We, for one, welcome our new Cardinal leaders (again)

The St. Louis Cardinals, three games out of the second wild-card spot two weeks ago, now stand five games clear of the Philadelphia Phillies, and dropped their magic number to four with a doubleheader sweep at Wrigley Field on Friday. The Redbirds have matched their team record with a 14-game winning streak and given that five of their remaining eight games are against a Chicago team that’s mentally already in Cancun, yeah, we’re going to be seeing St. Louis in the postseason once again.

The fun part of this, if you don’t like the Cardinals and don’t find them winning this much and making the playoffs to be fun, is that it’s got the California Old Firm on the highest of alert. Both the Giants and Dodgers have had plenty of run-ins with the Cardinals in the playoffs before, and both know all too well that Cardinals Devil Magic is real.

It doesn’t matter how hot they are. The Cards could go into the playoffs on an eight-game losing streak and have all of their best players get food poisoning at the team breakfast on the day of the wild-card game. They’d still have Lars Nootbaar come up in a big spot and hit a three-run homer. This all could have been prevented, but the Mets, Padres, and Reds picked one hell of a time to all come undone.

It’s happening, and all we can do is be prepared.

It’s not the first time — ask Jarome Iginla — and it won’t be the last time, but it’s always a good time when a local news reporter catches up with a local athlete for a person-on-the-street story.

And this time, it’s even better, because the question that Hayley Crombleholme of KUTV in Salt Lake City asked Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson was… if he went to any Jazz games.

He played in 68 of them this past season. Even started one. Plus 11 more playoff appearances.

So, yeah, indeed, a lot.

Time to up the ante. Not literally, even though this is the gamblingish part of the program, but figuratively. Having been picking four games, it’s noted that the inline subhed in this space last week was “Pick six! Err, four!” Message received. It’s time to pick six college football games, although, just as before, this is for entertainment purposes only, as there is nothing informing these picks but feelings.

No. 18 Wisconsin -6.5 vs. Notre Dame (at Chicago)

No. 2 Georgia -35 at Vanderbilt

Army -7.5 vs. Miami-Ohio

Louisville -1.5 at Florida State

No. 9 Clemson -10 at N.C. State

No. 20 Michigan State -5 vs. Nebraska

All favorites this week! Let’s see how that goes. Good teams win. Great teams cover.

Last week: 2-2

Season: 6-2