It was not a good day to be a Cardinals fan, whether it’s St. Louis or Louisville.  It truly was a sin that has taken Head Coach Rick Pitino off the University of Louisville bench, while die-hard Cardinal baseball fans undoubtedly see losing the Central Division Championship to the Cubs for the second straight year as an unforgivable sin.  The Cubs celebrated their division clinching victory on the modern day Busch Stadium field for the very first time, as well as for the first time since 1938 on any Cardinal turf.  They did what they have done since the All Star break, with one exception,  and that was win or tie every series.  The one series they lost to the Brewers at Wrigley Field was avenged in Milwaukee.  One more game at Busch and three against the Reds at home will conclude the regular season.  All indications are that their next challenge will be a five-game series against the Nats and their three exceptional starters in D.C.  Once again, the objective is simply to win the series, and perhaps potentially move on to L.A.

There will be no home field advantage for the Cubs in the Playoffs because of their overall record that will barely exceed 90 wins.  Two of their Playoff potential foes have already reached the 100-victory mark, the Dodgers and Indians, who both will seek revenge from last year’s post season.  The Cubs have played the best baseball of any team in baseball the last half of the season, after struggling under the .500 mark prior to the break.  Their pitching has been somewhat disappointing, interrupted by a few gems by Quintana and Lackey.  The 1938 Cubs, who finished 89-63, were swept by the Yankees in the World Series.  The 1935 Cubbies, who also clinched the Pennant at Busch Stadium, had that 21-game winning streak that was bested by the Indians this year.  They lost the World Series to the Tigers after a 100-win season.   Add 1910, 1918, 1929, 1932, 1935, and of course the 2016 crown to the short list of World Series appearances since the back-to-back accomplishment of 1907 and 1908.  What are the chances of repeating that feat?

Meanwhile in Louisville, they’ve lost a coach, A.D., and two incoming prospects, with other repercussions expected.  They boast the highest Adidas apparel contract in the nation that just cost them their future.  These Cardinals won’t be heard from again for years in college basketball  along with the programs from Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, Oklahoma State, and U.S.C.  Nike is also under investigation starting with their Elite Youth Basketball League, as the influences of the shoe industry start to include younger athletes.  At least Louisville coaches are not yet facing criminal charges like these other major Universities, so we can’t, for now, call them “Jailbirds,” but as a bitter alumni of a nearby rival school, I can certainly “mock” them.  They probably illegally stole some recruits from under our noses in Indiana.  Admittedly, we were under the microscope ten years ago, and because of N.C.A.A. violations lost our credibility with five-star recruits.  Now it’s there turn to pay the consequences.

Elsewhere in Chicagoland, the White Sox were the surprise spoiler in the Wild Card race, topping the Angels to the benefit of the Twins.  That’s the only positive thing I can say about a team that is 34.5 games behind the A.L. Central Champion, Cleveland Indians.  The Colorado Rockies continue to win, and will soon apparently clinch the last Wildcard spot, leaving the Brewers and Cardinals to prepare for next year.  The Tigers and Giants will fight it out for the worst record of 2017.  On the gridiron, the Chicago Bears, who won their first game of the season on Sunday, are proving to be little competition to the Packers, with a storm thankfully interrupting their poor start in Green Bay.  The Cards and Cubs outcome has little significance, but I still watch with hopes for a Cubs series clincher to compliment the Division  trophy.  Does anyone have some salt to rub in the wound?