Sports
Westplex Sports Page For September 3, 2010:
By Bo Hudson
Sep 3, 2010 - 3:02:55 PM

Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo says it will likely be two or three days until he names his starting quarterback.  On a conference call today, "Spags" said he wasn't ready to announce who would start under center when the team opens the regular season on September 12th by hosting the Arizona Cardinals.  Rookie QB Sam Bradford made another solid case why he should be the starter last night. The top overall pick of this year's draft was 6-for-6 for 68 yards and a touchdown in his lone series in a 27-21 win over the Baltimore Ravens.  It was Bradford's second NFL start this preseason.  The Oklahoma made the two starts as A.J. Feeley was sidelined with thumb and elbow injuries.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis will spend the next two years on probation.  The "Post-Dispatch" says the NCAA sanctioned the school for violations within its men's golf program.  According to the NCAA, a former head coach and a volunteer assistant coach were involved with online fantasy football and baseball leagues from 2004-08.  The coach paid to participate and was eligible to win prizes, which the NCAA considers sports wagering.  Although not named in the NCAA's report, Dustin Ashby was the head coach at the time in question.  The NCAA says some of the entry fees were as high as 1,750 dollars.

The Missouri Tigers and Illinois Fighting Illini will play in the final edition of the Gateway Series Saturday afternoon at the Edward Jones Dome.  It's the season opener for both teams. Mizzou took last year's meeting 37-9 and has won all three matchups in the series thus far. MU is coming off an 8-and-5 season, while the Illini won just three of 12 games a year ago.

Nyjer Morgan's run-in with Cardinals catcher Bryan Anderson last Saturday factored in the Nationals outfielder's eight-game suspension.  Morgan was hit with the lengthy ban today, after he was part of a brawl between the Nats and Marlins on Wednesday.  However, MLB vice president of on-field operations Bob Watson said the punishment was for a number of incidents, include bumping into Anderson.  In Wednesday's contest, Morgan rushed the mound after Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad hit him with one pitch, then thew behind Morgan in another at-bat.  Both benches cleared, and Florida first baseman Gaby Sanchez clothes-lined Morgan as he ran at Volstad.

The Cardinals begin a crucial three-game series with the Reds tonight at Busch Stadium.  St. Louis trails Cincinnati by eight games for the National League Central lead with the season entering its final month.  Jaime Garcia starts for the Cards, who look to end a five-game slide.  Garcia is 12-and-6 with a 2.33 ERA.  St. Louis comes home after a 2-and-8 road trip.  Meantime, the Reds have been surging.  They've won their last four and 14 of their last 18. Cincinnati got hot immediately after it was swept by St. Louis in a series at Great American Ball Park last month.  The Reds send 14-and-8 Bronson Arroyo to the mound in tonight's series opener. We’ll broadcast the pregame at 6:32 tonight on KWRE