Willson Contreras' NSFW rallying cry should propel the Cardinals into next series

From Masyn Winn's audible frustration when he fails to get a hit, to Chip Caray's ability to sneak references to the number 69 in as many broadcasts as possible, the St. Louis Cardinals aren't the most child-friendly team in the major leagues. After the first game of a doubleheader on June 5, Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras furthered that notion during his postgame interview following a walk-off hit.

Contreras' jubilant exclamation of "We can f*** everybody" appears tailor-made to adorn fans' shirts in the near future, rivaling "youngry birds" as the Cardinals' 2025 tagline. "Youngry birds," an accidental utterance by Victor Scott prior to the season, is the more appropriate mantra that the promotions will continue to milk, but Contreras' line may be the one that is embraced in the clubhouse.

Contreras' impromptu remarks should further motivate the Cardinals.

We're running out of superlatives to describe Contreras' dedication and commitment to winning no matter what it takes, and this is the latest example of the spirit and grit that Contreras has exuded throughout his time in St. Louis, which has made him a fan favorite. In May, Contreras unleashed another quip that only further cemented the city's love for him when he said he would "die right there" when creeping in close to the batter to defend against a bunt.

Early in the season, when the Cardinals were scuffling, Contreras pleaded for fans to support the team and show up to the stadium, guaranteeing that the clubhouse possessed every attribute that was necessary to compete for a playoff spot. It appears now that he was right on the money with his analysis, and he is an integral part of that atmosphere, serving as one of their veteran leaders both on and off the field. Even during his brutal slump at the beginning of the season, Contreras remained jovial and optimistic, supporting the team from the dugout and on the field, where he has displayed excellent defense thanks to tireless work in the offseason to adapt to the position switch.

The Cardinals' treatment of Contreras in 2023 looks increasingly abhorrent as he continues to open up to fans and do everything in his power to help guide the team to a spot in the postseason. He could have easily grown disgruntled with the organization and taken John Mozeliak's offer to shop him around to other teams prior to the 2025 season, but he remained steadfast in his commitment to St. Louis.

The broadcasts may attempt to sweep Contreras' off-the-cuff response under the rug, but there is no more cramming that genie back in the bottle. If the Cardinals can go on a run, fans and players will be more than happy to use Contreras' remark as a battle cry to drive them toward October.