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!

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.

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.