They can't beat San Diego. Well, they won't beat the Mets. And they definitely can't beat the Tigers. Well, the Cardinals did all three and tonight, they won their first championship since 1982.

Back in September, when the Cards were this close to not even making the playoffs, if you would have told me they were going to win it all in October, I wouldn't have been able to imagine a scenario that would allow that to happen. After all, they lost 7 games in a row three different times. They lost their number 2 starter and closer during the year and went into the playoffs just hoping to get something out of their rookie bullpen and their improvised starting rotation. I think we all got way more than we could have ever expected.

I sit here 24 years after their last title in 1982...I still remember bits and pieces of it and have held on tightly to what I can still recall. I still have Game 7 on a VCR tape - one of our first recordings on our very first VCR. I have the program. I have World Champion t-shirts. But, to be honest, it's nice to be able to let that one go now. Sitting with Derek at Game 4 last night, we both agreed that we were ready to let the boys of '82 fade to the background and grab a hold of a new group of guys that we'll remember for years to come.

The last time, the Cards won the World Series, I was 8 years old. I had to wait until I was 32 for them to win it again, but over the last two nights, Rolen, Eckstein, Pujols and the rest of the crew made me feel like a little kid again. And you know what? I wouldn't mind feeling that way again next year.

That's a winner!