I'm not sure I want the Cubs to win

[bluestateguy]

This should be a warning to anybody who is a fan of the other 7 baseball teams in the playoffs. The Cubs are eliciting a lot of national sympathy due to their longtime loser reputation. If your team should happen to stand in the way of the Cubs, look out, your team will be portrayed as the bad guys. Should Oakland, my team, meet the Cubs in the World Series, I'm going to have to sit through all the media drivel about how the Cubs have overcome adversity and how the Cubs have not won the World Series since 1908. We'll hear sob stories from some 98 year old woman about how she has waited her whole life for the Cubs to win the World Series. Through it all, the opposing team will be depicted as the bad guys, or those "mean" men standing in the way of the Cubs reaching their long-awaited destiny. Somehow it will be our fault that the Cubs have been losers for 95 years. I don't want to have to sit through that. Granted, if Oakland does not make it, I'll probably root for the Cubs myself, but I feel for the team that goes up against them, as they will be villified and guilt tripped to no end.

[KharmaTrain]

1. I Wouldn't Worry

The Cubs are destined to break hearts in this city in a slow death. The latest installment is toying with making it to the World Series. I don't think this city could handle such a shock to our system.

But then I'm an extremely pissed White Sox fan who not only has to endure all the local newscasts spending the first 10 minutes with non-stop Cub garbage, then deal with associates who can't stop talking Cubies, Cubies, Cubies (especially since I'm a well-known Sox fan) but this hurts even more with the total collapse and the utterly frustrating season the Sox had.

Good luck to the A's...I'm an AL fan and I'd love to see anyone other than the Yankees (yep, even the Twins) make it to the Series.

BTW...heard a great Conan bit the other night that helped me make it through today:

In the Year 2000...The Cubs & Red Sox will be meeting at the World Series this year. They will be meeting to watch the Braves and Yankees in the Bronx....

[Don_G]

2. I'm A Cubs Fan

Should they take the Pennant, great. If they win the World's Series, Fantastic.

I'm only a fan...not a fanatic.

[KharmaTrain]

3. Are You Sure You Can Handle It?

It'd be great to see the Cubbies finally break the Billy Goat jinx, and they've got the pitching that could surprise a lot of people...the best I've seen on a Cub's team since the late 80's.

I just fear the concept of having to face a year of "World Champion Chicago Cubs" everywhere I look. I'm on the North Side...tain't easy being "White".

Cheers

[HuckleB]

10. Motivation --

Perhaps it would be the motivation the Sox need to finally put together a serious contender. Help often comes from the strangest of places.

[Rich Hunt]

4. oh don't worry about it

Take heart and look at your salaries:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/salaries?team=oak

You have absolutely nothing to feel bad about - in fact, you should feel nothing but pride.

It's sad that 80-year-olds have to be dragged into this ugly business.

Plus, Mark Mulder grew up not far from where I live!

[flama]

5. I'm a Cubs fan, too.

Born on the North Side, I fear it is a congenital condition. I'm not really a sports fan of any kind, but enjoy watching the Cubs win or lose every year. I even almost understand the game. ;-)

My father was born in 1908 so was too young to watch the Cubs win the Series. He was in the Army in 1945, stationed in Tucson, so he missed the Pennant, too. I sent him a T-shirt in 1984. (It should have said "My Cubs were in the play-offs and all I got was this lousy shirt!) He died in 1989 so missed the end of that season as well. (I really thought it would have been poetic if the Cubs had snared the championship in 1989.)

If we bring my family history with the team into play (Lou Boudreau was a third-cousin on Dad's side and I used to have the phone number for the dugout to reach the guys they got from the Phillies for work reasons), then maybe the Cubs shouldn't win a World Series until my first grandchild is born. I just hope my heart can take all the excitement. ;-)

[KharmaTrain]

7. Be Still Your Beating Heart

My father was born in 1918...and passed away last year. He was at the 1945 series and claimed to have played basketball against Lou Boudreau in the 30's.

My earliest rememberance of baseball were of the White Sox...in the early 60's they were winning and got a thrill one night riding past Comiskey Park on the Dan Ryan as Pete Ward hit a homer and the fireworks went off...that was awesome stuff for an 8 year old kid.

I did follow the Cubs in the infamous '69 season (the Sox lost 106 that year) but never felt comfortable with the Cubs (and I was born in West Rogers Park). Add to that I was a big Harry Caray fan and when he became the Sox announcer I was hooked and still am.

For a major city that has two major teams to go so long without even a World Series appearance is an embarassment, but I also know how electric it would be for so many long suffering fans...long enough for them to put down their cellphones and cups of cappacino (ducking...LOL)

[Braden]

6. its irrelevant

the nature of TV sports. If Oakland goes in, it will be David Vs. Some unnamed goliath.

If the Red Sox come back and qualify, then they will illicit the same story the Cubs are in line for.

Just watch the game with the sound off and the radio tuned to your local play by play guys or gals, its so much better than the national broadcast soap opera.

[The Lone Liberal]

8. As a follower of the Cubs' travails

If they should not win it would be much like watching bread being snatched from the mouths of orphans.
Like watching a widow being evicted and thrown into the snow by a rich banker.
Much like seeing a cute little puppy being taken to the pound.
We all must work together to see that this does not happen and that the world is a happy place…(Is that enough guilt?)

[HuckleB]

9. Interesting, except --

I haven't noted a villification of the Braves by Cubs fans of any stripe on these boards. I'm not saying it hasn't happened, but there's been much more nastiness aimed back and forth between fans in the other series, thus far.

And sure, Cubs fans have made fun of the "tomahawk chop." Doesn't everybody?

By the way, Prior's complete game was as good as it gets. Baseball at its best.

[Seneca]

11. but the A's ARE the bad guys!

:evilgrin:

Go Cubbies!

[Loyal]

12. I want the Cubs to win,

so my Yankees can beat them in the World Series. :)

[DrGonzoLives]

13. I don't think so

I don't remember that being said about the Giants in 1989 or the Braves in 1998. Frankly, I hope they win so that Cubs fans will stop whining :evilgrin:

[Lindsey]

14. GO CUBS!

My sis lives (and loves) in Chicago. For anyone who hasn't been there - there is something very special about that city. She rooted for me and my Angels last year and I'm rooting for her Cubs - I even changed my plans for the day to see them play - WE NEED THE UNDERDOGS TO DO IT!!

[IndianaGreen]

15. As a Mets fan, I am all for the Cubs!

I am rooting for the Cubs to defeat the much hated Braves!

10/03/2003 7:17 PM ET
Clement set for Game 4 start
Cubs right-hander could be pitching another clincher
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- Matt Clement knows all about decisive games.

The right-hander was the winning pitcher in the Chicago Cubs' Central Division clinching game Sept. 27 over Pittsburgh, the second game of a doubleheader. In that outing, he gave up two runs -- one earned -- on seven hits over 7 2/3 innings.

It could be deja vu all over again for Clement on Saturday when he starts Game 4 of the NL Division Series. The Cubs have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series after Friday's 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves. A win Saturday, and the Cubs will advance to the NL Championship Series.

Clement will be opposed by Atlanta's game 1 starter, Russ Ortiz.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/chc/news/chc_news.jsp?ymd=20031003&content_id=559664&vkey=ds2003news&fext=.jsp&c_id=chn