As I write this I am listening to Christmas music and as the man sings "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year", I have to agree. The Christmas Tree is up, as are the exterior lights. The presents are all wrapped and most of the meal has been prepared. So, on this most joyous of holidays let me wish you and yours a very Merry and Blessed Christmas wherever you are. This message is also for our troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. To you I say hurry home and may we have you home next Christmas. Thank you for all that you do for us so we may live freely and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
December 24, 2009
Tigers Rip Illinois
I'm still celebrating last night's win by my beloved Missouri Tigers over Illinois in Saint Louis. The Tigers beat the Illini for the first time in nine years by a count of 81-68 and have bragging rights for the next year. The win improves Mizzou to 8-3. Illinois is now 8-4
This is also the first time in many many years I can remember Mizzou sweeping Illinois in football and basketball. Both games turned out to be easy wins for the Tigers.
MIZ ZOU!
This is also the first time in many many years I can remember Mizzou sweeping Illinois in football and basketball. Both games turned out to be easy wins for the Tigers.
MIZ ZOU!
December 07, 2009
White Rat Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
I spent a lot of time in the '80s at Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis. I mean a LOT of time. One of the reasons was the St. Louis Cardinals were always competitive and won three National League championships and a World Series in 1982.
The man who ran those teams, White Herzog, has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown by the so called "Old Timers Committee". And it certainly has been a long time in coming. The "White Rat" as he is still affectionately referred to by Cardinal fans, tailored his team for the cavernous Busch Stadium I. (Well, Busch Stadium as it was know while he ran the Red Birds).
Herzog used speed, defense and timely hitting to win ball games and that style of ball came to be known as "Whitey Ball" a term used for a team that manufactured many of it's runs. I can remember seeing Vince Coleman reach on an infield hit, steal second and then get moved over to third base on a ground ball to the right side of the infield. That would bring up the third spot hitter who would then hit a sacrifice fly and put the Cardinals on the board. With the team's pitching and tight defense the Cards won numerous one run games that led to those three pennants.
So here's to you Whitey Herzog. Congratulations on becoming the newest member of the Hall of Fame!
The man who ran those teams, White Herzog, has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown by the so called "Old Timers Committee". And it certainly has been a long time in coming. The "White Rat" as he is still affectionately referred to by Cardinal fans, tailored his team for the cavernous Busch Stadium I. (Well, Busch Stadium as it was know while he ran the Red Birds).
Herzog used speed, defense and timely hitting to win ball games and that style of ball came to be known as "Whitey Ball" a term used for a team that manufactured many of it's runs. I can remember seeing Vince Coleman reach on an infield hit, steal second and then get moved over to third base on a ground ball to the right side of the infield. That would bring up the third spot hitter who would then hit a sacrifice fly and put the Cardinals on the board. With the team's pitching and tight defense the Cards won numerous one run games that led to those three pennants.
So here's to you Whitey Herzog. Congratulations on becoming the newest member of the Hall of Fame!
December 05, 2009
Kansas and Mark Mangino
I have used this space in the past to poke fun at former Kansas University head coach Mark Mangino. As a Missouri alum I have little use for Kansas and their football or basketball programs. But, the University of Kansas stepped in it when they fired Mangino earlier this week.
Mangino's team lost seven in a row and blew a lead to that school's arch rival Missouri in the final game of the season. And that left the alumni unhappy. But, the truth is Mangino is the victim of"Bobby Knight Syndrome". Mangino has dealt with his players in the same manner for the past seven years. But, no one out in Chicken Hawk land seemed to care when he won 12 games and the Orange Bowl.
Kansas was fortunate to have as talented a coach as Mangino and Missouri fans knew he could recruit and coach. To a person every MU fan and alum I know and have talked to thinks that Kansas screwed up. As a Missouri fan I am glad that we won't have to face Mangino led Kansas teams anymore because he was very good at what he did.
I'm not sure who KU will hire, but they are going to have a hard time finding anyone as good as Mark Mangino. Kansas is a basketball school and good football coaches don't want to live in the shadow of the basketball team. As a Mizzou football fan I am not unhappy to see Kansas' program in turmoil. But, Kansas screwed up when they let him go. Mark Mangino will end up better off than the Kansas football program.
Mangino's team lost seven in a row and blew a lead to that school's arch rival Missouri in the final game of the season. And that left the alumni unhappy. But, the truth is Mangino is the victim of"Bobby Knight Syndrome". Mangino has dealt with his players in the same manner for the past seven years. But, no one out in Chicken Hawk land seemed to care when he won 12 games and the Orange Bowl.
Kansas was fortunate to have as talented a coach as Mangino and Missouri fans knew he could recruit and coach. To a person every MU fan and alum I know and have talked to thinks that Kansas screwed up. As a Missouri fan I am glad that we won't have to face Mangino led Kansas teams anymore because he was very good at what he did.
I'm not sure who KU will hire, but they are going to have a hard time finding anyone as good as Mark Mangino. Kansas is a basketball school and good football coaches don't want to live in the shadow of the basketball team. As a Mizzou football fan I am not unhappy to see Kansas' program in turmoil. But, Kansas screwed up when they let him go. Mark Mangino will end up better off than the Kansas football program.
And CBS is No Better
While I wait for the Mizzou basketball game (see the post below), I am also aggravated with CBS TV's continuing usage of inane sound effects in their football coverage. I have the Alabama-Florida game turned on but the sound is muted. Every replay or graphic is accompanied by these obnoxious sounds. Wake up CBS, I haven't heard anyone yet who says they enjoy the noise you insist upon inflicting on your viewers.
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