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      Report: Colby Rasmus requested a trade earlier this season

      September 5, 2010 /
      St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Colby Rasmus makes the out against Chicago Cubs batter Aramis Ramirez during the first inning of their MLB National League baseball game in St. Louis, Missouri, August 15, 2010. REUTERS/Sarah Conard (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting that Cardinals’ centerfielder Colby Rasmus requested a trade earlier this season due to frustrations with manager Tony La Russa.

      The La Russa-Rasmus relationship remains a source of intrigue. During spring training Rasmus made clear the issues he confronted as a rookie. He and his father, Tony, then began a series of July hitting tutorials at a county high school that annoyed the manager. Club sources insist that Rasmus’ frustrations with La Russa led him to request a trade earlier this year and that his lengthy absence last month due to a right calf strain also resurrected concerns. The organization has long considered Rasmus untouchable in trade talks. Few dispute his talents and potential but there remains a question of toughness and willingness to accept criticism. There are those who share the same clubhouse who wonder if La Russa has “lost” Rasmus, or if Rasmus has permanently withdrawn from the taskmaster.

      I’ve never understood why La Russa continues to give Rasmus as many days off as he has. Here the Cardinals are yesterday, playing the Reds in a pivotal series and Nick Stavinoha (0-for-3) is starting over Rasmus (double in the ninth as a pinch hitter). Even if Rasmus is a mental midget (I’m not saying he is – just going off the report above), he’s too talented to ride the bench as much as he does.

      This is an interesting storyline in St. Louis and certainly one worth following with La Russa questionable to return next season.

      External Sports, MLB

      Les Miles very nearly sealed his own fate and other Saturday thoughts

      September 5, 2010 /

      There have been rumblings in Louisiana that Les Miles has worn out his welcome as coach at LSU. Some have written this off as ridiculous — “He won a national title in 2007!” — but Saturday night was a harsh reminder of why the LSU faithful have lost a lot of, um, faith, in Miles.

      The Tigers survived Saturday night in a 30-24 win against half of North Carolina’s team. And it really wasn’t even the good half. Worse still is that LSU very nearly blew a 30-10 lead in the fourth quarter to do it.

      Give a lot of credit to the North Carolina players who know the NCAA rules. They played with a lot of heart down the stretch and were two dropped passes and a probably-missed pass interference call away from winning a game nobody gave them a chance in.

      But the story here is Miles and the Tigers nearly blowing the game. The Tigers failed to put the game away, and star defensive back Patrick Peterson’s postgame quote said a ton. When asked why he wasn’t on the field for a 97-yard touchdown pass that gave North Carolina life, Peterson responded, “I guess he thought we had a comfortable lead.”

      The “he” in that sentence is defensive backs coach Ron Cooper, but how does that decision not go through Miles? If it doesn’t, it should. The head coach doesn’t need to micro-manage his assistants, but he does need to make sure his best players are on the field while the game is still in any kind of doubt. Miles needs to at the very least contend for an SEC title this year, or it could be his last.

      Now some other thoughts on the first Saturday of college football. Continue reading »

      College Football, External Sports

      Jets ready to move on without Darrelle Revis?

      September 5, 2010 /
      New York Jets defensive back Darrelle Revis (R) tackles Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Bobby Engram after he caught a Seneca Wallace pass for a 10-yard gain in the fourth quarter at Qwest Field in Seattle on December 21, 2008. Braving icy roads and long commutes, thousands of Seahawks fans braved the weather for the team's last home game of the season as the Seahwks beat the Jets 13-3. (UPI Photo/Jim Bryant) Photo via Newscom Photo via Newscom

      The Newark Star-Ledger is reporting that Jets’ GM Mike Tannenbaum has said that the team will move forward without disgruntled cornerback Darrelle Revis now that final cuts have been made.

      “Darrelle is not here, and we’ve planned accordingly,” general manager Mike Tannenbaum said on a conference call with reporters. “We feel good about our depth at corner. We have six guys that can help us, and that’s the group we’re going to be moving forward with.”

      “We have to move forward,” Tannenbaum said. “We’re playing ball in a little over a week, and that’s what we’re prepared to do. We feel good about the roster we have; we feel good about our coaching staff. Over the course of a 16-game season, there are going to be a number of players that are unavailable. Traditionally it’s for injuries; one happens to be a contract issue.”

      Good for the Jets. They drew a line in the sand and stuck to it. I don’t get what Revis expected to happen; the Jets told him that they would never pay him what he wanted and he still continues to hold out. It’s amazing how much money this guy is going to leave on the table just because he wants to carry the moniker of being the highest paid cornerback in the league.

      I’ve got news for you Darrelle, with the way free agency works in the NFL, you would only have been the highest paid corner for the next couple of years and then somebody would have topped your figures. So just play some damn football already.

      External Sports, NFL

      Cardinals cut Leinart, will Pete Carroll take a shot on his former pupil?

      September 4, 2010 /
      GLENDALE, AZ - AUGUST 14: Quarterback Matt Leinart of the Arizona Cardinals watches from the sidelines during preseason NFL game against the Houston Texans at the University of Phoenix Stadium on August 14, 2010 in Glendale, Arizona. The Cardinals defeated the Texans 19-16. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

      It’s official: Matt Leinart’s days in Arizona have come to an end, as the Cardinals released the former first round pick on Saturday.

      Leinart ends his career in Arizona attempting just 595 passes. He threw 20 interceptions compared to just 14 touchdowns and played in only 29 games in four years.

      In other words, he’s the very definition of a bust.

      The question now becomes who will give him a shot, because someone certainly will now that he’s free. No team was willing to give up even a seventh round pick and take on his salary, especially not when Arizona was expected to release him in final cuts.

      The team that arguably makes the most sense is the Seahawks because of Leinart’s connection with Pete Carroll. Matt Hasselbeck is also on his final legs and although the team traded for Charlie Whitehurst earlier this offseason, his play thus far has some in Seattle questioning whether or not he can be the full-time starter someday. So why not throw Leinart into the mix when he’s already familiar with Carroll’s system?

      The Bears are also seeking a backup for Jay Cutler and seeing as how they waived sixth-round pick Dan LeFevour (who is still a candidate for the practice squad), they may think about adding Leinart.

      Of course, no matter where Leinart winds up, it doesn’t mean he’ll a) play or b) ever pan out. He still has plenty of time to turn things around, but he didn’t help himself in Arizona over the last week by complaining to the media about his situation. There are some serious doubts that this guy can lead.

      External Sports, NFL

      Denard Robinson for Heisman? Not yet, but he’s off an running

      September 4, 2010 /
      ANN ARBOR, MI - SEPTEMBER 19: Quarterback Denard Robinson #16 of the Michigan Wolverines carries the ball on a 13 yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter against the Eastern Michigan Eagles at Michigan Stadium on September 19, 2009 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

      Denard Robinson just made Michigan fans’ wildest dreams come true. Well, not quite, but he’s definitely going to have the maize and blue clad minions smiling from ear to ear tonight.

      Robinson torched the Connecticut defense today for 198 yards on 29 carries, and was 19-for-22 for 188 yards through the air in Michigan’s 30-10 victory. That second number is huge, because anyone that watched Robinson throw a football in game action last year might faint at the sight of that completion percentage.

      When he arrived on the scene in Ann Arbor a year ago, Robinson excited Michigan fans with his elite speed. His inability to produce in the passing game, however, made him more of a situational player while his classmate, Tate Forcier, handled the bulk of the load. Now that Forcier has fallen out of favor with Rich Rodriguez (true freshman Devin Gardner entered the game for a few plays after Robinson went out with a minor injury in the third quarter), Robinson seems to have a firm grasp on the starting quarterback position in Ann Arbor. His performance today will do nothing but strengthen that.

      So is Robinson a true Heisman Trophy contender? It’s way too early to say — and remember, Michigan started out on fire last year, and many were asking the same question about Forcier. But he’s definitely off to a good start, and I’d expect him to be on most Heisman watch lists on Monday. If he helps lead Michigan back to prominence, don’t be surprised to see him in New York in December.

      College Football, External Sports

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