Dear Cubs (A Breakup Letter)
Dear Cubs,
I have been doing a lot of thinking over the past few days. Truth be told, we really had some great times this year. I'll never forget the day that you were down by 8 runs against the Braves in the bottom of the 6th and came back to win the game. Also, how about that night up in Milwaukee when Carlos threw that no-hitter? That game happened with such short notice and I think that made it even that much more exciting for the both of us. On that night we both thought that this was going to be something that would last a lifetime.
Some days, it was just you and I hanging out. We'd always end up talking to other people that were around and met some great folks. There were quite a few people that maybe had one too many roaming around your beautiful confines as well but as usual, we'd just laugh at them and go on our merry way. Other days we'd be hanging out with friends and having a great time. Perhaps on those days I didn't pay attention to you as much as I should have but I know you understand the importance that I place on my friends and family.
Finally, the big day had arrived. I walked into your house with a feeling like I have never before felt. In the 2nd inning of that chilly autumn night, Mark hit that 2 run home run and even though I could barely feel my fingers, it still felt to me like it did back in July. And then… well, we both know what happened after that. Never in my life have I been so embarrassed. I sat there and watched you whither away faster than a bed of flowers would have with an early frost. How could something so perfect deteriorate so quickly? I have spent the past few days wondering where it all went wrong and if I can ever forgive you for this. Right now, I'm not so sure that I can.
But who knows. Maybe next April, we'll meet up again on the corner of Clark and Addison. I'm sure things will be quite awkward at first as a lot of time will have passed since we have seen each other. We'll both have gone through some changes over the winter and there will be new faces and new people all around. Knowing me, I will probably just want to run away as experiencing the pain that I feel right now might be too much for me to ever go through again.
But maybe… just maybe… I will be able to get myself to join you for a drink. Hopefully, it doesn't cost me too much money but I know you can be quite an expensive date. After a couple of drinks though, I'm sure it will be just like old times. We'll have some fun over the summer and then as usual, you will do something that will make me want to run to the confines of another team, maybe even in a completely different sport. For now though, I bid thee farewell. Let's both hope that time can heal both of our wounds.
Sincerely,
Jeff Gilleland
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.
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37 comments
Comments
So you basically want to break up
but not willing to cut all strings so that you keep the possibility of a booty call later on?
Join the BCB Flickr Group: http://flickr.com/groups/bleedcubbieblue
by tony412 on Oct 10, 2008 4:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I hate to nitpick
but I’m going to. We never had a 8 run come back against the braves, you are probably thinking of the rockies game on May 30th.
Oh and by the way, if you leave now. Don’t come crawling back when we win it all.
"Destiny is a matter of choice, not chance"
by MerlinDog on Oct 10, 2008 4:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
+1
And like rats on a sinking ship, the bandwangoners are jumping fast
by Galvan316 on Oct 10, 2008 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
and to that I say good. Bandwangoners gives us all a bad name.
"Destiny is a matter of choice, not chance"
by MerlinDog on Oct 10, 2008 5:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree
who are these “Fans” who are leaving the Cubs. If you are a true fan you are there through thick and thin. This post season hurt, but I will never leave the Cubs
-Charlemagne
"Cubs Win!" "Yes, Sir!" - Pat and Ron, June 12, 2008, Walk off HBP, bottom of the 11th
by Charlemagne on Oct 11, 2008 12:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe the last two postseason failures
will help purge most of the bandwangoners. Hopefully we will have another great season next year and all the bandwangoners will be to scared to jump aboard, leaving only true fans to celebrate if we win it all.
"Destiny is a matter of choice, not chance"
by MerlinDog on Oct 11, 2008 8:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Come on y'all
he was being ironic and poetic.
by mlern on Oct 10, 2008 5:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Dear Jeff,
good bye, you won’t be missed. The sox need fans, but they won’t really want you either.
The post was more moronic than ironic.
by cubswin on Oct 10, 2008 5:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
meh...
I always thought you were fat anyway.
"Just win tonight" - derv
by derv on Oct 10, 2008 5:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Ok, thanks.
Somebody could probably take this letter, delete a few things, make a few minor changes, and give this to some girlfriend they don’t want to see anymore.
by TheHawkRules on Oct 10, 2008 5:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I kind of think that was on purpose.
"Destiny is a matter of choice, not chance"
by MerlinDog on Oct 10, 2008 5:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe that's where the letter came from in the first place.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Oct 11, 2008 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Pretty funny
"Hitter-ish is a good word,."- Lou Pinella
by tedinSoCal on Oct 10, 2008 6:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
A tad melodramatic, I think. This does not do anything to make Cubs fans look any less neurotic. I’m kind of getting to the point where I wonder if any of the wailing and gnashing of teeth really gets us anywhere.
by thekevinoriecurse on Oct 10, 2008 6:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
i was depressesed, but now i'm getting over it
bye bandwagoner, i didn’t even waste my time reading your letter, as i realized you’re not worth it.
by aznsensation on Oct 10, 2008 8:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
i think
I think it’s time for Al to start deleting the plethora of lamenting fan posts. It was fine at first—everybody wanted and needed to get things off their chests, but now it’s just get old.
Create one thread where everyone can go and post their feelings, breakup letters, cursing, etc. Let’s get this place back in line and move on. 2008 is done.
by polly on Oct 10, 2008 10:43 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
completely agree with you.
Don’t even create another thread for break up letters. Nobody will care.
by xene on Oct 10, 2008 11:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I've posted this before, but I think it's warranted....
I am embarassed by this year’s team. Plain and simple. But I don’t just give up on this team. I know for a FACT I’ll stand right back up and back this team 100% next year because that’s who I am.
Why would I do that? This team has let me down time and time again. Is it worth it anymore?
Yes and it always will be.
For those of you that completely cast the Cubs aside for this "emotional distraught" they have caused you I hope you follow through with your word.
I expect to see your ALL of your Cubs memorabilia on eBay tomorrow and I expect you to delete your BCB account, too. Like I said follow through with your word.
The rest of the die-hards and I bid you bon-voyage.
I am, too, getting sick of these posts. It was fine at first as a way to vent but now it has gotten to the point where RANDOM people (this post is this guys ONLY post) just start popping up beating a dead horse.
by EJThunder on Oct 11, 2008 12:22 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Dear Cubs
I was listening to the radio one day and heard about you. I never watched a game before in my life and when people say Ernie Banks I think they must mean the Cubs first multi million dollar player and they nicknamed Banks because of the money he made. And who the heck is this Sandberg guy?
I watched the game the next day and saw Kerry Woods close. Wow he must be a new player. Never heard of him before.
Now that you lost I am off your bandwagon.
Bye bye
Typical bandwagon jumping whiny fan
Cubs response
Dear Bandwagon jumping whiner:
Got along without you before we met you and while we will miss the money from the 20 beers you bought per game we will be fine after you’re gone.
And don’t let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya.
Thngs of worth are worth fighting for regardless of the odds.
by cubstoseriesby100 on Oct 11, 2008 9:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
What is your problem...
Why do you label every bandwagon fan as an alcoholic? You think die-hards don’t drink beer at the ballpark?
You make a reference towards alcohol every single time you criticize fans.
Free Ronny Cedeno
by Kansas25 on Oct 12, 2008 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think you've answered your own question.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Oct 12, 2008 4:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
One idea
One idea will be to post a thread. Let’s have our catharsis and get it over with. And no more catharsis from now on,
Thngs of worth are worth fighting for regardless of the odds.
by cubstoseriesby100 on Oct 11, 2008 9:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Dear Jeff,
We feel bad that we let you down. Many a hot summer day, we’d be sitting in the dugout, enjoying the fine play of our teammates, anticipating the sweet rewards of victory, but yet something was bothering us. We didn’t really know how you felt about it.
We’d wonder, sometimes aloud, how does Jeff Gilleland feel about what we accomplished here today? Would he be truly happy with the way we played, and if not, what could we do to correct it? Oh sure, there were always the 40,000 or so screaming fans in the stands, giddy with the sweet joy of watching winning baseball in the glorious cathedral of Wrigley Field, raining down their adulation on us…but absent your approval, Jeff, it just didn’t mean anything.
Well, Jeff, let me just say again, for the team, we are truly sorry for our failure to do a good job for you. To a man, we feel like, if no one but Jeff shows up to support us next year, why, we’ll still go out there and play like champions, because frankly, you deserve it. We will be sporting our WWJT (What Would Jeff Think) T-shirts under our uniform tops, and we hope you appreciate the gesture.
Looking forward to seeing whether you give a damn next year, Jeff. We’ll be trying our best for you. And if you don’t show, well…we don’t want to think about it. I guess we’ll just have to muddle through with the millions of others who’ll be there. It’s not going to be easy.
Sincerely,
The Chicago Cubs
"The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible." ~Arthur C. Clarke
by Goodie1969 on Oct 11, 2008 9:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
good
one more ticket oppertunity for me
2009 Cubs: Well, Seems so far away..
by Chanman25 on Oct 11, 2008 1:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
heh .. always the opportunist
Well, Next Year is here .. and Jack's century's gotta end some time .. GO CUBBIES!
by cubnational on Oct 11, 2008 3:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
an optimistic opprotunist at that :-)
My heart is breakin, head is achin, stomach is churnin, acid reflux is burnin, but I will ALWAYS be a Cubs fan.
by love the ivy on Oct 11, 2008 11:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't let the door
hit you in the ass on the way out.
by Clark Addison on Oct 11, 2008 5:13 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
In response...
A few of you seem to get it. This year was like dating the hottest girl you’ve ever had in your life and then suddenly getting dumped because she goes and sleeps with all your friends. Then, maybe you run into her somewhere down the road and end up friends.
I’ll be back next year for sure. Hell, I went to like 15 games this year including the game in Milwaukee where Zambrano pitched the no hitter. Absolutely amazing.
Not only that, I put my real name up here too. So, feel free to question my ‘bandwagonness’ and my cajones. I’ve been a fan for 33 years now and believe me, I’m already looking forward to getting my drink on at the field next year. Maybe I’ll see some of you all up there.
by jeffreybruce on Oct 12, 2008 5:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Personally,
I think you’ve all misinterpreted the author’s point. You are taking his essay way too seriously. Haven’t things been awful enough that you all have to jump on him?
I thought it was a clever angle, and the guy gets flamed.
He’s expressing his own disillusionment in his own way. It may not be yours. To immediately assume he’s a bandwagon fan doesn’t make any sense to me.
He may be the healthiest one here. If knocking yourself on the head with a hammer hurts — don’t do it any more. Problem solved.
Lighten up. I feel as bad as all of you do. Don’t bash this guy. Take your frustration out on plumbing fixtures, preferably — the next time you visit Chavez Ravine.
by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Oct 12, 2008 5:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
And, by the way
I didn’t see any full-page newspaper ads from any of the players thanking us for their support, ala Eric Karros’ gesture in 2003.
Flame the 2008 Cubs, not jeffreybruce.
by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Oct 12, 2008 5:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Excellent point.
Derrek Lee, who I respect greatly, made a very distressing statement:
“They shouldn’t take it harder than we do,” he said. "We’re the ones out there scratching and clawing. I don’t think they can take it any harder than we’re taking it.
Well, D-Lee, you’ll be gone someday and I’ll still be a Cubs fan. I was a Cubs fan before you were born. I’ve lived and died with this team for 45 years. You work there. Damn right I take it harder than you do.
Eric Karros “got it”. Derrek Lee, much as I respect him as a player, doesn’t.
"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Oct 12, 2008 8:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
We're back together
So, the Cubs and I got back together.
I think we’re gonna be happy this time and maybe by next October, we’ll do the deed.
by jeffreybruce on Oct 17, 2008 3:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

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