Settle Down Silly Cubs Fans

by niuhuskie224 on Sep 10, 2008 8:33 AM CDT

This is a textbook example of how you win yourself a division in the early months of the season. We played well in the first half and afforded ourselves the chance to have this slump. Relax people. It isn’t as though anyone worth a damn is come up to get us. Look at who has been hot in the last couple of weeks, The Astros, The Dodgers???? Why do we care. We care about making the playoffs and what we do when we get there. Look at the Phillies last year. They were just as hot as anyone, even the Rockies and couldn't do anything. Boston wasn't exactly stellar down the stretch and look what they did.

WHAT WE DO THIS WEEK HAS NO BEARING AT ALL ON OCTOBER AT ALL!!!!!!!

Can we understand this. This team is going to make the playoffs 99.1 percent of the time. Baseball Prospectus runs a simulation every day 1 million times. That means the cubs would make the playoffs 991,000 times. I Like my odds there. And I don't want to hear, oh well we are the cubs and blah blah blah. Shut up. The last 100 years has no bearing on anything having to do with this season. Bottom line

We are still FOUR AND A HALF GAMES BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE.

Jeeze, you would think that we are dead even with someone but not one team is close. The Cubs have 18 to go and can legitimately look at the magic numbers and know they can control their own destiny. How many Cubs teams in the last 50 years can say that with 18 games to go that they control their own destiny. Not many last I checked. Baseball is a game of highs and lows. We are at a low and it will get to a high again. It has been proven in over 100 years of baseball. Everything evens out. Thats why I was worried about Sori getting hot after the 3 home run game. I just kept saying not yet, we don’t need you to get hot yet. Wait another week or two so that when the playoffs start you can carry us then. Why do I say this, because that’s what baseball is. Get of the ledge, we are fine.

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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You make a good point

Considering that we haven’t been ahead by even 6 games I don’t think all season. 4.5 games over really should have us feeling comfortable. The problem is that we are Cubs fans and know that unfortunate things happen. As we look forward, we wonder if the Cubs do get to the playoffs, will they continue to struggle with hitting? Are they going to continue to leave runners in scoring position time after time? If they don’t come through for us this time, after we have seen them as superhero’s most of the season, then quite possibly my whole philosophy on life might change. Im kidding.

by adam316 on Sep 10, 2008 8:49 AM CDT reply actions

The point about the last 100 years is important.

I can’t tell you how tired I am of seeing the national media and even local print reporters bring it up.

This team stands or falls on its own merits, not something that happened five or 24 or 39 years ago.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Sep 10, 2008 8:55 AM CDT reply actions

Well, not really

To pretend that history has no bearing on the team, or on us as fans, is pretty ridiculous. There’s no such thing as curses, but there is such a thing as pressure, heightened by a sense of history.

by paulucla on Sep 10, 2008 9:01 AM CDT up reply actions

It doesn't

These guys don’t care for the most part. They are playing to win this year. That’s enough pressure as it is. The 100 years doesn’t mean anything.

by niuhuskie224 on Sep 10, 2008 9:08 AM CDT up reply actions

+1

I couldn’t have said it better-the real “curse” has nothing to do with the supernatural and everything to do with the expectations and pressures that are constantly being placed on this team.
All you have to do is watch how they’ve played over the last several days and you can see that and, I’m sorry, but just because the current crop of players weren’t around for previous Cubs freefalls, doesn’t convince me that they’re not susceptible to these pressures.

by bluekoolaide on Sep 10, 2008 10:09 AM CDT up reply actions

I'm Right there with you

Seriously, each year is different. Look at the Rays for instance. The fact that the Rays were a 69 win team or whatever last years has no bearing on what the Rays have done this year. None at all. This team is this team and that team was that team.

I don’t care what the name on the jersey says. It is irrelevant. The 100 year thing means nothing to me. You know why, I AM 23 FREAKING YEARS OLD. I have been a fan since I was 12. So 11 years of no winning for me. I just know that I want them to win bad after seeing who has won this decade. The DBack, The Red Sox, White Sox, Cardinals, Red Sox again, Marlins. Seriously. Seeing the rivals and 2 expansion teams who started in my life, win in my life is sickening. Not to mention the Rockies and the Rays this year could go would mean 4 expansion teams.

We need to relax.

by niuhuskie224 on Sep 10, 2008 9:05 AM CDT up reply actions

History: Too Negative A Spin and Irrelevant

Do the national media ever give the Cubs credit for winning the 1984 NL East title? You only hear about the last three games of the NLCS in San Diego. Good heavens! If the Cubs hadn’t won division titles in 1984, 1989, 2003, and 2007, or the wild card in 1998, we would be hearing about how the Cubs can’t even make the playoffs because they are cursed.

No player is left in the major leagues from the 1984 season. 1984 is irrelevant to the 2008 season. BTW, the Cubs didn’t collapse down the stretch in the regular season in 1984 and won the division.

I suppose if the Cubs blew a 3 games to 1 lead in the World Series, we would only hear about how the Cubs lost the Series rather than hearing about how great it was for the Cubs to get there.

Let’s just have the Cubs win the World Series and shut the naysayers up.

"The big possum walks late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Sep 10, 2008 9:40 AM CDT up reply actions

We'll never shut up naysayers

I’ve already heard it. “Oh sure, if they win it this year, what’s that one title in a hundred years?” I personaly don’t give a tiny rat’s *ss about the naysayers anymore. I’m sick of the whole 100 year talk.

"Destiny is a matter of choice, not chance"

by MerlinDog on Sep 10, 2008 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions

Absolutely right

This junk about what happened in 1969 or whenever … it’s for losers. Period.

by Not Bruce Froemming on Sep 10, 2008 4:14 PM CDT up reply actions

1984: Last Time the Cubs...

were up by more than 4.5 games with 18 to go. In 1984, the Cubs were 7 games up with 18 to go and won the division by 6.5 games.

"The big possum walks late." - Harry Caray

by memphiscub on Sep 10, 2008 9:24 AM CDT reply actions

And that '84 team lost five in a row...

… just about this time, and looked really bad doing it. Then they righted the ship, won three straight and clinched.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Sep 10, 2008 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions

I couldn't get past the 1st sentence

Divisions are not won in the early part of the season. They’re lost early, but never won early.

They’re getting in, that’s not the issue. It’s how they’re playing come game #163.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Sep 10, 2008 9:38 AM CDT reply actions

In the context of a season though

Week 1 is just as important as the last week of the season. A great early start can help you to win a division. Can you imagine if the cubs had dropped one game in each of the first 5 months this season. We would be a half a game back. Each game is equal and the early games count just as much and can help you win the division.

by niuhuskie224 on Sep 10, 2008 9:51 AM CDT up reply actions

Nice post, and I agree with your assessment

but I think a great deal of baseball happens between the players’ ears. They can get into a psychological state where they will defeat themselves. Call it being tight, trying too hard, whatever. And the fan and media pressure, the stupid “curses”, history of the last 100 years, etc., all just add to it. Time for Lou and the guys to suck it up, focus on beating the other team instead of beating themselves, and take care of business.

by Carolina Cubbie on Sep 10, 2008 9:59 AM CDT reply actions

the game thread was unbearable last night

i’m steering clear of all that negativity tonight

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Sep 10, 2008 12:04 PM CDT reply actions

I hated it too but

Al has said we can start a seperate game thread if it gets too bad. I will do that tonight if it gets as horrible as it was last night.

by sue369 on Sep 10, 2008 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks, Sue, but won't you have to use a secret code or something so all the Debbie Downers do not follow?

I couldn’t stay on the thread last night. I don’t need that on top of the real game.

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been . . . baseball. It rules over America like an army of steamrollers." Terrance Mann
Tommie Agee was out.

by Weeghman Park on Sep 10, 2008 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions

No. I did this last

year too and they stayed in the regular game thread and didn’t bother us. It worked out quite well.

by sue369 on Sep 10, 2008 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions

OK, I'll try it if you say so

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been . . . baseball. It rules over America like an army of steamrollers." Terrance Mann
Tommie Agee was out.

by Weeghman Park on Sep 10, 2008 2:18 PM CDT up reply actions

not only were people being debbie's

they starting fighting with each other over the lamest things…..i’m going to a local pub to watch and take a break from the game thread….let me know how it goes

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Sep 10, 2008 4:27 PM CDT up reply actions

I am glad that we are 4.5 up...

…but not happy with the way tat we are playing. The mental pressure is immense and this team didn’t handle it well last year. You need more great players to win here. Hopefully we get enough out of what we have to hold on.

by DudeVf11 on Sep 10, 2008 9:03 PM CDT reply actions