Leading Off...

The red "2010" now on display at the "Zimm."
The Cardinals look for an even more successful 2011.

If you were to walk into the Cardinal locker room, I am confident that you would be welcomed by a Cardinal player with a greeting that has become all too familiar among the players. So, I welcome you to "A Bloop and A Blast" with the same "Wha'sup, Wha'sup" greeting that players use toward each other. These sorts of things---the inside jokes, the bullpen shenanigans, the secret handshakes, the superstitious pre-game routines---are the intangibles that make being part of a baseball team one of the most awesome experiences one could have in life. It is my hope that this blog will serve as a forum for the Cardinal family members, friends, and fans to gain a little insight into the team---to feel part of the Cardinal tradition.

In addition to reporting on the team, it is also my hope that you, the reader, will hear from players, fans, and other coaches to gain their perspective of the Cardinals' season. The men have endured six weeks of 5:00 AM in-door practices. They have experienced the season opening road trip to central Indiana canceled due to weather minutes before loading the bus to leave campus. They have earned their first two victories of the season 15-6 and 6-2 over UW-Platteville last weekend. The excitement to get out on the field and play again is palpable. 

So "Sit back, relax and strap it d...."---WHOA WHOA WHOA--- my bad! I will have you know that you sox (no capitalization deserved) fans out there will find no words of good fortune here for the south-siders. As a native of northeast Ohio, I proudly proclaim GO TRIBE!!! I will not apologize for the periodic rants I will post venting about the play of either the sox or my Cleveland Indians. Plus, a future post will let you in on the details of the friendly wager that some of the Cardinal players and I have when it comes to the CLE/cws rivalry. 

However, I do hope that all of you enjoy the insights into the 2011 North Central College Cardinals to come! Check back soon as we are gearing up to take on the Fighting Engineers of Rose-Hulman later today in Terra Haute, IN.

GREAT DAY TO BE A CARDINAL!!!