Game Highlights

So today was the first time all weekend I was able to watch the Cardinals game. The Cardinals, Fox Sports Midwest and Insight Cable has some sort of drama going on these days, so there are about 30 or FSN games that are not on Insight Cable... for some reason they decided to have two back to back, Friday night and Saturday night. Needless to say I was kind of pizzy because I hadn't been able to really sit down and watch all week, and was all set and ready to go both Friday and Saturday night, only to be DENIED. Arrghhh. I don't now what the deal is with the Insigt black out, but Cardinals, Insight... save the drama for yo' mama!!!!

Today the game was on KSDK so I was good to go. Here are some highlights from todays game: #1 Spiez! (aka Scott Spiezio, see photo) hit a 3-run HR! Granted Albert hit two home runs, but he is Albert, he is supposed to do that. Spiez is a bench guy, the 3-run dingers don't happen every day. Also, Spiez is a former Illini, and well those who used to were the orange and blue have a special place in my heart. Then there is also the fact that he is just way cool, and is the only one who can pull off the red soul patch (see picture and note that Nik and I can't really pull it off, not that we didn't try!) Add to this the fact that Spiez is involved in one of my favorite Spring Training stories. Before the game at Port St. Lucie against the Mets Spiez was headed to the dugout and noticed a little boy (probably in the age 6-8 range) sporting a #11 Dee Brown Illini jersey. Spiez called out to the little boy, "Hey, Dee Brown, the Illini, that was my school." Then the little boy excitedly turned around, found his dad a couple of rows back and yelled "Dad! Dad! That guy knows Dee Brown!!!!" Priceless!

Game highlight #2 was the text I recived from Nikki in the 9th inning that read: "I love watching the game with Grandma. Her reaction after Izzy gave up the HR in the bottom of the 9th- 'Well Shit!' " Again, priceless!

#3 Today was "Pooches in the Park" day at Busch Stadium. It also rained during the game... ahh nothing like smell of baseball... hot dogs, peanuts, beer... and wet dog! No thanks.

So I am posting this from my local Panera, and it brings us to today's Kudos: Panera Bread for their Black Bean Soup and Fugi Apple Chicken Salad... perfection!