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By Now We Know if the Blues Are in the Final 4
By Randy Gardner
Are you as anxious and devastated as I am about the St. Louis Blues? I am writing this column on Tuesday, the day after the Blues lost to Dallas in game 6 at home. It was a rough one for everybody, as the Blues just totally fell apart in the first period.
In series past, it was always the 2nd period, so I am not sure how 20,000 screaming people cannot get you lifted up to play better than giving up 3 goals in the 1st period. How can a team have 20 minutes of each game where they just totally give up? Is it a coaching thing or player thing?
If the Blues would have played in the first period like they did in the 2nd and 3rd where they completely dominated, I would be writing about how jubilated the City of St. Louis is about the Blues moving to the Western Conference Finals.
Instead I am sitting here writing about whether the Blues will even make it out of the 2nd round. One of the disadvantages of writing my column early before it is printed and delivered is that I have to guess about what will happen.
I will give you 2 scenarios. One is that the Blues win big in Dallas and we move on to win the Stanley Cup. The other is that, the Blues are looking for a new coach at the end of the week. Should Hitchcock go if the team loses? That is a question that almost everyone would answer differently. The true question is, is the NHL season about making it to the playoffs or winning the playoffs and a Stanley Cup? I think there is your answer.
Did Anyone Watch the NFL Draft?
Did any of you watch the NFL draft? It was pretty interesting since the Los Angeles Rams had the first pick. If you don’t know by now, the Rams took another quarterback. They have not had much luck at that position since Kurt Warner was forced out.
They showed shots of the LA fans cheering and having fun at watch parties. Will the LA fans support the team the way that Kroenke thinks they will? I am not sure, but nothing would be better than to see the team struggle and the fans lose support for them, the way Stan Kroenke lost interest in St. Louis. When you watch the NFL draft, you see kid—at least I call them kids—become instant millionaires.
This is a lot to ask of a young man to manage the challenges of all that cash and the responsibilities of carrying a football franchise as a draft pick. Some will handle it nicely, others will be doing another job in a year or two. It is time to see who the real men are.
It is only a few months away from the start of the regular season. Who will you root for, will it be the Rams? or have we all become Kansas City Chief fans or maybe Chicago or Indianapolis—they are all close.
Finally, you know my take on winning and participation trophies. I was challenged this week by someone who thought it was terrible to not give out participation trophies. My answer was simple, and I will stand by it. For players up to about 6 years old, okay, trophies for all.
After that, why should a player and a team that practices harder and plays better and gives more effort get the same award as someone who doesn’t try at all or doesn’t give any effort? That is not fair. Deep down, they know it is not fair also. End of story.
