11 days, 13 hours, 55 minutes, 33 seconds

This is exactly how much time is left before the St. Louis Cardinals start the 2008 season. For the last few years, Robyn and I have followed the Redbirds. It was easier in Oklahoma than here, since some of the games were televised there. And, almost all of the games were on the radio.

Here in Alaska, we'll have to make do with whatever internet coverage we can come up with. But we definitely will be rooting for the Cards this year.

I was a huge Cardinals fan during my high school years, when my family lived in suburban St. Louis. That was in the mid-eighties, when they made it to the World Series twice, and lost both times. Both were bitter losses. In 1985 against the Royals, the Series got away thanks to a terrible, and now legendary, bad call by the ump at first base. In 1987 they lost to the Minnesota Twins. That one also hurt. I was a freshmen in college at the time, and my roommate was a big "Twinkies" fan. Not only did I have to live with the guy after the Series, but one of my fraternity "actives" (who could torment those of us who were "pledges") made me wear a Twins cap on campus the next day. Blatant hazing.

In 2004, the Cards made the World Series again. This time, they were drubbed by the Red Sox in four games. That one was also tough to swallow; they never even showed up to play.

Somehow after I married Robyn, my Cardinals fan-hood rubbed off on her. Now she's a die-hard Redbirds supporter. In 2006, we took a trip together to St. Louis to see the Cards play in their brand-new stadium. They lost that game, but went on that very year to win it all. It was a great experience after the previous disappointments.

I wonder, what's in the cards for the Cards this year? In just 11 days, 13 hours, 55 minutes, and 33 seconds, we'll start to find out. Play ball!