JUST WATCH--DON'T TAKE MY WORD

You've heard this before. I've pounded this horse. He's not dead yet, but he's wheezing. Joe Buck is a jerk. So is Tim McCarver.

"He was a 3-10 pitcher this year."
"He's been in a terrible slump since September."
"He has a big hole in his swing."
"If he just pitches him high, there's no way he can hit him."
"He played terrible when he came over from Cleveland."
"You don't hit .216 and play everyday if you're not a good defensive player."

All comments about the Cardinal players as reported last night by the "Shills of New York"--Buck and McCarver. We're they inaccurate? Not at all.

Now for the negative truths about their New York opponents. _______. That's right. None. Nil. Zilch. At least none that I caught. Even when Billy Wagner is getting wild in the ninth, all McCarver could do was to point out how hard he was throwing. "That pitch was 99 (mph.)" "And that one was 98."

Etc., etc., all night long. With plenty of St. Louis background and history, both Buck and McCarver, and even Joe Garagiola manage to forget their roots when presented on the national stage.

Joe' not his dad and never will be. In his last year of broadcasting Jack sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," during the 7th inning stretch in Chicago. Of course, he took off the Cubs' hat he started with, whipped out his Cardinal cap and placed it on his head while singing, "root, root, root for the Cardinals." It was classic.

If Joe's ever afforded that opportunity, he won't change hats. Or maybe he will, but it will be a big market team hat, not the Cardinals. As my wife says, "Jack loved baseball and the Cardinals. He promoted them both. Joe only promotes himself."

And I thought she didn't know much about sports.