Why do I still find myself hating the Cardinals?

In the past, I have never had any ill-will towards any team in Major League Baseball not named the Yankees.  As a kid growing up, I liked watching the White Sox, Cubs, Twins, heck even the Cardinals.  Never felt any hatred or malcontent for any team in baseball, football is a different story (Bears and Vikings) for a different time.  So why do I now feel this deep seeded loathing and hatred for the red birds?   We are days away from knocking them off their perch, and I am still filled with such spite.

We beat them yesterday, in their park, and I still despise them.  How can this be?  As I started to break myself down, it all comes down to two things.  The first reason I hate the Cardinals is rather obvious, and that is “Everyone hates the top dog”.  This is something that has always been true, in sports and politics anyway.  Part of why I hate the Cardinals is out of good old fashioned envy.  They have been so good for so long, whilst my team has struggled to even be nationally relevant.

I remember when I first moved to Seattle and a certain female, who shall remain nameless, asked me what the Brewers were.  I told her they were the Milwaukee baseball team and she looked me straight in the face and said, “Milwaukee has a baseball team?”  Meanwhile, everyone knows who the St. Louis Cardinals are.  They are one of the greatest franchises in the history of baseball.  Historically, the Cardinals have always been better than us.  They spoiled our franchises only trip to the World Series some 29 years ago.  But these things are not enough to hate…

     The second thing is what has caused me to become hateful.  Tony LaRussa.  I respect the man and everything he has done in his career as a major league skipper, but in his old age he has resorted to crying and belly-aching to try and win games.  This article was sent to me by my friend (and Cards fan) Ray DeRousse over at Cardinal Baseball.  Please take a few minutes and go read this article, you will thank me and probably get a few good laughs out of it.  If Cardinals fans are seeing this from Mr. LaRussa, then I am not the only one.  First there was the whole, “Your lights are brighter when the Brewers are up to bat” nonsense.  That was followed by the blatantly intentional beaning of Ryan Braun a night later.  Which was in turn followed by Tony LaRussa calling Brewers fans “Idiots” during a post-game press conference.  Not to mention the countless times over the past decade that he has bitched about people stealing signs.  News flash:  stealing signs in baseball is as old as the game itself.  Rather than changing the signs to throw off thieves, LaRussa and Duncan would rather file grievance upon grievance with Bud Selig (aka King of the Whiners).  I will finish my little tyraid with this quote from Ray’s article:

"Albert Pujols, Matt Holiday, and Lance Berkman all loudly complained about how “the shadows” crossing the field made it too difficult to hit Randy Wolf’s 40mph fastball.  Pujols said it bothered him so much that he contacted “upper management” about changing the game time in order to suit his at bats!"

This team has absorbed it’s managers “style” of baseball to a point of nonsense.

       I have no issue with Cardinals fans, or the legacy that they have with baseball.  However, at this point in my baseball writing evolution, I hate what the Cardinals are today.  The season that they won the World Series (2006), I remember rooting for them at The Chancery Pub and Grill in Pleasant Prairie.  That’s right.  I wanted them to win.  They were a team full of heart and determination, but those days are long gone. 

     There are two other articles that I read today that I want to share with all of you.  The first one is from our FanSided minor league site Seedlings to Stars.  In this article, yours truly asked about potential replacements for Prince Fielder.  If you are as concerned as I am about the hole we need to fill at first base next season, this is a must read.  It will make you feel better.  The second article is from a blog called Sully Baseball, 10 Reasons why the Milwaukee Brewers winning the 2011 World Series would be good for baseball.  This article put a big fat smile on my face.  Sully makes some very valid points. 

Tonight’s game will be starting in about an hour, so I will let you all get ready for that.  Hope everyone had a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.  Go Brewers!!!