THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Given time in the pocket, do you think Marc Bulger is capable of rediscovering the accuracy that marked his play earlier in his career?

BERNIE MIKLASZ
When Bulger was at his best, 2006, he was throwing to Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Kevin Curtis. And Steven Jackson was having a career year in the backfield. The last time the Rams won a playoff game, 2004, Bulger not only had Holt, Bruce and Jackson, but Marshall Faulk also contributed 1,000+ yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving). If the quality around Bulger is above-average, he can be an efficient quarterback. And there’s no doubt his completion percentage would go up. But he’s not the type of QB who can elevate a team. He needs the cast around him.

JIM THOMAS
Sure. But it pays to have receivers that can consistently gain separation and get open. And that obviously hasn’t always been the case this season with a young, unproven receiving corps.

BILL COATS
He’s very accurate in practice, when pressure isn’t being applied. So, you’d have to assume that he could be accurate on Sundays if protected. It also would help him if the Rams had a more formidable stable of receivers.

JEFF GORDON
Accuracy from the pocket will not be a problem for Marc IF the Rams protect him. He will make some nice throws. But will the offensive game plan allow him to attack opponents with those mid-range passes he can hit all day? Also, will his lack of mobility prevent him from succeeding on the roll-out and bootleg passes that Kyle Boller throws so well? Those questions will remain even if the offensive line can build a sturdy pocket for him.

KATHLEEN NELSON
Time in the pocket isn’t enough to revive the passing game. The Rams need reliable receivers as well as improved pass protection.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I suppose it’s possible but a lot of that accuracy early in his career was the product of having top-shelf receivers. Those guys caught everything they were supposed to and then caught some more just for good measure. More time to see a play develop is always going to help but having proven, Pro Bowl caliber receivers like Holt and Bruce had as much to do with those high completion percentages as the amount of time Bulger had to throw the ball. More time to throw would benefit Bulger, no doubt, but more time and more talent at wide receiver would be the only way to do a true comparison between Bulger now and Bulger back then.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Today’s question deals with a bit of nostalgia as the Rams get set to begin a season marking the 10-year anniversary of the team’s last Super Bowl win. What is your most vivid memory of that season? One player, one interview, one play, one moment, one decision … what stands out to you the most, personally, from that 1999 team?

JIM THOMAS
Of course, there’s the tackle by linebacker Mike Jones to save the Super Bowl. And Isaac Bruce’s memorable game-winning TD catch to win the game. But four memories stand out vividly:

• After Trent Green went down with his season-ending knee injury in the third preseason game, I turned to one of my colleagues in the press box and said, “They’ll be lucky to win four games.”

• The late Bill Walsh, then a 49ers executive, making a cameo at Dick Vermeil’s postgame press conference, telling Vermeil in a stage whisper: “You’re going all the way.” Vermeil’s Rams had just ended a 17-game losing streak against San Francisco to start the season 4-0.

• Perhaps the most underrated catch in NFL playoff history: Ricky Proehl with defender Brian Kelly all over him, for the game winner late in the NFC title game slugfest against Tampa Bay.

• The late Georgia Frontiere, clutching the Lombardi Trophy after the Super Bowl victory over Tennessee, telling Paul Tagliabue and the football world: “This proves we did the right thing moving to St. Louis.”

BILL COATS
One play: Ricky Proehl’s acrobatic, juggling catch in the end zone that beat Tampa Bay 11-6 in the waning moments of the NFC championship game. It seemed surreal, as if the impossible had just happened: the Rams — the ST. LOUIS Rams — were actually going to the Super Bowl.

KATHLEEN NELSON
Fondest memory: Kurt Warner, sitting on this absurdly little stool in the middle of the locker room, moments after the Rams’ victory over the Chargers on August 28. Rodney Harrison had crashed into Trent Green’s knee, ending Green’s season and handing the reins of the offense to this nobody.

This was my first visit to an NFL locker room, and it had been completely unplanned. I attended the game as a dry run in my then-role as pro sports player/coach (best title of my career!), coordinating coverage and communicating with the guys back in the office. Jim Thomas put me to work (as opposed to the other way around), sending me to the locker room to get the first comments from Warner.

If Warner hadn’t kept his No. 13 jersey on and I hadn’t checked the roster, I wouldn’t have known who he was. But in his first answer to the question, “Are you ready?” he looked up at the two or three us who had gathered, exuding calm and confidence. You could tell he knew he was ready. The rest of us weren’t so sure, but he proved us all wrong in a hurry.

JEFF GORDON
I’ll give you an odd one: Covering the Rams’ early preseason scrimmage (against the Colts, I believe) in Champaign, Ill. We watched clunky Kurt Warner struggle to master the Mike Martz offense. He threw a wobbly TD pass that reached his target because rival defenders collided going for the pick. I remember chatting with Warner after the scrimmage, wondering why he was on the team. When Trent Green went down, the whole organization groaned because Warner had been so utterly unimpressive in camp. But I guess it turned out OK in the end.

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: A new era is beginning for Rams football with new faces in many places around Rams Park — from the front office to the field. What better time to look back at the Rams time here in St. Louis. With that in mind, who has been your favorite player to watch in a Rams uniform since the team arrived here?

BERNIE MIKLASZ
Favorite Ram? That’s easy: Lawrence Phillips. Just kidding.

This is a tough one to answer. The best Rams player I’ve covered is Marshall Faulk. The best personal story I’ve covered is Kurt Warner. My favorite guy to deal with was probably D’Marco Farr, who had the tremendous underdog spirit that defined the 1999 Rams. But my favorite player was Isaac Bruce. He was great when the team was bad. He was great when the team was great. In the 1999 season, he made the big plays to beat San Francisco in that huge regular-season game at The Ed. He scored the first TD to help beat Minnesota in the first NFL playoff game in St. Louis. He caught the winning 73-yard TD pass for the go-ahead TD in the Rams’ Super Bowl victory. He had immense pride and set high standards and remained consistent in performance and personality whether the team was up or down. Just a great professional, who never wavered as a competitor, or in his personal beliefs.

BRYAN BURWELL
Marshall faulk in a runaway . . . the most breathlessly gifted athlete to wear a st. Louis rams jersey, he was also the smartest. At his best, faulk was one of those rare stars who would make a move or two every game that you know no normal man could do.

JEFF GORDON
The best player has been Marshall Faulk, hands down. He was the total package — clutch performer, smart player and an on-field leader. But Kurt Warner is my favorite. Watching him in training camp before his ascension, I believed he was a stiff. I’ll never forget those ducks he lobbed during a scrimmage in Champaign, Ill. And then, magically, he led the “Greatest Show on Turf” on an amazing Super Bowl run. He is the best story I’ve ever covered and arguably the nicest athlete as well.

DAN O’NEILL
Without question, Kurt Warner has been my favorite Rams player and, more than that, my favorite player of any team or any sport.

How do you top someone who is a record-setting quarterback, leads a dismal franchise to a championship and on top of that, is a wonderful human being? Warner doesn’t just honor God and his faith by pointing to the sky after he does something on the field, he honors them by treating other people with kindness, respect and generosity.

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
My favorite was London Fletcher. The undrafted linebacker was 5-foot-10 and 245 pounds, and if there was a tackle to be made, he made it. He was the Rams’ rookie of the year in 1998 and he was a big reason they won the Super Bowl in 2000. I had a chance to cover those Rams’ teams and Fletcher was one of the more affable, entertaining guys in the locker room, and he always wore a big smile. The defense hasn’t had a good middle linebacker since Fletcher signed with Buffalo as a free agent in 2002. The Rams didn’t think he was worth the big bucks, but somehow Fletcher is still making tackles in Washington.

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: With the NFL draft now behind us, let’s focus in on the NFC West a bit. Which team in the division do you think did the most to improve itself through the draft?

JIM THOMAS
In terms of pure impact players, it’s hard to discount what San Francisco and Arizona did with their first-round picks. In Michael Crabtree the 49ers got the player who was considered the unquestioned top receiver in the draft before a foot injury and questions about his attitude caused him to slide to No. 10. If Crabtree gets his foot — and his act — together, he could be a difference maker. The Cardinals also addressed their most pressing need by getting one of the top running backs in the draft in Beanie Wells. See you later, Edgerrin James.

BERNIE MIKLASZ
I don’t really get into declaring winners and losers in a draft 24 hours after it happened. That’s for the draft pundits who have to justify their existence and paycheck. Talk to me in two years.

I’d be pleased if I could say that the Rams got the most help, but that would make me a phony. The Rams did fine, and if some of their boom-or-bust draftees pay off, then this could turn out to be a special draft. But they also took some gambles that could wash out.

You can make the case that the Arizona Cardinals, drafting 31st, got as much immediate impact in Ohio State RB Chris Wells that the Rams got at No. 2 overall with OT Jason Smith. The same is true of San Francisco which got a big-time receiver in Michael Crabtree at No. 10. And obviously, Seattle’s choice of LB Aaron Curry at No. 4 was a dynamite pick.

If I had to declare a winner, it would be a tie between San Francisco and Seattle simply because each of them smartly maneuvered to acquire an extra first-round pick in the 2010 draft. That’s intelligent team building. Again, I’m not dogging the Rams. The Rams did what was best for them. But I see no reason to be a homer by ignoring what happened elsewhere in the NFC West.

JEFF GORDON
Seattle got the guy I love, Aaron Curry, added some early O-line depth and still ended up with an extra No. 1 for next year — which could give the Seahawks added leverage retooling for 2009. To trade a No. 2 for a future No. 1, then to get back in the second round by moving later picks . . . that was smooth. And what was was Denver thinking?

KATHLEEN NELSON
Arizona did a good job of addressing needs: Beanie Wells should give them a good option at running back, and DE Cody Brown has a reputation as a good edge rusher, which the Cardinals could use.

Seattle did pretty well for itself. Aaron Curry will start right away. OL Max Unger will learn the ropes at center and guard. And somehow, GM Tim Ruskell parlayed a second-round pick this year into a first-round slot in 2010. That was pretty slick.

The 49ers chose oddly. Michael Crabtree’s talent is obvious, but they need a QB to throw to him. Perhaps Isaac Bruce can become a role model to Crabtree. RB Glen Coffee can offer some relief to the overburdened Frank Gore.

BILL COATS
I think it was Arizona, and mainly because it landed RB Beanie Wells with the 31st pick. For a team desperately in need of a quality ballcarrier, that was a real coup.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
I’m going to focus on which team helped themselves the most for the 2009 NFL season because it’s impossible to predict what will happen with players in this league 2-3-4 years down the road. To me it comes down to a decision between the Seahawks and the Rams.

Arizona’s 1st round selection of “Beanie” Wells from Ohio State, a player I really like, doesn’t make a huge impact on them right away because he’ll split carries with Tim Hightower and because they’ll throw the ball so much. Their other picks appear to be projects. The Niners landed an immediate impact player in Michael Crabtree but didn’t have a 2nd-round pick and the rest of their picks appear to be either projects (like QB Nate Davis from Ball State) or backups.

Seattle got an immediate impact player in LB Aaron Curry, plus they added OL quality with Max Unger from Oregon and some speed at WR with Deon Butler from Penn State. They addressed several key needs there and then filled with depth. Solid draft.

I’ll give the slightest of edges to the Rams because I think they picked two definite starters in the draft and the other teams seem to have only gotten one apiece. Plus they filled needs in areas of depth, though it still looks to me like they have some work to do at WR.

Jason Smith is a mauler who will be a good player right away and potentially a great one down the road. His attitude will be almost as helpful as his physical abilities. James Laurinaitis is a strong player from a program that produces outstanding linebackers and I’d be shocked if he’s not the Rams’ starting middle linebacker in Week 1 of the NFL season. Bradley Fletcher from Iowa is a nice addition to the secondary and, being a guy who watches a lot of ACC football, DT Darell Scott from Clemson is a good player who filled a need for d-line depth.

It’s close — they’re all C+/B-/B grades if you look around the net — but I think the Rams got more immediate help than their division opponents. Of course, that could be because they had more holes to fill.

TOM ACKERMAN (Sports anchor of “Total Information A.M.” on KMOX)
Overall, I thought the NFC West teams did well. The Rams filled major needs by landing Jason Smith and James Laurinaitis. Arizona should have a productive RB in Beanie Wells … if he stays healthy. As far as big catches go, the 49ers reeled in a monster in Michael Crabtree at No. 10. But the Niners failed to get a pass rusher in the draft. I thought the Seahawks hit a home run, though, by getting LB Aaron Curry, who will be a star in Seattle. They also added offensive depth (Max Unger at C) and landed a first-round pick in 2010 via trade with Denver. Well done.

MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

MY LAST HOLT RANT: For the life of me I cannot understand why the new Rams’ regime is so eager to see Torry Holt go. They haven’t said so, but new coach Steve Spagnuolo has made his position clear with his silence concerning Holt. Yes, Holt was disenchanted at the end of last season as he seemed to get phased out of the offense, but who on that Rams team wasn’t disenchanted last season?

Holt, who has caught more passes (817) for more yards (11,872) than any receiver in the NFL this decade, is not done yet. Sure, he’s 32 years old and is coming off his worst season as a pro (64 receptions, 796 yards with three TDs.) But how much of last season’s production can be laid at the feet of Holt? Consider this:

1. The patterns Holt was asked to run in offensive coordinator Al Saunders’ offense last year did not match up with Holt’s skills — not when he was 32, not when he was 22. Where were the slants and hot reads that were Holt’s bread and butter over the years?

2. The team’s quarterback had a terrible year. Marc Bulger’s 71.4 QB rating ranks him 27th in the league among QBs who threw at least 300 passes. (That puts Bulger just ahead of former Rams’ third-string QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, who had a 70.0 QB rating for the woeful Bengals.) Also, Bulger’s 57% completion percentage ranks him 27th among NFL quarterbacks last year. Remember, folks, there are only 32 teams in the NFL … so how well are your WRs going to do when your quarterback ranks in the league’s cellar in QB rating and completion percentage?

3. Without a respected threat like Isaac Bruce on the field to complement Holt, team’s could easily roll their coverage onto him like a blanket. Who was there to relieve the pressure, the so-called “teen” squad? Puh-leeze. Rookie Donnie Avery had a decent year, but his stat line of 53 catches, 674 yards and 3 TDs ranked below Holt across the board (and he had the advantage of Holt drawing the coverage away from him.) Keenan Burton? 13 catches, 172 yards, 1 TD. Nice. Oh, and then there’s the always consistent, always pedestrian numbers of Dane Looker — 23-271-2. And, the team even lost it’s tight end threat when Randy McMichael went down after only 11 catches for 139 yards. I’m not even going to mention Drew Bennett. Bottom line … Holt had no real protection against consistent double coverage.

4. If a 35-year-old Terrell Owens can shuffle off to Buffalo and still be a wide receiver, you cannot convince me that a 32-year-0ld Torry Holt doesn’t have a few good years left in those legs. And he’ll do it without always stirring up stuff, belittling teammates and coaches or blaming his plight on the QB.

Bottom line, as I asked at the beginning of this rant, why exactly are the Rams so eager to send Holt packing? Yes, Holt has asked to be released. But I believe that’s mostly because he’s been made to feel unwanted. Here’s a guy who was the team’s No. 6 overall pick in the 1999 draft and who gave the team 10 great years, in which time he established historial NFL rankings of 11th overall in career receptions (869) and 14th in career receiving yards (12,660). And I don’t believe he’s done yet. If I thought that, I would say, “Go ahead and release him.” This is not a sentimental argument.

I understand the Rams could save some salary cap money if they release Holt. But chances are, as soon as they do, another team will step up and pay Holt that same money. And are you telling me you don’t think Holt could have an excellent season catching passes from Tony Romo down in Dallas while lined up on the field with WR Roy Williams and TE Jason Witten?

And therein lies my main point: I do not believe Torry Holt is done. I believe his one bad season is a byproduct of a dysfunctional team that had bad leadership and a bad QB in 2008. This guy is not ready to be put out to pasture.

And if I’ve totally swung and missed on this one come the end of the 2009 NFL season, you can let me hear about it. But if I’m right, I’m going to re-run this little rant just to remind the haters what they so eagerly chased out of town.

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THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: If you were coaching the Blues, what would you be focusing on right now to help increase scoring for this team?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
Shoot the puck and keep the lines together as much as possible. The Blues are 26th in the NHL in shots per game with 27.8. That’s only a smidge better than the last-place team in the league, Minnesota, with 27.6. Blues coach Andy Murray has conducted entire practices with the theme of shooting the puck, and they do in practice. But when game time comes, the Blues are often hesitant to shoot the puck . . . 5 on 5 and on the power play. I don’t know what else you can do as a coach except take away ice time from those who pass up shots. Also, I would keep the same guys playing together. In private, most players will tell you that they would prefer to play with the same linemates for an extended period of time, more than three or four games. Sometimes it’s been out of necessity, but Murray has mixed up the lines more than a lot of players would like.

KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Shooting the puck. Yeah, it seems simplistic but so what? It may also be an easy answer because it’s something Andy Murray has talked about, but it is most certainly true. Keeping things simple is the right way to go here. Even with a couple of bad performances in the past week the Blues are still 15-10-5 in their last 30 games, so I don’t think it’s necessary to overthink the situation. That’s a 98-point pace since Christmas and even though there are some things Coach would like to see his team do more consistently I’d have to say things are going pretty well.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” — Leonardo da Vinci

ANDY STRICKLAND (Hockeybuzz.com, Team 1380)
Even though the Blues are far from being considered an explosive offensive hockey club, I don’t look at scoring as being the major issue. It’s not like the Blues are getting shutout or losing games 2-1 night in and night out. Everyone’s familiar with the saying “you can’t score if you don’t shoot” and I think the Blues at times over-pass and fail to direct pucks on net when the opportunity presents itself.

With that being said … The Blues style of play is not conducive for a team looking to open up the game and doesn’t emphasize an attacking aggressive forecheck. The Blues, in my opinion, would generate more scoring chances if the club generated more speed through the neutral zone and played more on their toes as opposed to allowing the opposition (on many nights) to initiate the play. The Blues rely heavily on their shutdown players who don’t spend a lot of time in the offensive end and therefore don’t create a whole lot offensively. We’ve recently seen players who the Blues need to rely on for offense such as David Perron, Patrik Berglund, and David Backes taken out of their element and placed in a fourth-line role. It doesn’t help when Keith Tkachuk is struggling offensively and when Brad Boyes goes nearly ten games without a goal. The Blues need more offensive consistency from their “top players” and, oh, by the way, the club receives virtually no offense from the back end. That certainly doesn’t help.

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ON THIS DATE

MARCH 10, 1995 — After hitting .202 in Double A ball, former Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan announces that he is leaving baseball behind and returning to pro basketball. Jordan had been playing with a White Sox affiliate. (Source: “This Day in Baseball” by David Nemec and Scott Flatow)

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: Who do you think will win the MVC tournament this weekend AND which darkhorse team wouldn’t surprise you if they jumped up and made some noise in the tourney?

VAHE GREGORIAN
Creighton has the mojo and the been-there-before to win the MVC. As for darkhorses, this is one of those years where I would be very surprised if the title game is anyone but Creighton and Northern Iowa, the top two seeds, and can’t imagine any team winning beyond No. 3 Illinois State or No. 4 Bradley. But it might be good for the Valley if someone else did.

BRYAN BURWELL
No.1 seed Creighton has the one thing none of the other MVC teams have — a 10-deep roster that becomes a huge strength at tournament time. However the team that intrigues me the most is Illinois State. They ought to have a huge chip on their shoulder after last year’s disappointing show in the finals that cost them a trip to the NCAA’s.

BILL COATS
Although Northern Iowa is the No. 1 seed, Creighton is the best team in the field. As for a darkhorse, let’s go with Indiana State. The Sycamores’ victory over Drake on Thursday night marked their seventh win in their last eight games. They’re hot at the right time.

KATHLEEN NELSON
Creighton has won 10 straight and is peaking at the perfect time. The Jays were clicking on all cylinders when they mashed the Salukis in Carbondale a couple weeks ago and looked just as strong holding off Illinois State in the final regular-season game. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Illinois State make a run, though. Led by “Mad Men” head-honcho look-alike Tim Jankovich, the Redbirds started the season 14-0 but lost the final three games of the conference season. If they get preseason MVP Osiris Eldridge out of his funk, the Redbirds could surprise the rest of the Valley.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME: So you’re rubbing nickels together in a tough economy and wondering when things will break your way. Well, Rick Reilly offers up one bright spot in his column on ESPN.com, letting readers know the many different ways you can get into big games cheap right now while folks are unloading their tickets. Check out his ideas and see if any of them might work for you.

HOMEGROWN HEROES: The New York Daily news has put together a special feature on their website highlighting the greatest sports figures to come out of New York. This is not sports legends that necessarily played for New York pro teams … these are hometown products who went on to achieve great things. Take a look at the list, it’s pretty cool. What St. Louisans would fit on such a list here?

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STAT OF THE DAY

1,848 — With all the talk of Torry Holt and Terrell Owens this week, I thought we’d cap it off with a look at the most yards gained in an NFL season by a wide receiver. The leader, of course, is Jerry Rice with 1,848. Here’s a look at the top three performances:

1. Jerry Rice, 1,848 yards, San Francisco, 1995
2. ISAAC BRUCE, 1,781 yards, St. Louis, 1995
3. Charley Hennigan, 1,746 yards, Houston, 1961

Source: NFL Record and Fact Book

THE WATERCOOLER

QUESTION: What is the most exciting and/or memorable sports moment you’ve witnessed live during your career?

(To all of our readers, after seeing what all the journalists have to say to this question, please go to the comments field below and share your favorite sports eyewitness accounts.)

BERNIE MIKLASZ
I have been blessed to witness so many spectacular moments from my perch along press row. There was Mike Tyson, in his prime, delivering a cold-blooded first-round knockout of Michael Spinks in 1989. Ozzie Smith’s dramatic HR to beat the Dodgers in Game 5 of the 1985 NLCS. Joe Montana throwing the winning touchdown pass to John Taylor to lead the 49ers to a come-from-behind victory in Super Bowl 23. Adam Wainwright’s strikeout of Carlos Beltran to clinch Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS at Shea Stadium to send the underdog Cardinals to the World Series. And Wainwright doing it again (Brandon Inge this time) to wrap up the Cardinals’ 10th World Series championship. McGwire’s 62nd homer was awfully exciting at the time.

And before I name my No. 1 moment, let me make special mention of my runner-up: Michael Jordan sinking the winning jumper at Utah in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. The clutch shot provided the Chicago Bulls with their sixth NBA title of the Jordan Era and it would be his last appearance in the NBA championship series. And what a way to go out: the Bulls down, Jordan stealing the ball from Karl Malone, and making his way upcourt to burn Bryon Russell with a crossover dribble to give MJ an open look on that winning 17 foot jumper for his 44th and 45th points of the night.

But the No. 1 is Mike Jones making “The Tackle” of Titans wide receiver Kevin Dyson just short of the goal line to save the 1999 Rams’ thrilling victory in Super Bowl 34 on Jan. 30, 2000. So many things set up that moment, including Ricky Proehl’s TD catch to beat Tampa Bay in the 1999 NFC Championship, and Kurt Warner and Isaac Bruce hooking up for that remarkable 73-yard TD pass to put the Rams ahead of Tennessee in that Super Bowl. But the Jones tackle made the dream season into something shocking and real: a Super Bowl championship for a St. Louis NFL team and before 1999 that was something I thought I would never see.

JEFF GORDON
The home-run pass from Kurt Warner to Isaac Bruce in the Super Bowl edges out George Brett’s ALCS homer against Goose Gossage and Villanova’s title game conquest of mighty Georgetown. The whole Rams season was astonishing, then it ended spectacularly with Bruce’s catch and The Tackle. (For me, that play was more a case of Kevin Dyson not getting it done after making the catch.)

MIKE SMITH
In the “arena” at Lake Placid for the 1980 Winter Olympics, there was “press seating” next to the ice for 150 credentialed journalists. You had to line up hours ahead of time to claim one of the seats, but the shuttle bus from our “lodge” out in the Adirondack wilderness broke down that day. Three of us actually hitchhiked into town, putting us behind the first 150 camped out in line.

So, do you believe in miracles? Aware of some space at the back of the broom closet that served as the “broadcast booth” for the game, press officials sent gophers next door to Lake Placid High School to borrow risers from the music department. They schlepped the risers to the broadcast booth, set tiny school chairs on them and crafted an auxiliary press box for about a dozen of us.

And that’s how I got to watch the Miracle On Ice game, sitting three feet directly behind … Al Michaels.

RICK HUMMEL
Sitting at ringside and hearing the ring announcer declare St. Louisan Leon Spinks, an enormous underdog, the winner by a split decision in the world heavyweight championship bout against champion Muhammad Ali in Las Vegas in 1978. I remember climbing onto the ring apron and holding the ropes and saying to myself, “Now, what I am going to write?” because I, like the judge sitting next to me, felt that Spinks had fought well but hadn’t won the fight. I wasn’t prepared for the announcement that Spinks actually had won.

DERRICK GOOLD
One from each of the two beats I’ve had at the Post-Dispatch, and oddly neither of which was too “exciting” for the locals.

First, hockey: Back at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, I covered the tremendous Gold Medal game between Canada and Team USA. Never been at a louder rink and never seen as much at stake as there was for the Canadian team that day. Great game. Great history. Afterward, Wayne Gretzky handed me the “lucky Loonie” they had buried at center ice so I could check the date.

Second, baseball: In 2004, after Game 4 of the World Series, as Red Sox fans wept and got free admission into the ballpark to see the “curse” calmed after 86 years, I stood beside Johnny Pesky as he tried to get into a locked Boston clubhouse in between hugging anyone and everyone who happened by. I don’t think I’ve seen joy like Pesky’s unbridled joy too often in my life. And then the door opened and Pedro Martinez doused everyone with champagne.

BILL COATS
The finish of the 1982 Indianapolis 500. Veteran Gordon Johncock seemingly had the race won, but young Rick Mears began closing on him in the final laps. They pulled even down the front stretch with a lap to go and went wheel-to-wheel the rest of the way. Johncock nosed in front out of the final turn and won by 16-hundredths of a second in front of about 400,000 screaming fans.

GERRY FRALEY
The 2006 Rose Bowl, with the national championship on the line, came down to one play. Trailing 38-33 with 26 seconds remaining, Texas had a fourth-and-five from the USC eight. The play, “Sneak 928,’’ called for quarterback Vince Young to throw. With his first two options covered, Young pulled back the ball and ran to the right side. USC’s lauded defense, which included linebacker Rey Maualuga, could not catch him. Young got to the corner, ran through the tackle of lineman Frostee Rucker and scored the winning touchdown.

That bold play encapsuled Young’s remarkable game. He came as close as a player can come to winning a game single-handedly, running for 200 yards and throwing for 247 yards.

One question lingered for the group of reporters standing just outside the corner of the end zone for that play. Why were several USC song-girls cheering and shaking their pom-pons as Young scored?

JEREMY RUTHERFORD
The date was March 26, 2005. The venue was Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. I was covering the Illini basketball team, and with Dee Brown, Deron Williams, James Augustine, Roger Powell and Luther Head, they were hopeful to get to St. Louis for the Final Four. But here the Illini were trailing Arizona 75-60 in an Elite Eight game with four minutes remaining in regulation. A promising season was nearly extinct. Then in one of the most thrilling comebacks in NCAA Tournament history, the Illini went on a 20-5 run, tied the score on Williams’ improbable 3-pointer, and won 90-89 in OT. Some called it “The Resurrection at Rosemont.” I’ll never forget re-writing my entire game story, or watching the Illini travel to play in the NCAA championship game in my backyard. Of course, they lost to North Carolina in the final, but not before producing the best sporting event I’ve ever witnessed.

Editor’s Note: Jeremy provided the following link for anyone who might want to take a stroll down memory lane with that unbelievable come-from-behind Illini win.

ROGER HENSLEY: I’ll never forget being at Minute Maid Park in Houston for Game 5 of the 2005 NLCS. The fans there were going absolutely berserk as the Astros led the series 3-1 and were just one out from securing a 4-2 win over the Cardinals that would propel them to the World Series. Albert Pujols stepped to the plate with two men on and two outs and the Houston crowd was yelling at the top of their lungs thinking closer Brad Lidge was about to turn out the lights on the series. As soon as Pujols made contact with the ball, I mean instantaneously, you knew it was leaving the park, and it flew all the way up onto those silly train tracks in Houston. I have never in my life witnessed a place go from being so insanely loud to pin-drop quiet so quickly. It was just an amazing moment to experience. Of course the Cards did go on to lose that series with Astros back at Busch Stadium, but it doesn’t diminish the memory of that moment one bit. (A close second may be Edmonds diving catch in centerfield in the 2004 NLCS.)

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

ALBERT TAKES A STAND: I thought Joe Strauss brought the heat in this morning’s Post-Dispatch when he quoted Albert Pujols as saying, “My goal is to try to win. If this organization goes the other way, then I have to go the other way.” Those are some pretty strong word’s coming from “The Franchise.” Pujols appears a pretty straight-shooter in the article and tries to be diplomatic by not pointing fingers at anyone, but it’s clear that as a guy who’s deferred millions of dollars in his own paycheck to give the club financial flexibility he is frustrated by the team’s tight purse strings. I wonder what team owner Bill DeWitt and general manager John Mozeliak thought when they read Pujols’ comments today? I know my reaction … “wow.”

If you missed the story, you can still check it out on our Web site. And in addition to the payroll questions, make sure you read to the bottom of the story to get Pujols’ take on steroids. He’s sticking by his guns on things he’s said in the past about performance enhancers and his convictions appear pretty strong on the issue. He doesn’t sound like a guy who’s worried his name is going to be on the list of 104 players who were randomly tested in 2003 (known now as the A-Rod list.)

SPEAKING OF STEROIDS: Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz tells the Associated Press that he believes players who test positive for steroids should be suspended from baseball for the whole season. Now you’re talking. Big Papi, who once said the only thing a test would find inside him was a whole lot of rice and beans, often has been a voice of reason in baseball. Just a big, fun-loving guy who genuinely seems to just have fun playing the game. A full-season suspension would hit players where it really counts — in their wallets — so I think this might be the most sensible thing I’ve heard yet. And today I’ve become a bigger fan of Ortiz.

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THINGS TO PONDER

THE POWER PLAY DANCE: I don’t yet really know much about this latest craze going on at the Scottrade Center known as the “power play dance,” but I’m determined to find out. I’m taking my daughter to next Tuesday’s game with Phoenix, and if I see enough folks doing it we might just have to do a write-up in the paper about it. I need to see for myself if it’s just a couple folks doing it, or if it’s really catching on as a phenomenon at the games. I see a lot of posters on our forums discussing the merits of the dance — whether it’s cool or dorky or whatever — but I’m not sure why anyone would criticize others for getting fired up and showing their support in whatever way they so desire … within reason, of course. But if it’s really catching on at the Scotty, I’m betting my 10-year-old will be doing the dance by game’s end.

THE COMBINE’S VALUE: Hey, Rams fans, ESPN has a live chat going on all day today with a panel of their experts breaking down the upcoming NFL Combine and what it might mean to your favorite team. If you haven’t stopped in, it might be worth a look.

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STAT OF DAY

35 — The largest margin of victory in the regular-season goal-scoring race. Who did it? Brett Hull for the 1990-91 St. Louis Blues. Hull netted 86 goals that season. There were three runners-up for second-place at 51 goals apiece … Steve Yzerman, Cam Neely and Theoren Fleury. (Source: Hockey’s Top 100, the Game’s Greatest Records.)

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

Question: What are your expectations for Khalil Greene at shortstop for the Cardinals next season?

JOE STRAUSS
Greene is a lesser defensive player than Cesar Izturis who will probably benefit from exiting what had become a toxic situation in San Diego. Significant questions persist over his offensive approach, unwieldy strikeout totals and low on-base percentage. The Cardinals now project four 100-strikeout bats (Greene, Ankiel, Glaus, Ludwick). It’s a Band-Aid that leaves the Cardinals seeking their fifth shortstop in seven seasons for 2010. Greene is regarded as an introspective, spiritual person … a good guy. But there are many who now wonder if overanalysis contributed to last season’s dramatic offensive tumble. For now, it may be best to describe the move as “neutral” with decent upside.

RICK HUMMEL
I’m a big Khalil Greene fan, despite his awful season last year. If he hadn’t been so bad, the Cardinals might not have been able to get him so cheaply, seemingly. He should hit 20 home runs and drive in 75 and make the plays that need to be made. He will strike out, but so does everybody but Pujols, Molina and Schumaker.

DERRICK GOOLD
Greene fits the change-of-scenery label — a talent who after a power surge and 97 RBIs in 2007 was thought to be a charter member of the National League’s group of wunderkind shortstops, only to collapse into a disastrous 2008. He needs a fresh start. He has a one-year engagement with the Cardinals to do so. Getting out of Petco Park and away from the rapidly bailing San Diego franchise should engage and revive Greene’s interest and ability. He’s a career .270 hitter and a .484 slugger outside of Petco Park, and at his best he’s an athletic defensive player with reliable gap power. The Cardinals will get that Greene, not the 27-homer breakout of 2007, with the good glove, 30-plus doubles and an on-base percentage that makes it difficult to bat him near the top of the order.

BRYAN BURWELL
If Greene returns to his 2007 form, this is a good deal. His glove will be reliable, but the Cards have to get the 27-homer production for this to be considered a success.

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MIDDAY NEWS AND THOUGHTS

CARDS GET SHORTSTOP, BUT AT WHAT COST: Obviously the big news of the day is the Cardinals trade for Padres shortstop Khalil Greene. The move comes on the heels of the Cards signing lefty reliever Trever Miller to a one-year deal Wednesday. That means the Cards have addressed two of the areas they deemed most important before even arriving at the Winter Meetings this weekend. Next up: a second baseman, an impact bat and perhaps a starting pitcher (pending news on Chris Carpenter, of course.)

What’s not yet known is what the Cardinals are giving up for Greene, though Joe Strauss has reported the move will cost the Cardinals organization two pitchers, neither of whom was on the major-league roster at the end of last season.

Bernie Miklasz says that manager Tony La Russa might want to consider Greene in the No. 6 hole. That’s been Greene’s best lineup spot during his career. In 636 ABs as a No. 6 hitter Greene has 31 homers, 110 RBIs and a .489 SLG.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that Greene’s frustration over a season-long hitting slump last year boiled over July 30, when Greene punched a storage chest in a clubhouse tunnel at Petco Park, fracturing his left hand (insert Julian Tavarez joke here). Greene missed the final two months of 2008 because of the injury. You can read about that and what Padres fans are saying about the deal on the Union-Tribune link above.

SPEAKING OF SHORTSTOPS: The San Francisco Giants are expected to announce today that they’ve signed former Cardinal Edgar Renteria, who some locals had hoped would return to the Redbirds. Renteria will replace 11-time Gold Glove shortstop Omar Vizquel. It is reported that Renteria will receive an $18.5 million, two-year contract. That’s a lot of cake for a 33-year-old shortstop who’s range has diminished and who just finished a season batting .270 with 10 homers and 55 RBIs. I guess the economy doesn’t suck for everybody.

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A FEW THINGS TO PONDER

A RULEBOOK REFRESHER: Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was ridiculed mercilessly a few weeks back for not knowing that an overtime game can end in a tie in the NFL. But is he the only player in the league who would be baffled by some of the game’s rules? ESPN.com’s Rick Reilly put a number of players to the test. I found the results hilarious. Check it out.

PACKERS, OK. BUT THE SPURS? According to a consumer survey released this week, the Green Bay Packers have the strongest brand in its local market of any North American team in the major sports leagues. “What this is saying is the following the Packers have is more intensely loyal to supporting the Packers than any other team,” Len Perna, president of New Jersey-based Turnkey Sports & Entertainment, told the Associated Press. “What this basically says is that all other things being equal, a sponsor gets more value in sponsoring the Packers than any other team.”

The Packers ranked first among 122 team brands in the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball. That’s got to be a tough pill to swallow for the Best Fans in Baseball. But fear not, Cardinal Nation. According to the survey, Cards fan at least showed up in the top ten, barely. Biggest surprise omissions here for me were the Cowboys and the Cubs. Oh well, in the words of Richard Dawson: And the survey says …

1. Green Bay Packers
2. Boston Red Sox
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. New England Patriots
5. Indianapolis Colts
6. Detroit Red Wings
7. San Antonio Spurs
8. Pittsburgh Penguins
9. Boston Celtics
10. St. Louis Cardinals

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STATS OF THE DAY

38 … 623 … 6 — Those are the receptions, yards and touchdowns for Isaac Bruce this season.

45 … 526 … 2 — Those are the receptions, yards and touchdowns for Torry Holt this season.

Did the Rams cut ties with the wrong receiver? You make the call.