Cub Factor
by Godfrey Logan
Oct 13 2008
Not everything is always the Cubs fault, is it?

Yes it is over for the Cubs, busted pipes and all. Allegedly. It has been for at least a week now and the Cubs are getting blamed for everything going wrong even when it has nothing to do with Baseball. Saturday Night Live skits and the Daley Show tying them to politics. Or their fans to being morons for holding on for so long only to have them break your heart time and again. I was introduced to the Cub factor after the 88 world series where Kirk Gibson famous hit a walk off game winning home run for the Dodgers against the Oakland A's when the man could barely walk. He hit the home run off of Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley. Yes that Dennis Eckersley that had previously pitched for the Cubs. He was a reliever for Oakland after stinking as a starter for the Cihicago Cubs. Over the years since then the theory had grown.

In almost every major league post season series after the Cubs have long been eliminated from post season contention or from the post season a game or series has been decided, won or lost by a former Cub player. Now you may say that could be the case for any team considering players are moving about constantly and any teams former player could be a factor. But with the recent woes of the Cubs it is safe to say that it shouldn't be ignored.

Right now the Dodgers and Phillies have several former Cubs on their roster from short timers like Juan Pierre and Nomar Garciaparra to players that got their first big league starts with the Cubs like Jamie Moyer and Greg Maddux. Also it doesn't have to be on the field of play for them to earn their infamy. A couple of names mentioned or busted for steroid use include Neifi Perez and Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro. Sosa, a part of the duo credited for bringing baseball back to popularity with his historic home run battles with Mark Mcguire though Mc Guire was busted and Sosa was just accused by most of baseball and his fans in Chicago. Not to mention the corked bat incident where he supposedly grabbed the wrong bat.

And Rafael Palmeiro who pointed a finger at Congress and swore he had never used steroids when it came out that he had allegedly tested positive just days before a celebration for his milestone of hitting 500 homers and 3000 hits.

Basically they find ways to be the butt of jokes no matter the occasion they will always fit in somewhere.

Posted on Oct 13 2008 on biased-sports.com