As the St. Louis contingent struggles to keep the NFL in St. Louis, they recently unveiled the most recent drawings by HOK of the proposed stadium. Really nice drawings and my compliments to the artist, but I am still not sold that this facility will ever be built.
I have said my piece on the real need for a facility with a retractable roof, and that seemed to fall on deaf ears. Once again, when it comes to the NFL, St. Louis seems to come up short on money. The reason given on this stadium not having a retractable roof is that it would be cost-prohibitive. For those who remember, some of the same rhetoric was used about the eyesore that is the Edward Jones Dome, a relic that has not been paid for.
Now comes the new renderings along with hope that someone will take the bait and either stay on or come to St. Louis to play football. Maybe this time whoever is in charge of doing a deal (if there ever will be one) will not give away the farm like the last group did, as we now find ourselves in a quandary. I applaud the efforts of David Peacock and Bob Blitz in their effort to represent St. Louis’ best interest here, but they may be taking a knife to a gunfight. Financing will become an issue, along with parking revenue.
Stan Kroenke has not yet had a formal sit-down with Governor Nixon or NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, perhaps the worst leader of a team sports league since the National Hockey League’s worst years. Goodell cannot get out of his own way no matter how many time the owners and the media lackeys prop him up.
Then there is the “mystery team.” Yes, there are whispers that there could be some creative deal that would see another team come to St. Louis with the Rams going elsewhere. None of the options have me excited or hopeful, and yet you just never know when it comes to the NFL and how they do business. This issue will be on the burner for a while because too many people want to show that something is being done, and that is better than how a lot things work in St. Louis these days.
Worst seasons ever
If you are a college basketball fan in St. Louis, let alone in the state of Missouri, it has been awhile since you have seen good Division l teams, as both Saint Louis University and Missouri have fallen on hard times.
This season, many who have been around both programs for decades say that both the Tigers and Billikens are having their worst season since the early days of color TV. Both Kim Anderson and Jim Crewes have their work cut for them in getting both programs back on track. The good news is they are both capable.
For the fans who still want good hoops, look no further, as the Missouri Valley Tournament is back.
Yes, Arch Madness is returning, and the tournament will feature two nationally ranked teams in Northern Iowa and Wichita State. Each could go a long way in the NCAA tournament, and they could battle for the Valley crown this weekend. They may face some tougher teams in getting to the finals, as Illinois State has been somewhat of an enigma, along with Loyola of Chicago. No matter what, good crowds are expected to see the second-longest-running conference tournament in the country.
Spring has sprung
Today is the first day for Cardinal spring training games. The Miami Marlins will provide the opposition as they share the same training facility with the Cardinals, which makes it convenient for all. While it is much too early to make predictions, one thing can be said and that is this team should be pretty good.
The starting eight are set, and the pitching is solid. There will be plenty of competition, as the fifth starter position will be hotly contested by a variety of players who have something at stake. The fifth outfield position will be a battle between at least three players, and the utility role for the infield will have the attention of many.
In all, the three words to live by in the spring for the Cardinals should be “don’t get hurt.” If they stay healthy and play what paper indicates, it could a long season for the right reasons.
$1.4 billion man
Forbes magazine just put out their annual list of billionaires, and once again I did not make the list. Michael Jordan is on the list, as he is reported to be worth just north of $1.4 billion. Not bad for a guy who was once cut from his high school basketball team. We all should live to be that bad, I guess.
Stupidity supreme
If you have never of a guy named Dan Olsen, you are in the majority. Olsen is a hack golfer with one win in his entire PGA career who has been relegated to making a living doing something other than playing golf. Last week on a local radio show, Olsen went as far to say that Tiger Woods will be compared to scorned cyclist Lance Armstrong and his use of performance-enhancing drugs. Olsen said that Woods had been suspended from the tour for one month because he failed a drug test. At that point, all hell broke loose, with denials coming from all parts of the globe to refute Olsen.
Since then, Olsen has recanted his initial statement, stating it was just his opinion. Does this remind you of when former Cardinal Jack Clark made a similar reference about a former Cardinal slugger on a radio show? I am sure the threat of Woods suing Olsen – and anyone who is related to him three generations removed – may have been the reason Olsen did the moon walk, like Clark.
While Clark was an accomplished player, his statement was inaccurate and he had to make it right to Pujols. As for Olsen, his 15 minutes of fame far exceed his golf accomplishments on the tour. He is lucky that he did not bring his mouth and golf game to the likes of Forest Park or Norwood Hills, where golf lessons are handed out on a regular basis by the patrons and members to unsuspecting, irresponsible, slugs like Olsen who can think they can “big time” it with people and say whatever and not get checked.
There is no place for know-nothings like Olsen and social media losers who feel they can say anything they want and defame the reputation of honest athletes who play their games the right way. While we live in a litigious society that has the court system bursting at the seams, I would only hope more would fight legally to show these individuals there is no place for them or such irresponsible antics.
