The term loser is not meant to be flattering. In the sports world, it is definitely not flattering. There are franchises always associated with losing such as the Clippers in the NBA, the Lions and Browns in the NFL, and the Chicago Cubs in baseball. Living in the city of the last team mentioned, you would think they were competing for the World Series trophy every year; when in fact it is quite the opposite.
The Chicago Cubs have not won a World Series title since 1908. That is 102 years. Every year Cubs "fans" enter the month of April with the same optimism and hope that this is or could be "their year." I use the quotes around fans because anyone who knows a lick about the game of baseball or the Cubs or winning knows their team is far from desirable and optimism is usually lost by July. As the phrase goes, Completely Useless By September. The stadium around the time of the first pitch usually becomes a big frathouse with people wondering if this Castro kid is related to Fidel or when Sammy Sosa bats. Those questions are usually followed with an order of four more Old Styles.
The word lovable should not be associated with the word loser at any point, which leads me to my next question. What is so lovable about them? Lou Piniella, who was once a revered manager with Seattle and the New York Yankees, nearly lost his mind by the end of his tenure with the Cubs. Their ace Carlos Zambrano perhaps? Probably not. Along with his one-time battery mate Michael Barrett, he has been known to beat up Gatorade coolers, bat holders, Derrek Lee, and whatever else he could get his hands on. He also left the team halfway through the season for psychological evaluations. That's exactly who you want your kids looking up to. What about their new owners? The ones who said they won't get involved in business matters, but only oversee the organization. They're not "baseball guys." Maybe they shouldn't have bought the most disappointing franchise in the history of the game. They have done nothing to improve the product in the field or in the stands. The bathrooms have horse troughs in them, the seats are falling apart, and the ramps to get to your seats will soon be more of a hazard than a help. But at least they got to do an episode of Undercover Boss. A so-called legend of the franchise was screwed out of a managerial position and is now managing a AAA affiliate in Philadelphia. Don't even get me started on their contract writing capabilities.
I'm not trying to convince you to switch teams or question your fanhood. I'm just trying to state the facts. The failures of the franchise cannot be blamed on a guy named Bartman, a corked bat, or bad contracts. The product on the field is just not good. Maybe love is blind. True Cubs fans will not trade their loyalty or love for their team no matter what. I will give them credit for that. Being a life long Sox fan I've had plenty of frustration but the joy of seeing your team win the World Series is almost incomparable. At what point do you say enough is enough? It has been over a century since the Cubs have won a title. They have seen managers, players, and personnel come and go. Maybe I just can't see the joy of watching "my team" disappoint year in and year out. Or maybe I just haven't experienced my team losing year in and year out. I give the real fans credit for sticking by their team through thick and thin. Maybe its the newbies that stumble into Wrigley Field from Full Shilling or Murphy's that I have questions for. I would ask them, but I probably wouldn't understand them. I also wouldn't want them to miss Sammy Sosa's first at-bat of the day.
-Joe Tichy
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