I gathered up my hat and jersey, along with the Soriano jersey I bought my daughter (that I used to think she looked so cool in), put them in a box and taped it up tight. I will put them deep in the attic, next to my wifes wedding dress, where maybe my daughter will find them after I’ve passed on.

Every year, same damn story. Hope that this would be the year. This year was the year. As Al pointed out each and every series, “this is something special”, “remember where you were” etc. etc.. I am not taking a shot at Al, I too believed. I spent far too much time believing, and for what. In my opinion, this is worse than 03’. This IS the worst for me. All the magazine covers etc. It will happen sometime. The question is, when and how many will care as much as we did this year?

Living outside of Illinois all together, i wont have to worry about the Cubs winning it all and being called a “band wagon” fan….so I got that going for me

By the end of the month you guys will all have a new favorite team.

….. to make such a decision right now is foolish. We’ve all been through this before in varying degrees. Yes, expectations were extremelyhigh this time. It hurts. It hurts really bad.

But take some time off. Walk away from baseball for a while. Connect with something else. The Bears, your family, a project in the garage, a girl, a guy, a new author, watch some old movies, whatever.

Some won’t come back. That’s fine. It happens. But just don’t decide now. While the team failed, the place they play, Wrigley Field, is golden. Over time, I’ve come to realize that’s where the attraction lies for me.

     That’s it! I’m 36 years old and I can’t take anymore! Baseball is not the same way that it was. These players have no emotional ties at all. How can I care so much for something in which the participants have only a fleeting interest?

      Do you really think any of them cares if they give Chicago a championship like Ernie, Ron, Billy, or Ryne wish they could have? How about Lou saying before the playoffs that if they fell short of a championship it wouldn’t mean that this season was a complete failure. What a joke. Maybe if we had ONE championship in the last hundred years i could accept that but not now. From now on any season that does not end with the Cubs as World Series champions is a COMPLETE failure. if any player, coach, or front office guy doesn’t understand that then they shouldn’t be here.

     Derek Lee has no idea about ’69, ’84, ’89 and so on. Hell, he celebrated our misery in ’03 with the Marlins! Same goes for Soriano, Ramirez, Fukudome, and the rest of that pathetic bunch.

     The game has left me. I paid a couple hundred dollars a seat a few times this season. If they want to get paid that much money to play and if the owners want to collect that type of revenue at the gate, then they better perform on the field. THEY changed the game not me. If I didn’t have to break the piggy bank every time I went to a game then I could accept less than perfect and enjoy my day at the ballpark. Not now, not anymore.

     I’m embarrassed by this team and it’s lack of spirit in bringing home the title. They played flat, emotionless, and disinterested. What a JOKE. Derrick “double play” Lee needs to be gone! Pinella has been outmanaged in two straight playoffs. Fool me once shame on you , fool me twice… you know the rest. I am ashamed and extremely disheartened. I can no longer allow myself to be so emotionaly involved with this pathetic excuse for an organization!

and while I’ll never stop rooting for the Cubs, a little bit of my passion does die a little bit with each disappointment.
It’s like my brother said, if the Cubs can win 97 games during the regular season and then completely fold up like a house of cards in the first round of the playoffs, how are we supposed to get excited about the regular season again/

nice entertainment with a beer and friends, but lets keep ourselves in this universe. no matter what happens next year, it means nothing come the playoffs. this year was hopefully a lesson for all.

that it really is only a game and has zero significance in the vast scheme of things. Sometimes that thought really does console me-other times though, the pain still returns

I’ll be back next year. But that really sucked.

to all the time, energy, emotions and $$ I commit to this team. I can’t even imagine attending the Cubs convention this year. For what? To be told “This is our year!”. BS.

until this organization gives us a reason to care. I’ve been watching less Cubs games each year because for me it’s not about the regular season anymore. 97 wins doesn’t mean crap right now does it? I’m tired of watching the White Sox, Red Sox,
Angels, Cardinals win the friggin WS! We need a real contender, not just a team that can make the playoffs. I packed up my Cubs gear in a box and will not be wearing anything out in public until sometime next season because I don’t want to have to defend this joke of a team right now. Unfortunately, none of us can completely stop being fans or switch to another team but there comes a time when you have to put down the kool-aid and face reality.

I decided after that season that I would remain just a bit emotionally detached from what the team was doing not so much during the regular season, but in any post-season activity. I hate to say it, but I went into this series just assuming they were going to blow it and keep my expectation low. There’s little downside to that approach in my opinion. If they were to actually win, it would be wonderfully fantastic. If they lose, well then they met my expectations. To be honest, I pretty much ignored this series other than to spot check the games from time to time to see the score.

Sure, it’s a dysfunctional way to root for a team, but it is, after all, the Cubs we’re talking about here. The only thing now that will truly piss me off is for either the Brewers or the White Sox (ESPECIALLY) the Sox to go any further than the 1st round. I’m already annoyed that the Brewers are taking it to at least a 4th game.

My attitude now is – SHARE THE DESPAIR!.

…………..and to make $$$ scalping my season tickets to the mopes who still want to put up with this garbage. I’ll pour the profits into the stock market. Can’t pick any bigger losers than this ballclub.

Sorry, but I’m not going to be one of those people (uhm, suckers) who tells stories about their annual heartache over this team. Ones heart does not ache when it’s been turned to stone and the Cubs have finally Medusa-ed mine.

one more ticket opportunity for me!

The Cubs are the only baseball team I care about. Not moving on hurts but my life will go on. I will be excited for the season to start next spring.

I’m going to kill something. This is my 45th time to have to say “Wait until next year.” I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore. Beseball not been berry berry good to me. I’m sure my Cubs hat and jersey, etc. will come out of storage once the weather starts to warm up and spring training is in the air but right now I want to forget I ever heard of the Chicago National League Ball Club.

I won’t change a THING. Frankly part of me is insulated to collapse, for me it was 84 that was the big one. I don’t happen to think the whole year was worthless, I have great memories of a lot of games. There will be no lessoning of ticket demand and no movement on the waiting list. I don’t want to go over the last horrid 3 games but I find it just silly that people say the players don’t want to win enough or have no heart. I have my issues ( Howry, Lou ,Sori batting leadoff) but shit happens. I don’t want to generalize but the majority of the " I don’t care and I won’t watch them anymore" posts seem to come primarily from people I don’t really recognize. Your perfectly entitled to your view but I plan to be out at Wrigley next April.

…it is time for me to get behind the local ball club, which just happens to be a young, well managed, energetic, confident baseball team. Everything the Cubs have never been and never will be.

I’ll enjoy watching from afar, and I hope you all win it someday, but this has been the last straw. I cannot waste another precious minute of my limited time on earth following this disaster of an organization.

GO RAYS!

just so we can go back and look at it a year from now and laugh at our collective dismay and anger.

if this team is fortunate enough to enter the postseason, there will be an INCREDIBLE amount of skepticism & cynicism that they can get past the Division series, let alone be competitive. The wild exuberant optimism that we all felt this year will be gone and our expectations will be lower. In a sense, these team sucked the life out of us and even if they go 162-0 next year we will not “believe”.

As a lifelong fan it makes me incredibly sad, but like everyone else here I will follow the Cubs religiously as soon as Spring Training begins because I cannot imagine my life WITHOUT the Cubs.

I’ve spent 30+ years rooting for this club, and I can’t imagine being behind any other team.

Further, this season I’ve discovered this site, full of fellow fans with whom I can cheer, share, joke, identify, and commiserate. I’m not giving this up, no way.

The 2003 postseason gave me this outer veneer of caution, and 2007 reinforced it, so, although disappointed, I wasn’t going to get too giddy in this postseason until the Cubs actually won a game, surpassing last postseason. I was probably one of the luckier ones…sure doesn’t feel like it, though.

I approach every new season hopeful, and I admit being swept away with all this unexpected success the Cubs had. I lived and died by the Cubs more this season than any other, because I believed more than ever that this would be the year.

So, the Cubs go back to square one in ‘09, and we watch their journey all over again, hopeful, faithful, and wishful. Maybe the team has learned something. Maybe we’ll guard our hearts more carefully. Maybe it will be the season. Maybe catastrophe happens and we don’t get even a sniff of first place. Who knows? I’m willing to find out.

A love of something, even a baseball team, requires some risk, as is often the case, the more the risk, the sweeter the reward.

So, yes, I plan to be back, and I will follow the Cubs, and hope for the best—that what didn’t kill the hearts of Cubs fans this year will also make them stronger.

See you in ’09, Milton—hopefully, a lot.

It’s a #$@^! shame that after six months of fantastic baseball, the Cubs have gone three-and-out in the NLDS. Things ended a hell of a lot quicker than I was hoping.

I’ve skimmed through most of the recent fan posts, and I haven’t found one comment that I haven’t made myself during my thirty years of following the Cubs. The heartbreak, the blind fury, the badmouthing of players I never cared for to begin with, the desire to burn all my Cubs merchandise in a bonfire…if it’s any consolation to those feeling this way (particularly the youngsters and newbies out there), I know what you’re going through. It sucks. It sucks a LOT.

My advice would be to keep rooting for the Cubs, but don’t make the mistake of investing your entire heart and soul in them. In fact, don’t make the mistake of investing your entire heart and soul in any sports team. The payoffs are few and far between, and what you get back isn’t one-tenth as much as what you put into it. If you want total satisfaction from something and really get your money’s worth, find it in your family or in your church or in a good movie or book or concert. Find it in something truly meaningful. Don’t ever get so worked up about a team that you fly into a mindless rage and embarrass yourself in front of family and friends like I did back in 2003.

Someone mentioned Billy Corgan saying that after the 2003 NLCS part of him died. The same goes for me, too. Now I mean no disrespect to those of us who have experienced real tragedy – I’m talking just about life as a Cubs fan. The agony of losing the pennant when you’re five outs away from it was so devastating that it left me scarred. It sent me into a sadness that, frankly, I still haven’t gotten over. And the failures of the team since then certainly haven’t helped.

Regarding this series, I honestly think the pressure got to them. Starting with Dempster overthrowing in Game One, and then the errors in Game Two, and then Lou’s “show some balls” tirade, and then the utter lack of key hits with runners on base – things just snowballed until it became an avalanche. The Cubs were thoroughly unable to properly focus on the pitch/at-bat/play at hand. My greatest fear is that fatalism will settle into the clubhouse and the players will give into failure at the slightest hint of adversity. If that happens, then this group of players will need to be turned over – not an easy task with all the backloaded contracts and NTCs.

I’ll post my thoughts on next year’s roster in a few days. Meanwhile I’m hoping for either a Red Sox/Phillies World Series or a Rays/Phillies World Series.

… I am not going to stop caring, but I think I’m committed to a more healthy level of being a fan. I mean it… look at the reactions that we have here. Look at how wrapped up we get in our team. Yes, we’re fans and we should invest in but for many of us to think that we care more than the players whose career this is, who have devoted their lives to the sport, and who feel the immense pressure from the fans. The booing and ill will that seems to get directed towards the players when they fail and the overall extreme nature, I believe, has really gotten out of hand over the last several years. ’

So I’m committed to enjoying the game more and I’m going to start by watching the rest of the playoffs. Last year, after the Cubs lost, I did not watch any more baseball, feeling that the Cubs should have been in those games. Not this year. I love this game. I wish that the Cubs were in these games. They’re not, and I’m going to enjoy the last 10-20 games that we have before the off season. I love baseball for the sport that it is and I know that by the time spring rolls around I’d pay money to watch two last place teams on TV.

I believe that even with no changes the Cubs will win the 2009 NL Central. I believe that without any changes, though, they’d likely see a similar fate. I will “buy in” when they win a few playoff games.

but listen to yourselves. We flopped in the playoffs two years in a row. We should make it in next year for the THIRD year in a row. Keep making the playoffs every year, many teams would be glad to get there and never say you would rather lose all year than win and get to the playoffs and lose. Be a fan as long as I have and you will relish the fact we made the playoffs. We’ll win, we will win.

The two are not mutually exclusive. It’s also okay/reasonable for fans to vent after such a disappointing showing in the playoffs.

Everyone will be back, as they should.

if they win or lose that day. But, I’ll never again believe THIS IS THE YEAR! I’ll watch or listen to my typical 155-162 games a year and enjoy baseball being played and cheer the wins and grumble about the losses. But, I’ll never think this is THE TEAM. I’ll just go day to day. If they make the playoffs I’ll pop my popcorn, open a beer and hope they win, but when they lose I’ll just shrug my shoulders and think, typical for these guys.

I don’t mind losing in the playoffs, except for two years straight this team has looked like complete crap out there. I wouldn’t have minded losing in a fierce dogfight in three straight, but what happened out there was disgraceful. I will not really care about some of these players next year after seeing the past two playoff performances. They hit a homer, great! They strike out, well heck they must be in playoff mode is going to be my thoughts. I’ll never again get caught up in the belief this team will win it all… if they do (I can’t even imagine that happening) I’ll be overjoyed and celebrate, but I will not ever expect it ever again,,,, ever. Go Cubs… win today….. that is my hope for them and that is all I am ever gonna care about from now on.

on the TBS commercials for itself? Soriano scoring, Z’s no-hitter last pitch. I hate TBS.

if a team can look as dominate as they did most of the season and then fall apart so terribly in the playoffs why should I get worked up next year….I probably will but I think this how Braves fans felt after awhile in the 90’s.

Next year I wont expect anything from this team. I agree with most of the posts. This year is more dissapointing than 84 because this years team didnt even show up in the playoffs. In 84 one game away, 03 five outs I cant take that but not this. I do not agree however that just because one doesnt post everyday or game one is not a true fan I was a fan long before BCB! As my wife told me tonight and shes a dodgers fan, youll be back next year and she is right, just not as excited or expecting anything

when the 2003 team collapsed in the postseason. Or how it felt last year at the hands of the D-Backs who, despite their pitching, had no offense whatsoever.

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.

Although I remember bits and pieces of the 1984 season and playoffs, the 1989 Cubs were really the first team to break my heart. I was absolutely crushed when Maddux was shelled in the first game of the LCS. Beforehand, I had been utterly and completely convinced that the Cubs would beat the Giants and then win the World Series.

Rather than abandoning the Cubs and rooting for Oakland or something, I simply learned to temper my expectations for contending Cub teams, although I had to wait nine years to see another one (‘95 didn’t really count, even if the last week of that season was fun).

Like many of you, I was sorely disappointed by the team’s performance this past week. However, I can’t even fathom abandoning them. I either watch, listen to, or least scrutinize the box score for every single game, just as I have for many years, even at the tail of end of the brutal seasons.

When I read a fanpost like this, as well as those comments that echo it, I have to assume that those fans are 1) pretty naive and 2) had their interest piqued recently. In other words, you might have classified yourself as a Cubs fan for a long time, maybe attended a game or two each season, but you only really invested a lot of time following the team this season. Some of you may abandon the team or simply reduce your interest level but at least you won’t fall into the marketing-driven trap of thinking “This Is the Year” next time around.

While I am disappointed and maybe a bit frustrated, I don’t feel cheated and I’m not angry. The 2006 season disgusted me, made me feel cheated, but not these past few days. All I ask is that the new owners commit themselves to fielding a consistently competitive team so that I don’t have to put up with a debacle like 2006 or the perptually mediocre teams of my youth. If they can do that, if the Cubs can commit to putting a decent team on the field, year-in and year-out, then eventually they’ll win the World Series.

For those of you questioning your commitment, I don’t really have any advice. I guess that I feel sorry for you but we all have learn that there is no Santa Claus.

no matter what.

They are my team, if they may suck, be the worst team in baseball, go 0-162, it does not matter. That’s what being a fan is about, being behind your team. Is there despair involved, especially as a Cubs fan? Yeah, but so what? I love the Cubs but I don’t live and die with their win/loss record.

People can go ahead and quit following the Cubs, will that cause the Cubs to disappear? No, the Cubs will still be there and that is all that matters to me. I could care less if there were two Cubs fans on the planet, it doesn’t affect my devotion to the Cubs. They could go another 100 years and not win a championship and that really wouldn’t matter to me. Do I want them to win a championship? Of course, but I didn’t begin following the Cubs because of their championships or ability to win games.

I began following the Cubs because as a boy I would sit and watch games and it always seems to bring me back to those days with him. He passed away about 10 years ago and never once experienced a championship. Did he ever give up? Not a chance, he watched the Cubs every chance he could for 75 years. I miss him very much but the Cubs gives me that opportunity to sit and watch a game with him again, something no other baseball team can give me.

So go ahead, by all means, don’t follow the Cubs anymore, no ill feelings towards anyone. But me? I can’t.

I took a lot of crap today from all the Cardinals fans here in Memphis. People ‘quietly’ singing ‘Go Cubs Go’ actually made me laugh instead of get angry – they did it in fun. I still wore my Cubs hat to my girls’ softball tournament and still have the Cubs logo proudly displayed as my screensaver.

I’m disappointed – sure. I do feel like the Cubs blew i for the second year in a year but would be lying if I said I was totally surprised. While I wanted them to win, the little voice in my head told me to prepare for year 101 because, after all, it IS the Cubs.

I’m 38 – seems as though there are many on here in that 30-40 range that have done the 84,89,03,07,08 dance…..certainly none felt like this year but I’ve invested 30 years in my team and refuse to stop. How could I? What would happen if I swore them off only to see them THEN go on to win it all?

For the younger souls on this board – the instant gratification society that you’ve become accustomed to is not real. Things worth anything are worth waiting for. I told several harassing friends today that I cannot imagine how people that are 60, 70, 80 years old have lived this long without seeing a WS victory I’m fully prepared to do that if necessary.

My epiphany of the year was learning that I could actually cheer for Jim Edmonds. Wow. What will be the 2009 lesson??

162 games til the 09 playoffs begin. Can’t wait to start the ride.

My guess is that it’s not going down any time soon.

BTW, I’m at 65,000+

All,

I’m just as hurt as the rest of you. I’ve been to 13 of the 18 playoff games go back to 2003 and that includes games in Atlanta, Florida and LA. I’ve been a Cub fan since 1968. so I’ve had my share of Cub letdowns. BTW, LA fans were brutal and just mean. They don’t care that we have not won the WS in 100 years. My sympathy.

When I was growing up, going to the playoff was OUT OF THE QUESTION. We have been there 3 times in this decade. UNHEARD OF as a Cub fan. I know, it’s not enough and I want more. Sure, I wish the Cubs win the World Series. It is very hard to do. But, we have been there with a chance. Back in the 60’s and 70’s, part of the 80’s and 90’s, we had NO CHANCE. At least we’re there and can build upon. It took the Red Sox a long time to get where they’re at and they had much worse pain than us.

At the end of the day, we enjoy baseball and going to Wrigley Field. That’s all, it’s entertainment. Nobody died, nobody is sick and nobody is in trouble. I’ve had my share of close ones who have died. That’s pain.

Someday, we’ll go all the way.

….to the playoffs than suffer through a miserable loser. At least this pain is quick and intense. 2006 was like a dull headache that lasted from Spring Training until Toothpick left town. This was a great year. There was a lot of joy in the season. Even this collapse can’t take that away. I can’t wait for pitchers and catchers to report.

But it doesn’t make me care any less about the Cubs. 1984 and 2003 were truly heartbreaking, and those seasons get more heartbreaking every year. Why? Because you see things like what happened this year, and you appreciate even more how close those teams were to getting it done. (Although, like this year’s team, the ’84 team was better than the ’03 team, IMHO.)

This year’s team exceeded my regular-season expectations. I knew they’d be good, but not as good as they were. Maybe that led all of us to inflate our postseason hopes a bit. Anything can happen in a five-game series, as was also just proven in the ALDS. How do you suppose Angels fans are feeling today?

This team still has some holes, but they aren’t nearly as cavernous as they were a few years ago. This offseason is a big one, again. I was crushed Saturday night, but with time and perspective, I’m thinking that if you keep knocking on the door, eventually it’ll open. The days of year after year of sub-.500 teams, I think, are over.

So hang in there just a little bit longer, folks. We’ve waited this long. What’s another year or two?

In the meantime, remember what drew you to this team in the first place. Since 1971, I’ve been a Cubs fan. I’ve gone from watching the games with my grandfather (God rest his soul) to watching them with my nephews. I’ve seen everybody from Ernie Banks and Derrek Lee to Jerry Martin and Davey Rosello. From Greg Maddux and Kerry Wood to Bill Bonham and Paul Reuschel. The destination is important, but the journey is more important.

Stop being a Cubs fan? Dial it back a bit? You might as well tell me to stop eating or breathing.

…but, MAN does it sting this time. I feel like complete garbage. Zero motivation. I feel like someone has ripped the lungs right out of my chest.

But I am excited. I’m already hoping it is February I miss the Cubs already. When I get to play for my High School team. God I love it! I’m not even amazing at it. I played on the JV team and me and another kid swapped starts. It’s just something about it

I have grown up around baseball for all my life. It is all I have ever known. The cubs are all I have ever known. I can still remember Sammy Sosa hitting his bomb in the HRD, however long ago that was. The images stick in my mind, even if I can’t remember anything else from those times. I am a Cubs fan for life.

I also realise that the Cubs have a good chance to win the Central for the third year in a row next year. The Brewers will probably end up being around .500 next year, and even though the Cardinals will probably get better next year the Cubs are still the team to beat.

Making the playoffs is all you can ask. See what happens from there, you never know. It makes baseball so fun.

I love baseball, and I love the Cubs. I’ll never give up on them.

Greg Couch finally wrote a good article.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/couch/1211229,CST-SPT-greg09.article

You are getting out now? Seriously? When the club finally looks committed to putting a winning product on the field?

I know it hurts to get your hopes up only to see them crushed. But I would rather be crushed than have no hope at all. The Cubs have numerous pieces in place to win the whole thing. Hopefully, next year it will all come together. I for one will be there the whole way.