Boxing is a non-stop mental and physical workout that hints at choreography and dabbles in martial arts. The constant movement really works all muscle groups and, like chess, you are always thinking ahead to your next move. Brown said the nice thing about a boxing workout is that you are thinking so much about what you are doing that you forget you are working out, and any workout that I don't realize is exercise is right up my alley. To see Brown teach me and Margo the basics of boxing, check out [tab:trav_video].

Are you interested in learning how to box or quit smoking? Tomorrow, November 20th, Sweat is partnering with BWell Laser Therapy for an event to encourage people to "Kick the Habit!" To mark the 33rd Annual Great American Smokeout, Sweat is offering free kickboxing classes at 11:30am and 12:30pm with a catered lunch from Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and Mazara. The event will last from 11am until 1pm and representatives from BWell to discuss smoking cessation, weight loss, and pain management programs they offer and you get a free workout and food to boot.

Sweat is located in downtown Clayton at 8011 Maryland Ave. A single boxing class only costs $15, with discounts available for multi-class packages. There are five different classes offered at the facility, including one for beginners, in addition to private coaching.

So what do the greatest sports fans in America have to say about their All-Star Red Bird?

• "I don't know baseball." - Jeff
• "He's always classy and you never have to hear about him getting into trouble. He gives back to our community." - Tim
• "He's an awesome father, and he's hot." - Megan
• "He is one of the most consistent players in the game. He continues to do amazing things at the plate and on the field." - Justin
• "He really deserves this. He's an unbelievable player, and he's a great person as well." - Kate
• "The guy plays hurt all the time. He needed elbow surgery last year, but he put it off to play, and he still had great numbers. He is the clear-cut leader of the team." - Tim
• "I don't like him, so I can't answer that." - Stephanie
• "He's the best all-around hitter in the game. The Cards could be worse without him than the Phillies would be without Ryan Howard, who is also a defensive liability." - Ryan
• "His butt looks so good in those pants, so I welcome any excuse for there to be more photographs of him. Albert, will you marry me?" - Lauren
• "I went to school with Ryan Howard, so I will refrain from responding to any Pujols hype." - Jared
• "He is the greatest thing in baseball today. Maybe even ever. I'm going to be bragging to my grandkids someday that I got to see him play for the Cardinals." - Sarah

Sound familiar? The combination of cold weather and the plethora of treats around the holidays have proven time and time again to be a problem for most people's waistlines. It's easy to snack on the platefuls of cookies and candy that always seem to be laying around, but when it's below freezing, it's hard to put on your running shoes to work all of those baked goods off.

The best thing to do to get your butt out the door and around the block is to be prepared for the cold weather. You won't make it far if you're struggling along in a ten-year-old windbreaker, so if you know how to dress for the cold, you'll be able to get your run in without your nose running quite so much. Here's what you should be equipped with:

• Most people, myself included, aren't huge fans of spandex in any way, shape or form. That being said, you'll need to suck it up and wear some. Under Armour is my tried-and-true resort when it comes to an undershirt and leggings. These race pants are great for the ladies, and gentleman, these will do the trick for you.
• If you get the right leggings, other bottom layers might be obsolete, but in case you want to cover up your spandexed-tush, running shorts like these are great.
• On top, I usually start out with a wife-beater of some sort, and wear a tight, long-sleeved shirt like this one over it. It's best for this bottom-most layer to be a moisture-wick material so that you're not soaking wet under all those layers, and it doesn't matter what gender it's for. Mine is a men's Under Armour shirt and it hasn't failed me yet.
• Over my dry-fit shirt, I might layer a long-sleeved T-shirt, a hooded sweatshirt and a zip-up fleece like this one.
• Running shoes either make or break a run, but that's all about experimenting with what works best for your feet and the way that you run. If you're not sure what shoe would be best, this short questionnaire will give you some accurate suggestions. And I swear by these wool running socks even in the summer.
• Finally, you must keep your hands and head warm. These two extremities are often left unattended, and if you forget gloves and a hat, you'll be back inside before your nose starts to drip. This Under Armour hat will keep you snug as a bug, and these gloves will keep your hands warm and your fingers mobile enough to change the song on your iPod.

And that is how you stay warm while keeping the muffins from giving you a muffin-top this winter.

You have been challenged to a duel and your pistol is in the shop, so what do you do? You sword fight, of course! Well, sort of. Modern fencing is the evolved art and sport of non-fatal sword fighting and swordsmanship. Most of us conjure images of Robin Hood (or John Cleese with a mere flesh wound) when we think of fencing, but fencing isn't about the of clashing swords so much as it is a sport that trains you to be agile and graceful while stabbing at another person. That actually sounds more violent than it really is.

If you have an impending duel, or if you're looking for a different kind of work out, then you are one lucky duck. St. Louis boasts a number of nationally ranked fencers, and our city's first dedicated fencing facility, Olympia Fencing Academy, is opening in just a couple of weeks. Olympia was established in 2006 and 75% of their current team is nationally ranked. The Academy's next four week introductory course starts on November 17th. You will learn the basics of techniques, and how to use the three different types of swords used in fencing matches (the foil, epee, and sabre). The typical match is won after a fencer is awarded five points, and depending on the weapon of choice you win points by "jabbing" or "cutting" your opponent.

Besides being a fun and unique hobby, fencing is a workout that is good for cardiovascular health, endurance, and stress relief, and the basics of fencing are easy to learn. We got a sneak peek at Olympia's new building, and we got a quick introductory lesson from the Olympia's International Olympic Fencing Coach, Hossam Hassan. To see Margo and I showing off our newly acquired fencing acumen, click on [tab:trav_video].

This weekend Olympia Fencing Academy hosts the North American Cup Tournament at The America's Center downtown, November 7 through 10. Matches begin at 9am and end around 6pm each day. The tournament is free to watch so if your interest is peeked, you can stop by and get a look at the real competitors - but I bet Margo or I could take them with one sabre behind our back.

Olympia Fencing Academy will be opening on November 17th at 8664 Olive Blvd., Suite B, St. Louis MO 63132. The four week introductory course fee is $65 - $75 for the course.

Congratulations to the Phillies for winning the World Series in what was possibly the worst World Series ever.  Not for anything either of the teams did mind you, it was mainly the weather.  I wasn't really all that tense or excited this year, and odds are, neither were you based on the TV ratings (the lowest ever...making the '06 Cardinals series the second least watched seriest ever!  Ka-Kow!)

Even though I was rooting for the Rays, and the series as a whole was a stinker, I still feel like I need to do a little something for the Phillies...so I'm thinking I should go eat a cheesesteak!  Here's a list of good places to go get one off the top of my head (Let me know in the comments if I missed any!)

• Penn Station
• Foxy's Red Hots
• Natural Fact Deli
• 9th Street Deli

...wait a minute...hold the list!  Via a Google search, I ran across this:

The "General Tso's Philly Cheesesteak" Not exactly traditional, but holy hell.  I must have this.

One last thing, if you want to celebrate the Tampa Bay Ray's magical season where they went from worst in the league to a World Series birth you can...um...you can...uh....get old and retire?  Wait no...have a Cuban sandwich!  Thats it, have a Cuban.  The only place I could find that says they sell a Cuban in the STL is the La Tropicana Market.

Have a good baseball off-season!  Spring Training starts in just over 100 days.

• Hey its The King, and they tell me I need to blog, and thats fine, The King is a fine writer, but I refuse to do it in paragraphs!  Whats the deal with that stupid tab key anyway?  Probably just another way the big fat cats in the computer industry can put another key on your keyboard and take more money from hard working blue collar guys like you and me...well you.  I'm actually doing great, I'm the King!  Did I fool you for a second?  Its ok, I'm a laywer. 
• You know what really gets me?! Those dummies in the Cardinals management!  They just gave up on the season!  "Whaaa...We ran out of games on the schedule, and we didn't have enough wins to make the playoffs!"  So what you Cardinal cry-babies Dave Duncan and Tony La Russa!  Quitters! You know what I would do if I ran that team?  I'd get them all back together and we'd all go out to Philly and wait and the gate for the Phillies to win and then challenge them to a new series!  "Its not over yet dummies!  These Cards don't give up!"
• Brad Boyes from the Blues! What a dumb name!  You aren't 2 people are you?  No. You are one guy!  Change your name!  Also, you spelled it wrong, there isn't an e.  I would know, I'm a lawyer!
• I'll say it again: Kurt Warner is the greatest man of all time. You want the economy fixed?  Let Kurt Warner at it! The end!  Its fixed!  He also stole your coat and gave it away, but the economy is fixed so you can buy a new coat!
• One last thing!  I'm pissed that this Mike guy for not letting me write this all with the caps lock on!  I want my fans to know I'm intense!  Also, why do they even have a Caps Lock?!  Probably just so those fat cats in...

Ok...Thats enough from Kevin.  The End.  Experiment over.  

Sometimes those random thoughts turn out to be nightmares.

The St. Louis Blues are 4-2 as of "press time." Needless to say, they're doing pretty darn good this season so far. But despite the Blues being awesome and despite hockey games being a great mix of athleticism and entertainment, hockey seems to be one of St. Louis' greatest untapped resources. By this, I mean that there are waaaay too many people in this city who don't know a thing about hockey.

If you've never been to a game, or you haven't been in so long that Brett Hull was still playing for the Blues, I highly encourage you to score some tickets to the next home game. But just in case you're so clueless that you find yourself wondering "what are those stick things and why is the ball black," here are a few suggestions from some knowledgable St. Louisans that can help you earn some street cred as a Blues fan.

Dave, who I would classify as an expert of everything athletic in the Lou, has suggested a few quotes that you could say unecessarily loud in order to earn the respect of those sitting by you in the stands.

"I sure hope that Coach Murray gets these guys fired up in the room before the game." (The room is slang for the locker room in hockey talk.)

"Doesn't it suck that Erik Johnson is out for the year after getting hurt by a golf cart?" (If you want, you can say 'golf cart' with extra sarcastic connotation, since nobody really believes that his foot 'got caught between the brake and the floor' anyway.)

"He tried to go top shelf, but he should have gone five-hole." (Aka, he should have shot for the space between the goaltender's legs.)

Mark, a local sports marketing specialist, says that the following quote is a great way to drop some hockey vocab to the guy sitting next to you.

"These guys really need to put the biscuit in the basket and light the lamp." (Biscuit=puck, basket=goal, light the lamp=score a goal)

Ken, a former St. Louis hockey player, says that it's all about actually paying attention to the game. Knowing who has possession and when turnovers happened is easy to do, so at least you'll know what's basically happening on the ice.

If the other team has scored on the power play a couple of times, you could say, "Man, we really need to stay out of the box."

Tyler, a buddy of mine who is talking sports on TV across the river, says you could say this:

"I really like that the Blues are doing with this youth movement on the ice." (FYI, the Blues have many young players this season, including T.J. Oshie, Patrik Berglund and David Perron.)

And if you want a tip from yours truly, I would like to remind you to never say anything about the distinctive way that hockey smells. Yes, all hockey rinks/players/locker rooms smell that way. No, there's nothing that can be done about it. And yes, your nose will get used to it.

Nothing makes me more angry than a fair weather sports fan. Chances are, if you're the last one to your seat and the first one to leave in the middle of the game, you should give your ticket to a more deserving fan. It isn't fair to the team if you only like them when they're having their greatest season in history, and you don't get to bail when they hit a rough patch.

I attended the game in Columbia last weekend when Mizzou didn't exactly win against Oklahoma State. Sure, it wasn't one of the games we thought we had to watch out for, but I'm sure our guys learned a lot from the experience. I'm sure they'll spend every waking moment this week thinking about what they're going to do differently against Texas this coming Saturday.

But when I heard bitter Mizzou fans muttering "we suck" as they stumbled out of the stadium, it made me angrier than is appropriate for me to post on this blog. "We suck?" "WE SUCK?" You didn't think we sucked when we won our last five games, did ya'? You didn't think we sucked when you framed Chase's cover of ESPN the Magazine and hung it in the middle of your living room wall. (Or was that just me?) You didn't hold back from gloating to all of your friends across the river in Illinois when the Tigers killed them right here in St. Louis. So where do you get off selling them short now? Chase is still Chase, the Tigers are still the Tigers, and apparently, you're still a horrible sports fan.

The same goes for every team in every sport from bowling to boxing. If you suddenly start talking smack on your team as soon as they have an off day or year, I have to wonder; how do you live with yourself? If you're going to talk bad about your team, make sure it's really how you feel about them.

For instance, it's not unusual for me to poke fun at the Rams for not really being great at football. In my opinion, it's OK for me to make negative comments about not liking the Rams because I have never cared about them. Even when they won the Super Bowl, although I appreciated the win from a St. Louisan's standpoint, I was more interested in the commercials. Even when I went to the most recent Rams vs. Packers match-up, I wore white because I didn't want St. Louis fans to yell at me while I was drooling over Brett Favre. That's not fair weather, that's just being fair.

I swear, if I hear one more Mizzou fan jump on the "Tigers suck" bandwagon, I'm gonna...

...no seriously.

I'll prove it: http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=281012028

Needless to say, I'm still pumped!  Woke up, put on the, now classic, Faulk jersey and came to work, but sitting at my desk all day just wasn't going to cut it: I just needed to play some football!

Check out the clips of me playing football with all my office friends by clicking on [tab:trav_video]!

I have to go work from home now.  They say I can come back to work in 2 weeks.

When you're in third grade, it's a pretty sweet deal to be able to show up to school in a stretch limousine. Then again, when you're fitting Fredbird in the limo with you, the stretch part might be a necessity.

When eight-year-old Sophie was randomly chosen as the winner of U.S. Cellular's 'Ultimate Show and Tell,' it could not have gone to a more fitting young fan. There aren't many third graders who can rattle off baseball stats without blinking an eye, but Sophie is an exception to that rule. But as Cardinals right fielder Ryan Ludwick soon found out, Sophie knew his RBIs and Home Run statistics better than he did.

Sophie's perks as the winner included the limo ride with Fredbird for her family and her, U.S. Cellular backpacks with Cards gear - including a signed baseball from Ludwick - for her entire class, an autographed jersey and actually taking Ludwick to class for show and tell and kickball.

The whole day was "the best day of school so far," according to Sophie, but perhaps the most interesting part of the day was when Sophie's entire class at Hagemann Elementary was given the opportunity to ask Ludwick anything they wanted. Ludwick was quick to say that he was nervous about reading to the class, but the Q&A session was something that nobody could have prepared him for. Here is a sampling of how the mind of a third grader works, and a few answers to questions that only they could get away with asking:

Kid: "Do you know Johnny Depp?"
Ludwick: "No, but he's a great actor."

Kid: "What is in your pockets?"
Ludwick: "Car keys, a cell phone, a wallet and a dime."

Kid: "Have you ever surfed the crowd?"
Ludwick: "Never on purpose just to hang out. I have a couple of times to almost catch a ball though."

Kid: "How rich are you?"
Ludwick: "I wouldn't call myself rich. I would call myself happy."
Kid: "My dad has a friend named Rick and he is rich!"

Kid: "Have you ever heard of a Shelby speed car?
Ludwick: "Yes, I have."
Kid: "I'm named after it."

Kid: "Have you ever been to Wisconsin?"
Ludwick: "Yes."
Kid: "My name is the capital of Wisconsin."

Kid: "You're from Austin, Texas, right?
Ludwick: "Yep."
Kid: "My name is the capital of Texas."
Ludwick: (After a few more state/capital comments) "Wow, there are a lot of you in this class named after state capitals!"

Kid: Do you have an iPhone?"
Ludwick: "I have an Instinct. It's like the iPhone, but from a different company."

Kid: "What car do you drive?"
Ludwick: "Two gas guzzlers. Have you ever heard of a Navigator?"
Kid: "No."
Ludwick: "Well, I drive that and an Escalade."
Kid: "Ohhh, isn't that a Cadillac?"

Kid: "What does it feel like when you hit a home run?"
Ludwick: "It feels good, but I honestly don't feel much."

Kid: "Do you have a chance to win the wild card?"
Ludwick: "Maybe, but we would have to only win, and everyone else would have to only lose."

Well, there you have it: what Ryan Ludwick brings to mind for third-grader Sophie Cox and her class, and a pro baseball player's take on third graders.

But when you're that emotionally invested in a sports team, it is a devastating blow when they lose. Even more devastating is when all three teams lose in such close proximity. After the Cards lost against the Diamondbacks last night, coupled with the Blues losing their preseason game against the L.A. Kings, I was feeling pretty low. (The Rams haven't technically lost their game on September 28 yet, but I'm going to go ahead and call it a loss due to their impressive track record this season.)

When fans are faced with overwhelming defeat across the board, it's easy to start bad-mouthing the teams that we would normally paint ourselves for. Despite your frustration, you don't want to become the loser in the photo above with the brown bag over his head. To help you cope, and to keep your positive feelings towards St. Louis' sports teams alive, I have compiled a list of things that should make you feel a little bit better.

1. At least you're not living in K.C. Even when our teams lose, it would be even harder trying to remain positive about the Royals and the Chiefs (Can I just say 0-16?)
2. Remain positive. If you go to a sports game while thinking "We're going to lose today, I just know it," it's hard to be enthusiastic about putting on that foam finger.
3. You'll feel more at-ease when (not if) the Rams lose if you keep your expectations realistic. You should just be happy when they win a game here or there. Come on, a four game losing streak isn't that bad.
4. Blame the refs. That never really goes out of style. I mean, they were the ones who struck out Pujols in the bottom of the 7th last night, right?
5. Do some jumping jacks in the isle of the stadium/arena. Exercise releases chemicals in the brain that make you feel good, so after 100 or so, you might not feel so bad about the less-than-stellar score. On the other hand, your choice of when to exercise might make a distracted Blues fan "accidentally" pour their nachos over your head, so crunches might work better.

See, don't you feel better already?

Updated author's note: This post was in good fun. I'm not dissing KC. I like the city, and actually have family ties there. Easy now.

It was a mild summer, both on and off the field,
Carp was hurt and hasn't fully healed.

Though this season a few highlights were had,
I can't remember what they were, so that might be kind of bad.

Oh wait, there was Ludwick, but that's about it,
But maybe next year your fans will be able to talk a little [naughty language removed]. 

But for now we will start packing away our super-fan gear,
And  in less than two weeks we'll say - see you next year!

___________________________________

The Cardinals baseball season has been, shall we say, a little lack luster.  We virtually stranded our offense when all the forces to be contended with on the mound were injured in some way shape or form, and it is with great sadness that we are rounding out a six-game loosing streak, and we won't mention the fourth (?!) place spot in the wildcard race.  I have been known to talk a little baseball smack in my days, but this year the only time it felt appropriate to do so was when we kicked some Cubbie butt over fourth of July weekend, and I boldly celebrated amongst Cubs fans in the good old windy city it's self.

The latest news is that the team is officially set to buy the Memphis Redbirds, and that's this biggest thing I have heard coming out of the clubhouse for a while.  I still look forward to heading to the game Monday night and saying my own goodbye for the season, but that might be more by benefit of having pretty decent seats and expected beautiful weather.  So bye, bye boys in red - can't wait 'till we meet again!

Calling all St. Louis golfers and hockey fans! Hopefully your recent brush with some amazing elite golfers has gotten you ready to trade in your hockey sticks for a nine iron, because the second annual St. Louis Blues 14 Fund Golf Classic is coming soon.

On Monday, October 6, you and three friends can join two Blues executives, coaches, alumni and current players for a round of golf. The cost ($2,000) is pretty steep, but the $500 per player fee goes towards the Blues 14 Fund, which helps improve the health and wellness of youth in the St. Louis area. The tournament is being held at Meadowbrook Country Club.

For more information about playing in the tourney alongside your favorite Blues players, click here or call 314.622.2524.

If you decide that your funds aren't sufficient enough to actually play with the Blues, here are a few other (cheaper) ways to combine Blues Hockey with your golf game.

• This Blues Hockey Stick Putter will have you crushing the ball Happy Gilmore-style.
• Click here to buy a set of St. Louis sports-themed golf balls. Just make sure you use the Rams one when you're hitting a tricky shot over a water hazard.
• If you sweat like a hockey player - there's no mistaking that smell - try out this St. Louis Blues golf towel.

When ToastedRav got the opportunity to tag along with Padraig Harrington's foursome for the Chick Evans Memorial Pro-Am at Bellerive Country Club last week, Mike Merenda and I jumped at the chance.

At first, we didn't know what to expect. We were in awe of the meticulously maintained greens, the perfect-in-every-way fairways and the sprawling white tents that dotted the entire country club. I still am in awe of the phenomenal course, but after spending a few holes talking to the other golfers and caddies in Paddy's group, I gained a new appreciation for who the Pro-Am was actually benefiting.

The PGA's BMW Championship on the PGA Tour is one of three national tournaments that the Western Golf Association sponsors each year. All of these tournaments benefit the Evans Scholars. 'Who are the Evans Scholars?' you ask; well, they are over 800 hard-working caddies across the nation who are given full tuition and housing scholarships to go to college.

Yes, seeing Padraig Harrington play the front nine and Phil Mickelson tee off right here in St. Louis made me pretty star-struck. And because of our time spent with the Chairman of the WGA and the President of the Evans Scholars House at Mizzou, I know that the tournament was about more than just the $8,000 golfers spent to play with their favorite PGA Tour pros.

Click [tab:trav_video] for ToastedRav's coverage of the BMW Championship Pro-Am last week, and be sure to check out our photo gallery as well.