Congrats Chicago Cubs

[BigSqwert]

Dear God....enough with all the over-the-top hyperbole about the whole thing.

 

A rain delay isn't 'tears from heaven'.....it's a f***ing rain shower...same one that passed through chicago the day before

 

Now I'm seeing pics from parade of a couple Cubs players....of course the sun shining down on them is "from the heavens'

 

GMAFB

 

I'm not going to tell you how to feel but I'm just going to post 200 times that what we witnessed was likely the greatest event in human history. Why you're not continuously sobbing with joy is beyond me. I still have chills up my spine about what happened and will likely read everything ever written about this Cubs team and save all the newspaper clippings. Also, I am a die hard Sox fan.

[iamshack]

It's absolutely high on that list. How high is obviously subjective and up for debate, but multiple posters called this "just any other series" and said that the other teams and their fans don't care, and all of that is unequivocally false.

 

I'm not a sportswriter. I don't have the breadth of knowledge they do, but reading some incredibly well written and evocative pieces over the last few days, along with my personal experience of watching that game, brought me to the conclusion it did. Others don't need to feel the same way, but Cubs fans are absolutely within their rights to still be ecstatic and obnoxious about their win just two days ago. Gimme a break.

In today's world, everything that happens yesterday has a tendency to be the "most amazing thing that has ever happened." You know this is what sells newspapers and advertising.

 

Go back to the days after some of those other World Series that we talked about, and I am sure you will find some incredibly well-written and evocative pieces, including in 2005.

 

The Cubs are an historic franchise, they play in an historic ballpark, and they have an extremely large fanbase. Those three things, in and of themselves, do not make that WS the greatest WS ever played. The quality of play was decent. The drama was for the most part lacking. The umpiring was not good. The games were for the most part not competitive.

 

Let me ask you this. Had the Indians won game 7, would you think it was the best WS ever? Technically, a completed comeback in game 7 and the perpetuation of the Cubs losing probably adds to the "lore" that I have seen many mention.

[Reddy]

Dear God....enough with all the over-the-top hyperbole about the whole thing.

 

A rain delay isn't 'tears from heaven'.....it's a f***ing rain shower...same one that passed through chicago the day before

 

Now I'm seeing pics from parade of a couple Cubs players....of course the sun shining down on them is "from the heavens'

 

GMAFB

 

Of course it's not. It's called a story. It's attaching significance to something totally random, but coincidental. It's what baseball (oh, and life) is built on.

 

Baseball wouldn't be the sport it is without those things, and I'm glad we're still creating new stories and myths that will live on

 

[Reddy]

In today's world, everything that happens yesterday has a tendency to be the "most amazing thing that has ever happened." You know this is what sells newspapers and advertising.

 

Go back to the days after some of those other World Series that we talked about, and I am sure you will find some incredibly well-written and evocative pieces, including in 2005.

 

The Cubs are an historic franchise, they play in an historic ballpark, and they have an extremely large fanbase. Those three things, in and of themselves, do not make that WS the greatest WS ever played. The quality of play was decent. The drama was for the most part lacking. The umpiring was not good. The games were for the most part not competitive.

 

Let me ask you this. Had the Indians won game 7, would you think it was the best WS ever? Technically, a completed comeback in game 7 and the perpetuation of the Cubs losing probably adds to the "lore" that I have seen many mention.

 

The drama was lacking? Not in game 7! Literally every time I thought "alright this thing is over" it suddenly wasn't. And the fact that the Cubs went down 3-1 in the first place, coupled with the 166 years is all the drama you could ever hope for! TIE game in extra innings of the 7th game of the world series between two teams that hadn't won since the aftermath of WW2? Come on. That's the dream.

 

[Reddy]

I'm not sure how we'd be looking at it had the Indians won. The game itself wouldn't change. It would be an epic comeback and contribute to the continuing life of the goat/Bartman / curse legend.

 

But the good news is that we don't need to engage in hypotheticals because it happened the way it did. I don't think there's ever been better context for a WS or more on the line for each team than this game 7.

 

The Yankees in 01 is damn close, if not better, but they lost... So...

Edited November 4, 2016 by Reddy

[Southwest Sider]

I think we all recognize the significance of it. s***, we all just went through the same things with our own favorite team.

 

I don't know where you are reading in this thread that the Cubs' winning is not significant. That is a very different thing, however, than "the most significant thing in baseball history," which is the argument that some seem to be trying to make.

 

Thank you for the response. I guess the vibe I was getting from some posters several pages ago was that no one besides Cub fans really cares about this, like one baseball fan might care of other records and such being broken, and that it is not historically significant for baseball. I guess I fell behind on where this thread was going, at this point.

 

That's on me, my bad guys. I directed a post at everyone when it really only applies to (maybe) 2-3 posters. Ah well, it pays to keep up in these threads.... I'll work on that for future posts.

 

In other news, I proudly wore my new-ish White Sox jacket today. Not to be a jerk or anything, but you know just to remind the few Cubs fans at the store that there are still Sox fans and we still love our team too. I think it'd be cool if instead of Sox fans putting their gear away in shame, we all wore it proudly as much as possible. We are still a part of something underground, the opposite of the popular thing to do.

Edited November 4, 2016 by South Sider

[Soxbadger]

We got the BP Cup the year they won the WS..

 

NEVER FORGET THE BP CUP CHAMPIONS!

 

[Reddy]

I'm not going to tell you how to feel but I'm just going to post 200 times that what we witnessed was likely the greatest event in human history. Why you're not continuously sobbing with joy is beyond me. I still have chills up my spine about what happened and will likely read everything ever written about this Cubs team and save all the newspaper clippings. Also, I am a die hard Sox fan.

 

You can keep mischaracterizing my words all you want. Doesn't make what you're saying any more accurate. I've actually lost a good amount of respect that I had for you as a poster in this thread. I know that doesn't mean anything, but hey, just being honest.

 

Can you point to one moment in my 12 year history on this site that makes you question whether or not I'm a Sox fan?

Edited November 4, 2016 by Reddy

[Dick Allen]

Some fans celebrated being at the parade by jumping into the Chicago River from a bridge. Some smart ones there.

[iamshack]

A powerful take from the other side.

[JUSTgottaBELIEVE]

A powerful take from the other side.

Thanks for sharing, a heart breaking and all too familiar story.

[Reddy]

A powerful take from the other side.

Why baseball matters. Why sports matter. Heartbreaking and beautifully written. Unfortunately, this was going to be the case for one of these fanbases no matter what. The good news is the Indians have a great young core, too. (s***ty news for us haha)

 

This world series put me back in touch with why I love this game so much. That's really all any of this came from. Maybe it didn't for others, but IF the reason for that is your own bias, anger and hate, then I feel bad y'all missed out. Those emotions literally don't serve you in any way, and Cubs fans aren't going to stop celebrating or being obnoxious because it pisses you off... so... might as well not let it piss you off, right!? There's no winning to be had there.

[MexSoxFan#1]

Growing up, I was a fan of both the White Sox and Cubs. Listening to Jack Brickhouse and Lou Boudreau, watching Dave Kingman, Bruce Sutter, Steve Ontiveros, Ivan DeJesus, Jody Davis, Leon Durham, Fergie Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg etc...

 

As I became a teen, I gravitated more towards the White Sox because of Harold Baines. That was a fun team in the early to mid 80s, Carlton Fisk, the Bull Luzinski, Tom Paciorek, Lamar Hoyt, Chichi Rodriguez, Rudy Law, Ron Kittle etc. Been a Sox fan exclusively since the mid 80s...I remember an uncle gifting me a Cubs helmet because he thought I was a Cubs fan, I accepted his gift but later gave it to a friend of mine who was a Cubs fan.

 

Congrats Chicago Cubs, you deserve it, clearly the best team in baseball this year. I'm happy for my uncles and cousins who are Cubs fans...

Edited November 5, 2016 by MexSoxFan#1

[juddling]

Was just talking to a cousin in Ohio and he mentioned his wife won tickets for game 7 and he was there when the Cubs won. I told him if he was smart....he'd wring out his clothes from that day and sell the rainwater...err....i mean sell authentic Harry Carry tears on Ebay and make a bundle......

[iamshack]

Why baseball matters. Why sports matter. Heartbreaking and beautifully written. Unfortunately, this was going to be the case for one of these fanbases no matter what. The good news is the Indians have a great young core, too. (s***ty news for us haha)

 

This world series put me back in touch with why I love this game so much. That's really all any of this came from. Maybe it didn't for others, but IF the reason for that is your own bias, anger and hate, then I feel bad y'all missed out. Those emotions literally don't serve you in any way, and Cubs fans aren't going to stop celebrating or being obnoxious because it pisses you off... so... might as well not let it piss you off, right!? There's no winning to be had there.

Reddy, I am just wondering why it took the Cubs in the WS to remind you of why you love baseball so much?

 

Is it because it was a team from Chicago? A team built the "right" way? A team of young kids?

 

What was it?

[caulfield12]

It might be the first Word Series since 2001 where nobody complained about the late time the game finished....kids having to stay up too on a school night.

 

The fact there is no timer in baseball is one factor.

 

The game was over until that crazy wild pitch. When's the last time a runner scored from first on a single and two runners scored on the same wild pitch in a single game, let alone the span of minutes?

 

Ross homer in his final game.

 

The eighth inning. The Indians really should have won that game, with their best hitters in the bottom of the 9th, a struggling Chapman and then not scoring in the top half of the inning on the insane bunt try and Lindor play up the middle.

 

The craziest thing would have been the game being restarted the next night....sudden death in prime time. But the weather gods giveth and taketh away. And at least it was guys like Zobrist, Montero, Edwards and Montgomery who will be remembered for that last inning.

 

[fathom]

Sounds like Montero got drunk and was critical of Maddon on the radio today.

[Reddy]

Reddy, I am just wondering why it took the Cubs in the WS to remind you of why you love baseball so much?

 

Is it because it was a team from Chicago? A team built the "right" way? A team of young kids?

 

What was it?

 

Honestly, I've given so few s***s about the game this year. The Sox have done everything in their power to make it absolutely miserable to be a fan of this franchise. Between the bulls*** clubhouse drama on multiple occasions, the s***ty new stadium name, the way they went about getting rid of Ventura, the complete ass-backwards way the front office runs the team - it's been tough to give a s*** anymore. I do. I do still care. But I'm honestly more excited about the Mets right now (my brother's fav team, my NL team, and for obvious reasons) than the Sox for the first time in my life, and that bums me the f*** out because I LOVE this team.

 

Game 7 - it was literally just game 7 - revitalized my passion for the game. Like I said, I didn't really care who won, and I really don't care about the Cubs, but watching that game was so f***ing fun, and was so back and forth. Every time I felt comfortable that the Cubs had it in the bag, something crazy happened, even down to the bottom of the 10th, one out away and suddenly the winning run is at the plate. It was simply the intersection of ALL the storylines in one moment. It was every baseball movie wrapped into one game. The old timer's home run in the last game of his career, the rain coming in the most epic moment - 9th inning of a tied game 7 of a world series between two teams desperate for a championship. Every single thing I thought would happen didn't happen (besides calling the squeeze bunt! haha).

 

At the end of the day, stories are why we care about anything, and they're why we care about sports and why we care about our favorite teams. Watching some amazing and unforgettable stories get woven that night just reinvigorated my love for the game. I found an old picture of my dad coaching my 15 year old all star team afterwards. Seeing the bond that sports can create between friends, family and complete strangers was something I think I needed right now with the f***ing turmoil and fear and hate this election has inspired around the country. There's just SO MUCH NEGATIVITY everywhere, and for a little tiny bit, we all got to be on the same team being stoked that one HELL of a good story just got written before our eyes. One that will be told and retold again and again year after year no matter how s***ty things are in real life. Sure that happens for whichever fanbase wins the world series, but Giants fans don't give a f*** whether it's one WS win or another. This one really mattered to a whole lot of people. And goddammit, at the end of the day, what's the point of being pissy about it? There were 5 million joyful, ecstatic, happy people at that parade today - and that's worth dealing with a bit of obnoxiousness for the next few days/weeks/months. At least I think so.

[LittleHurt05]

Sounds like Montero got drunk and was critical of Maddon on the radio today.

 

Lol. I know Montero hit that big grand slam, but he should be happy they even put him on the playoff roster. Old man Ross was better than him at the end of the year.

[LittleHurt05]

Why baseball matters. Why sports matter. Heartbreaking and beautifully written. Unfortunately, this was going to be the case for one of these fanbases no matter what. The good news is the Indians have a great young core, too. (s***ty news for us haha)

 

This world series put me back in touch with why I love this game so much. That's really all any of this came from. Maybe it didn't for others, but IF the reason for that is your own bias, anger and hate, then I feel bad y'all missed out. Those emotions literally don't serve you in any way, and Cubs fans aren't going to stop celebrating or being obnoxious because it pisses you off... so... might as well not let it piss you off, right!? There's no winning to be had there.

 

When exactly did you stop loving baseball? The 2014 World Series had arguably the best pitching performance ever in game 7 with the most dramatic final sequence.

[greg775]

Sounds like Montero got drunk and was critical of Maddon on the radio today.

That bunt call was insane with two strikes.

I do think Maddon and Francona are great great managers, but I also think ALL managers suck in terms of in game decisions. Where I love Maddon and Francona and hate Robin is the big picture. A good manager gets his team ready in spring training and thru his demeanor prevents what I call dysfunctional White Sox baseball. Everyone on Soxtalk knew our season was over after we blew that game when we were 23-10. And it was over.

Maddon and Francona might have gotten us to 23-10 but they sure as hell wouldn't have let one game end our season and sure as hell wouldn't let us get simply owned by KC, Cleveland and Detroit year after year.

[Dick Allen]

That bunt call was insane with two strikes.

I do think Maddon and Francona are great great managers, but I also think ALL managers suck in terms of in game decisions. Where I love Maddon and Francona and hate Robin is the big picture. A good manager gets his team ready in spring training and thru his demeanor prevents what I call dysfunctional White Sox baseball. Everyone on Soxtalk knew our season was over after we blew that game when we were 23-10. And it was over.

Maddon and Francona might have gotten us to 23-10 but they sure as hell wouldn't have let one game end our season and sure as hell wouldn't let us get simply owned by KC, Cleveland and Detroit year after year.

Both Maddon and Francoan have finished in last place in their careers. In fact Feancona was fired from Boston after an epic collapse made them miss the playoffs with all sorts of clubhouse issues, which included 2 present Cubs.

 

They had a 9 game lead in the WC on September 3rd and missed the playoffs.

Edited November 5, 2016 by Dick Allen

[Reddy]

When exactly did you stop loving baseball? The 2014 World Series had arguably the best pitching performance ever in game 7 with the most dramatic final sequence.

See big rant a couple posts up

 

Just to make things worse, I like the bunt call.

[daa84]

so theo openly admits that the cubs tanked for a couple years during the parade. "Let's be honest, for a while there we forgot the 'not' in 'try not to suck,'" Epstein said.

 

Below is the same MLB rule for which Pete Rose was banned. So when do we revoke the 2016 world series, or at least have an asterisk by it

 

MAJOR LEAGUE RULES

Rule 21

MISCONDUCT

 

(a) MISCONDUCT IN PLAYING BASEBALL. Any player or person connected with a

club who shall promise or agree to lose, or to attempt to lose, or to fail

to give his best efforts towards the winning of any baseball game with

which he is or may be in any way concerned; or who shall intentionally

fail to give his best efforts towards the winning of any such baseball

game, or who shall solicit or attempt to induce any player or person

connected with a club to lose, or attempt to lose, or to fail to give his

best efforts towards the winning of any baseball game with which such

other player or person is or may be in any way connected; or who, being

solicited by any person, shall fail to inform his Major League President

and the Commissioner.

Edited November 5, 2016 by daa84

[iamshack]

Hah, funny.

 

There were actually some good tidbits about this in some of those articles about the Cubs finances in the thread about potential effects of the Cubs winning the WS. They actually might have had to make some of those budget cuts in order to remain in good terms on their financing. Really some fascinating stuff in there.