Last One To Leave Turn Out The Lights
by Godfrey Logan
Oct 06 2008
The Cubs made a quick appearance in the playoffs this year.

That is the mood in Wrigleyville on Monday for those who have not already migrated to the southside to jump on the White Sox band wagon. I on the other hand am a glutton for punishment and will probably buy tickets next year though have no hopes of seeing a world series winner of the Cubs in my lifetime. I just love baseball and I don't know how to cheer for another team. I've heard nearly every joke ever about the Cubs. My favorite, C.U.B.S., for "Completely Useless By September."

For once there is no one yelling about a curse finally we're going to blame the players on the field for choking once again. Choke, that's the only way to put it. Now all that happens is that the die harders will be able to buy tickets because we'll probably go through a period of no sell outs until it actually happens. And I mean it actually happens because until the season ends with the Cubs as baseball champions no one will care. 2003 actually hurt more for me than this year. Because we had proven that we belonged. The Marlins a better team that year had come into Chicago and had been shut down. That's why after losing the first game to the Dodgers I didn't seat it because we'd lost game on to the Marlins in '03. No Bartman this year. No black cats no nothing but choking.

So many of us on the northside cheer for Ernie Banks and Ron Santo and Andre Dawson and Ryne Sandberg but all of those players except Dawson was involved in some horrific collapse in their careers so they have to watch the different Cub teams try to win it for them. Now what will Ron Santo do in the future? Will he wear his heart on his sleeve like he has for the past few years I listened to his absentmidedness on the radio and thought it was kind of funny but loved the fact he wore his heart on his sleeve for this team he once starred for but he was involved with one of the biggest collapse in team history in 1969 and he was in the on deck circle when the black cat ran past him and the Cubs went on to lose a huge lead over the mets and watch the Mets win the world series that year. The year of the Amazin's.

Perhaps it'll be Santo who will turn off the lights in Wrigleyville. It would only be appropriate. Frankly what happens now I don't really care. I'm numb to the fact that another post season I have to watch another team go all the way. Should I pull for Tampa Bay who have surprised everyone and very well could have been the Cubs opponent in the big series. I guess the problem is that people had the nerve to believe the Cubs would go all the way no question and as the saying goes this is why they play the games.

Now that we've got the first 100 years out of the way let's see what the next 100 brings. Many people forget that the Cubs were once like the Yankees of the early days of baseball. The Cubs won at least 100 games twice and went to ten world series between 1900 and 1945. The Cubs are the second winningest team in baseball and are unlike many other teams in that they've been fairly consistent over the decades of making the playoffs especially recently.

The Milwaukee Brewers had not been to the post season since the early 80's and who can remember the last time the Kansas City Royals made the post season. Baseball will still go on and there will be winners and losers and this won't be the last time the Cubs make the post season and maybe not the last time they choke. It's just a lot less people will care.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Wrigleyville - the mighty Cubs have struck out.

Posted on Oct 06 2008 biased-sports.com