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Four World Series appearances in a ten year time frame.  In the last three years, the St. Louis Cardinals have appeared in the World Series twice, narrowly missed playing the Series last year.  As a sports fan, a baseball fan, I could not be more happy.  My team really does not need to bring home a Series championship this year, although I will be ecstatic if they do.  I feel like a winner just being associated with the Cardinals as a fan. 

I also enjoy having a reason to be smugly annoying.  Friends and haters have accused Cardinal fans of being the Midwestern equivalent to Yankee fans, the bring-a-dish-to-pass -Sunday-go-to-meeting version.  Many express their distaste for “The Cardinal Way”, dismissing the notion that the Cardinals win because of the way they and their fans approach the game.  They also find Cardinal fans because of sentiments like I expressed in my first paragraph of this blog.

They are all jealous.  All, every one of those who dismiss the Cardinal Way and resent our annoying celebrations, would love to be in our shoes.  It’s OK.  Like I said, I enjoy having a reason to be smugly annoying.

Cardinal fans expect to win.  We have no reason to expect anything different from a team, an organization, that has given us otherwise.  Our swagger is deserved.  Yet, our swagger is not like the typical swagger.  Cardinal fans have a realistic humility, much like the team they support, that also makes fans of other teams admit their appreciation.  My friends dread seeing that goofy smile I get when my team has won, but they also like me for it.

I love baseball.  I bleed Cardinal red.  Baseball is one of my favorite topics of conversation and some of my best friends are baseball fans.

Go Cardinals!