In case you blinked...

What a great weekend for sports, and we haven't even cracked the bottle on the NFL schedule yet today! Yesterday Kristen and I ventured down to Urbana-Champaign with some friends to watch the University of Illinois Illini pummel the Hoosiers of Indiana. It was a fun time tailgating, being at my first (and probably only) football game this season, and hanging out afterward and seeing some of the campus, including one of the local watering holes! My wife is an alum, so it was good for her to go back to the place where it all started for the 100th anniversary of U of I homecoming. The game was capped off by an INT return for a TD and a safety for the defense... really strong effort by a young team who looks to be a presence in the Big 10 (Big 11? 12?) over the next few years.

If that wasn't enough, the Tigers of the University of M-I-Z-Z-O-U topped #1 ranked Oklahoma for their first win over the Sooners in many years! That was an epic battle on national television - a night game where College Gameday was present and the Feurot Field goal posts came down and marched through the quaint town of Columbia, MO! That truly would have been an epic game to attend. My last Saturday nighter was about 3 or 4 years ago at Mizzou when they beat Nebraska, again after a long drought of disappointing losses. Missouri will undoubtedly move into the top ten with this victory and will hopefully be able to pull off an upset win on the road next week in Nebraska - their last meeting as a conference matchup before Nebraska moves to that other conference. Tough task, but this defense is the best I've seen in years out of this program, and the offense led by St. Louisan Blaine Gabbert has been status quo. A win over Nebraska would put MU in prime position to play for the Big 12 championship game, hopefully in a rematch against Bob Stoops' OU Sooners.

Not a football fan? No problem. The Texas Rangers and S.F. Giants completed their respective Championship Series wins over the NY Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, last year's World Series opponents! It will be nice to see some new blood in the series this year! On a side note, I have to criticize the sports "experts" on the radio and TV who claim that ratings will be low for this WS because no one cares about these two teams. I could not disagree more. First, like I already mentioned, there are two new teams competing for the title, so the parity already makes the series even that much more interesting. Also, the Texas Rangers have a great story - like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of a broken business saved by ex-Ranger Nolan Ryan and Co., these Texas Rangers have won not only their first post-season victory and second series, but have a chance to win their first WS title (obviously)... and I like their odds. Plus, they have a great story (albeit a 3-year-old story) of ex-junkie Josh Hamilton who had to scratch and claw his way back into the big leagues... and do it by starting off with the hapless Cincinnati Reds who looked awful in this year's NLDS! I guess its no secret that I am pulling for Texas in this one. I guess I just hate NL teams NOT named "the Cardinals". I'm also not a fan of Tim Lincecum.... but we all know pitching and defense wins World Series, and both of these teams have those things... Should be a great WS to watch, despite what the so-called experts have to say (and yes, morons, everyone outside of NY DOES hate the Yankees!).

Lastly, there were hockey double-headers on Friday/Saturday. This is sort of anti-climactic, locally speaking. The Hawks fell to the Blues 4-2 and then lost to the Blue Jackets the next night... ouch (St. Louis went 2-0 in their double-header). That dropped the Hawks to one game over .500 on the season, and tied for 1st in the Division with 11 points, but they have played 10 games already, most in the NHL and 3 more than any other team they are tied with for first in the standings. They need to pick it up, and last year's Stanley Cup MVP Jonathon Toews needs to lead that charge. Hossa and Sharp have been studs with 11 points apiece. But again, it seems like goaltending will be an issue, with the by-committee strategy of early last year seeming to rear its ugly head once again. But so early in the season it's yet to be seen if Turco still doesn't have that fire left and can lead this team to another playoff run if not another Stanley Cup title.

That's the recap. Watch some football today and enjoy the ride! Go BEARS!