A morning peek into what sports bloggers around the web are saying, blended with various news, gossip, and analysis. We’ll get to Mets-Cards in a minute, but thought we’d open with this picture, because it accurately captures the dejection – slumped shoulders, deflated, devoid of a smile – of Mets fans everywhere this morning.

We’ll talk baseball in a bit, but first, let’s give it up for the Cards bullpen. (Bert Flex)

Who’s got the inside track on the Maxwell Award? (M Go Blog)

An Alabama fan with the memory of an elephant remembers some classic Lamar Thomas. (Yukon Sully)

The third largest TV market in the country isn’t even showing Chicago Black Hawks games. NHL, meet trouble. (Off Wing Opinion)

A ton of NBA players are injured and may not be ready for the season in two weeks. (NBA Obsessed)

We’re asking Michael Irvin his thoughts on the brawl because why? (Bored at Life)

Here’s to you, Mr. Koren Robinson. (Nietzsche or Nitschke?)

You must read about Cricket. You’ll feel like you’re in South Africa. (Sportolysis)

Well, this is interesting: We, as a nation, may collectively begin to hate the Bears. (Mighty MJD)

You know those NBA player rankings John Hollinger spent weeks on? Yeah, they’re bullshit. Journeyman Chuck Hayes is 17 spots ahead of Jason Kid, and 20 spots ahead of Dwight Howard. (True Hoop)

The name game and the NBA. Pape Sow sounds like a farming machine. (Bench Renaldo)

Analyzing a few of Tony Kornheiser’s choice MNF lines. (Awful Announcing)

The new Bond chick has a geeky sexiness to her. (In Case You Didn’t Know)

Politics, Maryland, and Mike Tyson. You may as well endorse Michael Irvin or Mark Foley. (Oliver Willis)

There’s still a month left until Michigan-Ohio State, but bloggers are already breaking down the common opponents. (Men of the Scarlet and Gray)