I was taking a walk down Clark Street the other day.
It was warm and the lake wind was coming across the street and blew right down Addison, cool and crisp. People were strolling in and out of neighborhood bars and souvenir shops.
I could feel the anticipation of baseball; it's so close, just within Chicago's fingertips. To think, in a couple of weeks, these bars across from Wrigley will be packed, and you won't be able to find a seat or parking for miles.
And good ol' Wrigley will be up and running again.
It has been 100 years for the Cubs....and Cubs fans.
Every year, people come and cheer on the home team like we just won the World Series the year before.
Do I call them ignorant or bad fans of baseball because they come with their hopes and dreams pinned on their sleeves? No, being a Cubs fan is something special. It is in your blood—maybe even genetic.
I hear a lot of talk about the 100-year drought, the inability to get it done, or even a curse that has to do with a billy goat.
Is this is a problem for me? Am I looking to next year already in hopes of a World Series win? No, I look at each year as a gift from the great baseball gods.
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I enjoy the ups and downs of this team. The struggles make me anxious and the successes take me to a place where I feel I will never come down. This is not just baseball, but this is a way of life for six months of the year.
This team never will be perfect. What team truly is? Rarely do we see the perfect game, the perfect play, or the perfect pitch.
We cannot look back on our past seasons and dwell on the negative times. We, as Cub fans, can only hope for a future where the back end of our rotation comes together, Lou figures out a line up that allows our players to be used to the best of their ability, and the players do not become injury-prone like they have in the last couple of years.
What are your hopes for this year, Cubs fans?
There is still so much to do and see with the this team during this spring training.
Maybe the thought of not knowing what you're going to get and see is part of the excitement.
Will Felix Pie turn into Tori Hunter, or will it be the young Sam Fold who will get that center field spot?
Ryan Dempster and Jon Lieber both looked pretty good during their last outings. Can they both return to their top shapes and win 16-20 games a piece? Who knows.
What about the young rookie catcher Geovanny Soto? He's got a rifle for an arm and has already shown what he can do at the plate.
How about that defense up the middle? Mike Fontenot and Ryan Theriot? Youngsters in their own right. Baseball enthusiasts say you have to be strong up the middle to win ball games. Can they each come out of their shells and play at the level they can play at for a full year instead of a half?
The local media already has stated Kosuke Fukudome is struggling, even though he has only played four games. So many questions, so many hopes.
I sat down on a bench outside of Wrigley at the corner of Clark and Addison.
I looked at Harry Carrey and wondered what he would say about this team. How would he feel? Are we really moving in the right direction?
I know that we have not won a World Series in 100 years, but I am proud of this team and proud of my city. And I think he would have been, too.
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5 months ago
I enjoyed your contribution. I think it gets to the heart of what it is like to be a Cubs fan— an off season of high hopes and a season of missed opportunities. Keep up the good work.
5 months ago
This is great. It is all about what it truly means to be a Cubs fan. Great writing.
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