come out with a good start. Also they need to play with desperation … that’s what made them successful over their last 10 games. The other night the team was watching instead of forcing the play. Goaltending has to be better — they worked hard to get the lead back after a power play goal the other night and you need your goalie to make it happen after something like that. Lastly, they need to play four lines and keep rolling the bench and getting everyone in the game. After a couple periods of that you will wear the other team down because a home team will usually try to get their best players out for a few extra shifts. Stay patient with the game plan and keep it simple.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

THE WORLD OF PETE ROSE: Of all the people I would have expected to hear speak up about Alex Rodriguez and steroids, perhaps Pete Rose would’ve been one of the last. I know steroids and gambling are two different things, but the whole pot-kettle thing bothers me. Both have admitted to breaking the rules. Period.

But Rose, the game’s all-time hits leader with 4,256, had a few things to say to Dayton Daily News’ legendary baseball writer Hal McCoy. Take this for example: “I would have got 5,000 hits if I took steroids.”

Really, Pete? Almost 750 more hits because you were juicing? Wanna bet on it?

But I will give Rose credit for his thoughts on when A-Rod said he juiced because of all the pressure he was under due to his huge contract. Here’s what Rose told McCoy: “Pressure? A lot of us are understanding in these times that pressure is signing a $250 contract, not $250 million.”

That, I couldn’t have said better myself.

ALL ABOARD: According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the Brewers are teaming up with Amtrak to try to make Wrigley Field in Chicago a home away from home — at least for one game. The report states that the first 100 Brewers fans who buy tickets to the Brewers-Cubs Sept. 17 game will get a free, round-trip ride to Chicago on Amtrak. The name of the promotion: Miller Park South. While they are only giving away 100 free train rides, all those fans and 1,500 others who attend the game will be given t-shirts that say, “Miller Park South.”

I say when you send 1,600 Brewers fans into the dregs of the drunken Friendly Confines claiming the Cubs’ home field as their own, the t-shirts might as well say, “Go ahead, kick my #$#.”

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SOMETHING TO PONDER

THIRD JERSEY UNDER SCRUTINY: It was news to this editor to find out this morning that ESPN had done a story about St. Louis Post-Dispatch multimedia journalist Darryl Swint and how renderings for a new Blues third jersey that Swint designed and delivered to the Blues back in 2003 have many similarities to the third jerseys the Blues introduced this season. I offer no opinion or bias on the merits of anyone’s claims in the story, but thought fans might like to see the story and the side-by-side shots. You can form your own opinions.

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HOME RUN HISTORY

As Albert Pujols prepares to begin his ninth season in the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals, here’s a look at the players who hit the most home runs through their first 8 seasons, along with how many they hit:

1. Ralph Kiner — 329
2 Albert Pujols — 319
3. Eddie Mathews — 299
4. Adam Dunn — 278
5. Ernie Banks — 269
6. Ted Williams — 265
7. Frank Robinson — 262
8. Frank Thomas — 257
9. Hank Aaron — 253
10. Darryl Strawberry — 252
11 Todd Helton — 251
12. Willie Mays — 250
13. Mickey Mantle — 249
14. Rocky Colavito — 246
15. Joe DiMaggio — 244
16. Albert Belle — 242
17. Alex Rodriguez — 241
18. Mike Piazza — 240
19. Roger Maris — 240
20. Ken Griffey — 238

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Things may change depending on what the team does in free agency, but if you were drafting for the Rams today whom would you take with the No. 2 overall pick?

JIM THOMAS
Orlando Pace is nearing the end of his great career. Alex Barron has been an underachiever and is entering the last year of his contract. You’ve got to go tackle. Of the top three prospects, Eugene Monroe of Virginia is the safest pick.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Wow, this is a tough one, and the circumstances will change many times between now and the draft. But as we sit here today, my thought would be to spend money on a good free-agent offensive tackle instead of drafting one. And with the 2nd pick, I would take Texas Tech wideout Michael Crabtree. Torry Holt has slowed down. And the kids, Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton, aren’t big, physical receivers. The Rams have a real need in that area, a receiver who can win the tough battles for the football down in the red zone. Crabtree has that ability. I reserve the right to change my mind, but right now I’d go with Crabtree.

BILL COATS
The Rams have plenty of needs, with the offensive line at the top of the list. So, my pick is Virginia tackle Eugene Monroe. He would give new coach Steve Spagnuolo some nice flexibility in a most vital area.

KATHLEEN NELSON
Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia: OK, so he lost the Outland Trophy to Andre Smith. Scouts seem to think Monroe’s a bit more seasoned. Smith is skipping his senior year, so I wonder about his maturity, especially since he or his people had improper contact with an agent. The Rams need a lot of help on the offensive line, and they won’t want to wait for a tackle to grow up. Monroe seems likely to be ready sooner.

JEFF GORDON
Perhaps the best strategy is trading down to take a tackle later in the first round — perhaps Eugene Monroe of Virginia. Of course, many teams are looking to deal down in this draft. Other teams are looking to sacrifice quality for quantity of picks because the top of this draft looks iffy. If a trade-down is impossible, then Alabama tackle Andre Smith looks like a nice building block for a power running game.

GERRY FRALEY
In the NFL, the name of the game is get to the other guy’s quarterback. Of the top 12 teams for sacks during the regular season, nine reached the playoffs. The Super Bowl teams, Arizona and Pittsburgh, each have seven sacks in the post-season. Arizona did it in three games, one more than Pittsburgh.

New Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo learned that approach when he worked with Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jim Johnson and took it with him to the New York Giants. In the last two seasons, with Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator, the Giants had the second-highest sacks total in the NFL with 95. Dallas led with 105. The Giants’ sacks total does not reflect the mind-sapping beating Spagnoalo’s defense put on quarterbacks. (The Rams had 61 sacks in that span and rarely made life difficult on an opposing quarterback.)

There are several defensive front-seven players with strong pass-rushing skills: Florida State’s Everette Brown, Georgia Tech’s Michael Johnson and Texas’ Brian Orakpo. The Rams will be tempted to go with an offensive lineman such as Alabama tackle Andre Smith, but they would be better served with a pass rusher.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

THINKING OUT LOUD: Last season the St. Louis Cardinals were able to pick up starting pitcher Kyle Lohse on the cheap late in the spring, and the gamble paid off as Lohse went on to post career bests in wins (15) and ERA (3.78), while also logging 200 innings pitched (second-highest innings in his career.) Lohse now is cited as a prime example for why the Cardinals should wait on this year’s free agent market, with the assumption being the team can find a similar arm later.

What hasn’t been discussed is this: With so many teams this year (teams not named Yankees, Red Sox or Angels) saying they are going to wait a while for the free agent market to establish itself, doesn’t that mean there is likely going to be more competition to gobble up free agent pitchers come springtime? And if you’ve got the vast majority of teams sitting and waiting, isn’t that going to push the prices up for these pitchers once the feedy frenzy starts? Who’s going to be caught without a chair when the music stops? Just seems like a gamble.

Perhaps now is the ideal time to strike … the eye of the storm so to speak. Big dollars have been ponied-up for the top-tier guys and a couple of quality arms like Brad Penny and John Smoltz have been claimed on the cheap. It seems the first wave has passed. Why wait until there’s blood in the water in March as team’s scramble to fill out rotations … move now while prices for guys like Penny and Smoltz have been suppressed … don’t wait until the dollars start jumping again.

That’s my two cents.

TROUBLE IN PARADISE: Say it ain’t so, Joe? Apparently it is. According to the New York Daily News, former Yankees manager Joe Torre takes a number of his former colleagues and players with the Yankees to task in a new book to be released next month. This from the Daily News: “Torre describes general manager Brian Cashman as a less than supportive ally who betrayed him on several fronts, and says that his star player, Alex Rodriguez, was often referred to by his teammates as “A-Fraud” and was obsessed with his perceived rival, shortstop Derek Jeter.”

Ouch. I guess Torre is still irked about the “incentives-laden” deal the Yanks offered him to return as manager last year. I can’t wait until Torre’s tenure as Dodgers manager comes to an end so we can hear what he has to say about Manny Ramirez.

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THINGS TO PONDER

GETTING THE WARNER TREATMENT: Prior to this season, Chargers’ RB LaDainian Tomlinson had been the best RB in the game the last three or four years, hands down. This season, at age 29, Tomlinson battled injuries and put up the lowest numbers since his rookie season — rushing for 1,135 yards and 12 TDs (he tacked on another 426 yards receiving with 1 TD).

I know that LT will turn 30 in June and that’s a flashpoint for many RBs, but we’re talking about a guy that just put up 1,500 total yards and 13 TDs … while playing through injuries. And now there is a major rift between Tomlinson and Chargers’ GM A.J. Smith concerning Tomlinson’s future in San Diego. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, players have expressed consternation over comments made by Smith in which he was interpreted as mocking the star running back.

Sound familiar St. Louis? Let’s see if the Chargers end up running LT out of town … and how much they regret it later if they do.

IS IT SAFE ANYWHERE? It was tragic news Friday night when a 17-year-old boy was shot and killed outside a girls’ basketball game at Cahokia High School. “I think it should be a wake-up call for people in the area who have children in high school that this is not a game,” Maj. John Lakin of the Madison County Sheriff’s Department told the Post-Dispatch. “Kids are losing their lives over senseless things, and we need to warn our children.”

The city of Chicago is dealing with such dangers in a drastic way. New rules will keep the doors to the gyms shut for many in an effort to reduce violence within the Chicago Public League. Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Tribune writes, “It’s hard to be hopeful about the future when fights break out in the stands or a player gets shot after a game. … But emptying the gyms is not the answer, unless we’d prefer to teach kids that the only way to deal with problems is by running from them.”

Senseless violence leaves us all scratching our heads. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area where high school sports are still all popcorn and pom-poms, consider yourself lucky. Imagine having to worrry about your child competing in, or attending, a high school sporting event where by merely showing up they are put in harm’s way.

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STAT OF THE DAY

551 — Most consecutive games played by an NHL goalie (including playoffs). The feat was accomplished by Blachawks netminder Glenn Hall from the 1955-56 season through the 1962-63 season. More astounding, Hall accomplished the feat in an era when goalies did not wear masks. Many consider this to be hockey’s most unbreakable record. (SOURCE: Hockey’s Top 100: The game’s greatest records)

* Hall was left unprotected for the 1967 NHL expansion draft, despite the fact he had won the Vezina Trophy earlier that season. He was snatched up by the St. Louis Blues and led them to the Stanley Cup finals in their expansion season, where they were swept 4-0 by the Montreal Canadiens. Despite being swept, Hall’s play still led to him being selected as the Stanley Cup MVP for the series. (The Blues returned to the Finals the following two seasons, losing 4-0 to Montreal in 1969 and 4-0 to Boston in 1970.)

THE WATERCOOLER
(Post-Dispatch columnists and beat writers share their thoughts on a question of the day.)

Question: Did Mizzou jump the gun with Gary Pinkel’s contract extension and overpay by making him the third-highest paid coach in the Big 12?

JEFF GORDON
No. Pinkel has not built a Top 10 football program, true. His Tigers are not ready to compete with Texas and Oklahoma step for step. His team might lose by 50 points in the Big 12 Championship game. But Mizzou has arrived as a perennial Top 25 program. On Pinkel’s watch, MU has built better facilities, a stronger recruiting base, greater fan support and increased revenue. For two decades, Missouri was one of the biggest underachievers in college football. Pinkel changed all that with Herculean effort. So he earned his extension and raise.

STU DURANDO
No. How can they be jumping the gun after he went 12-2 and 9-3? If fans think the raise was a mistake, then they’re willing to let him go and start over with a new coaching staff. And then maybe it takes that staff seven or eight years to get back to this level.

BILL COATS
Absolutely not. Even though Larry Smith took Mizzou to a couple of minor bowls, the program was in terrible shape when Pinkel arrived. He said it would take time to rebuild, and it did. But now, MU has established itself, and its recruiting success reflects that.

DERRICK GOOLD
The pay isn’t the issue. Pinkel’s new salary fits the going rate for college football coaches at major programs, and Mizzou is starting to fancy itself a major program even before it really has enough major victories. No, the pay has a purpose. The salary is a shield. It makes any buyout difficult and sends would-be suitors shrinking back to their boosters. The concern here is the length of the contract. Committing to Pinkel, the 31st coach in MU history, through 2015 means his tenure will be second only to Don Faurot. He’ll vault past Dan Devine. There is more faith than money in this contract. Is a repeat of the last seven years good enough now? Is Mizzou that confident that Pinkel can keep the Tigers in the BCS picture? It must be. This contract offers consistency and implies sustained excellence. It just as easily could lock the Tigers into a complacent run of up-year, down-year cycles. That’s better than it was, sure. But hasn’t Pinkel positioned the program to demand better yet?

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

MORE SURGERY FOR BALLESTEROS: Five-time golfing major champion Seve Ballesteros has undergone more surgery, this time to drain fluid from his brain, according to the Associated Press. Doctors implanted a valve in Ballesteros’s brain today to remove fluid. Madrid’s La Paz hospital says he is in stable condition and remains in intensive care. The 51-year-old Ballesteros had surgery Oct. 24 to remove a malignant brain tumor.

STEPHEN A. ON PLAX: “Another black athlete. Another sad statistic,” says Stephen A. Smith of ESPN.com. “The embarrassing and precarious set of circumstances Plaxico Burress finds himself in clearly are not an indication of the behavior exhibited by most players of any color in the NFL, particularly African-Americans. The vast majority of NFL players have some sense.”

ALBERT AND THE MVP: While you’ll always find the best Cardinals baseball coverage in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch or here at STLtoday.com, occassionally I’ll run across a different perspective. I thought this piece written by John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus when Albert Pujols won his most recent MVP award had some interesting anecdotes about the Cardinals slugger and his thoughts on hitting. This won’t get you whole article (you have to pay for that), but what Albert has to say at the top is pretty good. Read about his “rookie mistake.”

HOT CARDINALS TOPICS: Again, like I said, you’ll get the best Cards’ coverage from us, so here’s a couple things you don’t want to miss: Rick Hummel’s Hot Stove discussion today, where he includes thoughts on Mark McGwire’s Hall of Fame chances and those of another former Cardinal. … And, don’t forget to come back tomorrow on STLtoday.com to ride the tsunami of Joe Strauss Live!!! as he gets set to head to the baseball Winter Meetings. Ask Joe your questions now before the wave moves out on its way to Las Vegas.

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SOME THINGS I THINK I THINK

PERRON AND ON: St. Louis Blues forward David Perron might be the most exciting St. Louis athlete in-season to watch right now. Kudos to coach Andy Murray for lighting a fire under Perron’s French-Canadien derriere by reminding him the AHL always awaits, and to Perron for stepping up to the challenge. Always fun to watch as a stick-handler, Perron once seemed to fear going into the dark places on the ice. Watch his shifts now. Though it may not always show up on the stat sheet, Perron is charging the puck hard all over the ice and even when he’s not scoring it seems he’s keeping the puck alive and creating opportunities for his teammates. Now that Patrik Berglund is back from injury, hopefully T.J. Oshie also returns soon and Blues fans long-starved for offense will have a troika of young, offensive talent to watch.

A-ROD GONE WILD: Has Alex Rodriguez lost his mind? He’s 33, he’s in the prime of a Hall of Fame career that likely will end with him becoming the all-time home run king, he’s made more money playing baseball than anyone ever, and he’s pretty much always listed as one of the World’s 100 most Beautiful People. He’s got it all, right? So what in the name of all things good is he doing frolicking around with 50-year-old Madonna, who’s probably the only person in American history to have slept more places than George Washington? I just don’t get the fascination with the washed-up pop star. Perhaps Madonna’s playing the Susan Sarandon role of Annie Savoy to A-Rod’s “Nuke” LaLoosh. You watch closely this year and tell me if you don’t see A-Rod trying to “breathe through his eyes.”

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STAT OF THE DAY

11 — Number of games missed by Blues LW Paul Kariya due to his “day-to-day” injury suffered Nov. 5 against Anaheim. “Week-to-week” would have been a more accurate description of Kariya’s lingering hip-flexor injury from the outset, and since this Friday will mark one month since Kariya’s been out, perhaps “month-to-month” would have been better yet. Unfortunately, in the NHL teams do not have to give out much info on their players’ injuries, and the players themselves are often under pressure from management to remain mum also. I don’t know that the secrecy gives teams any sort of competitive advantage, but I do know a lack of information leaves fans totally in the dark about their favorite players and teams. When will Kariya be back? Who knows? Reports now say perhaps sometime next week … whatever that means.