'Follow That Story' Archives

Blogs

St. Louis News Local News Blog Ask a Mexican Archives Search Weekly Newsletter Get Mobile

St. Louis Events Top Picks Submit an Event Events Newsletter Get Mobile Entertainment Ads Tickets

St. Louis Music Music Blog Concert Calendar St. Louis Nightlife Submit an Event Music Newsletter Get Mobile Music Ads Music Showcase 2013

St. Louis Restaurants Food Blog Find a Restaurant Menus Happy Hours Deals Dining Newsletter Get Mobile Restaurant Ads

St. Louis Arts Arts Blog St. Louis Theater The Advice Goddess Arts Newsletter Get Mobile Entertainment Ads

St. Louis Movies Showtimes Film Festivals Film Newsletter Get Mobile Free Stuff

Things to do in St. Louis 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 Best Of Newsletter Get Mobile Best Of Ads

St. Louis Promotions Promotional Events Street Team Free Stuff Promotions Newsletter Get Mobile Deals Tickets

St. Louis Classifieds Advertiser Index Deals Deals Newsletter Virtual Career Fair

Sports

Team USA Survives (Barely) to Fight Another Day

By Aaron Schafer Thu., Feb. 25 2010 at 1:49 AM

Categories: Follow That Story, Sports

We can all exhale now.

I'll admit it: I fully expected the U.S. to get bounced against Switzerland. Not before the game, mind you, but sometime right around the end of the first period, a period in which Jonas Hiller blocked 18 shots on goal while his team managed only 4 of their own, I started to feel a little queasy. I started thinking to myself, "Oh, no. This can't be the way this team goes out. They've got to at least get a chance.

Hiller nearly did to the Americans what Miller did for the Americans just a couple nights back. And I couldn't help but feel karma might just be getting ready to bite our boys squarely on the ass.

Tags:

Aaron Schafer, Canada, Choke, Goalie, hockey, Olympics, Switzerland, Team USA

Email to Friend

Write to Editor

Print Article

Sports

Blurring the Lines of Dis- and Over-Abled

By Aaron Schafer Thu., Nov. 12 2009 at 2:42 PM

Categories: Follow That Story, Sports

Here we see Steve Austin training for the next Olympic games. But will he be allowed to compete?

There's an outstanding article over at Gizmodo right now everyone, and I do mean everyone, should read. It's an article by Aimee Mullins, whose name you may not be all that familiar with, but you should be. She's an athlete slash model slash public speaker slash writer who also just happens to have two prosthetic legs, and therein lies the focus of the article in question.

Tags:

Aaron Schafer, Aimee Mullins, Athletes, Disability, Olympics, Performance Enhancers

Email to Friend

Write to Editor

Print Article

Sports Card of the Week

Baseball Card of the Week: Because Sometimes, We All Need a Little Kuntz

By Aaron Schafer Fri., Aug. 14 2009 at 1:21 PM

Categories: Follow That Story, Sports Card of the Week

Hey there, everybody! I know I haven't done one of these in a while, since it didn't seem to be all that popular a feature, but with all the talk recently of Topps' and MLB's exclusive deal and what it may mean to the future of the card collecting industry, I thought now might be a good time to dust the old girl off.

Tags:

Aaron Schafer, Card of the week, ESPN, Great Player Names, Media Relations, MLB

Email to Friend

Write to Editor

Print Article

Follow That Story

Corrections and Retractions: Juan Encarnacion Not a Statesman After All

By Aaron Schafer Fri., Aug. 14 2009 at 12:58 PM

Categories: Follow That Story

Okay, so it looks like Juan Encarnacion isn't running for a Senate seat in the Dominican Republic.

As first reported by Derrick Goold of the Post-Dispatch, Encarnacion wasn't quoted as saying he was running for a Senate seat; in fact, he wasn't actually in the Dominican Republic when he was supposed to have been quoted.

So here's where I fall on my sword and apologize for getting the story wrong. I am, in fact, sorry, but I'm actually much more confused by this. I certainly wasn't expecting the whole thing to be a fabrication. Oh, well. I do truly apologize for the error.

In addition to confusion, I must also admit to a bit of disappointment. Charity work is all well and good, but I was really hoping to get a chance to follow election coverage in a language I don't actually understand this autumn. Sigh.

Well, Mr. Encarnacion, if you ever decide you do wish to run for the Dominican Senate, you can certainly count on my vote. I mean, you could, if I lived in the DR. Which I don't. So maybe that's not as meaningful a gesture as I had planned. How about this: if you ever decide to run for the Senate, I promise to write about it. Hell, I wrote about your political career when it was fake; just think how big a story it'll be when it's true.

Tags:

Aaron Schafer, Juan Encarnacion, Politics, Post-Dispatch, Retractions

Email to Friend

Write to Editor

Print Article

Follow That Story

I Blame the Demicrats!

By Aaron Schafer Thu., Jul. 16 2009 at 1:46 PM

Categories: Follow That Story

So apparently we can all blame Barack Obama for the crappy non-tribute to Stan the Man. Due to the increased scheduling pressure Obama's appearance to throw out the first pitch put on everyone, it simply wasn't possible to fit in anything better for Musial.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, folks. Democracy simply does not work.

Tags:

Aaron Schafer, All Star Game, Angry Rants, Barack Obama, Media Relations, Stan Musial

Email to Friend

Write to Editor

Print Article

Follow That Story

The Home Run Derby: Not the Worst Thing Ever After All

By Aaron Schafer Tue., Jul. 14 2009 at 10:14 AM

Categories: Follow That Story

All right, I'll admit it. In spite of my disdain for the Home Run Derby, I was on the edge of my seat last night when Albert had to win a hit-off to advance to the second round. I just kept thinking, "You have to hit more than Joe Mauer, Albert. You just have to!"

Nothing against Joe Mauer, of course; in fact, when my friends and I play that game, the one where you're starting a team from scratch and have to come up with what players you would choose, Mauer is always my second position player, right after Pujols himself. But my love for Joe Mauer isn't the point. The point is Joe Mauer has no business ever being in a home run hitting contest, and Albert Pujols most definitely does.

Tags:

Aaron Schafer, Albert Pujols, All Star Game, Home Runs, Power Hitters, Ryan Howard

Email to Friend

Write to Editor

Print Article

Follow That Story

The Final Word on Brad Thompson's Options

By Aaron Schafer Mon., Jun. 1 2009 at 12:01 PM

Categories: Follow That Story

Via shgmom56/Flickr

Brad Thompson in 2008.

Okay. the verdict is in. We finally have an answer.

After much debate, much discussion, and a fair bit of research which made me question my sanity, as well as whether or not the word option actually existed in baseball, the answer finally came from the most obvious, and easiest, option of all: the Cardinals themselves. (Like the option pun there? That's why I make the big bucks.)

According to Brian Bartow, spokesman for the Cardinals, Brad Thompson does, in fact, still have an option remaining. In 2008, he was disabled, then optioned down, but due to injury, he was recalled within the normal ten day period during which an optioned player is ineligible to come back to the majors, and the option itself was waived in this case.

Tags:

Aaron Schafer, Brad Thompson, Cardinals, Options, Reliever

Email to Friend

Write to Editor

Print Article

Follow That Story

Let's Fix the Cardinals Roster, Shall We?

By Aaron Schafer Wed., May 27 2009 at 7:26 AM

Categories: Cardinals, Follow That Story

Yesterday, I wrote about the troubles that the Cardinals are having right now, particularly in terms of the offense, and how those issues are directly related to the way that this roster is constructed. Today, I wanted to see if I could come up with some options on how to fix these problems.

First, though, a quick word about the options status of Brad Thompson. An astute commenter yesterday pointed out that Thompson was already sent to the minors this year (after the game in which Chris Carpenter got hurt, in fact; that awful loss to Arizona), and then recalled, so he did have options. The thing is, he was sent down, but I'm pretty sure the team had to expose him to waivers to do so. Looking at his status and the transaction log on him, I can't for the life of me figure out any way he would still have any options left. I know for a fact that Thompson was optioned in 2006, '07, and '08, which would be all three years he should have had options. I know there is a fourth option year for certain players (Anthony Reyes had a fourth option year last season, in fact), but that's only for guys who get to the big leagues really quickly. Thompson does not fall into that category.

Thanks to anyway1102 for pointing out something I was remiss in including, but I'm pretty sure that Thompson would still have to be put through waivers to send him down again. The team got away with it once, while WonderBrad was sporting an ERA somewhere in the mid-6.00 range; I doubt they'll risk it again.

Tags:

Aaron Schafer, Bullpen, Pitching, Roster Construction, Tony La Russa, Trades

Email to Friend

Write to Editor

Print Article

Cardinals

Cubs Fans Strike Back: "Pujols Mows My Lawn"

By Keegan Hamilton Tue., May 19 2009 at 11:25 AM

Categories: Cardinals, Follow That Story, Shit That Gets Passed Around

The Cards-Cubs rivalry is turning into an arms race of offensive baseball t-shirts. Responding to the "Zambrano mows my lawn" shirts that sparked the ire of sports bloggers across the Internetz awhile back, one Wrigleyville shirt vendor has stepped above the fray and come up with this retort:

http://sportsdeskspeaks.blogspot.com

Forget the bigotry, the fact that both teams have several Hispanic players, and the copyright infringement. What's really offensive about this shirt is the misplaced apostrophe.

(Props to The Big Dead Sidebar for the scoop.)

Tags:

Albert Pujols, Cardinals-Cubs Rivalry, Offensive T-Shirts, Zambrano Mows My Lawn

Email to Friend

Write to Editor

Print Article

Follow That Story

This Just In: Tony Banks Apparently Not a Douchebag, Local Sports Columnist Apparently Is

By Aaron Schafer Fri., May 15 2009 at 2:39 PM

Categories: Follow That Story

You know what? This really sucks.

Tony Banks was on the radio yesterday, joining the Fast Lane on 101.1 ESPN, and unfortunately for me, he seems like a really nice guy. I say unfortunately because it's much harder to make fun of someone when they're a decent human being.

Okay, so that is still one funny fucking picture. There, I feel better now.

Tony was pleasant, funny, even humble. You couldn't come on and pull some sort of Terrell Owens kind of shit? Talk about how the fans were shitty, and Vermeil disrespected you, and how the ladies here weren't worth your time anyway? The guy didn't once refer to himself in the third person, for god's sake!

Banks even laughs at himself, laughs at the bad performances that he and his Rams teams put up while he was here in town. Now, he even works with a company that makes educational software to help kids stay in school!

Sigh. You know what? I don't even have the strength anymore. Are you happy, Tony? You've beaten me. I can't find anything else bad to say about you.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go crawl into a bottle of scotch.