Red Herring

The St. Louis Cardinals of the 2006 postseason didn't much look like the wildly inconsistent group we saw over the first 162 games. Champions turn it on when it matters (And their pitchers don't throw balls 10 feet over the fielder's head.). The big lesson: If you believe in yourself and have done the work preparing for your own opportunities, whatever they are, then great things can happen.


Cardinals closer Adam Wainwright strikes out the Detroit Tigers' Brandon Inge for the final out of the 2006 World Series.


Busch Stadium erupts.


Soup's beer-champagne-tequila goggles.


Going crazy, folks.

P.S. to John Mellencamp: For selling your musical soul to peddle Little Pink Chryslers, you have been Deactivated — at least until I get your crappy "This Is Our Country" song out of my head.