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Celebrating our freedom
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By Jeff
Mayfield
[JULY 7, 2004]
The only
thing I did this past weekend that remotely had any sports
connection at all was playing croquet and Clifford the Big Red Dog
ball with the kids at my wife's family holiday get-together. So, all
I am going on is what I have heard, and that is always a dangerous
assumption. I also have gotten NO reports on any youth baseball,
swimming, track or anything for that matter. That leaves me to my
own devices, and again, that is always very dangerous.
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I believe that the Cubbies swept the
White Sox but had trouble gaining ground, as somehow the Redbirds
continue to play fairly impressive baseball. Hopefully the Cubs have
not permanently damaged the White Sox's hopes, as they were in first
place in the AL Central before the Wrigley debacle. The really good
news for the Cubs is that they are playing this strong and STILL do
not have all their players back from the DL. Once that can FINALLY
happen, they should be able to reposition themselves. If you have
glanced at a schedule, you will also notice that it tends to favor
Chicago over the last half of the year.
St. Louis must wish for more
interleague games or maybe just a switch to become permanent members
of the American League (I told you LaRussa could manage against the
ALers!). By going 11-1 versus the junior circuit, the Cards
established a new record for IL winning percentage. The Oakland A's
actually had more wins a few years ago, when they went something
like 16-2. The Cards have now pushed their victory total to the
50-win mark, just one behind MLB's leaders, the New York Yankees.
The only Cardinal team that ever got to 50 wins faster was the 1987
ballclub that came within one victory of becoming world champions.
The Cards are now 14-10 in one-run contests, which looks a little
better than last year's 14-25 showing. However, the ballclub has
looked extremely tired to me over the last two weeks (especially in
Pittsburg), and that, coupled with one of the toughest schedules
over the next couple of months, will certainly be a challenge.
Houston…we got a problem. Has anybody
seen the Astros lately? I thought they might have a hiccup here and
there, but I never thought they would have some of the meltdowns
that they have had. Injuries are hurting their club quite a bit this
season.
I mentioned Pittsburg earlier; they
have won 10 in a row and can't seem to make up much ground.
It appears that three or four NL
Central teams want to hang around at least for another month or so.
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this article]
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Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova put
on a dazzling display of tennis and one of the many reasons that
Wimbledon is one of the world's greatest sporting events (and if you
don't believe me, check out the TV ratings)!
How about that Meg Mallon? She went
something like 13 or 14 years IN BETWEEN winning women's U.S. Open
titles, which is no easy feat when you are being chased by the likes
of Annika Sorenstam. A final round 65 is a great score by man, woman
or child!
The UNBELIEVABLE save streak put up by
Eric Gagne of the LA Dodgers came to an end at the hands of the
Arizona D-backs. The streak had hit 84 consecutive games, and even
though sports call-in shows and rude sports reporters have scoffed
at the streak, I for one consider it to be one of the most
impressive feats during my lifetime. That is especially true when
you consider how tough it is to actually close out ballgames.
Being out of the area for a day or two…
I imagine that it was a great weekend for racing. And you can check
it out for yourself at
www.lincolnspeedwayonline.com.
And why can't the Cubs or the Cards
beat the Brewers or the Pirates?
I heard that the women's U.S. Olympic
softball team put on quite a show up in Bloomington-Normal the other
day… Some Lincoln and former Lincoln residents said there was a
massive overflow crowd on hand.
Coach K NOT going to LA… at least that
is the report we have heard… Don't know that it would have been all
that great a match anyway.
The LDN
sports staff wishes to convey our deepest sympathy to our managing
editor, Jan Youngquist, upon the death of her mother. Our thoughts
and prayers are with Jan and her family…
[Jeff Mayfield]
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