It didn't take long for the first shot to be fired across the bow in the National League Championship Series.

Most teams, in their pre-Game 1 media sessions, speak glowingly about their opponents, complementing the job they've done during the season and what they've accomplished to get to this point in the post season.

That's most teams. This is the Brewers and the Cardinals.

Over the last few years, as the Brewers have grown from a group of young and promising prospects into National League Central champs, the polished and professional Cardinals have stood in their way; the perennial champions of the division.

Along the way, there have been plenty of memorable games, and just as many memorable moments, some of the good ... many of them , well interesting.

Which brings us, in a rather wayward fashion, to Saturday's media availability.

Zack Greinke, the Brewers' Game 1 starter, was asked about the potential bad blood between the two teams. Greinke, a fairly straight shooter, didn't mince words, saying that while the Brewers respect their rivals, there is a healthy disdain for St. Louis pitcher Chris Carpenter.

"They think his presence, his attitude out there sometimes is like a phony attitude," Greinke said. "But ... and then he yells at people. He just stares people down and stuff. And most pitchers just don't do that.

"And when guys do, I guess some hitters get mad. Some hitters do it to pitchers. But when you do that some people will get made. There's other pitchers in the league that do it, but I don't know, a lot of guys on our team don't like Carpenter."

Naturally, St. Louis manager Tony La Russa was asked for his take on the situation. La Russa, who has had more than few critical opinions of the Brewers over the years, was none too impressed with Greinke's observations.

"That's a bad comment to make unless you know Chris Carpenter," La Russa said. "Our attitude is we look at ourselves and we grade ourselves. Even if we don't like what's happening on the other side, it's not our business unless somebody crosses the line.

"So I think the Brewers should take care of their players and their comments and not be concerned about other players' comments. If they had Chris Carpenter, they would be cheering for him and believing in him and they would not be allowing somebody who was a teammate to make a crack like that.

"But Greinke's not his teammate, so I'm disappointed. If you knew him, none of that stuff is true. He doesn't give (expletive) .... and he doesn't take it. That's the way it's supposed to be."