Last One Turn The Lights Out

Written by Godfrey Logan, Friday January 02 2009

Another Frustrating End To A Season In Chicago!

I declare the Chicago Blackhawks had better not only make the playoffs but they had better at least make the second round. There are many seasons in Chicago. In some cases we go through each of them in a single day. There is winter Spring Summer Fall and construction season in Chicago. For sports it's Baseball, Football, Hockey (again finally) and Basketball. Well baseball was a complete disaster where for the first time with both teams in first place and winning their respective divisions we were looking for a Cubs v.s. White Sox world Series. Fans of both teams in the city thought we could decide once and for all which baseball team is the darling of the city. For years the Cubs have ben the cities darlings as lovable losers. While the White Sox won a World Series in 2005 it has been basicallys wept under the rug. As Sox Manager Ozzie Smith put it in one his many profanity laced tirades, "we win the World Series we still aren't s**t in this city." Since the 2005 series Cub fans have help the Cubs to sell out every season since then with the hopes that the team would have done enough to rid them of the horrible taste left from the south siders victory. Not so and with two seasons with 90 plus losses since then. Then came the '07 and '08 seasons with back to back winning seasons and division championships. Then two consecutive seasons of first round sweeps. On the south side the chant, "at least we won one more than the Cubs did." And that was enough for them losing 3 of 4 to the Devil Rays. Then comes football season but a season where as I'd written before there were no hopes for the Bears to win over 5 games this season. We finally had a decent quarterback and a solid running back. An up and down season winning games we weren't expected to win and losing games we were supposed to win. Need I mention Tampa, Atlanta, and Green Bay? I won't go into what happened in those games other than to say whoever was in charge of our defense and our offense should not be in the same position next year.

The Bulls had the lottery ball bounce their way giving them the #1 pick in the draft. Excitement and exhallation all over the city. The only problem is that basketball is a team sport that requires 5 playerson the ourt at the same time. While we do believe Derrick Rose is our savior we are reminded that he cannot play the schedule by himself. With Ben Gordon in contract talks over the off season that had people wondering what's the problem? What is so hard to figure out how much a guy who cannot play defense? While he is a good scorer he is no Derrick Rose and doesn't deserve to make more money than a guy who is going to be a bench player his whole career. I know the saying goes anyone has a chance when they make the playoffs but do we really want this Bulls team to make the playoffs? Sure it is a chance to see more of Derrick Rose this season but once again he cannot take on the number 1 seed Boston by himself so we look forward to baseball season.

The Cubs are currently in pursuit of Milton Bradley. Just what we need a nut job in the club house. The general thought is the Current Cubs team is far too nice and Bradley would come in and shake things up. I'll be in the stands with a sign reading, "Countdown to Bradley's blow up and/or first flip off of the fans who tend to boo like mad when a player makes a bonehead play. I say the Cubs players are far too sensitive and over paid. Carlos Zambrano had what could be considered the highlight of the entire season with his no hitter at Miller Park versus the Astros then he proceeded to lose nearly every game he pitched after that. Part of that can be understood after he lost a family member soon after his feat. But the rest of the team forgot how to play baseball after that great milestone. Not to mention the fact the Cubs sold all of their playoff tickets to brokers to be sold way over face value pricing out the fans who supported them the whole season. I would say Karma had a role to play in that series and made that loss easier to swallow for me. Right now I'm looking forward to the NFL playoffs where I can stand to stomach watching other teams play. I could not do that with baseball. I guess I'm not a real fan. But football playoff games are events. I'm pretty much spent by the end of baseball season to watch anymore not to mention the fact my boss actually asked me in a sincere fashion what is it that keeps me following the Cubs every year? I shrug and say to myself keep my misery mind when it comes time for pay raises. As the Calendar turns to a new year and it's just a couple of months before pitchers and catchers report and tickets go on sale. I know this year I won't be one of the sheep that flood the website and box office to buy tickets. I'll find a friend who has an extra one he cannot sell around september, the final weeks of the season and I have nothng else to do but spend a few hours of my time watching them implode and hear that familiar refrain. Wait until next year.