Congrats to the Cubs!

[Craig Arko]

I think a Cubs-Astros WS would be great.

 

I still won't be watching it, but it would be great.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

We've discussed on another thread whether the Cubs got lucky in getting Arrieta. But what WAS luck was that the Rays' front office screwed up Maddon's contract and allowed him to jump to the team he wanted to manage.

Not sure how the Rays screwed up.  Maddon had an opt out in the contract, almost certainly at his or his agent's request (teams generally don't advocate for them), and he exercised it.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I generally root for the underdog, and the Cubs are definitely a historical underdog, but their losing ways are one of the strongest constants in this sporting world.  I don't want to lose Cubs jokes, Back to the Future references, etc.  We all saw what happened when the Red Sox finally won, they quickly became almost as insufferable as the Yankees.

 

Let's keep the Cubs the "Cubs".  I hope they lose in extraordinarily interesting fashion.

[jokin]

 

Chisago?  Why are we talking about Chisago County?

 

True story.  I once had a weekend where one son had a tournament in Chicago, while the other son had a tournament at Chisago Lakes High School. Guess which tournament I went to? And for which son it's still a sore spot?

[jokin]

 

 

 

Regarding the stadium, I like old historic buildings, but the team clearly put the same effort into that place that they put into their team most years.  Fenway was old but there were clear attempts to make the stadium updated and useable for modern baseball fans.

 

Also, and really I hate to say it, but the White Sox get a raw deal from that city.  It's not like the Mets with the Yankees or the Angels with the Dodgers, those two teams are still the new kids in town.  The White Sox have been overlooked for over a century now too.

 

I can't like this enough on every.single. point.

 

 

 

 

Not for me.  The White Sox haven't just been overlooked, they've been largely avoided. And for good reason.  With a couple of exceptions, a lifeless, listless, colorless, and at times, tasteless team. Comparing negatively the stewardship of Cubs' owners vs. Sox owners is laughable.   Besides taking your life in your hands when visiting the park... let me recount some other reasons they deserve little else except loathing-

 

Ever heard of the Black Sox?

 

In particular, noting that there's nothing endearing about either the Cell or Comiskey (except Nancy Faust- who they de facto fired)- both are/were soul-crushing dumps.

 

They chose to get rid of Harry Caray- and Steve Stone- for being too honest about the product on the field- the Cubs quickly picked them up- and the rest is history.

 

Somehow, the Sox braintrust thought that Homer Hawk Harrelson was a better way to go.  

 

They had to forfeit a game from their ill-fated decision and mockery of the American Pasttime by hosting a Disco Demolition Night.

 

This:

 

 http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visual/whatshot/sox-shorts-2015.jpg

 

Screwed by the City? They've had not one, but two Mayor Daleys- who were Southsiders with no vision, the owners meekly acquiesced to whatever they wanted them to do- escaping the hell that is the South Side for a better local location was never pushed by the Sox owners.  

 

They once did try to move out of town to Milwaukee, but the league powers ultimately wouldn't let them escape from the murder capital- resultantly leaving the fan faithful embittered towards the team for many years- much like the Twins' attempt to move to Charlotte under Calvin.  

 

Of course, it's a little known fact that Charles Comiskey single-handedly kept Minnesota from moving up to the major leagues for 60 years- by moving the original St Paul Saints from St Paul, MN to Chicago in 1901. And they then won the inaugural AL pennant. Tinkers to Evans to Chance- indeed- the Sox (Saints? Thanks, Chuck!) beat the Cubs for the World Series championship in 1906

 

Even the owners of the Chicago Bulls- who got United Center built- evidently didn't care enough or have enough cache' with the city leaders to get themselves a decent stadium close to downtown, or even get a stadium built similar to the Camden Yards experience- there are literally dozens of wonderfully picturesque locations in the City of Big Shoulders- the home of legendary architects, Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe, Fazlur Khan (Sears Tower/John Hancock Building) and Freaking Frank Lloyd Wright. The Orioles rejected the architectural plans for the Cell, the Sox accepted-

 

and the background view chosen?

 

The blighted Robert Taylor Homes Public Housing Project.

 

You just can't make this kind of dumb up.

 

 

 

 

[spinowner]

 

I can't help rooting for the Cubs.  Any franchise that has been that poor and gone that long without a championship.....I just can't root against them, at least to come out of the NL.  

 

We talk about how long it's been since the Twins last World Series victory in 91.  Take a look at this list:

 

Cubs last win - 1908.  107 years.

Dodgers last win - 1988.  27 years.

Mets last win -1986. 29 years.

 

Rangers last win  - Never.  55 years in existence.

Blue Jays last win - 1993.  22 years.

Astros last win - Never. 54 years in existence.

Royals last win - 1985. 30 years.

 

23% of the teams in the league are left in the playoffs and the only team to have a championship since the Twins last won it is the Jays, and they haven't been to the playoffs since they won it 22 years ago.  Some fan base is going to get a much waited and well deserved title this year.....and I like it.

I considered the Red Sox to be my second favorite team until the evening of October 27, 2004. I didn't at all begrudge them their long-awaited world championship. But after Doug Mientkiewicz squeezed the last out of the game (and didn't give it up until under heavy duress) I decided to see them as they truly are: the Yankees with beards.

I also was glad to see the White Sox win in 2005.

I just can't make myself feel that way about the Cubs. Maybe it's because it's my impression that both Sox teams have a much higher percentage of followers that are real baseball fans compared to the Cubs.

(Pretty judgemental and condescending, eh?)

[jimmer]

 

 

I also was glad to see the White Sox win in 2005.

 

I just threw up a little in my mouth. That could be the most disgusting thing I've ever read on a Twins site.

[ashbury]

I considered the Red Sox to be my second favorite team until the evening of October 27, 2004.

I wind up telling this one every now and then. I was driving from Boston to Maine in the middle of a vacation with my family, and we had the radio on. The date was, through no particular baseball planning of our own, October 17 2004 - thanks to the magic of the Google I can look it up to make sure. We listened to WEEI 850 AM. The Red Sox were down to the Yankees in the ALCS three games to none. The game the night before had been a humiliating 19-8 loss, right there in Boston. The fourth and surely final game would be that night. This was a call-in show.

 

It was glorious listening.

 

We heard Bill Flippin' Buckner this.

 

We heard Bob Freakin' Stanley that.

 

The fans were calling in to relive all their collective nightmares, one more time. Just like every post-season appearance. Over and over, in every detail imaginable. The Red Sox were doomed to this kind of disaster, yesterday, today, tomorrow, forever. Forever. Fans were likewise doomed, to the honorable, noble misery of being a Red Sox fan. The misery would never end.

 

Glorious.

 

We all know what happened after that, starting that very evening. My boys and I (plus the long suffering wife and daughter) were lucky enough to experience Boston at its very very best, its ultimate, that afternoon in the comfort of our rental car. It will, it can, never be the same again.

[jokin]

 

I just threw up a little in my mouth. That could be the most disgusting thing I've ever read on a Twins site.

 

AMEN