I know this is probably sacrilege, but after the last two NLCS's, I'm really starting to question who the Cardinals big time rival is. I've only been following baseball seriously for 6-7 years, but I can't really remember any recent epic matchups between the Cards and Cubs, at least nothing compared to the playof battles the last two seasons with the Astros. I realize both teams have to actually make the playoffs for them to meet, but regular season matchups against a team pretty much going nowhere just doesn't cut it for me. I realize that the rivalry is one of the greatest in the game historically speaking, but it's not even like the Red Sox/Yankees because at least the Red Sox did something every now and then. It's more like the Giants/Dodgers except only one team sucks.
I'm not really sure where I'm going with this, just thought I'd throw it out there and see what you guys think. Plus, you can never get in too many digs at the Cubbies.
The Cards/Cubs rivalry is more of a geographic one than an on the field rivalry. The Cards/Mets had a pretty good on-field one going in the 80's but those don't usually last.
i would say over the entire history of the cardinals, the cubs are the main rival---mostly due to location and the amount of times they played each other. taking a shorter view of things, the stros are clearly the main rival over the past 10 years. thats who i am more worried about and thats coming from the cardinals perspective. if you ask the cubs, they are likely to say the cards are their main rival. kind of reminds me of bears/packers/ vikings. the bears consider the packers to be their primary rival, but since the pack have usually handled the bears pretty easily for the last several years the pack dont see the bears as a big rival and usually claim the vikings as their main rival.
Rivalries like the Cards/Cubs rivalries are interesting because they're among the people and not usually among the players. Even in spans where one of the teams just dominates the other, the rivalry will still live because the fans themselves keep it going.
As Pogo said, the player-driven rivalries often burn themselves out as the teams are broken up over the course of the years. However, I think the Cubs "rivalry," in the traditional sense, is still pretty strong right now because I firmly believe that LaRussa and Baker hate each other with a passion.
Dusty's contract is up after this year right? If he doesn't return, then it will be up to the teams to generate some sparks. Still, you can't discount all of those drunk Cubs fans that sit in the upper decks at Busch. They're fun to listen to, especially when they're losing.
Personally, I consider the Cards/Cubs rivalry to be a brotherly type of rivalry that will always be there. If the Cards can't win the whole thing, I'm just as happy with the Cubs doing it. They're always my second pick.
I don't care one lick for the Astros, and in a few years, I will probably discount greatly all of the drama of the last couple of seasons.
StlSluggers wrote:Personally, I consider the Cards/Cubs rivalry to be a brotherly type of rivalry that will always be there. If the Cards can't win the whole thing, I'm just as happy with the Cubs doing it. They're always my second pick.
That's the way I am with all my favorite teams. If they can't win, I'm almost always for the "rival" (except when the Patriots beat the Colts. ).
StlSluggers wrote:I don't care one lick for the Astros, and in a few years, I will probably discount greatly all of the drama of the last couple of seasons.
I actually like the Astros. Not as much as the Cardinals of course, but Pettitte was always my favorite Yankee of the glory years (along with Rivera) and Clemens is a living legend. I also want to see Biggio and Bagwell make it because they're class acts and they've done it right by staying in HOU their entire careers.
StlSluggers wrote:Personally, I consider the Cards/Cubs rivalry to be a brotherly type of rivalry that will always be there. If the Cards can't win the whole thing, I'm just as happy with the Cubs doing it. They're always my second pick.
That's the way I am with all my favorite teams. If they can't win, I'm almost always for the "rival" (except when the Patriots beat the Colts. ).
I don't mind the Patriots. I just want Adam Vinatieri to get hit by a bus. Of course, the bus should hit him from the right side so that, if he lives, he'll never kick again.
StlSluggers wrote:Personally, I consider the Cards/Cubs rivalry to be a brotherly type of rivalry that will always be there. If the Cards can't win the whole thing, I'm just as happy with the Cubs doing it. They're always my second pick.
That's the way I am with all my favorite teams. If they can't win, I'm almost always for the "rival" (except when the Patriots beat the Colts. ).
I don't mind the Patriots. I just want Adam Vinatieri to get hit by a bus. Of course, the bus should hit him from the right side so that, if he lives, he'll never kick again.
Nah, he'd just learn to kick left-footed and be even better.
StlSluggers wrote:Personally, I consider the Cards/Cubs rivalry to be a brotherly type of rivalry that will always be there. If the Cards can't win the whole thing, I'm just as happy with the Cubs doing it. They're always my second pick.
That's the way I am with all my favorite teams. If they can't win, I'm almost always for the "rival" (except when the Patriots beat the Colts. ).
I don't mind the Patriots. I just want Adam Vinatieri to get hit by a bus. Of course, the bus should hit him from the right side so that, if he lives, he'll never kick again.
Nah, he'd just learn to kick left-footed and be even better.
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by SaintsOfTheDiamond » Fri Oct 21, 2005 10:27 am 
