IT'S GOT TO BE HANDLED CAREFULLY

Our revised MVRL Baseball League, that is. And I know it will be. I wonder how many other leagues go back as far as we do. With a majority of the same owners, too.

These, then are my thoughts about expansion and new stuff for the coming season. As a traditionalist, a purist, I'd like to keep as much of the old rules and regs as is feasible. If they've worked for so many years, then there must be something to it. Yet, I'm fully aware of the tinkering we've done each year or so, and those innovations have served to strengthenn the league.

With the return of Ryan F. (hey, we may need another article in the Post Dispatch on our league. We were featured in an article about rotisserie baseball in 1993) and Scott, some fine tuning is in order. I like the suggestions, well most of them anyhow, that have have appeared on the message board, so here are some of mine:

1. Let's have 13 owners and re-enact the rule that the last place team gets bumped out of the league for one year (or more). The owner can petition to re-join after the one-year hiatus.

2. Allow Allen Karch to co-own the Flying Chaucers this year and expand again in 2007 if necessary to allow him his own team.

3. Allow an additional AL player for the season. No protecting from one season to the next for any Al-er. They can be selected at any time and come from any AL team.

4. Reduce the number of players and reserves according to Marc Daniels' suggestion.

5. Allow Ryan and Scott to select players according to Marc and Derek's suggestion.

6. Appoint two owners to keep track of trades a la the football league.

7. Raise the entry fee $5 and pay more for 2nd and 3rd place.

8. Update all current MVRL plaques (see Short Sledge--they're already paid for) and purchase new ones (I'll spring for them) and hang them in an honored place in Mt. Vernon, since it is the MVRL.

That's all I can think of, but I know I've omitted a lot of alterations that need to be made. We're in good hands, and I'm ready for the season.

I STILL MISS THE CAMELS

When Scott was in high school he and several buddies and occasionally his little sis would make movies in our basement. Most involved WWF wrestling with Paul Ferguson and Scott in starring roles.

Other stars included Wil Lash, Chris Kirk, Todd Hanger, Brad Zinn, Courtney, and a host of extras. Filming took place in our kitchen once as Andre the Giant cooked a hot dog. Erica Laird once starred in a film session at the Ferguson's where Kirk or maybe Scott took quite a fall, all for the camera, of course, off the Ferguson deck.

But a prop in many, many videos was "the camel." He had a name, but I've forgotten it. He was known throughout the high school community as "the camel." Once, he even appeared in an assembly in the gym. It wasn't announced, but various outbreaks of "the camel," were heard in Chagnon.

When I entered the MVRL,natually my team name would be based on this huge stuffed animal; thus, the Blazing Camels were born. When it became football season, the Camelotters were christened. The otter part came form our whiffleball field Camel-lot, since there was primarily only concrete in the field of play. When basketball season rolled around, it was time for the Camel Jockeys, since I followed the NBA so sparingly back then. Ironically, two of the three titles won were as the Camel Jockeys.

I changed the names of all my teams because of the image of Camels, the cigarette. I didn't want my teams associated with such a product. So the Blazing Camels became the Flying Chaucers and the Camelotters, the Burrowing Owls. But I still miss the big stuffed guy and all the fun those guys had making the movies. And I miss the titles. The Chaucers and Owls have yet to taste the grapes of victory as champions of the MVRL.

CARDINALS SIGN NELSON

So. Big whop. How old is he? Who is he? Why do we need him?
And a few other reactions. But mine is , "There he (Walt) goes again." When are others going to follow his game plan?
I know it wasn't long ago that I wrote that I was even starting to doubt Jocketty after the initial phase of free agent signings. That was when, and I'm still not pleased with ownership, I fired off about the owners monetary restrictions placed on Mr. Jocketty.
But he avoids big money items like Burnett and Dotel after driving up the price. Maybe it's all in the plan, kinda like the Rams feigning interest in Cam Camron. Then he/they can go after whom they really want.
Now, I'm not saying the Cardinals prefer Nelson to Dotel. Or Sidney (note the new respect--I didn't call him fat) to Burnett. But when they didn't come aboard, the Cardinals waited and pounced on a substitute. Kinda like the old Sweetheart Dance. That was a Sadie Hawkins type thing at MTV High where the girls asked the guys. The dilemma was whether to accept the first girl who asked you or chance wait it out for the one you wanted. And sometimes you were better off waiting. Other times, that invite never happened.
Walt waits. Walt plays the game. He has more saves than Izzy. And if Nelson doesn't pan out in Spring Training, he still has Wainwright or Reyes or a couple of AA or AAA guys to fill that slot or use for trade purposes.
I bet Walt could let that first girl down easy and go with the one he wanted all along. Walt Jocketty would have been King at the MTV High Sweetheart Dance. Every year.

THIS IS OUR GUY

The St. Louis Rams should make their decision today or tomorrow for their next head coach. And that choice should be Scott Linehan. By a simple plan of deduction. Ron Rivera blew his chance with the playoff loss where as espn said, he kept the Panthers scoreless. For 45 seconds. As for Cam Cameron, only if LT comes with him.

Linehan, as shown in his college graduation cap and gown had a moustache. Facial hair on a football coach is always good. I know he's shaved since his college days, but that was only to insure an asst. coach's job. Now that he's a head man, he can let the locks flow and grow. Hey, look what facial and head hair did for Jake Plummer. They don't even call him "the snake" anymore. And it's all about the hair.

Rivera can't even grow hair on his head. Plus, he refuses to wear a hat. At least in some pictures. That's all you need to do to lose a game because of the glare from stadium lights off the crome dome. It's one thing not to hear what the coach is saying, but it's another if you can't see him. So he's out. How did he even get a second interview?

Cameron. It is Cam Cameron and not Cam Clelland or is it Cam Cleveland? Or Cam McClelland?
He's caught so few passes for the Rams, that I don't know. But this Cam's best record as head coach was 5-6 at indiana. 5-6? Yet he was hot prop. because of Gatesy and LT in Dan Diego. He looks clean shaving to me, too. In fact, while Rivera can't grow head hair, Cam can't grow facial hair.

The Rams need a Samson. Badly. And his name is Scott "the stache" Linehan.

TRUST ME--- I HAD A GREAT PICTURE

But after 4 attempts to upload, it didn't appear.

In the King City last night, six of us dined at Applebee's. Three of the six were eight years old and under. My primary responsibility was 2.75 year old Nathan, seated next to me. Having disarmed him from 5 steak knives, I was ready to eat when he threw a wet napkin and hit a waitress, told another waitress he has just passed gas, and wanted to ride a display horse.

He didn't need much help with his chicken strips and fries and ice cream for dessert,even though a straw of his, dipped in ice cream, found its intended target in his brother's water.

In came time to pay and I, in my frazzled state, handed a waitress what I thought was my credit card. She returned later and said, "Here's the adjusted bill." As I glanced at the card I had handed her, I saw that it was a Priority Club card room key to the Holiday Inn. I laughed and pulled out my VISA. She replied, "We didn't know what to do with it (the card) so we just gave you 10% off."

Shortly afterwards, we overheard laughter from her as she had heard me explain that I had given her my room key to pay the bill.

We had a laugh, took the discount and after taking the kids home, returned to our room. My credit card opened the door to Room 509 without a hitch.

BEAUTIFUL !!!

Yesterday's defeat of the new england patsies was beautiful to me. Do I harbor bad feelings for the 2002 Super Bowl loss to my beloved Rams. Oh yeah.
It did my mind good to see brady caught in the light as Bronco linemen and linebackers pressured him. When he spun around after one play to identify what player provided the pressure, I knew good things were going to happen.
When their unsmiling, trash mouth coach, bellycheck, cussed out referees and didn't get his way, it again did my mind good. In the post mortem news conference, it was easy for me to enjoy his serious countenance.
When vent-a-teary missed a 34-yarder in a key point in the game, it did my mind good, although I did reflect and question why he couldn't have hit the same shot in New Orleans four years ago. I didn't even budge, intellectually, when I saw the dispirited kicker sitting alone looking like he needed a friend. Well, maybe I budged a little when I thought he looked like Mike Woodfall, a friend of the family.
And as I finish this entry, I notice I wrote "it did my mind good," and "intellectually". Actually, that's not right. I knew all along that I was going to differentiate between my mind and my heart. If you feel bitter, it's not about your heart. Unless you have a heart that needs changing. It doesn't feel beautiful that they lost. Oh, maybe in my gut. Not in my heart. So maybe I'll learn something from this blog. And move on.