It's been a great year......

Am I upset about another collapse? Yes. Do I feel cheated? Kinda. Am I fed up? Not at all.
That is something all the Cards fans and those who root against the Cubs simply don't understand and never will. If I have to explain it and put it in drawings (mostly for Cards fans), you still wouldn't get it and understand.

This is why the Cubs have the support they always have....win or lose......mostly lose. But how does that differ us from the Reds fans or Red Sox fans? Red Sox fans may understand more, but still haven't the history a Cub fan has had.....either seen or told.

How many fans go to a game.....a game that means nothing...and still go just to see your team? Especially one that lost any hopes for the playoffs? I do.....even to an Astros game........and they tried to win the wildcard.

Don't lose faith. The Cubs are good....real good. Did they win a series....Nope! How are they good? Because they finally care about winning.......even if the fans have always cared but still loved their team. They spent the money (less than some with more talent on paper), the fixed and upgraded their stadium at NO cost to the city (sure....tix aren't cheap), and gave us a great 6 months of baseball.

Do I care that they lost......YES! How can I support this team with the 100 years of failure? I don't call it failure...I call it tradition and that's something other fans just don't get. Failure isn't always bad......Just like winning the lottery isn't always good.

In the last week I have been consoled (still on suicide watch), laughed at and told I was cursed as well. I laughed and agreed and would have it no other way. Teased when they lost 3 in a row....again.

Contrary to belief of others on this blog....Cubs fans are the best fans. Do they get worked up....Heck Yeah......it's not that often we get a good team....much less a great team. I'm not putting other fans down, they just don't understand.

I am disappointed (again)

“The price of excellence is discipline. The cost of mediocrity is disappointment.”

Enough said. This is life as a Cubs fan. Swept in the post-season again. Say it with me ... "There's always next year."

Will Gerard, age 11

My son "hunted & pecked" out this note to me today recounting his first "playoff atmosphere" experience...it is worth noting Will was celebrity batkid when the Cubs beat the Cardinals on an ESPN Sunday night and watched - from the front row of the left field bleachers (Soriano tossed him a ball between innings) Carlos Lee misplay a Fukudome liner to give the Cubs a win over the Astros in April...not to mention the countless hours we spent playing catch & listening to Pat & Ron on the radio, listening to Big Z's no-no on the radio, watching some amazing comebacks and some simple fundamentally sound games won by a good, sound team...

Anyhoo...here is Will's note:

go cubs!
The thing that was most disappointing about last were the fans support. All this one guy was saying after dero's error was "this is the f******* playoffs. make the plays, defense!" OVER AND OVER AGAIN! we were down 1-0. the lee had a shot at him and everyone thought the inning was over. E-3. again "this is the f******* playoffs. make the plays, defense!" poor Z IS GOING THOUGHT THIS. he's getting mad. 3 run double. 5-0 and everyone was down teary eyed and I'm thinking WE'RE STILL IN THIS! SOMEONE STRIKES OUT
''BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO*******OOOOOOOOOOOOO**OOO****************** ! More and more people are restless till it's dead silent. I was feeling sad for the players.E-5. 3 errors. STILL 5-0 and people are getting more flustered. " Put in the batboy!" Manny crushes one and it goes ping you can hear it bounce off the camera place. The ump rolls it past Z and Z gets it then he almost does it again and Zambrano makes a kick save to stop it. More wisecracks and Z pitches with that ball. Speaking of throwing it away Soto rolls one to Z and throws one past him with a man on first. No consequence but still boos, same for a derosa's catch. Plus the only ones there in the eight are super drunk. In the 9th people are rooting for the dodgers. A PAPER AIR LANE WHIZZES BY LEE! Someone says " who says we can't get 9." "I do", says someone so far away we can't see them. The noise level is on pin drop. Then finally E-6.PLUS PEOPLE FLIP OFF THE UMP. AND ARGUE WITH MEANINGLESS CALLS.



But was a learning experience and I would have had fun if the final score was 26-2 dodgers. Sadly the place was booming in the first.

Sincerely,
will

PS SORRY THE EMAIL WAS SO LONG IF YOU GOT THIS FAR!