25-1/2 hours and counting until game time

It's 6:30 p.m., and three MSU graduates, myself and a fully loaded rental car are making our way on the six-and-a-half-hour journey to St. Louis. I am in the company of 1999 MSU graduates Andrew Chirgwin and Cory Breen and 1998 MSU graduate Song Su Kim.

Imagine what you get when four guys pile into a car and spend that amount of time together — you talk a lot about sports, beer and women.

About 19 hours and counting

To break or not to break? That is the question facing this foursome at 1 a.m.

We're 50 miles outside of St. Louis, and it doesn't look like we will make it. A bathroom break may be in order as the bag of Fiery Habanero Doritos have been cashed.

After mentioning to the store clerk we are headed to the World Series, she asks, "Who's driving?"

To which our group replies, "Kenny Rogers."

"Oh, well, that's nice. Have fun, boys."

About an hour later, our group takes the last pit stop before reaching St. Louis.

Donning Tigger suits, our super-fans begin the final 20-mile stint into enemy territory.

About 15 hours and counting

The room at the Holiday Inn Express is cozy, and the group christened it nicely with snacks, clothes and beer. Now all we want is some food, but there's no pizza delivery past 1 a.m. No joke.

After a full-team consensus that this town is "(expletive) lame," sleep is in order. Fifteen hours before their first World Series home game, this city is asleep? Sorry Cards, your city just doesn't seem to care. In fact, East Lansing's nightlife is better than St. Louis'. At least at home, you can order a late-night pizza.

12 hours, 15 minutes and counting

The problem with older people is they don't sleep. Even at the average age of 30, they don't sleep. With a fake wake-up call at 7:45 a.m. — the earliest I have risen all semester — I thought the guys were just like my grandfather.

And even as a graduate, Chirgwin still has a loud, annoying "eat 'em' up, eat 'em up, rah, rah, rah!" ringer. Please, just let me go back to bed.

8 hours and counting

Keiner Plaza, St. Louis' hot spot, is buzzing with people, vendors and radio stations. The fountain in the center of the plaza was dyed red in support of the Cardinals. Flanking the city center are bars, restaurants and the state Capitol.

As the sun grows warmer and the atmosphere lightened, more and more fans crowd the streets. And besides the few angry fans — most probably upset because Rogers pitched a fabulous game, despite their claims he cheated — the city is friendly and engaging.

About an hour and counting

The friendly part is in regard to everyone except the children. Chirgwin and Kim — who both dressed in Tigger costumes — have been heckled by 11 children now, all dressed in Cardinals garb.

And other than those 11 kids, everyone in this city has cleaned house on the liquor assortment. Even the drunk woman yells to Chirgwin and Kim from center field, "Not in our house!"

St. Louis is buzzing.

Alcohol is available at every street corner, and the energy exhibited by fans this close to their first home game of World Series has brought everything about this Midwestern town to life.