To Enter or Not to Enter the NFL Draft…the resurgence of the $tudent Athlete

Seems like a simple of enough question right, well apparently not anymore. For most anyone who’s played football at any level the NFL is always a fantasy. For most of us that fantasy ends when we take a cross section of our family and realize that we’re destined to be 5’11” 180 lbs and barely the lung capacity to finish a 6^th grade shuttle drill. That might just be me though. My point however is that for a select few the fantasy is real.  It used to be that a football player went to college to get ready for the NFL and when either he deemed himself worthy or the scouts did that was it (I acknowledge this is not the case with every $tudent athlete) see ya later college hello NFL riches. An athlete would error on the side of leaving too early before risking one more year and possible injury.

It has happened from time to time, but never has it taken place it seems like the last couple of years. When Peyton Manning came back instead of entering the 1997 draft many were surprised but I don’t remember any talk of it becoming a trend.  Now I wonder if that is indeed the case. Of course it worked out for Manning and the Colts but that’s not the point I am trying to make. The end result is not the issue, rather the short term effect (money left on the table) is.  The new CBA will most likely put a rookie wage scale into effect so the money left on the table is not necessarily Sam Bradford money, but money is still being left. Players are opting for one more year as a $tudent athlete rather than making 1^st round NFL money (as opposed to BMOC $) and the ability to be one year closer to their second NFL contract. Different money, but still money.

                The movement started small but seems to be gaining steam. In recent years we’ve had some high profile players and “sure things” say no to the NFL. Which no one does anymore…are you listening ESPN and your $1.whateverBillion you’re about to hand over. I am looking at how they were regarded coming out of college, not how they have performed in the NFL. This is only a sampling but since 2005 Matt Leinart, Brady Quinn, Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow and Jake Locker all passed on leaving early for the NFL (of course Manning a QB as well).   Not one of them fell out of the 1^st round by coming back or had his draft status impacted by an injury, see #1 overall pick Sam Bradford.

Maybe this is what gives confidence to this years’ crop of $tudent athletes. What started as one here and there (Manning), turned in to a few (Bradford, Tebow, Locker…) is now a serious thing and not just limited to QB’s. Notable absentees from Roger Goodell’s role call this year will be QB’s-Andrew Luck & Terrell Pryor, WR’s- Justin Blackmon, Ryan Broyles & Michael Floyd, and RB LaMichael James. Now whether this is a one year spike in top talent returning to school or a sign of what is to come remains to be seen. Two things I take from this. One; Next years’ CFB season should be a fun one, and Two; All those players who just moved up the draft boards because of what this group decided to do are just fine with that choice.

No Longer Afraid of my TV on Sunday

I can finally once again turn on my TV on Sundays without dread.  Since roughly 2006 this has been nap time for me.  Now I am not buying my playoff tickets yet and there is still a lot of football left but I forgot how much fun it can be to watch a game knowing your team has at least a chance to win. Yes I am drinking my share of the Kool-Aid, but it’s been at least 4 years since I was thirsty for it so who cares.  The teams in the Show-Me State, at least for the being, are relevant again and I am going to enjoy it.

 Our towns Rams are 2-2 and in 1^st place.  Granted it’s a three-way tie and only four games in but I’ll take it. About 4 hours west on I-70 the Chiefs are also in 1^st place and the NFL’s only remaining undefeated team at 3-0. St. Louis has outscored opponents by a 25 pt margin, Kansas City by 30.  These records and standings probably will not withstand the tough NFL schedule ahead of both teams, but with today’s parity around the league you never know. Look at what has already taken place this season. Indy is 2-2 with loses to Houston and the Jags and the 49ers are 0-4 after being picked by everyone to win the NFC West.  So I guess my point is….why not.

St. Louis and Kansas City each had a strong off-season.  Both had solid drafts, Bradford & Saffold in STL and McCluster & Berry in KC, St. Louis firmed up their ownership with proven winner Stan Kroenke and KC really strengthened their coaching staff with the addition of Weis and Crennel.  These are two franchises (and cities) that needed a spark, needed confidence and more importantly needed to  get their fan bases behind them.   Rams finally have a personality and a pulse, KC has some swagger and attitude. Sam Bradford is only 4 games in to his NFL career and is going to make mistakes, the Rams are going to lose the majority of their games this year and probably next, and KC is not going to go undefeated. Both will most likely not make the playoffs.

Yet the Rams haven’t been blacked out on TV this season and the Chiefs aren’t going anywhere. So on behalf of all fans in St. Louis and Kansas City…..THANK YOU!  Thank you for making my living room couch a destination on Sunday’s again and thank you for making me care. I remember St. Louis without football…those were some very lonely Sunday’s.  My love affair with the Rams is blossoming as it did 16 years ago which means no more lonely Sunday’s.

And the Winner is...the guy with the most 4th place votes?!

MLB Awards season is nearly upon us, so let the discussion (by that I mean arguing and the he said/she said non-sense) begin. Over the last few days Twitter has been the forum for a good discussion on the topic, myself included but mostly amongst the pros much more educated on the subject than myself. (Will Carroll-Baseball Prospectus, Drew Silva -NBC, Nick Scott-BrokenBatSingle.com and the P-D’s Derrick Goold) Most of this discussion was about what criteria should be used and how it should be used in deciding who the CY Young and MVP should go to.  Pundits can argue back and forth about Wins vs. ERA, RBI vs. WAR what tells the better story and why their way of thinking is correct. Truthfully I fall somewhere in the middle on this. My issue, my complaint is this…why are they not just voting for the best…why are they voting for the 3^rd best and in the case of the MVP the 10^th best…seriously that dumbfounds me.  All four major awards are going to be very close this year, which will inevitably lead heated talk this off-season. My advice to those of you with a vote, please, somehow find your way here and read this blog then make it simple…just vote for the best.   

                Let me make this clear first off, I am completely okay with Tim Lincecum winning the 2009 NL CY Young, but this is not HOF voting where multiple players can get in on one ballot. The CY Young and MVP awards are for the BEST PITCHER the BEST PLAYER we shouldn’t be looking at percentages or adding up points. Yes, there are going to be close races (2009 AL & NL MVP voting aside) and people will be upset that their choice didn’t make it but that is sports.  For the CY Young there are 32 voters voting for 3 pitchers for the MVP there are 28 voters voting on 10 players. WHY! Was it really necessary for someone to cast a 10^th place MVP vote for Ian Kinsler last year. Did Will Carroll really need to let us know he though Dan Haren was the 3^rd best pitcher last year, what does this prove. Nothing I argue.   I love Carpenter, but do you realize if he would have had one more 1^st place and one more 3^rd place vote we would had a tie or he might have won while having the fewest amount of 1^st place votes.  The idea that this scenario could have played out and is even a possibility is maddening to me.

                It has only happened twice so maybe that is why it has gone largely unnoticed that this practice is unnecessary. But last year for the 2^nd time the guy with the most 1^st place votes didn’t win.(Trevor Hoffman 1998 was the other). So, “sorry Adam the majority of voters thought you were the best but you didn’t win”, is that how the conversation went. There will still be a 2^nd and 3^rd place most years and bonuses will still be given so calm down players. And voters you may have to re-think how you vote, but that’s okay most of you have been telling everyone else the same thing relating to Sabre metrics for a while now. Vasquez and Haren getting votes serves nothing because neither voter though either was good enough to win…so why vote for them. 32 & 28 voters one vote each, winner take all.

When was the last time you voted for President and they asked who would be your 2^nd let alone 10^th choice.(ignoring the Bush-Gore hiccup) Popular vote should be all that matters. This is one matter where a calculator should not be required, so please can we uncomplicate things.


                              2009 National League CY Young Voting (from MLB.com)

Player, Club                                       1^st           2^nd          3^rd           Total Points

Tim Lincecum, San Francisco      11           12           9              100

Chris Carpenter, St. Louis             9              14           7              94

Adam Wainwright, St. Louis        12           5              15           90

Javier Vasquez, Atlanta                 -              1              -              3

Dan Haren, Arizona                         -              -              1              1

October in St. Louis...

…Usually this means we are getting ready for Playoff Baseball and I, like many, all but bought my tickets back in April.  Well for the third time in four years that will not be the case here in St. Louis.  For the third time in four years the best player in baseball will be at home not on Fox, TBS or whoever is carrying the games this year.  And most notably, for the fourth year in a row a team with Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright, Albert Pujols and the 3^rd winningest manager of all time, will fail to win a playoff game. Unacceptable, upsetting and….maybe a good thing.

                Now before anyone gets fired up, I want the Cardinals to make the playoffs, I love the Birds on a Bat and I would much rather have them in than out of the playoffs. My point is this is not necessarily a bad thing. St. Louis has two other major sports teams in the Rams & Blues with a major college football program, Mizzou, only 2 hours away. It’s time they got their share of our October support usually reserved for the Cardinals. Let’s get behind and get excited about Pro Football and Hockey again in this town. We have #1 pick lining up behind center, a strong and young Blues team that should fight for a playoff spot again and a Top 25 CFB team that should compete for the Big 12 North. I am tired of waiting for November for our town to get behind them.

 Fans here always boast about supporting three sports teams, well then do it. Stop supporting one all of the time and the others only when they are winning or it’s convenient. Our town, our little-big city is much more exciting when we are behind the Blue & Gold and the Black & Gold as much as we are behind the Red & White. Try it, it will make the winter a lot more bearable rather than sitting around waiting for baseball’s winter meetings to take place only to be disappointed in who the Cards didn’t sign or trade for.

St. Louis will always be a baseball town, I know this. But that doesn’t mean we can’t also be a Football and Hockey town. We were before…and it was great. Rams are playing now and the puck will soon drop and Scottrade, give ‘em chance people, they might surprise you.

Farewell Mizzou…We’ll See You in Five Weeks

Does anyone else feel like this, is anyone else out there as tired of it as I am? Season after season, especially the last six we (I am going to use “we” as my designation for myself and all Tiger fans) get excited for the start of MU football; tailgating, a good match up, and watching it on TV, only to then suffer major let down for the next five weeks. Aside from the tailgating, that is what is about to happen to us all yet again.

Bring on the Murderers Row of McNeese St., San Diego St. , Miami(OH), and a bye week. Which I am sure MU will need after those punishing games. And yes I understand all teams get and need a bye week, it’s just frustrating because it adds another week to our desire to watch a quality MU game. For the sake of this “article” I am going to go ahead and assume that no network or channel is going to pick up any of these games. Unless of course the Big Ten Network decides….oh wait…That means we will have to shell out roughly $120 a person should we decide we want to watch these games. Seriously, $120 for that lineup of games, tickets to those games don’t even cost that much.

My point is this MU Athletic Dept…SCHEDULE BETTER games! And guess what will happen, you’ll get on TV more, which gets you more exposure and what it is really all about you’ll get more money! And another positive side effect is that it will actually make you a better football team and more prepared for the Big 12 conference schedule. Seriously it will. MU always seems to stumble in the first one or two conference games and it is my opinion that our weak pre-season is largely responsible for that. How does playing any of these teams prepare the Tigers for 10/23 when the Sooners come to town? It doesn’t it.

Understand I am not asking you to schedule Ohio St., Va Tech or Alabama (granted all three of those are playing non-conference games against Top 25 teams). But maybe some strong teams from the region or Top 50 teams from the country. Heck just keeping Illinois on the schedule would be a start. Play a team like Houston, Air Force, through your old O-Coordinator Wyoming a bone.

We will miss you these next five weeks so please try and beef it up a bit, for us and for you. It will work, I promise!

Mizzou 0-3 Before Season Gets Under Way

       Tough start to the 2010 season for MIZZOU, already 0-3 with the entire schedule still to play. Where the Tigers and Pinkel go from here will have an impact not just on this season but on future seasons as well.  Under Pinkel's tenure MU football has seen a level of sustained success that MU fans haven't seen in a long while. I graduated from MU in '02 and was fortunate to see things start to turn around under Larry Smith but he was never able to sustain the level of play and recruiting we have seen under Pinkel. It's so easy to forget how poor the Tigers were for so many years and take for granted the 8, 9 & 10 win seasons they have been racking up lately. It seems like many of us, myself included, spend our time getting frustrated with poor goal line decisions (such as never taking a snap from under center when they are inside the 5), but that is post for another day, and we forget just how recent it was the Tigers were only winning 5 games.

       Losing three starters before your first game is tough for even the most loaded roster, let alone for Mizzou. It would be easy for Pinkel to continue to be vague with his statements and issue no real punishment for the three young men. But to me that would send the message that it is more important to win right now than build a quality program built to win for years. Here the hard decision is the right one. The three starters have to be taken off the team and the sooner Pinkel makes that announcement the better. He needs to be seen as a coach who will not tolerate this kind of behavior from his current players and future recruits.

       Not taking any action may win a few more games this year but it will hurt the program in the long run. Take the hit this year and build Mizzou Football the right way and the wins will come as will the respect. Mike Anderson ran into this two seasons ago and did the hard, and right thing. Coach Anderson benched some starters in a conference game and kicked others off the team and has the Basketball Tigers going in the right direction. I want MU to win and win bad, but I would rather have the Mike Anderson(substance) kind of winning over the Quinn Synder (flashy) kind of winning any day.

       That is the decision in front of Pinkel and his answer will help determine whether he becomes the next Anderson or Synder.

Painful (and I'm not talking about Pujols ankle or Holliday's hand)

          The past two series have been dreadful to watch. The only positive I have taken from them is that my 14 month old daughter is still too young to understand and question why daddy is yelling at the TV and why mommy looks at me funny when I say certain words. Since taking over first place from the 2006 Cardinals, excuse me Reds, and everyone in town (me included) dubbing this team awake and ready to take charge of the division our towns Cardinals have gone 3-8.  Are your freaking kidding me, 3-8, and wait for it....against the Cubs, Brewers, Giants, Pirates and Nationals. Take away two those wins were against a team in contention and that makes it 1-7 against teams well under .500.

            Just like everyone else on the radio, TV, web, news paper or where ever you get your news, I cannot figure it out. The only conclusion I can come to is this team is (Reds series aside) lacking in heart, character, commitment and desire. It is also of my opinion that our boys on the diamond have taken it for granted and just assumed we were already hanging up the 2010 Central Division banner before a game was ever played. To quite good 'ol Denny Green "they are who we thought they were", it's just that none of us wanted to admit it (and many still won't) and now that it is becoming to large to ignore, the evidence is every where that this years version of the Cardinals is not a great team.

        A lot of the pundits, experts, talking heads or whatever you might call them always come back to the idea that because the Reds haven't been here before they will soon crumble under the pressure or a playoff chase. Well guess what, in a way neither have the Cardinals. In their last 4 trips to the post season it's not as if we truly been in a pennant chase. In 04-05 it was assumed that both STL and Houston would make the playoffs one as division winner the other the wild card so it's not as if they were fighting to not be left out. And in 06 when there was a chance we would miss out on the playoffs we saw how the Cardinals responded, losing down the stretch and backing in because apparently nobody wanted to win the Central that year. And last year we won the thing going away (no thanks to a terrible September). My point here is the Cardinals for all the years we have made it to the post season this last decade haven't exactly had to face this pressure either.

       Now that they are we see how they are responding it doesn't look good. Not to mention how embarrassing it would be, and I can't imagine it has ever happened, to have the MVP, CY Young, ROY and a Triple Crown winner and not make the playoffs.