Right now, Bill Fennelly and Austin Flynn don’t have many things in common.

Fennelly is preparing for the start of basketball season, while Flynn is in the middle of his third campaign with the football team.

But, when the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros take the field Wednesday night, both Fennelly and Flynn will be in front of their televisions, cheering on their team of choice.

For both men, a team’s run through the playoffs has given them a chance to bond with those closest to them while cheering on the team they love.

“It’s something to do with the teammates,” said Flynn, an Astros fan. “[Cale] Stubbe is a huge Cardinal fan, and I was over at his house [Monday] night watching it. We’re always back and forth, giving each other crap.”

While the game is a chance for Flynn to hang out with teammates, Fennelly uses the games to bring his family together.

Fennelly’s son Billy, sophomore in health and human performance, comes home to watch the games.

“We will sit home and watch the game together,” Fennelly said. “Every family has something that brings them together, and, for us, it’s Cardinal baseball.”

Flynn — who grew up in Deer Park, Texas, which is in the Houston metro area — attends Astros games whenever he can. This season, everything has come together for his favorite team, and Flynn is loving it.

“It’s a dream come true,” Flynn said. “We’ve had our struggles with Atlanta, and now we’ve finally gotten over that hump. Things are looking good, up 3-2. I like our chances right now.”

Fennelly’s father went to school in St. Louis and passed on to Bill a love for the Redbirds. Growing up in Davenport, Fennelly would listen to Cardinal games on the radio. He also found how fun it could be to be a Cardinal fan and a Cub hater.

“The fact that they, more than any other team I’ve been around, find a way to choke and give it up,” Fennelly said of the Cubs. “It’s fun to tantalize them and watch them get so close.

“For a Cardinal fan, this was a great year. We win, and the Cubs got so close and couldn’t get into the playoffs.”

When Fennelly’s wife Deb wanted a dog, he gave in — on one condition.

“I’m not a big dog lover, but my wife wanted a dog,” Fennelly said. “I said, ‘You can have a dog, but we named him Albert, after Albert Pujols.’ That was the compromise.”

This summer, the Fennellys attended Cardinal games in St. Louis and Kansas City.

Fennelly also spent a good portion of the summer watching his youngest son, Steven, play baseball for Ames High School.

With their two teams battling for a trip to the World Series, both Fennelly and Flynn are quick to make plugs for the team of their choice.

“Tony La Russa seemed to find a team he could manage at a level where they could understand him,” Fennelly said. “Everything they’ve done has gone right. Everything they touched has been positive.”

Flynn pointed to a midseason deal with Kansas City as the salvation of the Astros’ season.

“To tell you the truth, I think [Carlos] Beltran has saved our entire season,” Flynn said. “That was probably the biggest acquisition we’ve had since Jeff Bagwell came from the Red Sox. We probably wouldn’t have made the playoffs if it wasn’t for him. I’m glad he’s on our side now.”

Although both Fennelly and Flynn are each sure that his favorite team will come out on top, Flynn went one step further.

“I’m calling it right now,” Flynn said. “I know we’re not supposed to be predicting any games, but I’m throwing it out there.”