Blessing in Desguise.

I'm not really sure why I can't stop thinking about it. I mean, it's a game.

But like so many other sports fans, it's more than just a game. It's more than just a friendly contest. It's loyalty and appreciation for a city, state, region, school, or tradition. I wish I were above this sort of addiction, but I'm not.

The loyalty that people have towards their team is pretty amazing. My wife, for instance--she is from small town Nebraska, went to school in Lincoln, and bleeds Husker Red. She knows more about the history of Cornhusker Football than anyone I know. She can talk Big 8, Big 12, SEC, whatever with anyone out there. But it's not that she loves the Huskers just because she feels she needs a team to root for. It's something that brings together family and friends; it's her history, home, and heritage; it's her alma mater; and no matter how good or bad the team is that particular year, you can bet that she'll be watching and rooting for the 'Skers.

I'm kind of the same when it comes to the St. Louis Cardinals. My entire family is from St. Louis, and as a little kid I was enamored with the Cards. I'm 37 now and nothing has changed.

And, like my wife and the Cornhuskers, it's not just a team for me to root for. I'm not a fan just so I feel like I'm a part of something. There's no fairweather rooting with us. No, I grew up watching the Cards with my entire family. My family is St. Louis, and the Cardinals are St. Louis. We knew every player and their stats, we took sick time from work to attend Opening Day, we knew when the Cubbies were coming to town, we worked at Anheuser-Busch, we applauded the visiting team, and we felt like we were best friends with Jack Buck and Mike Shannon. We appreciated the blue-collared mentality of coming to work and busting your ass--giving 100%. Running out grounders, diving for line drives, not showing up the competition. That's St. Louis baseball. And we embrace those that represent great St. Louis baseball. Not many teams have true Hall of Famers seemingly roaming around the stadium in their red blazers.

In this day and age, there aren't many players that stick with one team throughout their entire career. Players come and go, yet we still appreciate them and their time spent with St. Louis. There are certain, unfortunate situations in which a player leaves in a negative light. Scott Rolen didn't get along with Tony LaRussa, so he was traded. Jim Edmonds was on the downside of his career, so he was traded. Ozzie Smith ended his career on the bench, being replaced by the younger Royce Clayton (who?). It happens, but that's how it is.

So when you have a player like Albert Pujols, who came up through St. Louis' farm system and has had the career that he has had, the city is going to throw themselves at him. He is a god walking among mortals in St. Louis.

Then he splits. For more money.

And it bothers me a little. It shouldn't at all, but it does. I think it's bugging because it feels like a slap in the face. That guy could do no wrong in St. Louis' eyes. He owned the city. We let him get by with anything. And then after the Cards offer him ridiculous money over a ridiculous amount of time--just like he wanted--he walks.

Have you ever dated a girl that was just a little out of your league? When you first started dating, she was young and genuine. But over the years, her hotness increased. Now, she's incredibly attractive and amazing in the sack, and she knows it. And you throw yourself at her, you spoil her, you tell her she's perfect and can do no wrong. She never really reciprocates her feelings back to you. Sure, she says she loves you and will never leave you, but it doesn't really sound that genuine. Still, you keep hope alive. Then it comes time when you feel you really need to commit yourself to her and "lock her up". You ask her if she will be yours forever and give her a promise ring. She tells you that it's not shiny enough and gives it back to you. She says she doesn't want to talk about it while she's busy being hot for the next seven months. You say okay. During that seven months, she proves to everyone just how hot she is. You come back to her after the duration and ask for her hand in marriage. She tells you that she's met someone else. He's some rich guy that work for Fox Sports, lives in Los Angeles, drives a Maserati, and gave her a bigger ring. They've only known each other for a couple days. He's never met her family, and they've never even been to LA. It's a tough, confusing break up.

Well, even though that relationship ended with a kick in the dick, I guess we did have some good times together. She really wasn't my type anyway. Actually, I've got a couple other chicks I've been seeing, and they're pretty hot in that "girl next door" kind of way.

Yes, it's a tough break up. It's a bit of a slap in the face. But--and we all know it--it wasn't meant to be.

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