THERE IS NO JOY IN WRIGLEYVILLE: Honestly, I don't remember the last time I was as upset about the outcome of a sporting event that didn't involve a Minnesota team as I was at last night's loss by the Cubs against the Marlins. I mean, the stars were aligned- a 3-1 series lead, and then two home games started by Prior and Wood? And they blow that???
I'm not worried about the Cubs fans- they're used to it, and besides, this story will be off the Chicago radar by Halloween (whereas Boston fans are still crying about the Buckner incident 17 years later). What's horrible is that in this postseason the Cubs have truly become "America's team"- already possessing a fan base as large as any team in the country, the Cubs seemed to have about 90% of America rooting for them to win it all. (I hate to admit it, but the majority of the country really doesn’t care all that much about Yankees-Sox.) This is why Fox put the NLCS in prime time nearly every day that there was a conflict, and why the Fox Sports announcers rooted for the Cubs with the sort of partisan fervor that their cousins in the News division normally reserve for the Republicans.
Then there's the case of Mr. Steve Bartman of Chicago, the gentleman mentioned below who "cost the Cubs Game 6." First of all, no he didn't- the ball he interfered with was the second out, not the third, and he's not the one who gave up all those earned runs. Secondly, how can you not root for a guy named "Bartman"? Brings us back to that old "Simpsons" song "Do the Bartman"- and if Mancow Muller or one of the other Chicago shock jocks doesn’t put out a remix/parody in the next week, I'll be shocked.
But the guy I feel bad for this point is an old friend of mine who I ran into for the first time in about ten years the other week. He's a Chicago native and Cubs fan and his last name is- Bratman. Let's hope he doesn't get confused with Bartman by any angry Superfans.
UPDATE: Bartman has been offered asylum, both by a Pompano Beach resort and Gov. Jeb Bush. But does he have to defect to the Marlins?
Posted by Stephen Silver at October 16, 2003 12:52 PM