Top of Mind

-Aaron Miles is doing a surpisingly good job filling in for David Eckstein at shortstop.

-Congrats to old friend Jim Goessling who's been named Vice President-Sponsorship Sales with the Blues. Jim and I worked together at KTRS several years ago. Jim has since been GM at all-sports KFNS. He's a well-connected professional salesman who understands what it takes to get the deal done, and is also a former great athlete and sportsman. Best wishes to Jimmy as he joins the team at 14th and Clark.

-Some of the Blues signings...(i.e. Jamie Rivers...Manny Legace) will certainly make competition at training camp more interesting. Some guys...(particularly the young ones)... who thought they had a spot on the team sewn up.. may not be so sure anymore.

-Pretty soon we'll have to strip naked at the airport checkpoints...instead of just taking off our shoes. When that happens, let me know when the Rams cheerleaders fly somewhere OK?

-Many people, including some experts, suspect that John Mark Karr's statements after being arrested in Thailand for the JonBenet Ramsey murder are suspect. I wrote Sunday that something smelled funny about Karr's admissions in front of cameras....especially in light of family members saying that they didn't believe he could have been in Boulder at the time of the murder. The DNA found in the little girl's underwear will tell if the guy did it or not. Amazing that they didn't get it tested before this whole thing with Karr blew up.

-Osama bin Laden fantasised over Whitney Houston according to a new book written by a woman who says she was his unwilling mistress in the 90's. The woman, Sudanese poet Kola Boof, says bin Laden wanted to give Whitney a mansion and make her one of his wives. Houston...we have a really big problem.

-It's not a good time for post-concussion syndrome to knock you out of action if your bosses are considering whether you're worth a 10-million dollar option on your contract for next season. Too bad for Jim Edmonds that he's not dealing with something that's a little more obvious an injury.

-This year's Rams won't look much like the '99 Super Bowl champs. Good thing Isaac Bruce never ages.

-Speaking of the Rams...I wasn't so sure about Jim Hanifan doing color on the radio broadcasts when I heard he would replace the late Jack Snow. But, the coach is doing a nice job. He used to sometimes have a difficult time speaking to the press as a coach. Maybe it's easier being a guy on the other side of the fence.

-When I went into a fit of semi-depression over Chris Daughtry getting voted off American Idol in May, I wasn't the only one who thought an injustice had been done. Several reviews of the American Idols Tour, currently making stops around the country, have indicated that Chris gets the biggest wecloming ovation...and puts on the best show....sometimes including winner Taylor Hicks. Many writers are saying Daughtry is proving that he should have won the competition. Here's one link to a review in the Indianapolis Star...
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060818/SPECIAL03/608180513/1005/ENTERTAINMENT

Also, Daughtry's shocking exit from the show was voted the Top Reality TV Moment of the past television season in an on-line poll released today... here's that link...
http://www.nationalledger.com/artman/publish/article_27267857.shtml

In case you haven't heard, Chris has a record deal with RCA and his first CD is expected in November. He's bought a new house in an upscale town in North Carolina. And, is forming a band to back him in his future concerts and recording sessions. Apparently, I don't have to worry about him any more.