September 11, 2004
When Will The Cardinals Get Their Due?
by R. Hudolin
I ought to be used to it by now. However, it isn't any easier to accept. How can a team this good continue to fly under the national media's radar? I mean, they are recognized as having a potent lineup but other than that, you hear little or nothing about them. I am appealing to the masses that we band together and demand the Cardinals get the same respect by the media and all of the other, self-proclaimed, baseball gurus.
The Astro's rattle off 8-9 wins in a row and the Baseball Tonight team is falling all over themselves declaring that the mighty Astros have returned to prominence this year. What I don't understand is that while the Astros were on their little streak the Cardinals had won 9 of 10 and they had no one fawning over them. Maybe it is a good thing that they are overlooked. Kinda reminds you of the Lithuanian basketball team in the Olympics, huh? Well, it's not that bad but I am tired of hearing about the teams that have failed to perform up to their potential this year and it's time to hear about some of the teams that are overachieving.
Now I do realize that the Cardinals are a feared team and it's not like they have been blacked out by the media. But it does sometimes seem that the Cardinals have always been overlooked while other teams seem to become media darlings whether they deserve it or not. I can understand how some of the Cardinals teams of the 70's could be passed up by the Yankees and Dodgers. But we no longer have Ken Reitz, Jerry Mumphrey, Keith Hernandez, Bake McBride and Garry Templeton with his famous 1 finger salute to all of us Cardinal fans. Gone are the days of Mike Tyson at 2nd base. (I wonder if ever bit an ear off a player during a double play.) Unfortunately, Rawly Eastwick is gone, too. I really liked his name when I was a kid.
We are now blessed with Rolen, Edmonds, Pujols, Walker and Renteria. We now have Womack at 2nd and the best name on the Cardinals is Kiko Calero. I could have named a kid Rawly but Kiko is crossing the line. I truly loved the Cardinals teams of old, all of them no matter where they finished in the standings but I can understand how some of them could have been page 2 news. But not this years team. No way. Not with the way they have played this year. Their games should be on ESPN every night there is a game to be televised.
They have a shot at breaking the wins mark if they keep up at their current pace. That is big baseball news. But could it be a blessing that other teams are garnering more attention or maybe it could be that now, since the Cardinals have virtually "checked out" in the Central, that it may be a given that this is their year and the media is just resigned to that fact. So why bother talking about them?
Everyone knows they are great, why is that news? I just like to hear about my team once in a while. I get tired of hearing about the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs and Astros. I would rather watch paint dry than to hear John Kruk state for the 10th time in 10 days how he still likes the Astros. I guess, in short all I'm trying to say is
"Where's the love, man?"
