Joe, Doug, Keith and Ron look at win-or-go-home football for college and pro teams coming up over five glorious days. Conference basketball is underway for college teams and very few of us know who exactly is in which conference. The college football playoffs take us back to 1978 and why isn't Arch Manning getting a shot? Should Chief fans be more worried about Baltimore than Buffalo, and have they made it off the plane yet? Golf needs to be fixed. Is Rob Manfred just the person for the job? Blues prospects shine at the World Juniors and the college football portal continues to contain "punks." The St. Louis Sportists Podcast is brought to you by The Local House Bistro and 1st Coast Metal Buildings.

Chapters

Introduction and Quick Hits on Sports

College Football Playoffs Analysis

Transfer Portal Madness in College Football

NFL Wild Card Weekend Preview

St. Louis Cardinals and Nolan Arenado Situation

Golf's Current State and the LIV Impact

Highlights:

"We have meaningful football five nights in a row."

"Ohio State is the team to beat right now."

"The haves and the have-nots, the divide is huge."

"Philadelphia is under the most pressure."

"I'm sick of the drama with Arenado."

"Golf is a broken product right now."

Doug, Tom, Keith and Ron go on the record in this clip-and-save edition. The Sportists cover everything from sleeper NCAA tournament teams to … well … Keith’s “unconventional” suggestion for increasing attendance at Busch Stadium. Conflicting predictions are offered on the playoff fate for the Blues and highs and lows for St. Louis City S.C. And if you have inside info on a team hitting the under, know how much not to bet. The STL Sportist comes to you from the Local House Bistro Studios and is brought to you by 1st Coast Steel Buildings.

Joe, Doug, Keith, and Ron discuss the Blues, Cardinals, Chiefs, Mizzou, and the college football playoffs. Transfer portal madness continues, and Joe expresses his true feelings toward Kirk Herbstreit, which sounds like a description of David Simms. Keith is ready to accept tasty donuts in return for a one-time Cardinal All-Star, and Doug says semantics aside, this is a rebuild. And the guys remember Rickey Henderson, who was truly one-of-a-kind.

In the first episode of Bet the Blue Shoe: A Sports Betting Podcast from The Sportists, Joe and Keith break down the four college football playoff games this weekend. They also find time to consider the Texans visit to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs and Keith has some Sunday Sleepers.

Patrick Mahomes is twisted like a pretzel by the Browns and April, Keith and Ron discuss how it impacts the season for the Chiefs. Will Nolan Arenado head to Houston and is Nolan Gorman fielding by sound at third base? What is the vibe in Austin around the Longhorns as Transfer Portal and NIL mayhem run rampant as the first college football 12-team playoff approach? And Keith analyzes whether we should reevaluate our expectations for the Blues after the strong start under Jim Montgomery.

This week, Doug, Tom and Ron consider the next steps for the Cardinals and if Mo needs a chaperone. The Chiefs continue to amaze and Mizzou shocks the Jayhawks. Bill Belichick takes over the Tar Heels and will hopefully have better luck with canines than Bill Walsh. The new playoff bracket offers so many storylines for college football and the resurgent Blues are fun to watch!

This week, Doug, Keith and Ron review the 2024 Mizzou football season. What was the signature win and where does Eliah Drinkwitz stand? When it comes to the Chiefs offense, are things too predictable if a martini-infused patron at The Local House Bistro can predict a red zone shovel pass? And just when you think Rob Manfred has run out of bad ideas, he delivers a stunner.

Keith and Ron discuss the Chiefs and their penchant for winning close games. Are they a one-loss juggernaut or a pretty good team benefitting from some ... luck? The Blues move even more quickly to make a coaching change than Keith imagined in his stint as GM in last week's episode, Indiana is exposed and do the Cardinals think they might have a chance in the Central? Happy Thanksgiving from the Sportists!