Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog passes away at 92

Whitey Herzog, whose keen eye for talent evaluation and unique creativity in building baseball rosters led to a Hall of Fame MLB managing career, died on Tuesday. He was 92 years old. Herzog won World Series titles in 1969 and 1982 -- first, with the Mets as a farm system director and, later, as the dynamic manager of the speed-driven Cardinals. Like with the Mets, when his fingerprints were all over the franchise’s first crown in 1969, Herzog reimagined the Cardinals into a team built around speed, defense and a strong bullpen with a series of player acquisitions. A roster recreated by Herzog’s moves -- his deals involved 22 players during the 1980 Winter Meetings -- would ultimately win the World Series in 1982 and capture two more pennants for the Cardinals in ’85 and ’87.

Former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson dies at 84 | FOX 2

Gibson’s first contract out of college was with the Harlem Globetrotters, not the St. Louis Cardinals. His roommate during the 1957-58 season, the late Meadowlark Lemon, told the Omaha World-Herald “I thought Bob was a better basketball player than a baseball player,” Lemon said. “I think Bob could have played with any NBA team. He was that good.” Gibson told the paper that basketball had been his number 1 sport, and that if the Minneapolis Lakers had signed him, he never would have played pro baseball.

Hall Of Fame Slugger Willie McCovey Dies At Age 80 : NPR

McCovey was nicknamed "Stretch" because his height at 6-foot-4. Left-handed throwing made him a natural at first base. He was best known for his 521 career home runs, 18 of which were grand slams — the most by any player who spent his career exclusively in the National League. McCovey was the National League's home run leader three times and RBI king twice in his 22-season career. He played 13 of those years on the Giants with teammate Willie Mays and together they formed one of the most powerful hitting duos in baseball history.

He hit one of the longest home runs I've ever seen into the high upper deck of right field in Busch Stadium II. Always thrilling to watch him at bat.

San Antonio Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich Calls President Trump ‘Soulless Coward’

Speaking to The Nation’s Dave Zirin, Popovich lambasted Trump for his “never-ending divisiveness” and called him a “pathological liar” who is “unfit intellectually, emotionally, and psychologically” to be president.

“This man in the Oval Office is a soulless coward who thinks that he can only become large by belittling others,” the coach continued.

“This has of course been a common practice of his, but to do it in this manner — and to lie about how previous presidents responded to the deaths of soldiers — is as low as it gets,” he said.

“The people who work with this president should be ashamed because they know it better than anyone just how unfit he is, and yet they choose to do nothing about it. This is their shame most of all.”

Bob Costas defends Colin Kaepernick and the NFL protests after Trump's attack — Quartz

Kaepernick has repeatedly said that his protest had nothing to do with the US military. But even before Trump became president, American sports, and football in particular, have been increasingly militarized, almost becoming a brand extension of the US armed forces. The Pentagon pays the NFL millions of dollars each year to host patriotic events during games, which include full-field displays of the flag.

“[Patriotism] has been conflated with a bumper-sticker kind of flag-waving and with the military only,” Costas added, “so that people cannot see that in his own way, Colin Kaepernick, however imperfectly, is doing a patriotic thing.”

I find Costas repugnant, but in his own way, however imperfectly, what he is saying here is insightful. The USA is, and has been since we got the bomb, a military machine. War and violence are so ingrained and assimilated into the culture one wonders if it can ever be undone.

Jeff Fisher knew in 2012 that Kroenke was moving to LA | Ben Frederickson | stltoday.com

"I was very fortunate to have some options," said Fisher, referencing his return to coaching in 2012. "I decided on L.A., or St. Louis, at the time, knowing that there was going to be a pending move. More importantly, I took the job because of Stan, and because we had a quarterback in Sam Bradford. That's how you win in this league, with a good owner and a quarterback. So, Stan gave me the opportunity. To answer your question, I'm disappointed. But I didn't win enough games. I get that part."

Kroenke, the 'victim'? That's the story he's telling in LA : Sports

Q: You’ve developed real estate for something like 40 years; what made the site so attractive?

Kroenke: I’ve done this countless times, literally hundreds of deals. You just look for certain things. For example, (at) Hollywood Park, there’s a Target store and development right next door. Starbucks is there. These are people we’re very familiar with. We do developments with them. For me it’s starting to click.

Wow, the man is a freaking GENIUS!

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones exults in Rams relocation : Sports

Even as the Rams are leaving St. Louis, McNair said he thinks the city should try to lure another NFL team.

“I think they should keep trying,” McNair said. “Hopefully they can improve their situation and attract someone. I think the market is still there, but the stadium proposal just didn’t meet the standards that the Rams felt they could live with.”

And that standard was they wanted a new stadium for free. Again.

Infection causes Cardinals great Lou Brock to lose part of leg : Sports

An infection relative to a diabetic condition has necessitated the amputation of Brock's left leg just below the knee. But the Brock family has sent a message that the Base Burglar is recovering well and, according to a source, Brock already is taking steps with a walker and will be fitted for a prosthetic device.

Brock was visited in the hospital last weekend by former teammate Bob Gibson, who was able to make Brock laugh with one of his remarks, and former manager Red Schoendienst, another Hall of Famer who also lifted Brock's morale.

Bernie: A blunder for the ages : Sports

"And maybe just a tad lucky, too. Brady won his first Super Bowl, at the end of the 2001 season, when Rams coach Mike Martz had a lapse in strategy by failing to give enough carries to future Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk."

Again with this canard! If you check the stats for SB XXXVI you'll see that Faulk averaged 4.5 yards per carry whereas Warner had 8.3 yards per throw. They should have thrown MORE not less, as most NFL teams have discovered since. The Rams lost because they had 3 turnovers (and a missed field goal) and the Patriots had none. You seldom win any game with a differential like that.

And the Seahawks didn't lose because they called a pass play at the 1 yard line. They called the WRONG pass play, a very risky pass play to the inside, and Wilson failed to realize it in time and throw the ball out of the end zone.

Is Warner a first-ballot Hall of Famer? : Sports

“'What solidified his Hall of Fame career ... is when he went to Arizona and took that organization to a Super Bowl,'” Faulk said."

Most definitely. Plus there's this spectacular conference championship game that might never be topped.

Colin Kaepernick of San Francisco 49ers reiterates that he didn't use N-word - ESPN

"Initially, Kaepernick said he did not say anything to Houston, though he was flagged for 'inappropriate language' and fined $11,025. Then, after Sunday's loss at the Arizona Cardinals, Kaepernick said he does talk on the football field when he was asked about Houston changing his story but that he did not say anything 'racially derogatory' toward Houston.

"Is that his final word on the matter, that he said nothing of a racial matter that night?

"'Yes,' Kaepernick said. 'I've said that multiple times.'

"Coach Jim Harbaugh, meanwhile, continued to back his quarterback. 'I have never heard Colin use that word,' Harbaugh said. 'And I've never heard him lie.' Then does Harbaugh think the reports are inaccurate? 'I think what I think,' he said. 'I'm very attuned to hearing that word, and I've never heard him use it.'"

What idiots. Both Kaepernick and Harbaugh. Why can't they just tell the truth in plain English? Rarely is a player fined for inappropriate language on a football field so it IS a legitimate news item. And we are told, the only reason a player would be fined in that manner is for use of the now infamous "n" word. So why lie about it? Heat of the moment, anger in battle, entirely forgivable, but now after such horribly stupid equivocation NOT forgivable. And Harbaugh! Too much these guys.

World Series Game Three Ends After Bizarre, Rare Obstruction Call - Connor Simpson - The Atlantic Wire

"By the book, Middlebrooks was dead or alive on that play. There was nothing he could do. 'If he lies prone on the dirt, he might be obstructing, according to the rulebook. If he gets up, he might be obstructing, according to the rulebook,' writes Samar Kalaf."

Sorry, Samar, but you are creating an either/or fallacy. All Middlebrooks had to do was put his legs down, like anyone would do if they were not TRYING to trip Craig! Craig tried to step over him and if his legs were down he would have. And despite the Atlantic Wire's histrionics, runner obstruction is NOT an incredibly rare call. Any regular baseball fan has seen it called before. It is a good rule and a valid, necessary rule. It goes hand in hand with fielder obstruction by the runner. Both players need to be cognizant of each other's right to move on the field and if they don't there are consequences. Ball players and coaches know this. It's really not that controversial.

Faulk still reeling from 'being cheated' : Stltoday:
"•Mike Martz’s playcalling was awful. The Patriots lined up in a nickel or dime defense with extra pass defenders on 75 percent of the Rams’ plays. Belichick correctly concluded that Martz wouldn’t have the patience or discipline to stick with running the football. Indeed, the Rams attempted 47 passes and only 22 runs."

Ok, once more for the all incompetent sports writers, the number of plays called and the type of plays called as a meaningful statistic bereft of context is MEANINGLESS. Just looking at the stats, the Rams offense was incredibly successful in terms of yardage despite the supposed superiority of the Patriots' defensive scheme. The 3 turnovers directly resulted in 17 Patriots points and was the difference in the game.

SFGate.com: Roman on read option: ‘The result was not the intent of the play call’:
"Still, does he regret calling the play?

“'I’ll just say the result was not the intent of the play call,' Roman said. 'I always look back and say, ‘Did it work. Didn’t it work? Why? Why not?’ And then move on from there.'

"The play, of course, has inspired more scrutiny and criticism than any other call during Roman’s tenure. He agreed it was a hazard of his job."

Hmm...seems like whenever there was an unusual play called when Mike Martz was OC, it was due to his massive ego only. No mention of the word "ego" in this article. Perhaps Martz is one of the few OC's or head coaches in the NFL to possess such a thing?

"Mike Martz Retires; The University of Miami Is Getting Tough on Boosters - Business - The Atlantic Wire:
"Mike Martz, engineer of the pass-happy offensive gameplans that helped the turn-of-the-millennium St. Louis Rams reach two Super Bowls in three years, says he's done with coaching at the age of 60. Martz was offensive coordinator of the 1999 Rams team that defeated the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV and scored 526 points during the regular season, which at the time was second most in NFL history. Two years later, he was the head coach of the Rams squad that lost to the 14-point underdog New England Patriots in the biggest upset Super Bowl history. Martz was bizarrely fired by the Rams in 2005 after taking a medical leave of absence, but resurfaced as offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears, improving each team's offense before departing on less-than-ideal terms. This was particularly true of his time in Chicago, which ended earlier in the month when head coach Lovie Smith -- his defensive coordinator during the Rams glory years -- helped to push Martz out the door after two seasons."

Refreshing to read a report about Martz free of hearsay, rumor and unfounded cliche. Sadly, those things keep following Martz and inhibit his ability to be even interviewed for head coaching and OC positions around the league. The fact of the matter is, for an OC whose team was in the NFC Championship game a year ago and, if not for 2 devastating injuries to key personnel, would have at least qualified for the playoffs this year to not be sought after is highly suspect. When someone like Brian Schottenheimer, who hasn't done a thing with the Jets, is coveted and Martz is shunned, something is wrong.

Bernie Bytes: 5 takes on Pujols, Marlins:
"Sure, he could take the Cardinals' money even if the offer is inferior to Miami's. It's still a lot of money. And he could live happily ever after. But I'll repeat: Pujols is under no obligation to do that. This is his chance to determine his future on his terms. Sure, he has said he wanted to be a Cardinal for life. Sure, he has said he wanted to be like Musial. Sure, he has said that winning is the top priority. A move to Miami would obviously contradict all of those declarations."

It's always the player who is the bad guy. Miklasz pays lip service to Mr. Pujols saying he is not under "obligation" to sign with the Cardinals low-ball offer. But then in a thinly disguised way castigates him for not being Stan Musial. Mr. Musial was incredibly underpaid as a performer and never even had the opportunity to be a free agent so the comparison is ridiculous and erroneous. These sports romantics are always comparing current players' situations to those in the past but there can be no comparison. Yes Musial played his whole career with the Cardinals. HE HAD TO! Unless he was traded or cut by the owner, who of course would have been "obligated" to do so by the player's poor performance. Give me a break. I hope Mr. Pujols moves on from St. Louis. The smugness is getting even thicker than normal there.

Penn State sex scandal engulfing revered Paterno:
"Sandusky was described by Keith 'Kip' Richeal, co-author of his autobiography 'Touched: The Jerry Sandusky Story,' as a loving father of six adopted children.

'I hope to God it's not true because I admire the man very much,' Richeal said. 'All I saw was Jerry was kind to kids of all ages, including the students he dealt with.'"

Jesus H. Christ! There are enough alarm bells in just those few sentences to alert a one-eyed deaf monkey to potential abuse. Paterno et al need to be up on criminal charges. At some point, as a nation, as a society, we have to get back to EVERYONE being held accountable. Not just people on the lowest economic strata of society, but everyone.

Six adopted children. Loves to hang around kids. His fucking autobiography is called "Touched" for crying out loud.

Marlins' Cousins speaks out about Posey injury:
"Giants general manager Brian Sabean criticized Cousins on his weekly radio show on KNBR this week, calling the play malicious and unnecessary. Sabean also said that 'if I never hear from Cousins again, or he doesn't play another day in the big leagues, I think we'll all be happy.'

'He chose to be a hero, in my mind,' Sabean said. 'If that's his flash of fame, that's as good as it's going to get, pal. We'll have a long memory.'"

Um...that's a threat plain and simple. Sabean needs to be relieved of duty immediately. What a completely ridiculous thing to say. The play was not only legal, it was required within the rules and traditions of baseball. The only reason Posey broke his ankle was because he was not standing properly and his leg was caught underneath him when the collision took place. It was an ACCIDENT. These collisions happen quite frequently in baseball and believe it or not, nobody gets seriously hurt. This time somebody did. Deal with it.

NFL becomes victim of its own success | ProFootballTalk:
"The NFL’s success has suddenly become a weakness. The NFL and its players don’t have the luxury to wait until August before they look like greedy fools that take their success for granted. Fans are understandably outraged that the richest league in the country is in a work stoppage — even though it’s only March."

Another false equivalence. There was a CBA, collective bargaining agreement, in place that the OWNERS decided they wanted to abandon. Why can't sports "journalists" get this right? The players were perfectly happy with the CBA as it stood and apparently everyone was making A LOT of money with it. The true greedy party in this dispute is quite clearly the owners. They are the ones who decided to renegotiate this thing, not the players.