BERIGAN

Gotta put the original Cottontail on the cd!!!

Man, this is sad! I had noticed he had looked thin and pale for awhile, I figured it might be more heart trouble(He had bypass surgery a few years ago, I think) He was just on 60 minutes a week or two ago! He interview with Lena Horne about 25 years ago was classic! There was amazing chemistry between the two of them. I would bet they will devote a show to him and his best interviews. Rest in peace.....

Peter Gammons on the series... and no, I didn't steal it from espn insider, it was on a Cards site ST. LOUIS -- In the end, Adam Wainwright, who said he didn't know if he'd make the team out of spring training and hadn't closed before September, finished the World Series for the Cardinals, who (censored) near blew a 12-game lead, and the final game was won Jeff Weaver, who was designated for assignment in Anaheim because he lost his job to his younger brother. Oh, true, the Cardinals had the lowest winning percentage of any champion, and there were all those mudstains from Tiger pitchers whose throws went bump in the night ... But who is left standing at the end is not about wrong or right, but good -- and bad -- and the convergence of time and place. And this wet, frigid World Series will forever stand as testament to the rusted signs we ignore throughout our lives, choosing the shiny ones instead. It's not about the best player at every position. October baseball is like March college hoops -- random, streaky, proof that most of the sport's predictions are invalid and intellectually dishonest. Some baseball and media officials groused when the Cardinals opened the gates in the eighth inning and allowed thousands of fans to come in out of the street to see the Cardinals -- those Cardinals most of their grandparents loved -- win. Two years earlier in the fourth (and final) game of the 2004 series, that same management opened the gates at the old Busch Stadium so more than a thousand Red Sox fans could finally see their team win the World Series. When the Cardinals get their rings next spring, no one will care about 83 wins or whether elitists dismiss them; that's what it is. Their fan base, a rich part of baseball history as the most western and southern franchise for more than half of the 20th century, never lost its blind faith that is so contrary to the metabolisms of the coasts to either side. Their Cardinals are world champions, no matter what the Mets and Yankees and Red Sox spent. Their symbol and MVP, David Eckstein, was a walk-on at the University of Florida, designated for assignment by the Red Sox for Lou Merloni, released by the Angels for Orlando Cabrera and has now been the driving wheel of two of the last five world champions. The Cardinals are proof that, in the end, the games are played by people and that the biggest, richest and best don't necessarily win. "So much," says Scott Rolen, "has to do with who gets hot at the right time." Aching shoulder and all, Rolen got hot at the right time, rising himself above any cold war that had developed with Tony La Russa. The same holds for Jim Edmonds. Some final thoughts: • Starting pitching won for the Cardinals, as it did for the White Sox in 2005, the Red Sox in 2004, the Marlins in 2003. In three series, the Cardinals' starters were 8-4, 2.63. In the series, they allowed nine earned runs in 35 innings in five starts with a 28/5 strikeout/walk ratio. During the regular season, Cardinal starters were 61-54, 4.79, with 588 strikeouts in 941 2/3 innings and 74 quality starts. Only three National League starting staffs had a worse ERA, three staffs struck out fewer, four had fewer quality starts. • It doesn't matter if it was Trenton, Anaheim or St. Louis, the David Eckstein Effect -- that energy he exudes -- fuels his teammates. La Russa calls him "the most intense player I've ever managed," and while Eckstein was too untalented to get a scholarship at Florida, play on The Cape, avoid being designated by Boston or junked by the Angels, his end result is that of a star player. There is no doubt that he was the best free-agent shortstop signed in the 2004-2005 offseason in which he, Nomar Garciaparra, Renteria and Cabrera hit the market. Do not underestimate the help Eck has gotten from coach Jose Uquendo, who may be right there with Bud Black in the Padres' managerial search. • Walt Jocketty is one of the most respected executives in the game, if not the most liked, so this was a great moment for a baseball lifer. He has had to scramble the last couple of years. When one looks at Chris Carpenter, Eckstein, Weaver, Ronnie Belliard, Wainwright, et al, one sees a huge body of creative work. Jocketty has a long winter in front of him as Mark Mulder, Jason Marquis, Weaver and Jeff Suppan all become free agents. Wainwright might start, Anthony Reyes may too, but it will take more creativity. You can bet the Cardinals will be right in it next year. • The nation saw what everyone in St. Louis knows -- that Carpenter is simply a great pitcher. The pride of Raymond, N.H., thrives on pressure and adrenaline. He admitted he couldn't "wait for (his first series) start to begin," and before Thursday's rainout was asked if he knew if he were pitching Games 6 or 7. "I don't know and don't care. When they hand me the ball, I'll pitch," he answered. "I just want to get out there. No excuses here." • That's seven different series winners in seven years of the 21st century, which has never happened in the NFL, NBA or NHL. The last six winners have come from the NL West, AL West, NL East, AL East, AL Central and now the NL Central. Take the Dodgers in 2007.

I heard Jay Leno say once again, St. Louis beat Detriot!

He has Yakov Smirnoff writing for him??? I am sure no one on this board could even find the Fox news channel, but Ali G is going to be on Fox and Friends between 7 and 9 AM EST.

Ex-star Harold Reynolds claims contract breach, seeks millions

http://www.dedge.com/flash/hangman/hangman.swf

Thanks for the info, Conrad. No, they are not going to fuse anything. It's an out-patient procedure where they cut a "nickle-length" slice, go in with a tube and a camera, and just trim off the part of the disc that is pressing on the nerve. The doctor says I will be in and out of the hospital that day and the only thing I need to worry about is absolutely no lifting of anything over 10lbs. for six weeks. .... WOW! Sounds like it's even less invasive than when I had surgery. I had to stay overnight, but after having an alergic reaction to Morphine, I was really ready to leave early in the a.m. I helped paint our living room 3-4 days after the surgery(I didn't bend down or tilt up, just did what I could easily reach with a roller) Sitting was the main problem, walking, sleeping, and standing for a short time wasn't a big deal. You probably won't drive for a week or so, but I think I ate out and drove to the resturant on the 8th day after surgery.

Jim, good luck with the surgery!!! I had back surgery in 1999, after years and years of trouble. Exercise can only do so much when a disc presses just right on a nerve. I had even more pain from the disc I ruptured late last year than I did in 1999, but knock wood, this one more or less healed itself. The other time(When I was thinner and younger) the pain just never went away. At least I could sleep without pain. As an aside, my late Mother had a disc go out in 2001, and it took the stupid doctor many months before he agreed to do surgery. She was bedridden, lived on painpills, couldn't sleep more than 2 hours at a time. I resent that she had to go thru that a few years before she got Cancer, she shouldn't have lost so much time for nothing. It instantly took away the pain that she said she couldn't have lived much longer with. Anyway, a bit destracted with people talking in the house, but long story short, the surgery was a piece of cake, more or less. You are used to pain, so yeah, some pain afterwards, but the actual surgery is not a problem. My Mom never had surgery before, and was quite apprehensive about it, and just laughed afterwards at how she built it up before the surgery. Then get yourself in shape. Are they going to fuse your vertebrates? They didn't do it with me. If you have any other questions just PM me....

I bet you are referring to The Jazz Age: New York in the Twenties. You are right (for once) about both this cd, and the Dodds cd having excellent sound.

Dinah Shore Gerry Mulligan & Ben Webster Teach You Some Jazz

I know, I know, who hasn't heard of them. But, just in case you haven't.....

It's true that the Cards capitalized on Tigers mistakes, but they also pitched well, played excellent defense(Well, except for Chris Duncan) and hit when it counted. Trust me, I have seen many a braves team in the playoffs get runners on via hits, walks, errors, and leave them stranded. More than once they had the bases loaded with no outs, and somehow not score a single run. Eckstein had key 2 out hits, and hit .364 for the series(after starting 0 for 9) Molina hit .412, and Rolen hit .421 after it looked like he'd never hit another pitch above 90 MPH again. Edmonds drove in 5 runs in this WS, after getting 1 hit, and no RBI's in the 2004 WS. And don't forget, Pujols may have only hit .200, but he was walked once or twice in every game but one, and scored several runs.

Says a lot about this country! -_- Yep....let me second that -_- That being said, somebody explain something(actually a few somethings to me) to me. TV ratings seem to forever go downward. Hell, I have had to ask at my Gym with about 12 TVs, and 2 resturants that had their T.V.s on to put a playoff game on instead of the World Series of poker. Yet attendance keeps going up, as do ticket prices. 14 teams drew 2.5 million or better!!! http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/attendance I am sure quite a few folks here recall years that their team barely drew 1 million fans. When I first became a Card fan around 1977, they typically had 12-15 thousand fans per game. People also will bitch that a W.S. has 2 teams that aren't from the east coast, so therefore, who cares?(Not saying anyone here has said it, but it often comes up) But it never matters in football if a team from Green Bay, or the Vikings are in the Superbowl, same holds true in with the N.B.A. why is that??

Never seen this one! Will keep an eye out for it....

Where' are the white artists at?? Plus, where are Jelly Roll Morton, Basie, Waller, Redman, F & H. Henderson, Jimmy Noone, Earl Hines, Bechet, King Oliver, Jabbo Smith, Frankie Newton , Rex Stewart, Omer Simeon, Barney Bigard, Tommy Ladnier, Tiny Parham, Clarence Williams, Mezz Mezzrow(the blackest of them all) et al?? And that's just after a quick glance at my meager cd collection. After all, you said...CLEMENTINE'S GUIDE TO 20s & 30s JAZZ ON CD Sounds more like the Reader's Digest Condensed guide to Jazz....

MG, once you are done playing those that you bought,and if you don't have any Clarence Williams, grab that set as well. Decent(if not exceptional) sound. Let us know what the ones you are getting are like. Hope you don't get any with a broken case, cuz they use a cd case I've never seen before....

Red Nichols and his 5 Pennies Check out how very tiny Red looks, and the other bandmates! From 1929 I think. First minute is lame, then gets better.

Yeah, where you been at??? Hope you have a great one!!!

Who's the better kisser??? Damn Moose, how'd you miss this softball?

HEY!!!! I forgot to mention this earlier(And even forgot to look til now) but there has been a 3 day window to peer behind the impenetrable walls of the ESPN insider to actually read the full columns of everyone. This (Sunday) is the last day, so now you know, better late than never. And not that anyone asked, but I think one reason Beltran didn't move the bat was that it was an 0-2 count, and I am sure he thought Wainwright would waste a couple high outside fastballs, hoping Beltran would swing at one, not throw that good a curve for a strike.

Berrigan, Mays played years after he should have retired. The playoffs did not begin until 1969, when he was already at the end of the line. In terms of the World Series, do not forget his catch of the Vic Wertz fly in 1954! GA, You are right of course....I wasn't meaning to dis Willie as just to use him as an example to show that since the beginning of time teams focus on getting one guy out(Kinda hard to do to Babe Ruth with Lou Gehrig batting behind him) and more often than not, it works, like it did with A-Rod. I still shake my head that the Dodgers pitched to Reggie Jackson in the 1978 W.S. and nowadays Albert Pujols gets one homer(after striking out the previous A.B.) and now Leland is a complete idiot for daring to pitch to him with an open base, with 2 outs. I guess Pujols will get walked 3 times a game the rest of the series.

Ghost, never tried it, so take it with a grain or 2 of salt, but I recall someone at a fancy-smanchy book store suggesting taking a smelly old book and burying it in a box filled with fresh kitty litter for a few days. Obviously you would have to cover the box if you have cats!

Guess who's playoff history this is??? 25 games, 89 AB's, 22 hits 5 doubles, 1 HR, 10 RBI's .247 B.A. Now player #2 35 games, 132 AB's 37 hits, 9 doubles, 6 HR's 16 RBI's .280 B.A. One is a hall of Famer, the other is still playing.... Give up????? The guy with a .247 lifetime Playoff average and only 1 homer in 89 A.B.'s is Willie Mays. They guy with a .280 Average playoff average and 6 homers, in 132 A.B's is that goat, the guy who isn't ever clutch, Alex Rodriguez. Why is it we aren't told on a daily basis what a choker Mays was in big games? How 660 homers meant nothing?