Baily's Sports & Stuff

The Cardinals lost and won the same World Series. David Freese won it for them. Allen Craig won it for them. The Rangers lost it for them. After a thrilling Game 6 where the Rangers lost the World Series three times in one game, Chris Carpenter and Yadier Molina helped the Cardinals finish Texas off in the World Series. Game 7 was interesting to see, but Game 6 was what really lost this World Series for Texas. Jaime Garcia was ineffective, and the Rangers were up by 2, and they needed one more strike. All of the sudden, David Freese whacked a ball the opposite way, just over the head of Nelson Cruz, who probably should have run down the ball. Ryan Theriot and Lance Berkman tied the game again in the tenth, and... David Freese stepped up again. In Game 7, he hit a two-run double to tie the game, and made a great catch on defense. Allen Craig hit a home run and robbed another one, as well as catching David Murphy's deep fly to end the series. This World Series had every

Michigan State was losing, then winning, then tied, then going for a hail mary. Caught! Wait, just short. Overtime in East Lansing. No, hold on. Touchdown! Spartans win! Keith Nichol caught a deflected hail mary to send Michigan State to a 37-31 win over Wisconsin, which looks to set up a likely Leaders vs Legends battle in the Big 10 Championship game. The Spartans fell behind 14-0, but went on a 31-3 run to take a comfortable double-digit, final quarter lead. However, Russell Wilson couldn't be stopped in the fourth quarter, and he tied the game up. Michigan State almost fumbled the ball away in field goal range, but luckily a lineman recovered, and helped set up the big play, the instant ESPN classic, in the blink of an eye. Kirk Cousins heaved the pass into the air, and it went off the fingertips of a Wisconsin Badger, off the chest of a Spartan, and into the anxious hands of Keith Nichol. Nichol fought with every ounce of strength in his slowly tiring body, as di

Allen Craig wasn't thinking about what could be if he made a clutch hit. His eyes were locked in on the pitcher, ready to make something happen. And when Nelson Cruz's glove failed to come up with the ball, he did. Craig's slicing liner proved to be the difference in the Cardinals Game 1 win over the Rangers, where many players shined. Now, St. Louis has the momentum, and the edge. Marc Rzepczynski got two key strikeouts, Jason Motte got the save, Arthur Rhodes got a key out in his first World Series appearance, and Chris Carpenter got the win, giving up just two runs in six innings. On the batting side, David Freese got the go-ahead run, Lance Berkman hit a two-run single, and Matt Holliday and Albert Pujols had a run. With St. Louis on the board first, they now are three wins from capturing the World Series title they have craved so much since that magical '06 journey. Neutralizing some of Texas' stars was the key in this one. Ian Kinsler did nothing,

The Texas Rangers and the San Francisco Giants meshed together to create an interesting World Series. Now, with the St. Louis Cardinals and their functioning bats, the World Series is just going to be that much interesting. St. Louis survived Milwaukee and advanced to the World Series with the 12-6 win, in which David Freese, Albert Pujols, and Rafael Furcal homered. Marc Rzepzynski got the win for the Redbirds. St. Louis took a 4-0 lead early and never gave it up. David Freese hit a Shaun Marcum slider out, and Rafael Furcal and Albert Pujols took Chris Narveson deep. Pujols and the Cardinals have averaged 10 runs per game in Milwaukee, while Texas has averaged 9 runs per game in their last three games. So, unless Chris Carpenter or C.J. Wilson turns on the jets, no one is going to be slowed down. I'd bet you everything I own that just about no one expected these two teams to be here. Everyone liked New York, or Philadelphia, or Detroit or Milwaukee. St. Louis was ten

Milwaukee and St. Louis have been rivals for a long time, but none of their matchups have ever been this important. And none of the matchups have ever been more unexpected. The Brewers and Cardinals both held on in decisive Game 5's, as they advanced to the NLCS to fight for a berth to the Fall Classic. Nyjer Morgan and Chris Carpenter were the heroes. Morgan hit an RBI single with one out to send the Brewers on, while Carpenter dealt a three-hitter to send the Cardinals on past the heavily favored Phillies. The Comeback Cards, powered by Albert Pujols and the Rally Squirrel, were ten and a half games back with 32 games to play. The Atlanta Braves looked to easily have the division, wrapped up in a gold gift bag. But they gave that bag away to St. Louis, as the Braves lost their last five games, including the last game of the season, where Hunter Pence's opposite-field bloop ended the Braves season. That proved to be costly for the Phillies. While in the past, hea

Jose Valverde crouched down, pumped his fist, and exploded up. The Detroit Tigers poured out of the dugout, and in the blink of an eye, crowded Valverde. They had reason. The Tigers just took down the New York Yankees. After A.J. Burnett's stellar Game 4 performance, with the series coming back to Yankee Stadium, no one saw the Tigers completing the upset. But Doug Fister was great, and the Tigers did it. Don Kelly and Delmon Young hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, Victor Martinez hit an RBI single and Valverde converted his 51st save this year. Alex Rodriguez, who had struck out with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh, had the same fate in the 9th, as a Valverde slider got him swinging to end the series. After a long, hard-fought series where Delmon Young hit three important jacks and Miguel Cabrera packed some power into, it's the Tigers moving on to Arlington, where they take on C.J. Wilson and the Rangers. Justin Verlander, who was suppo

Dallas and Philadelphia both haven't gotten where they wanted. The Cowboys wanted to beat the Jets and plow over the 49ers and Redskins. But against the Lions, they thought they had the win, and the performance, they finally needed. Boy, were they wrong. Detroit rallied from a 27-3 deficit to stun the Cowboys, and San Francisco did the same (just a 23-3 deficit) in Philly. Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson hooked up for the winning touchdown. That connection, as well as Alex Smith's improvement, have proved key elements to the comebacks. The Eagles had the momentum, and they had Michael Vick. The Cowboys had Tony Romo. But that didn't prove anything. Andy Reid tried to milk the clock, and when the Niners got the lead, Jeremy Maclin fumbled away the game. Tony Romo threw three interceptions, two that were returned for touchdowns, the other setting up the winning score. And Matthew Stafford? He weaved together two drives like magic, hitting Calvin Johnson on great

About six years ago, Wisconsin sports wasn't much to look at. The Badgers, Packers, and Brewers were average, and the Bucks were struggling. Now look at where they are, with the Badgers as their leader. Wisconsin dominated the last three quarters against new Big Ten member Nebraska, outscoring them 41-3 to end the game in a 48-17 win, where the whole country got to see Russell Wilson. Camp Randall Stadium was rocking all game long, and they had great reason. The game was close until the second half, when Wisconsin pulled away. Bret Bielema's squads have been known to develop running backs, Montee Ball included. Ball rushed for 151 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Wilson threw two deep touchdowns to turn the tide of the game. Now, the seventh-ranked Badgers have grasped the country's attention. Sure, they played in a thrilling Rose Bowl last year. But now, with a quarterback who seems to make all the right decisions and two running backs who can do everything, Wiscons

Matt Moore? Who's Matt Moore? Isn't he that quarterback for the Miami Dolphins or something? Yes, but there's another Matt Moore who will become much more heralded. Moore, a southpaw making his second career start, blanked the Rangers and keyed Tampa Bay's 9-0 win over the Rangers in the playoff opener. Moore struck out six in seven innings. The kid's dominating fastball and powerful off-speed pitches were the masterful combo he used to punch out the Rangers, who had pounded opponents with power and speed, with their bats and on the paths. He was backed by three homers, two from catcher Kelly Shoppach, who isn't known for being a heavy hitter. Johnny Damon hit a two-run jack as well to back Moore and open the scoring. Tampa Bay only got two hits, both provided by Josh Hamilton. Moore may have had adrenaline rushing throughout his body, but he didn't show it. After striking out 11 against the Yankees in a big September 22 win, he got another huge W