5 Things On My Mind: The Montgomery magic only runs so far for Blues
Yes, Patrick Mahomes gets calls from refs like every other sports megastar.
The most polarizing President in history may be stepping back into the oval office today, but there are more pressing matters like what you’re having for lunch tomorrow. Don’t forget to pack it and then proceed to forget it’s lunch time before ordering like I do when noon runs up on you.
Look, I could pull my own mood down into the gutter with depressing thoughts and useless rage over the new guy in office, or I can keep doing my thing and avoid the traffic of political discussion that only divides crowds and deletes subscribers from my list. Every voter is a movie fan. In the end, it’s not worth it. Keep doing you, head down and mood up, and let’s get into another round of things on my mind.
Before we get into the best salad in town, let’s discuss a few other things that have been kicking around the head. Instead of five ruminations, we’ll do a few questions and one recommendation.
1. Triple digits or single digits?
This 1982 baby will choose frigid temps over insane heat due to bugs and rude humidity 99% of the time, but the cold does find you anywhere when it’s in the teens or singles. For instance, the confines of our warehouse aren’t exactly cold so there’s no escaping this latest round of icy temps. Most would agree that this is worse than having it be 101 outside and 105 inside, but I don’t belong to that group. For me, putting layers on is still less annoying than pulling them off due to soaked sweat or pure stink.
I am the guy who can stand in a warehouse full of cold folks and be at ease in two layers. Upon seeing this today, one of my co-workers called me superhuman. It’s more like being annoyed by having to wear so many layers and not minding the idea of shivering. If the frostbitten-scarred hands weren’t so vulnerable, the enjoyment level would be even higher. Keep the icy roads and heavy snow, but leave the cold temps.
2. Why is a film like September 5 being delayed for release in St. Louis?
A question posed by subscriber Todd over the weekend is a good one. With all the other early awards releases rolling out in St. Louis this month, why was this true story thriller held back? Academy voters already have a screener, as do any awards group still needing to screen it. The Oscars being delayed doesn’t bear much of an impact.
The most likely reason is that St. Louis and Missouri don’t carry the same weight that they did before the pandemic, at least when it comes to film releases. Most films start on the coasts and make their way into the Midwest, hopefully. Without any true stars or a known director, these films can fall through the cracks. Movie theaters know what they can and can not take on in this much different movie landscape.
When it does find the light of day, track it down. It’s a taut, well-acted film that’s only 95 minutes long. It celebrates a time when sports broadcasting stepped outside their bounds and made history while terrorists tried their best to rewrite the once bright future of the 1972 Olympic Games.
3. Do the NFL refs give Patrick Mahomes extra calls?
Sure they do. Don’t get it twisted. Tom Brady got those calls too. Greg Maddux got the outside corner from the umpires unlike other starters. Lebron James can bitch about a foul and get a call. Stars of the game have gotten a bonus for decades. Does that directly help Mahomes win a game? I can’t jump on board there. Too many variables in play. While it doesn’t hurt, the effect can’t be easily measured.
If you want to get a ruler out and measure the effect, go ahead. Just sleep at night knowing none of what happens on that field affects you at all. I accept the fact that top players in the league get a little extra help from officials, but it doesn’t reach the level of deciding a game. Sad but true. If you want a game undeterred by humans, watch golf. Until something changes, appreciate the wide range appeal of a special athlete in Mahomes.
4. The 2024-25 St. Louis Blues are an enigmatic bunch
On one hand, I’d make a bet that Jim Montgomery’s team could reach the playoffs. They’re carrying 48 points into tonight’s game against Vegas (they’re up 1-0 at time of this writing), which puts them three points behind the second wildcard spot. The Flames, whom the Blues beat twice last week, own the coveted second spot. Colorado has the other one and Vancouver sits between the Flames and Blues. On the other hand, I don’t think the team has the fuel in their truck to climb over a few teams into the postseason. The sad thing is, once there it could turn into anything. This much is known from six years ago.
Still, Monty’s magic has its bounds. He’s improved the special teams and jacked the scoring up a few notches, but the team can’t win three games in a row. They’re one of the few without a winning streak. Lou Brown would be so displeased. A lot of things are going right or better for St. Louis. The scoring is potent and versatile, and the power play doesn’t resemble five stick hockey guys in a frozen mall parking lot anymore. They just need to pull it all together for a long winning streak.
One day, St. Louis sports teams won’t make everything so difficult. I’m talking to you too, City SC. Don’t be a fucking t-shirt of the week!
5. Who you voted for doesn’t have to define you
We vote once every four years, unless you’re the one who sits out if there are zero worthy candidates (a wise practice perhaps lately). If your candidate won, then let’s fucking go! Mine didn’t but there’s no inclination in me to disrupt my way of life. I don’t need to rain on everyone’s parade who voted for Trump; we cross paths too often in St. Louis for me to carry a grudge against all of them. What happened is official now and doesn’t have to define who you are as a person.
Sounds like tiring work. I vote, see how the chips fall, and get on with my life. Is that a privilege? That’s your call, but it’s earned every single day with my daily job and how I treat people. The amount of times my parents told me to define my being on who I voted for in the last election is equal to the amount of World Series titles that Mike Matheny has in his home. I used this quote yesterday in the TikTok piece, from John Turturro aka Jack Stone in a great HBO miniseries:
Everyone's got a cross to bear, Naz... Pardon the expression... fuck 'em all. Live your life.
Tomorrow, I’ll get up and avoid as much political chatter as possible. From here on out, this very moment, it’ll only get worse and that’s only considering the voters. Some will get violent, because it’s a valid reason in their mind. Hopefully, the majority just stay civil.
Thanks for reading and don’t forget what I said about the Caesar salad.