>> Announcer: DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF THE BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND THE MEMBERS OF NINE PBS.

>>> YOU MAY HAVE HEARD MORE SUBPOENAS WERE DELIVERED IN CONNECTION WITH THE EVENTS AT THE CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6th.

BY THE WAY, CHARLIE IS OFF THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.

NO, THIS IS ALVIN REID, I'M SITTING IN FOR CHARLIE.

WE HAVE GUESTS TONIGHT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO START WITH WENDY WIESE FROM KTRS.

JOE HOLLEMAN SITTING IN FOR BILL McCLELLAN THIS WEEK, OF THE POST-DISPATCH.

RAY HARTMANN, ONE OF OUR FOUNDERS FROM KTRS AND ALSO RAWSTORY.COM, AND CHRISTINE BYERS FROM KSDK.

JOE, EYE GOING TO START WITH YOU.

I'M CARPENTERS UNION DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE.

I GUESS IT'S BEEN TAKEN OVER.

IS THAT THE RIGHT TERM TO USE?

BUT WE'RE BEING RUN BY THE CHICAGO OUTIF IT.

>> DON'T SAY OUTIF IT.

I THINK OUTIF IT IN CHICAGO HAS A -- OUTFIT IN CHICAGO HAS A WHOLE OTHER MEANING.

>> GOOD IT WHAT IS GOING ON, SERIOUSLY?

>> I WISH I COULD SHED SOME LIGHT ON THAT BECAUSE IT'S HIGHLY UNUSUAL AND NOT IDEAL TO HAVE AN OUT-OF-TOWN OUTFIT TO RUN A LOCAL UNION.

I JUST HAVE A FEELING THERE'S SO MUCH MORE FOR THIS STORY WE DON'T KNOW.

I DO KNOW THEY BACKED SOME PROJECTS, THE UNION DID, THE CARPENTERS UNION DID, BUT THIS IS A PRETTY DRASTIC MEASURE, AND I JUST HAVE A FEELING WE'RE SCRAPPING THE SURFACE OF THIS STORY.

I THINK THERE'S MORE TO REPORT.

>> AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THERE'S MORE THAN JUST THE CARPENTERS WHO ARE AFFECTED BY THIS.

I MEAN, HOW MANY OTHER GROUPS ARE PART OF THAT UNION?

I KNOW FOR ONE, THE CORRECTIONS OFFICERS IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS BELONG TO IT AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A PRETTY HARD TIME THIS WE'RE WITH THINGS NOT GOING SO WELL AT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE CENTER DOWNTOWN AND THE OTHER WORKHOUSE PLACE, SO I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THIS AND A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.

>> AND IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF AN IMPACT THE CARPENTERS UNION'S SUPPORT OF SOMEBODY LIKE STEVE STENGER OR MARK MONT VANNY, BETTER TOGETHER WOULD HAVE IN CHICAGO, AND IT MADE ME PELL FEEL A LITTLE -- BECAUSE WHEN CHICAGO IS TAKING THE MORAL HIGH GROUND, THAT'S KIND OF -- A THAT KIND OF DOES MAKE YOU WONDER WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, BUT IT IS NOT JUST ST. LOUIS, CORRECT?

IT IS ALSO KANSAS CITY.

>> YES.

>> SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS STORY WILL BE DEVELOPING.

>> AND IT'S VERY RARE FOR A UNION TO GET THAT SIDEWAYS THAT THEY'RE BASICALLY DISSOLVED IN ESSENCE BECAUSE THEY BACKED WRONG CANDIDATES OR DID QUESTIONABLE PROJECTS.

UNIONS HAVE DONE THAT FOR A LONG TIME.

THIS IS A DRASTIC MOVE AND I JUST THINK THERE'S MORE NEWS TO COME OUT OF IT.

>> DO YOU THINK IT WAS THE BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK FAILURES?

>> IN POLITICS, NOT AT ALL.

>> I THINK JOE IS RIGHT.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO KNOW MORE.

COME BACK SIX MONTHS FROM NOW OR A YEAR OR MAYBE NEXT MONTH, I DON'T KNOW.

THIS STORY FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING TO HAVE -- GO IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

>> THIS STORY HAS LEGS.

>> AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE -- IT CAN'T BE ABOUT, OH, GEE, THEY SUPPORTED THE AIRPORT EXPANSION, THEY GAVE 350 TO MANTOVANI.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> IT'S NOT TO BE SOMETHING, AND I HAVE TO SAY, WE HEAR MORE ABOUT THE CARPENTERS UNION IN THAT CONTEXT OF POLITICAL CANDIDATES.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE -- I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WAS CARPENTERS, BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING -- I DON'T THINK WE'VE HEARD THE LAST OF IT.

>> A LOT OF UNIONS NOW HAVE BEEN PUT INTO A POSITION, I'M A MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES MEDIA GUILD, WHICH IS NOW ACTUALLY A DIVISION OF THE COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA.

>> WOW.

>> THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT GET ORGANIZED FOR UNION PROTECTION THAT'S NOT TRADE-SPECIFIC LIKE IT USED TO BE JUST BECAUSE THERE'S NOT AS MANY UNIONS AROUND.

SO THERE'S STRENGTH IN NUMBERS, SO YOU HAVE THESE SMALL GROUPS OF PEOPLE.

OUR CORRECTION WORKERS, WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A UNION AND UNIONS ARE OUT ACTIVELY TRYING TO RECRUIT MEMBERS BECAUSE OF THEIR DWINDLING NUMBERS.

SO IT'S NOT AS UNUSUAL NOW AS IT WAS 25 YEARS AGO.

I WASN'T SURPRISED WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THE CORRECTION WORKERS WERE PART OF SOME OTHER UNION.

THEY WERE LOOKING FOR REPRESENTATION, LOOKING FOR EXPERT BARGAINERS.

WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR THEIR CONTRACT AND THEY FEEL BETTER WITH A UNION AND IT MAY NOT BE LIKE OLD-SCHOOL CORRECTION WORKERS UNION, YOU KNOW.

THERE'S THESE BIG UMBRELLA ORGANIZATIONS.

>> WELL, YOU'RE HERE AS A COMMUNICATOR THEN.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT.

I THOUGHT YOU WERE HERE FROM THE POST.

YOU'RE HERE AS A COMMUNICATIONS GUY.

>> A COMMUNICATIONS GUY, A WORKER AND AN AMERICAN.

>> ALL ROLLED INTO ONE.

>> AT ONE TIME I THOUGHT THAT THE NURSES UNION AND THE GROCERY STORE WORKERS WERE ACTUALLY -- THAT WAS UNDER THE SAME UMBRELLA, WAS IT NOT?

>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT IS CORRECT BUT I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT THE TEAMSTERS, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDER THE TEAMSTERS UNION.

>> WHEN I WAS AT THE ATLANTIC, WE WERE GUILD SHOP AND IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY, WE WERE PART OF THE TEAMSTERS UNION.

I NEVER COULD FIGURE THAT OUT, BUT THE BENEFITS AND PAY WAS REALLY GOOD.

ALL RIGHT, THIS SEEMS REALLY FAR GO LIKE.

I'M SORRY, THIS IS ABOUT MONEY.

WOULD YOU ALL AGREE THIS IS SOME KIND OF ROUNDABOUT WAY ABOUT MONEY?

>> ISN'T EVERYTHING?

>> PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING WE TALK ABOUT ON THIS SHOW BOILS DOWN TO MONEY.

>> IT'S ALWAYS FOLLOW THE MONEY.

>> ALWAYS, YEAH.

>> SOMETIMES THROUGH SWITZERLAND, BUT WE'LL FIND OUT.

>> WE WILL FIND OUT.

RIGHT.

AT PARKWAY CENTRAL LAST THURSDAY, ACTUALLY, I GUESS IT WAS ON WEDNESDAY, RACIST GRAFFITI WAS FOUND.

THERE WAS A STUDENT WALKOUT ON THURSDAY, STUDENTS FOLLOWED UP AT PARKWAY NORTH AND THE NEXT DAY IT WAS LEARNED THAT A BLACK STUDENT WROTE THE GRAFFITI.

THERE WAS OUTCRY, LOTS OF COMMENTS -- ANY STORY THAT RAN ANYWHERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

CHRISTINE, WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE US NOW IN THE AFTERMATH OF WHAT OCCURRED AT THE END OF LAST WEEK?

>> SURE.

SO IT'S AN ACT OF VANDALISM, RIGHT?

AND WE SHOULD PREFER PASS THIS BY SAYING WE -- PREFACE THIS BY SAYING WE DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS JUST A KID WHO WANTED TO GET OUT OF CLASS AND THIS IS WHAT THEY DID.

WHAT I FIND TROUBLING ABOUT IT IS IT HAS GONE SO SILENT EVER SINCE THE RACE OF THE PERSON WHO DID THIS WAS REVEALED.

IT'S STILL A RACIAL ISSUE AND IT WAS USED IN THIS WAY THAT CAUSED A MAJOR DISRUPTION, CAUSED A LOT OF DISCUSSION THAT WENT ON, AND NOW IT'S JUST DISSIPATED AS IF IT HASN'T HAPPENED.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITH IT.

>> WELL, WHAT'S SO UNBELIEVABLE AND THEN WHEN I PREFACE SOMETHING BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST UNBELIEVE BUILDING AN AND THEN I THINK BACK TO WHEN I WAS IN, YOU KNOW, GRADE SCHOOL OR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL OR WHATEVER AND I WAS ESSENTIALLY A POTATO.

I MEAN, WHEN I WOULD HEAR ABOUT THREATS BEING CALLED IN, I DIDN'T KNOW THE GRAVITY OR THE SCOPE OF IT.

I KNEW IT WAS PROBABLY A PRANK, BUT IT STILL GOT EVERYBODY OUT OF -- YOU KNOW, GOT EVERYBODY OUT OF CLASS.

BUT WHAT I HOPE THIS YOUNG PERSON'S PARENTS ARE EXPLAINING IS WE'RE CULPABLE ENOUGH AS A NATION WITHOUT MAKING STUFF UP.

AND WHEN YOU MAKE STUFF UP DURING A VERY HIGHLY CHARGED PERIOD, A VERY HIGHLY CHARGED RACIAL PERIOD IN OUR COUNTRY, YOU'RE REALLY MUDDYING THE WATERS OR MUDDLING THE WATERS.

>> A COUPLE THINGS THAT POPPED TO MY MIND WAS, ONE, I THINK FOR SOME REASON, WE'VE DECIDED THAT ONE OF THE PRIME MOTIVATORS OF TEENAGERS IS NOT GETTING OUT OF SCHOOL.

AND SO I THINK THERE WAS A CERTAIN SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION WHO, WHEN THEY SAW IT HAPPEN, SAID THAT'S WHAT IT WAS, LIKE PULLING A FIRE ALARM.

>> YES!

>> LIKE CALLING IN A BOMB THREAT.

>> YES.

>> NOT THAT THERE AREN'T BOMB THREATS AND FIRES SOMEWHERE, BUT IT WAS USED TO GET OUT OF SCHOOL.

THAT WAS A POSSIBILITY.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT WE'VE BECOME -- SO MANY THINGS GET RUN THROUGH THE FILTER OF RACE THAT THIS BECAME IMMEDIATELY, THE FIRST STORY WHERE IT SEEMED AS IF IT WAS GOING TOWARD A WHITE STUDENT WROTE IT AND BLACK STUDENTS WALKED OUT.

MEDIA LOVED THAT STORY.

THEN WHEN THEY FOUND OUT IT WAS A BLACK STUDENT, MEDIA LOVED THAT STORY TOO BECAUSE IT WAS CLICKS.

I THINK THE THING IS, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT, IT WAS MUDDYING THE WATER AND I AGREE WITH THE POINT THAT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT RACISM IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE.

BUT WHAT IT DID WAS SERVE TO TRIVIALIZE IT AS AN ISSUE AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE DANGER COMES IN.

SO IF THERE'S ANY TALK BEING HAD, I WANT TO SAY, I GET WHATEVER YOU DID WHAT YOU -- BUT NOW WHAT YOU'VE DON'T YOU'VE GIVEN PEOPLE AN OUT TO SAY -- >> SEE?

>> -- HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM IS IT?

YOU CONTRIBUTED TO THE TRIVIALIZATION OF A MAJOR PROBLEM.

>> BUT THIS ISN'T -- I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS THE CURRENCY WITH WHICH WE DISCUSS RACE.

THESE KINDS OF STORIES, THE OUTRAGES, THE MINI -- THE MICRO STORIES INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT THE LARGER RACIAL ISSUES THAT ARE MOST DEFINITELY THERE AND NOT JUST AT PARKWAY, THROUGHOUT OUR CULTURE.

AS YOU SAY, THERE'S A HUGE RACIAL DIVIDE.

I DON'T THINK THIS TRIVIALIZES SO MUCH AS IT PLAYED IN TO OUR JUST -- AS I SAY, IT'S OUR CURRENCY, THE INHERENT TRIVIALIZATION OF THIS SUBJECT, AND BECAUSE IT'S SUCH GOOD CLICKBAIT, AS YOU POINT OUT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH DIRECTION IT WENT.

I THINK SOME PEOPLE WANT TO SAY, OH, LOOK AT THOSE PROTESTERS, LOOK HOW STUPID THEY LOOK.

THEY REALLY DON'T BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW AND THEIR EXPRESSION OF RAGE IS -- REFLECTS THEIR OVERALL FRUSTRATION.

SO IT REALLY -- IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE COULD ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES OTHER THAN IN THE LITTLE CLICKBAIT SITUATION.

>> AM I UNUSUAL IN THAT FOR 15 YEARS, MAYBE MORE, COMMENTS SECTION, THE BLACKER THE PERSON SOUNDS ON THE COMMENT, THE WHITER I THINK THEY MIGHT BE AND VICE VERSA?

FOR SOME REASON, I JUST KIND OF HAVE ALWAYS SAID, NAH, I -- THAT'S HOW I WAS ON THIS, TOO.

I WAS LIKE, LISTEN, ODDS ARE THAT IT WAS A WHITE STUDENT, BUT I'M NOT SHOCKED THAT IT TURNED OUT TO BE A BLACK STUDENT.

NOW, I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, JOE, IN THAT JUST WHY DO WE HAVE TO JUMP LIKE, OH, SOMEBODY WAS MAKING A STATEMENT A POINT, WHERE SOMEBODY JUST DID SOMETHING STUPID BECAUSE THEY HAD A TEST THAT DAY.

I'M GUILTY OF, I'LL BE THE BEST TO ADMIT.

>> I THINK IT BOILS DOWN TO WHERE EVERYTHING IS BOILED DOWN TO NOW, ARE YOU RED OR BLUE, CLICK A BOX, LET'S MOVE ON, CLICK A BOX, LET'S MOVE ON.

THERE IS NO DISCUSSION, IT'S JUST WHAT SIDE ARE YOU ON AND EVERYBODY VOTES AND NOW WE GO TO SOMETHING ELSE, A NEW FLAVOR OF THE MOMENT.

>> BUT ANYTHING THAT DEEPENS THE DIVIDE BETWEEN US, AS CHRISTINE SAID, IS REALLY DANGEROUS.

IT FEELS DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU HAVE GIVEN A LOT OF PEOPLE AN EXCUSE TO JUST TUNE OUT AND TURN OFF AND ALL OF THAT.

>> LIKE BOTH SIDES WANTED TO BELIEVE THE WORST ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE IMMEDIATELY.

>> MM-HMM, YUP.

>> THAT'S SAD.

>> IT IS SAD.

>> WELL, IN AUGUST '22, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLICK A BOX, OR AT LEAST REPUBLICANS ARE, FOR THEIR NEXT CANDIDATE FOR SENATE AND ERIC GREITENS PICKED UP SOME VERY IMPRESSIVE ENDORSEMENTS.

RUDDY GIULIANI AND MICHAEL FLYNN AND SOME OTHER FOLK.

RAY, I THINK -- I THINK THAT HELPS.

I THINK IN MISSOURI, THE MORE FAR RIGHT YOU ARE, THE MORE VOTES YOU'RE GOING TO ATTRACT.

>> FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'D GO WITH THE CHARACTERIZATION OF IMPRESSIVE, RUDY GIULIANI UNLESS YOU'RE A SHIRT TUCKING -- I DON'T THINK IT -- FIRST OF ALL, ENDORSEMENTS BY AND LARGE DONE REALLY MATTER VERY MUCH.

OBVIOUSLY IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE LAST, YOU KNOW, WANNA-BE DICTATOR, HIS ENDORSEMENT HELPS -- VOLDEMORT, HELPS IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

MICHAEL FLYNN AND RUDY GIULIANI ARE JUST CARTOON CHARACTERS.

I DON'T THINK THEY MATTER.

I DO THINK, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO SAY IT'S WISHFUL THINKING, THIS KIND OF THING PROBABLY HELPS THE DEMOCRATS AND I DON'T THINK IT IS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO WIN THIS RACE.

IT'S A LONG WAY TO GO AND WHETHER EITHER ERIC GREITENS AS THE CANDIDATE WHO IS CLEARLY SOMETHING -- THAT PROSPECT FREAKS OUT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, OR IT'S SOMEBODY IN A VERY DIVIDED RACE LIKE I WOULD GUESS ERIC SCHMITT IS TECHNICALLY THE FRONT RUNNER, I DON'T THINK THIS IS -- THIS IS NOT LIKE RUNNING AGAINST ROY BLUNT WHERE YOU CAN JUST CHECK THE BOX.

I THINK THIS COULD BE A COMPETITIVE RACE AND WE'LL SEE.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE.

THIS IS THE END OF THE QUARTER.

IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF LUCAS KUNTZ WHO RAISED A MILLION DOLLARS IN A HURRY IN THE FIRST QUARTER, IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HE DID IN THE SECOND QUARTER AND WHAT SCOTT SIMPSON DID, WHO'S A VERY RESPECTED FORMER STATE SENATOR WHO WAS BLOWN AWAY IN THE FUNDRAISING, WHICH IS NOT NOTHING.

AND SO THE DEMOCRATS, BOTH OF THEM HAVE A CHANCE, I THINK, IF THE REPUBLICANS ARE DIVIDED.

NOW, I DON'T THINK IN THE GENERAL IT'S GOING TO HELP THEM AT ALL.

>> HOW MUCH CAN THESE ENDORSEMENTS HELP GREITENS OVERCOME HIS IMAGE OF BEING ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT?

>> RUDY AND MICHAEL FLYNN?

I MEAN, THESE ARE GUYS THAT ARE NOT EXACTLY -- I MEAN THEY'RE LIKE CONVICTS.

>> MM-HMM.

>> WELL, ONE WAS PARDONED AND THE OTHER ONE MIGHT NEED A PARDON.

I'M TELLING YOU, YOU SOUND LIKE THEY'RE CARTOONS AND I DON'T MEAN THIS IN A FACETIOUS WAY ABOUT ALL OF US THAT LIVE IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI, BUT IN MANY WAYS WE'RE A CARTOON STATE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE, MAN, EVERY TIME YOU TURN AROUND, WE'RE MAKING NATIONAL NEWS FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS.

>> WE'RE PRESUMING A LOT.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW ERIC GREITENS IS GOING TO PERFORM IN DEBATES, ON THE PLATFORM, BECAUSE WE REALLY DON'T HAVE -- ANY PLATFORM BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN HIM IN ACTION FOR QUITE A WHILE EXCEPT WHEN HE WAS IN KANSAS CITY GIVING MASKS AWAY AND THAT KIND OF THING.

I THINK YOU'RE UNDERESTIMATING -- I MEAN, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS AS DIVIDED AS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AND THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO, MAYBE THEY'RE THINKING THAT GREITENS IS DOING A -- YEAH, HE'S DOING A FINE JOB, BUT IF YOU GET TOO MANY OUTLIER TYPE ENDORSEMENTS, I THINK THAT WILL ULTIMATELY END UP HURTING HIM.

I REALLY DO.

>> I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THE POINT AS IF THE MISSOURI DEMOCRATIC PARTY MARCHED WITH ONE VOICE.

>> RIGHT, OR THE NATIONAL -- OR THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

>> I THINK THAT'S A PRECIOUS IDEA THAT DOESN'T EXIST.

>> THE DEMOCRATS -- >> SURE.

>> AND I THINK IT WAS RALLYING THE TROOPS, IT WAS THE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR.

I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY PREDISPOSED TO SUPPORT ERIC GREITENS WILL BE HARD TENNED THAT FLYNN AND GIULIANI -- HEARTENED THAT 9 AND GIULIANI SHOWED UP FOR HIM.

DO I THINK IT'S GOT SOMEONE SITTING ON THEIR -- AND WE'RE GOING TO PAINT IT AS THE ANALYTICAL, LET ME LOOK AT THIS, THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GO, HEY, FLYNN AND GIULIANI, THAT SWINGS MY VOTE.

I THINK WHAT IT DID WAS BASICALLY RAH-RAH'D EVERYBODY ALREADY READY TO VOTE FOR ERIC GREITENS.

>> AND CERTAINLY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE READY TO VOTE FOR HIM SUPPORTED TRUMP, RIGHT?

AND TRUMP HAD HIS FAIR SHARE OF SEX SCANDALS AS WELL, SO MAYBE THE WHOLE IMAGE OF, YOU KNOW, BEING A LAW-ABIDING AND MORAL PERSON ISN'T SO -- >> BUT THE REPUBLICANS GET TO HAVE A CHOICE BEFORE THE GENERAL.

>> TRUE.

>> BETWEEN SCHMITT OR WHOMEVER, SO THEY GET TO PICK THE ONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE SEX CRIME IN THEIR HISTORY.

>> WE THINK.

>> WELL, WE CAN SAY THAT ABOUT ANY CANDIDATE: WE THINK.

AGAIN, MISSOURI DEMOCRATS NEVER DO THAT, SO -- >> NO, NO.

>> SO THE IDEA IS THE PRIMARY IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT ANIMAL THAN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

>> YOU ALSO GOT TO MAKE SURE YOU WAIT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE'S FIVE PRIMARY -- MAIN CANDIDATES THAT ARE ANNOUNCED AND THAT WOULD BE THE TWO WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, SCHMITT AND GREITENS AND THEN ALSO -- >> HARTLER.

>> AND THE GUN WAVER, MIKE McCLOSKEY AND THEN THE TWO CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES.

>> VICKY HARTZLER.

>> WHO'S GETTING A LOT OF TIME EVERY TIME SHE GETS BEHIND A CAMERA TRYING TO BE VERY TRUMPY, AND BILLY LONG, BUT JASON SMITH ALSO WANTS TO GET IN, WHO'S FROM SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND THAT WOULD BE SIX.

IT'S TOUGH FOR CONGRESSMEN BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE STATEWIDE, YOU KNOW -- >> NAME RECOGNITION, YEAH.

>> BUT WE REALLY -- THERE WON'T BE SIX NEXT AUGUST.

>> TRUE.

>> SO THERE WON'T BE SIX, SO A LOT OF IT'S MATH.

GREITENS WOULD LIKE THERE TO BE 20, OKAY?

>> WELL, SURE.

>> HIS MATH IS THAT IT'S GREITENS, HE'S GOT A CERTAIN LOYAL CORE AND IT'S NOT THAT BIG, BUT A LITTLE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN '16 WAS THE MAINSTREAM REPUBLICANS DIVIDED THEIR VOTE UP.

A LOT OF THIS IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO THE NAT AS TO HOW MANY OF THOSE -- TO THE MATH AS TO HOW MANY OF THOSE CANDIDATES WANT TO STAY IN.

>> WELL, WE MENTIONED ERIC SCHMITT.

HE GOT SLAPPED DOWN IN BOONE COUNTY AS FAR AS ONE BIG CLASS ACTION, YOU CAN'T FORCE PEOPLE TO WEAR MASKS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND HE VOWS TO CONTINUE ON WITH THE MASK MANDATES IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY, ALTHOUGH HE NEVER SEEMS TO MENTION ST. LOUIS CITY, WHICH IS ONGOING, WHICH HE KNOWS HE'S GOING TO LOSE NINE OUT OF TEN VOTES, SO HE'S NOT TOO CONCERNED WITH ST. LOUIS FOR SOME REASON.

BUT WENDY, WHERE ARE WE GOING WITH ALL THIS AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL -- IS IT ALL ABOUT YOUR RIGHTS OR IS IT ALL ABOUT I'M TRYING TO WIN THE NOMINATION FOR SENATE?

>> THE LATTER, THE LATTER.

WHAT'S REALLY FASCINATING ABOUT THIS IS THAT ERIC SCHMITT, HIS ADVERSARY RIGHT NOW IS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH AND BACK AND FORTH, AND THIS IS -- YOU KNOW, IT'S ALL GREAT POLITICAL THEATER AND THEY'RE BOTH USING IT PROBABLY FAIRLY EFFECTIVELY, YOU KNOW, BUT WHAT MADE ME LAUGH WAS THE SCHMITT SPOKESPERSON, CHRIS NEWEL, SAID THE PEOPLE OF MISSOURI ARE TIRED OF THIS AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ARE IN AND WE'RE GOING TO EXPOSE THESE BUREAUCRATS FOR WHAT THEY REALLY ARE AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO WEAR -- AND THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THESE MASK MANDATES SINCE DAY ONE.

IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'VE EVER GOTTEN ON BOARD AND SAID, OKAY, YEAH, WE'RE -- THEY'VE BEEN FIGHTING THIS TOOTH AND NAIL.

I THINK ERIC SCHMITT HAS TO BE -- I WOULD ADVISE, IF HE CARED, WHICH OF COURSE, HE WOULDN'T, JUST TO NOT GO ALL IN ON THIS ISSUE.

I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF COVID EXHAUSTION AT THIS POINT AND IF THAT'S THE -- IF THAT'S THE HILL YOU'RE GOING TO DIE ON POLITICALLY AND IF THAT'S THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED BY THE VOTERS, I THINK THAT'S A DICEY PROPOSITION RIGHT NOW.

>> AND I DO -- A LOT OF COVID FATIGUE HAS TO DO WITH WEARING MASKS.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT TOO.

PEOPLE ARE JUST TIRED OF WEARING THEM.

NOW, ME BEING A LIBERTARIAN, I'M ALL FOR LETTING LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS DECIDE.

I'M ALL FOR TAKING EVERY DECISION DOWN TO THE SMALLEST GOVERNMENTAL GROUP.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO I DON'T LIKE IT WHEN REPUBLICANS TAKE A POSITION STATEWIDE TO TELL EVERYBODY WHAT TO DO.

SAME AS I DON'T LIKE WHEN DEMOCRATS TAKE STATEWIDE POSITIONS TELLING EVERYBODY WHAT TO DO.

>> RIGHT.

>> FROM JEFFERSON CITY, SO I'M SORT OF WITH YOU.

>> HE REALLY -- >> GO AHEAD, CHRISTINE.

>> HE REALLY WANTS ST. LOUIS COUNTY VOTERS.

>> OH YEAH.

>> AND I THINK HE IS VERY MUCH BETTING ON THE FACT THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ANTI-SAM PAGE SENTIMENT RIGHT NOW.

THE VITRIOL THAT HIT SAM PAGE DURING HIS SPORTS BAN, THE YOUTH SPORTS BAN THAT WENT INTO EFFECT -- >> OH, THEY WERE AT HIS HOUSE, REMEMBER?

>> PEOPLE HAVEN'T FOREGONE THAT.

EVEN THOUGH THIS IS ABOUT MASKS RIGHT NOW, I THINK THERE'S SO MUCH PAGE RESENTMENT THROUGH THIS WHOLE THING, I THINK SCHMITT CAN CAPITALIZE ON THAT.

>> I THINK ST. LOUIS COUNTY IS JUST DEMOCRATIC AND ALL THIS WACKINESS HURTS HIM.

GOT TO MOVE ON.

JOE, REAL FAST, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DEMOCRATS THAT RUN THE CITY GOVERNMENT IN ST. LOUIS.

THEY HAVE TO DIVVY UP THE PIE.

WE'RE GOING FROM 28 PIECES TO 14.

>> HOW THAT IS GOING TO WORK OUT?

>> I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT THE COMMITTEE DOESN'T GET TOGETHER AND DECIDE, INFED OF REDUCING IT BY -- INSTEAD OF REDUCING IT BY 14, THEY WILL INCREASE IT BY 14.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THIS.

I WANT TO BE THERE TO LISTEN TO EVERY SELF-SERVING, POCKET-LINING SPEECH THAT EVERY SINGLE POLITICIAN TALKS ABOUT.

THESE ARE JOBS THEY'RE PROTECTING AND AS WE KNOW, POLITICIANS NEVER FIGHT HARDER THAN WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THEIR VERY OWN JOB.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A THREE-RING CIRCUS.

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY.

>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE WONDERFUL ENTERTAINMENT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

THIS DECISION WAS MADE TEN YEARS AGO.

NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE UNTIL WE'RE RIGHT UP AGAINST IT.

HEY, LISTEN, I LOVE TO THRIVE ON A DEADLINE.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT.

WE'RE ALL DEADLINE PEOPLE.

>> BUT THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

>> YEAH, IT IS.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY -- >> I DON'T THINK IT'S AN ISSUE OF INTENSE IMPORTANCE TO PEOPLE IN THE POLITICAL CLASS AND IF IT WOULD BE, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE CITY.

ANY GROUP OF POLITICIANS ARE GOING TO RESIST STRUCTURAL CHANGES THAT CUT THEIR NUMBER IN HALF.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN IN FAVOR OF A SMALLER AMOUNT, ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN PERSUADED BY SOME PEOPLE, EVERYBODY ACTS LIKE OH MY GOD, WE HAVE 28 AND THEY HEARKEN BACK TO WHEN IT WAS 850,000 PEOPLE.

THERE'S NO QUESTION THERE'S A CHANGE, BUT 10,000 ISN'T THAT TINY.

IT'S NOT REALLY SUBSTANTIVELY THAT BIG AND I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE CARE, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY A FAIR NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT LIKE HAVING IT SMALLER AND THEY'RE STILL REPRESENTING MORE PEOPLE THAN A LOT OF COUNTY COUNTERPARTS DO.

I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, TO YOUR POINT, IT'S KIND OF BEEN PROMISED AS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAPPEN FOR SO LONG, THAT ONE WOULD THINK IT WOULD HAPPEN.

>> IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT I THINK IT'S 20 YEARS AGO NOW WHEN SHARON TICE'S 20th WARD, THE ONE SHE RAN CEASED TO AXIS AND IT WENT FROM -- TO EXIST AND IT WENT FROM LATE SUMMER AND THROUGH THE FALL AND TILL WINTER, AND THE LATE B.J.

WILSON AND I WERE THERE WHEN THEY TOOK THE FINAL VOTE AND LATER THAT NIGHT WAS THE ALDERMANIC CHRISTMAS PARTY AND EVERYBODY WHO HAD BEEN HOLLERING AND SCREAMING AT EACH OTHER FOR FOUR MONTHS WERE ALL THERE SHARING A DRINK.

I HOPE WE COULD GET BACK TO THAT.

WHY, WHY DO I DOUBT IT?

>> YEAH, THOSE DAYS ARE GONE.

THOSE DAYS ARE GONE.

>> REAL FAST, CARDINALS, WHERE ARE WE GOING?

GOING TO WIN THE WORLD SERIES?

>> I THINK SO.

>> THAT'S AN EASY COPOUT, BUT LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY.

FROM LOS ANGELES TO SAN FRANCISCO, THE IDEA THAT WINNING 105 GAMES, THE DOOR PRIZE IS YOU GET TO PLAY A PLAYOFF TEAM THAT, BY THE WAY, IS THE HOTTEST ALMOST IN THE HISTORY OF THE SPORT.

THAT'S QUITE -- THEY'RE NOT PLEASED ABOUT A ONE-GAME SERIES.

>> I'M SURE THEY'RE NOT.

YOU BELIEVE, JOE?

>> I BELIEVE THAT THE CARDINALS WILL WIN THE ONE-GAME PLAYOFF.

>> AND THEN AFTER THAT?

>> ANYTHING AFTER THAT, THERE'S TOO MANY GOOD TEAMS.

>> I COPPED OUT.

>> YOU EITHER PLAY L.A. OR SAN FRANCISCO.

I LIKE THE ONE GAME BECAUSE ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN ONE GAME.

THE OTHER TWO ARE THE TWO BEST TEAMS IN BASEBALL.

FACING THEM IN A FIVE-GAME SERIES, A LITTLE TOUGHER.

I'M JUST HAPPY -- >> EXACTLY.

>> -- NOBODY IN AUGUST THOUGHT THIS WOULD HAPPEN, SO I'M HAPPY THEY'RE IN AND I DO THINK THEY'LL WIN THE ONE-GAME PLAYOFF AND MAKE IT TO THE SEMIFINAL.

>> I THINK THE CARDINALS DO WELL ON A DEADLINE.

[ LAUGHTER ] >> THERE YOU GO.

>> THERE'S NOTHING LIKE FALL BALL IN ST. LOUIS.

>> AT SOME POINT, YOU GOT TO SAY, FELLOWS, WE GOT TO WIN 20 OR 21 GAMES OR WE'RE DONE.

>> THEY REALLY RALLIED AT THE END WHEN IT COUNTS.

>> THAT RAISES THE QUESTION -- ARE WE DONE?

>> YEAH, WE GOT TO GO.

WE HAVE LETTERS.

EVEN YOUR TEMPORARY SET IS GORGEOUS.

MADE YOU ALL APPEAR YOUNGER AND IS IF BROADCASTING DURING 2021 AND NOT 1950.

LONG, LONG OVERDUE CHANGE.

THANK YOU, NANCY COOKSSEY OF THAT FABULOUS TOWN OF KIRKWOOD, MISSOURI.

I'VE BEEN SURPRISED BY THE INTOLERANCE THAT THE PANELISTS SEEM TO HAVE FOR THE UNVACCINATED.

I AM TRULY SADDENED THAT YOU ALL SEEM TO THINK THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED ARE HOLDING UP PROGRESS.

I MISTOOK YOU FOR REBELS SAYS TERRY BOWEN.

THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR TONIGHT.

SEND YOUR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOR 3655 OLIVE STREET OR DONNYBROOK AT NINEPBS.ORG AND REMEMBER TO TWEET USING #DONNYBROOKSTL.

DON'T FORGET, IF YOU MISS DONNYBROOK, YOU CAN CATCH US LATER ON OUR PODCAST.

STAY WITH US FOR DONNYBROOK NEXT UP.

TONIGHT WE'RE TALKING CARDINALS BASEBALL WITH A FRIEND OF MINE, ROB RAINS.

DON'T GO ANYWHERE.

WENDY AND I WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

>> Announcer: DONNYBROOK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE SUPPORT OF THE BETSY AND THOMAS PATTERSON FOUNDATION AND THE MEMBERS OF NINE PBS.

>> HEY, ALVIN REID, WENDY WIESE, DONNYBROOK NEXT UP.

HEY, IN 1991, I THINK MY FIRST DAY AT USA TODAY BASEBALL WEEKLY IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IN THE USA TODAY TOWER, I HAD A UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS FOOTBALL HELMET ON MY DESK AND THE NATIONAL LEAGUE BASEBALL WRITER WALKED UP AND SAID, HEY, WHERE DID YOU GET THE FOOTBALL HELMET?

I SAID I WENT TO KU AND I WAS A FOOTBALL MANAGER.

HE SAID I WENT TO KU, TOO, AND IT TURNS OUT IT WAS THIS GENTLEMAN, ROB RAINS, LONG TIME AT ST. LOUIS GLOBE DEMOCRAT, COVERING THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS AND NOW HE'S THE FORCE BEHIND STLSPORTSPAGE.COM.

HOW YOU DOING?

>> THAT WAS A HAPPY MEMORY THAT DAY WE BONDED.

THAT WAS COOL, A COUPLE YEARS BEFORE YOU SHOWED UP.

>> I WAS GETTING THERES AVENUES LEAVING, BUT WE RAN INTO EACH OTHER -- >> I HEARD YOU WERE COMING AND I WENT TO WASHINGTON TO TRY TO AVOID YOU AND YOU SHOWED UP ANYWAY.

>> AND THEN WE OBVIOUSLY -- I MOVED BACK TO ST. LOUIS AND HE ULTIMATELY MOVED BACK TO ST. LOUIS AND WE'VE BEEN HERE AND HAVE COVERED A LOT OF CARDINALS BASEBALL.

ROB, THIS LAST MONTH HAS BEEN SOMETHING ABSOLUTELY HISTORIC.

>> YEAH, THERE'S NO OTHER WORD TO DESCRIBE IT.

IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

ANYTIME A TEAM GOES ON A RUN LIKE THAT.

WHEN YOU KNOW ISN'T THE LONGEST STREAK OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE SINCE 1935, YOU KNOW SOMETHING SPECIAL IS HAPPENING AND NO CARDINAL TEAM HAD EVER WON MORE THAN 14 GAMES IN A ROW, SO SORRY SO SEE ET END.

WHAT A RUN AND FUN TIME IT WAS.

I THINK PART OF THE REASON IT WAS SO FUN, NOBODY SAW IT COMING.

THERE WAS A TEAM STRUGGLING TO BE A COUPLE GAMES ABOVE 500, UNDER 500, ALL THE INJURIES THEY HAD ESPECIALLY NOT PITCHING STAFF AND I THINK EVERYBODY PRETTY MUCH THOUGHT IF THEY COULD FINISH ABOVE 500 TO, TAKE IT AND RUN IT WITH AND TRY TO COME BACK NEXT WE'RE.

BUT THAT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR THEM AND HERE WE ARE IN A PLAYOFF GAME NEXT WEEK.

>> WHAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE, ROB?

>> I THINK THE DIFFERENCE WAS THAT THEY GOT SOME GUYS THAT COULD HELP.

THEY WERE TRYING A LOT OF YOUNG PITCHERS AND NOTHING AGAINST ARENADO AND WOODFORD, BUT THEY WERE TRYING TO FORCE GUYS THAT THEY WEREN'T QUITE READY FOR BECAUSE OF INJURIES.

McCHARTY GOING DOWN FOR TWO MONTHS, THEY DON'T ROOF RECOVER FROM THAT.

THEY MADE THE TRADES FOR LESTER AND H -- HAPP AND WHICH I THINK WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE GOOD IF I WAS FIVE YEARS AGO, BUT YOU HAD THE GUYS THAT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE POSITIVE AID DIGSES, McFARLAND AND GARCIA HAVE BEEN TERRIFIC AND STABILIZED EVERYTHING.

>> AS A GUY WHO HAD PLENTY OF GLOVE AND NOT MUCH BAT WHEN I WAS PLAYING, I APPRECIATE THE WAY THE CARDINALS PLAY DEFENSE AND THAT HAD TO HAVE KIND OF, LIKE YOU SAY, STABILIZED THEM AND THEY QUIT MAKING THE BAD PLAYS IN THE FEED AND THAT KIND OF, LIKE, LET'S NOT WASTE A GOOD PITCHING PERFORMANCE, LET'S TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

I BELIEVE THAT HELPED AS WELL.

>> YEAH, I THINK THEY'RE ONE OF THOSE TEAMS WHERE THEY DO A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS WELL.

THAT'S MIKE MIKE SHILDT'S MANTRA ALL ALONG, THE WAY HE WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE GEORGE KISSELL SCHOOL OF BASEBALL, PREACHING THE FUNDAMENTALS AND NOT BEATING YOURSELF AND HUSTLING ALL THE TIME AND THE OLD ADAGE OF SPEED NEVER GOES INTO A SLUMP AND IT CAN HELP YOU ON BOTH OFFENSE AND DEFENSE.

THEY'VE WON GAMES AND ESPECIALLY DURING THAT STREAK, HITTING FOUR HOME RUNS, TURNING THE WEIRDEST DOUBLE PLAYS YOU'VE EVER SEEN.

THEY WON GAMES WITH PITCHING, THE BULLPEN AND/OR STARTER.

THEY'VE BEEN A MULTIFACETED TEAM AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THEIR STRENGTHS IS THEY DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THEY CAN BEAT YOU AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BEAT THEMSELVES.

>> WELL, CARDINAL NATION, AS YOU KNOW, ROB, WHEN THINGS ARE GOING SOUTH, WE START THROWING PEOPLE OVERBOARD AND MIKE SHILDT IS A PROFESSIONAL.

HE'S BEEN IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

IS THERE ANYTHING, ANY INSIGHTS YOU CAN SHARE WITH OUR VIEWERS, YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE CARDINALS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

DOES MIKE SHILDT'S MANAGEMENT STYLE, DOES IT REMIND YOU, YOU KNOW, OF ANY PAST CARDINAL SKIPPER?

IS HE A LITTLE BIT OF THIS ONE, A LITTLE BIT OF THAT ONE, OR WHAT MAKES HIM DISTINCTIVE, IF YOU WILL?

>> DISTINCTION PROBABLY IS HE'S A REALLY NICE GUY.

YOU KNOW, OFF THE FIELD.

PROBABLY TOO NICE TO BE A MAJOR LEAGUE MANAGER, REALLY.

I MEAN, HE'S VERY POLITE, VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE JOB THAT HE HAS.

I'VE KNOWN MIKE, I THINK, SINCE 2012 WHEN HE WAS MANAGING THE MINOR LEAGUES WHEN WE FIRST MET AND HAD DEVELOPED A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WHEN HE WAS EVEN IN SPRINGFIELD AND MEMPHIS, SO VERY EXCITED WHEN HE MOVED TO ST. LOUIS TO BE ON THE COACHING STAFF AND THEN WHEN HE GOT THE JOB, I THINK HE'S A VERY SMART BASEBALL GUY.

I THINK HE KNEW HE HAD TO BE A SMART BABE GUY BECAUSE HIS -- SMART BASEBALL GUY BECAUSE HIS BACKGROUND WAS NOT AS A PLAYER.

HIS FIRST COACHING JOB WAS HIGH SCHOOL IN CHARLOTTE, SO I THINK HE HAS THAT GRASSROOTS KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE GAME.

I THINK THE OTHER THING HE DOES REALLY WELL IS HE'S A GOOD COMMUNICATOR.

I THINK HE HAS A REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PLAYERS.

HE HAS A REALLY GOOD FEEL OF CONTROL OF THAT CLUBHOUSE.

A LOT OF GUYS IN THAT CLUBHOUSE KNEW HIM IN THE MINOR LEAGUES AS WELL BEFORE THEY GOT TO THE BIG LEAGUES, SO IT WAS AN EASY TRANSITION.

HE GETS ALONG WITH EVERYBODY.

HE'S IN CHARGE, I DON'T WANT TO SAY HIS POLITENESS IS A SIGN OF TIMIDNESS OR WEAKNESS BECAUSE IT'S NOT.

HE CAN BE PRETTY STRONG.

WE'VE SEEN HIM GET FIRED UP SOMETIMES, BUT HE'S NOT WHITEY HERZOG, PROBABLY MORE LIKE RED IN TERMS OF STYLE.

SEEMS LIKE HE'S PRETTY LAIDBACK AND ANSWERING EVERYBODY'S QUESTIONS.

I THINK ONE THING THAT'S BEEN HARD FOR HIM AND IN A SENSE HARD FOR THE PLAYERS, TOO, BUT PROBABLY THE PLAYERS EASIER THAN THE MANAGER IS THE WAY, BECAUSE OF COVID, THAT EVERYTHING IS DONE BY ZOOM NOW.

ALL OF OUR POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCES, OTHER THAN THE OTHER NIGHT WHEN THEY CLINCHED THE WILD CARD SPOT, EVERY POST GAME THING IS ON ZOOM.

YOU JUST DON'T GET THAT ONE-ON-ONE, YOU KNOW, HEY, CAN I ASK YOU THIS KIND OF OFF THE RECORD AT THE SIDE OF THE TABLE, YOU KNOW, THE SIDE SESSIONS KIND OF THIS INC. THAT SOMETIMES YOU GET -- KIND OF THING THAT SOMETIMES YOU GET MORE INFORMATION.

HE'S ALWAYS ON, SO HE ALWAYS HAS BEEN TO BE CAREFUL WHAT HE SAYS.

SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GET THE BEST INSIGHT THAT WAY.

>> I SKIPPED SOME OF THE CHAPTERS IN YOUR CAREER, SO LET'S GO BACK AND WE'LL START OUT WITH WHERE DID YOU GO TO HIGH SCHOOL.

>> THIS IS ONLY A HALF HOUR SHOW, ALVIN.

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO WE'LL START WITH WHERE YOU WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL AND JUST HOW YOU ENDED UP, I GUESS, AT THE GLOBE IN THE EARLY '80s AND YOU WERE PART OF THE WHITEY HERZOG ERA AND THAT 1982 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

>> I'LL TRY TO RUN THROUGH IT AS QUICK AS I CAN.

I GREW UP IN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, SO I'M ONE OF THOSE ODD PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T GO TO HIGH SCHOOL IN ST. LOUIS.

I MOVED HERE IN 1979.

I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS AND I STARTED WORK FOR UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL, KIND OF THE RIFE TO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AFTER I GRADUATED IN COLLEGE IN THE LATE 1970s, WORKED IN THE KANSAS CITY BUREAU FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AND TRANSFERRED TO ST. LOUIS AND WAS THERE THROUGH 1984 IS WHEN WII ENT TO THE GLOBE DEMOCRAT AND WAS THERE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS THE PAPER THERE COVERING THE CARDINALS BEFORE THE PAPER WENT OUT OF BUSINESS AND THEN JUST DID SOME OTHER FREELANCE STUFF.

THEN ENDED UP, YOU KNOW, GOING TO USA TODAY AS YOU MENTIONED, STARTED THE BASEBALL WEEKLY IN 1991.

LEFT IN 1995.

TOOK A JOB AS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT ARIZONA STATE, A TEMPORARY ONE-YEAR GRANT AND THEN WE MOVED BACK TO ST. LOUIS I DID THE FREELANCE STUFF AND STARTED THE WEBSITE IN 2012 TO COVER THE CARDINALS.

>> WHERE DID YOU GO TO HIGH SCHOOL IN SPRINGFIELD?

>> STARTED AT GLENDALE AND FINISHED AT KICKAPOOH.

>> MY HUSBAND WAS A KICKAPOO CHIEF.

HE LOVED YOUR BOOK.

THE NAME OF IT ESCAPES ME, BUT HE WANTED ME TO ASK YOU WAIT WAS LIKE TO WRITE THE BOOK.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHICH BOOK WE'RE SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO.

THERE'S QUITE A FEW.

>> YOU HAVE MANY, I'M SORRY.

>> IT'S HARD FOR ME TO COMMENT SINCE I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE IT WAS.

KICKAPOO WAS A GREAT PLACE.

MY MOM WAS ACTUALLY THE LIBRARIAN THERE WHEN IT OPENED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

HE MIGHT HAVE KNOWN MY MOTHER.

>> SOMEBODY YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH CO-WRITE A BOOK CALLED WHITEY'S BOYS WITH ROB HERE AND I'M ALWAYS THANKFUL TO YOU FOR THAT.

FOR ONE, GETTING TO INTERVIEW A LOT OF PLAYERS FROM THE 1982 TEAM AND AS I TELL PEOPLE AT BOOK SIGNINGS AND OTHER THINGS, I GOT TO SIT NEXT TO WHITEY HERZOG AND TALK ABOUT BASEBALL.

AND I KNOW YOU DID IT MANY MORE TIMES THAN I DID, BUT COULD YOU JUST SHARE, JUST, A, WHAT A BRILLIANT BASEBALL MIND IT WIWHITEY HERZOG HAS, BUT ALSO JUST WHAT A FUN GUY AND GENTLEMAN HE IS.

>> I'LL SAY THIS.

HE MANAGED IN THE RIGHT ERA BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO POST-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE ONTELEVISION.

HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT.

HE WAS VERY GRUFF AND HE WAS VERY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HIM AND GOT ALONG WITH HIM WELL, HE WILL TELL YOU STUFF, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S GETTING BACK TO WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH MIKE SHILDT, WE DON'T GET THAT ACCESS TO GUYS THAT WE USED TO GET 20 YEARS AGO OR 30 YEARS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY MORE BLOGS AND TALK RADIO AND WEBSITES, THERE'S SO MANY MORE PEOPLE IN THE CLUBHOUSE, BUT WHITEY WAS A GUY THAT, AFTER EVERYBODY ELSE HAD LEFT, IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING YOU HAD TO WRITE THAT NIGHT, I'D JUST SIT DOWN THERE IN HIS OFFICE AND TALK.

AND HE'D ASK ME STUFF AND I'D TELL HIM STUFF.

IT WAS GREAT CONVERSATIONS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE AND, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS ENJOYED THOSE YEARS.

I ENJOY MY YEARS AT BASEBALL WEEKLY BECAUSE I GOT TO DO A LOT OF FUN STUFF I NEVER WOULD HAVE DONE, BUT I ALSO THINK HAD THE GLOBE DEMOCRAT NOT GONE OUT OF BUSINESS, I'D PROBABLY STILL BE THERE COVERING THE CARDINALS TODAY.

I ALWAYS SAID IT WAS MY DREAM JOB.

I GOT IT AS A KID, 28 YEARS OLD, AND UNFORTUNATELY HAD IT TAKEN AWAY FROM ME THROUGH NO FAULT OF MY OWN, BUT THAT WAS THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS AT THE TIME.

>> DO WE WANT TO PLAY THE GIANTS OR L.A.?

THAT'S THE QUESTION ON EVERYBODY'S MIND, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A ONE AND DONE SITUATION.

THEY'RE STRATEGIZING ABOUT PITCHERS AND FORCING TEAMS TO GO THROUGH THEIR PITCHING STAFF.

WHAT ARE YOU HOPING FOR, ROB?

>> IN MY OPINION, EITHER ONE WILL BE TOUGH.

THEY'RE BOTH GOING TO BE TOUGH.

YUF TWO TEAMS THAT WON OVER 100 GAMES THAT YEAR THAT YOU HAVE TO FACE IN A ONE-GAME PLAYOFF.

THE BEST CASE SCENARIO WOULD BE THE ABOVE AVERAGERS AND GIANTS TIED FOR THE WEST AND THEY HAVE TO PLAY GAME 163 ON MONDAY, SO THEY'RE GOING TO GURN AT LEAST ONE OF THEIR REALLY GOOD PITCHERS IN THAT GAME SAYING THAT, I THINK THE DODGERS, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN ONE GAME.

I'M NOT SAYING THE CARDINALS WOULD BE FAVORED OR AUTOMATICALLY WIN, BUT I THINK THEY'D HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF WINNING ONE GAME AGAINST THE DODGERS THAN THEY WOULD WINNING A BEST OF FIVE SERIES AGAINST THE DODGERS SIMPLY BECAUSE THE DEPTH OF THEIR PITCHING STAFF AND I THINK THE GIANTS, WHILE THEY'VE BEEN A TERRIFIC TEAM AND PROBABLY BEEN THE SURPRISE TEAM OF THE LEAGUE, THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THAT AURA ABOUT THEM THAT THE DODGERS DO.

THE CARDINALS WON THE SEASON SERIES AGAINST THE GIANT, SO I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD BE SCARED ABOUT THEM EITHER.

>> ROB, I KNOW YOU USED TO TRAVEL MORE AND DO SOME ROAD GAMES.

HAVE YOU BEEN BACK OUT ON THE ROAD AT ALL?

I KNOW THAT OUR CARDINALS ANNOUNCERS ARE BASICALLY DOING THE GAMES, YOU KNOW, AT THE STUDIO DOWN THERE KIND OF LIKE IN OUR HOUSE.

DO YOU MISS THAT AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME WE GET TO NEXT BASEBALL SEASON, IT WILL BE MORE OPEN.

ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING SOME ROAD GAMES?

>> LET'S HOPE, LET'S HOPE.

YEAH, I DON'T TRAVEL AS MUCH AS THE BIG LEAGUE GAMES, BUT WHEN I TRAVEL NOW, TRY TO GO TO THE MINOR LEAGUES.

I TRY TO CATCH UP THE MINOR LEAGUE GAMES IN MEMPHIS, STRING FIELD, PEORIA WHEN THE CARDINALS ARE OUT OF TOWN.

I DID DO THAT THIS SUMMER.

NOT THE DEGREE OF TRAVEL I DID WHEN I WAS DOING THE NATIONAL LEAGUE AND HAD TO GO RND AN AND SEE EVERYBODY AT THE DIFFERENT PARKS.

IT IS FUN TO BE BACK OUT AT THE BALLPARK.

I GO TO MOST THE HOME GAMES AS I CAN DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON AND ELSEWHERE, BUT IT'S FUN TO HAVE THE FANS BACK IN THE STANDS.

IT DOES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS THING AT SOME POINT THIS YEAR AND HAVE EVERYTHING BE BACK NORMAL.

WE ALSO HAVE A CBA THAT WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEFORE NEXT SEASON COMES ALONG.

KNOCK ON WOOD THAT THEY'LL -- COOLER SIDES WILL PREVAIL AND WE WON'T HAVE A WORK STOPPAGE BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE AWFUL.

>> ROB, DID YOU GO TO SPRING TRAINING THIS YEAR?

>> YEAH, I TRY TO DO THAT PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE TIME.

MAYBE NOT ALL OF SPRING TRAINING, BUT PROTE CLOSE.

>> IN TERMS OF THE CBA YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT COULD GO WRONG?

AS YOU SAID, IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE, AFTER A PANDEMIC, THAT THOSE COOLER HEADS COULDN'T PREVAIL, BUT WHAT ARE YOU MOST CONCERNED ABOUT?

>> WELL, OBVIOUSLY IT HAS TO BE A FINANCIAL CONCERN.

I THINK THAT'S THE THING THAT'S GOING TO DRIVE ALL THE DISCUSSIONS, JUST ARE THE OWNERS HAPPY WITH WHERE THINGS ARE.

THE PLAYERS ARE GOING TO WANT CONCESSIONS, THEY ALWAYS DO.

I THINK ONE REASON YOU DIDN'T HAVE A D.H.

THIS YEAR IS THE PLAYERS SAW THAT AS A BARGAINING CHIP.

SOME OF THE NEW RULES HAVE TO BE NEGOTIATED, LIKE THE EXTRA INNING RULES, THOSE WERE TEMPORARY RULES BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, SO THEY HAVE TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO KEEP THOSE IN PLACE.

THEY HAVE TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO CHANGE THE ARBITRATION SYSTEM, HOW MANY YEARS YOU HAVE TO PLAY TO GET ARBITRATION.

THE UNION, OF COURSE, WANTS TO GET PLAYERS PAID MORE MONEY EARLIER IN THEIR CAREERS THAN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE MORE PLAYERS WHO DON'T STICK AROUND LONG AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY GOING TO CHANGE FREE AGENCY, GO TO FIVE YEARS INSTEAD OF SIX, SO THERE'S A LOT OF DECISIONS.

ARE THEY GOING TO END UP TALKING ABOUT REVENUE SHARING AGAIN?

EVERY FINANCIAL ISSUE THAT YOU CAN COME UP WILL BE ONE THEY HAVE TO TALK ABOUT, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE TWO SIDES DON'T HAVE THE GREATEST HISTORY OF WORKING OUT LABOR AGREEMENTS, BUT THESE ARE DIFFERENT PEOPLE INVOLVED REPRESENTING THE UNION AND REPRESENTING THE OWNERSHIP GROUP THAN HAVE BEEN THERE IN THE PAST.

BUT THEY HAVE TIME.

I MEAN, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DUE -- THE OLD CONTRACT EXPIRES DECEMBER 1st, BUT OTHER THAN MAYBE A FREE AGENT SIGNING OR TRADE OR TWO THAT MIGHT HAPPEN OVER THE WINTER MONTHS, REALLY, THE DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 15th.

THEY JUST HAVE TO GET IT DONE BEFORE THE SPRING TRAINING IS SCHEDULED TO START.

>> SPEAKING OF CONTRACT, ARENADO ANNOUNCED HE'S NOT GOING TO OPT OUT.

WHERE DOES THAT TAKE US?

THAT TAKES US TO NEXT YEAR WHERE HE'S WITH US, AND THEN WE HAVE TO NEGOTIATE A NEW CONTRACT WITH HIM?

>> HE HAS ANOTHER OPT OUTAFTER NEXT YEAR, BUT HE GOT YEAR EXTENDED ON THE CONTRACT AT THE TIME OF THE TRADE AND THAT'S WHY HE GOT THE OPTOUT AT THE END OF THIS SEASON.

I THINK HE'S SIGNED THROUGH 27.

IF HE DOESN'T OPT OUT NOW, HE HAS ONE MORE YEAR TO GO THROUGH AND THEN THE CONTRACT RUNS OUT.

HE'LL BE HERE FOR A WHILE.

>> YOU MENTIONED IT, AND I THINK I ALREADY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, BUT PLEASE GOD IN HEAVEN, NO DESIGNATED HITTER IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE.

CAN I GET IN NEGOTIATIONS ON THAT?

>> JUST BECAUSE YOU USED TO EDIT ALL MY COPY, YOU CAN PUT IN THERE WHATEVER YOU WANTED AND SAY I SAID IT.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH NOW.

NO, YOU KNOW ME.

I'M NOT A FAN OF THE D.H., NEVER EVERYBODY.

I ALWAYS PREFERRED THE NATIONAL LEAGUE STYLE GAMES.

I REALIZE IT'S INEVITABLE, SO I STOPPED FIGHTING IT AND I REALIZE THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO TO KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING.

IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> I'M GOING TO VEER OFF FOR JUST A SECOND, AND SALLY IS SOMEONE THAT I CONSIDER JUST A TERRIFIC FRIEND AND SHE IS A JOURNALIST, A SUCCESSFUL JOURNALIST IN HER OWN RIGHT.

ARE YOU TWO -- AND I'M GOING TO PROBABLY HAVE TO SPEND THE NIGHT WITH YOU GUYS TONIGHT BECAUSE AFTER I BLEW MY HUSBAND'S BASEBALL QUESTION, THAT'S GOING TO GET ME IN TROUBLE.

ARE YOU HAVING FUN TOGETHER?

IT SEEMS YOU HAVE ALWAYS HAD JUST THE BEST TIME WORKING TOGETHER.

HOW DOES THAT WORK IN THE MEDIA?

>> IT WORKS FINE.

I MEAN, SHE DOES A LOT OF THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES WORK ON THE WEBSITE.

SHE'S THE ONE THAT POSTS ALL THE AUDIO AND DOES THE NEWSLETTERS AND DOES THE PRODUCTION SIDE OF THINGS MORE THAN I -- I JUST GO TO BASEBALL GAMES AND WATCH BASEBALL GAMES.

BUT SHE DOES ALL THE NUTS AND BOLTS KIND OF STUFF OF RUNNING THE WEBSITE AND DOES HER OWN WORK ON THE SIDE.

SHE HAS A NEW BOOK THAT CAME OUT A YEAR AGO.

WE DID A BOOK TOGETHER, WITH A TRAVELOGUE THROUGH THE MINOR LEAGUES.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT CAME OUT RIGHT BEFORE THEY CANCELLED THE MINOR LEAGUE SEASON BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT JUST A TRAVEL GUIDEBOOK ABOUT WHAT TO DO IN ALL THOSE CITIES.

SO WE'VE DONE A COUPLE PROJECTS LIKE THAT OVER THE YEARS TOGETHER AND THAT'S WHY I JOKED ABOUT THE PANDEMIC.

IT REALLY DIDN'T CAUSE US ANY CHANGES BECAUSE WE BOTH WORK FROM HOME ALREADY.

>> RIGHT.

>> LUCKILY, WE GET ALONG FINE AND WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COEXIST DOING THAT.

WE'LL BE CELEBRATING OUR 40th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY NEXT FEBRUARY.

>> THAT'S AWESOME.

>> I'M UP TO 38 NOW, SO I'M A LITTLE BIT RIGHT BEHIND YOU.

>> CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THERE YOU GO.

HEY, TALK ABOUT RAINBOW FOR KIDS, THE CHARITY YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH WORK WITH OVER THE YEARS.

>> YEAH, WE STARTED THAT, AROUND THE 21st YEAR NOW.

OUR NIECE HAD A BRAIN TUMOR WHEN SHE WAS 6 YEARS OLD, SO WE STARTED THE CHARITY TO GIVE KIDS AT CARDINAL GLENNON AND OTHER PLACES SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD, STARTED PUTTING ON PARTIES AT THE HOSPITAL AND IT EXPANDS.

STILL A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION, ALL VOLUNTEERS NO, FADE EMPLOYEES.

OUR -- NO PAID EMPLOYEES.

OUR MOST RECENT PROJECT, WE BUILT A PLAYGROUND AT WATSON HILLS PARK.

A LOT OF PLAYGROUNDS SAY THEY'RE ACCESSIBLE, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO LIFT KIDS IN WHEELCHAIRS OUT OF THEIR WHEELCHAIR AND PUT THEM ON A SWING AND STUFF.

THIS ONE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SIT IN THE TWHEEK AND GO UP A RAMP AND YOU'RE IN THE SWING ON A WHEELCHAIR.

AND THEY HAVE A MERRY-GO-ROUND THAT THE KIDS CAN BE ON AND IT WAS A PROJECT THAT WE'RE REALLY INVESTED ON IN TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.

WE DEDICATED THAT EARLIER THIS SUMMER.

THE WHITEY HERZOG FOUNDATION PUT US OVER THE TOP IN THE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN.

CALLING ON OLD FRIENDS FOR CONNECTIONS, BUT WE HAVE A TRIVIA NIGHT COMING UP NOVEMBER 13th.

YOU CAN GET THE INFORMATION GOOD THAT ON THE WEBSITE.

>> BEFORE I FORGET, GIVE US THE WEBSITE ADDRESS.

>> RAINBOWSFORKIDS.ORG AND YOU CAN GET THERE OFF THE STL SPORTS PAGE.

THERE'S A LINK ON STL SPORTS PAGE.

>> MO SEEMED TO BE ABLE TO CREATE SOME MAGIC WHEN HE NEEDED TO.

IN THE OFF SEASON AFTER WE WIN THE WORLD SERIES, ROB, WHAT DO YOU STILL WANT TO SEE THE FRONT OFFICE CONCENTRATING ON?

>> WELL, THEY'LL HAVE SOME MONEY TO STEN BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF PLAYERS COMING OFF THE BOOKS THAT I THINK ARE NOT GOING TO BE BACK NEXT YEAR AS FAR AS CONTRACTS GO.

CARLOS MARTINEZ, ANDREW MILLER, SO THERE'S SOME -- YOU GOT TO GET WAINWRIGHT SIGNED, WHICH I THINK WILL HAPPEN.

I DON'T THINK FORESEE THERE BEING ANY TROUBLE, BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THEY STILL HAVE TO GET OFF THE TO-DO LIST.

THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A COUPLE ROLES FOR DIFFERENT GUYS.

IF REYES IS GOING TO THE ROTATION LIKE THE EXPECTATION IS, WHO'S COMING ON LINE TO REPLACE HIM IN THE BULLPEN.

I THINK THEY PROBABLY NEED TO ADD A BENCH BAT OR TWO.

SHORTSTOP, MAYBE THEY CHANGE THEIR POSITION WHERE THEY LOOK FOR A FREE AGENT SHORTSTOP.

THERE'S A COUPLE GOOD YOUNG PLAYERS COMING UP THE MINOR LEAGUES, BUT THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT AS FULL OF DEPARTMENT IN THE MINOR LEAGUES AS THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST.

>> ROB RAINS, MEMBER OF THE MISSOURI SPORTS HALL OF FAME.

I'M SURE YOU DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS HAPPENING ONE DAY.

WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

>> THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

I WRITE ABOUT PEOPLE GOING TO THE HALL OF FAME.

I'M SURE WENDY SUBSCRIBES, THE OLD BOB HIGHLAND SCHOOL OF THOUGHT, WE REPORT THE NEWS, WE DON'T MAKE THE NEWS.

IT'S A TRIBUTE TO THE FACT I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME, WRITTEN A LOT OF BOOKS THAT HAVE DONE WELL AND PLUS ALL THE DAILY STUFF AND THE WEBSITE STUFF.

IT WAS A FUN, A BIG HONOR.

I WENT IN IN 2017, AND I TREASURED IT VERY MUCH.

>> I KNOW THIS IS -- THE QUESTION I STILL HAVE TO ASK YOU JUST AS AN OBSERVER, THIS ONGOING RAMS SAGA.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU'RE KEEPING UP WITH ALL OF THAT STUFF.

>> YEAH.

>> HOW IS -- IF YOU WERE A BETTING MAN, HOW IS THIS GOING TO END, ROB?

BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN ST. LOUIS ARE TALKING ABOUT BILLION-DOLLAR SETTLEMENTS.

I'M THE LUNATIC WHO STILL THINKS WE CAN GET AN NFL FRANCHISE OUT OF IT.

IT'S WILDLY SPECULATIVE AT THIS POINT, BUT HOW DO YOU RAID THE TEA LEAVES IN TERMS -- READ THE TEA LEAVES ABOUT HOW THIS IS ALL GOING TO END?

>> I THINK FROM THE NFL STANDPOINT AND STAN KROENKE'S STANDPOINT, THEY NEED SO SETTLE OUT OF COURT.

IF THEY GO TO COURT, THEY'RE GOING TO LOOSE AND THEY CAN'T CONTROL THE PUN NUMBER OF DAMAGES AND ALL THAT.

I THINK THE OTHER OWNERS IN THE NFL WILL BE MAD AT KROENKE, BUT THEY HAVE TO CONVINCE HIM, HOW DO WE GET OUT OF THIS THING?

I THINK THE TRIAL IS SUPPOSED TO START IN JANUARY, SO THE FACT THEY LOST THEIR BID TO NOFT TRIAL OUT OF ST. LOUIS WAS A SIGN THAT TIME IS UP AND THEY JUST -- THEY BOTCH THE THING FROM DAY ONE.

TEAMS MOVE ALL THE TIME.

THERE'S DIFFERENT REASONS WHY FRANCHISES MOVE IN EVERY SPORT, SO I THINK HAD THEY DON'T IT DIFFERENTLY, FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS, THEY PROBABLY COULD HAVE MOVED AND NOT HAD THIS REACTION, BUT THE WAY THEY BOTCHED IT BY ALL THE SECRETIVE CONVERSATIONS AND KNOWING THEY WERE GOING TO DO IT WHILE THEY WERE PUBLICLY SAYING WE'RE SUPPORTING THE EFFORTS TO, YOU KNOW, REVISE THE DOME OR BUILD A NEW STADIUM, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO BITE THEM.

THAT'S WHY THEY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO SETTLE IN MY OPINION.

>> YEAH, THE CHICAGO BEARS JUST BOUGHT ARLINGTON RACEWAY OUT OF CHICAGO AND THE DEBATE UP THERE IS THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MOVE OUT THERE, THEY'LL ALWAYS STAY AT SOLDIER FIELD.

AND I'M THE LONE PIN HEAD LIKE RAY HARTMANN SAYS, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.

IT'S PLAYING OUT AGAIN IN ANOTHER CITY.

I KNOW YOU DO OTHER THINGS ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL.

I KNOW IT'S MOSTLY BASEBALL, BUT YOU COVER OTHER THINGS AS WELL, CORRECT?

>> WE HAVE A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PAGE.

WE HAVE FOOD, TRAVEL, THINGS LIKE THAT.

THE OTHER THINGS THAT -- WE REALIZE BASEBALL FANS ARE NOT ONE DIMENSIONAL, THEY HAVE OTHER INTERESTS BESIDES JUST BASEBALL EVEN THOUGH THAT'S THE WORLD I LIVE IN.

WE TRY TO INCLUDE STUFF LIKE THAT ON THE SIDE AS WELL WHEN WE CAN.

>> OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF SUCCESS NAVIGATING THE WORLD OF SOCIAL MEDIA, ROB.

IT'S BEEN A -- IT'S REPRESENTED A REAL SEA CHANGE.

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT SPORTS JOURNALISM AS WE MOVE FORWARD OR A LITTLE TEPID AT THIS POINT?

>> LET ME SAY THIS.

I GOT DRAGGED INTO TWITTER KICKING AND SCREAMING.

I SWORE I WAS NEVER GOING TO DO IT, BUT NOW MY WIFE AND EVERYBODY ELSE SAYS I'M ADDICTED TO MY PHONE, SCROLLING AND SEEING WHAT THE NEWS IS.

I WAS A NEWS JUNKIE BEFORE AND THIS IS THE WAY TO GET NEWS NOW.

NOTHING HAS CHANGED BECAUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU USED TO HAVE -- I REMEMBER BEING ON THE ROAD IN PHILADELPHIA OR SOME PLACE AND I GO TO THE BALL PARK AT 3:00 IN THE AFTERNOON, BUT BEFORE THAT, I REALLY HAD NOTHING I HAD TO DO.

YOU KNOW, I COULD GO TO BREAKFAST AND TAKE A WALK OR WHATEVER, BUT NOW, BECAUSE YOU KNEW IF SOMETHING BROKE, YOU'D GET IT WHEN YOU GOT TO THE BALLPARK.

IF YOU HAD A SCOOP, YOU HAD A STORY IN THE NEWSPAPER IN THE MORNING THAT NOBODY EMS HAD, THEY COULDN'T TOUCH IT FOR 24 HOURS UNTIL THE NEXT DAY'S NEWSPAPER CAME OUT.

NOW SCOOPS LAST ABOUT 15 SECONDS.

IT'S CHANGED THE PRESSURE ON THE MEDIA AS FAR AS HAVING TO BE ALWAYS ON 24/7 AND NEVER GETTING A DOWN TIME.

AND I THINK, TOO, ANYBODY CAN, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S CHANGED ABOUT IT IS ANYBODY CAN HAVE A WEBSITE, ANYBODY CAN HAVE A BLOG AND I THINK SOMETIMES TRYING TO SEPARATE WHO ARE THE SERIOUS REPORTERS AND NOT JUST IN SPORTS, BUT IN ANY PHASE OF THE MEDIA, WHO'S THE SERIOUS PEOPLE AND WHO'S JUST IN THERE AS A FAN OR SOMEBODY TRYING TO EXPRESS THEIR OWN OPINION, SO SOMETIMES TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S WHO IN THAT LANDSCAPE I THINK IS DIFFICULT, BUT THE ONE THING ABOUT IT, I TOLD THE KIDS THIS WHEN I WAS TEACHING AT WEBSTER FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, EVEN THOUGH THE MEDIA BUSINESS HAS CHANGED IS THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE JOBS FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT 40,000 PEOPLE AT BUSCH STADIUM GOING TO A CARDINALS GAME, 40,000 PEOPLE CAN'T GO DOWN TO THE LOCKER ROOM AND ASK PAUL GOLDSCHMIDT WHAT HE THOUGHT IN THE FIRST INNING WHEN HE CAME OUT TO BAT.

THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT DOES THAT JOB.

HOW THEY GET THE INFORMATION FROM THE PLAYER TO THE 40,000 PEOPLE MAY BE CHANGE, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE JOBS.

>> ROB, WE HAVE ONE MORE WORLD SERIES, YOU KNOW, IN US HERE.

NOT THE ONLY ONE, BUT WE'RE GETTING EARLY ON, SO -- >> SPEAK FOR YOURSELF A LITTLE.

>> THERE WE GO.

ROB, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

GO CARDINALS AND -- >> THE POST SEASON SHOULD BE FUN.

THAT ONE-GAME SHOWDOWN, THEY SAY ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN A ONE-GAME PLAYOFF, BUT ONCE THEY GET PAST THAT PLAYOFF GAME, ASSUMING THEY WIN IT, YOU HAVE TO THINK IT'S MILWAUKEE AND ATLANTA PROBABLY ON THE OTHER SIDE, SO WHOEVER COMES OUT OF THAT, WE COULD BE PLAYING BASEBALL DEEP IN OCTOBER.

WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.

>> SAY GOOD NIGHT TO SALLY FOR US AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, GO JAYHAWKS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANKS, GUYS, FOR HAVING ME ON.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

>> WE'LL SEE YOU GUYS NEXT WEEK ON DONNYBROOK, DONNYBROOK NEXT UP.

>> HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.