Whatever

Update to the Update--Duncan sent to Red Sox AAA affiliate in Pawtucket. Cards get veteran infielder Julio Lugo in return. The Duncan debacle in St. Louis is over. Somebody in the front office (GM Mozeliak?) recognized things had degenerated to a no-win situation for anybody. TLR was devoting too much energy to the unwarranted defense of young Dunc. We all remember how important Chris was to the '06 championship. But as I said yesterday, fans around here are about performance and his '06 exploits were a long time ago and no reason to excuse his '09 struggles.

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Update-- Duncan sent to AAA-Memphis. Details here. The team had to do something. Interesting bunch at Memphis these days...Glaus, Duncan, K. Greene--big leaguers trying to get straightened out. Wallace, T. Greene, Mather, etc. trying to prove they can play in StL.

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-We got into a discussion in the Grizzlies press box last night about Chris Duncan and the Cardinals. This morning I read where Tony LaRussa feels like vomiting because of what he feels is the shabby treatment poor Chris gets from Cardinals fans.

What? Cardinals fans treating someone shabbily? I think we can all agree that with Cardinals fans it's all about performance. When someone gets booed at Busch it can only be because they are sick and tired of seeing someone fail at their job. That's the only time it happens to our own players. We witnessed it most recently last season with the horrendous showings of one Jason Isringhausen. Izzy couldn't get it done. He didn't get it done. And he got booed. Go back in time a bit and we can remember the under-achieving and hard-to-like Garry Templeton giving the single-finger salute to the fans as they booed him. St. Louis fans are too into team success to let individual failure go by and say..."Oh well...he's a nice guy and we should accept it." No, that ain't gonna happen around here. As nice as Cardinals' fans are to out-of-town players, and as forgiving as they are to our own, they don't suffer continual under-achievement very well.

Now, we are supposed to accept that Duncan is not up to par physically without really knowing what sort of problem he's dealing with. Mr. LaRussa puts out that he is stuggling with some sort of health issue. We know he had the neck surgery in the off-season and was supposed to be back to normal this Spring. But until Tony, or someone from the PR staff, identifies the current problem and gets specific, all we know is that Dunc keeps going out there and looking like anything but a major-league ballplayer. It's hard to have sympathy for anybody if they're not straightforward with you.

Now, we can all ask the question..."If he's not healthy why is he even dressing for games?" That would be my follow-up to the suggestion that his health prevents him from maximum output. How does he earn the right to play instead of someone else A) when he's not healthy and B) when he's not producing? Beyond that, why does TLR continue to trot unhealthy athletes out to fail in key situations? Isringhausen last year...Duncan and Rick Ankiel this year? Is he trying to send a message to the GM and ownership that he doesn't have enough pieces for his chess game? One must wonder...because Tony is anything but stupid.

The other aspect to this that has been studied in detail before is that Chris is the son of Dave Duncan. We all know that Tony is loyal to a fault. He has a soft heart...(witness his ARF work and his emotional reactions to Ank the Slugger a few years ago) but covers it masterfully with his "I'm a tougher/smarter guy than you" bravado. Is he putting Chris out there repeatedly...and for that matter keeping him on the team...as a display of gratitude to his long-time pitching coach? We can only wonder...and we do because it's the situation that we as fans are given. We can't just ignore it...because it's there. If Chris Duncan were on any other team in the major leagues would he be playing? Would he even be on another major league team? The numbers suggest he wouldn't. And if he's not a healthy athlete he shouldn't.

The bigger problem for the organization now is that he has taken himself so far down the performance chart that he has virtually no value in a trade. With his health history and hitting struggles another GM would probably laugh at John Mozeliak if he suggested Duncan had significant trade value.

So, how are we as fans supposed to react? We see someone go on the field night after night...someone who is paid a major-league salary...and who does what any of the rest of us who can stand on two feet and swing a bat could do ourselves. And I'm not even talking about possible favoritism or defense. I guess the janitor in the Cardinals clubhouse had better be ready with that barf bucket.

Just Sad Follow-Up

-It was good to see and hear yesterday in numerous places that my reaction to the Stan Musial slight at Tuesday night's All-Star Game wasn't an isolated one. Many have reacted with the same level of disgust that I did. And I've gotten numerous e-mails and texts to that effect as a result of my post here yesterday.

In a Dan O'Neill piece in the Post-Dispatch and on stltoday.com, some of the reasons (allegedly) for the Musial slight were put forth. I think I'm even more upset if you can believe what Dan was told.

Supposedly it was all about timing in the program and the President's appearance. They say Mr. Obama's presence in the evening's script wasn't planned for until a few weeks before the game when it became known he would attend. If this were the case, it seems to me that it would have been easily enough accomplished to re-structure the Heroes Among Us segment featuring the video from the five living Presidents. That piece of the program ate up at least 7 or 8 minutes all by itself. And most of it was the video. You mean they couldn't have re-edited the video to shorten the piece up by two minutes in two weeks? A good video editor could have done it in two hours. I fully support the sentiment of encouraging volunteerism, but somebody misjudged the value of a Stan tribute any way you look at it.

Virtually eliminating a tribute to The Man was not the answer to any pre-game timing problem. It may have been an easy answer...but not the correct one.

I do believe that MLB forced the program as we saw it down the throats of the Cardinals brass who likely pushed for a more elaborate tribute to Stan. It makes sense that, as I indicated in yesterday's post, someone at the Commissioner's office cowered in the face of the President's appearance and made some inappropriate choices. Certainly, and accurately, they saw the President's appearance as one of national importance that carried a ratings bonus. They also likely saw Stan's tribute as more of a regional segment, and of appeal to a more limited number. However, this was a baseball night. This was about baseball and baseball stars. Did they forget that? Probably.

Again, if there was a scripting problem to account for, the volunteerism segment needed to be sacrificed..not Stan the Man. He is one of the people that everyone in baseball who makes their living from the sport needs to revere to the utmost in every way possible. Shame on MLB for their disgraceful and numbskulled judgement on this one.

In O'Neill's article, Bill DeWitt III covers for MLB by saying (paraphrasing) they had a lot to juggle and some tough choices had to be made. Well, what would you expect him to say? How about "We're sorry that it turned out that way. Stan is more important to us than anybody...and no disrespect intended...that includes the President." That was his correct answer if he were to make things right for Cardinals Nation and his customer base.

MLB and the Cardinals owe Stan, and all of us who consider him our hero, a heart-felt and unabashed celebration of The Man. We're all longing for it now...and Tuesday's neglectful and wrong-headed happenings have brought it all to a head.

Just Sad

-Now that the All-Star game hoopla is over here in St. Louis, I have only one question to ask--

"Who the hell was responsible for the so-called tribute to Stan Musial?"

What an opportunity Major League Baseball had to recognize one of the game's all-time greats on a national stage befitting his accomplishments. What an opportunity...that was totally and disgracefully botched. It wasn't fitting...it was a misfit. The Man was reduced to a sidebar on the evening. If we were expecting something on the order of the Ted Williams tribute of ten years ago, we had another thing coming. And, unfortunately, it did.

I'll admit that I was sitting there in my home theater expecting to see Stan come out in a golf cart to the accolades of the thousands in the stadium. I was already beginning to choke up in anticipation of what was about to come. But that was it. That was all. The people were gathered and told to expect a tribute. But there was nothing else...except a handshake and hello from our sitting President. Come on. As Bob Costas said on the Channel 2 pre-game show, this is one of the top ten, at least, position players of all time. Aside from that, he is thought of by me, and most of the men and women in this part of America of my age, as not only a great player of the game...but as a greater player in the game of life. He has carried himself with an uncommon grace and dignity that is rarely seen in an athlete. Even if you don't recognize his accomplishments as a player, you should his contributions to society.

I think as much as anyone Stan Musial could be responsible for the Midwest tradition of cordial behavior toward one's fellow man. He was the face of Cardinals baseball in the era when baby boomers were just learning the game and life's rules. He showed us that we could compete with ferocity, but also enjoy and respect one's competitors. He proved that being a man isn't always about who is strongest, toughest and most intimidating. His time in the spotlight of this region was as much a lesson about respectable human behavior as it was athletic excellence. We in the Midwest embraced The Man and his approach. Many of us carry it in our DNA.

This night in July should have been Stan's night. The other Cardinals Hall-of-Famers no doubt would agree and would have gladly surrendered any time for their own recognition so that somebody could have put together a fitting video tribute to accompany Stan's entrance to the field. 90 seconds...just 90 seconds of time devoted to highlights, statistics, and tributes from those who could adequately express a bit of gratitude would have changed everything and allowed those of us who had Kleenex ready to let loose.

I, of course, don't know who was responsible for putting the pre-game show together. But I'll bet it was someone at the Commissioner's level (under 50 years old) and not anyone with the Cardinals. It had to be someone who just doesn't get it. Someone who thought that carting this 88-year-old former player onto the field in front of the crowd and on national TV and letting him hand a baseball to Mr. Obama was a tribute. That's not a tribute. It's merely recognition. I know one thing. If Jim Woodcock, one of the very best at understanding what the fans want and an advisor to the Cardinals, were involved, or had his way, it would have been different. Woody has put together some of the very best ceremonies of all time for the Cardinals and the Blues. If he, or someone who has a clue about the love we in this part of the country carry around for Stan, were involved, it would have had a chance to hit the mark. Apprently the lieutenants at the Commissioner's office are oblivious. The whole theme of the evening -Heroes Among Us- up to the point that Stan was brought onto the field was wonderful. Too bad they didn't realize that to a large percentage of those at Busch Stadium and at home The Man is our hero.

Unfortunately, we don't know how long we still have to enjoy Stan. As with all people of his age, a small ailment can turn fatal. And he hasn't been in the best of health for a while now. So, how will this wrong be righted while he can still be a part of a fitting tribute? How can we turn this dismal whiff by MLB into a grand slam for Stan? How can we turn this negative into a positive? It must be done.

Passing Through

-When three...its always three...huge stars pass away in the matter of a few days, it becomes time to think about life, both the brevity and the lasting impact.

Ed McMahon transformed being a sidekick into its own art form. Hi-ohhhh!...You are correct Sir!... and Heeeere's Johnny. How many of us can say we have phrases such as these that will immediately bring our name to mind? Ed made being an announcer and sitting on the couch next to the show host into something very, very cool. Johnny knew from the beginning that Ed was a huge ingredient in the formula that made the Carson show successful. And together they changed the face of late night TV. Their bits and skits will forever take us back to the time when talent and wit were the main elements of TV comedy...not pre-packaged, scripted nonsense. Ed and Johnny constructed a template. Too bad nobody chooses to use it anymore. Imagine the fun those two will have together in TV heaven!

We all knew Farrah Fawcett would be leaving us...and that it was just a matter of what day. The documentary a few weeks back on NBC left us with the impression that it would be days...not months. The impression was correct. I, like most other men my age, proudly displayed the Farrah poster in the 70's. One knew that you could only fantasize about being with her. But it didn't matter... the fantasy was enough. Every era has iconic sex symbols. Farrah was THE symbol of the time. The hair, the smile, the everything...all perfect. It didn't make a bit of difference if she wasn't the greatest actress in the world (an image she almost overcame) we just wanted to see her...the more the better. Too bad her passing was knocked off the top of the headlines by that of a mega-star.

Michael Jackson. What can you say about him except that his mind and body contained so much talent as to be other-worldly. His ability to write music, and perform it, was so different, and so far-and-away superior to the average that, in his prime, he had no real peer. He was the Elvis, or The Beatles of his era. But, as amazingly different as he was musically, most of us also found his weird personal choices and lifestyle to be unacceptable. So being MJ, or Jacko, all came crashing in. To die at 50 will likely serve to solidify his place as a cultural icon. Almost all of our entertainment greats seem to leave the planet early.

These people certainly made our bodies a more interesting place to be. I'm glad I was passing through at the same time.

Late Thoughts

-Busy, busy busy. Grizzlies, KMOX, free-lance voice work, regular agency business. Too busy to write. I know it's been a month. Sorry.

-I'm not a hitting coach...but it seems obvious from the centerfield camera shot on TV that all of the Cardinals left-handed hitting outfielders have a swing problem that needs a cure. Colby Rasmus has been OK. Chris Duncan a streaky unsatisfactory. But Rick Ankiel looks like he's totally out-to-sea without a life raft.

Rasmus has a dip in his swing...and if a pitcher can locate the ball up in the zone on the outside half of the plate he's going to pop it up every time. Duncan has that big, long swing where it frequently looks like he's trying to shovel the ball out of the park. He swings so hard it looks like he's expending a week's-worth of energy each time he takes a hack. The swing seems to start from the backstop.

And Ankiel...well he looks like he's lunging at the ball and hitting almost entirely off his front foot. Unless the pitcher really misses on location with a fastball down and in, Rick doesn't appear to be capable of hitting anything. He's not staying back on the ball...and therefore has no balance to his swing. He's not going to hit anything off-speed or anything hard and up in the zone..inside or outside. His bat is always under the ball....way under. If he hits it...it's most frequently a pop-up or lazy fly ball. It looks like most of the problems of these three guys could be cured by doing what Albert always does. Stay back, and trust your hands to get the bat head out. Snap the bat through the zone with your weight back as much as possible. That levels everything out and gives you a chance to hit line drives.

For that matter, it looks like Ryan Ludwick could use a dose of the same medicine. His swing got a lot longer since last year too. He was really snapping his hands through the zone last year. This year...not so much. Not good production from the current crop of outfielders. At least not at this point in the season. Some instant anlysis from a non-hitting coach. Don't you feel better?

-So glad that there will be another year of Keith Tkaaaaaaaachuuuuuuuuuuck wearing The Note.

-The Grizzlies are off to a poor start this season. Phil Warren's bunch is struggling to find consistency. One night the pitching isn't there. The next it's the hitting. The next it's the defense. Last year about this time they found their stride. I think the roster is good enough. Just a matter of pulling it together. Hopefully that'll happen before too long. Of course, GCS Ballpark is always fun no matter if the team is winning or not. See ya there!

-Another step forward in the career of actor-son Stewart. He spent Sunday, Monday and part of Tuesday this week in Charleston, West Virginia. It was a resprise of How Cissy Grew...the play he did with James Denton of Desperate Housewives, his wife Erin O'Brien, and budding young star Liz Vital last fall in Hollywood. Charleston native, and award-winning playwright Susan Johnston's play was the featured material at FestivALL Charleston. Apparently the locals loved the Monday evening performance and reception after where they were able to schmooze with the talent. Ms. Johnston is in the process of developing the material into a screenplay and chances appear to be good that WVa money and some from Tinseltown may turn the project into film. Of course, we're hoping young Stew might get a chance to ply himself if it happens. Other things in the works too...but too soon to spill.

-How cool is it to know that every goal that new Hall-of-Famer Brett Hull scored in a Blues uniform in St. Louis was announced by yours truly. Neat feeling.

-Number-one son Ian is making mom and dad proud by doing something with his life that we never saw coming...teaching. Not just teaching high school... but also acting as a supervisor/teacher for kids in the Battle Mountain HS (Vail, CO) district who have mental and physical challenges. Still playing and recording his music too. Teachers may be our country's most under-appreciated profession. But Ian is appreciated big-time by two people back home...that's for sure.

-President Obama throwing out the first pitch at the All-Star Game in St. Loo. He plays a lot of basketball...so I hope the Commander-in-Chief gets in a little pitching practice so as to not look foolish. Somehow I think he'll do allright.

-Once again we go straight from cool days into sweltering here in the Midwest. Why should I expect any different. Moderation is lost on Mother Nature around here.

-Oh the power of lust, testosterone, and fantasy to overpower common sense. I'm talking about SC governor Mark Sanford, of course.

-The biggest sports story of the month, heck maybe the year, should be the Team USA soccer win over Spain the the FIFA Confederations Cup semifinal. But unfortunately the sport is still way down the list of sports priorities in the good ol' USA.

-Enough with the Brett Favre stuff already. He enjoys playing the diva too much.

-Something is very unexciting to me about the second Transformers movie. Nothing wrong with Megan Fox...but neither Shia LeBeouf or the trailers get me wound up.

-At five minutes and six seconds after 4 on the 7th of July the time will be 04:05:06 07/08/09. Thought you'd like to be the first to know. That sequence of numbers will never occur again. The next such similar sequence will happen on August 9th of 2010 at 6 minutes and 7 seconds after 5.

Suspicion

-Yeah..that's an Elvis song...(he did it in '62 before sound-alike Terry Stafford had the hit with it in '64) but its also how I feel about the outcome of this year's American Idol. I suspect that the better performer lost because his competitor's total was fueled by prejudice-laden supporters. I wrote about this a few weeks ago when the competition was starting to boil down...and my opinion is no different today. Adam Lambert, the San Diego glam-rocker, was beaten by Kris Allen and the conservative masses. I'm guessing they voted more against Adam than for the new Idol. Kris alluded to the possibility himself earlier in the week in an interview saying he hoped people would vote based on talent...and nothing else. We all know what that "nothing else" is. Allen also practically apologized after being named the Idol saying Lambert should have been standing where he was.

And I'll bet it wasn't even close. Why? You'll remember in past seasons Ryan Seacrest would open the show...and usually remind us several times...about how close the voting was. He'd say something like..."After X-million votes were cast, the winner was decided by less than y-thousand votes"..or something to that effect. Last night there was no mention of how close the voting was. If so, I apologize because I missed it. I'm thinking the AI producers were likely embarassed by the final tally...and didn't want to feed any post-announcement controversy that it might have created.

I think I can safely say that America...and the American Idol voting system...failed the test of whether or not our country is ready to accept, and put the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval on, a performer who is obviously representative of an alternative lifestyle.

I'm not writing this to belittle Kris Allen or knock his talent in any way. In fact, if Adam were not more deserving, I would be totally thrilled with Kris as this year's Idol. He's head and shoulders more deserving than several previous winners. Heck, so is Danny Gokey who finished third. Both Kris and Adam have bright futures ahead in their own genre if managed correctly. But, both were in this year's competition...and the better man...the one some compared to a new Elvis...didn't win.

Suspicion torments my heart,
Suspicion keeps us apart,
Suspicion why torture me?

The View from Here

-Please come to the open house and pet adoption event at The Doggie Stylist at Bellson Animal Hospital in Columbia this Saturday. Life-partner Barb is hosting from Noon-4pm. Many available doggies and kitties from the Monroe County Humane Society. You need a pet don't you?

-The Cardinals are coming back to earth...like all baseball teams eventually do in a 162-game season. I'm starting to get a bit concerned about Adam Wainwright. We all know he's better than what we've seen. Gotta wonder about his arm health.

-Now that a family has been murdered in Columbia, Illinois, there's nowhere left in the world something like that couldn't happen.

-Ever tried Pritchard's rum, distilled in Kelso, Tennessee? Mighty good if you like rum with your Coke Zero.

-Good to see T.J. Oshie and David Backes making a difference for Team USA at the World Championships in Switzerland....and Chris Mason for Team Canada.

-No question about who was the best on this week's American Idol performance show. Adam Lambert hands down. Will he move on to next week as it should be? As they say, it's up to you America.

-So there's an offer...or is it two?...on the table for the Phoenix Coyotes. One is contingent on the team being moved to southern Ontario. The other would keep them in AZ. The Canadian offer is for much more $...but now there's a bankruptcy court involved and the NHL office...and...well it's going to get messy.

-Great news!! They found the 3-year-old boy who went missing in Madison County, MO. The parents must have been a mess. They have shoes I wouldn't want to have occupied.

-I've watched enough of the Ducks-Redwings series to know that if the Blues do indeed make a deal for former star Chris Pronger, it would be a very good thing.

-Son Stewart is getting a lot of great feedback from the producers and on-set people about his on-camera work for the movie he's shooting. The Eves has another week of shooting. Then editing. Probably early next year before it would hit the theaters.

-George Clooney. 48 years old today...and never been kissed. Yeah...right.

-Just watched an interview with Rick Ankiel on TV. He looks...rightfully so...very happy that he still has the use of his limbs. I haven't seen him so outgoing and "perky"?? before. But sometimes coming that close to tragedy is what it takes to make one realize how lucky they are.

-No matter how you slice it, the USA is the only place on this planet I'd want to call home. Oh we have our problems, but I'll take them because of all the good that comes in the bargain.

Idolotry

-After laying off the blog for a bit, I've decided to once again size up the American Idol situation...because, well because I just happen to be one of the 40 million or so Americans who is still fascinated by the whole thing.

If you watched last night's results you may have been as surprized as I was to see this season's most "out there" and amazing performer Adam Lambert show up in the bottom three. In fact, although I don't think it was actually stated by Ryan Seacrest that he was in the bottom two, Adam was in the last two standing before Matt Giraud was sent packing.

Now let's be honest here, if Adam doesn't win the competition this year it won't be because he isn't the most brave, vocally-gifted, and imaginative performer the show has ever seen. Because he is. Those who have visited here regularly over the years know that I was, and still am, a HUGE Chris Daughtry fan. But as talented as Chris is, and was, he just can't do the things vocally that Adam can. I don't know if anybody can. And Daughtry has gone on to become one of America's top recording stars. There have been some vocal superstars come out of the AI tournament, but Adam's range and seeming ability to hit any note, anywhere, anytime is almost beyond belief. And, because of his theatricality, he seems to be destined for a longer, and more profitable, run in Las Vegas than Cher, Celine Dion, Sammy Davis Jr., and Frank Sinatra combined.

So, what is it that landed the Hollywood-based Lambert in the bottom of America's three last night? One has to believe that personal and presentation characteristics are hampering his appeal to the masses. His voice and performance surely aren't.

Lambert is the closest thing to a champion of Bohemianism that supporters could hope to see succeed on this show. I tend to believe that its only because his performances have been consistently off-the-charts amazing, that he's still in the running at this point. Because we all know there is a significant portion of the population that is majorly uncomfortable with anything "boho". Lambert hasn't denied or declared anything about his sexual orientation...at least not to my knowledge. Although, it's easy to do a Google image search and find photos of him kissing other guys. Hard to determine if they're authentic. He also regularly sports a group of friends and family in the AI audience that appear to be highly non-traditional. And his glam outfits and sweeping hairstyles are, no doubt, also uncomfortable to the conservative masses.

So, has America acknowledged that Adam is the front-runner and boycotted the voting because of who he is and what he represents? Or, have his fans just become complacent, a la Daughtry in Season 5, and allowed his support to slip? Whatever it is, now that the competition is down to the final 4, and with Rock Week coming up (guest mentor Slash), Lambert should have a genre' in which he can blow the place apart.

The other fascinating aspect of the competition at this point is that the remaining four competitors-- Lambert, Danny Gokey, Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta-- may be the most talented top four in the history of the show. And, as I've said here before, at this stage it becomes more of a likeability contest than a talent contest. Danny and Kris probably have the mainstream "warm and fuzzy" vote wrapped up. The quirkiness of Allison and Adam no doubt hamper them. If each performs up to his/her ability next week, I expect the voting to turn into a referendum on likeability and talent, but maybe more so America's values. If the playing field is level, and without prejudice, Adam should win as best performer. If not, I believe an unwillingness to accept him as a person will be his doom. How many votes would Elton John get in such a competition if he were in it now, "out" with his values, and wearing all of his whacky get-ups? Something to think about...Sir Elton getting voted off a talent show.

To say the least...interesting....very interesting.

Future Blues

-As I mentioned on my Facebook page today, I'm not about to get disappointed in the Blues during this playoff series with Vancouver. There's just no sense investing that kind of emotion in it. Sure, I'd like to see them win, but we all know that with this team right now its all about the future. And the future is not yet now.

I'm of the mindset that whatever happens Tuesday night and beyond during the playoffs is a bonus to St. Louis fans. We all know that when we moved from 2008 to '09 there was no believing in a chance for this squad to even make the playoffs. Everyone was talking about what the roster would look like for 2009-10...and was excited about that. So the improbable stretch of games in January, February and March was thrilling and way more cake icing than was expected.

Now, we have the comfort of knowing that even the players that were counted on little to be high-calibre NHL talent have proven we should re-think that. I don't need to name names here..you know who I mean.

The playoff experience alone will be invaluable for our youngsters. Coming back in September for training camp guys like Oshie, Berglund, Perron, Backes, Polak et al will have the experience of a Cup series to draw upon. They will know that its a different game come playoff time. They'll go into each regular season game next year with an understanding of what hockey at its highest level is all about. They'll know that regular season games are simply played to get there...and that's what ultimately really matters. They'll also know that no matter how great they think they are in the regular season... that the level of play there is not where you are ultimately judged in the sport. You must be able to produce in the playoffs or it will follow you around forever...much like it has the Sedin twins up until now.

The job going forward, if anything, becomes more difficult for JD, Pleau, Armstrong and the player mangement personnel. Yes, the pipeline is full of highly thought of prospects. But this now becomes a high-stakes game of sports Monopoly. Who stays? Who goes? Which guys do we see as cornerstone players for the future. Which guys are expendable in return for a veteran who may help us book a Market Street parade in a few years? Which of the young guns about to come to training camp later this year (Eller, Sonne(pic), Palushaj, Cole, Pietrangelo etc.) really have a shot at turning heads in the NHL? Who do you pay the big bucks to stay? Who do you let walk away? The answers to these questions now will be of most interest to me.

So, I'm hoping for the best in '09...but I'll be more concerned about '10-'11-'12 etc.

The Man

-This post is meant as a simple tribute to the wonderful story in last Friday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch and on stltoday.com written by Dan O'Neill.

Dan drew a fine word portrait of the hero of my youth. The athlete that was much more than an athlete to most of us who grew up baseball fans in the Midwest. Like many, I have a vivid memory of crying my eyes out the day Stan played his last game in 1963. I also recall spending one night at old Busch just watching him the entire game. No matter the score...I examined his every move...hoping that somehow I could absorb some of what made him great, and somehow he might feel the affection of his young fan.

As an adult, I've been in his presence several times...but have never had the occasion to converse. I hope that perhaps that might happen while we're both still able.

For those who missed it, here's a link to Dan's story. Enjoy. And thanks Dan for rekindling those old feelings.

Shortcomings

-With two games left, the Blues are in position to control whether they make the playoffs. Win and they're in.

-So, after some urging by my sons, you can now find me on Facebook. Amazing!

-I picked North Carolina to win it all...and play Michigan State in the championship game...on one of my brackets....but so did someone else with more total points.

-Stewart heads for Texas next week to begin shooting for The Eves...full-length, slasher film.

-I can't wait for the cold weather to stop.

-When will MLB learn that it's still cold in late March and early April in certain cities?

-I can't ever remember working on Easter before...as I will this Sunday at KMOX...but I'm sure I must have.

-Have you ever had Pritchard's rum...distilled in Kelso, Tennessee? Regular..and several flavors. Picked up some yesterday on a recommendation.

-Jason Motte's opening game experience proves you could shoot a baseball out of a cannon and most good hitters would still hit it if it goes straight.

-Please don't spread the word about David Backes. He's going to be expensive enough when his contract is up.

-Have you noticed that about every week some bit of news comes out that makes it evident that A-B isn't the wonderful place to work that it always used to be.

-I watched a little of the ACMA awards the other night. And I've always liked Reba...but I don't reckon she'd be havin' such a heavy drawl if you woke her up out of a deep sleep...y'all. I ain't sayin' she's a fakin' it or nuthin'. Just sayin'.

Hello..Mr. President

-I told some of this story on the radio Sunday...but it bears another...and more detailed...visit here.

This kid...(well he's my kid)...now 24-year-old Stewart Calhoun continues to have amazing moments in his young life. Another came to him this past week when he got a call from a friend asking if he wanted tickets to see The President. Yeah, that President.

"Well, sure". Why wouldn't someone want to see the President of the United States in person. You'll remember Mr. Obama was visiting Los Angeles last Thursday to meet with The Governator, L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa, do a town hall meeting, and make an appearance on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Stewart's friend Paul had done some work for the Obama team during the election campaign and has some Democratic party ties. Paul told Stewart he had two second-row tickets for the town hall event.

So, off Stewart, and friend Dan, went to the meeting thinking they had reserved seats in the second row. When they showed up several minutes before the thing got started, they ran into an enormous line. This, after having to park many blocks away and practically run all the way just to get there in time. Thinking they had reserved seats, they sought out a security person at the entryway to the building and asked if they could just go in past the line of, what they thought were, hopefuls. The security guy says...something to the effect..."These people all have tickets and are hoping to get in just like you. They put out too many tickets for the building to hold everybody."

Unhappy at that news...the crafty Stew and Dan managed to (and he wasn't taught this by his dad) sneak into line at the first available spot. As the line continued to dwindle, it was made clear that not everybody was going to be allowed access due to the fire marshall's maximum. And, as it got closer to starting time, Stew and Dan were the last two people allowed in the building. All others were turned away. Whew!

There was no place to sit. Standing room only. So security people began telling those without seats to stand in certain places where they could get a peak at the stage. Just about the time Stew was settling into his standing place, Governor Schwarzenegger was finishing his introduction of The Prez. Young Calhoun found himself near the spot where Mr. Obama would enter the hall and climb the steps onto the stage. The President came out to the cheers and shreeks of those assembled, he began to shake a few hands. And, although we don't have a photo to prove it, the young fellow that we've been so proud of since drawing his first breath at St. Luke's hospital in Chesterfield in December of 1984, shook the hand of Barack Obama. What a moment for him!!...or anybody for that matter. What we do have on DVR is the town hall meeting...and Stewart in the background of a shot where someone near him was asking a question of the President during the Q&A. That's enough proof for ol' Dad of the hand-shaking claim. You're welcome to read some of Stewart's thoughts on the day at his blog.

Stewart's been in Hollywood now for almost two years trying to catch fire in the acting business, and has had many more of these Forest Gump-type moments in his life than a sensible person could reasonably expect. The frequent serendipitous happenings in his life make me believe that there is some sort of star guiding his steps...or other-worldly entity at his back. That's just one of the reasons his mother and I have always believed in him, his ability to perform, and have easily dealt with his choice to enter the iffy world of show business. Some people just seem to have "it" thrust upon them to accompany their talent. If you were around the young fella for a while...or heard some of the coincidence stories...you'd understand. Some things are meant to be.

Stardom, or not, it never hurts to have a Presidential hand shake in your memory bank.

Spanning the Globe

-Update from Hollywood and our actor son. Stewart has been hired to the cast of The Eves. It's a horror flick that will shoot in southeast Texas in April and May. Release? It's a full-length feature that hopefully will be at a theater near you sometime within the next year. This will be one of those pics that has no real star. In fact, it's unlikely you will have heard of any of the lead actors. But the big thing for Stew is that it's a real, honest-to-badness slasher flick. Not that I advocate, or really enjoy, that sort of entertainment. But it definitely harbors the opportunity for upward career movement for our guy. And think of the others who've made it big in Hollywood after a start in horror films. I don't need to name them for my highly astute readers here do I? Nah!

I've gotten a sneak peak at the screenplay. And I will say this, that the writers and producers have a script to work with that has some meat to it. Many flicks of this genre feature a lot of skin...a lot of slash...(and there's some of that)...but little else. This one also gives the thinkers among us a little bit to work with. Of course, I won't spill the creative beans here, but there's a biblical backdrop...with something to say about the "super-zealots" of the population. Stewart will take on the role of Paul...who as much as a few others in the story...is a central character. Paul brings a sense of stability to the ensemble of characters. We're terribly excited for our guy once again. He keeps taking small steps up in his career each month. And that's saying a lot more than many Hollywood hopefuls can say.

Here's a link to the movie's website...still under construction. Cast photos. Writer/producer bios etc. And Stewart's updated site. Photo at right--> lovely Cathy Baron who plays the part of Nicky in the film.

By the way...Stew and his co-star Alex Schemmer recently received news they have won a Garland Award for their ensemble performance in last year's Thrill Me-The Leopold and Loeb Story. It played at Hudson Backstage Theater in North Hollywood about this time in '08. Unfortunately, the awards will be given out in late April when Stew will be on location with the movie project above. Here's a link to more on the Garland Awards.

-The Blues recently completed homestand puts them in pretty good shape to slide into one of the Western Conference playoff spots. Now, its a matter of doing what they can with 4 home games in their final 13. Not an easy schedule...but they've been good on the road since Christmas. What a job by the whole organization for them to be in this position. Exciting! Even more exciting is the thought of watching Oshie, Berglund and Perron skate for the next several years. One or two more like them and watch out!

-I've got a notion that the economy is starting to bottom out and will be heading back to respectability soon. No facts...just a feeling.

-So far so good with Chris Carpenter. If the guys arm stays in service...the Cards are once again favorites to battle it out for the Central division title.

-Well, I've got two brackets filled out. One is the reasonable one. The other is the hopeful one. I'm hopeful that Mizzou and the Illini will do some damage this year. Both have reasonable chances of making it to the Sweet 16. After that, who knows. The reasonable bracket though has Mizzou losing in the round of 16...and the Illini losing their second game to Gonzaga. Let's hope that hope wins out over reason.