Dead October

Chris Kalna--September 21, 2010

Get the food ready, unpack your Ram apparel and lower the tailgates. I, being a baseball romantic, still held out hope until yesterday's game. The Cardinals had just defeated the San Diego Padres over the weekend, three games to one and had narrowed the Cincinnati Reds' lead to six games. But reality set in when the Redbirds bats disappeared again in Florida as the Marlins shut them out 4-0. St. Louis is now 6 games back of the Cincinnati Reds, who's magic number is now down to 6.

While Cardinal nation has every right to point fingers and assign responsibility for this clubs sudden collapse. The answer is very simple. The Cardinal offense. Through 149 games this season the supposed talent rich roster has managed to be shut out 13 times. Scoring just 1 run in 17 other contests and managing to tally an anemic 2 in 21 other games. In the now famous words of Jack "The Ripper" Clark, that is pathetic. Remember that the Deadbirds have participated in 149 regular season contests thus far. And in over ONE THIRD of those affairs have managed 2 runs or less! That is why Busch Stadium will be empty in October. In 51 games this season St. Louis has scored less than 3 runs. Couple that with a 16-26 record against Chicago, Houston and Milwaukee, three teams in the Central Division that each have a winning percentage below .500, and you have the recipe for failure.

Another glaring weakness was this teams inability to hit with runners in scoring position. The Cardinal bats stranded more runners than Hurricane Katrina did civilians. And the base running skills that this underachieving team displayed daily should be an example to every little league team across America of how NOT to run the bases. Cardinal runners seemed more lost than President Obama without a teleprompter.

This is a team that just could never put it all together for sustained portions of calendar time. Their record against pennant contending teams Atlanta, Cincinnati and San Diego was 22-11. So that leads St. Louis Cardinal faithful to believe that this team could be motivated when it wanted to be. That's the problem. Why weren't they motivated the entire season? I know that 162 games is a grueling task and there will be times when your best is left outside of the park, but championship contenders must defeat inferior teams.

Motivation is a mystery to this Cardinal squad. An article in the St. Louis Post Dispatch today mentioned that Matt Holliday may de-throne Albert Pujols as team batting leader for the first time ever during Albert's residency here in town. You know what I say to that? So what? Where was Mr. Holliday's bat before the All Star Break? He has had a career long history of being a second half player, but why? Is he not motivated in the Springtime? Does he only heat up with the weather. Well if I were Scott Boras, Holliday's agent, I would have tried to get Arizona to sign him to a one year deal so that he could put together an entire season of excellence, not just 3 months. Then Matt could take his part time talents to New York to disappoint the Yankee faithful for half a season, then hit when nothing is on the line. Albert's greatness is that he does it all season long, every season. Though this year has seen more tough at bats for Pujol's and some extended slumps, no matter who leads the team in average at season's end there will still be no question of who is the real team leader.

Then there is the Colby Rasmus ordeal with LaRussa. It hauntingly reminds me of the J.D. Drew saga. Both players were coddled on their way up to the big leagues and when things didn't always go their way they sit the bench complaining of nagging bumps and bruises. Don't get me wrong, I believe Tony should have played Rasmus more consistently throughout the season, but it is the young players responsibility to accept his role on the team as the manager makes the calls. Colby may or may not have been treated fairly, but tough noodles. You have to take your bumps as any young professional will tell you, climb your way up the ladder and earn respect and playing time. Note that Rasmus seemed to get very motivated when he played in his home state of Georgia and since then has shed a light on what he can do as an everyday player. And like Holliday, he needs to be able to do that for an entire season.

What is sad is that this pitching staff will go down as one of the most under appreciated and undervalued collections of moundsmen that the Cardinals have ever assembled. They may have faltered a bit during the last month, but if not for the horrendous lack of run support Redbird pitchers would be the talk of baseball. Sporting a team E.R.A. of 3.61 Cardinal pitchers had allowed this team to be pennant contenders up until the beginning of September. Imagine if the brittle Brad Penny could have stayed healthy and on track all year long. Jaime Garcia could still warrant serious Rookie of the Year consideration with a 13-8 record and a ridiculously low earned run average of 2.70. Though Cris Carpenter may not have had his very best stuff this year, he being the resident bulldog of the clubhouse has still constructed a fine E.R.A. of 3.21 and a 15-8 mark on guts and guile alone. And of course the new ace of the staff Adam Wainwright. His 19-11 record should be even better considering his gaudy 2.45 E.R.A. that he has managed to post. Minus a handful of rough outings, Wainwrights statistics would have been even more impressive. I truly hope he wins number 20. He definitely deserves it.

This team has been an enigma, wrapped in a riddle and enveloped in Morse Code. They have for brief moments been been the team St. Louis expected, but more often than not they have disappointed themselves and their loyal fanbase. Because team success at the big league level is not accumulated in Batting Crowns, MVP's, or Cy Young Awards, but in Championships. And the window for success is only opened for so long in today's Major Leagues. Budget constrictions, free agency and age all will play a big hand in what product takes the field next season at Busch Stadium. This year will go down as a season lost. But lost to what? No one can be sure. What St. Louis can be sure of is that there are only so many seasons left with a roster full of Cy Young candidates and Triple Crown threats. It would be a pity to waste anymore.

Chris Kalna

Ground Zero Tolerance

"When you meet the unbelievers strike off their heads, then when you have made wide slaughter among them, carefully tie up the remaining captives." That is a passage from the Koran. The Islamic book of faith. I refuse to call it their Holy book, because their is nothing Holy about the quote above. "...but if they turn renegade seize them and slay them wherever ye find them." Realize that these are the passages that led to the deaths of over 3,000 Americans on that fateful September morning, not long ago.

Yet here we stand, still United, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. But that "for all" has been taken out of context and used against this peaceful nation. Against the very people who believe so profoundly in this countries democracy. The borders are a mess, anchor babies and their families of illegal aliens receiving more help from our government than veterans of the wars that protected these borders and fought for OUR inalienable rights. OUR. Meaning legal citizens of the United States of America. Not Mexicans who tunnel in or sleeper cell terrorists who may run your local Seven Eleven!

Though here we are debating whether or not Imam Feisel Abdul Ruaf should build a Mosque on the sacred and hallowed Earth of Ground Zero. And here we are listening to his passive threats of "very dangerous violence" and warning as to scare us into the constructing of a center that would be home to a religion that preaches to have. . ."garments of fire cut for the unbelievers and there shall be boiling water poured over their heads therefore whatever is in their bowels and skins shall be dissolved and they will be punished with hooked iron rods." Seriously?

What has happened to our country? What has happened to the values that once were the foundation of this land? Do we no longer possess the belief that this nation and its people are exceptional. That we are the greatest. The greatest place to prosper, the greatest chance at success. The greatest land of all the world to lay your head down at night and dream. Whether it be dreams of riches or of a humble home on your own piece of heaven. There was a time when this country was the best place to dream. The best place to hope. There was a time when whole and complete families still ate supper together after saying grace. There was a time when an entire family could sit in the living room and watch a television show. There was a time, about 9 years ago, that parents could envision a better life for their children and grandchildren. A time when children did not have to worry about a mountain of debt created by our generation. A generation that has become fat and spoiled. Unappreciative and bloated. A generation, that if not changed, may go down in history books as the generation that helped destroy America.

The United States at one time lead by example. Instead we now allow ourselves to be influenced by International opinion. We once were the blue print, the model of success for other countries that had lost their way like we have today.

This discussion about the construction of a Mosque at Ground Zero should not be a discussion at all! The notion that this Muslim Center will be built no matter what speaks volumes about our nation's road to destruction. With tolerance being the driver and secular progressive liberals adding the fuel.

As that black bellowing smoke rose up against that blue New York City sky on that tragic morning just 9 short years ago much of America thought to themselves, NEVER AGAIN! Never again will we allow our freedoms, our democracy be used as a weapon against us. The cowardly terrorists may have momentarily brought us to our collective knees , but like many heroes before us, we came together like Americans do and fought with resolve and determination. With pride and patriotism, we rallied a country that had become lazy and complacent. Takings its freedoms for granted and throwing all caution to the wind. This happened because as peace loving Americans we did not understand our enemy and what inspired that violence against us, The Infidel. And the very best way to understand them is to study their belief system and only then can we rise up to destroy our enemy. Remember this a religion that was the catalyst for the beheading of a cartoonist who made light of the Prophet Mohammed in a drawing!

"Fight those who believe not in Allah, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission and feel themselves subdued." These are the words that may be uttered two blocks from where radical Muslims brought down those symbols of strength and freedom if we allow this Mosque to be built. It truly disgusts me. It makes my heart hurt for the families of those victims. The teaching of the Koran caused those bastards to fly those planes into our buildings! The teaching of the Koran preaches violence against all non-believers! The teachings of the Koran tells them to "seek out your enemy relentlessly!" And we are going sit here and not fight for the rights of the fallen? The innocent people who went to work that morning, never to see this life again. Never to love again, never to feel joy again. Never to pick up their children in their arms and squeeze them one last time. They walked into those building and never came out. Why? Because of the hate that the Koran preaches against Jews, Christians and anyone who may not believe in their God! I say NO! And I say now! Rise up and be heard!

President Obama spoke up for this construction of the Mosque, masking his want for it in a cloud of constitutional political speak. Using Freedom of Religion to propel its being built. Yet where is Barack Hussein Obama when the Ten Commandments are taken down from a government building? Where is he when a Nativity Scene is protested in a small community. Where is he when Christian prayer is being taken out of schools! I'll tell you where he is, hiding behind the Separation of Church and state slogan that so defines his belief system. When the Pastor Terry Jones wanted to burn the Koran, Obama did not stand up for that man's constitutional right of Freedom of Religion. That man said that God spoke to him through prayer telling him to burn the Koran. Yet Mr. Osama, I mean Obama called it a stunt and pleaded with the pastor to listen to his "good angels." Which I believe is how the Koran teaches things. Don't get me wrong. I believe that an American citizen, especially a Christian, is above burning another religions book of faith. But it is his right to do so. So if Obama saw it necessary to appease the Muslim Community with his sudden love of Freedom of Religion for the construction of the indignant Mosque, than he should have also supported Terry Jones' rights. What Mr. Jones did may have been a bit extreme, though he did not burn any Koran's. His actions shone a light on the religion of Islam. A light that further exposes the intolerance and violence that religion both preaches and practices. As thousands marched in the streets of Afghanistan and Iraq protesting one small time Pastors threat to burn their Koran by burning American flags, chanting death to Americans and setting a flame to a likeness of the pastor so that "whatever is in his bowels and skins shall be dissolved. . ."

Sure the Muslim religion may be practiced in this country, no one is denying that, as their is already over 2,000 Mosques in existence. But not there. Not that close to a place where many Americans souls were lost. Not where so many children were made orphan that day by a religion practice by radical Islamic Terrorist who decided that they wanted their 72 virgins now!

I read that in Holy times when Muslims conquered a land they would then build a Mosque on that land representing their triumph. Well we have not been defeated. This Imam warned us that if the Mosque is not built at Ground Zero there could be very dangerous violence both overseas and here, on this very soil that has not fully healed from 9/11. Why? Why must it be built at that exact spot. Donald Trump offered to buy that property and pay 25% over the actual value. The Imam's attorney turned it down immediately saying that it was Trump's way of getting publicity. This Imam will not condemn Hamas, the terror group that Jimmy Carter befriended. This Imam said that Obama, I mean Osama Bin Laden was American made and that we brought the violence of 9/11 upon ourselves. We did. By not being a believer in the Koran. According to what you may learn in a Mosque, they, the Muslim, believer in Allah is to" seek out all Infidels, search under rocks and behind trees. And when you find them, remove their heads from their shoulders and their fingertips from their hands!" Those twin towers may not have been trees and we were not hiding behind them. But they found us and did just what the Koran preaches to do to Christians, Jews and all unbelievers!

I am sick and tired of all of the tolerance that Americans are supposed to exercise. Tolerance of abortion, tolerance of homosexuality, tolerance of other religions before our own, tolerance of sex ed being taught in schools, tolerance of reverse racism and tolerance of the government having a hand in every corner of our lives! Well I refuse to tolerate anymore. And you should too! Let us not insight violence, but stand up and be heard.

I heard a little third grade girl say this about the Mosque controversy. "Just because someone has the right to do something, it does not make it right." So simple yet so very true! It is not right to build this Mosque that close to our still open wound. If you cannot see that, then you are as ignorant and indignant as any radical Muslim that holds those violent beliefs.

I will leave you with this last quote from the Koran, "Believers take neither Jews or Christians for your friends." These enemies are real. Though we should not be afraid, we should fear what they might do to us if we don't stand up and stop this madness before it gets out of control. Because in the end, this is still OUR United States of America! OUR land of the free and most importantly the HOME OF THE BRAVE! Be brave America and let us never forget. And for once let us have ZERO TOLERANCE!

Chris Kalna