The Zombie Narrative

It wouldn't be fitting if it didn't come down to elimination games for the Zombie Cardinals. Their thirst for brains has been stymied by equal parts mismanagement and shotgun blasts to the head by the likes of Adrian Beltre and Mike "Second Cleanup Hitter" Napoli. The series stands at 3-2 with a fantastic finish set for the next two nights. Let's hope that is actually two nights, of course.

I think that, pre-blog days, I was blissfully unaware of most Cardinals hatred. Yes, I realize that only the Yankees have won more titles than St. Louis. However, it seems like there's some festering perception that the Cards always win. Does 2 championship rings in the past 43 years sound like "always win" to you? Yes, they have a rich tradition, but I still get a bit excited when I run into a Cardinals fan out here on the west coast. I vividly remember being one of three people in a crowded bar during Game 1 of the 2004 World Series that wasn't rooting for the Red Sox, the others being the friend that I came with and a stray bartender. I remember sitting at a table full of Tigers fans the night that the Cards clinched their first title in my rooting lifetime (since I was a clueless American League fan for my first few years of existence, I didn't revel in the 1982 series as much as I wish that I did.)

I do feel like an underdog as a Cards fan. (Hell, no one around here even seems to like baseball anymore.) And yes, even though St. Louis still holds the home field advantage, they have fallen into that underdog role once again this year. They have been left for dead, many times over. Let's hope they're still some brainthirsty monsters ready for one last feast or two. (Please, let it be two.)

Big thanks to Cardboard Heaven for the cards in this post. Cards are heading back in your direction soon. I'm in a bit of a trading rut at the moment.