Mike Dougherty's Blog

Weekend provides mixed bags for sports nuts

A Razorbacks-Red Wolves-Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals) fan had to make do with the Cardinals’ Saturday night win to clinch the National League Central Division for any sports-based happiness.

The loss to Alabama just shows how far the University of Arkansas has to go in recruiting to compete in the Southeastern Conference. Bobby Petrino is a good coach. He’s not the problem. The Hogs were outmanned on both sides of the ball and have not yet mastered blocking and tackling to the extent that they can be successful in the SEC.

Arkansas State played well against a good Troy team, but couldn’t close the deal in the Sun Belt Conference opener for both teams. The Red Wolves rallied from a 23-10 deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but fumbled a punt late in the game that could have kept the ball from the Trojans when they scored their winning touchdown. Now the Wolves go to Iowa City on Saturday to face the Iowa Hawkeyes, fresh off their upset of Penn State.

St. Louis is now in that strange no-man’s-land of what to do to get ready for the playoffs after a team has clinched its spot. Yes, having the best record would help with home-field advantage, but lately the Cardinals have played better on the road. Do you rest the regulars for a few days to heal bumps and bruises, or do you take Monday’s day off and then play your regulars and their alternates to remain (or become) sharp for the playoffs that start Oct. 7?

Tony LaRussa will surprise fans in some way with his choices for the postseason first-round roster. He always does. But he has the Cardinals back in the playoffs after a two-year absence that followed the surprise 2006 world championship, so we’ll just have to trust him.