Cubs Win! Now What?

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
11/03/2016 at 10:51 • Filed to: World Series, Cubs Win

Some thoughts on the World Series win last night. As a lifelong Cubs fan, it wasn’t what I expected.

I don’t know how I feel about the win. It was weird. I wasn’t jumping up and down, screaming and yelling like I thought I would (partly because my boys were already in bed). The game was definitely one for the ages. As a baseball fan, if you’re going to have a 7th game of the World Series, that was the one to have (though Bill Mazeroski might argue otherwise). But, once it was over, I was left with an overwhelming feeling of, “Well, now what?” The Cubs have always been the Lovable Losers™, the doormat of the National League (RIP, Steve Goodman). The rallying cry at Wrigleyville has always been, “Next year!” Cubs fans wore those 108 years as a badge of honor, a common heritage of futility passed down from generation to generation. I’ve been to one Cubs game at Wrigley Field in my life, and they lost to the Rockies. I’ve often said that if the Cubs had won it wouldn’t have been a complete experience. Are the Cubs just a normal team now?

Ultimately, I don’t think this win has anything to do with 108 years, despite the hype. What makes this victory special is a hard working group of guys—a team—that believed in each other and never gave up. Down 3-1 in the Series, they never let the weight of history give them an excuse to fail. And, despite the blown save, I still give Aroldis Chapman the game ball.* Sure, he blew the save and let the Indians back in the game in the 8th, but he came back in and pitched the 9th, when the Cubs had nobody to put in the game. He sent the Indians down in order and kept the score tied. He gave the Cubs a shot.

This was a great night, but I’m still not at peace with it. I can’t bring myself to sing Go, Cubs, Go! when all my life I’ve been singing A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request . I think I still need a little time. I think I’ll put in my Steve Goodman CD, drink a six-pack of Old Style, and let it sink in.

*Chapman gets the game ball, but Kyle Schwarber gets the MVP in my book, if not for his hits, but for what his return meant to the team. It was his single in the top of the 10th that got the rally started. Without Schwarber, Zobrist doesn’t get the biggest double in baseball history (baseball loves hyperbole). Sure, there were guys with better numbers, and baseball is, after all, a game of numbers. And clutch hits that score runs and win big games are exciting. But it’s still a game, played by people, not stat books. And I don’t know if the Cubs win the series without Schwarber.

DISCUSSION (29)

crowmolly > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 10:55

Kinja'd!!!

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 11:02

One year late, but didn’t BttF2 predict this?

Wheelerguy > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 11:02

Nothing else to add, just gonna keep peddling the PBA Governor’s Cup Finals, Game 6.

See that? I have never seen an NBA Finals get that lit (you should have seen the full broadcast). I fell on my knees, throwing my hands up in the air, and whooped to the heavens in near tears.

I have seen The Greatest Sports Highlight of 2016. I have also seen LeBron James swat the soul out of the Golden State Warriors.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 11:06

Biff takes over. That’s next.

For Sweden > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 11:18

Every other fan base has won a title, do what they do.

shop-teacher > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 11:36

Lets just enjoy this for a while. We can worry about our identity later :)

ttyymmnn > shop-teacher
11/03/2016 at 11:39

Good idea. Perhaps I’m overthinking it.

ttyymmnn > Eric @ opposite-lock.com
11/03/2016 at 11:41

Apparently, it did. However, I am somewhat ashamed to say that I’ve never seen the movie.

Bigjohn428 > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 11:53

Dynasty!

ttyymmnn > Bigjohn428
11/03/2016 at 12:10

Too soon.

uofime-2 > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 12:17

Down 3-1 in the Series, they never let the weight of history give them an excuse to quit.

In some ways failure is a lot less daunting when it’s more or less expected!

Seriously though this is well written and I agree, what are the Cubs if not lovable losers and how am I going to afford to go to games now that they’re winners with a million bandwagon fans and the ticket prices will inevitable soar?

ttyymmnn > uofime-2
11/03/2016 at 12:25

Thanks. Freeing oneself from the fear of losing is one of the more important elements of winning. I remember when I auditioned for the Chicago Symphony. There was no way in the world I would win the job, and it was one of my best auditions ever. I had nothing to lose.

My fear is that Wrigley Fiekd will become another Minute Maid™ Park.

DipodomysDeserti > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 12:42

Did you just say you put your boys to bed before they could watch the Cubs win the World Series in the 10th inning of game 7?

DipodomysDeserti > uofime-2
11/03/2016 at 12:45

I don’t know how it is in Chicago, but trying to get into a Cubs Cactus League game is always a nightmare. They have the most expensive tickets of any of the teams, and all their games are sold out. I guess all the fans have been living in Arizona.

ttyymmnn > DipodomysDeserti
11/03/2016 at 12:47

Well, one was sick, one put himself to bed, and we sent the other when the rain delay hit. It was not without a little regret.

loki03xlh > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 12:51

The Cubs winning the World series is the first sign of the apocalypse. Next, Hell will freeze over, Trump will be elected president..../s

Seriously, congrats Cubs fans.

Sincerely, Cardinals fans.

ttyymmnn > loki03xlh
11/03/2016 at 12:54

My hope is that a Cubs victory actually bodes well for the nation.

uofime-2 > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 13:37

As far as I know kinja doesn’t support the use of emojis, but I’d really like to respond with the little picture of the smiley face vomiting in response to that “Minute Maid™ Park” remark haha

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 13:44

No... it means the curse has been moved from the Cubs and transferred to the nation!!!

But this will only be proven true if Trump gets elected.

ttyymmnn > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
11/03/2016 at 13:59

God forbid.

RallyWrench > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 15:02

You know, I was thinking about this last night when browsing all the posts here after the game. If you’re Chicagoan and/or non-wagonjumping Cubs fan, what do you do with all that baggage, that plucky underdog curse narrative that the city rallied around for decades? Poof, it’s gone. Now they’re just another stacked ball club with a shithead owner, and will be expected to succeed, at least for the next few years as Theo’s plan rolls on.

After they beat my Dodgers, I decided I’d root for them because I fucking love the Blues Brothers , know some good people from Chicago who are over the moon with this postseason, and I like their story and players better than the Indians. Once this group of memorable, likable guys is gone from the roster, that connection is gone for me because there’s no backstory any more. It starts over now. Cubs fans potentially have a few good years here, and they deserve it, but it’ll be interesting to see what the story is down the road.

In any case, I’ll hoist a beer to them tomorrow night, and crank the shit out of the Blues Brothers ’ version of Sweet Home Chicago (dat Malone trombone solo and the horn line at the end, damn!!).

Genuine congratulations, Cubs & fans, may you wear this victory with grace and humility (in this day and age? Nah).

RallyWrench > loki03xlh
11/03/2016 at 15:03

The Ricketts are trying to see to that.

ttyymmnn > RallyWrench
11/03/2016 at 15:51

Thanks for the lengthy and thoughtful reply. It is indeed a conundrum.

but it’ll be interesting to see what the story is down the road.

What will be most interesting to me is to see what Epstein does to the roster. I have no knowledge of salary caps and salary room and all that. I suspect it will be a lot like after the Blackhawks won the Cup after a long drought, when my jaw dropped after they dealt away players that I felt were essential to the team, only to have them win again two years later. If they can use that sort of intelligent drafting/trading, yeah, they’ll be around for a while.

But I’m still trying to figure out why I’m not ecstatic. I feel I should be. But as you suggest, all that was “fun” about being a Cubs fan is out the window. The Friendly Confines will likely remain just as friendly, at least I hope they do. And yes, their owner is truly shitty. That was bouncing around inside my head last night, too. It’s still not as bad as the year the Marlins bought a WS win. But somehow it feels similar. The camaraderie that comes from years of leaving the game or turning off the TV with a knowing shake of the head are over. For good or for bad.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 16:13

My neighbor (a Giants fan), and I (a Cards fan), had a celebratory Old Style with our neighbor under his proudly displayed W flag after the game last night.

Happy for you guys. I think what you’re experiencing is shock.

ttyymmnn > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/03/2016 at 17:01

No, not shock. It’s almost a weird form of melancholy. But I would have enjoyed sharing an Old Style with you guys. Maybe had I been with a big group of people I’d feel better. It’s tough celebrating by yourself.

RallyWrench > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 17:04

I was going to post along the lines of what you did, because that was such a ridiculous thing but I couldn’t help but think about how the culture behind the team would adapt to the new reality. I’ve never been through that emotion in sportsball fandom, but I’ve felt it in racing. It’s a weird feeling to know you should be happy and relieved but somehow questioning what’s next in the same moment.

I can’t see the Cubs making drastic changes in the roster in the next couple of years at least, but I don’t know anything about managing a ball team either so who knows.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 17:16

Change is hard, even when it’s good.

Yeah, these events are not meant to be experienced alone. I’ve watched some big sporting events “with” my siblings over Skype before, which is pretty great (my little brother lives in China, so it’s kind of a necessity sometimes). I’m very glad we were able to share the moment last night with our friend.

TheJWT > ttyymmnn
11/03/2016 at 17:44

I know exactly how you feel, because my city experienced the same thing just a few months ago...

Bitterness about last night aside, to say it’s a strange feeling seeing an impossible boundary being broken is an understatement. I was only around for the last 21 years of Cleveland’s drought, but it was completely surreal to me. Immediately after the Cavs won, I remember thinking to myself, what now? Is tomorrow day 1 of out next 60+ year city-wide championship drought? Are we just a normal city now?

So congrats, Cubs. I’ll be forever bitter about Cleveland losing, but I can’t say it wasn’t a good fight.

ttyymmnn > TheJWT
11/03/2016 at 17:46

It was a damned good fight, one of the best game 7s and best series ever. Congrats to the Cavs. I was rooting for them all the way.