It is a matter of semantics, really. The difference between a
tuxedo and a tuxedo T-shirt. Between a Prada purse and a Prado
purse.

It can pretty much be summed up by the difference between the
Arch and the Statue of Liberty. To be blunt: That’s the difference
between Yankees fans and Cardinals fans.

It’s a lot like the current public school system: One isn’t
necessarily better than the other, they’re just different.

A friend of mine, who just so happens to be a Cardinals fan, was
telling me a story about how he went on vacation this summer and
met a Yankees fan. Of course, as it usually does, the conversation
degenerated into sports talk, and thus baseball.

The Yankees fan, in a typical Bronx swagger, haphazardly
remarked that he would be seeing my friend in the World Series.
Rephrase: The Yanks would be seeing the Cards in the series. My
friend’s response: “Oh we’ll see.”

That’s the difference between Yankees fans and Cardinals fans:
Yankees fans know, Cardinals fans hope.

Let me insert a disclaimer here so as to show that my biases,
though they exist, aren’t going to taint the remainder of this
commentary like Dan Rathers’ and Tom Brokaw’s taint the nightly
news. Every fan, be they from Texas, Toronto, Baltimore, Phoenix
and all points in between, are “hopers.” But not Yankees fans. They
know. They just know.

It probably stems from the fact that the Yankees have won
roughly a fourth of all World Series.

That is sheer dominance. That’s longevity that Ripken would envy
and power that even Cialis can’t promise.

The Cardinals have a storied history. In terms of the National
League, the only team you could compare them to would be the
Dodgers, and in a lot of circles they’ve surpassed them too. Brock,
Gibson, Flood and Maris stack up well against Drysdale, Jackson and
Snyder. And remember that before Branch Rickey made the Dodgers the
power that they became, he first made the Cardinals.

But why these two teams? Why compare the Cardinals and the
Yankees? Simple: They are the favorites. The pinstripes are the
perennial favorites; of that there is not much debate. They are the
ones you love to hate, and it is that way because they are always
up there. Always defending a title. When they lose, it’s an upset.
When they win, it’s expected.

This season, it’s the Cardinals’ turn to be the great hope. They
have the lineup. Their 2-7 hitters are probably the best collection
of hitters assembled in the past decade.

Their pitching, on paper, is nothing stellar, but they all give
quality starts and they eat innings. And, on top of that, they are
all hitting their stride at the right time, Matt Morris
notwithstanding.

But, again, here’s the difference. The Yankees’ fans are
positive that they will be playing through the post-season and will
be hoisting a trophy on a chilly evening in late October, not only
this season, but every season. Cardinal fans don’t say it. They
believe it, but they don’t say it. Fans, just like players, believe
in jinxes, curses and superstition, and it makes no sense to them
to throw the wrath of the gods on your team if you don’t have
to.

So now, let me be just another guy in the long list of writers
before and what will most likely be far more after me to say it:
Come October, the Yankees and the Cardinals will be squaring off in
the World Series.

Do you hear that? That’s the collective sound of the Cardinal
faithful knocking on wood.