One of the most impressive things about OU's 26-10 win over Missouri, in Columbia, Mo., today is just how far the Sooners' defense has come this year. In fact, over both the 2005 and 2006 seasons, our Oklahoma boys have approached their on-the-field progress as steady but sure.

While I do believe Bob Stoops deserves some criticism in big games for not nutting up and breaking out the gimmick play for the sake of momentum, I also believe he deserves a ton of credit for leading his club's improvement over the past two campaigns.

By the end of the season, Oklahoma might be one of the five or six best teams in the country, at this pace.

Likewise, I've approached many of my 2006-07 goals in the same manner. No need to reinvent my world immediately. In fact, I've taken the approach of creating and achieving one goal each week.

Three weeks ago, I eliminated all ice cream from my diet. Two weeks ago, I bought a crapload of healthful, protein-heav(ier) breakfast products to replace my daily pop-tarts habit. I've also eliminated beer as a weekend staple with the reasoning that I simply need to rid myself of weak calories.

My calories need to either bring it or go home.

That's one of the giant benefits of Super Target, in my estimation. Their grocery store is chock-full of specialty items, alternative foods and single-serving products.

If I could only stay away from the candy drawer at work, I'd be golden. However, the news business is one that often depends on the super-high highs of a breaking-news cycle. Adrenalin. Quite possibly, it's something that I'll be able to master weeks or months from now.

However, for me, it's all about an improvement per week. Heck, that I'm only 215 pounds at my max, given how I consume, is a minor miracle. Honestly? I don't think losing 30 pounds is going to be a big whoop as long as I eat more healthfully in the morning, stay away from the huge-calorie staples, work out and up my protein intake.

Let's put it this way: There's nothing in there too terribly sacrificial such that I couldn't do this long-term. However, I have no plans to do it all at once. Steady but sure.

Saturday notes:

1. I have always hated the St. Louis Cardinals, but I managed for 24 years to not have to endure a Redbirds world title. Until now.

Why do I hate the Cardinals? Simple.

Living in Oklahoma, the possibilities for my baseball loyalties are endless. As an 8-year-old, I was a Dodgers fan. Bill Russell was from Broken Arrow, and I loved the L.A. infield of Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey.

I also hated the Yankees.

However, by the time I turned 11, I had a TV of my own. While the Braves were terrible, I watched TBS damned near nightly. When we got WGN, I watched the Cubbies.

The only local team our networks played, though, was the Kansas City Royals. I used to feign sleep and watch their west-coast games in the early-to-mid-80s. Believe it or not, in the Tulsa market, in the years between 1981-86, there was no regular St. Louis Cardinals coverage.

So, I couldn't understand why all my friends rooted for the Redbirds when the local team was actually Kansas City. They are closer to Oklahoma. They're on TV.

Long story short, the crap I had to hear in 1985 after the Royals beat the Cards -- relative to Don Denkinger, in particular -- made me hate the Cardinals with a passion. I honestly mean it when I say that the notion that Cardinals fans are the best in the Majors, that St. Louis is somehow the best baseball town in the sport is ridiculous.

St. Louis is Kansas City with a better baseball history and without much of a modern football history.

New York and Boston are the best baseball towns on the planet. Bar none. Chicago is as solid as St. Louis, but that puts the Redbird in a tie for third or fourth.

Since 1985, I became a fan of the Mets and Rangers, although my *team* is Texas. I'm a big believer that your team should be the club nearest you, wherever you live. I certainly don't always follow that, but I will with the little red-shoed Rangers.

While living in Oklahoma actually allowed me multiple choices for my baseball interests, the only consistent thing about them is that I can't stand the Cardinals. So, I'm officially in baseball hell.

Nevertheless, I congratulate my Cardinals buddies. They're allowed to give me that hell until spring training starts.

2. You'll notice that I've added music to the left-nav. I wanted to explain briefly to any newbie visitors that I am under no impression that I'm some sort of musical artiste, ready for a label. I'm merely a dude who records crap out of his house for fun.

When I record new stuff, I'll put it out. If you'd be so kind as to save the file to your machine before playing it, I'd appreciate it.

3. A great weekend time-waste: VideoJug.

People explain how to do things on video. It's really quite brilliant in terms of the idea.

4. Lastly, Lynne Cheney "laid into CNN" on Friday by asking Wolf Blitzer if he wants America to win?.

That type of behavior and questioning is not only demagogic, it's childish and insulting. She and her husband are an embarrassment.