My two cents (Or Why I Can't Give Up)

by Trey2317 on Oct 6, 2008 10:02 AM CDT

I've held off on posting anything or commenting too much, because I wanted to express my thoughts without the emotions of the last 48 hours coming into play. It would be far too easy to lash out make accusations against a team that I followed all year.

This loss hurts, yes, more than any other I experienced. In 1984, I was too young. 1989 - I was just happy to go to my first Cubs game (Game 1). 1998 - just happy (at least until Tapani came back out for the 9th inning of Game 2). 2003 - I learned to deal with defeat, and I was living in Australia, which probably helped. 2007 - it hurt, but after the struggles to make the playoffs, I was happy about that.

The 2008 Cubs were a team, in the most basic definition of the word. The pieces fit, and it was easy to cheer for most everyone on the squad (even Jim Edmonds). This is the team I put the most into, and because of that, and other circumstances in my life, why I will remember this team and season as a special one.

This year was special because I will be able to remember where I was during certain games all season. We all will have those memories, just because the season was special.

On Opening Day, I was in my seat, freezing, but screaming when Fukudome tied the game and had everyone hugging and cheering. I took friends and co-workers to games in April, just so they could experience Wrigley Field and this team.

During the Cubs comeback against the Rockies, I was in my office, sharing the game with the folks on BCB and listening on the radio, as I was for many weekday games. It probably hampered my work, but it was worth it, getting to share in this season with so many Cubs fans.

I was lucky enough to attend 10 Cubs games this year. In May, I saw the Cubs beat the Dodgers, making me 3-1 at Wrigley for the first time in a long time. I was there for the 'Marmol Game,' when he gave up 5 runs to San Francisco, only to see the Cubs walk-off later on.

I didn't know that the Cubs game I went to on July 24 would be the last win I'd see all year - I closed on a three-game losing streak. Still, I got to watch the Cubs from a bar with two of my groomsmen to watch the Cubs walk-off against the Cardinals on Aug. 8, happy that my last single day was a win. My first married one was a loss, but the Cubs managed to figure out how to win on the road during my honeymoon, so all was not lost.

However, even the last three games I went to (all losses) were full of memories - I won't forget tornado sirens going off on August 4, or the sight of Lance Berkman running off the field. I spent my birthday at Wrigley for Game 1 of the NLDS, and I wouldn't want to spend it anywhere else, despite the result.

Basically, that's why I can't stop caring about the Cubs. I know some people have sworn that they will, but I won't. The positive memories from this year far outweigh the negative to me.

This was the year I discovered BleedCubbieBlue and enjoyed talking baseball with Cubs' fans from around the world (thanks to all of you, especially Al).

Yes, the postseason loss hurts; it hurts a lot. But if I've realized anything over the last 24 hours, I want to cheer more now. I want to re-invest myself, so that when it happens, I will have been a part of it throughout the year. Why would I give that up? Yes, when they don't win it will hurt, but that's a trade I'm willing to accept.

So, cheers to all of you, and I'll talk to you later.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, or Al Yellon, editor-in-chief. FanPost opinions are, however, valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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1984 and 2008

In my memory, those are the only two years I thought the Cubs had the best team in the NL. The 1989 club had the best record in the NL by one game over the Giants. The Giants proved they were the better team in the playoffs.

1984 hurt me worse because that the first good Cubs team I can remember. That was the first time the Cubs had been to postseason since 1945. The Cubs had a history of losing World Series before 1984 but not losing in the NL playoffs. That playoff loss really shocked me.

In 2008, I knew to prepare myself for postseason failure. I didn’t expect it, but I knew to prepare for it.

"The big possum walks late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Oct 6, 2008 10:11 AM CDT 0 recs

Thanks for all you've shared, Trey.

So this is how it ends.

by dat cubfan daver on Oct 6, 2008 10:38 AM CDT 0 recs

thanks, Daver.

I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am. - Ryne Sandberg

by Trey2317 on Oct 6, 2008 10:55 AM CDT up 0 recs

In 84 and 03...

…those clubs performed well in the playoffs and played good enouph to win except for very late collapses (some bad luck).

With 08 (although more talented), the club did not even come close to performing (at any level) and that is a big big big dissppointment. In a perfect world, the players should be embarrased enouph that this will provide motivation for them in 09 (although 07 didn’t do anything for them this year). Also, management will recognize that you need to make changes – we’ll see.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Oct 6, 2008 10:38 AM CDT 0 recs

That is why all the "curse" talk is particularly bad this time

While I think it is a crock anyway, it makes more sense to think what happened in 2003 is a “curse”, because the team was performing well in the playoffs until disaster struck.

This time, you had a team that had played well all season, and was a superior team on paper, just completely fail to show up. As a Cubs fan, I have been hurt and disappointed before. I have never felt embarrassed to be a Cubs fan the way I do now. I will still love and support the Chicago Cubs, but it is going to take a long time for this group, from Lou Piniella on down the line, to regain any of my confidence or enthusiasm.

by SuperContext on Oct 6, 2008 11:11 AM CDT up 0 recs

"In a perfect world, the players should be embarrased enouph that this will provide motivation for them in 09"

As you said the 2007 debacle didn’t make the 2008 team any better and trust me the 2008 flop will not be a factor in making the players perform in 2009 any better. We are not talking about a bunch of kids playing little league baseball here. Major Leagues is all about a bunch of grown up professional atheletes. They either ‘have it’ or do not ‘have it’ in them and that’s the end of the story. This is kind of analogous to something Lou said in 2007 and this is If you want patience at the plate you need to sign up those type of players in the off season.

Soriano in the lead off spot is an aboslute disaster for post season and is extremely risky for a short series. He is way too streaky to be reliable and even though he truly leads off the game only once he will always hit infront of the big guys in the line up. His cold and hot streaks even out during a long season thereby padding up his stats after the 162nd game. Ideally Soriano should be hitting either in the 3 slot or in the 5 slot. Now this is what the management should have learned after the 2007 season. But their inability to acquire a lead off guy in the off season *contributed to another post season debacle.

Rather than depending upon the players to learn anything or to get motivated (Hell they change so many teams in their career that they don’t really know what to remember any more) the management should learn from past mistakes and try to get better. Otherwise it will be another 100 years and we will still be trying to learn something.

by cubsnlinux on Oct 6, 2008 11:20 AM CDT up 0 recs