"You can't be serious?"

Tim Tebow in New York City? Believe it!

The two New York Jets Quarterbacks in 2012

Tim Tebow, erstwhile starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos, is now a member of the New York Jets. Tebow took over a sorry Broncos team who started last season 1-4 and led them into the second round of the playoffs. Blink...Tebow gone from Denver? After two seasons, we hardly knew thee. But we loved you anyway. You made an indelible mark in Mile High in 24 months. Poof...just like that it's over. What on earth happened? Peyton Manning is what happened.

Tebow was nuclear fallout, a friendly fire victim, collateral damage, whatever terms you want to use, from the hugely risky signing by the Broncos President, John Elway, for future Hall of Famer, quarterback Peyton Manning. Manning, 36, has been out of football for a year with a surgically repaired nerve and bulging disk in his neck. Can a physically-compromised Manning still be successful in the barbaric NFL? Elway is betting big time on it.

Tebow was traded by the Broncos to the Jets quickly after the $100million signing of Manning on Monday past. Supposedly, the Jets plan on using Tebow as a back up quarterback to the "starter for now", glamour boy QB, Mark Sanchez. But really, saintly Tebow in the unsaintly Big Apple? Square peg in round hole?? Good or bad??? Who knows yet. But as a fellow New Yorker tennis brat/great, John McEnroe would incredulously ask of the Tebow signing, "you can't be serious?"

Speaking as a fan and a part-time resident of Denver, Tim Tebow electrified this football-crazed city this past season. I've never seen anything this compelling in all of my years following sports. I felt priviledged to be here when Tebowmania was in full bloom. Was Tebow great? You bet! Simply, he won games almost on his own at the last minute. Was Tebow bad? You bet!! He ineptly lost games as well almost on his own. But he won more than he lost and that fact alone will endure him to his now broken-hearted Broncos fans for a long time.

As poet and playwright William Shakespeare wrote 500 hundred ago, "Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them." In Tim's case, the gift of greatness came to him in all forms and he embraced the gift...a gift he shared with his family, his teammates, his coaches his fans and his Lord.

So, God speed Tim Tebow. For what is New York's gain is sadly Denver's loss. Many in Denver will miss you for not only your football prowess but, more importantly, for your innate decency, dignity, grace and strength from which you conducted yourself while in our midst. Your obvious goodness will always triumph over the profane and the darkness wherever you go.

Tim Tebow may New York and beyond treat you as kindly as you treat everyone you meet along the way. Oy vey!

As for the Broncos...mazel tov.

The Harp

Black frothy nectar of the gods, aka Irish holy water


Modern day Irish passport with the harp emblem

Irish birth certificate with the harp emblem on the top


Irish death certificate with the harp emblem on the top


First of all on this fine day, Happy St. Patrick's Day to all those who are as truly Irish as wet grass and to all those sozzled wanabees.

Now as you stare blankly at that fifth pint of Guinness before you, you may begin to ask yourself the question, why is there a harp on the Guinness pint glass? Sometimes when you've had a few, the abundance of alcohol provokes questions about the mysteries of life. So for what it's worth, here's the answer to the harp symbol question on the Guinness pint glass.

Contrary to what the Egyptians may claim, the invention of the harp 1000 years ago, the musical instrument, is rooted in Irish history. In fact, the last High King of Ireland, Brian Boru, was an accomplished player of the harp in the 10th Century.

As the harp story is told in Frank Delaney's brilliant book, Ireland, "the wife of Breffni O'Rourke, a Sligo chieftain, liked to walk the sands at Rosses' Point...one morning she heard quite a different sound coming from the sands." The melodic sounds would come and go with the wind. It was a pleasing sound, a sound she had never heard before.

Upon closer inspection, Lady O'Rourke discovered a beached rotting carcass of a whale "mounted high and wide like a monument." She stood transfixed at the site and the sound. "The silver noises she heard came from the rib cage, where the sea breezes danced through the bones." Lady O'Rourke was so taken by the sound that she was moved to tears. She immediately ran to tell the others at the castle of her discovery. "The whale's bones were making music." They thought she was daft.

Her castlemates ran to the beached whale and also heard the lovely sounds. Upon returning to the castle with confirmation that Lady O'Rourke was not crazy but true. She then told them to return to the whale "listen to the sound of the wind in the bones of the whale, and then come back here and devise a means for making that music."

Without hesitation, a crude wooden "ponderous-looking" instrument was fashioned and curved like the whale's rib cage. The heavy instrument was wheeled into the castle yard and was placed in the direction of a westerly wind. "To their great delight, the instrument made sounds even more beautiful than the carcass of the whale."

But there were two major problems with the design. One, it was as big as a wagon. It could only be used outside and in Irish weather that is not good. Two, as the sun sets, the wind diminishes and the music would stop.

As the castle experts wrestled with the inherent problems of the instrument, a young boy of nine, the castlekeeper's son, with a proclivity for musical genius said, "I'm suprised the wind wants to play this at all...it's too unfriendly. These wooden bones-they offer no welcome to a musician."

The young boy surmised that the wooden slats simulating the whale's rib cage were not supple enough. The boy concluded, we need "something that would bend to the fingers." If the fingers could play music, then the wind would not be needed. But the carpenter asked the young boy, "what would make the music?" The boy responded, "the slats don't make the music, the music is made down there in the bellows, where the vibrations echo from the blown bones."

The carpenters and music makers went back to the drawing board with their young protege in tow. A smaller frame was conceived that had a narrow bellow. The wooden staves were replaced with long strands of "gut taken from the stomachs of cows and waxed with the grease of a goose." A couple of weeks later, the much smaller version of what is now known as the harp with pliable strings entered through the front door of the castle. Triumphantly, that evening the O'Rourke's and their guests were entertained with the finest and sweetest sounds the isle had ever heard.

Over time, the symbol of the harp became the official emblem of Ireland. To this day, the harp emblem is shown on the flag of Leinster, Presidential seal, official documents and even on Irish passports as shown above in the photos.

But the ubiquitous symbol of the harp on the Guinness pint is one of the most recognizable logos in the world. Oddly enough for some peculiar Irish reason, the Guinness harp emblem faces one way, while in Ireland, the country's harp emblem faces the other way.

So, there you have it, probably more than you need to know. Ireland and the harp. In fact, Ireland is the only country in the world that has a musical instrument as its national symbol. Which is only fitting since Ireland is known as the country of saints, scholars, dance and music.

In sum, Ireland not only gave the world the magic of the harp but also a damn good beverage as well, Guinness stout.

Be safe, cheerful and smart out there tonight.

Greatest World Series Game Ever?

3-2 change up over the plate goes bye-bye

Homegrown David Freese floats into STL history

Umpire Gary Cederstrom sees Freese score winning run


WARNING: ENTERING CARDINAL COUNTRY

Where were you on Friday October 28,2011?

If you say at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri for Game Six of the World Series you are one of the lucky 47,325 fans in attendance that unforgettable night. I'm sure over time millions of people will lay claim that they were there, such is the everlasting magical drama of that evening... if you're a Cardinal fan. If you're a Texas Ranger fan welcome to your worst recurring nightmare.

4 hours and 33 minutes. 11 innings. 28 hits. 19 runs. 5 errors. 6 times the Cardinals came from behind to tie or lead. 15 pitchers used. 27 position players used. 23 runners left on base. 12 walks. 14 strikeouts. Heroic at bats. Fielding gems and stinkers. And then a franchise first walk-off home run to win the game.

Game 6. To borrow from Charles Dickens, 'it was the best of games...it was the worst of games.' The Rangers blew a World Series record five leads for one game. Twice the Rangers were within one strike of a World Series championship ring and failed to get the job done. Homers in extra innings by Josh Hamilton and David Freese had never been done in a World Series game. Freese had a pop-up bounce off his head. Holliday injured his right hand diving into third base on a pick-off play. Hamilton's hernia plagued him throughout the Series. All the while, the two field skippers Ron Washington and Tony LaRussa countered and bluffed each other throughout. This game had more twists and turns than Frodo Baggins power-walk to Mount Doom. It was more fun and troubling to watch than a Charley Sheen tiger blood interview.

Anyway, Game 6 ended definitively with one swing of the bat. David Freese's bat and his shredded jersey now rest in a glass case in Cooperstown. And the memories of that evening will rest within our domes for the rest of our lives. As for the Rangers, Nolan Ryan and their fans, how do you get over THAT?

Bob Costas, sportscaster extraordinaire and baseball historian, called Game 6, "one of the greatest games ever played in the history of baseball."

However you may answer the rhetorical question, was Game Six the greatest WS baseball game ever, it is without question or debate a treasure to the library at ESPN Classics forever.

Go Cards in 2012.

It's Back!!!!

The thrill of the grass is back in Cardinal country

The Cardinal banner says it all past and present

WARNING: YOU ARE ENTERING CARDINAL COUNTRY.

"People ask me what I do in the winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."
Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby, St Louis Cardinals, 2B

The calendar says it still winter...same goes for Punxsutawney Phil. But I got news for you. Spring is alive and well in grapefruit Florida and cactus Arizona. And how do I know? It's in the air. It's palpable.

The crack of the bat. The pop of the glove. The spitting. The crotch pulling. The ribbing. The hijinks. The standing around. Shagging fly balls. Covering first. Bunt drills. The cursing. The barking vendors. Men in blue. The national anthem. All those rites of spring and many more says it all: baseball is back and spring training camps are in full flower right now. Thanks be to God!

Let the games begin.

Go Cards in 2012.

Will the Thrill

A young fan admiring his new team

New Cardinal Baseball fan from Monterey, California

Cardinal HQ banner says it all

On an August evening last year, Will, our youngest son, and I entered the Mohawk Tavern in the Sierras to have our vacation ritual beer before dinner. Suprisingly, on the tube were my beloved St. Louis Cardinals playing the Florida Marlins. The Cards were batting in the top of the eighth inning. I was thrilled to see the Cards on the tv in the boondocks. Will not so much. Will's team of choice at the time was the Oakland Athletics. Yawn.

As we sat down to watch the game, Lance Berkman, right fielder for the Cardinals, suddenly doubled to the centerfield wall for the go ahead run which proved to be the winning run of the game. Lance Lynn, a raw rookie fireballer pitcher for the Cardinals sealed the win with his first major league save while striking out two in the bottom of the ninth. The win placed the Cardinals 2.5 games behind the division leading Milwaukee Brewers. The Cardinals were making their customary August move in their division with seven weeks remaining in the season. Meanwhile, Will's Oakland A's were mired in third place in their division, 14 games under .500.

At the conclusion of the game, Will seemed transformed. He said, "I'm over the A's for good." Will determined then at that moment that he was "through" with the loveable, moneyballin', AL East's private farm club...the A's. Frankly, he was tired of following a misbegotten loser with transient players.

Without provocation from his old man, Will stunningly pledged his new allegiance to the Cardinals. A new found energy surfaced. He seemed re-born. He was visibly joyful like the millstone around his neck was cast aside. I called that day his "re-birthday date." I smiled and welcomed him aboard to one of the most successful franchises in all of sports, The St. Louis Cardinals.

As we all know now, that early surge by the Cardinals in August was a foretaste of what was to come in September and then in the Fall Classic in October of 2011. The Cardinals improbable win in the World Series mirrored only that of Will's improbable conversion that night in the Mohawk Tavern when he said the Cardinals were now his team.

This past week, Will and I traveled to Spring Training to see the World Champs, the St. Louis Cardinals, in Florida. That is Will, bedecked in Cardinal regalia, in the above picture with Roger Dean Stadium field in the background. Will was a kid in a candy store again looking at "his team." For me, a Cardinal-loving Dad, witnessing Will's euphoria on being on the same fields with real players was something to behold.

Will's journey to Jupiter, the city in Florida not the planet, this past week seemed to seal the deal and confirm his new fan loyalty with the birds on the bat . As we put Jupiter in the rear view mirror headed for South Beach, he looked at me and said, "I'll be back."

Circle completed.

One to go.

Go Cards in 2012.

Baby Birds

Cardinal A-AAA farmhands gathering for a meeting

#1 Cardinal prospect, Shelby Miller RHP

#3 Cardinal Prospect, Oscar Taveras OF with buddy Starlin Rodriguez 2B

#5 Cardinal prospect, Kolten Wong 2B

#6 Cardinal prospect, Tyrell Jenkins RHP

#9 Cardinal prospect, Matt Adams 1B

WARNING: ENTERING STL BASEBALL COUNTRY

Red. Isn't it a wonderful color? A red vintage Corvette. A gorgeous redhead. A healthy heart. A juicy beefsteak tomato. Cherry cobbler. Red wine. Red lipstick. Red licorice. Red rose. And the red uniform jersey and hat of the reigning baseball world champions, the St. Louis Cardinals. All beautiful in their singular splendor. And is there a more handsome logo in all of professional sports than the birds on the bat ? I don't think so!

The annual winter/springtime arrival of red in Jupiter, Florida trumpets yet another year of historic baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals and their loyal fans. Over 250 players, 50 coaches and team assistants from all class levels descend on the ball fields in Jupiter for Spring Training while thousands of fans watch their every move each passing day in March. Awash with red, except on the bottom line, the players refine their skills, the fans scrutinize the action and both sides hope for success on all baseball fields in the Cardinal world in 2012.

For some rookie players, this spring will be the first time they don the red and the birds on the bat unis. What a thrill that must be! For the ownership and the fans, these youngsters represent the future of the Cardinals. Every Spring Training season brings new faces to camp and some not so new faces. There is hope in the newness and freshness of a baseball spring. Hope is the most refreshing of all emotions. Players feel it. The fans embrace it. This spring in Jupiter is no different from all the others.

Thanks to some very smart player selection and development over the last seven years by Jeff Luhnow, previous head of Cardinals' scouting and drafting talent, the Cardinal farm system is brimming with talent. Pictured above is just a sampling of the more known talent from which the Cardinals will benefit for years to come.

What you may not know is just how stacked the Cardinal farm clubs are. At every level the Cardinals have a bounty of talented young men. Players like CJ McElroy, Kolten Wong, Lance Jeffries, Xavier Scruggs, Starlin Rodriguez, Nick Longmire, Boone Whiting and many others who will become known and recognized by their coaches and the fans as they progress and work their way through the minors.

These young men chosen not only for their obvious athletic skills but also for their character bespeaks of Cardinal pedigree. However, most will fail to make it to the majors, such is the nature of the uber-competitive business of baseball. Many will sustain career ending injuries. Some will be traded. But at some point, the most talented and blessed home grown talent will arrive quietly with their body of work in tow. They will get the opportunity to perform under the bright lights of Busch Stadium much like those who have recently preceded before them like Allen Craig, Jaime Garcia and Daniel Descalso. For that is the primary goal of every minor leaguer: to play for the big league club...for a long time.

So, for all those young men dressed in red with hopeful dreams of playing a boys game, baseball, well into adulthood, may your dreams come true.

Go Cards in 2012.