Dave Checketts, the chairman of the St. Louis Blues has made it known that he plans to put together a group of investors to purchase the Rams’ football team. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch , Checketts had contacted Chip Rosenbloom of the Rams to notify him a St. Louis buyer was interested. Checketts also said he had reason to believe the NFL would approve his group.
The big question is the lease the Rams have with the dome. I was reading a story on FieldofSchemes.com . Apparently, the 30 year lease could be broken because there was a provision signed that lets them break the deal if the building isn’t among the 25% most "state of the art" in the NFL.
By 2010, 23 NFL stadiums will have been built or thoroughly renovated since the Edward Jones Dome opened in 1995. Even with a $30 million upgrade that’s being done now, the Edward Jones Dome will be one of the oldest stadiums in the NFL by 2015.
Blues’ chairman Checketts interested in Rams
Cards lose, Pujols hurt, but says he’s fine
Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa said the Reds hit and pitched better than his team and that’s why Cincinnati came away with the 5-3 win Monday night at Busch Stadium. St. Louis had an opportunity to take advantage of the Reds’ bullpen but once again the bats were silent. (photo by Bill Greenblatt, UPI, St. Louis)
Reds’ starter Edison Volquez left after the first inning with numbness in his throwing hand which could be the result of a recurring back injury. After that, the Cardinals managed just two runs on five hits in eight innings against the Cincinnati bullpen.
A scary moment in the first when Albert Pujols turned his ankle tumbling into second base trying to leg out a run scoring double after Colby Rasmus doubled. (Check out the video) Pujols was in pain, but stayed in the game and later said he was fine.
In a three run fourth inning for Cincinnati, Cardinals’ starter Todd Wellemeyer gave up a go ahead double to Laynce Nix that scored two after the Reds got on the board on a throwing error from Rick Ankiel. The Reds added another run in the fifth to go up 4-2. Nix pulled a pitch down the first base line that Pujols dove for and missed. One of the few times you’ll see a ball get past Pujols. Perhaps he didn’t get a good jump on it with his ankle bothering him?
The Cardinals were up 2-0 in the third on Rasmus’ solo homer in the third off reliever Mike Lincoln. Rasmus was a triple shy of the cycle as he finished the game 3 for 4. Joe Thurston had a good night at the plate going 3 for 3 with a walk while playing third base, but the rest of the lineup, other than Pujols’ RBI double in first, drew a big zero in the hit column.
In the post game comments below, Pujols says he’s fine and will play on Tuesday. LaRussa talks about not taking advantage of having their starter out after the first inning, plus he and Wellemeyer comment on the rough fourth inning.
[box score]
Mizzou-Illini will not renew football series
The Missouri Tigers and Illinois Fighting Illini will end their football series after the 2010 season so both schools can get an additional home game. They’ve left the door open that the series could resume later down the road. (Jeremy Maclin returning a punt in last
year’s Illinois game, Bill Greenblatt, UPI)
The Tigers won 40-34 in 2007 and 52-42 last year. They’ve averaged just over 64,000 fans the last two seasons. This year’s game is September 5 th with a 2:40 kickoff.
The Tigers also won the two games back in 2002 (33-20) and 2003 (22-15).
