The June swoon, the July good-bye, the August bust, and the September to dismember could all be used to discuss the ghosts of Cubs’ season past.
There are a few exceptions of course; one being the ’84 team that headed into San Diego up 2-0 and found a way to cough up the NLCS. I am sure that Gatorade on a glove had everything to do with it.
The ’89 team showed promise until they met up with a buzz-saw in the San Francisco Giants and were taken in five games.
Then the ’98 squad behind Slammin’ Sammy Steroid-Osa made it to a play-in game for the wild card and actually won. That made it even more disappointing to Cubs fans when the Braves scalped them in three.
In 2003, the Cubs gave their fans what maybe the biggest tease they’ve seen in 90-plus years. They had an amazing divisional race that saw them take the Central on the next to last day. They took the Braves into Game Five of the series, and actually found a way to win their first series since Moses parted the Red Sea.
Then, with only five outs left until a trip to their first World Series since 1908, well, you know the rest.
You also know the recent history of the Cubs if you are a true fan.
So, the question I wish to ask with this particular article is, which is better, knowing you have no chance and enjoying the season, or setting yourself up for heartache?
Before you get too set on saying one or the other, let me explain.
In recent years, the Cubs have been 50/50 on whether they are in the race late in the season. It seems like they are either at the top, or at the bottom. No in-betweens, and I do not count the Pirates as a team, just an FYI.
Those seasons when they make the playoffs seem to be magical, until the D-Backs, Dodgers, Braves, or whoever sweep them right into Gary, Ind.
In my opinion, that just sucks the air out of the entire season and makes me want believe that they will actually never win a World Series in my lifetime.
On the other hand, in a season that nothing is expected, or they are out of it by mid-to-late June, I can just sit back, drink a few beers, and watch the Cubs play baseball, for better or for worse.
There is no worrying about magic numbers, trade deadlines, or really anything. It is just relaxing to watch Cubs baseball without any talk of Billy Goats, curses, and Bartman balls.
This season is one of those. Sweet Lou is finishing up his career at season’s end. The Cubs are double digit games out. Young players are on the roster looking to make a name for themselves.
This is just as great as if they are in a pennant race. My hair isn’t going gray, I’m not losing any sleep, and I don’t want to drive to the suburbs and kill a guy with glasses that tried to catch a foul ball.
It all comes down to whether you want to set yourself up for heart break. It’s almost like you are seeing a girl who you really like, but she is not into you at all. Sure, she’ll show you some attention every now and again when she wants something or when she is drunk and you’ll do. But in the end, you are just setting yourself up for a letdown.
I guess, for many Cubs fans, being one is like going on a date, paying for everything, then at the end of the night having the girl go off with some guy she met at the bar while you were taking a leak.
As always, that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong.
So I ask, is it better to win and take the chance of having your heart broken, or losing and just enjoying the great game of baseball?
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