Oh, so you have heard. I guess the perpetual commercials on television, the unmissable billboards lining the highways and the continuous publicity events throughout the city must have clued you in.  Probably the most obvious and recognizable of the publicity campaigns are the miniature arches that have invaded famous St. Louis sites.

Major League Baseball Properties, in conjunction with the City of St. Louis, the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Sports Commission, has completed the installation of fifteen, ten-foot tall All-Star themed arches produced by MLB-licensee Forever Collectibles. [morelink]

"The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is such an iconic national landmark that we realized right from the start that there could be no better symbol for our All-Star Summer," said Howard Smith, Senior Vice President, Licensing, Major League Baseball. "The Arches on Parade are a fun way for fans to get in the All-Star spirit, and we hope the miniature Arches will be a memorable keepsake for everyone."

The arches can be seen at Keiner Plaza, St. Louis City Hall, Forest Park, Government Plaza in Clayton and the Old Post Office.  Each arch displays a baseball different theme; subjects like the American League, the National League, vintage Cardinals history and the World Series Championships.

Fans can purchase their own miniature versions of the arches by buying them online from MLB.com or at the Cardinals Team Store.

Some people just can't let go of their schoolyard days when recess spelled freedom and glory came from the ability to send a red ball sailing over the blacktop. It is these people, big kids still trying to back up their blacktop smack talk, who are the people contributing to the growth of adult kickball leagues all across the country.

In the St. Louis area, there are a few kickball leagues that are stable and have a substantial amount of participation. The largest of these leagues is run by Big Ball Kickball. Ted McCluskey is one of those big kids who is happy he returned to the schoolyard for a few more "at-bats" with the red rubber ball.  McCluskey started the Big Balls Kickball league out of Tower Groves Park in the fall of 2007.  The first season he had about 236 players participating.

"You can imagine the looks I got when I told family and friends I was quitting my job to start a kickball league," McCluskey said. "Honestly, it's been a lot of work, but even more fun. It's been a blast for the players too, because they keep coming back and keep recommending the league to their friends." [morelink]

Apparently the word-of-mouth recommendations worked. McCluskey has built his league up to be the biggest in the Midwest and the 4th largest in the entire country.  In terms of participation numbers, the league has seen a 1,200% growth since it started and now expects over 3,000 players and 162 teams in this year's upcoming summer session. The organization of the league surpasses anything you could have worked out during the thirty-minute elementary school recess period.

McCluskey sites two big ideas as to why adult kickball leagues are growing in popularity. First, there is a surprise factor incorporated with being a member of an adult kickball league. Just try explaining how you scraped up your knees diving into third base during a particularly intense game. "What? You play kickball?" Most people won't be able to get beyond that idea, let alone the idea that you attempted to slide into third base. Second, kickball is also  "damn fun" since there is a huge social network tied in with it.

"It's coed, you don't have to possess all star talent, and it's an excuse to go hang out and have a beer with your friends in the park. The teams come out, bring their coolers, watch other teams play and go visit the local bars afterwards." McCluskey said. "Big Balls Kickball has established many great relationships with locally owned bars and businesses, especially in the Tower Grove area."

While most of the divisions within Big Balls Kickball are completely recreational, McCluskey has seen quite a demand for competitive play. Big Balls now offers competitive and intermediate coed divisions in addition to all the recreational divisions.

"Watching these kickballers play is intense." McClusky said. "With diving catches and sliding plays into home you feel like you're watching ESPN replays right there in Tower Grove Park."

Maybe soon we will be watching kickball on ESPN. The Big Balls league has a traveling professional team aptly named the "St. Louis Big Ballers". The Big Ballers got their start in October 2008 and have already competed in Fort Lauderdale and won first place in the Iowa City Tournament. Later this year the team will head to Little Rock, Chicago, Columbia and New York. With competition expanding everyday, the team has just begun to see where their kickball skills can take them.

The summer league's opening day is June 20. For more information about Big Balls Kickball go to http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=stlbigballs and also check the site to learn about the charity work the league does and the fundraiser tournaments it plans to host.

On Saturday, April 4, 2009, Women’s Professional Soccer made dreams come alive as the heroes in green and grey stepped out on to the field for the first time.  That night, the Saint Louis Athletica brought new excitement to the area in their debut game at Ralph Korte Stadium. Although there was not a lot of media coverage or promotion surrounding the game, over 5,000 people came out and watched these women play their first game and give it their best. In the end, the Athletica lost to the Chicago Red Stars.  The Red Stars were led by captain Lindsay Tarpley, who netted the first, goal in the team's franchise history, giving her team a 1-0 victory.  The Athletica were lead by Hope Solo who made seven saves in the game.  The ladies are back in action Aprill 11th, when the travel to Cambridge Massachusetts to play the Boston Breakers. [gallery]

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Ok, now that we are all on the same page, I present to you...

"The Short List of Things That Aren't as Awesome as David Backes"

[Please make that trumpets sound in your head right now.]

• Those plastic things on the tips of your shoe laces.
• The Red Wings.
• This dude.
• Pujols (Just until Monday.)
• You.

Note, no one or thing should take offense to being on this list.  David Backes and his 4 goals, including the clutch answer goal in the 3 period make him pretty damn awesome.

DURING:

• "How are we up 81-66 and the broadcast is still all about Memphis?" -ptdsp02-
• "Calipari will have plenty of time to cry here in a few minutes." -Clay-
• "Isn't the cheer 'Lets Go Tigers!' kind of a dumb move for both sides for this game?" -Mike-
• "If they don't stop showing Calipari, I'm gonna..." -Yours truly-
• "That shot was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Talk about instant redemption after that blown 3-point shot call right before this!" -Jeff-

AFTER:

• "You hear that? Its the sound of the price going up for Mike Anderson." -Mike-
• Liz is "still amazed by Denmon's shot heard 'round the world!"
• "To all those people at the gym tonight who were making fun of me for wearing a Mizzou t-shirt...TAKE THAT!" -Matt-
• Kevin is "thanking God Mizzou didn't collapse."
• "What a night for Mizzou. They advance to Elite 8 on the three-year anniversary of Mike Anderson's hiring." -miklasz-
• Andrew is "feeling SHAQTASTIC that MIZZOU is in the Elite 8!!!"
• "From Sweet to Elite...Mizzou-rah!" -Jennifer-
• "Go Mizzou! What else did we learn tonight? My bracket is in shambles and Duke is slipping away..." -Dan-

Eight is great, but four is more boys. Good luck against Connecticut on Saturday! M-I-Z-

According to most males I've talked to, despite how they feel about the Rams, they are incredibly supportive of the Rams Cheerleaders. Go figure. For the ladies who are just as supportive of St. Louis' peppiest women, you have until May 5 to fill out an application to try out for the squad. For the rules and requirements, including having to wear a crop top and briefs, click here. If you choose to try out, good luck, and make sure you bring a head shot and resume to the auditions.

On a side note, did you know that the Rams Cheerleaders each make $75 per game? Interesting...

Mizzou made it to the "Sweet Sixteen" for the NCAA men's basketball after yesterday's nail-biter against Marquette. Tiger fans are keeping the faith and hoping that make it all the way to the championship game on April 6 and take it, of course. But hold the phone, April 6 is the final game? That means St. Louis is going to have to do some fancy footwork because Opening Day for our beloved "Boys of Summer" is also on April 6.

Tip off for the basketball finals is at 8:21pm and the Cardinals' first pitch flies at 3:15pm. That leaves St. Louis with only about one hour between the end of the baseball game and the beginning of the basketball game; good news for those who plan to watch them both from the comforts of home, but what about all those tailgates and after-parties that are Opening Day traditions? Looking at this from an optimist's standpoint (i.e. Mizzou will be playing) it is going to be all out sports mayhem in St. Louis April 6th, how are you going to cope?

It will be a tough one for sports fans all over our city, maybe we should just declare the 6th and the 7th state-wide holidays if Mizzou makes it all they way and put all this picking and choosing to rest.

Since St. Louis is playing host to the MLB's All-Star Game this summer, I thought that they would try to do something really awesome with what is supposed to be Ballpark Village. But according to STLtoday, cool-ness is out the window. The Cardinals announced today that their plan is to construct a softball field and a parking lot. Wow. How grand.

Hopefully they stick to their claim that this is a "temporary" substitution for the original $365 million plan, but at least the parking part of the design is practical.

While the Cards are busy training in Florida, St. Louis' hard-core baseball fans are getting pumped up for the season to get underway. We're already prepared to paint the town red, but a few of the team's newly released TV spots should really get us ready to "Play Like a Cardinal." Of course, Fredbird hams it up for the cameras, but Pujols, Ludwick, Wainwright, Molina, Carpenter and a few other favorites on the roster also make some entertaining appearances.

Click on [tab:video] to watch Fredbird's disappointing lunchtime discovery, how stadium maintenance crews are preparing for 'Hurricane Albert,' which HOF closer the current bullpen is channeling and whether or not Pujols has a secret identity.

• Head here for more on St. Louis' athletes of the week, including Kevin Pettiford, a 5-10 senior guard from Belleville East who scored a game-high 41 points and set a school record for most assists in one game (18) in the school's win over rival Belleville West.
• Sheldon Richardson, the much-hyped and (possibly) two-way football player from Gateway Tech will have his chance to be an in-state hero after signing with Missouri.
• When Bobby Peeble sunk his shot right at the buzzer for McClure North's narrow 57-55 victory over Chaminade recently, he had no idea that he was about to snag a spot on SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays.
• Despite missing two of their key players, Fort Zumwalt West's girls' basketball team managed to beat Oakville in the Class 5 sectional game.
• The Lester twins from Eureka both managed to win a state title in Class 4 wrestling. Different weight class, same skills on the mats.

When: Saturday, March 14
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Where: The Scottrade Center
Cost: Ticket prices vary - go here to buy yours

Quick history lesson: These dunking, swooping, spinning masters have been around since 1926, where they got their start in Chicago. They are known just as much for their ability to be entertaining as they are their skills on the court, and it's no wonder - they have more than 20,000 exhibition games under their belts. Granted, none of the original members are still a part of the Globetrotters, but if legends like Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain, Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton and Earvin "Magic" Johnson once graced the roster, you know they've gotta' be good. St. Louis' former baseball great Lou Brock even played with the Harlem Globetrotters at one point.

Enjoy this spectacle for all ages, and if your kiddos are really enthralled by the spinning and dunking, sign them up for the Globetrotters' summer camp here in July.

It's almost time for March Madness, but before that awesomeness occurs, Arch Madness is coming to St. Louis. The Missouri Valley Conference starts their bracket play tonight, and Missouri State is going to need their area alums to cheer on their 8:35 p.m. game against Wichita State.

Friday and Saturday's games will be broadcasted on FSN Midwest, but Sunday's big championship game will air on CBS. Head here for the complete schedule, and if you're an alum of any of those ten schools, put on your face paint and get your butt over to the Scottrade Center. The Anheuser-Busch Fan Fest (Friday through Sunday) looks pretty fun, too.

Local sports enthusiast and former high school sports coach, Annie Fitzpatrick, commented on the Jansen versus Downey prize fight saying, "I was definitely watching the game, and last night's fight was a total anomaly. It lasted for almost two minutes and that's rare since they're almost always broken up early. "

I admit to being a baseball fan at heart, and that all other sports fall into the 'nothing else to watch' category of entertainment between seasons. With that admission I am desperately searching for an explanation for hockey fights. Audrey, ToastedRav's resident hockey fan, explained to me, "It is just as big a part of hockey as celebrating after a touchdown." She added that it is part of what keeps the fans interested and happy even if the team is crushed, which definitely helps explain the 'Muhammad Ali on Ice' spectacular that we witnessed last night.

So how about it Blues fans, are you all really going to the fight to see if a hockey game breaks out?

Former Blues player Jeff Brown brings his St. Louis hockey experience to the Bandits as their head coach, and the players themselves hail from everywhere from Canada to right here in St. Louis. When ToastedRav caught wind of how well the team was doing, we decided to get a feel for what Brown and his Bandits are all about. To get to know the Bandits a bit better (and to see why I would never make the team), check out [tab:trav_video].

If you haven't heard of them, this weekend would be the perfect time to watch them work their magic with a puck. The NAHL's number-one ranked team is 36-8-6 going into this weekend's series against Team USA. Enter to win free tickets to the Bandits' games this weekend by clicking on [tab:contest], but keep in mind the contest ends Thursday evening to give you hockey fans enough time to pick up your tickets before the series. As an added bonus, the games this Friday and Saturday night - both at 7:15 p.m. - will have face-painting for the kiddo and interesting icy entertainment during the intermissions.