¹û½´ÊÓƵ

It says a lot about the Cardinals and the Blues.

Of the nine names that make up the MLS2STL group, these two jumped out:

Bill DeWitt III, Cardinals president

Chris Zimmerman, ¹û½´ÊÓƵ Blues CEO

Remember, if you will, the 29-page relocation application the Los-Angeles-bound ¹û½´ÊÓƵ Rams sent to the NFL a little more than a month ago. Among the many points — some valid, some laughable — that attempted to depict the city as an untenable place for the NFL, a section on page 23, titled "¹û½´ÊÓƵ Is Not a Three Professional Team Market", quoted a sports economist named John Vrooman, who once said:

“It might be time to realize that ¹û½´ÊÓƵ may, in fact, be a two-team market and the best economic outcome for ¹û½´ÊÓƵ is to let the Rams bolt for Los Angeles and then concentrate the corporate fan base on the Blues and the beloved Cardinals."

If the Blues and Cardinals were led by men like Rams owner Stan Kroenke, they might have responded to the NFL's departure by doubling the price of admission and attempting to block the arrival of any additional entertainment options.

But here are DeWitt III and Zimmerman jumping into the fight to finally bring an MLS team to their soccer-loving city. This isn't lip service about how great an MLS-STL marriage would be. It's not piling on Kroenke for his disparaging comments about the city, a smart public relations move, no doubt. This is stepping forward to be a part of the sausage-making process to land an MLS expansion team. It's risking the backlash that will come if their attempt fails.

That's what hit me when I read the news. Kroenke said ¹û½´ÊÓƵ is a two-sports town. But those two sports teams are rolling up their sleeves to recruit a third.

Some other quick reactions to the news:

• The $16.2 million of public money spent during the ¹û½´ÊÓƵ stadium task force's attempt to keep the Rams drew some criticism during the process, and a lot more after the process didn't work. Such complaints aren't valid here. MLS2STL Group member Jim Woodcock told Post-Dispatch reporter David Hunn that the work will be privately funded. The money for a soccer-specific stadium would likely be another story.

• Woodcock also told Hunn that while some of the MLS2STL Group members might turn into MLS owners, we shouldn't assume any will. That's more encouraging than saying none are interested. It's a safe bet that some of the names mentioned will absolutely become owners if the plan works out.
  
  
• Spare me the sarcasm about Dave Peacock, co-leader of the ¹û½´ÊÓƵ stadium task force that tried and failed to keep the Rams in town, being a part of this group. Peacock, the chairman of the board of directors of the ¹û½´ÊÓƵ Sports Commission and the former president of Anheuser-Busch, has some serious skin in the soccer game. He's incredibly valuable here. I'm just glad he's bouncing back after going through the NFL's manipulation machine.
  
  
• One more note about the Cardinals and the Blues actually, you know, caring about this place. Former Rams receiver Isaac Bruce has been trying to plan a Rams reunion/farewell flag football game for charity at the Edward Jones Dome. The Cardinals and the Blues have both told Bruce's foundation they would gladly help promote the event through a puck drop and a first pitch. Pretty cool.