First off, I am a huge Cardinals fan. I hesitate to say I'm even a baseball fan because I am so centered on my team that I fail to learn about other team's players, keep up with what's going on in other divisions, or know anything about baseball history. But through supporting my team over the years, I've picked up a good amount of baseball knowledge, so I can get by. That's what I tell myself.
I thoroughly enjoy watching baseball games, from start to finish when I can. I especially like watching my team win said games. Of course, who doesn't? And I'm fortunate enough that I get to see my team of choice win more often than many others. As a refresher, the St. Louis Cardinals have won 11 World Series titles, two of them this past decade in 2006 and 2011. So I have two distinct memories of watching my team win it all. It's great. And in recent years we've made appearances in the postseason more often than not.
I'm so proud of my team, and I will continue to support them through the inevitable highs and lows. But with such success, one can't help but think of the less fortunate. Those who haven't seen a championship for decades. And one of those such teams happens to be our favorite rivals, the Chicago Cubs.
Now, my younger years (if I can even say that at age 22) were dedicated to my hatred of the Cubs. I like to think I've grown out of that and more into pitying them. Not that pity is any nicer than hatred from a Cubs fan's perspective. It might be worse. But to the outside world, it looks more sympathetic. (When really to me, it's more comical.)
Anyway, the Cubs haven't tasted sweet victory since 1908, which basically means no one alive has experienced any kind of Cub championship. It makes sense that some fans would harbor hatred toward the Cardinals and Cardinals fans. And I've experienced this first hand. Especially during the postseason when the Cardinals are doing well.
Last year in 2012, my Facebook news feed and Twitter feed were filled with my Cubs fan acquaintances' complaining. Some were straight out offensive towards the Cardinals, simply stating that the poster hated the Cardinals and all Cardinals fans. Okay, that hurts. Maybe they didn't think about how that message was personally attacking human beings simply for their choices to root for a certain team. It's in poor taste, of course, but I found other statuses even more infuriating. These are the ones that profess to be rooting for the opposing team. Last year it was the San Francisco Giants.
Of course there were plenty of Cardinals fans coming out of the woodwork (I didn't even know you followed baseball! and yet you are posting a status about the "CARDS WIN!!!!" after every game...), but all of a sudden, half of my friends were inexplicably rooting for the Giants! Strange.
I'm going to try and say this without being too sarcastic, which I haven't been able to do before. But it bothers me to no end when Cubs fans in particular feel the need to root FOR a different team instead of AGAINST the Cardinals. Does that make sense? Instead of posting statuses about how they want to Cardinals to lose, I see things like "Let's go Giants!!" (or in the case of this year, when we are in fact in the World Series again, "Red Sox!!"). And for some reason, this really gets under my skin. Maybe I'm just sensitive and quick to defend my team. Whatever the reason, I still believe it's a sad move that these fans have to resort to rooting for another team every year instead of being able to stick with their own team to the end. That's really all there is to say about it. I'm just glad that I can say "Go Cardinals!!" every year.
Now, that should give some insight into how desperate Cubs fans are. I know how great it feels to see my team win, and I know that it's exciting every year, despite how many times we've done it before. But I wonder if it loses its sweetness over time.
In 2006, I remember watching us win. My dad and I both stood up upon that final strike thrown by Wainwright, and we watched the field flood with Cardinals jersey's, and we were speechless for a few minutes, just looking at each other and back to the television, reveling in the victory.
In 2011, I sat alone in my room in Spain, watching a sketchy live feed of the game at almost 7am. The power had been out for half of the game, and it had just come on in time for me to watch the last few outs. But I saw Allen Craig catch that pop fly in deep left, and heard the announcer say "What a team! What a ride! The Cardinals are world champs in 2011!" and I sat there in awe at how my team had overcome so much and still come out with a win.
I know how it feels to win. It's incredible. And I feel almost the same excitement this year. But I can't help but think how amazing it would feel as a Cubs fan, if they ever do win again. Over a century of waiting, of disappointment, of losing. To finally feel the thrill of one huge win. I'm almost envious. Almost. To get that high, you've got to win something first.
Anyway, I've rambled on long enough. That exactly why this is here and not on any other social media site.
TL;DR I know I'm spoiled by my team's success, but I still root for them whole-heartedly, and I'm glad that I can continue to root for them instead of for another team who is playing my rivals, like many Cubs fans have to do in the postseason. Yet Cubs fans have an advantage, if they ever were to win, I'm sure it would be absolutely magical for them. I fear that as a Cardinals fan I'm slowly getting desensitized to winning. Not just yet, but maybe a few more championships from now. ;)
