Ah, probably not. I blame Jim Harbaugh. Pulling the plug gave his team time to regroup.

You look at his age and it's easy to see why he wasn't part of the rebuild here. The job he did in Denver this season was similar to the work he has done everywhere, including St. Louis.

Not at this second. The Wainwright talks could take a while, given the magnitude of the dollars it would take to lock him in. I still expect the Cards and Freese to settle somewhere in the middle of their distant positions.

The Rams definitely need to keep adding playmakers. If they do, they will have kick returners in that pile. But can they ever lean not to take blocking-in-the-back penalties on kick returns? That is the bigger question. Special teams could have been a bigger plus last season with fewer injuries.

Pietrangelo is the team's top priority right now. Getting him locked in to an extension will set the financial puzzle for everybody else. Stewart could command huge dollars if he continues his current pace. I'd expect the Blues to keep him since big guys with skill have great value and are not difficult to trade, if it comes to that. Shattenkirk is also a priority. So is Berglund, as the rare big center will skill. Russell? Shrug. D'Agostini figures to move on, given his limited role here. The money going to Langenbrunner will go elsewhere -- and could the McDonald dollars, given this team's need to keep the prime-age guys in place.

I asked Backes and Hitchcock if the NHL should do what they do in basketball and consult replays before making such a call. Backes didn't want to see the game delayed any more. Hitchcock said he wanted to see the league make absolutely sure on those calls, for the obvious reasons.

His full winter of weight work should move him closer to his vintage form next season. You always have to temper expectations for pitchers at his age, but don't forget that we basically saw him in spring training form after he came back from surgical repairs. He will enter this season fully prepared.

With the RFAs, keeping the contracts under control will be somewhat easier in this new CBA. But it will be very, very difficult for the Blues to maintain a team with this much talent for very long. Pietrangelo is going to get monstrous dollars both Shattenbirk and Stewart could have big-time earning power as well.

The playoffs will still be a war. Nothing shortened there. The team that wins four rounds will deserve it.

The 49ers got away with pass interference to finish off the Falcons. Such is life in the NFL. When it comes down to one do-or-die play, what official wants to make a call that decides a playoff game or Super Bowl?

No. He needs to build up shoulder strength. He will be lucky to avoid shoulder surgery, IMO.

Blues placed him on IR to give him two games off. The team doesn't want to push its luck with a groin muscle strain, especially when it has another quality guy to step in.

RT @Sean_Leahy: Blues' Tarasenko named January's Rookie of Month http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=654004

That is what spring training is for. I'm guessing Kelly will earn a bullpen role and Rosenthal and Miller will settle into the No. 6 and No. 7 starting rotation slots, ready to move up as needed.

Les Snead was on the radio today preaching patience in the search. Dick Jauron was next up on their wish list. But any candidate must realize this is the Jeff Fisher defense. It is his scheme and he oversees the game-planning.

Playing Furcal at second is a thought, should the elbow bark at him. But the prospect of playing Cedeno or Kozma a ton there this season must frighten Cards fans. The team needs to get 120 games from Furcal there or acquire the next everyday shortstop.

The original timetable had arbitration hearings likely for this week. The Cards and Freese can go to the wire before settling this. The team hasn't gone all the way through the process since 1999.

There was a lot of discussion about that. The officiating crew let it go, given the importance of the game. IMO they let too much stuff go after the whistle, but the teams did finally settle down.

You saw the importance of big targets that can go get a ball. Flacco could just put the ball up in the air and let Boldin get it. And you saw the value of a speed TE to blow away safeties and linebackers. Vernon Davis made Kaepernick that much more dangerous. Playmakers not only make plays, they give the QB confidence. We've seen flashes of what Bradford can do when he is confident throwing to his targets.

Not surprised to see Denver own the early AFC line. Manning should have one more run left in him.

Bad times for Lakers fans. Gasol still believes he is a front line player, but is he? The whole Howard thing hasn't worked out and it's easy to see him land elsewhere. That whole thing seems headed for a divorce. It is hard to imagine the Lakers salvaging this season. Time to start over again?