Next Year Isn't Here

You know what doesn't help? Walking seven in five innings.

The Cubs looked so bad yesterday, it's unreal. Remember that time I talked about contemplating that the Cubs being "the Cubs" is better than the Cubs that have a high payroll and win back to back division titles?

The Cubs played really well in the regular season. For about a month, the Cubs played with the fire and magic that makes you believe. Then they put it in cruise control and started beating people down. It's not the Cubs. This is not what it's like to be a Cubs fan. Focusing on success, and expecting success isn't what being a Cubs fan is about.

It's interesting because so much of the talk about one of my other main teams, the Vols, is about attendance this weekend, and how mad the fans are. Tennessee fans, and most SEC fans are said to be the most loyal in sports, but when things go south...they get off the bandwagon. Cubs fans, no matter what, love their team. More than anything with an unrivaled passion. So when teams have great years, it means something.

That stadium last night was dead. Why? Because the fans there knew they were going to have their rears in the seats 8 months ago. Think about 2003. Who expected that run? No one and that city was alive...and the entire city went on a two week bender after the NLCS. Look at the Red Sox and what they've become. What does it mean to be a Red Sox fan now? Nothing. Absolutely nothing, it means as much as being a Yankees fan. And that's what the Cubs are turning into. The, "expect to win" mentality isn't what built the most loyal fan base in the world. It's the hope that they can turn it around, the hours of heartache, and the joy in winning any game against the Cardinals or Mets.

This isn't the Cubs. And look what they did yesterday. They laid one fat egg. Walk the bases loaded...I've got news for you, that never ends well. Then, ManRam hits a "meaningless" home run. You think that was meaningless? First of all, if I was Lou Pinella, I'd see to it that Manny didn't take a swing all series. Walk that guy, every time, high school baseball style with the coach saying "Put Him On" to the ump and the hitter just goes to first without a pitch. Why? Because last night he hit a ball 420 off his ankles. You think that was meaningless? That showed everyone that you can't pitch to this guy. He's the best hitter there is, and if he has to, he can win games by himself. That wasn't a meaningless home run, that made a statement. To me at least.

Sure, it was only one game. And maybe the Cubs can turn this around, beat Manny and make a run at the title. But if this continues, the Cubs are taking 100 years of regular season woes and throwing them all into a five game series. And it doesn't mean anything. At least in 2003, it meant something. When the Cubs were on their way to winning the division in the last weekend of the season, I mean, I'm getting chills thinking about it, watching the stadium on TV, and what it really meant. The Cubs have become a business. And I don't know if I honestly like it.