First off, let me say that I totally feel the pain of you Padres fans right now.  I've been where you are right now.  A team full of promise that's supposed to win in the post season, only to go home early.   I think that's what makes this post season so fun for me.  We didn't expect anything from the Cardinals.

The year started off strong enough.  After 2004 and a strong showing in 2005, it looked like we'd have all of the pieces in place for a WS winner.  Pujols was on fire in the first half and then got injured.  Mulder went down. Eckstein, Edmonds, etc.   The team slid and slid until we nearly didn't make the playoffs out of the worst division in baseball. (sound familiar SD?)

The thoughts of a typical Cards fan this late in the season have been something like this:

"These guys suck.  They're gonna blow the division lead, and have the biggest choke job in history"

"Man, at least they didn't blow the division.  They'll lose in the DS though.  Padres are good".

"Holy crap, they're beating the Padres and playing good ball.  Maybe we have a chance....but who cares, the Mets will kill us"

"Wow, can't believe we won the DS.  Now the Mets are injured and a rain delay favors our rotation.  Any victory here is a plus.  Who cares anyway...the AL will kill the NL".

"WTF!  We beat the Mets?  World Series?  Are you kidding me?  Oh please, please don't let us get swept again. Just one win.  Just one.  Tigers are gonna be tough.  They killed the A's and Yankees".

"Mother fn mother!  We're one game away from winning this thing?  THIS team?!!!?  Of all the teams we've had in the post season...it's THIS team?"  

I'm going to the game tonight and cannot wait.  A real chance to witness a World Series championship clincher.  It's gonna be in the 40s and windy.  Powerful cold.  

I'm bundled up and ready to cheer on the birds and the National League.