On My Own

So last month I decided it was time for me to move out of my Dad's house and into my own apartment with a buddy of mine in O'fallon.  It isn't the nicest or biggest place but it's cheap and I can live more comfortably with a smaller rent to pay.  I always thought having my own place would be awesome, I thought about how cool it'd be to make my own rules and do things my own way. For the most part it is really cool being independent, except for when I have to pay for things for myself, which is all the time now.  It's really not as hard as some people make it out to be but every time I get a bill I think maybe my situation at home with the folks wasn't so bad.

Berkman hits 4 HR and collects 10 RBIs during the Cardinal's first series victory.

     It's been a rough opening week for the Cards. Matt Holliday was injured for about a week due to an emergency apendectomy all while Albert's bat fell silent. But even through the games they lost I can tell something different about this season compared to last, they're showing they can hang tough even without their ace or their two best hitters in the lineup.  So far the offense has been a lot stronger than what I expected especially now that Albert seems to be coming out of his funk since he reached base safely 6 out of his 9 oppurtunities.  The bullpen is shaky but they seem to be learning from their mistakes rather quickly compared to last season.  Although things are looking up it's still too early to tell how things will shape up come October.

Opening Day 2011

            Even though most of the rankings have us trailing the Reds this year and Sports Illustrated has us taking fourth place this year in the NL Central, all of that doesn't seem to bother me at this point.  I hate to sound like an optimist but the Cardinals have a shot to win it every year.  They've got the potential to do some damage, anytime you have a guy like Pujols in your lineup you have a shot to win every game.  As long as he has guys hitting around him that can get on base he can keep this team in first place. But with the loss of our Ace Adam Wainwright it isn't going to be easy, the Cardinals are gonna have to fight to make their way back to the playoffs this year, where they belong. 

Top 5 Songs

1) Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd
           - This song, especially the live from Atlanta version, is without a doubt my favorite song of all time.  It's about 14 minutes long and the ever so pure lyrics and never-ending guitar solos combine to make this the greatest song in American history.  

2) Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith
           - Show me a man who doesn't like Aerosmith and I'll show that person the way out of this country because they're obviously not American.  Sweet Emotion just has that perfect sound that gets you in this vibe that will make it physically impossible for you to change the song.  

3) Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd
           - Yes two of my favorite songs are played by the same artist but I can't help that the fact that Lynyrd Skynyrd is the greatest Country/Rock n' Roll band ever.  Listen to this song, it pretty much forces you to crack open a cold one and down it immediately. 

4) Paradise City by Guns N' Roses
            - No matter what time of year it is and no matter where I'm at this song takes me to a warm, tropical paradise every time I turn it on. I dare you to try not to speed when you hear this song come on the radio. 

5) So Far Away by Staind
          - This is one of the most underrated songs ever made.  Staind has made a lot of good, deep, meaningful songs but this one is my favorite. I think the song's easy-going tone but strong lyrics is what makes it so attractive to me. 

There's always next year.

As if the failure to sign Pujols to a long-term deal before the season got underway wasn't heartbreaking enough now our ace Adam Wainwright is expected to be out for the season with a torn ligament in his right elbow.  Tommy John surgery is the most devastating thing to hear because it means you're out for the season no matter what since it usually takes 12 to 15 months to Rehab.  This is probably the worst start to a season I have witnessed in my entire life as a diehard Cardinal's fan.  Even though the season is starting to look very grim I'm still looking forward to having baseball back in full swing again. 

Friday, April 8

This is the day that's scheduled for my first fight, a kickboxing match at Fisher's.  I decided not to jump straight into an MMA fight so I can work on my ground game a little longer and to get used to being in a live fight. It'll give me time to shake out some of my sloppy aggressiveness in the ring and help me be a lot more calm when my MMA fight does come up.  In order to maximize my endurance and my discipline I've decided to give up drinking and smoking for all of March, except for St.Patrick's day of course.  I figure not allowing myself to drink or smoke until after my fight will probably make me a little more determined in the ring.  Hopefully it'll all pay off come Fight Night.

Apparently $25M doesn't go as far as it used to.

The city of St. Louis and primarily the front office of our hometown Cardinals have had the national spotlight on them for the past 4 days now.  It's situations like this that will define John Mozeliak and Bill Dewitt's careers here in St. Louis.  This is what they will be remembered for, how they handled the greatest player in the game and J-Mo's facial expression didn't seem as confident as the words he spoke about signing the future hall of famer.  You can tell they're all under a lot of scrutiny and that definitely isn't pushing them any faster to get a deal done it's only leading to more confusion and unanswered questions.  People act like Pujols is a free agent already, I hate thinking about seeing him in another jersey but if being the highest paid player is more important to him than winning than he's no longer El Hombre, he's no longer a legend here, he's just like the rest of the greedy athletes out there.

I am From

I am from the suburbs of St. Louis, Missouri and the class of 2010 at O'fallon Township High School.  From the upper deck of Busch Stadium and the sea of red that is America's greatest baseball town, from cold and frosty Bud Light and Budweiser, flowing through the area as steadily as the nearby Mississippi River.  I am from the ring, from the octagon, from the over used but always reliable one-two combo. From a 12 to 9 shift at the world's largest retailer and the steady bi-weekly paychecks for the 60 or more hours of my time. And from the sports pages of the Post-Dispatch every morning before the frigid ride to Southwestern Illinois Community College.

Tanner: Tanner Libbra: Introduction

Tanner: Tanner Libbra: Introduction: "Let me introduce myself, my name is Tanner and I currently live with my parents in O'fallon. I'm attending SWIC for my second semester..."

Tanner Libbra: Introduction

Let me introduce myself, my name is Tanner and I currently live with my parents in O'fallon.  I'm attending SWIC for my second semester and my main goal is to graduate with an associate in science and to get into the School of Business over at SIUE.  I am a huge Cards fan, I could very easily write every blog about them this entire semester.  I work at the photo center in the Wal-Mart across the street, can't say it's the best job I've ever had but it is definitely a good experience for a potential future in retail.  I am one tall guy, standing at six feet and six inches tall I've decided to put my height and long reach to use in the ring and when I'm not in class or at work I'm in the gym training.  Each week if I have time to spare I like to kick back with a few friends or go out and have a good time to sort of reward myself for the hardwork I devote to school, work, and the gym.  If you see me around campus or elsewhere don't be afraid to say what's up.