Second thoughts

LITTLE ROCK — Cardinals’ new duds old school

Some sports uniforms remain unchanged.

The New York Yankees have their pinstripes. The Detroit Tigers have the old English D on the front of their home uniforms.

The Montreal Canadiens have the C-H in the middle of their jerseys.

And the St. Louis Cardinals have the bird on the bat with the word Cardinals across the front.

Now, count the Cardinals as another team to break from tradition - sort of.

Friday, the Cardinals unveiled a new alternate home jersey that will be worn on Saturdays. The jersey is off-white with red piping on the sleeves and down the front, but the big difference is instead of saying Cardinals across the front, it will say St. Louis.

But before anyone gets overwrought, it’s important to remember that this is not the first time the Cardinals’ uniforms didn’t say Cardinals across the front.

Back in 1932, the Cardinals jerseys said St. Louis.

“Yes, it’s traditional. And if you ask me should we stay in that elite company of having home whites and road grays, I would say we should, but ...” Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III told the St. LouisPost-Dispatch. “Look at this [third] jersey. I see it and think, ‘We’ve got to wear that thing.’

“I’m very sensitive to that argument, that we should stay [with home and road], and that is the argument I would also make until you see this jersey. I hope people look at this and they remember Lou Brock or Musial playing in a jersey like this, and see all of the things from the history that embodied in this jersey, that we tried to capture.”

One problem - neither Musial, nor Brock played in a jersey that said St. Louis on the front.

No matter. In the end, everything old is new again.

Same song, new verse

A year ago, the Florida Marlins rebranded themselves the Miami Marlins with new uniforms and a new ballpark with a retractable roof. They vowed that the days of fire sales would be over by hiring former Chicago White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen as their new skipper and adding free agents Jose Reyes, Mark Buerhle and Heath Bell.

Instead of contending for a playoff spot, the Marlins lost 93 games and conducted another firesale. Since July, they traded away third baseman Hanley Ramirez, starting pitcher Anibel Sanchez, second baseman Omar Infante and relief pitcher Edward Mujica and fired Guillen. Now, they have reached a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, trading away Buerhle, Reyes and starting pitcher Josh Johnson, along with catcher John Buck and outfielder Emilio Bonafico for prospects.

So much for changing their ways, writes Miami Herald columnist Dan LeBatard.

“A year ago, the vision was that Josh Johnson, Mark Buerhle, Jose Reyes, Emilio Bonafacio, John Buck, Omar Infante, Heath Bell, Anibel Sanchez, Hanley Ramirez and Ozzie Guillen were going to the playoffs. Now, every single one of them is as gone as what little remained of South Florida’s trust.”

Compared to others

After Texas Tech’s Tommy Tuberville slapped an assistant and Mike Leach was accused of abuse by a player, Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald columnist Brad Dickson wrote, “We’re fast getting to the point where Bo Pelini is the mellowest coach in college football.”Quote of the day

“I think everybody has pride ... to continue to fight, continue to

represent the state, even

though it’s not gone as good as we’d like it.” Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson