163

It's been two months or so since the Cubs playoffs and when they embarrassed themselves, the fans and the city as a whole with their performance (or total lack thereof).

No need to rehash things. If you want to torture yourself further, please see my post-post season blog entry here.

I've taken my time and let the wounds heal a bit from this past October before deciding my course of action. Going forward I am going to continue to support the team (come on, I could NEVER root for the Sox), but not be an "all in" fan. Aka, I'm going to try my best not to read the paper or espn.com every day about the team. Not to watch or listen to 162 games. Not to attend my usual slate of 15-20 games. Not over analyze every single move by Piniella. Not to fret over injuries on the team. Not curse Soriano as he lally-gags another blooper in LF.

I simply don't have the energy to put that amount of time and passion into this team any more until they finally win a playoff game. As I learned the hard way last season, I simply do not put that type of devotion into a six month long marathon only to have them not win a single playoff game for the 2nd year in a row. Especially last year's team. They were the only Cubs team I can remember watching (I was too young in '84 to understand) that I truly thought had the talent and chemistry to do the unthinkable.

So, with that being said, I am looking forward to pitchers and catchers reporting in Feb and hearing Ron & Pat on spring training broadcasts in March. I will tune in to games on the radio when I have the time because I truly enjoy listening to Ron & Pat, but I won't schedule my life/summer around the Cubs schedule. If somebody offers me some free tickets to a game, I will go and I will enjoy myself and I will still keep score.

I think the Cubs will still be a very good team in '09 and depending on how the winter free agent market shakes out (can you believe CC is going to sign a 7 year, $161M deal with Yankees?) I truly think they can be a contender again. However, I'm of the mind set now that the Cubs owe me something in return. And that something is 1 playoff victory. I don't think that's asking for too much. In the mean time, let the new count down begin at 163.



On a final somewhat unrelated note to the team, I was disappointed once again by Ronnie being denied entrance to the HoF. I'm glad Ronnie doesn't seem to be crushed by this total lack of respect by Veterans Commitee like he seemed to be in the past. However, I truly think that Ron deserves to be in. I'm not going to go into a stat analysis of his career, but you can review his career stats here and see for yourself or read a good, in depth case for Santo making it in here or another recent post by Rob Neyer. He said on the day the Cubs retired his number back in October, 2003 that that ceremony was his Hall of Fame, but I know deep down he feels that getting inducted is unfinished business for him. I agree.