Bobby is currently the General Manager and Assistant Publisher at the Daily Statesman after serving his term as Managing Editor. He wears many hats in the office, including coordinator of all things online, but his real passion is sports.

Maybe next year, Cubbie fans

Posted Monday, October 6, 2008, at 9:26 PM

Oh no, dude....................... Not again!

The Chicago Cubs..... what can you say?

The team with the best record in the National League this year did not disappoint IF you were expecting them to be..... well..... the Cubs!

After running through the regular season with little resistance, the mighty Cubs held true to their m.o. as they were SWEPT by Sikeston's Blake DeWitt and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.

Cubbie fans were banking on this year being THE year all of the history would be washed away with a World Series victory parade through the streets of the Windy City. Management took the risk of having one of the highest payrolls in baseball in 2008, gambling that all that money would buy the talent to win the 'big one' similar to what the Boston Red Sox pulled off in 2004.

History prevails once more. Whatever haunting curse follows the Cubbies, reared it's ugly head and bit Chicago fans right where it hurts!

Who are Cub fans going to blame this year's collapse on?

They have a winning manager, several All-Stars (based on overseas internet voting), no fans interference, and no Bill Buckner sightings! What gives? The following is part of a story released by the Canadian Press after the Cubs were eliminated from the playoffs without winning a single playoff game this year.......

The scene was somber and subdued outside Wrigley Field on Sunday. Tourists talked about the loss as they took pictures in front of a statue of celebrated Cubs announcer Harry Caray.

Across the street at the Cubby Bear bar, Cubs fan John Weier said he couldn't watch the final innings of Saturday's loss, calling it "a sad night." Weier, 26, said he left the Wrigleyville bar where he was watching the game early.

"How do you get excited for next year's regular season?" he asked. "And if we make the playoffs next year, how do you get excited?"

The city's daily newspapers joined the pity party.

The Chicago Tribune's headline read, "It Ain't Gonna Happen;" a Chicago Sun-Times headline said, "So Long: Title drought hits 100 years."

Cubs fans posted on blogs and Internet message boards, criticizing their team and promising next year would be their year.

Oh well..... there's always next year!

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Ah, I don't have anything to say about baseball - I'm just glad to see a new blog!! Any new blog!

-- Posted by goat lady on Mon, Oct 6, 2008, at 9:48 PM
Oh Bobby...I'm SO glad you posted this! After all the trash talk I've heard from Cubbies fans on how poorly the Cards did this year, it tickles me pink that they choked again! So sorry, Cubbies fans...just the Cubs being the Cubs after all!

-- Posted by mrsdolphin on Mon, Oct 6, 2008, at 10:07 PM

Bobby Greer's response:
You said it.... the Cubs being the Cubs!!!!
I was actually in Chicago Sunday night hanging out in a couple of sports bars downtown and it was OH so gratifying to watch those Cubs fans react. I had a huge grin on my face and needless to say, the Cub fans did not.

-- Posted by BonScott on Mon, Oct 6, 2008, at 10:48 PM

Bobby Greer's response:
I bet you had a huge smirk on your face Bon. I would have liked to have seen the gloom and doom of the cubbie fans!
Quite possibly the worst franchise in history, but one of the greatest stadiums.

-- Posted by Jim Morrison on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 12:10 AM

Bobby Greer's response:
Agree 100%
I don't believe in superstitions or curses, the Cubs just played flat and got their butts kicked in 3 games and now an awesome season is over. I am truly sad, not so much for the players, in this era of free agency and HUGE contracts, few players play more than 5 years for one team anymore. I have genuine sympathy for the millions of fans, GENERATIONS of fans that have been disappointed yet again. I know the Cubs have some bad fans, some that are downright arrogant, belligerent and rude. I'm not talking about them, every team has some of those bad apples (yes, even the Cardinals!), I'm talking about the legion of die-hard fans that have supported the team for their entire lifetimes without being rewarded with a championship. Oh well, hope springs eternal, there is always next year. We Cub fans are always optimistic every April.

-- Posted by chuckd on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 9:01 AM
Now that the Cubbies have disappointed me yet again, that is over and it is time for me to pick another team to root for for the duration of the postseason. I can't root for the Dodgers, not only did they eliminate my Cubs, they have Manny Rameriz, who in my opinion epitomizes everything that is wrong with this beloved sport. And they have Joe Torre, who, although is a likeable enough fellow, is getting close to having more championship rings than he has fingers for. (his Yankee teams won 4, I believe). I guess I will root for the Phillies, they haven't won a title since 1980 when they beat George Brett and the Royals. Go Phillies!

-- Posted by chuckd on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 11:44 AM
Cubs can't do anything to break the curse! One of the reasons they did so good in the regular season....is they went out and got themselves a Cardinal, Jim Edmonds!! He will never be ANYTHING but a Cardinal to me.

-- Posted by shoe lady on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 11:53 AM
Cubs absolutely are the GREATEST! I can't think of any other team in the history of sport that have given those outside of their fan base so much to laugh about. Losers all the way, choke artists when the time is right, and simply the best at finding a scapeGOAT (literally) when one is needed to justify heartbreaking losses! I am giggling as I type this thinking how funny it was to see Blake Dewitt and the Dodgers get the brooms out! GO LA!

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 12:56 PM
So, shannonhoon, why exactly do you get pleasure out of the Cubs failure? Don't you think 100 years is enough futility? Don't you think the fans there deserve a championship? I have lived my whole life in Missouri (40 yrs) and have taken great delight in the Cardinals 5 World Series appearances and 2 titles in those 40 years but I can also have sympathy for the fans of the team that for some inexplicable reason always seems to find a way to lose when it counts the most. I will always feel sorry for the Cubs until they FINALLY have that elusive championship.

-- Posted by chuckd on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 1:20 PM
chuckd, why do you care if hoon laughs at the Cubs losing. Does it really matter. And your question on whether the fans deserve a championship may be one of the most ludicrous statements I have ever heard. No fan DESERVES a championship. Yeah, it's great and it brings the city great joy but do they really DESERVE it. No. Here's to another 100 years of losing. Go Cubs.

-- Posted by BonScott on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 3:47 PM
One person's ludicrous is another person's logical, Bon. Go ask a Yankee fan if they think they DESERVE a championship. Most of them have been spoiled by their 26 championships and they think they are entitled to see their team go to the Series every year. Perhaps deserve is not the right word, as no one really deserves anything, but anyone who believes in the "root for the underdog" mind set should root for the Cubbies every year until they finally win the championship. But most people in this area are too blinded by their loyalty to the Cardinals to see it that way.

-- Posted by chuckd on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 4:16 PM
chuckd, I understand what you are saying and I guess I am glad you are a loyal Cub fan(it pains me to have just said that). But this year they were definitely not "underdogs". To each there own...GO CARDS!!

-- Posted by BonScott on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 4:41 PM
They sacrificed a goat??! Well, I could've told them that THAT wouldn't work! In fact, scientific, research-based studies have shown that teams who sacrifice defenseless animals will EXTEND their curse for another five years.

True! Mark it down, cubbies! Five more years!

-- Posted by goat lady on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 5:53 PM
I, for one, will root for another 100 years of suffering for the Baby Bears and their obnoxious fan base. If you have ever attended a Cards/Cubs game you no doubt have witnessed their arrogance (for whatever reason) and their mean spiritedness. I am the type of person that loves an underdog, I'm an old softy when it comes to that type of thing. However, Chicago as a city has won it's fair share of titles (Bulls, Bears) so pardon me if I can't bring myself to feel sorry for the Cubs and their fans. Plus, they killed a freakin' goat for pete's sake.

-- Posted by robbincrosby on Tue, Oct 7, 2008, at 9:44 PM
Baaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh (CHOP)!

Humor of seeing this crappy organization LOSE is has nothing to do with Cardinals. Has to do with seeing as a streak of 100 years extended into a new century of futility!

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Wed, Oct 8, 2008, at 11:36 AM
robbincrosby, I understand your points. I know Chicago has won their fair share of titles in other sports, but to a true-blue loyal Cubs fan, I personally would trade all those Bulls championships, the Bears Super Bowl win, even throw in the White Sox title in 2005 for just ONE World Series trip for the Cubbies in my lifetime. Don't know if it's gonna happen, though. And yes, sadly, a lot of Cubs fans are filled with arrogance, smugness, and classless behavior. But those pinheads do not speak for Cub Nation. As I said before, every team has some of those rude jerks and it is hard to have sympathy for them.

-- Posted by chuckd on Wed, Oct 8, 2008, at 12:15 PM
Bon, I appreciate your comment about respecting my loyalty to the Cubbies. And regarding what criteria is necessary to be considered an "underdog", I do see your point, it is hard to consider a team an underdog that won 97 games and was expected to win the pennant. But "underdog" is a subjective term. To me, they will always be underdogs until they finally bring that elusive title home to Chicago.

-- Posted by chuckd on Wed, Oct 8, 2008, at 12:24 PM
Watch it, hoon. It could happen to you!

"Cause I'm AAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, A Wanted Maaaa'aaan........" (CHOP)!!!

-- Posted by goat lady on Wed, Oct 8, 2008, at 4:58 PM
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Wed, Oct 8, 2008, at 10:01 PM
Cause I'm AAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, A Wanted Maaaa'aaan........"

-- Posted by goat lady on Wed, Oct 8, 2008, at 10:25 PM
Goat....you are a true Metal Fanatica!

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Thu, Oct 9, 2008, at 10:07 PM
Haha! I'm SO not-hip! Yesterday I was in a local fast food joint, and the song "We Don't Need No Education" was grinding on the breeze... I had a flashback to the past, when I taught in a high school with a significant number of kids who really did feel that way...

Oddly enough, I've always liked the song - especially the part which shouts "Teachers! Leave those kids alone!" It makes me laugh, for some reason. We used to sing it in the teacher's lounge...

However, I had no idea it was Pink Floyd until a young friend made reference to it...

Is there such a phrase as "half-hip"????

-- Posted by goat lady on Fri, Oct 10, 2008, at 6:37 AM
Hoon, do you ever check the Kennett website? (www.dddnews.com) There's a blogger called "Bad Bones." Writes about music. That's not YOU, is it?? I don't think it is, since he's not BAD enough to be a hoon... Doppleganger??

-- Posted by goat lady on Fri, Oct 10, 2008, at 7:19 AM
I'm not A HOON, I am THE HOON!

I remember days of being in the teacher's lounge, smoking a couple camels.......aaaaaaah, the good ole days.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Tue, Oct 14, 2008, at 12:27 PM
I had a feeling that you had a teacher's lounge story to share! Hehe!

-- Posted by goat lady on Tue, Oct 14, 2008, at 5:17 PM

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