Tuesday Brain Dump

Last week I was uninspired by the sports world. Luckily I have recovered and am excited by some of the goings-on. Here are a few random thoughts as I make my flight from Seattle to DC.

• By now you have probably seen the post game handshake between Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz (you may have even read different commentary on it) so I am not going to review what happened. instead, I want to look forward and discuss what kind of effect it will have on each team. I have heard both sides of the argument. Tom Jackson felt that each coach lost a little bit of credibility. After all, how can they ask their players to be disciplined, not let the moment get to them and not take stupid penalties when they themselves reacted in the heat of the moment. It makes perfect sense. Jason Whitlock said they are both smug and that Harbaugh and the Niners entered the game with a chip on their shoulders and that the entire league has noticed Schwartz's constant breaking of protocol. Bill Simmons said that Schwartz had to stick up for himself because he is a man. How could he lead a bunch of men in a barbaric, brutal sport if he himself was unwilling to go to battle.
  
  They all make credible points and to be honest, I'm not sure any one of them is correct. In fact, I think it is probably a a combination of each. I think both coaches are brash. I think Harbaugh is an excitable guy and I think he didn't like Schwartz coming into the game. I think he certainly was wrong with how he approached Schwartz after the game. I think schwartz was write to follow after Harbaugh rather than solely complaining in the media. And I think both will need to do a bit of damage control when it comes to their lockerroom. Luckily, it isn't an unfixable problem. Football is an emotional game and each coach should be able to use that moving forward. The pep talks should be able to write themselves.
  
  
• When I heard the news of Dan Wheldon's untimely death I was shocked, saddened and dumbfounded. I was shocked not only because of the suddenness of his death, but because Wheldon was one of the few stars of the open wheel racing circuit. It simply came out of the blue.
  
  I was saddened for obvious reasons. Wheldon was 33 years old and had a wife and two kids. Plastered over all media outlets was a picture of him with his family (presumably after winning the Indy 500 this year) and I couldn't help but think that is me in 2 years. I can't even fathom having something happen to me or The Wife.
  
  I was dumbfounded because I still don't get the appeal of car racing. Maybe it's just me - maybe I am not wired that way. But I don't need to race a 2-ton metal object to show how much a man I am, or to et an adrenaline high. I am shocked by not only how fast they drive, but how close to each other they drive. Even the slightest mistake can cause a serious wreck. I'm sure that Wheldon's wife always had this day in the back of her mind. I'm sure she loved seeing her husband do something that he loved, but I'm sure she also was scared every day he got in a car. It just seems like a risk that is not worth taking.
  
  
• It's funny. when the Yanks and Phils were in the playoffs, I was pissed off because I assumed they would steamroll through their opponents and meet again in the World Series. I vowed not to watch or discuss. Now that the Yanks and Phils are out, I am still not watching or discussing because I could care less about either team. I was hoping for a Detroit-Milwaukee series but instead, we have Texas-St Louis. Yuck. I guess you need to be careful what you wish for.
  
  What does piss me off is that the Cards are 4 games from being World Series champs. Somehow, it takes me back to 2006 when the 83-win St Louis Cardinals, beat the best team in the league, the Mets, to make it to the World Series. They had no right being there. While this year's team won 90 games, they benefited from a huge choke by the Braves and slipped into the playoffs. I know they are a solid team, but again, they don't belong there. Stupid Tony LaRussa.
  
  
• After qualifying for the Quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champiuons League, I said that Sigi HAD to play his reserves. I wanted to see Josh Ford, David Estrada, Michael tetteh, Amadou Sanyang and the rest of the crew. To me, finishing first in the group would be a nice accomplishment and probably help us avoid a Mexican team in the Quarters, but the fatc remains that we will have to beat a Mexican team if we want to win the competition. RSL got lucky last year when all 4 mexican teams were put into the same draw - that won't happen again this year. We will have to beat a Mexican team in March of next year, so why not do what is needed to win the MLS Cup in November.
  
  Now, with the final game of the group stage less than 5 hours away, I am rethinking my original stance. I know I shouldn't be worried, but I am just a little concerned that we might have already peaked. When we were playing 2 games a week we were on a roll - most likely because it helped the team stay in rhythm. We were playing fluid soccer and carrying over to every game. Now after the US Open Cup and with only 1 game a week, we seem to have hit a lull. Some could be psychologcail. Some could be due to some injuries. Whatever the case I want them to get back to the rhythm they had in September. PLaying our starters tonight might just help with that cause.