If Pujols left as a free agent...

[Radbird]

There's no way I cannot be a Cardinals fan. It's in my blood. I would probably lose some passion for the game like I did after the '94-'95 strike. And it would take a while to restoke the fires, but I'd come around.

He better stay - I'm looking forward to having a choice between The Man and El Hombre statues when meeting someone at the Stadium in a few years.

[stlouie_lipp]

I root for laundry. No player is bigger than the franchise. none.

This is exactly how I feel. It wouldn't change my feelings for the Cards one bit. Sure, I'd be disappointed, but would quickly move on.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

I am a fan since the days of Gibby, Brock, and Flood. The TLR years with McGwire and Pujols have been a real treat and I am thankful it happened while I was around. When Pujols and TLR are gone, it will be the end of one of the finest if not THE finest runs of Cardinal baseball. I will appreciate and savor it as long as I live.

[JS04]

I love baseball and the Cardinals too much to stop being a huge fan of the team

That being said, I'd be really pissed off

But I listened to games on the radio before Albert got here (1996 was awesome...Jordan, Lankford, Gaetti...Da Meat Hook) and I'm sure we'd all find new players to root for and have as our favorite player..

I'm thinking at that point, that he's certainly no Pujols, but Rasmus, god forbid if Pujols were to leave, could fill a bit of that void...because I think he's going to be a real star

[EastonBlues22]

Team first. I didn't become a fan of the teams I'm a fan of because of any single player and I'm not going to quit being a fan because of one either.

[Freed Roger]

after 40 years of following, I took an informal sabbatical for 2 years from Cardinals (sort of tuned it out like it was the NBA or Nascar) and surprisingly didn't miss it much -plenty of things to occupy the void. Now I'm starting to follow it again (by osmosis/GRB)

so much of it depends on the circumstances at the time - and its not all based on Pujols deal, but overall state of the game.

the way the Pujols deal goes down could be the final straw though -yes, it would be unimagineable to watch the Cards without him these days. But I also may be at a point personally where I'm again burnt out on the whole money side of baseball.

EDIT doubt I'd be a fan of another team, I'd probably skip watching baseball alltogether.

[cards2468]

I will always be a Cardinals fan. I could try to not be, but my heart will always stay with the Cardinals. If he left, I'd still be a fan of his. I'd hope he'd continue to put up gaudy numbers and hope he finishes as the best ever. He'll always be remembered as a Cardinal at least, but I would still be devastated.

[jagtrader]

As I get older, I've become less interested in the team. Pujols is the only reason I watch these days. I'm not sure if I'd stick around if he left. It'd probably depend on the rest of the roster. Yes, I'm a Cardinals fan, but that doesn't mean I want to pay money to watch a Triple-A lineup.

[st.lewis11]

I've bled Cardinal Red since the Brock/Gibby/Simba days, and that wouldn't change. But if Pujols left, I'd be heartbroken. However, I feel he understands the history and tradition of baseball, and how special it "could" be to be entrenched as an icon in sticking with one team for his entire career. Nowadays, it's rare for a hall-of-famer to carry that type of legacy.

[stlouie_lipp]

In my opinion people who say they wouldn't still be a Cards fan aren't really fans to begin with.