Same-Same-Same-Same-Different
The emotion those two words invoke, and the implied level of importance are captured in cliches we’ve all been hearing about for weeks and weeks now. (And yes, the feeling is different than hearing the words “game” “five”.) It’s serious for players, but often is more serious for fans, who are sometimes not so matter-of-fact about teams & games that they neither play for or are a part of, save maybe occupying a seat in the stands.

I will obviously not be playing in the 7th game of the World Series at Busch Stadium tonight…or any other night, for that matter. But as a superstitious fan, I will be trying to do my part to “help” the Cardinals in the quest for their 11th World Championship.
I have my superstitions, and there’s no shortage of them.
I’m not sure that I am capable of writing anything you’ve not heard, read or seen by this point, with regard to David Freese, and all the heroics from last night’s thriller. The 5 blown leads, the ‘down to their last strike’ twice, all of those things have been covered very well over the past several hours. I thought Bernie’s piece in particular was one of many great reads on the topic, and Alyson Footer also wrote an interesting piece today–you should check them both out.
All I can do is write about what I know for sure.
- There hasn’t been a World Series game 7 played in 9 years.
- There hasn’t been a World Series game 7 played in St. Louis in 30 years
- For tonight’s game 7 to happen, the Cardinals had to overcome impossible odds.
- 10 ½ games out of the wildcard in the final week of August
- They had to win. A lot; Atlanta had to collapse
- They had to defeat the almighty World-Series-bound-since-December Phillies
- They had to knock off Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and the Brewers in Milwaukee
- The National League had to win the All-Star game for St. Louis to host game 7
I’ve been to the old Yankee Stadium. I’ve been to two major league baseball games in two different cities in the same day. I’ve been to a double-header. I’ve been to National League Division Series games and National League Championship Series games in St. Louis. I’ve been to the All-Star game, the homerun derby, the legends, futures, and celebrity softball games in St. Louis. I’ve been sitting in the stands when a perfect game went into the 8th. I’ve been to a lot of very special games, seeing in person special milestones (and sometimes the milestone plus one). But, I have never been to a World Series game. I’ve had World Series tickets, but I’ve never been to a game.
This blog post is worthless without a photo of you unshaven and your long hair, you know. ;)