I was gone most of the night and just caught the final score. My first reaction was disbelief, and then I made a stab at anger, but it wasn't there.

That's when I realized that I stopped caring.

I had a lot of fun the last two days here, talking about baseball issues -- like replay and Thurman Munson and Jamie Moyer -- that had nothing to do with the Cubs. It was a refreshing kind of "staycation" where we still talked baseball, but were away from the Cubs, which feel like work right now.

But now I'm done. The first Pirates series was the jab. The second series was the right cross and the first game of the Astros series was the uppercut that put me to the canvas.

Those of you who wish to join me, the line forms to the right. Those of you who wish to stay and fight on, more power to you. You have more strength than me.