Category: From My Seat

I’ve come to
believe the most challenging element in surviving the passing of a loved one is
lost conversation. Physical presence is invaluable, of course, but we are
foremost a species of communication. And it’s the lost chats — long or brief, in
the same room or across a phone line — that make the absence of someone we love
so acute, so permanent.

As Father’s Day
approaches — the third since I lost my dad – my mind has wandered in scattered
directions, imagining the conversations Dad and I would enjoy these days, so
many of them attached to the world of sports.

Dad and I would
discuss the glorious irony of the Stanford St. Jude Classic somehow rising above
the biggest name in the world of golf. How somehow, year after year, the PGA’s
visit to Southwind manages to present Memphis — Dad’s hometown — in a shining
light of class, dignity, and southern grace. Dad would scoff at how much the
world’s top-ranked player is missing, whether he knows it or not.

Dad and I would
discuss Big Brown and the nature of a “sure thing” in horse racing. Dad would
remind me that guaranteeing a Triple Crown champion before the Belmont is run is
why sportswriters don’t cover Wall Street.

Dad and I would
discuss the vexing sport of baseball, still the hardest team game to forecast.
His beloved St. Louis Cardinals say goodbye to three All-Stars — Jim Edmonds,
Scott Rolen, and David Eckstein — and replace them with the likes of Ryan
Ludwick, Skip Schumaker, and Cesar Izturis . . . and improve. A team that the
experts assured us would be in its division cellar without Chris Carpenter and
Mark Mulder to pitch are contenders in June with Todd Wellemeyer and Kyle Lohse
fortifying the rotation.

Dad and I would
discuss — and laugh about — the Rick Ankiel Story. No Hollywood producer would
accept the script. Flame-throwing lefty loses his capacity to hit the catcher’s
mitt, only to return six(!) years later as a slugging outfielder. One who makes
the catch of the year at Busch Stadium on June 1st. (And Dad would remind me of
another southpaw prospect of days gone by, one who happily turned his attention
to hitting, too. Name of Musial.)

Dad and I would
discuss the first NBA Finals since 1994 without Michael Jordan, Shaquille
O’Neal, or Tim Duncan. And while the Lakers and Celtics make for high theater, I
can hear Dad paraphrasing Lloyd Bentsen: “Kobe and KG, you’re not Magic and
Bird.”

Dad and I would
discuss the beauty of hockey, relative to NBA basketball. (Dad came to love
hockey late in his life, as his employer — Norwich University in Northfield,
Vermont — won a pair of Division III national championships.) In watching the
Stanley Cup finals, a viewer could see six minutes of continuous action between
Pittsburgh and Detroit, however difficult it may be to follow the puck. In
watching pro basketball, we’re fortunate if we see sixty seconds of continuous
action. Dad would agree, the most boring moment in all of spectator sports is an
NBA player shooting a free throw.

Dad and I would
discuss the upcoming Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, and we’d emphasize to one
another how very little the medal counts will mean, how the stars in the
swimming pool, on the track, or in the gymnastics arena will be merely players
on a stage the world desperately needs to see stabilized. An economics
professor, Dad would point out how the Chinese will shape the twenty-first
century every bit as much — perhaps more — than we Americans. He’d hope, as I
do, that the Olympics provide a launching pad to greatness for the globe’s most
volatile super power.

Dad and I would
discuss, of course, the joy of watching our children play games. And he’d insist
I tape the softball games, tee-ball games, gymnastic shows, and horseback events
his granddaughters are so enjoying these days. I’d tell him that he’ll get the
chance to see them himself, perhaps on his next trip south. And he’d remind me
that every moment counts, that we mustn’t plan too much for tomorrow as today
unfolds.

So sons and
daughters, have a conversation with your dad this Sunday. Fathers, do the same
with your children. It certainly doesn’t have to center on sports (aim higher,
but use sports as a happy cushion if needed). The chat may seem fleeting, may
even distract you from the day’s events. But you’ll find that the right kind of
conversation will last a lifetime. Even a little longer.

When Joe Louis was
running roughshod over boxing’s heavyweight division in the 1930s and ’40s, the
collection of pretenders to his throne came to be known as the Bum of the Month
Club. Fight fans couldn’t turn away from the Brown Bomber’s signature greatness,
but reality held that each of his matches were merely formulaic coronations of a
boxer performing at a standard otherwise unreachable by mere humans.

Over the last
decade, professional golf has been merely a nine-iron away from Bum of the Month
status, as Tiger Woods has so thoroughly dominated, particularly on the grand
stages of the major championships. But hope remains for golf fans in a way
boxing loyalists six decades ago might only have imagined. And much of that hope
arrives in Memphis this weekend.

As the PGA Tour
descends on TPC Southwind for the 2008 Stanford St. Jude Championship, Woods is
once again absent (this time allowing his left knee to continue healing from
recent arthroscopic surgery). With Phil Mickelson also scarce, the two most
famous names on the Tour will miss the final tune-up before the U.S. Open is
played next week in San Diego. But let’s get back to hope.

Among the world’s
greatest golfers who will tee it up at Southwind are three-time major winner
Vijay Singh, two-time U.S. Open champ Retief Goosen, 1997 British Open champion
Justin Leonard, reigning British Open champ Padraig Harrington, and reigning
Masters champion Trevor Immelman. Add to this list local favorites like John
Daly and Shaun Micheel, along with two-time Memphis champ David Toms and you
have a field of golf talent that should soothe any worries of the Tiger-centric
broadcast team from CBS. As for those of us who tune in to sport less for
celebrity and more for competition at its highest level, this is precisely the
kind of field we crave.

That said, the PGA
needs a player — whether one of those named above or someone we don’t even
recognize with his bag — to rise up. Mickelson has proved to be a mere
distraction as Woods’ chief rival. (Along with Singh and Ernie Els, Mickelson’s
three majors are the closest any current player can claim to the 13 Tiger has
won.) But where is the player with the clubs to compete with Woods consistently
Thursday through Saturday and, well, the balls to compete with Woods on Sunday?
The good news is that there are lots of candidates — and with each of them, hope
— out there.

Since 2001, no
fewer than 16 players have won a major for the first time. (Woods has won eight
of his majors over the same period.) Again, out of the last 29 major champions,
more than half have been first-time winners. But when you read the list of names
— David Duval, Goosen, Toms, Rich Beem, Mike Weir, Jim Furyk, Ben Curtis,
Micheel, Mickelson, Todd Hamilton, Michael Campbell, Geoff Ogilvy, Zach Johnson,
Angel Cabrera, Harrington, and Immelman — only two of them (Goosen and
Mickelson) have won a second major title. Golf has long brandished a particular
player as the Greatest Never to Win a Major. (The current wearer of the PGA’s
dunce cap — Sergio Garcia — will be playing at Southwind this week.) But we may
need to come up with an equally backhanded moniker: One-Title Wonders.

You’ll see five
Wonders compete for the SSJC’s first seersucker jacket (a new local twist on the
green variety presented each April in Augusta, Georgia): Micheel, Toms,
Harrington, Beem, and Immelman. This would be a good quintet to follow, if
you’re considering competition for Woods as he approaches Jack Nicklaus’
once-out-of-reach record of 18 major championships. (And if you’re the betting
type, go with Toms. After winning the Memphis event in 2003 and 2004, Toms
finished second in ’05, 10th in ’06, and third last year.)

Golf is an
extraordinarily popular sport, in large part because it allows us “bums” to
carry our bag on a crisp weekend morning, hacking our way around 18 holes,
pretending we have a shot in our bag that would make the likes of Woods at least
blink. But the element that keeps us chasing our slices and hooks is the most
critical variable of all before we take a swing. It’s also critical to the game
at its highest level being the glorious addiction it can be. It’s called hope.

School’s out,
Memorial Day has come and gone, and the NBA playoffs are within a couple weeks
of mercifully crowning a champion. All of which means baseball season has
officially arrived. With the first-place(!) Memphis Redbirds hosting 17 games in
June, AutoZone Park will heat up right along with our local weather forecasts.

But considering
the ballpark’s attendance has dropped six straight seasons, the time seems right
for a few fan-friendly adjustments. Here are seven tweaks that might help.

• A shower on the
boardwalk. Don’t get carried away; this remains G-rated entertainment. I’m
merely suggesting one of those upright, chain-operated shower-heads that will
dump a couple of gallons of cool heat relief on fans who need more than a mist
blower. This was popular for a time in the leftfield bleachers at Tim McCarver
Stadium. To keep things civil, the Redbirds could charge a dollar per dousing.

• Autograph
Sunday. There are more kids at AutoZone Park for Sunday matinees than for any
other day of the week. So why not have two starting pitchers — not scheduled for
action or bullpen work that day — sign autographs in the plaza for a couple of
innings? Rockey’s a champ, and he’s there game-in and game-out. But if the
Redbirds want to create summertime heroes, an autograph from a ballplayer goes a
long way.

• Free beer on
your birthday. Better have a legitimate driver’s license with you for this one.
And be responsible, for Pete’s sake. But if you’re lucky enough to celebrate
your birthday when the Redbirds are home, you surely deserve a draft or two on
the house. And this is a winner for the AZP concessions, too, as no one
celebrates a birthday alone.

• Foul-ball
lottery. Among the biggest cheers at AZP are when a foul ball lands on the roof
then S-L-O-W-L-Y rolls back down and drops into a throng of fans desperate to
land a free souvenir. So let’s take this up a notch. Mark one baseball before
each game with a unique logo or number. If a fan catches this ball (either foul
or beyond the outfield fence), he or she gets a choice between season tickets
for next season or the equivalent value in the team store. (Calculate the odds
for this and you’ll recognize there won’t be many “winners” over the course of a
season. But this is the magic of a lottery. Just a single winner can spawn
euphoria . . . and LOTS of talk.)

• Suite for a day.
There are 44 luxury suites at AutoZone Park, and they each provide their own
distinct atmosphere for taking in a baseball game. They tend to be occupied by
the employees and friends of particular businesses that have ponied up a bundle
of cash to essentially own a room at the ballpark. Why not use this lavish
experience as a recruiting tool for future business titans? Each suite holder
should pick a Sunday game during June or July and donate use of the suite to a
summer camp of their choice (there are any number of these in the Memphis area).
The hard part is then left to the camp counselors: who are the lucky youngsters
who get a taste of the suite life?

• Home Run Hero.
The Redbirds pick one inning — announced before the game starts — and if a
Redbird homers in that inning, all fans get a coupon for a free soft drink at a
future game. The key to longevity for any sports operation is repeat customers.
A few homers in the right frames might go a long way toward that end.

• Player
introductions that count. Thanks to AZP’s p.a. system, we all know Josh Phelps
enjoys “Sweet Home Alabama” when he steps to the plate. But how far can a theme
song go in a relationship? Why not have the p.a. announcer share some background
info — approved by the player of course — when a batter steps into the box? (And
if the audio is too distracting, this can be done on the scoreboard.) What’s
Colby Rasmus’ birthday? Where is Joe Mather from? What’s Jarrett Hoffpauir’s
favorite movie? When fans become engaged with the players, they’ll be a lot more
interested in seeing them succeed.

It must be vexing
to fans of the Memphis Grizzlies to see three players who were part of the Griz
rotation as recently as the 2004-05 season within arm’s reach of the NBA’s
version of the Final Four. Wearing colors decidedly different from Beale Street
Blue, this trio is making highlights for ESPN, earning talking points from TNT’s
Charles Barkley, and considering ring size among their most important variables
these days. Here’s a look at three familiar faces . . . each featuring smiles
that are the envy of the current Grizzlies roster.

• PAU GASOL
(Lakers) — On the subject of faces, that of the Memphis franchise changed when
the Grizzlies’ all-time leading scorer and lone All-Star was traded to the
Lakers on February 1st. (Somehow, I don’t think the headliner Memphis received
in return — Kwame Brown — will make the team’s 25th-anniversary squad in 2026.)
After having been proclaimed as the centerpiece of the Grizzlies’ rebuilding
plans by new general manager Chris Wallace last fall, Gasol found himself
wearing purple and gold alongside MVP-to-be Kobe Bryant before Valentine’s Day.
Complementing the rest of Bryant’s supporting cast — Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher,
and Luke Walton to name three — Gasol instantly became the topic of “worst trade
in NBA history” debate by those familiar (and some unfamiliar) with the
divergent paths taken by two franchises at opposite ends of the NBA Q-ratings.
In averaging 18.9 points and 8.8 rebounds over 39 games in Hollywood, Gasol
helped the Lakers to the Western Conference’s top seed. He’s averaged 20.3
points — and a whopping 41.2 minutes — over the Lakers’ first 10 playoff games
(through Sunday). Gasol’s six playoff wins this year are a half-dozen more than
he had in six full seasons as a Grizzly.

• JAMES POSEY
(Celtics) — A lock-down defender with Memphis, Posey was popular with the Griz,
won games with late-shot dramatics, and was a fiery, emotional presence during
the Grizzlies’ emergence from playoff afterthoughts to postseason contenders.
Posey averaged 13.7 points in 2003-04 for Memphis, the magical season when coach
Hubie Brown led the Griz to 50 wins and the franchise’s first playoff
appearance. (Posey was second only to Gasol among Memphis scorers in that
spring’s playoff loss to San Antonio.) His production — and minutes — dropped
the following season, though, and Posey was packaged in a deal that acquired
Eddie Jones from the Miami Heat in August 2005. He went on to play a supporting
role to Dwyane Wade in the Heat’s upset of Dallas in the 2006 NBA Finals. He
signed as a free agent with Boston last August, but was off the radar of a
national media swooning over the Celtics’ acquisitions of All-Stars Ray Allen
and Kevin Garnett. Posey’s averaged 7.8 points and 23.8 minutes for Boston in
this year’s playoffs, after helping the Celtics to 66 regular-season wins, tops
in the NBA.

• BONZI WELLS
(Hornets) — I attended a speech by Grizzlies president Jerry West at The Racquet
Club in December 2003, the day after he acquired Wells in a trade with the
Portland Trail Blazers. Wells already had a reputation for being locker-room
baggage, and the esteemed West asked his audience to give Wells a chance in
Memphis, that a player of his talents merely needed a change of scenery for his
necessary maturing. We should ask Mike Fratello — Wells’ coach with the Griz and
now an analyst for TNT — about the chances Wells was given. He averaged 12.3
points off the bench for the Grizzlies over 59 games that first season, then
11.8 in the playoffs against the Spurs. But by the end of the 2004-05 campaign,
Wells was in Fratello’s dog house (he played a total of 25 minutes in the
four-game playoff sweep by Phoenix). The Grizzlies dealt him to Sacramento for
Bobby Jackson in August 2005. Wells lasted but one season as a King and parts of
two as a Houston Rocket before New Orleans acquired him last February. He’s a
bit player for the Hornets, averaging less than 20 minutes per game for a team
dominated by Chris Paul, David West, Tyson Chandler, and Peja Stojakovic. Like
Gasol, Wells finds his team tied at two games apiece in the Western Conference
semifinals. Should they both emerge and meet in the Western finals, you have to
wonder about the Memphis reflections they’d share in pregame warmups. “Any word
on The Pyramid, Pau?”

• The most
sickening sight in sports is that of a thoroughbred racehorse lying injured on
the track. The collapse and death of Eight Belles at Churchill Downs — merely
seconds after the filly finished second to Big Brown in Saturday’s Kentucky
Derby — will again challenge us to distinguish between what we define as sport
and what animal-rights activists consider abuse. With the painful memory of 2006
Derby champion Barbaro — injured at the 2006 Preakness, euthanized in January
2007 — still fresh in the minds of those who follow the Sport of Kings, the loss
of Eight Belles seems that much harder to accept.

The most
reasonable complaint I’ve read argues that after centuries of breeding these
glorious creatures, thoroughbreds have simply grown too large and powerful for
the brittle legs that carry them. At what point does the risk of mortal injury
deflate — perhaps negate — the rush of seeing descendants of Secretariat and
Affirmed in full flight?

The memory I’ll
carry with me from the 2008 Kentucky Derby will be my daughter’s utter
heartbreak. Not quite 9 years old but already a horse lover of the highest
order, Sofia will be mourning for some time now . . . over an animal she got to
know for two minutes of her life. The most beautiful sight in sports is that of
a thoroughbred racehorse doing what it was born to do, racing to the limits of
its very design for a glory that we humans seize the moment it crosses the
finish line. I’ll keep watching and relishing that beauty. But pardon me as I
hold my breath the next time.

Rest in peace,
Eight Belles. Heaven’s pasture is always green.

• If you measure
success in the NBA by games won — how else? — the four most successful coaches
over the last three years are Avery Johnson (178 wins), Gregg Popovich (177),
Flip Saunders (176), and Mike D’Antoni (170). So it’s considerably ironic that
half of that foursome may soon be unemployed, Johnson having been fired by
Dallas last week and D’Antoni apparently on the outs in Phoenix.

Where Johnson and
D’Antoni “failed” is in not winning a championship for franchises loaded with
future Hall of Famers like Jason Kidd, Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, and Shaquille
O’Neal. But consider the job security here in Memphis had Marc Iavaroni won 51
games last season (as the Mavericks did) or 55 (as the Suns did). The relative
standards, one NBA franchise to the next, are among the cold, heartless truths
to life in “The League.” I’d venture to say Atlanta Hawks coach Mike Woodson
earned at least another year on the bench merely by winning three games against
mighty Boston in the first round (after losing more games than he won in the
regular season). There are times, it would seem, an NBA coach’s worst enemy is
extraordinary success. Minus the ring, that success will merely buy you a plane
ticket out of town.

All of which means
the return of Iavaroni to coach the Grizzlies a second season was precisely the
right decision by owner Michael Heisley. Having never called the shots before
the 2007-08 season, Iavaroni was a rookie in the literal sense, without a frame
of reference to measure his strengths or weaknesses. All that changes next
season. And if Iavaroni can’t close the gap between a team with consecutive
22-60 records and the Western Conference’s playoff regulars, he won’t be able to
say he wasn’t given the chance.

• Much was made of
the extraordinary strength of the Western Conference this season, with — for the
first time in history — eight 50-win teams entering the playoff fray. So it was
somewhat surprising to see only one of the four opening-round series (Utah vs.
Houston) go as many as six games.

With the playoffs
currently lasting a full two months, it seems a return to the best-of-five
opening-round format should be a consideration. Every team that won its opening
round series (including the Eastern Conference) would have won had the
best-of-five format been in place. Of course, this “less is more” approach would
be for NBA fans. And it’s all about the mighty dollar when you see that playoff
logo on NBA courts. The more games, the more revenue. End of debate.

Among the most
celebrated angles to the St. Louis Cardinals’ surprising start in 2008 is the
five-man outfield by committee manager Tony LaRussa has utilized. With Gold
Glove centerfielder Jim Edmonds traded to San Diego (for current Memphis Redbird
David Freese) and rightfielder Juan Encarnacion sidelined with a catastrophic
eye injury suffered last summer when the veteran was struck by a foul ball, the
Cardinals are fielding the youngest — and most flexible — outfield St. Louis has
seen in years. And eighty percent of that outfield has connections to Memphis.
(Brian Barton was acquired from Cleveland over the offseason.)

Here’s a look at
the players who chased flies at AutoZone Park before earning their current gig
up the River a bit:

• RICK ANKIEL —
Even with a late-season report connecting him to human growth hormone, Ankiel
was the feel-good story of the Cardinals’ system in 2007. Once a promising
pitching prospect (he was the Minor League Player of the Year in 1999, when he
won seven games for the Redbirds), Ankiel made it all the way back to the
big-leagues as a slugging outfielder. In 102 games for Memphis, Ankiel cleared
the wall 32 times and drove in 89 runs while batting .267. After his promotion
to St. Louis in mid-August, Ankiel drilled 11 more homers and drove in 39 runs
in just 47 games. He’s looked comfortable in centerfield over the first month of
this season (the position he roamed at AutoZone Park) and will probably get the
most at-bats among the team’s current quintet of outfielders. Through Sunday,
he’d hit four homers and driven in 11 runs.

• CHRIS DUNCAN —
The big son of Cardinal pitching coach Dave Duncan led the 2005 Redbirds with 21
home runs and 73 RBIs, but played almost the entire season at first base (a
position occupied in St. Louis by one Albert Pujols). After hitting another
seven dingers in 52 games for Memphis in 2006, Duncan was promoted to St. Louis,
and was a major contributor — from leftfield — in the Cardinals’ unexpected run
to a World Series victory. Duncan’s power numbers dropped off in 2007 (his 21
homers were one fewer than he had in 2006, and in almost 100 more at-bats). With
Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds gone, Duncan has some heavy lifting to do in the St.
Louis batting order, whether he’s hitting just before or just after Mr. Pujols.
Through Sunday, he’d only hit two home runs but had a solid on-base percentage
of .397.

• SKIP SCHUMAKER —
Over three seasons (2005-07), Schumaker played in 269 games as a Redbird,
hitting .287 the first year, followed by an average of .306 in each of the next
two campaigns. His speed and ability to work a count made him a rare commodity
in the Cardinal system and, after brief stints in St. Louis the last three
years, he’s platooning with Ryan Ludwick in rightfield this season. He had a
game-winning hit at division-rival Milwaukee on April 21st and then a walk-off
base hit last Saturday against Houston. Schumaker’s speed at the top of the
batting order can’t be overemphasized (he’s scored 20 runs for the Cardinals
through Sunday). David Eckstein led the 2007 Cards with a measly 10 stolen
bases.

• RYAN LUDWICK —
The 29-year-old Ludwick had the shortest stay in Memphis among this quartet,
having played in 104 big-league games (for Texas and Cleveland) before suiting
up with the Redbirds to open the 2007 season. In 29 games for Memphis, Ludwick
hit .340 with eight homers and 36 RBIs and compiled a 14-game hitting streak.
When Preston Wilson went down with an injury in St. Louis, Ludwick was the
obvious promotion. He went on to hit 14 homers and drive in 52 runs over 120
games. Among Ludwick’s chief values is his proficiency at any of the three
outfield positions. He’s hitting .323 and has driven in 14 runs (in only 62
at-bats) for St. Louis.

Considering you’re reading this column, its safe to presume you have, at minimum, a lukewarm interest in sports. More specifically, you’re sparked — to a degree — by the discussion of sports. Which has to mean you’re familiar with a lexicon built on sound-bites, cliches, and overused maxims delivered with the aim of elucidation.

Well, I like talking about, reading about, and yes, writing about sports. I probably take it more seriously than I should, as I’m now feeding this cyber-monster a weekly column for the seventh year. But there are some sports expressions, some casual adjectives and references that I’ve come to loathe. When I become king, these verbal transgressions will be deleted, bleeped, or blacked out, depending on the medium in which they’re presented. Life’s too short to hear or read drivel like this any longer.

“It is what it is.” (Or it’s ugly cousin, “Whatever happens, happens.”) At what point did we decide that we could replace saying nothing with five words? The expression essentially means this: I/you/we can’t change what has happened or, for that matter, what is going to happen, so we must accept the current condition as part of our existential dilemma. Or in other words: This sucks. Hardly ever used in a positive light, the expression is spoken into microphones as a dodge by athletes/coaches/owners unwilling to say anything of real opinion or decisiveness. It’s a bailout, cowardly and vapid. The sad truth is that it’s being uttered by sports personalities who come across as bright and otherwise clever. (I recently saw Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban — a billionaire who made his money during the dot-com boom — lean on this crutch) Every time I hear this, I long for the two most honest words in journalism: “No comment.”

“This pitcher must throw strikes.” For the love of Grover Alexander, when has a pitcher ever taken the mound and not needed to “throw strikes”? It’s the most fundamental, basic requirement for winning baseball games. When you hear an announcer emphasize this “key to the game,” he’s telling you he can’t think of a variable beyond Pitching 101 that might affect the contest’s outcome. Therefore, you should enjoy the rest of the game with your television on mute. Now, “The pitcher must throw his curveball for strikes” is a slight but significant variation of the expression. And considering the plethora of big-league hurlers who wouldn’t throw a breaking ball on a three-ball count with Mario Mendoza himself at the plate, this is a skill worth highlighting.

“This team is going to play physical.” A style of play must have an alternative for it to be considered, well, a style. This boilerplate passage tends to creep up on Saturday and Sunday mornings in the fall, when former football players “break down” the upcoming games on gridirons coast to coast. I’ve been waiting and waiting for an analyst to suggest a team should NOT play physical. “The Titans, Bill, really need to back off this game, and use a finesse system. When it comes to hitting their opponent, this is not a game the Titans should tackle with more muscle than required.” Every football game ever played, even when played poorly, was “physical.” Body-to-body, muscle-on-muscle. Chess and poker: games that you don’t need to “play physical.”

“Unbelievable shot! Unbelievable performance! Unbelievable win!” Unbelievable blather. This over-abused adjective is especially troublesome, as it is most often uttered by the professionals — commentators and analysts — who are paid to make feats of athletic greatness BELIEVABLE for those of us without a 40-inch vertical leap or 4.3 forty. Sports fans tune in and pay for those expensive seats with their fingers crossed that they’ll see something they haven’t seen before. When it happens — when Tiger wins that 19th major or A-Rod passes Bonds — don’t diminish the moment by placing it beyond our realm of comprehension. “Amazing! Astounding! Astonishing! Superhuman!” But no, not “unbelievable.”

A few observations
after the first weekend at home for this year’s Memphis Redbirds:

• The most
talked-about player in the St. Louis Cardinals’ system is Redbird centerfielder
Colby Rasmus. After hitting .275 with 29 homers last season at Double-A
Springfield, the 21-year-old Rasmus is targeted for the top of the Cardinals’
batting order, possibly sometime in 2008. As far as his comportment and swing
are concerned, Rasmus appears to be legit. Batting from the left side, he’s
similar to the Phillies’ Chase Utley, in that there’s no wasted motion, with a
smooth cut that will gain power as Rasmus gains strength and experience. No
position in recent Cardinal history has been as rich as centerfield, with three
All-Stars — Willie McGee, Ray Lankford, and Jim Edmonds — manning the spot for
most of the last quarter-century. The next decade appears to be in decent hands
with Colby Rasmus.

• The Redbirds
will almost certainly score more runs than they did a year ago, when they were
near the bottom of the Pacific Coast League in hitting. In addition to Rasmus, a
full year from second-baseman Jarrett Hoffpauir, outfielder Joe Mather
(currently injured), and big Josh Phelps at first base should produce more
crooked numbers on the scoreboard. But the added offense may come at the expense
of the club’s defense. I counted at least three players on Opening Night —
Phelps, shortstop Brian Barden, and rightfielder Nick Stavinoha — who are in the
lineup with little consideration for their glove work.

• If the rehabbing
duo of Mark Mulder and Chris Carpenter are able to return to the St. Louis
starting rotation this season, the Cardinals will find themselves with that
rarest of commodities: a surplus of pitching. And with the need for another bat
in the Cardinal lineup — a corner outfielder would be nice — that pitching may
become the franchise’s chief trade bait. All of which will make the Memphis
starting rotation a compelling story, as young arms like Mike Parisi (24),
Mitchell Boggs (24), and Blake Hawksworth (25) could find themselves either part
of a big trade package, or promoted to St. Louis to fill the void from a
current starter moved for a big hitter.

• It’s hard to
understand the Cardinals’ philosophy in having catcher Bryan Anderson — the
third-ranked prospect in their system, according to Baseball America — start the
season at Double-A Springfield. Anderson finished fourth in the Texas League a
year ago with a .298 batting average and, despite some defensive shortcomings,
has a big-league future. That can’t be said for the trio of backstops on the
Memphis roster: Mark Johnson, Gabe Johnson, and Matt Pagnozzi. With Yadier
Molina entrenched behind the plate in St. Louis, Anderson’s development is
another trade chip the Cardinals can use to their benefit. But less so, the more
he’s hitting Double-A pitching.

• The Redbirds’
record for saves in a single season is 26, by Gene Stechschulte in the 2000
championship season. Look for big Chris Perez to shatter that figure this year.
The 23-year-old righty saved 27 games at Double-A Springfield last season (then
another eight after a promotion to Memphis). Perez picked up three saves in the
Redbirds’ first 11 games.

• When I walked
into AutoZone Park last Friday night, the red carpet treatment — literally, from
the front gate to the concourse — was less impressive than the aroma of the
stadium’s newest concession: German roasted nuts. With your choice of pecans,
almonds, or cashews, these are the sweetest ballpark treats since Cracker first
met Jack. I overheard fans in the second deck wondering, “Where are the cinnamon
buns?” Don’t take your seat until you have a warm bag of this nutty goodness in
your hands. And yes, they’re worth the steep price ($7).

Ten
things to love about Saturday’s Civil Rights Game at AutoZone Park:

1) Back
for a second year, the Civil Rights Game is beginning to feel like a national
Opening Game, even if but an exhibition. Boston and Oakland may have officially
started the 2008 season Tuesday in Tokyo(!), but we can certainly consider the
Mets-White Sox tilt at AutoZone Park a lid-lifter here stateside.

2) The
national exposure for AutoZone Park — and Memphis — is magical, and this has
everything to do with the mission of the game itself. Say what you will about
the crime and poverty problems Memphis suffers, but in hosting the Civil Rights
Game, the city becomes a voice for the entire country. A voice that reminds us
that the struggles of the civil rights movement remain pertinent, with lessons
still to learn.

3)
Regarding that national exposure: there are a LOT of TV sets in New York and
Chicago. As wonderful as the inaugural CRG was — played between St. Louis and
Cleveland — there will be millions more viewers tuning in this Saturday.

4) One
of this year’s Beacon Awards honorees is Hall of Famer Frank Robinson. Not only
is Robinson somehow one of the most underrated legends in the game’s history
(586 home runs, a Triple Crown, MVP in both leagues), he belongs in the Club of
Class along with Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, Willie Mays, and Tom Seaver. Robinson
was also the first African American manager in the major leagues (Cleveland,
1975). The weekend will be made brighter merely by Robinson’s presence.

5) For
nine years (1948-56), the Memphis Chicks were an affiliate of Chicago’s South
Siders. Luis Aparicio was a Memphis infielder before he was helping the “Go-Go
Sox” win the 1959 American League pennant on his way to the Hall of Fame. The
Chicks won three Southern Association championships during this stretch,
including two seasons (1952-53) when they were managed by Hall of Famer Luke
Appling.

6) After
seven years without professional baseball (following the burning of Russwood
Park), the Memphis Blues took the field in 1968 at the fairgrounds ballpark that
would become Tim McCarver Stadium. And the Blues’ big-league affiliate was the
New York Mets. These were glorious days for “the Amazin’s,” with a world
championship in 1969 and a National League pennant in 1973. The Blues were
winners, too, earning Texas League titles in 1969 and 1973.

7) Let’s
all hope for a plate appearance by Chicago designated hitter Jim Thome.
According to Memphis baseball historian John Guinozzo, only two players have
batted in Memphis exhibitions having already hit 500 home runs: Babe Ruth and
Hank Aaron. With 507 career long ones, Thome would become the third.

8) Few
teams can match the star quality the Mets will bring to Third and Union.
Centerfielder Carlos Beltran, shortstop Jose Reyes, and third baseman David
Wright are among the finest players at their positions in the majors, and should
remain such for years to come.

9) The
Mets are managed by an African American (Willie Randolph) and have a Latino
general manager (Omar Minaya). The White Sox are managed by a Latino (Ozzie
Guillen) and have an African American G.M. (Ken Williams). Jackie Robinson and
Roberto Clemente would be proud.

10) The
game will be played merely six days before the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther
King’s assassination in Memphis. Which makes the partnership between the
Redbirds and the National Civil Rights Museum as poignant — on many levels — as
any sporting event might be.

As the
Memphis Tigers gather steam in the 2008 NCAA basketball tournament, the
composition of the team begins to stand out. As valuable as coach John
Calipari’s bench has been all season — and certainly will when the Tigers face
Michigan State on Friday — this team has been built around a prototypical
starting five. Had Dr. Naismith taken as much care in drawing up a blueprint for
positional expectations as he did for his original 13 rules, he just might find
a perfect match in the 2007-08 Tigers.

What
follows is a breakdown of the five standard basketball positions, first with a
description of the job’s chief requirements, then a look at the Memphis player
filling that role in this year’s Big Dance.

• POINT
GUARD (1): Ball-handling first and foremost. Court vision. Quickness, both with
the ball and defensively. Lateral movement. Game smarts.

DERRICK
ROSE: With the possible exception of Antonio Burks, Rose is the quickest player
I’ve seen in a Tiger uniform. And he’s more under control in his drives through
traffic than Burks was. His court vision — witness his bombs to Chris
Douglas-Roberts on the break — draws comparisons to future Hall of Famer Jason
Kidd. His quickness makes up for positioning errors on the defensive end, and
he’s patient enough when forced into a half-court set to find an open shooter
before driving into the lane. His shooting touch has been a pleasant surprise.

•
SHOOTING GUARD (2): Despite its tag, this position requires a kind of
versatility that makes the player’s shooting touch secondary at times. Must be
able to defend big guards and even small forwards. Ball-handling a plus.
Offensive value more from perimeter than as penetrator.

ANTONIO
ANDERSON: There’s a reason Calipari calls Anderson “the glue” of this team. The
junior swingman typically guards the opponent’s top scoring threat, unless he’s
the size of Georgetown’s Roy Hibbert. Any scoring Anderson brings is purely
complementary, but his efficiency with the ball in his hands is stellar. He had
a six game stretch earlier this season with 30 assists and but a single
turnover. He’s not a great shooter, but will drop a clutch three-pointer now and
then. Don’t bet against him under pressure.

• SMALL
FORWARD (3): Just as corner outfielders are expected to hit with power, small
forwards need to score. Inside/outside threat offensively. Get to the line and
make free throws. Among the five positions, this one has the least defensive
responsibility.

CHRIS
DOUGLAS-ROBERTS: George Gervin, Alex English, and Adrian Dantley all but changed
this position’s name to “smooth forward.” And CDR ain’t smooth. But his scoring
touch in traffic, combined with a shooting range beyond the arc, would make that
trio of NBA scorers proud. With a career free-throw percentage above 70,
Douglas-Roberts is the best Tiger to see at the charity stripe. (We’ll forget
that miss against USC earlier this season that should have cost the Tigers a
win.) Only a junior, CDR is already 11th in career scoring at Memphis.

• POWER
FORWARD (4): Defend the paint and baseline. Block shots. Hit the boards with
passion. Pick up junk points, second-shot opportunities.

ROBERT
DOZIER: The 6’9″ Georgia native is the George Harrison of this team. He’ll never
make an all-conference squad, he’s rarely surrounded by microphones after a
Tiger win, but he seems to always be involved in separating his team from the
opposition. His rebounding is second only to Joey Dorsey’s, and he’s a quiet —
too often overlooked — scoring option (witness his 19 points against Georgetown
and 18 against Arizona). In the game’s modern lexicon, Dozier has great
“length,” which has great value on a team as guard-heavy as these Tigers.

• CENTER
(5): Defend and rebound. Rebound and defend. Correct the defensive mistakes of
your teammates. Ball in hand, dunk it. And don’t dribble. Ever.

JOEY
DORSEY: Not since bull first met china store have we seen the kind of damage
Dorsey administers in playing defense. If he has fewer than two fouls 10 minutes
into a game, it’s a win for Calipari. His proclivity for foul trouble aside,
Dorsey changes the way Tiger opponents play with his shot-blocking ability — six
against Mississippi State on Sunday — and strength on the glass. And he’s a nice
lob target for Tiger guards able to dribble-drive into the lane.

If
blueprints won championships, this team would already have its rooms booked for
San Antonio. Four games left to win for this to be truly a roundball
architectural masterpiece.