Andy

A short recap of STL's postseason so far: - Reached the playoffs via a playoff spot that didn't exist before this season - Won wild-card game with help from one of the worst (or at the least, most controversial) umpiring calls in baseball history, not to mention inexplicably terrible defense from one of the best-fielding teams in the game this year - Advanced to play the only team in the playoffs who is without one of their best players (and just to rub it in, said player is not even injured) - About to take 2 games to 1 lead in best of 5 series on the back of a player who is so bad at hitting that as recently as last year was putting up an OPS AT TRIPLE-A that was worse than Joe Mather's major-league OPS this season

Career-high OPS in the minors: .702, 2010, AA Springfield. OPS last year in the hitter-friendly PCL: .569. OPS this year in the hitter-friendly PCL: .647.

I'm going to enjoy watching some competent football teams this week.

The obvious reply to this is "Which one?"

Jordan Zimmermann gave up more than 4 runs exactly one time this year. Naturally, that other time was also St. Louis.

I still can't figure out why this is such a big deal to people. just let andy have this. come on. I didn't post that because it was a big deal to me, I just thought it was noteworthy. You guys read waaaay too much into my posts.

I'd probably take 2. But I'd have to think about it.

Miami says hi

That's what was befuddling about the cheers. Yeah, Cassel's been atrocious and Quinn might be a step up from what they've gotten from Cassel (almost anyone would be), but it's not like they've got a hotshot young stud waiting in the wings. Quinn is in his sixth season in the league already.

Ok, Cam Newton kind of [expletive] sucks, guys.

He's a terrible coach. I'd bet on him being gone by the end of next season.

5 errors now by STL opponents in the last game and 7/9.

Up to the Nats bullpen now.

Cam Newton is 1 for 12. We're making Seattle look like the '85 Bears.

4 walks for Gio in the first inning after 76 in 200 innings to this point.

Matt Cassel had 92 yards passing and 4 turnovers against Baltimore. What happened to that guy?

Yup, whoever wrote that article about the SEC being overrated used that as one of his biggest reasons why. LSU being ranked in the top 10 is ridiculous right now. Outside of an impressive win over Washington, they have been mediocre.

Because the coaches' poll is part of the BCS, they aren't allowed to vote for teams ineligible for postseason play. I can't believe you didn't catch that when USC spent last year unranked.

Top 25 games ------------------------ (1) Alabama at Missouri (3:30 pm, CBS) (3) South Carolina at (9) LSU (8 pm, ESPN) (4) Florida at Vanderbilt (6 pm, ESPNU) (5) West Virginia at Texas Tech (3:30 pm, ABC/ESPN) (6) Kansas State at Iowa State (12 pm, FX) (17) Stanford at (7) Notre Dame (3:30 pm, NBC) (8) Ohio State at Indiana (8 pm, BTN) (10) Oregon State at BYU (3:30 pm, ABC - Regional) (11) USC at Washington (7 pm, FOX) Boston College at (12) Florida State (5:30 pm, ESPN2) (13) Oklahoma vs (15) Texas – in Dallas (12 pm, ABC) (18) Louisville at Pittsburgh (11 am, ESPNU) Tennessee at (19) Mississippi State (9 pm, ESPN2) Syracuse at (20) Rutgers (12 pm, ESPN3) Fordham at (21) Cincinnati (7 pm, ESPN3) (22) Texas A&M vs (23) Louisiana Tech – in Shreveport, LA (9:15 pm, ESPNU) Fresno State at (24) Boise State (3:30 pm, NBC Sports) Illinois at (25) Michigan (3:30 pm, ABC/ESPN) Other nationally available games --------------------------------------- Western Kentucky at Troy (7:30 pm Thursday, ESPNU) UTEP at Tulsa (8 pm Thursday, FSN) Arizona State at Colorado (9 pm Thursday, ESPN) Navy at Central Michigan (8 pm Friday, ESPN2) Iowa at Michigan State (12 pm, ESPN) Wisconsin at Purdue (12 pm, BTN) Northwestern at Minnesota (12 pm, ESPN2) Kent State at Army (12 pm, CBS Sports) UAB at Houston (12 pm, FSN) Temple at UConn (12 pm, ESPN3) Auburn at Ole Miss (12:20 pm, SEC Network/ESPN3) Duke at Virginia Tech (12:30 pm, ACC Network/ESPN3) Akron at Ohio (2 pm, ESPN3) North Carolina at Miami (2:30 pm, ESPNU) Utah at UCLA (3 pm, FOX) Maryland at Virginia (3 pm, FSN South/ESPN3) Nevada at UNLV (3 pm, ESPN3) Western Michigan at Ball State (3 pm, ESPN3) Oklahoma State at Kansas (3:30 pm, FSN) Miami (OH) at Bowling Green (3:30 pm, ESPN3) Utah State at San Jose State (4 pm, ESPN3) TCU at Baylor (7 pm, FSN) Florida Atlantic at UL Monroe (8 pm, ESPN3) Southern Miss at Central Florida (8 pm, CBS Sports) California at Washington State (10:30 pm, Pac-12 Network)

Also, GameDay headed to South Bend for ND/Stanford.

Oregon and Alabama don't look very beatable (and more specifically, no one in their conferences seems like they're good enough to beat them). But crazy things keep happening. But holy crap, did I ever love watching this game. I can't remember the last time ND beat someone besides Navy like a drum like that on both sides of the football. It was beautiful to watch.

Keith Arnold of NBC Sports claiming on Twitter that 2 sources in the last 12 hours have informed him Rees will start at QB for ND tonight.

Michigan State being Michigan State. Down 27-14 to IU. Hoosiers' first halftime lead in league play since 10/29/09 against Northwestern.

I hate them so much that I literally can't watch any playoff game they're involved in. I don't want to see the next stupid [expletive] that will win them a game they didn't deserve. Like this one.

Sounds like DGB on the other hand had quite a bit of fun recently.