Response from Cardinal Nation

When Paul walked up to my cubicle and asked me to cover the MMA section of his fledgling sports blog, I had no idea how quickly it would devolve into a “why we love the cubbies” fan page. Although all three of us were born and raised in Saint Louis, it appears that I’m the only one of us that turned out right. I can only imagine my parents' reaction if I came out of the baseball closet and avowed my allegiance to the Cubs. I can already see mother beginning to cry and locking herself in the bathroom, my father cursing under his breath and storming out the house. There are few things that would hurt my family more than if I recanted my faith in the Cardinals.

I’ll end the satire here. After all, being a Cubs fan is nothing to joke about. It entails immeasurable amounts of commitment, sacrifice—oftentimes self-loathing---but above all, loyalty. I don’t agree with Cubs fans, nor do I like many of them, but I do respect anyone who can continue to support the team that they love after nearly a century of failure. I have little tolerance for those who sport the faux Cub paraphernalia that litters many Saint Louis area stores. Cubs stands for “Completely Useless By September,” taunts one popular tee-shirt. Cards and Cubs fans will always be at odds, I understand, but both sides should maintain a certain level of respect.

Now that you’ve heard about my fellow bloggers’ tragic paths to Cub-fandom, let me tell you 3 reasons why you should support the Cardinals.

3) A History of Greatness

While the Cubs have had some encounters with greatness—players like Ernie Banks, Ryan Sandberg, and pre-and-post-prime Greg Maddux, those names pale in comparison to those who have worn the Cardinals uniform. Bob Gibson, for example, will go down in the annals of big-league ball as one the top ten pitchers in history with over three thousand strikeouts and a career ERA of 2.91. In 1968 he was so dominant—his ERA was 1.12 that year—that Major League Baseball lowered the pitcher’s mound just to give hitters a chance—and Sports Illustrated recently ranking him as the most intimidating pitcher in the history of baseball. And Gibson is by no means the team’s greatest player. Beside him stand Stan Musial, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith—arguably the greatest defensive player ever—and now Albert Pujols. I’d go on, but I think you get it.

2) A Winning Legacy

Last year the Cardinals won their tenth World Championship, second in baseball only to the New York Yankees. Add that to over twenty National League Championships and myriad division titles, and you have the second most winning franchise in the sport. They have had their down years, but are by and large a successful franchise.

1) Heart Like No Other

The Cardinals have found a way to win even when the deck is stacked against them. In 2002 the redbirds suffered a devastating loss when a starter passed away mid-season. The team had every reason to fold, but rallied to win 97 games and win the division. The Cardinals finished the 2006 season with a disappointing 83 wins and just avoided the greatest end-of-season breakdown in baseball history. Even the most loyal Cardinal fans predicted a quick three-and-out in their opening series against the Padres. Not only did they win the series, but they also dispatched the heavily-favored Mets and Tigers en route to becoming the most unlikely World Series Champions in recent memory. The Cardinals were the Rocky Balboa of the 2006 season, and how can you not root for Rocky? Things look bleak again for the birds at this point in the season, but their track records shows that they can turn it around.

Needless to say, it’s hard for me to imagine how any human being—let alone those with roots in Saint Louis –can not be a Cardinals fan. I guess there are some things we're just not supposed to know.