8 replies to this topic

[imwhitti]

I just joined this site. I have been following it for months. And I am so appreciative of it. Thanks Brett!

I have been a cubs fan for many years. I can still remember rushing home from school to catch the last few innings of the home games on WGN (Jack Brickhouse called those games). And I went to the games as child when they had "Ladies Day" on Fridays with my grandmother. It was magical!

But the Cubs sucked. And they did for many years. I remember watching Manny Trillo (the sidearm throws), Jose Cardenal, Mick Kelleher (his first and only(?) home run, and so many others of that time.

I also lived just down the road from and met Phillip Wrigley Jr (and my mom punched him in the mouth. What a prick....Phillip, not my mom) As a young person, I held baseball (and especially my Cubs) in the highest esteem. Heck, my aspirations as a youngster were limited to playing middle infield for them.

I am a little bit older now and realize that my potential for making the Cubs roster is slim (alright, non-existent but I can still dream). I have also come to realize that MLB is not a game. It is a business. And if the Wrigleys or the Tribune Company had ever grasped that, we wouldn't still be called the "lovable losers".

BUT...I, and many of you, have been down that path before. Remember 1984? ......The Hendry years (BTW - we did win multiple division titles)? We have made significant changes to the front office over the years (Dallas Green, Andy McPhail, etc.) and no changes to our philosophy. ....sometimes successful...but never sustainable.
They put us in a good position for 1-2 years and then what? We brought in FAs and failed to develop a "system" that turns out quality players and a quality team.

This is the first time in my "few" years as a Cubs fan that I can actually be hopeful. This is DIFFERENT. We have seen numerous attempts to make the big club better and develop talent at the same time!

As they say..."Hope springs eternal". For us Cubs fans, that is an axiom that we live by. But after 40+ years of following our club, I can honestly say that I am tired of "hope". I don't want to hope for a NL championship. I want to expect it!

For everyone who is debating the moves (and lack thereof) that are happening now, I would offer a gentle reminder: Things can be (and have been) a whole lot worse. At least this time there seems to be a method behind the perceived madness.

All of us will never agree with (or fully understand) all of the decisions made by Theo and Jed. As it should be. There will also be many disagreements over whether or not this is the right way to handle our team. Those are also valid arguments.

From my perspective, this new philosophy took forever to come. I don't necessarily like or agree with all the decisions made to this point. But I do agree that something DIFFERENT needed to be done. And because I have seen too much of the alternative; I am willing to give them some time. (Note: I don't mean another 40 years...Maybe 20 but that is the Cub fan in me).

Embrace the DIFFERENT philosophy. We may be bad for a year or three but, by my recollection, that isn't unusual. We can wait a bit longer for a consistent winner. I would just be happy to see quality baseball played at the friendly confines until then. And who knows, maybe we will surprise some people.

Ever the Cub optimist.

[MichiganGoat]

Welcome and excellent first post. You have said exactly what many feel and are excited to watch develop. Keep posting your voice is a welcomed addition.

[HoustonTransplant]

I agree with Goat. Nice post, and while I don't have 40 years of Cubs obsession under my belt, I can completely sympathize and agree with everything you've said. Go, Cubs...whenever that may be in the (not too distant) future!

[Oswego Chris]

ahhh...Manny Trillo checking out the ball before he slung it over to first...I think Mick Kelleher did have only one homerun...my first year of really following them was 1977...and they were in 1st place up until early August....and many guys from that team...Bruce Sutter, Willie Hernandez, Manny Trillo, Rick Rueschel, Bill Buckner...went on and had post season success after the Cubs....although Buckner...ahem...had that inicident...which he made up for by appearing in Curb Your Enthusiasm this summer

[Ashley]

Love the post and could not agree with you more! Welcome to the board!

[Fishin Phil]

Well said! Welcome aboard.

[Sparks]

imwhitti-
Great Post! I agree with all that you've said. But you guys must be kids! I cut my teeth on Hack at third, Pafko in center, Nicholson in right. I guess I am one of the few that have lived throu a Cubs World Series- but we didn't have a TV, so I just listened to it on the radio. (I was thirteen at the time
I am still hoping, though. Maybe soon!!

[Fishin Phil]

Wow Sparks! Great to have you here, I was beginning to think I was the oldest one in here.

[TWC]

Wow Sparks! Great to have you here, I was beginning to think I was the oldest one in here.

Dude, as much as you try to play this game, 15 1/2 is NOT old.