St. Louis Sports Online is an online sports weekly that aims to provide St. Louisans (and transplanted St. Louisans) with an additional source of news, information, and humor about St. Louis-area sports events and St. Louis-area sports teams.
Contributors to #94 include Randy Karraker, Jim Hunstein, Brian Stull, Randy Hu, Mike Huss, Nancy Buchanan, contributing writer Mike Rainey, and a short note from occasional StLSO contributor Evan Pedersen.
Coming in StLSO #95--Cardinals Facts, Opinions, and Questions.
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St. Louis Sports Online NOVEMBER.96.1 CONTENTS
1.0 StLSO News and Notes by RANDY KARRAKER 2.0 StLSO Sports Shorts 2.1 Cardinals News by JIM HUNSTEIN 2.2 Blues News by BRIAN STULL and MIKE RAINEY 2.3 Rams Report by JIM HUNSTEIN 2.4 StLSO Quote of the Week 2.5 StLSO Headline of the Week 2.6 StLSO Paragraph of the Week 2.7 From the StLSO Archives 3.0 StLSO Features 3.1 Nancy Buchanan's Blues News and Views 3.2 Shocktober by RANDY HU 3.3 Blues Report Card--After Ten Games by MARK BAUSCH 3.4 He's Still Learning: Kevin Carter's Sunday in the Dome by MARK BAUSCH 3.5 Baseball Sportstalk: The Cards in Review by MIKE HUSS 4.0 StLSO Recaps 4.1 Cards vs. Braves (G6 & G7) Review by JIM HUNSTEIN 4.2 Rams Defeat Jaguars In Unusual Game, 17-14 5.0 StLSO Numbers 5.1 Rams-Jaguars Game Stats 5.2 Blues Scoring Statistics (through October 25) 5.3 Cardinals Final 1996 Statistics 6.0 StLSO Media Views 7.0 StLSO Interactivity 8.0 StLSO Editorial: Shots Across the Bow--It's As Easy as 1, 2, 3
St. Louis Sports Online NOVEMBER.96.1
1.0 StLSO News and Notes by RANDY KARRAKER
There's no doubt that the best team won in the National League Championship Series. Once the Braves were backed to the wall...they dominated. Everyone in the NL is going to have to upgrade...because the Braves are young...and ahead of the pack by a rather wide margin. If someone told me I could start a team and take any five NL starting pitchers, I'm not sure that John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine wouldn't be three of them. Let's not forget Denny Neagle, either...who may have been the best starter in the league in '96. What do the Cardinals have to do? First off, make sure that they can manufacture some runs against that pitching, by acquiring a legitimate leadoff man that can bunt for a hit and steal a base. Secondly, Alan Benes needs to continue his improvement toward the upper echelon of NL pitchers. Add to those elements health and progression by players like Donovan Osborne, Brian Jordan, Ron Gant (health, at least) and T.J. Mathews, and the Cards should be in good shape for 1997.
The Rams will take their win over Jacksonville, but they certainly couldn't have liked watching the tape of the game. The Jaguars had their way with St. Louis, aside from five red-zone interceptions. The Ram defense didn't tackle well or cover well, and the offense did, well, almost nothing. This is seven games...and seven poor performances by this group. The key, offseason moves appear to be backfiring. Leslie O'Neal rarely makes a play, Robert Jones has trouble covering on pass plays, and Lawrence Phillips had another effort of less than forty yards. Why do the Rams play poorly? Because, as Dan Dierdorf would say, their big guys are outplayed by the other team's big guys. You win by dominating the line of scrimmage...on both sides of the ball...and I have trouble remembering a single dominant play by a St. Louis big man this season. Whether it be personnel or coaching...the poor play by the Rams' big people is the main problem on this team...and it is a problem that must be solved.
Last week it was excuses time for Mike Keenan, after his team suffered two losses in a row. Last Friday night in New York, it was that two valuable seconds ticked off the clock at Madison Square Garden. Sunday at home, against the Sharks, it was that the referee was on the side of San Jose on two controversial goal calls. This is the same man that has drained the talent of an organization since his arrival, and he's complaining that officials are to blame for 2-1 and 3-2 losses. With all due respect Mike, look in the mirror. We don't see the officials having a dramatic effect on Dallas or Colorado... but then again...those teams UPgrade their talent level...not the opposite.
2.0 StLSO Sports Shorts
2.1 Cardinals News by JIM HUNSTEIN
*The Redbirds have five free agents this off season: Tom Pagnozzi, Luis Alicea, Mike Gallego, Gary Gaetti, and Willie McGee.
*The Cards have options on three players: Dennis Eckersley, Rick Honeycutt, and Tony Fossas. Eckersley's status must be settled by November 1, while the latter two lefties due date is November 15.
*The Cardinals hold their organizational meetings in Phoenix, starting this Friday.
*The big news around the Cardinals this week had to do with the food that was made available to the players and other club personnel immediately following the third game of the Cards-Braves series. The food, which was catered by Bartolino's South restaurant, was prepared by restaurant employees afflicted with the Hepatitis A virus. Thus, all Cards players and personnel were advised to receive injections of immune gamma globulin.
*Kudos to the P-D for including a mock-scorecard for each of the post-season games. They are fun to peruse and form a nice accompaniment to the box scores.
*Just in case anyone is wondering about the other major blowouts in post-season play, here's the (very) recently updated list ranked by run margins:
15: Atlanta 15, St. Louis 0; NLCS; 10-17-96
14: Atlanta 14, St. Louis 0, NLCS; 10-14-96
14: New York (AL) 18, New York (NL) 4; WS; 10-2-36
13: New York (AL) 16, Pittsburgh 3, WS; 10-6-60
13: Chicago (NL) 13, San Diego 0; NLCS; 10-2-84
12: St. Louis 13, Milwaukee 1; WS; 10-19-82
12: Detroit 13, St.Louis 1; WS; 10-9-68
12: New York (AL) 12, Pittsburgh 0; WS; 10-12-60
12: New York (AL) 13, New York (NL) 1; WS; 10-9-51
11: St. Louis 11, Detroit 0; WS; 10-9-34
11: Kansas City 11, St. Louis 0; WS; 10-17-85
11: Atlanta 14, Philadelphia 3; NLCS; 10-7-93
11: Los Angeles 12, Pittsburgh 1; NLCS; 10-9-74
11: Chicago (AL) 11, Los Angeles 0; WS; 10-1-59
11: Philadelphia (AL) 13, New York (NL) 2; WS; 10-26-11
2.2 Blues News by BRIAN STULL and MIKE RAINEY
*The Blues snapped their two game losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes Tuesday night in Phoenix. Jim Campbell continued to impress as he scored the winning goal on a deflection of a Geoff Courtnall pass. Brett Hull scored with 9 seconds remaining in the second period on a deft deflection of another Courtnall pass. Grant Fuhr was terrific as usual as the Blues improved to 5-4 on the young season. "We played a tight defensive game and generated more offense as the game went on," Coach Mike Keenan said. "On both goals we were going to the net and that's how you have to generate offense when both goalies are playing well."
*On Sunday at Kiel the Blues are one of the sponsors of "Pucks of Power," an all day event featuring 8 of the top high school teams in St. Louis competing all day in a tournament, as well as a speed skating exhibition. There will also be a silent auction hosted by KFNS radio's Dave Leggitt while the games are going on. Some of the items available at the auction are; Chicago Bulls basketball tickets, gift certificates to some of the finest restaurants in St. Louis and much more. Proceeds from all items purchased goes to benefit Spinal Cord Research. Tickets are $10 and also is send directly to Spinal Cord Research. For information on tickets call (314) 892-8209. Hope to see you there.
*Konstantin Shafranov, who scored 2 goals in five games with the Blues, was sent back to Worcester on Monday. The Blues recalled journeyman forward Gary Leeman, who according to IceCats coach Greg Gilbert, has been the best player in Worcester so far this season. Leeman had 4 goals and 4 assists in eight games with Worcester. Keenan said Shafranov didn't deserve to go to Worcester, but his two-way contract made him expendable.
*Libor Zabransky made his debut in the Blues 2-1 loss at New York against the Rangers last Friday. He played well in that game and in the two games since. Keenan has praised his play, saying after Sunday's loss to San Jose that Zabransky was one of only a few Blues players to play well in that game. Zabransky was recalled from Worcester last week after Trent Yawney was injured.
*After shunning Tony Twist's invitation in the first period of last week's game vs Toronto, Leaf forward Nick Kypreos paid the first installment of many to come in the third period as Twister's right hand reminded the Toronto-goalie-crippler that paybacks are a *&*^*&! And Grant Fuhr showed that he was better than 100%, stopping all but one of the 32 shots he faced. Brett Hull had three assists and Brian Noonan and Geoff Courtnall each had two...as the Blues played one of their better games of the season in beating Toronto 6-1.
*Blues Schedule and Results
OCTOBER
Oct. 4 - ST. LOUIS 4, Colorado 2
Oct. 6 - Chicago 4, St. Louis 1
Oct. 9 - ST. LOUIS 3, at Calgary 1
Oct. 11 - ST. LOUIS 3, at Edmonton 1
Oct. 12 - at Vancouver 5, St. Louis 3
Oct. 17 - ST. LOUIS 6, Toronto 1
Oct. 18 - at NY Rangers 2, St. Louis 1
Oct. 20 - San Jose 3, St. Louis 2
Oct. 22 - ST. LOUIS 2, at Phoenix 1
Oct. 24 - at Chicago 6, St. Louis 4
Oct. 26 - Washington 6, St. Louis 4
Oct. 30 - at Colorado 8:00 p.m.
2.3 Rams Report by JIM HUNSTEIN
*Rams 1996 Results and Schedule
SEP. 1 St Louis 26, Cincinnati 16
SEP. 8 San Francisco 34, St. Louis 0
SEP. 15 Bye
SEP. 22 Washington 17, St. Louis 10
SEP. 29 Arizona 31, St. Louis 28 (OT)
OCT. 6 San Francisco 28, St Louis 11
OCT. 13 Carolina 45, St. Louis 13
OCT. 20 St. Louis 17, Jacksonville 14
OCT. 27 at Baltimore 12:00
NOV. 3 at Pittsburgh 12:00
NOV. 10 ATLANTA 12:00
NOV. 17 CAROLINA 12:00
NOV. 24 GREEN BAY 7:00
DEC. 1 at New Orleans 3:00
DEC. 8 at Chicago 12:00
DEC. 15 at Atlanta 12:00
DEC. 21 NEW ORLEANS 3:00
*For you fitness buffs, Rams CL (as in cheerleader) Jennifer Dawson was recently acclaimed the "Fittest Woman in America" after winning a competition in Hawaii. Jennifer, who also serves as the fitness director for the Kings Point Athletic Fitness Facility in Belleville, Ill., is in her second year on the cheerleading squad. The two-day competition, which combines fitness and beauty, pitted the 20 participants in events such as a 100-yard ocean swim, 600-yard run on soft beach sand, an obstacle course run, and parallel bar dips. Jennifer is a Belleville native and graduated from SIU-Carbondale with a degree in Food & Nutrition.
*On the Monday prior to the Jacksonville game, the Rams players decided to get a few things off their collective chests and had a players-only meeting. The meeting was called by QB Steve Walsh. Reports indicate that there was a lot of yelling and screaming but very little finger pointing. (A reminder to the Bighorns; when you point a finger at someone, there are three more pointing right back at you.)
*Shades of Chris Miller: CB Torin Dorn did not play vs. Jacksonville after suffering his second concussion of the year the week before; OT Dwayne "The Road Grader" White took his normal spot at OG despite also suffering concussion he suffered against the Panthers. ("The Road Grader", huh. Seems he's been grading a lot of dead ends lately.)
2.4 StLSO Headlines of the Week
*From the 10.18.96 P-D: "Game 7 Didn't Go According To Plan"
*From the 10.23.96 P-D: "Blues Have Tough Task In Heated West"
2.5 StLSO Paragraph of the Week
*From Bob Verdi's column in the 10.21.96 Chicago Tribune, on the demeanor of the fans in Yankee Stadium: "For example, when John Smoltz reached the bullpen to warm up, bleacher fans greeted him with Atlanta's banal 'tomahawk chop.' But they revised the salute slightly by using fewer fingers. Very creative, these New Yorkers."
2.6 StLSO Quote of the Week
*Rams coach Rich Brooks, when asked to comment on his team's rather unorthodox victory over Jacksonville: "I'm not going to sit there and beat things up...you guys (the media) will do that for me. I'm just happy to get a win."
2.7 From the StLSO Archives
2.7.1 From ISSUE #24 (6.17.95): the Joe Buck Interview
StLSO: As far as your career is concerned, what would you like to accomplish professionally in the next five years?
Buck: That's tough to answer. Because if anybody had asked me back in 1989 that five years from then if I'd be doing NFL football on FOX, I'd have never imagined that. Five years from now I would be very happy doing what I'm doing right now, and if something else comes along, like a chance to do nationally broadcast baseball, I would jump at that chance and would hope to be doing it.
2.7.2 From ISSUE #65 (4.5.96): the StLSO MLB 1996 Preview
"Once again, using salaries as our guide to the AL playoffs, Joe Torre's Yankees will satisfy Boss George and represent the American League in the World Series. We like good guy Torre...and predict that his $53 million Yankees will dethrone Bobby Cox's $48 million Braves."
3.0 StLSO Features
3.1 Nancy Buchanan's Blues News and Views
Ten Reasons Why It's [Still] Great to be a Blues Fan:
1. The New Guys: Jim Campbell, Harry York, Joe Murphy, Mark Bergevin, Robert Petrovicky, Libor Zabransky, Konstantin Shafranov. They hustle, they skate, they accelerate, and in the case of Campbell, they score.
2. The Old Guys: Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan. While Coach K keeps trying this pair of wingers with different centers, the two are seeing a lot of ice time on the same shifts. As of 21 October, Matteau was leading the team in points. Some folks thought Noonan would be cut when Creighton and McRae were let go......Noonan and Keenan go way back to Chicago and New York and Noonan displays the work ethic on the ice and the attitude off the ice that Keenan wants imbued in this team.
3. Mike Keenan: Anyone who does not have cable TV should get it just to see Mike Keenan in the new promotional spots for Prime Sports (soon to be Fox Sports Midwest). He rocks with a hockey stick and leads referees in group hugs.
4. The effort to be fan friendly: Practices during training camp were not only open to the public but the times were well publicized. [Practices have primarily been closed to the public since the season started--not exactly fan friendly.] The Blues are offering a free official merchandise catalogue which you can receive by calling 1-800-258-3716. Joe Murphy, Stephane Matteau and other players are making well publicized public appearances at local shopping malls. You can skate with the Blues at the U.S.I.S.C. in Chesterfield on Sunday October 27 from 4-7 p.m. as a fund raiser for the Children's Miracle Network. [OK, the Blues still need to do a lot of marketing and promotional work to win back the fans, but this is a start.]
5. The team has gelled. This was reported in the P-D and on Blues telecasts. If it's true, the future looks brighter because last year's team never gelled.
6. Grant Fuhr.
7. Joe Micheletti and Ken Wilson on the telecasts. Radio-only fans miss out on Ken Wilson's crisp play-by-play. (This season, televised games have a radio broadcast crew of Ron Jacober and Bernie Federko--Federko does a great job of evaluating the officiating) Blues games on TV are almost better than seeing games in person. [Maybe I shouldn't say that lest the Blues black-out games that are not sell-outs.] Kiel Center ought to install headphones in each seat so fans can hear Ken's play-by-play and Joe's analysis during the game. Also, fans at Kiel would appreciate a lot more replays on the big screen.
8. Brett Hull's silence. Sure I miss Hullie's entertaining opinions;however, Hull being a member of the team instead of a media lightening rod may be a contributing factor for the team's reported cohesiveness. Having three "alternate captains" (Hull, Corson and MacInnis) and no "captains" seems to be working.
9. The Blues never lose 15-0.
10. The new "offsides" rule. The Blues cannot play "dump and chase" as easily which makes the game more fun to watch as players have to skate better and handle the puck more creatively.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Don't let her Cliff Ronning-like stature fool you. Ms. Buchanan has been known to drop the gloves with the likes of Tony Twist, and has elbows as sharp as Brian Sutter.
How did the Cardinals blow another one?
Remember 1968, 1985, and 1987? In each of those years, the Cards snatched defeat from the jaws of World Series victories. Though the series against the Atlanta Braves was a mere tuneup to play for baseball's championship, the results were equally devastating.
Up three games to one, the Cards battled the Braves in the media instead of on the field, losing the final three games of the NLCS by a margin of 32-1. For the Braves, it was a case of dominant pitching, devastating hitting, and solid managing. We knew Atlanta pitchers John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine were modern-day Cy Youngs, but manager Bobby Cox inserted Denny Neagle in game 4, giving his aces four days rest.
Cardinal manager Tony LaRussa opted to go with his horses, Andy Benes and Todd Stottlemyre, on only three days rest in games 4 and 5. In hindsight, LaRussa went for the kill and by winning the battle, lost the war. He should have started Alan Benes in game 4 to keep his pitching rotation intact, instead forcing a spent Stottlemyre out for a sacrificial pounding in game 5 that opened the tomahawk floodgates. What hurts even more is not getting beat by headline choppers Fred McGriff, Ryan Klesko, or Chipper Jones, but where were the scouting reports on Mark Lemke and eventual NLCS MVP Javier Lopez?
All winter, this series will serve as a reminder that although the Cards were a game away from the World Series, it was a step that was further away from where they thought. The emotional scars will melt with the spring thaw, knowing that the core of the team will still be in place. In the outfield, Brian Jordan will improve on his numbers, as will Ron Gant and Ray Lankford, if they stay healthy. The Benes boys will win 35 games between them and Stottlemyre and Osborne can only get better. Royce Clayton is the man at shortstop. Expect closer Dennis Eckersley, third baseman Gary Gaetti, and catcher Tom Pagnozzi to return next year.
LaRussa helped improve the team by 26 wins from a year ago and has three years remaining on his contract. GM Walt Jocketty wants to keep the payroll in the $37 million range, but will seek a combination leadoff hitter/second baseman (e.g. Eric Young, Quilvio Veras or Joey Cora) and a power setup reliever for Eckersley.
"We can keep our heads up and be proud," said Jordan. "I'm telling you, I'm waiting for next year. We're just going to be better with experience."
Experience, and a few strategic upgrades will help them close the gap on the Braves.
The Rams proved two age old axioms last Sunday against the visiting Jaguars: winning ugly is better than losing pretty and statistics are for losers.
It was far from a Picasso, but the Rams sketched out an zany 17-14 non-loss to the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars. It was a game that was statistically dominated by the Jags in every category, including throwing interceptions. The resourceful Rams picked off five Mark Brunell directives and converted two of them into ten points, duplicating last season's early success.
The Men of Mutton incredibly completed their first sustained touchdown drive of the season. It took them exactly 6 and a half games to do it. Quarterback Tony Banks led the team on a 9-play, 86-yard drive midway through the third quarter, culminating in a Banks to Eddie Kennison 29-yard paydirt strike.
A controversial last-second comeback attempt by the Jags ended at the Rams 5-yard line as time expired. The Rams presented head coach Rich Brooks with a game ball to provide some comfort for his mother's death earlier in the week. Brooks is a nice guy, but we know where they finish. Just ask David Shula in Cincinnati.
The win may not have loosened the noose around Brooks' neck or saved the Rams season, but any victory at this point is a work of art.
There are some strange occurrences unfolding in Blues country early on. Stephane Matteau and rookie Jim Campbell lead the team in scoring, while linemates Brett Hull and Geoff Courtnall have tallied one goal between them. Matteau and Campbell earn $1.09 million combined annually, while Hull and Courtnall cash in at $4.4 million and $2.2 million, respectively.
Hull has harnessed his newfound shoot-from-the-lip attitude in the form of pent-up frustration and is apparently suffering from a case of post-World Cup letdown. The perennial lack of a playmaking partner continues to dog Hull, though rumors persist that coach/GM Mike Keenan is showcasing youngsters to actively pursue an offensive-minded center, e.g. Adam Oates. Shayne Corson, Hull's converted center, is a grinding forward who is betted suited for running interference around the net.
It's no secret that the Blues are softer up the middle than a jelly doughnut, but Keenan has added much needed speed, size, and youth to the roster. The win-one, lose-one Blues aren't scoring (believe me, Gary Leeman is not the answer), but neither is anyone else in the weak sister Western conference. Increased muggings in the neutral zone continue to hamper the flow of the game, as the obstruction rules of a year ago have been forgotten. Until the clutching and grabbing cease, the NHL will continue to blindly plod through the mud and feature more slugs than stars.
Editor's Note: Randy Hu is the sports columnist for The Riverfront Times
3.3 An Analysis: Mike Keenan's Blues After 10 Games in 1996 by MARK BAUSCH
Blues color man Joe Micheletti, during a recent Blues-Blackhawks telecast, said that the Blues would dearly miss the injured Stephane Matteau, who was unable to play that night vs. Chicago because of what was described as a minor neck injury suffered the previous Tuesday in a game vs. Phoenix.
Lordy, why would the Blues miss Matteau, who, along with fellow grinder Brian Noonan, seems to follow Mike Keenan all around North America...unwanted by most other NHL teams?
Because, as Micheletti said--"Matteau has been one of Mike Keenan's best players."
Think about that one for a minute.
Matteau's numbers, after ten games, back up Micheletti's statement. Mattteau, a rangy winger, has four goals and three assists in nine games. His seven points rank second in scoring for the Blues...behind only a bloke named Jim Campbell, who as a rookie right winger, has amassed ten points in ten games.
Kudos to the Blues scouting department for alerting GM Keenan to Campbell and to Harry York, the other no-name Blues rookie to appear in all ten games.
And kudos go to GM Keenan for assembling (and/or keeping together) a scouting staff that appears to be pulling rabbits out of hats, at least as far as finding talented hockey players that no one else wanted.
But with the exception of giving Grant Fuhr a chance to resurrect his career, it is hard to find anything else complimentary to say about Mike Keenan in his role as Blues GM. Unless, that is, you root for the Blackhawks.
The list of Keenan-as-GM personnel blunders is long. Blues fans don't need to be reminded of the more obvious mistakes. Furthermore, as a prominent NHL hockey columnist told this reporter a couple of weeks ago--"Hey, you don't miss what you don't have".
But those mistakes have led to personnel choices indicating that the Blues cupboard is bare as far as talent is concerned. And, as Blues VP Bruce Affleck estimated last year, superior talent wins "70 or 80% of the time".
For example, it would be hard to imagine that the Blues have superior talent at center, what with Peter Zezel, Craig MacTavish, Robert Petrovicky, and Shayne Corson regularly taking face-offs in the team's first ten games. Maybe a player with the last name of Petrotavish could star in the 1996 version of the NHL, but Petrovicky seems to lack the intensity and size that Keenan demands...and the savvy MacTavish is...well, he's old.
Combine those two players, and maybe you'd have something. Mix in a bit of Gary Leeman's offensive skills...skills Leeman had in abundance four years ago...now you're talking!
The gutty Zezel was a reclamation project free agent last year, and could have been signed by any NHL team. His best NHL days are clearly behind him...yet Keenan often plays Zezel on the power play.
But who else is there?
Ditto for 1995 Keenan free-agent signee Brian Noonan. Noonan, who has never scored 20 goals in a single NHL season, is a favorite of Keenan, and along with Zezel sometimes sees significant amounts of power play ice time.
Brian Noonan!
Hey, Brian Noonan is as gutty as Zezel, but does ANY team with Stanley Cup-caliber players up and down its lineup feature Zezel, Noonan, and Matteau-type players as anything more than bit players on what is arguably the most important portion of an NHL game?
It almost seems as if GM Keenan forgot which NY Rangers excelled for Coach Keenan during the Blueshirts Stanley Cup run three seasons ago. That team had talent. You know the names.
Keenan brought some of the character guys from that team (I guess) to St. Louis...but wasn't able to pry loose Mark Messier, Adam Graves, Brian Leetch, or any of the other talented players that starred for him in the Big Apple. Could he have possibly been surprised that Rangers execs wouldn't deliver Adam Graves to St. Louis?
As a result, Keenan mined the free agent market two summer ago.
His main 1995 free agent acquisitions were Geoff Courtnall and Corson. After ten games in '96, these two players have scored a total of two goals (both by Corson).
More significantly, in the 166 combined regular season games played by Courtnall and Corson in the '95 and '96 season (to date), Corson and Courtnall have combined to score 94 points.
That's just over one point for every two games played.
Put another way--those are Ron Sutter numbers.
It's probably too early to evaluate Keenan's major '96 free agent signee--Joe Murphy. But Murphy's four points in ten '96 Blues games don't seem to justify Keenan giving Murphy a salary that NHL Players Association data suggest is exceeded by only 29 other NHL players.
Mull that one over. The two players just ahead of Murphy (in 1996 pay) are Teemu Selanne and Chris Chelios. The two players just behind Murphy are Ed Belfour or Mats Sundin.
Who would you rather have? Who would Coach Keenan rather have?
It says here that GM Keenan can't generally manage nearly as well as Coach Keenan can coach.
It is an undisputed fact that Mike Keenan-coached teams have reached the NHL Stanley Cup finals four different times.
It is also obvious to most NHL observers that Mike Keenan as GM of the Blues has been an abject failure. On the player personnel front...and on the financial/fan interest front, Keenan has managed to take one of the NHL's most popular franchises...and turn it into something far less than it was before arriving in St. Louis.
And unless Coach Keenan's Blues play a better brand of hockey in the next couple of years, Mike Keenan may find that the next team that wishes to hire him as coach will ask him to leave his GM suit in St. Louis.
3.4 He's Still Learning: Kevin Carter's Sunday in the Dome by MARK BAUSCH
Most NFL teams play their best pass-blocking offensive lineman at the left tackle position. That's because most NFL quarterbacks are righthanded...and, in setting up to pass, leave their left sides exposed to oncoming right defensive ends.
So, on the defensive side, most teams put their best pass rusher at right defensive end.
Last year, the Rams played Kevin Carter ar right DE and at left DE. By most accounts, Carter, the sixth pick of the '95 draft, had a fair-to-middlin' rookie season...nothing special, but actually not a bust, either.
This year, the Rams signed sackmaster Leslie O'Neal to play right DE...and moved Carter to the "less important" left DE spot, where he has resided for the first portion of the '96 season.
The Rams recent game vs. Jacksonville, though, provided an excellent opportunity to watch Kevin Carter at left DE, because Jags QB Mark Brunell is lefthanded. Against Brunell, the left DE has the advantage of rushing from Brunell's blind side.
Knowing that, Jaguars execs felt so strongly about protecting Brunell that they made free agent Leon Searcy the highest paid offensive lineman in the league...and asked the former Steeler to play right tackle.
So the battle was set. Could Kevin Carter make his presence felt vs. the Jaguars?
Here are the facts.
*The Rams defeated the Jags...17-14. LB Roman Phifer recorded the team's only sack of Brunell, and the defense as a whole FAILED TO FORCE A SINGLE JAGUAR PUNT.
*Carter was credited with two tackles and two assists, and appeared to be totally dominated by Leon Searcy. In a telling piece of strategy, the Jaguars found it necessary to double-team Carter only one time during the entire game.
*Kevin Carter's performance, analyzed drive-by-drive by a portion of the StLSO staff:
--Jaguar Drive #1: Carter was on the field for ten of eleven plays (replaced by James Harris on the eighth play of the drive)...and MADE ONE PLAY.
--Jaguar Drive #2: ...on the field for nine of 14 plays (again replaced by Harris)...made his PRESENCE FELT AT MOST ON TWO of those 14 plays.
--Jaguar Drive #3:...on the field for ten of 13 plays...made one nice tackle on a running play but HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON THE JAGS PASSING GAME...some of which was due to elements of the run-and-shoot offense executed by Brunell.
--Jaguar Drive #4:...on the field for six of nine plays (replaced by Alberto White, who appeared to be a more effective pass rusher than Carter)...HAD LITTLE IMPACT ON ANY OF THOSE SIX PLAYS.
--Jaguar Drive #5:...last seven plays of the first half...Carter was on the field for the first five of these plays...rather significantly, when it was clear that Brunell was going to pass (i.e. the last two plays of the half), Carter was replaced by White. Carter had VIRTUALLY NO IMPACT on the first five plays of the drive.
--Jaguars Drive #6:...four play TD drive for Jax...Carter in for all four plays and HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON ANY OF THE FOUR PLAYS.
--Jaguars Drive #7:...twelve play drive; Carter in for nine of those plays and probably played his best football of the game, making one tackle on a 9-yard running play, beating Searcy once on a running play and once on a passing play...but Brunell eluded him as Carter flushed him out of the pocket. Jacksonville utilized short quick passes nicely in this drive...virtually nullifying any chance to get significant pressure on Brunell. Summary: NINE PLAYS FOR CARTER, WAS BUSY ON THREE OF THOSE PLAYS.
--Jaguars Drive #8:...a nine play Jaguar drive; Carter was on the field for seven of those plays (replaced by Harris in the other two). CARTER HAD AS MUCH EFFECT ON THE SEVEN PLAYS THAT HE PLAYED AS THE TWO THAT HE DIDN'T...
--Jaguars Drive #9: ten play drive; Carter on the field for seven of those plays. Carter made one tackle on a running play but HAD LITTLE OR NO PASS RUSH ON THE FIVE PASSES of those seven plays
In summary, the Jaguars executed about 90 offensive plays in nine separate drives. Kevin Carter played left end for about 70 of those plays. In those 70 plays, Carter's impact was felt on about eight of those plays.
No wonder that Jacksonville had 36 first downs, and converted on eleven of 14 third down situations. A force at left DE would tilt those numbers a bit more in the Rams favor.
Much more was expected from Kevin Carter, whose selection as the sixth pick in the '95 draft was, in the words of John Becker, the Rams college draft head honcho, "a no-brainer".
Rams execs better start using their brains: Sunday's announced attendance at the TWA Dome included 5,373 unused tickets among the 65,439 "distributed".
3.5 Baseball Sportstalk: The Cards in Review by MIKE HUSS
Last Thursday night, I found myself in the usual role of hosting Sportstalk on WGNU-AM-920. Unfortunately, during my show the Cardinals were playing Game 7 of the NLCS. During the 7 pm hour, I watched the first inning of the game to get a handle on the situation in Atlanta.
After watching Tom Glavine clear the bases with a triple, giving the Braves a 6-0 lead, I realized that I needed to put on my consoling hat as that night's callers would likely be venting their frustrations and anger.
The phones were jammed..and the first couple of calls were along the lines of "Tony La Russa needs to be run out of town", and "the Cardinals choked".
Let's jump into the time machine back to last March. Had Monty Hall offered Cardinals fans the National League Central Division championship, a first-round playoff sweep of the Padres, and a seven-game series vs. the World Champion Braves...well, no one would have even considered Door #2.
1996 was a year which restored interest in MLB in e Gateway City. FAns returned to Busch Stadium...and they seemed to have fun.
Now take the time machine back a little further. The Redbirds had just finished a dismal season where their opening day manager was fired in June. Brian Jordan was considering a career change...Ray Lankford didn't know where he would be, either.
The lingering effects of the baseball strike led to fan apathy and anger toward the game and the team. And the Rams were stealing all the headlines.
Finally, St. Louis' sports sugar daddy and lightning rod, Anheuser-Busch, had put the Cardinals up for sale.
But in the twelve months since then, Cards fans saw new owners, a new manager, a power hitting outfielder, two veteran starting pitchers, a 300 career save reliever...and a grass field arrive in St. Louis.
And after awhile, crowds eventually came to Busch.
So despite their Custer imitation in games 5, 6, and 7 vs. the Braves, the Cards should consider 1996 a fine success.
For you nay-sayers and stone throwers, cut the Cards a little slack. Remember, it could be worse. You may one day be asked to host a sportstalk show at 6 pm on Super Bowl Sunday.
EDITOR'S NOTE: On the WGNU-AM 920 airwaves, Mike Huss hosts Sportstalk at 8 pm on Tuesday and Thursday of each week.
4.0 StLSO Recaps
4.1 Cards vs. Braves (G6 & G7) Review by JIM HUNSTEIN
IN THE ARCHIVES: Too bad such a good season had to end on such an ugly note. The Cards suffered the biggest blowout of post-season history, even topping the thrashing they got in G5 at home. Yet that's what some will point to as the sum total of the 1996 season.
ON THE SCOREBOARD: G6: 3-1 Braves (6-hitter by Greg Maddux); G7: 15-0 Braves (6-run first inning and it got worse from there)
GOING IN: The Cards were ahead in the series 3-2, secure (?) in the knowledge that no team has ever dropped a playoff series after being up 3 games to 1.
COMING OUT: Going home.
AT THE PLATE: Only 1 run on 10 hits for the Cards in both games. Combined. Total. And only 4 in the last game. Willie McGee may or may not have gone out (we all hope he won't actually retire) in style: He had 30 percent of the team's hits in the final two games, including 2 (1/3 of the team's total) in G6. Royce Clayton got a hit in each game and scored the only run of the two games on a wild pitch. So as it turns out, the Cards couldn't score a run of their own volition in the final 3 games; the single french fry was a gift wrapped in a wild pitch. In the blowout that was G7, it didn't really matter. (No Cardinal reached second base not counting when Clayton touched it while getting thrown out stealing.) But G6 was actually pretty close and was winnable. Well, maybe. At least it was close.
OFF THE BENCH: Nearly everybody got a chance to walk to the plate and then walk back to the bench. But no one produced. The only time the curs in the stands were even civil was when Ozzie Smith popped out in G7, his last time at bat in his career. The crowd gave him a rousing ovation.
ON THE BASES: No stolen bases. Clayton hustled home on a wild pitch by Atlanta closer Mark Wohlers in G6.
ON THE MOUND: Alan Benes has nothing to be ashamed of in his loss in G6. He pitched well enough to win (in fact, he's pitched much worse and gotten a W) if he had a hitting team behind him. He went 5 innings and gave up only 2 runs on 3 hits and a pair of walks. And he fanned 4 on his way to a 0-1 post-season record. Donovan Osborne, on other hand, pitched to all 9 batters in the line-up and only recorded 2 outs. Those two were the second and third batters, so all but one run was scored with two outs. Osborne evened his record to 1-1 as he was blasted for 6 runs on 5 hits and a walk. The crusher was a bases loaded triple to pitcher Tom Glavine to make it 6-0.
FROM THE BULLPEN: Todd Stottlemyre continued to stumble after the shellacking in G5 by giving up another run as a reliever in G6. Nearly all the relievers took their hits in G7, including Andy Benes (4 runs on 5 hits in 4 1/3 innings), Mark Petkovsek (3 runs on 5 hits in 2/3 of an inning), and Rick Honeycutt (2 runs on 2 hits in 1 1/3 innings) before Tony Fossas puts some donuts on the board in the last inning.
IN THE FIELD: Probably the most disappointing aspect of the team. It just plain fell apart, and mostly in the area of mental mistakes. Lots of bad decisions. There was one play, though that almost gave away the game, but it had to be done. With bases loaded and two out in the first inning, and the pitcher at bat (right there you can see the Redbirds were up against it), Glavine lined the ball into left. Gant made a valiant effort to catch the ball and end the inning, but he didn't get it. it became a 3-run triple (and likely an inside the park grand slam with a reasonably fast batter/runner). If he plays it safe and goes for the one-hopper, two runs will still score since the runners were going on the crack of the bat. So maybe he cost the team one run. But the try was worth it. If ever a team needed the kind of boost a great defensive play can provide, it was the Cardinals. So don't fault Gant.
OVERALL: As stated, a horrible way to end an otherwise wonderful season. And it leaves a sour taste in your mouth after a gourmet meal. But experience can be the harshest teacher and maybe younger guys on the team have learned a lot about winning and the pressures of post-season.
IN THE HOUSE: 52,067 in both games
ON THE CLOCK: G6: 2:41; G7: 2:25 (roughly a run every 15 minutes)
ON DECK: 1997 spring training starting in mid-February
IN THE HOLE: The 1997 regular season where the Cards try to prove that '96 was no fluke and that they do belong among the best teams in baseball. Good luck, guys.
4.2 Rams Defeat Jaguars In Unusual Game, 17-14
In a game that ended with the Jacksonville Jaguars in field goal range...but out of timeouts and unable to snap the ball because of a lack of time, the Rams defeated the Jaguars 17-14.
Plain and simple, the Rams won because their defense recorded five interceptions.
The Rams offense was weak...just as weak as the 30th ranked NFL offense would be expected to be. QB Tony Banks was ineffective at running the offense (9-of-17 passes for 129 yards; 1 TD and 1 INT) and Lawrence Phillips was only average at tailback.
One of the faults of this year's Rams offense is its inability to get the ball to the team's marquee offensive players--Isaac Bruce. This game was no different: Bruce had two catches, for a measly 30 yards.
After the game, Rams coach Rich Brooks lamented his team's offense, noting that a measure of its ineffectiveness was the fact that the coaching staff does design plays for Bruce.
If it's possible, the Rams defense was more offensive than their offensive counterparts. Literally, in a way, since DB Anthony Parker had two interceptions, and ran one of them back for a 94-yard TD.
A look at the stat sheet reveals that Jacksonville had 36 first downs...to the Rams 8. Jacksonville was 11 of 14 on third-down conversions, and did not punt the football.
Rams DBs did play pinball with at least four of the interceptions...since they came on tipped passes. Brooks stated that this is a sign of a defense that is moving toward the ball.
We'll take his word for it.
The Rams game-winning drive came early in the fourth quarter, with the team trailing 14-10. The team moved 86 yards in nine plays...with Eddie Kennison's 29-yard catch of a Banks pass providing the touch.
The Jaguars late fourth quarter drive ended in controversy after QB Mark Brunell hit Willie Jackson with a short slant that was probably designed to move the team closer to a field goal. But Jackson broke free, and, with time running out, it appeared that Jackson would score. But Todd Lyght caught up with Jackson inside the 10-yard line...and there wasn't enough time for Brunell to spike the ball (Jax had used all three of their time-outs) and get the team's field goal unit on the field.
The time clock was the only thing that seemed to stop Brunell, who completed 37 of 52 attempts, for 421 yards.
The victory improved the Rams record to 2-5.
Next week the Rams travel to Baltimore, in a game that matches a pair of mediocre football teams.
5.0 StLSO Numbers
5.1 Game Statistics: Rams vs. Jaguars
5.1.1 Scoring Summary
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL JACKSONVILLE 0 7 7 0 -- 14 ST LOUIS 10 0 7 0 -- 17
5.1.2 Team Statistics
JAX StL FIRST DOWNS 36 8 Rushing 10 5 Passing 24 3 Penalty 2 0 3RD-DOWN EFFICIENCY 11-14 4-10 4TH-DOWN EFFICIENCY 1-1 0-0 TOTAL NET YARDS 538 204 Total plays 87 39 Average gain 6.2 5.2 NET YARDS RUSHING 118 83 Rushes 34 20 Average per rush 3.5 4.2 NET YARDS PASSING 420 121 Completed-attempted 37-52 9-17 Yards per pass 7.9 6.4 Sacked-yards lost 1-1 2-8 Had intercepted 5 1 PUNTS-AVERAGE 0-0.0 5-48.6 RETURN YARDAGE 119 243 Punts-returns 2-21 0-0 Kickoffs-returns 4-78 3-66 Interceptions-returns 1-20 5-177 PENALTIES-YARDS 3-15 7-55 FUMBLES-LOST 2-1 2-0 TIME OF POSSESSION 41:34 18:26
5.1.3 Individual Statistics
Jacksonville rushing: J Stewart 29-112, L Maston 1-7, Brunell 3-2, Means 1-minus 3.
St Louis rushing: Banks 7-46, L Phillips 12-37, Moore 1-0.
Jacksonville passing: Brunell 37-52 for 421 yards, 5 INT, 0 TD.
St Louis passing: Banks 9-17 for 129 yards, 1 INT, 1 TD.
Jacksonville receiving: McCardell 16-232, Smith 7-65, J Stewart 4-18, W Jackson 3-52, Mitchell 3-25, Rison 3-25, L Maston 1-4.
St Louis receiving: Kennison 2-71, Bruce 2-30, Ross 2-13, L Phillips 1-6, Green 1-5, Conwell 1-4.
Jacksonville tackles-assists-sacks (unofficial): Brackens 5-1-0, Robinson 5-0-0, D Hall 4-0-0, D Davey 3-0-0, Hardy 2-1-0, McManus 2-0-0, Smeenge 2-0-1, Thomas 2-0-0, Washington 2-0-0, Hudson 1-0-0, Jurkovic 1-0-0, Lageman 1-0-1.
St Louis tackles-assists-sacks (unofficial): R Phifer 13-1-1, Parker 12-2-0, Gaskins 5-2-0, Oneal 4-3-0, Mcburrows 6-0-0, Scurlock 5-1-0, Lyle 3-2-0, Lincoln 4-0-0, T Wright 4-0-0, R Jones 3-1-0, K Carter 2-2-0, Farr 1-3-0, Goss 2-0-0, Lyght 2-0-0, J Harris 1-0-0, J Jones 1-0-0, Osborne 1-0-0.
Interceptions: Jacksonville (D Hall 1 for 20 yards); St Louis (Parker 2 for 106 yards, Lyle 2 for 68 yards, Mcburrows 1 for 3 yards).
5.2 Blues Statistics
5.2.1 Blues Scoring Statistics (through October 26)
POS NO. PLAYER GP G A PTS +/- PIM PP SH GW GT S PCTG C 10 Jim Campbell 11 6 4 10 3 6 1 0 3 0 29 20.7 R 16 Brett Hull 11 4 6 10 4- 4 2 0 1 0 48 8.3 D 2 Al MacInnis 11 3 5 8 2 8 1 0 0 0 39 7.7 L 32 Stephane Matteau 10 4 3 7 3 9 0 0 0 0 19 21.1 C 25 Peter Zezel 11 2 5 7 8 8 0 0 1 0 18 11.1 D 44 Chris Pronger 11 2 5 7 5- 27 1 0 0 0 15 13.3 L 14 Geoff Courtnall 11 1 6 7 2 15 0 0 0 0 21 4.8 R 17 Joe Murphy 11 4 1 5 4- 11 2 0 0 0 22 18.2 R 28 Brian Noonan 10 1 4 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 11 9.1 R 26 Konstantin Shafranov 5 2 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 8 25.0 L 9 Shayne Corson 11 2 1 3 4- 24 1 0 0 0 19 10.5 C 23 Craig MacTavish 5 0 3 3 1- 4 0 0 0 0 4 .0 C 36 Robert Petrovicky 6 0 3 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 10 .0 C 37 Harry York 11 0 3 3 5- 2 0 0 0 0 13 .0 R 27 Stephen Leach 7 1 1 2 2- 7 0 0 0 0 12 8.3 D 34 Murray Baron 11 0 2 2 4- 11 0 0 0 0 7 .0 D 5 Igor Kravchuk 11 0 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 16 .0 L 13 Yuri Khmylev 2 1 0 1 1- 2 0 0 0 0 3 33.3 D 35 Christer Olsson 2 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0 D 33 Trent Yawney 4 0 1 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 .0 D 4 Marc Bergevin 11 0 1 1 1 6 0 0 0 0 1 .0 G 30 Jon Casey 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0 R 43 *Libor Zabransky 5 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 6 .0 G 31 Grant Fuhr 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .0 L 18 Tony Twist 10 0 0 0 0 16 0 0 0 0 3 .0
5.2.2 Blues Goaltending Statistics
RNK SW# GOALTENDER GPI MINS AVG W L T EN SO GA SA SV % G A PIM
14 31 Grant Fuhr 10 530 2.60 5 4 0 0 0 23 274 .916 0 0 0
30 Jon Casey 3 129 4.19 0 2 0 0 0 9 66 .864 0 0 0
Stl Totals 11 660 2.91 5 6 0 0 0 32 340 .906
Key:
(GPI) GAMES PLAYED IN (MINS) MINUTES PLAYED (AVG) 60 MINUTE AVERAGE (ENG) EMPTY-NET GOALS AGAINST (SO) SHUTOUTS (GA) GOALS AGAINST (SA) SHOTS AGAINST (SV %) SAVE PERCENTAGE (RNK) OVERALL RANKING
5.3 Cardinals Final 1996 Statistics
BATTERS BA SLG OBA G AB R H TB 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS E Bradshaw .333 .381 .417 15 21 4 7 8 1 0 0 3 3 2 0 1 0 Borders .319 .362 .329 26 69 3 22 25 3 0 0 4 1 14 0 1 3 Jordan .310 .483 .349 140 513 82 159 248 36 1 17 104 29 84 22 5 2 McGee .307 .417 .348 123 309 52 95 129 15 2 5 41 18 60 5 2 5 Mabry .297 .431 .342 151 543 63 161 234 30 2 13 74 37 84 3 2 8 Difelice .286 .429 .286 4 7 0 2 3 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 Smith .282 .370 .358 82 227 36 64 84 10 2 2 18 25 9 7 5 8 Clayton .277 .371 .321 129 491 64 136 182 20 4 6 35 33 89 33 15 15 Lankford .275 .486 .366 149 545 100 150 265 36 8 21 86 79 133 35 7 1 Gaetti .274 .473 .326 141 522 71 143 247 27 4 23 80 35 97 2 2 10 Pagnozzi .270 .423 .311 119 407 48 110 172 23 0 13 55 24 78 4 1 8 Sweeney .265 .371 .387 98 170 32 45 63 9 0 3 22 33 29 3 0 3 Alicea .258 .382 .350 129 380 54 98 145 26 3 5 42 52 78 11 3 24 Gant .246 .504 .359 122 419 74 103 211 14 2 30 82 73 98 13 4 5 Young .241 .241 .353 16 29 3 7 7 0 0 0 2 4 5 0 1 1 Sheaffer .227 .333 .271 79 198 10 45 66 9 3 2 20 9 25 3 3 6 Bell .214 .276 .268 62 145 12 31 40 6 0 1 9 10 22 1 1 5 Gallego .210 .224 .276 51 143 12 30 32 2 0 0 4 12 31 0 0 3 Mejia .087 .087 .087 45 23 10 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 10 6 3 1 Holbert .000 .000 .000 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PITCHERS W- L ERA G GS CG GF SH SV IP H R ER HR BB SO Batchelor 2- 0 1.20 11 0 0 7 0 0 15.0 9 2 2 0 1 11 Fossas 0- 4 2.68 65 0 0 11 0 2 47.0 43 19 14 7 21 36 Honeycutt 2- 1 2.85 61 0 0 13 0 4 47.1 42 15 15 3 7 30 Bailey 5- 2 3.00 51 0 0 12 0 0 57.0 57 21 19 1 30 38 Mathews 2- 6 3.01 67 0 0 23 0 6 83.2 62 32 28 8 32 80 Eckersley 0- 6 3.30 63 0 0 53 0 30 60.0 65 26 22 8 6 49 Osborne 13- 9 3.53 30 30 2 0 1 0 198.2 191 87 78 22 57 134 Petkovsek 11- 2 3.55 48 6 0 7 0 0 88.2 83 37 35 9 35 45 Andy Benes 18-10 3.83 36 34 3 1 1 1 230.1 215 107 98 28 77 160 Stottlemyre 14-11 3.87 34 33 5 0 2 0 223.1 191 100 96 30 93 194 Jackson 1- 1 4.46 13 4 0 3 0 0 36.1 33 18 18 3 16 27 Alan Benes 13-10 4.90 34 32 3 1 1 0 191.0 192 120 104 27 87 131 Urbani 1- 0 7.71 3 2 0 0 0 0 11.2 15 10 10 3 4 1 Ludwick 0- 1 9.00 6 1 0 2 0 0 10.0 11 11 10 4 3 12 Barber 0- 0 15.00 1 1 0 0 0 0 3.0 4 5 5 0 6 1 Busby 0- 1 18.00 1 1 0 0 0 0 4.0 9 13 8 4 4 4
American League National League
Eastern Divisions
Team Won Lost GB PCT Team Won Lost GB PCT
New York 92 70 - .568 Atlanta 96 66 - .593
Baltimore 88 74 4.0 .543 Montreal 88 74 8.0 .543
Boston 85 77 7.0 .525 Florida 80 82 16.0 .494
Toronto 74 88 18.0 .457 New York 71 91 25.0 .438
Detroit 53 109 39.0 .327 Philadelphia 67 95 29.0 .414
Central Divisions
Team Won Lost GB PCT Team Won Lost GB PCT
Cleveland 99 62 - .615 St Louis 88 74 - .543
Chicago 85 77 14.5 .525 Houston 82 80 6.0 .506
Milwaukee 80 82 19.5 .494 Cincinnati 81 81 7.0 .500
Minnesota 78 84 21.5 .481 Chicago 76 86 12.0 .469
Kansas City 75 86 24.0 .466 Pittsburgh 73 89 15.0 .451
Western Divisions
Team Won Lost GB PCT Team Won Lost GB PCT
Texas 90 72 - .556 San Diego 91 71 - .562
Seattle 85 76 4.5 .528 Los Angeles 90 72 1.0 .556
Oakland 78 84 12.0 .481 Colorado 83 79 8.0 .512
California 70 91 19.5 .435 San Francisco 68 94 23.0 .420
6.0 StLSO Media Views
6.1 Plea to the Post-Dispatch by NANCY BUCHANAN
To whom it may concern: Your color pictures in the sports section are great.....How about publishing a color photo roster of the Blues?!? The hockey season HAS started. The amount of coverage given to the Cardinals playoff run made your coverage of the '96 Blues playoff run look mighty meager in comparison. Wake up and smell the zamboni fumes......hockey is a growing market. Hire more hockey reporters and photographers. (No offense, Dave Luecking--you do a fine job--but did you count how many different writers contributed baseball stories?) And don't just have current columnists write a couple funny columns when hockey playoffs start. Hire some real hockey writers who have an in-depth understanding and passion for the game. We readers want sophisticated hockey analysis similar to what the Detroit newspapers offered during the '96 playoffs.
6.2 Do the Shuffle by MARK BAUSCH
In the wake of the Charter Communications purchase of KSD-AM, it seems a bit odd that KMOX-AM continues to pawn off the occasional World Series game to its rival at AM-590, KFNS. KMOX, of course, holds the radio rights to Blues games...and KMOX management quite logically believes that more St. Louis-area sports fans would rather listen to Blues games...instead of a post-season baseball game not involving the hometown Cardinals.
So KFNS gets the sports programming that KMOX chooses not to air.
But why the heck doesn't KMOX buy their own darn version of KFNS...and compete against themselves? It's hard to imagine that they couldn't make $$ doing it. Heck, KFNS does quite nicely doing just that!
*550-AM Permanent Ban Update:Entering week #7...one day at a time.
7.0 StLSO Interactivity
*David Desloge writes from Indiana--
Last year at this time "5-1 Rams, Super Bowl bound! Last place Cardinals? Bring back Whitey, Vince, Willie, Terry, and the other Runnin' Redbirds."
One year later 1-5 Rams, Nowhere Bound! First place Cardinals! Thanks to LaRussa, Gant, Jordan, Ray, Gary, and of course, Willie.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES!
*Fred Wagner writes from Norway--
After being the number one Cardinals fan in Malaysia, I am now the number one fan in Norway. Even though the Cards exceeded all of my expectations this year, I was still disappointed to see them lose to the Braves in seven. It was sure fun checking the box scores every day hoping the Cards had won as it had been quite a while since there was meaning in doing so.
*Brian Ruyle writes from Tennessee--
Just linked up with [StLSO] through web page. Would like more information.
I am an isolated Cards fan in sea of Braves fans in Middle Tennessee. I need connection to those who share my joy this postseason. Please assist.
*Evan Pedersen (an occasional StLSO college basketball contributor) writes from Missouri--
...I've become quite busy with many fun and exciting things. I am the assistant basketball coach at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy, located in the Central West End medical complex. We're a NAIA Division 2 school and we play the likes of Webster U, Harris Stowe, Sanford Brown, Principia, and other small schools in St. Louis and outlying areas. We have a 21 game season and some great kids...so its been pretty fun.
I also became a dad. Jeffrey Logan Pedersen was born September 28th weighing 7lbs 3ozs. For a kid that was 6 weeks premature he was pretty big. To give you a possible scenario about him: Shawn Bradley of the New Jersey Nets is 7'6". His dad was 6'8" and mom was 6'0". I'm 6'8" and my wife is 5'10". He's got the genetics to be a great basketball player.
I went to Midnight Madness at SLU this week and here are my impressions of this year's team. They will be more experienced and seasoned. Corey Frazier and Virgel Cobbin really put on a shooting display and everyone I talked to was very high on their ability to shoot from the outside this year. Newcomer Rasheed Malik is for real. He's 6'6" 213 and he's got a great Division 1 body, big, strong, can run and dunk with authority. The thing that really struck me is that everyone on the team went on a massive weightlifting campaign over the summer and it shows. I spoke with Charlie Wallace of Magna Fitness and he helped put a work out together for them. Apparently after last year's loss to Minnesota in the NIT, Spoon called up Charlie and asked what can they do to get physically stronger. Well in a testament to Charlie and to how hard the
kids worked, they are stronger. I would say everyone on the team gained an average of 10 lbs of muscle. They looked a little like Cincinnati with biceps, lats, and pecs hanging out of their slick Nike gear.
The Billikens will be competitive this year, and with 20 potential home games, they have a great shot at post-season again.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Evan Pedersen's fourth year of NCAA D-1 basketball was Charlie Spoonhour's first season at SIUC. A shooting forward, Pedersen came to SLU when Rich Grawer was still coach; prior to that, he played two seasons at Northwestern University.
*Screenname CrdsMike writes from Illinois--
ATTN Randy Karraker...I was driving back from Game 3 of NLCS on Sunday and listened to your football pregame show on KMOX. I enjoyed listening. I do have a quick question though. Jack Buck gave his pre-recorded thoughts on the Carolina game. Does anyone listen to those before they are played? Three times he referred to the young "Cardinal" QB. This is an easy slip to make especially with the Baseball birds still playing at the time, but can't that be corrected, or can the person recording correct Mr. Buck? I have the utmost respect for him and would prefer him not to look bad. Thanks for a great show, I wish I could hear you more often, but I live in Chicagoland.
*Robert Harrison writes--
I really appreciate receiving your news features as they give a good and complete supplement to St. Louis Sports. Thanks and keep sending the good work.
*David Groh writes--
Please forward my subscription at my new e-mail address. I really enjoy your insights and comprehensive coverage of St. Louis sports.
8.0 StLSO Editorial: Shots Across the Bow--It's As Easy as 1, 2, 3
1. If you listened carefully, Joe Torre's post-game comments after the Yankees eliminated the Braves contained a bit of a shot at the current Cardinals regime at 250 Stadium Plaza. Maybe.
Or maybe Torre was simply stating a fact. Anyway, when asked to comment about embattled Yankees GM Bob Watson, Torre rattled off a number of complimentary phrases about his boss...and added the following zinger: "[Watson] being a former player...it was easy working with him because he understood."
The secret message there?
Let's go back a few years. Torre was hired to manage the Cardinals by Dal Maxvill, a former player. Torre's affection for Maxvill, a former teammate, was known to all. Torre clearly enjoyed working for Maxvill, who, in the words of a former Cardinal co-worker, possesses "one of the best minds in baseball".
It is easy to believe that Torre believed that Maxvill, also being a former MLB player, also "understood".
But Dal Maxvill's replacement in St. Louis never played professional baseball. That's right. Walt Jocketty's professional baseball pedigree, which is substantial, does not include any time putting on spikes.
And Mark Lamping, Jocketty's superior with the Cardinals, the man widely thought to be responsible for Torre's firing last June? Before signing on as president of the Cardinals, Lamping's sole experience in professional sports was when he served as commissioner of the Continental Basketball Association.
Make no mistake about it. In his comments about Bob Watson, newly-minted saint Torre shed just a bit of light on his final months in St. Louis.
It's a sure thing that the Cardinals braintrust took notice of those comments.
2. If you listened, even not so carefully, to Bobby Cox's comments after the Yankees had defeated his Braves in Game 6 of the World Series...you heard more than a bit of a shot at Tony La Russa and his ballclub. No maybe here.
In World Series Game 6 postgame interviews, while praising the Yankees and their manager, Cox took pains to point out that the Yankees knew how to celebrate after a victory. Recall that the Braves complained about the Cards exuberance after G4 of the NLCS.
It's a sure thing that La Russa heard and/or read Cox's comments. Next year's games between the Braves and the Cards will be very interesting...
3. But late in the 1996 regular season, you didn't have to listen hard
at all to understand Ozzie Smith, who, when asked whether he expected to
play a bit more in the stretch drive, responded in the following way: "You'll
have to ask the genius over there (gestured toward Tony La Russa's office).
Here's what I think. I don't think so. Just like he's done all year, I think
[La Russa's] going to continue to try to fit a square peg into a round hole."