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STL sports chat with Jeff Gordon

Submit your Cardinals, Rams, Blues and Mizzou questions NOW; join columnist Jeff Gordon for a live discussion starting at 11 a.m.

by Mike Smithon Sep 9, 2012 at 3:07 PM

I read Tipsheet ... do you think Rams fans are wrong for coveting RG III over Sam the Ram?

by ZachAttack 9/10/2012 3:58:11 PM
I'm a huge RGIII fan. But folks here are way too quick to give up on Sam Bradford. Let's see how he settles in with a coaching staff that knows what it is doing. He should grow as the team upgrades the offensive line and develops more weapons.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 3:59:20 PM
Yesterday's loss had a better feel to it for sure, but based on the early returns, many draft picks and free agency dollars need to be directed towards that offensive line. Is there any hope for a trade or roster move to bolster the line?

by Tackleberry 9/10/2012 3:59:27 PM
At this point the available linemen are leftovers. The Rams already added three guys late with one trade and two waiver claims. One newcomer played Sunday and two could dress this coming Sunday.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:00:31 PM
The 2012 edition of the Cardinals seems to lack the ability to lock-in. Motte being the most recent offender (but certainly not the only). How does Matheny approach that this off-season, when it will be pretty much the same team next spring.

by Tackleberry 9/10/2012 4:00:34 PM
The evolution toward younger players will continue. Carpenter is pushing for regular work and Rosenthal and Miller are pushing for regular roles in the rotation and pen. Carpenter's return to full-time duty will create a highly competitive 1-2 rotation punch. Adams, Wong and Taveras will continue pushing for lineup roles.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:02:39 PM
Do the Cards have to reappropriate the Lohse money into acquiring "handcuff" players for both Beltran and Furcal? Even if it is only one one-year deals?

by Tackleberry 9/10/2012 4:02:45 PM
Many ways to go in RF. Craig could play more there with either Carpenter or Adams playing first. And Taveras is a can't miss player likely to break in as a RF sooner than later.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:03:34 PM
As for shortstop, the Greene giveaway doesn't leave much. Kozma is just an emergency glove and Descalso is overmatched defensively and offensively as the every day SS. Matheny has shown little interesting in Ryan Jackson to this point. BTW, Greene is hitting .258 with six homers in 93 at bats for Houston.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:06:07 PM
Is there anything that could happen over the next month that would make Mo consider moving the wildly inconsistent Garcia this winter?

by Tackleberry 9/10/2012 4:06:16 PM
For Garcia to become trade bait, he would have to pitch wonderfully this month. Teams will look at his shoulder condition and his poor '12 performance and pass. Trading a pitcher at low ebb is usually a bad idea. Also, trading your only lefty is usually a bad idea as well.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:08:02 PM
Gary Pinky is now 3-15 vs top ten teams. He's a third tier coach who will never take them to the next level (BCS bowls). He's an Independence, Alamo Bowl type coach who's satisfied with that level. Calling a fake punt at that point in the game on your own 35 is beyond stupid.

by George Kaplan 9/10/2012 4:09:21 PM
Gary is a second-tier coach. He is not on a level with Urban Meyer and Nick Saban, but he is in the next group. His ability to reach bowl game after bowl game with middling resources has been impressive. Can he take the Next Step and get a stack of 4-star recruits every season? Can he game coach with the big boys? That is the test ahead for him. His resources will increase and so must his results.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:11:31 PM
Next Poll: Who do you blame for the Mizzou loss? Choices: A. Pinkel. B. Other.

by WGtiger 9/10/2012 4:11:36 PM
This team better. RT @timmurnin: @JoeStrauss amazing how 'these are not same Rams' comments sound the same as when Spags went 1-15 1st year

by Joe Strauss via twitter 9/10/2012 4:12:30 PM
B. Other. Georgia has way more talent, even with a bunch of suspended players missing the game. Over the long haul of four quarters that played out. The Bulldogs are bigger, faster and stronger overall.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:12:34 PM
I'm confused why the Rams took a timeout with 2:03 left. Couldn't they have just let the clock run to the 2 minute warning? I thought there was enough time on the playclock as the previous play ended with like 2:38 left. Can you please explain the logic in taking a timeout there?

by Larry 9/10/2012 4:12:39 PM
Play clock was about to expire. Fisher called a time out just before it did.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:12:59 PM
Two questions: Why do people keep looking at Steven Jackson through rose colored glasses and why isn't Richardson starting over Jackson.

by andyt 9/10/2012 4:13:10 PM
The Richardson that needed surgical repairs before ever playing? The Richardson that just exploded for 31 yards on 19 carries in his NFL debut?

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:14:49 PM
Meyer and Saban are first tier coaches---they compete for national championships. Second tier would be coaches who get their programs to BCS bowls. Pinky is third tier until he can prove he can beat top teams.

by George Kaplan 9/10/2012 4:14:58 PM
So your "first tier" has a couple of guys in it. And your second tier has a couple of guys in it. Whatever. Pinkel is top 25 coach, easily. In the SEC there are several first-tier guys, so he has big job ahead.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:16:24 PM
Agree with Kaplan on fake punt and other poor decisions to give away points. Will Mizzou wake up and realize the SEC is unforgiving? That said, do you think there's a chance they go .500 in SEC?

by Vinny Parker 9/10/2012 4:16:35 PM
There is a huge talent gap for Mizzou to overcome. Also, huge road games in hostile environments. The Tigers should beat Kentucky and Vandy, but every other conference game will be a heavy lift.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:17:48 PM
What week of the NFL season does SF clinch the west and are they the team to beat? thanks

by KC 9/10/2012 4:17:54 PM
Heck of a showing by the Niners. They are miles ahead in the NFC West. The other three teams could finish at or below .500 overall.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:18:36 PM
@JoeStrauss @timmurnin Yeah, Spags over Linehan and Fisher over Spags.

by BigBearNelson via twitter 9/10/2012 4:18:57 PM
Gordo, the Dawgs may have been "bigger, faster and stronger overall," but that did NOT extend to the walk-on playing safety. Let's see, Pinkel coaching the side that has the nation's No. 1 recruit as a 6-foot-6 receiver; other side has a walk-on safety. Yep, advantage "other side."

by WGtiger 9/10/2012 4:19:11 PM
DGB was a nice recruit. Georgia gets a ton of them every year and Mizzou dons party hats when it gets one. Georgia dramatically better even with its missing players. Flip it around and look at the caliber of Tiger O-linemen and the caliber of the Georgia front. MU did well to hold up as well as it did for as long as it did. I picked the Bulldogs to win. That wasn't a hard call at all.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:21:43 PM
Thanks for the chat. These cards seem to epitomize "the whole is LESS than the sum of the parts." Would you agree? The dump of T. Greene (for basically nothing) with no backup was not very wise and I was surprised when Mo made that trade. Finally, I am long-time SEC fan (UT grad) and Mizzou has nothing to be ashamed about, great atmosphere, played tough and hard- I was impressed!

by atlcardfan 9/10/2012 4:21:52 PM
Greene was no great loss for the Cards since Matheny couldn't bear to play him. But dumping him without replacing him with an upgrade was a costly mistakes. Look at the SS production since that move was made. Not pretty.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:22:33 PM
In the Richardson question, he's referring to Daryl, on the Rams, not Trent, who's on the Browns. He's wrong that Daryl should be starting over Steven, but I'd like to see Daryl more, he's fast, shifty, and averaging 10 yards a carry!

by Larry 9/10/2012 4:22:48 PM
Daryl I like. But only an idiot would suggest he should start over Jackson. That is comical.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:23:13 PM
Dozens of coaches have reached BCS bowls in the last decade. Yes, the first tier is very elite, and would be coaches who compete for national championships. Pinky is in the third tier, and its not going to be easy getting to BCS bowls in the SEC. My guess would be that at best Mizzou will see a lot of Gator and Peach Bowls in the next ten years.

by George Kaplan 9/10/2012 4:23:32 PM
The Tigers will need to really elevate recruiting to get out of that second-tier Bowl mode. Haith is doing it in basketball, navigating treacherous waters to do so.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:24:44 PM
Any update on the Freese ankle injury? The team has been so evasive, or downright dishonest, about injuries in the past that I am skeptical.

by Larry 9/10/2012 4:26:30 PM
From Rick Hummel: Third baseman David Freese, who rolled his left ankle on Saturday, while trying to make a play on a slow roller, didn't play Sunday but he said he would be ready tonight.

"I'm hoping to get in there (Monday)," said Freese. "But I've said that before and Mike and the training staff will think differently."

Manager Mike Matheny said of Freese's potential availability, "I don't know. There's another guy (Matt Carpenter) playing third base pretty good right now."

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:26:47 PM
By the way, I was at the Mizzou game, and those loyal Mizzou fans started exiting the stadium en masse when Georgia went up 34-21, with a lot of time still left. At the end of the game, there were virtually NO MU fans in the stands, and all you could see were pockets of red chanting "old man football" and laughing at MU fans leaving early. It was downright embarrassing.

by George Kaplan 9/10/2012 4:27:01 PM
Yeah, the SEC is a rough ride. Wait 'til Bama shows up.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:27:21 PM
I love the youth movement, but at some point in the next 18 months there will be major dollars available/coming available to sign an established impact bat, are you suggesting the Cardinals will pass and hope the likes of Adams, Tavaras, and Wong become Beltran and Berkman?

by Tackleberry 9/10/2012 4:29:28 PM
Lots of established bats in the lineup as it us, as the team rankings in the National League suggest. The Furcal injury points to a long-term need at SS. Otherwise offense is not an an issue. Carpenter is an excellent RBI guy and Adams was as well during his stint here. Taveras is one of the top few hitters not in the majors right now. Jay has proved himself in CF, over the objection of many fans. Freese (.299/18/75) and Molina are offensive pluses at their positions.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:33:18 PM
Why is Matheny anti-Jackson? I know he is a big DD fan and all, but doesn't the kid deserve more than spotty pinch hitting opportunities?

by elm9185 9/10/2012 4:33:23 PM
Jackson has been only a decent hitter in the minors, but he is a natural shortstop. He progressed nicely in the minors. It would be interesting to see him play more there to see if he might be part of the 2013 solution.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:34:15 PM
Where's the option to put the blame on the replacement officials yesterday? From what I understand one of the Lions linemen was across the line of scrimmage which should have been a penalty. I could be wrong. What's your take on this?

by Matt H 9/10/2012 4:34:28 PM
I didn't see any need to blame the replacement refs for the loss. Dropped interceptions, missed offensive opportunities and the full-scale defensive collapse late were more to blame. Also, the Lions are much better team. And they were playing at home.

by Jeff Gordon 9/10/2012 4:36:00 PM