[Rally]

[quote author=CornFed link=topic=9617.msg153697#msg153697 date=1453293675]
Akin to the use of "University of Stanford"

Not in my book. Stanford was referred to as the Cardinals when I started as a freshman in 1980. I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'm pretty sure that the plural had been in use for several years before I arrived, and it didn't change to the non-count form until my sophomore or junior year.
[/quote]

Why is Cards acceptable but Cardinals not?  Seems to me the team is the Cardinal and the players are Cardinals. 

[Rally]

[quote author=CornFed link=topic=9617.msg153697#msg153697 date=1453293675]
Akin to the use of "University of Stanford"

Not in my book. Stanford was referred to as the Cardinals when I started as a freshman in 1980. I'm too lazy to look it up, but I'm pretty sure that the plural had been in use for several years before I arrived, and it didn't change to the non-count form until my sophomore or junior year.
[/quote]

Why is Cards acceptable but Cardinals not?  Seems to me the team is the Cardinal and the players are Cardinals.