In our lifetime, we’ve seen many things DISAPPEAR!   Streetcars; neighborhood grocery stores; men walking down the middle of the street yelling, ”STRAWBERRIES”; children playing at the local park/school yard during the day w/o adult supervision, salesmen at clothing shops, etc, etc.  So too in the sports world.

…the DISAPPEARANCE of the SLU Billikens from the Mo Valley Conference is still bewildering to some.

 The ranking system by the NCAA NET system rates the Valley above the A-10. Both Conferences are rated in the 3^rd Tier level of competition (there are only 3 tiers). The A-10 has not brought the luster expected only longer, more expensive trips for ALL the SLU  teams—not just the basketball team. Due to the distance, rivalries (where fans from the rival can attend away games) are very minimal for SLU.

…in the NBA, there has been the DISAPPEARING of HUGE SALARIES for the “BIG MEN”. According to research from ESPN’s Bobby Marks, eight of the 10 highest-paid players in the NBA in 1997-98 were centers. Things have changed. In part due to the 3 point line that emphasizes the outside play by the guards, no center was among the league’s top 20 salaries in 2019-20. Currently, there is 1 center in the TOP 10 of highest paid NBA players. He’s Nikola Jokić-star for the Denver Nuggets.

…Not only has the pay scale been modified in the NBA but also the style of play. In 2004-05, an average NBA game included 18.5 pick-and-roll plays. This year, that figure reached 41.8/game!

Further in 2004-05, an average NBA game included 22.7 post-up plays. This year, that number crashed down to less than ½ as many–10.6 post ups. Clearly the NBA game is played on the perimeter much more often than feeding the post & clearing out. Thank YOU 3 point line!!

…. The trend of making St Louis DISAPPEAR in the Soccer World continues. U.S. Soccer has finalized the format for the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. It will include 96 teams from across the amateur & professional ranks playing a total of 95 games from March to September. Teams from the MLS (div I & II). Division II teams are from USL Championship tourney. Teams from USL, NISA & MLS Next Pro comprise Div III. Overall, this year’s edition of the tournament will feature the most First Round matchups between amateur and professional teams in the tournament’s 109-year history, more than doubling the previous amount of 16. If you’re waiting to find a team from the Lou…stop looking—there isn’t one!!! City SC president Diego Gigliani expressed his displeasure in the kindest of ways when he said, “Our preference would have been to be able to play in this competition. … Every decision that (MLS) needs to make … you’re bound to find places where part of the teams are in support and part of them have different opinions.”

..in the NHL, playoffs are everything….the regular season is just a forerunner for the post-season. Which NHL team(s) have DISAPPEARED with the most losses in the 1^st round games? New Jersey has lost 66– 1^st round playoff games; Pittsburgh Penguins have dropped 51– 1^st round games. Vancouver has dropped 48 first round games. On the sunny-side up version…at least they MADE the Playoffs 😊

…We always hear it in football….don’t let the ball DISAPPEAR from your offense– Either by fumbles or interceptions. Sure enough… which teams have the fewest fumbles since 2000 in the NFL… to no one’s surprise, New England(considering the long run of championships )  has the fewest fumbles (477)that cause their offense to DISAPPEAR. Since 2000, the next best teams are: Houston Texans are 2^nd with 528 fumbles. In the 3^rd spot is the Green Bay Packers with 529. KC Chiefs are 4^th in fumbles with 534.  Eliminating fumbles/turnovers keeps the victory door open longer for teams.

…In the MLB, the game has seen the DISAPPEARANCE OF THE STARTING PITCHER going “deep” into the game. While Starting Pitchers are bigger, stronger, and probably better prepared for the MLB than past decades, they just can’t go as long as in the past. Starting pitchers are throwing fewer innings than ever. Just look at this data:  starters threw 69% of the innings in 1975 while in 2024 starting pitchers throw only 40%  of the innings! Causes vary—starting pitches often take too many pitches to retire a batter. Strikeouts seem to be the goal…not “outs”. Hence, many more pitches.

…For years, the lower seeds prior to the March Madness Tourney (NCAA Tourney) were almost a guarantee NOT to reach the go deep into the NCAA Tournament. That idea has DISAPPEARED! Here’s the REAL version of the March Madness seed history:1) In 1985, NCAA Tourney was won by #8 seed-Villanova. The lowest seed to reach the Final Four was the (#11) seeds. They were —2006-George Mason; 1986-LSU; 2011-VCU; Loyola-Chicago-2018; in 2021- #8 UCLA reached the Final four. The latest #11 seed to reach the Final Four was in 2024-@#15 N. Carolina ST. The  lowest seed to make the men’s Elite Eight was Saint Peter’s in 2022.  Florida Golf Coast reached the Elite Eight in 2013. So much for double digit seeds not going deep in the March Madness.

….Starting pitchers now disappear before the 6^th inning in many games. Look @ the Cards 3 ol’ timers this year (Lynn, Gibson, Mikolas—all of them are 35 years of age or older) getting through 5 innings as well as our ace  pitcher– Sonny Gray, who is 34 years old, has 52 inn in 9 starts (5.77 inn/start). Continuing down the ’24 staff Lance Lynn has 11 starts/57.1 inn= 5.2inn/start. Kyle Gibson 65 inn/11 starts-5.9 inn/start. Miles Mikolas 59 inn/11 games equals 5.4 inn/start. Relying on your bullpen to get 12+ outs per game wears on that part of the staff.  Starters must go deeper and (other than the closer) relief pitchers need to pitch 2 innings or more with some regularity.

….Why can’t the 2024 staff match our starters of 2000? Take a look at this Cardinal 2000 staff–Daryl Kile (20-9) was our ace—232 inn in 32 starts-averaged 6.8 inn/start; Andy Benes (12-9 record)-27 starts-167 inn (3 relief appearances)-6.18 inn/start; Pat Hentgen (15-12- record) 200 inn in 32 start-5.87inn/start; Garrett Stephenson(16-9 record)-6.15 inn/start. This 2000 staff certainly wasn’t comprised of All-Stars or HOF’ers. Yet .. they all were over..or very close to… 6 innings per start!! Compare those numbers to our current 2024 staff. Don’t tell me that these starting pitchers can’t go deep because they throw fastballs. 

…..Younger pitchers should work on throwing strikes, especially the 1st pitch, to take command of each batter. Outs (and fewer pitches) are the goal…not strikeouts. Btw…watch the Trio of Cards grey-beards as they travel through the 2nd half of the season. They’ve had a strong 1^st half, can they keep their sharp control & ball movement in the 2^nd half of the season at their age?

….again in the MLB, the continued DISAPPEARANCE of African-Americans continues on the 2024 rosters. This year, just 6.2% of the players were African-Americans on opening day rosters (down from 7.2% last year).  Both figures are the lowest recorded since 1991 (when study began) when 18% of players were African-American. Right now, the number of Black professional baseball players is at an all-time, historic low. The 2022 World Series marked the first time since 1950, 3 years after Jackie Robinson made his MLB debut in 1947, integrating the league, “that did not feature a single Black person born in the United States” in the World Series.

…. New MLB development pipeline programs are trying to change that trend for the future. One factor is “budding” young stars compete in Travel Baseball. Travel Baseball(often referred to as “select” baseball IS VERY GOOD for development but it is costly. Many youngsters, White & Black players, can not afford the expense. Hence, they miss out on the experience. MLB should contribute some money to have quality coaches with these select teams. Those players could, maybe SHOULD, be future MLB players. Further, they should contribute to the cost of the team for ALL the players.

…Well…it’s time for me to DISAPPEAR for another week. Please spread the word to sports friends & relatives.  Put your thoughts on my website or send to me & I’ll put it on for you. Thanks for your time & read!  Bob