Remember Friday is our mailbag and we have a couple of openings.
From the "Al Davis Studios," here we go...
The St. Louis Cardinals celebrate after Game 6 of baseball's National League championship series against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011, in Milwaukee. The Cardinals won 12-6 to win the series and advance to the World Series. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)World Series
The matchup in this year's World Series is kind of intriguing. The Cardinals have the best player on the planet - Albert Pujols, who may be playing his last game with the team in this Series. The Rangers have the hottest player on the planet - Nelson Cruz is clubbing more than anyone this side of Charlie Sheen.
Each team's starting pitching has been bad; each team's bullpen has been lights out. We made out pick Tuesday - Cards in 7 - and we're sticking there. As for the contest, we'll pull some strings and get a World Series T-Shirt for the winner. (We'll post a complete list of entries later today, and if you want to play, just pick the winner, the number of games it will take - Price is Right rules of course, so if you go over you're out - and your pick for the MVP for tie-breaking purposes.)
The reason we like the cars is simple: It's easier to have faith in Tony LaRussa making the right moves than Ron "I look like Freddie 'Boom Boom'" Washington, especially in the four games in St. Louis that will not include the DH. Call it a hunch. Call it a calculated gamble. Call Izod. Call Ghostbusters. Call it whatever you want, but LaRussa may be a horse's tuckus but dude can manage.
Baseball side note, No. 1: Passing along our ace columnist Mark Wiedmer's thoughts about how the Rangers should honor the memory of Shannon Stone. It was a very good read and a reminder of one of the saddest things we can ever recall in sports.
Baseball side note, No. 2: What to make of these Boston "beer in the dugout" claims. Part of the 5-at-10 thinks it's funny, part of us thinks it's a disgrace to the game. Part of us shrugs our shoulders at starting pitchers who will not factor into the game, especially in the AL, having a nip or a tug during a baseball game. Hey, the 5-at-10 has been known to kick back a couple of Coke-Colas at a ball game from time to time. In the end, though, it's a testament to how out of control and how little focus on the game these Red Sox had. What say you BIspy or Eljefe - the two biggest Red Sox backers?
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Georgia wide receiver Marlon Brown (15) runs for a touchdown in the third quarter of an NCAA college football game against Vanderbilt on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Donn Jones)College football midweek update
So much going on in and around the high-profile college football programs. Let's move quickly.
- Auburn has changed quarterbacks, deciding to give Clint Moseley his first college start Saturday at LSU. Wow, talk about a tough opener. Hey, it could be worse Clint and Auburn fans, you could be making your first start Saturday NIGHT at LSU.
- Florida coach Will Muschamp apologized for his profanity-laced tirade Saturday night at Auburn. Muschamp, who earned the nickname Coach Boom for his passionate sideline antics as a defensive coordinator, was right to apologize, especially when saying he knows that college football fans come in all ages and explaining some of that language to a 10-year-old can be tough. But you know what, it's time for TV producers to take a little bit of the responsibility, too. If Muschamp or Nick Saban or some of the other "fiery" coaches get into a "discussion" with a referee or one of their players after a bad play, feel free to turn the camera. Let's see the crowd or the replay or throw it back to the studio for highlights. TV producers long ago stopped showing the goof balls that ran on the field or court, let's take the next step. And don't even get us started on court-side and field-level microphones.
- Trent Richardson is a stud. A big-time stud. And his amazing run against Ole Miss that featured the studder-step that turned Senquez Golson into a statue will be the highlight they show at the Downtown Athletic Club during his introduction as a Heisman finalist. That said, the 5-at-10 would like to commend Golson for his hustle - he missed a tackle in the hole then sprinted 60 yards to be faked out again - and effort. Plus, know that better times are ahead Senquez. Think about it this way: What if your most embarrassing moment - whether it was falling out a chair in high school or laughing so hard that milk shot through your nose in middle school or whatever - was shown over and over on national TV and has been watched closing in on 100,000 times on YouTube? Head up Senquez, head up.
- Golson is not the only Ole Miss Rebel down in the dumps. Coach Houston Nutt is likely staring at the end of his run in Oxford, barring a miracle finish. The Rebs have lost nine consecutive SEC games - the longest streak in program history - and continue to spiral downward. Since firing David Cutcliffe in 2004, Ole Miss is 34-45 and is 2-4 in the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. Cutcliffe was 44-29, with the the program's only SEC West co-title and was 4-2 against MSU. Ouch.
- How bad is Memphis football? Well, the Tigers face Tulane this weekend. Yes, the same Tulane that is 2-5. Yes, the same Tulane that had coach Bob Toledo resign Tuesday. Yes, the same Tulane that is a 14-point favorite over Memphis. Ouch-standing.
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Happy 25th birthday "Hoosiers"
The classic basketball film "Hoosiers" will turn 25 next month (Nov. 14 to be exact). Mr. and Mrs. 5-at-10 watched it again last night. Here are some of the highlights:
- You know you've seen a movie a lot of times when the Mrs. 5-at-10 is quoting lines. And just about every time she's watched "Hoosiers" was because the 5-at-10 was watching "Hoosiers."
- Did you know that David Anspaugh directed "Hoosiers" and also "Rudy" too? So that begs the question if you have an emotional, thoughtful, based-on-a-true-story sports movie to make, don't you find this guy? It's simple: Get Peter Jackson to do Hobbits; get George Lucas to do space; Get Anspaugh to do sports movies that tug at your heart strings.
- Why did Shooter run the final play for Merle? Yes, the picket fence worked, and Shooter won a big game and all. But c'mon, you got Jimmy Chitwood on your roster and Merle gets the last shot? Really?
- Is there any story that would be changed more by the changes of society and technology than the run of the Hickory Huskers? First, Norman Dale never gets another job after the YouTube clips of him punching his point guard at Ithaca College goes viral. Second, the town drunk is not going to get the chance to join the team - midseason - and spend extended time with high schoolers. Third, the Jimmy Chitwood-Myra Fleener relationship would raise a whole lot of eye brows and probably make him ineligible for the Huskers. (Rest easy, he'd average about 35 a game in AAU and would still be signing with Duke.)
- It's such a wonderful movie that it's hard to pick a favorite moment. There's the "I love you guys" ending. As for my favorite quotes, we'll pick three:
1) And David put his hand in the bag and took out a stone and slung it. And it struck the Philistine on the head and he fell to the ground. Amen.
2) My team's on the floor!
3) Now, boys, don't get caught watching the paint dry. (Yes, we questioned why you would call that play, not how awesome the moment was.)
Feel free to share your "Hoosiers" Birthday wishes/thoughts/etc.
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This and that
- The Oakland Raiders traded their 2012 first-round pick and a conditional pick in 2013 (could be first or second) to Cincinnati for quarterback Carson Palmer. It appears to be a win-win for everyone involved (well, everyone but Jason Campbell, the former SEC player of the year and first-round pick who suffered a broken collar bone Sunday and appears likely to be out of job again - Campbell's contract runs through this season; Palmer's runs through 2014). It's the second big trade - the Browns getting picks from the Falcons for the pick that became receiver Julio Jones - that appears to be beneficial for both teams. The Raiders get a big-time quarterback; the Bengals get two more picks to build around rookie hot-shots Andy Dalton and A.J. Green.
- Another deal was made before the NFL trading deadline with the Eagles dealing Ronnie Brown to Detroit for Jerome Harrison and a seventh-round pick. Wow, who would have thought Ronnie Brown - the No. 2 overall pick in 2005 - for a guy we've never heard of a seventh-round pick? Maybe the Eagles got some Solo cups or some kicking tees too? Maybe.
- NBA officials and players reps talked for 16 hours Tuesday in an effort to reach a deal. The sides planned to meet again today. So far, the extended talks produced little to no mutually agreements other than LeBron James at 26 is better than MJ was at 26. Hey, we're just passing along the details. (Side note for new readers, we have a semi-regular named JordanRules who hates LeBron and hates when James and Jordan are mentioned in the same sentence.)
- It appears the Red Sox are still looking at trade options to send GM Theo Epstein to the Chicago Cubs. One report has several Red Sox players wanting a keg of Chicago-brewed Old Style to be part of the package.
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Today's question(s)
Remember about our contest - the Not-so-World Serious Contest - and feel free to respond with your entries or to e-mail them to us at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com. We'll update them later.
It's free-for-all Wednesday. Pick the World Series. Talk about "Hoosiers." What do you think will happen at Signal Mountain's appeal on Thursday?
This is your chance, bring it.
Whatcha' got?