Once again the Blues are making the 3rd page lower right corner of the daily news papers about the sale of the franchise.  (Don't bother looking, it's not really there.)  The Laurie's have been talking about selling this team since the announcement that the lockout was officially over.  Could have fooled me.  Their first deadline was "by Christmas."  Then it was, "by the end of the year."  After the new year passed, it was "by the Olympic break."  Now it is "by the end of the season." 

"I am confident that this team will be sold by (enter deadline depending on which point in the season we haven't passed yet)" is the comments we've heard and read throughout the season.  Yet, here we sit, with the same old boring owners. 

I'll tell you what, if I didn't have a job, or a life, I would be sitting in front of Savvis right now with a sign reading, "FOR SALE, I THINK, MAYBE, WELL THEY SAY IT IS!"  Ok, so the sign needs some work, but you get the point.  This is a franchise that two years ago, when the team was in the midst of a 30 some odd year playoff run, might have been worth $140 Million.  This season, the Lauries commanded a salary dump which started with trading Pronger to Edmonton.  Then throughout the season they traded two more salary munchers in Doug Weight and Mike Sillinger.  Albeit the team has played much better since their departure, but that is not the point.  The point is that the Lauries since day one of this season have been looking to do whatever they possibly can to get salary off the books so they can sell this team.  Drop as much money as they can so they can show as small a loss as possible.  But here's the kicker, they also want $150 Million for a team that hardly resembles the team from two years ago. 

For Sale: 2003 Ford Mustang (Blue)

Runs great despite missing parts. 

Was unused for over a year.

Few miles, could use a tune-up.

Needs wheels (I sold the nice chrome ones)

Paid $27,000

Asking $35,000

Yeah buddy, that car's gonna sell!  Maybe to a dumb-#### teenager looking for his first car.  Yeah, I almost bought an #### ugly Camero when I was a kid just because it had a nice stereo and racing tires on it.  Looking back it was the biggest #### I've ever driven, thank God my dad talked me out of it. 

Back to the story.

Laurie is looking to find a fool to buy this team.  It will take a young billionaire to step in and say "I want to own a hockey team" to come in and pay the money he is asking.  Someone that really knows nothing about hockey or the true value of the franchise at this point in time.  Someone willing to take a risk and try to make this team better without losing his pants for the next ten years. 

Me personally, I would like to see some of the Blues alumni get involved.  How about an ownership tandem stretching from Brett Hull and Al MacInnis to Bernie Federko and Bob Plaguer?  It's a nice thought, but these guys couldn't come up with the money Laurie is asking. 

In any case, the team is back in the news.  It seems that the Checkets group is BACK in the running for the team.  This is something like the 3rd time they've been in the ring, hopefully the last.  I'm just sick of reading about it.  SELL THE TEAM ALREADY! 

All around the league you hear the same old tune, "The Blues are not going to be contenders for a few years."  Bull!  This team could have made the playoffs this season.  They started off horrid, but in recent weeks they have been one of the best teams in the league.  I truly believe that had the Blues been able to adjust to the new rules sooner than they did, that we would be looking at a playoff contender.  In all actuality, I still believe they can do it.  It's a long shot, but I believe in my team and I can see an injury here and a few cold streaks along the way, the Blues can make a serious run at the number  8 slot in the Western Conference.  There are a lot of "IF's" involved, but still it is a possibility.  Wouldn't it be crazy to see the Blues in this season's playoff brackets?  Haha, I'd laugh all the way to the game! 

Ok, I got off track, but the basic point here is this.  Sell the damn team already.  It's not funny, it's not a game, and this certainly isn't an auction for Elvis' underwear collection.  There just isn't enough interest in this team for the Lauries to be holding out to the extent that they are.  Sell the damn team and move on so the team and the fans can look ahead to the future and put the days of the Laurie's reign behind them. 

If the Blues are going to have a fire sale, they need to keep a few things in mind.  First and foremost, a young team is not always the best thing.  Right now, the NHL roster in St. Louis Is composed of 8 rookies making regular contributions in playing time.  Of the remaining group, 12 are just now becoming regular contributors as they remain in the early stages of their careers.  That leaves a total of 9 guys that have played regularly for several years running.  Of those 9 remaining, 5 are likely to be traded off by Thursday.  These include Dallas Drake, Dean McAmmond, Eric Weinrich, Keith Tkachuk, and Patrick Lalime.

With only 9 seasoned veterans on the roster total, the question of who should stay and who should go becomes one of great concern to the development of the younger players.  Who can stay and help this team become a future powerhouse?  Where do these young guys need direction, and who would be most valuable to the Blues as a mentor? 

In no particular order, here is my breakdown of who the Blues can and cannot afford to lose:

1. Keith Tkachuk- Walt is by far the offensive monster on this team.  His numbers (12G, 15A) are comparable to the teams scoring leader, Scott Young (13G, 28A) despite playing in only 19 games thus far.  Young has appeared in 56 games.  Tkachuk’s  presence on this squad has lifted the morale to new heights in recent weeks, and having him in the press the past few weeks stating that he will reject anything but the perfect trade has done wonders for the team morale.  I don’t expect him to be anywhere but St. Louis come Friday morning, despite the heavy influx of rumors surrounding him. 
2. Dallas Drake-   I am going to reluctantly concede that Dallas may be a good choice to move this season, despite an enormous amount of respect that I have for the guy.  He was deserving of the chance to be the Captain of this team and I have been a fan of his since his early days in the NHL.  I still remember the day I opened up a pack of hockey cards and found a card featuring him in his University of Northern Michigan days.  I was ecstatic!  Drake’s contributions on this team have been tremendous, but nothing compares to his ability and willingness to block shots.  There was a joke going around early this season that Drake was blocking more shots than ex-starter Patrick Lalime.  The joke was more like a reality, but that is how good this guy is.  I compare Dallas to a fellow St. Louis athlete, David Eckstein for the Cardinals.  Both play with their heart on their sleeves, and because of that Dallas will be missed here in St. Louis.  However, Dallas will have the opportunity to play for a true Cup Contender, and in return the Blues may be able to acquire someone with a bit more scoring talent, or perhaps a younger 2-way forward that will chip in much the same way Drake has.  In his stead, Ryan Johnson has emerged as the shot blocking specialist.  Johnson plays with the same amount of courage and effort as Drake, and his wheels turn a bit quicker than Drake’s.  If Johnson weren’t doing the things he is doing this season, Drake not be an option for trade in my mind.
3. Dean McAmmond--  McAmmond hasn’t been the most impressive Blue this season, but he’s still been a contributor to the Blues’ offensive efforts.  With 29 points this season, he is the teams 3^rd leading scorer.  His efforts are not always 100% and the only thing that really impresses me about him is speed.  He is quick on a team not known for quickness.  When he’s in a groove he can be a contributing force, but he has rarely put together a multi-game run worth noting.  The only question for me in trading McAmmond is whether the Blues can get a formidable replacement.  With so many of the Peoria squad already in town, I question if there is anyone that can come up and make a difference that hasn’t already been called up.  Unless Pleau can get a reliable skater in return to fill out a 3^rd or 4^th line, trading McAmmond would be a mistake.
4. Eric Weinrich-  Weinrich is probably the best candidate for odd man out on the St. Louis roster.  He’s a solid defensive player, and his experience in this league makes him a valuable guy in the locker room.  Unfortunately, he is playing on a team full of defensive talent.  He’s possibly the slowest blue-liner on the team and he isn’t much help offensively.  At least, his numbers this season aren’t numbers that can’t and won’t be replaced by anyone playing the same position.  The one aspect of his game that may not be replaced by just anyone is the amount of time he spends on the ice per game.  He’s averaging 22:09 per game which puts him 3^rd on the team in ice time, second if you throw out Eric Brewer’s 23:28 before going on the IR.  None the less, Bryce Salvador could pick up some of the slack if he could remain healthy, and Kevin Dallman also could tighten the ropes a bit if needed.  The big question again would be what can Pleau get in return? 
5. Patrick Lalime-  No question Patrick Lalime was a bust this season.  At 3-11-5, he has been nothing but dead weight on this team and a big reason the team fell into an early hole that they still are trying to dig themselves out of.  In only 20 games, he has allowed 70 goals, just 8 fewer than Sanford who has played 36 games.  His save percentage stands at .872 with a GAA of 3.74.  There is no room for Lalime on this team, and unfortunately the problem with trading Lalime isn’t “who” Pleau can get for him but “if” Pleau can get anything.  Lalime has passed through waivers twice this season as he was sent to Peoria late last year.  With only one game played since returning to the NHL lineup, he hasn’t had much of a chance to prove himself and chances are that no one in this league is going to want to take on his salary with the way he has played this season.  I expect Lalime to get the start Tuesday night to give him the chance to make himself more attractive to another team looking for help in net.  If he has a stellar game, Pleau may just be able to find him a home and get him off the books for St. Louis.  On the other hand, the Blues may end up having to eat some of his salary just to get him out of town.  There will be no love lost however, if and when Patty is moved.  Rumors of Ottawa being interested are amusing, but I would expect Lalime to be coveted by a team like Phoenix that may be willing to swing a deal, providing the Blues are willing to take a bite out of his remaining salary.  Phoenix is most likely losing Joseph to the deadline and may decided to bring in a guy like Lalime that needs a home elsewhere. 

Blues sportswriter Andy Strickland has reported that no moves will be made prior to Tuesday (tomorrow).  I think we can all expect to seen Weinrich moved before the game tomorrow night.  Weino has prompted interest from several teams but his age will play against him.  Pleau most likely will take the best offer that he can get and he won't wait too long to make a decision.  His value will go down once the moves start happening league wide.  Common sense tells me Wednesday would be the earliest they would move Drake and McAmmond, as they will draw interest from teams looking to solidify their middle lines and fill in vacancies left to injury.  As for Lalime, he would almost HAVE to get the start Tuesday night if Pleau wants any chance at trading him off.  He just doesn't have any value right now to teams in need of solid goaltending.  If Walt is moved, I would think Thursday right before the deadline would be the only time we could expect to hear of it.  Tkachuk doesn’t want to go and Pleau will hold out until the best possible deal to even think about asking him to waive his no-trade clause.  Speculation on my own part has me asking whether Carolina might make an offer for Walt to replace injured winger Eric Cole.  With Weight already in Carolina, the duo would be an attractive pair to have heading into the playoffs.  I think of all moves, this would be one that Walt would actually entertain, despite his reluctance to leave St. Louis.  I don't know Walt personally, but one would think that winning a cup would be a deal maker, and joining an ex-teammate and good friend in the quest would certainly raise my eyebrows.  The question here would be who does Carolina have to offer that won't take away from their run for the cup? 

On the heels of the greatest race of the season, NASCAR has itself in a great position, one that can make or break the popularity of a sport.  Oddly enough, it comes week after the NHL has its own make or break moment, and within a year of Baseball having its own chance at glory.

What am I talking about?  I'm talking about trust.  Right now, NASCAR has the opportunity to gain the trust of the casual fan.  The fan that wants to see a game or race called fairly, with no favorites involved.  Baseball had that chance last season when several homerun kings were sent to speak on steroids.  Between the men who stood and said they did not participate in the use of steroids or that they would not comment, one was caught despite the fact.  Another continues to live in deep seclusion, and Sammy Sosa was offered a contract so low that he couldn't buy th juice if he wanted to take it.  But yet baseball stands by its stars.  Players like McGwire and Sosa, Bonds and Giambi, they sell tickets because they put up numbers.  Nevermind the David Eckstein's that play their heart out and set a good example.  Nevermind the Chris Carpenters that come back a season removed from major shoulder surgery to win the Cy Young award.  Baseball puts its marketing dollars behind the Bonds' of the game, and in turn loses the trust of the fans. 

Hockey is in the midst of its own controversy.  The second of the season if you think about it.  The first was the lockout.  Coming off of the season that wasn't, the NHL put its money on Sidney Crosby to bring the fans back.  This is the same Crosby that has since been labled a cry baby by some of the leagues most respected sports writers, claiming he complains about every minor incident that goes uncalled, and dives so much that Canada is considering adding him to their Olympic Diving Team.  Meanwhile the rookie that missed his limelight, Alexander Ovechkin, has tore up the NHL in more ways than one.  He's the greatest rookie that I have ever watched play the game, not because he scores goals, but because he is constantly finding ways to make impossible plays. 

The second moment for hockey is now, with the great "Operation Slapshot."  The biggest name in hockey is caught up in the middle of the controversy and either way you look at it he probably knew more than he's letting on.  But he's the "Great One" and because of that the NHL is right there with him in his corner.  What happens away from the ice should be his own issues.  Instead, the NHL continues to use Gretzky as the posterboy for modern hockey. 

And now NASCAR has its chance.  Earlier this week Crew Chief  Chad Knaus was suspended from NASCAR for cheating, altering the rear windshield of the 48 car driven by Jimmy Johnson.  This was a step in the right direction, giving the fans a fair race, ensuring that cheaters never win.  (Johnson won anyway, but that's going off-topic). 

Yesterday, after complaining about bump drafting and aggressive driving, Tony Stewart became the first driver to be penalized for just that.  In his complaint, Stewart complained that someone could get killed if NASCAR does nothing about it.  Then, half way through the Daytona 500, Stewart drove the width of the track to force Matt Kenseth into the grass, sending Kenseth sideways at over 150MPH and into the wall.  The in-progress penalty assessed by NASCAR sent Stewart to the rear of the lead lap.  This penalty is believed by some, myself included, to have fallen short of expectations.  Fans don't like to see their favorite drivers sent hurling into the wall for no reason, but when the incident is as intentional as this one was, fans expect action.  This is NASCAR's chance to step up and say to the fans, "we hear you." 

I don't care who the postor child is for any sport in any league across the country.  I watch hockey because I love hockey, baseball because baseball is a past-time, and football because it is the most entertaining sport on earth second only to hockey.  So it doesn't matter if Sidney Crosby is in the TV ads, I'd watch even if it were Bertuzzi pitching the sport.  Stewart is the reigning NASCAR champion and he's a marketing tool thanks to the fan-base he carries.  By making an example out of him, NASCAR has the opportunity to gain trust from fans, and also to show the world that status isn't what drives the sport.  If Tony Stewart wants to drive the way he did in Daytona, then Tony Stewart might need to sit out a few races. 

Don't think for an incident that it was not intentional either.  Stewart after the race said "he started it, I finished it," referring to an incident in the opening laps where Kenseth gave Stewart no room to move ahead.  The difference was that Kenseth didn't block Stewart, nor did he make any contact that I can recall.  Instead, it appeared more like Stewart was trying to force himself in a spot, and Kenseth just didn't move to hand it over.  It's a phenomenon that most people in the south refer to as "racing."  Stewart on the other hand came down from the high side of the track, side-swiping Kenseth and literally forced Kenseth off the track by continuing to steer him into the grass.  Impatience and a short fuse led Stewart into another wreck with Jeff Gordon in the same race.  Stewart still claims the Gordon incident was "all Gordon's fault," where Gordon admits he could have avoided it but that Stewart could have gave him room to drive his car.  Stewart was penalized yet again near the end of the race for running into yet another driver, Kurt Busch. 

So listen up NASCAR, it is your turn to make sports history and boost yourself around the other major sports in the US.  Take your losses in terms of marketing individual drivers and make an example of Tony Stewart.  He's wreckless and a danger to the men on the track, and the fans want to see him punished.  Forget who he is for the sport and make an example of him today.  Show the other 42 guys on the track that if they lose their temper that they will suffer consequences.  Solidify the safety of your drivers, the integrity of your sport, and the trust of your fans. 

There are not enough "White" horses in horse racing.  I refuse to watch this so called sport because there is an unfair representation of the amount of "White" horses that run in this sports most respected races, including the Kentucky Derby.  When was the last "White" horse to win the any of the three races in the coveted Triple Crown?  I don't watch the sport so I don't know.  Makes a lot of sense though, doesn't it Mr. Gumble?  You see to me, the idea that the Winter Olympics isn't a true representation of the best athletes in the world in each represented sport just because there are few black participants ludicrous.  As a matter of fact, and I may get into a bit of trouble by Fox Sports for saying this, but it is absolute HORSE ####!

Maybe MTV should remove the award for "Best Rap or Hip Hop Artist" because there aren't enough white rappers.  Or perhaps the black dominated Track Events in the Summer Olympics should be discredited because there aren't enough white runners on the team.  Most Americans already realize how ridiculous Mr. Gumble's comments were, but let's go just a little bit further.  BET will never be a top show because it employs far too few white hosts and on-screen personalities.  The NAACP should not be a recognized group because there are no white members.  And of course, the Jackson 5 will never be the greatest kids group because there was only one white band member.  (Ok, bad joke, but you get the point)

I apologize if anything I say here is taken as racist, because it isn't meant to be.  I just want to know why is it that a prominent black American would rather accuse the winter Olympics of being bias against blacks rather than just admitting that he has no interest in the sports the games include?  We all know that there are few black athletes in the major winter sports categories, but is that the fault of the teams participating or is that because maybe a majority of blacks aren't interested in participating in these sports?  Notice I didn't say all blacks.  I know there is always the exception to the rule.  And even better than that there is always going to be a minority individual that excels in an area that the majority dominates.  There will always be the Eminem's of rap and hip hop music.  There will always be the Barry Bonds or better yet the Jackie Robinson's of Baseball.  There will be the Larry Birds of basketball and the Yao Ming's.  There will be the Tiger Woods' of golf, the Williams sisters of Tennis, and yes even the Shani Davis' of Speed Skating.  Thanks to minority stars such as these, more children will be influenced and hopefully one day the number of minorities will grow in each sport the world has to offer.  But with people like Mr. Gumble insisting that race is the bigger issue than simple cultural interests, the progress will always be minimal at best. 

Until more white people take a deeper interest in basketball, the NBA will be dominated by black athletes.  The same will hold true for all sports.  Different cultures hold different sports in higher regard than others, it is a simple fact.  Hockey until recent years was almost completely a white sport because blacks simply had no interest in playing the game.  Football had the same issues early on.  Tennis still has few black stars.  Golf is finally becoming more attractive to the black community.  Winter sports are no different, and for Mr. Gumble or anyone to say that the Winter Olympics holds no credibility simply because there aren't enough blacks on the team is way off base and totally unwarranted.  The pool of athletes is open to all who want to participate.  The coach isn't going to go into the schools and just pluck kids out of the classroom and turn them into professional Speed Skaters just because he needs a black athlete on his team to be “credible.”   In order to compete at the Olympic level you must have a sense of dedication much higher than the average athlete, and unfortunately at this point in time the number of black Americans willing to compete at the Olympic level in winter sports is much smaller than the number of white Americans.  Thanks to the efforts made today by black winter athletes there will be more blacks in the next winter games.  Maybe seeing the first black gold medalist in US winter games history will inspire a new generation of black athletes to participate in winter sports.  Who knows?

Either way is it really always going to come down to race?  How many people in the US before yesterday even really cared what skin color the American athletes had?  Was there a whole segment of the viewing audience sitting in their favorite chairs with a piece of paper making tick marks for every black athlete they saw?  I can see it now.  Mr. Gumble missed more than the point when he was writing his little piece on the “color-less” winter Olympics.  He also missed some of the greatest achievements in winter sports history.  But that doesn’t matter because they aren’t real sports anyway.  Tell that to Shani Davis and the hundreds of athletes who have dedicated their lives to bringing home gold at the winter Olympics. 

Hey, bozo with a cell phone, watch the game!  Stop standing up like a #### waving your arm and the other bozo at the opposite side of the stadium screaming "Can you see me!?"  No, they can't see you.  You are standing there in your team colors surrounded by thousands of other people wearing your team colors.  Besides, if your friend is a true sports fan he's probably not even looking for you anyway.  His eyes are concentrated on the field watching the freaking game!  He's probably sitting there thinking to himself right now "Damn, I'm glad I didn't buy tickets next to him."

Hey, family guy, watch the game!  Tell your wife and three kids to sit down, shut up, and stop interfering with other fans!  Sure, they are going to whine and complain about food and potty breaks, but could you at least tell them to wait between innings, whistles, or other stoppages in play?  I mean, come on!  I'm sick of getting up and down every time Timmy wants to tinkle. 

Hey group of  drunk frat guys, watch the game!  You paid all that money to sit 2 rows off the field and all you have done since the anthem is run back and forth to the beer vendor.  By the way, ####, you aren't even drunk!  Those ten bottles of Mikes Hard Lemonaide sitting under your chairs aren't fooling me.  Take your light-weight college #### somewhere else if you want to be cool and show people how stupid you can get after a few drinks.  I don't want you in front of me blocking my view when you stand up to scream at the hot chicks six sections over, and I surely don't want you behind me screaming in my ear or puking down the back of my neck. 

Hey perverted old man, watch the game!  Oh my god, you're sixty years old and you're trying to look down the shirt of every high school senior that walks by.  You are hanging over the balcony to get a good view of the blonde directly below, all the while screaming "look at the #### on that one!"  Seriously, go away.  Trust me, every guy in the section that is interested in seeing that chick's boobs already took a peek.  Now your retarded #### just got all of us that are with a woman in trouble because once the women are aware of a hot chick in the area, they have already assumed we looked, which we did.  But now I have to go through some song and dance about how I only have eyes for her when I should be WATCHING THE DAMN GAME!

Hey, Mr. Corporate with your business suit and all, WATCH THE GAME!  Turn the phone off, loosen your tie, and for heaven's sake stop trying to talk Wall Street or Investment banking with the guy next to you.  I remember a few years ago watching an #### just like you take a hockey puck to the temple while you blabbed away on the cell phone.  Had you been paying attention you might have avoided a bruise or two.  As a matter of fact, maybe we should start carrying pucks to games just to whip at your head while you blow off the game from your $150 corporate seats that should be filled with true fans.  While they are hauling you off to the hospital, I'm taking your precious seat!

Hey, Miss I just came to the game because I didn't want my hubby to take his friends, shut up and watch the game!  So you didn't want to sit at home and be bored, great, fine.  Would you please stop ####ing about Susie at work and your best friend's latest offense toward you?  No one cares, least of all the guy that brought you.  If you want a soda go get it, you're not watching the game anyway.  Matter of fact, here's ten bucks, I'll take a hot dog and coke while you're at it.  While you're down there, why not pick up a program guide that explains who is who on the ice so we don't have to answer questions while you try to figure out what is going on down on the ice.  And don't ask us about penalties either.  This is the NEW NHL, we don't know any more than you do what the hell they are calling these days!

Finally, Mr. Vendor, LET ME WATCH THE GAME!  I don't want a cold Bud Light, a fresh hot dog, pretzel, cotton candy, an ice cold Coke, ice cream, frozen lemonaide, frozen multi #### drink thing, snow cones, peanuts or any of the cheap-#### souvenirs you can fit on the rediculous stick you are carrying around.  What I want is for you to get that big behind of yours out of my field of view and take that stick and put it you know where.  When I'm hungry I'll come down to the stand and buy a hot dog and a soda.  If I want a beer, there are plenty of stands available when the other team is at bat.  If I want a foam finger, which I don't and never will, I will go down and buy one on my way out, because I don't want that damn thing in my lap all game and I sure as hell am not going to put it on the floor below my seat, because that space is reserved for the beer and the nachos i'll be getting later.  The cotton candy will never find my stomach because frankly if I wanted a sugar rush I'll reach into my secret pocket and grab the bag of Milk Duds or Whoppers I stashed away from the security people.  I paid a buck fifty for a movie theatre sized box at Walgreen's for the thing and I don't have to get up and get them.  I sure as hell ain't paying you five bucks for a box that is smaller than the digital video camera I snuck in so I can tape the fights that break out during the hockey game.  (which by the way your cotton candy stick is blocking the view of)

Thanks very much for reading my blog.  All events described above come from real life experience.  We've all been there.  Have  a happy Valentines Day Sports fans!