You Know What? The Cardinals Might Just Suck, Eh?

Two seasons ago, we headed to Chicago in late September for a friends' wedding. This friend is a Cubs fans (yes, we have friends who are Cubs fans). The wedding happened to be the final weekend of the season; if you'll remember, the Cubs, a year after Bartman, were in the midst of choking away a gimme wild-card spot that year. And our friend was disgusted. When we asked him why, after a week of losing, he seemed to be rooting against his team to make the playoffs, his face steeled.

"They don't deserve it," he said. "This team is so frustrating and lackadaisical that I find myself rooting against them. Sure, I guess I want them to make the playoffs, but a part of me will feel disappointed if it turns out that this team is the one that finally does it. Because they're not likable, and they drive me crazy."

And the time, this seemed insane to us. How could you not root for your team, even if they were struggling and maddening? But after watching our Cardinals this season, including the awful sweep by the hands of the Pirates this weekend, we are frustrated enough to admit it: We don't think this team deserves it.

We know we're notorious for being Chicken Littles about the Cardinals, but we were just disgusted and felt like we had to say so. We understand if we don't have the sympathy of Royals fans, or Indians fans, or whatever. But we think it might be time to admit that the Cardinals just aren't very good. Maybe it will be freeing.

Fans Can Fuss All They Want, But Cards Are Just So-So [St. Louis Post-Dispatch]