Forget Obama: The World Is Coming to an End

Judicial anarchy, government insolvency and totalitarian takeover of the US government ain’t got nothing on this predictor of the collapse of civilization.  There is talk of the Chicago Cubs being housed in Chicago South Side’s US Cellular Field during Chicago White Sox away games.

Apologies to my political-only readers, but this is a major universe-sized catastrophe in the making for Chicago Cubs fans.  With new GM (and potential baseball god) Theo Epstein remaking Cub Kingdom from top to bottom, renovations are due to Wrigley Field.  (And by renovations we hope they mean fixing the frickin’ plumbing instead of just adding new luxury boxes for revenue.)  But should he allow this, he would soon be despised as a Glenn Beck smear of Tea Partiers.

The rumors started with an NBC Chicago article Monday, and the denials leave plenty of Bill Clinton parsing to keep the idea open. 

PolitiJim readers know that I am on a life long crusade to ban the White Sox from planet earth (much less Chicago) and the fact that the South Sider’s are Barack Obama’s favorite baseball team has not softened that sentiment in the slightest.  The White Sox are evil.  Interleague games are only as tolerable as the annual Roto-Rooter unclogging that is part of life.  But the thought of my beloved Cubbies calling “home” to the docking station of the Death Star, is just too much.

My therapist has told me my conundrum is seated in my adolescent rebellion toward my now departed father who – like my mother – was born in Calumet City (South Side Chicago to you “ferigners”).  And if we were actually able to win, and outdraw the very spineless and fickle Sox fans, it would be more like bears making South Sider’s are …female dogs.

On second thought, this might be the very thing to finally break the unholy devotion of some Chicago fans to their dark lord and humiliate Barack Obama to boot.

Nevermind, it’s probably best to now turn our attention back to the worldwide economic crisis, and the potential loss of our Constitutional freedoms.

Wrigley story here:

Could Chicago Cubs fans be forced to watch their beloved team from inside enemy confines soon?

That's the rumor from Wrigleyville as Cubs officials mull whether or not to perform a gut-rehab on the historic field in Lake View during the 2013 season.

Should team brass decide that the time is ripe for -- and they secure funds for -- a renovation of Wrigley Field, they could move their games across town to U.S. Cellular Field -- home of the sometimes-rival Chicago White Sox -- sources said. So much for a cross town classic.

Cubs brass deny that plan is on the table. 

"You are putting the cart before the horse,” one source said.  "There is no done deal,” said another.

Put more succinctly:

“I have never heard of a done deal of moving home games to the 'Cell,” said Dennis Culloton, a spokesman for the Ricketts family. 

Workers at U.S. Cellular tell a different story. They say they  are being warned of a much busier 2013 season (as in, prepare for double the games). Bridgeport bar owners tell a similar story.

Again, the Cubs say they haven't thought that far ahead and that they are working on a plan to secure funds to renovate the stadium ahead of the 99th season there.

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Whither-the-2013-Cubs-139247408.html#ixzz1mTJS5zlA

Read More

A Guide To The Cubs And Cubs Fans For Theo Epstein - Bleed Cubbie Blue

As always Bleed Cubbie Blue has the BEST Cub stuff.  Today: A Guide To The Cubs And Cubs Fans For Theo Epstein.  It begins:

Sooner or later (hopefully, sooner), the Cubs and Red Sox will stop their little kabuki dance, agree on compensation for Theo Epstein, and he'll start work as the Cubs' general manager. Or President of Baseball Operations. Whatever the title he's given, there will be a lot of work to do.

Since Theo grew up and has lived nearly his entire life in the Boston area, I thought he'd need a guide to some of the things that are most important surrounding his new employer. Recently, Paul Sullivan wrote a team history, mainly a list of team highlights (and lowlights) with a few of Sully's comments added. And at Baseball Nation, Jason Brannon made comparisons between what Boston and Chicago have to offer.

Theo needs more. I could make this a long list of area Starbucks, but he probably doesn't need that, either. (Hint: there's one directly across the street from Wrigley Field.) After the jump, my guide for Theo Epstein to the most important things he'll have to know when he finally has an office at Clark & Addison.

Read the rest here.

Read More

Cubs Are Biggest MLB Beer Drinkers

Just one quote from the NY Times article Budweiser-Miller Rivalry Part of Brewers-Cardinals caught my eye:

Although precise statistics on beer sales are difficult to come by, industry experts say that Cubs …fans down the most beer per patron.

Although not printed I am certain my guess is that per-fan average increases over the course of course of the season.

 

Good article though.  Here.

Read More

Calm Down Cubbies - 2 Thoughts on the THEOcracy Era

UPDATE by the always reliable Bleacher Nation on Red Sox/Chicago negotiations as well as Padres Baseball Operations Exec Addition at bottom of this post.   Jump here.

---

Ok - maybe 3 or 4 thoughts.  The brain won't shut off.

1. Chicago Sports Media Is Embarrassing. The Chicago Sun-Times article repeating slanderous and unsubstantiated reports that Terry Francona's performance was affected by pain killers is despicable.  Francona went 81-42 while marriage-muddled and medicated.  According to ESPN's reports last night, this has been happening for years when the owners are "on the outs" with a player or manager: 

"I think people are starting to recognize there's a pattern here. All of a sudden it becomes personal, especially with guys who have had so much success in that uniform," Garciaparra said on "SportsCenter" Wednesday.

"If we want to go down the list ... now we're hearing about Terry Francona, before Terry ... it was Johnny Damon, before him you had Derek Lowe, you had Pedro Martinez, you had Manny Ramirez, you had myself, then you had Mo Vaughn, then you had Roger Clemens, then you had Jim Rice, Carl Yastrzemski, and oh, by the way, one Ted Williams.

"So the list is pretty good, pretty prestigious, but it seems to happen. So there's a pattern. Is it all these guys that are bad or is there something more here?"

If I were Epstein, I would pay to get out of Boston even if it was my childhood team.  But thanks a lot Sun-Times for embarrassing our city with our new Cub GM.

2. Theo ain't God.  The Boston Globe’s article recounting incredibly loose discipline, drunkeness by the pitching staff etc... DOES go all the way to the top.  I don't blame the meltdown on Mr. Epstein.  I certainly don't blame Francona's martial and medicinal woes.  But it is a direct sign of management that allowed this to happen.  Is it true (as over-the-top 'tingles' David Haugh wrote yesterday) that Theo will change the culture as he did in Boston?  He did for better AND for worse.  The Ricketts, Kenney (or whoever is President by then), and fans had better understand that it was Theo who allowed THIS culture to occur.  You ever go into a McDonalds or Wal-Mart that was filthy or rundown?  Rarely, I know.  But the two times I did, it made sense the second I saw the overweight, slovenly undisciplined manager.  An organization reflects it's leaders.  (An update today 10-17-11 on ESPN.com quotes John Lester on the extreme lack of discipline allowed and authority lost for Francona.)

How did a team on trek for a 100 win season fold?  I'll give you 1969 reasons.  But I pray to God it wasn't orchestrated by a disgruntled Epstein, Francona and the Boston Globe.  Let’s be cautious about putting this guy too high up on a pedestal before he’s even been hired.  Reports are that Ricketts has given this guy TOTAL autonomy over the team answering only to them.  So let’s be cautiously optimistic here.  As were were with Dallas Green.  As we were when the Trib bought the Cubs.  As we were when the Trib sold the Cubs.  Oh, yeah.  We’re not too good at that, are we?

One of the ONLY female sports-media professionals I respect (aside from @WenB71 and @Bpepoydensmore of course) is Jackie MacMullan.  In her piece yesterday she kind of warns us that the undying dulia devotion of the David Haugh's are misplaced:

Epstein also will be forever known as the GM who fell in love with all the wrong shortstops (you've been warned, Starlin Castro). He plowed through, in succession, Nomar, Orlando Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, Alex Gonzalez(twice), Julio Lugo, Nick Green, Jed Lowrie and Marco Scutaro, and likely left town unfulfilled regarding any of them.

His fascination with J.D. Drew baffled many, yet his hunch about Minnesota Twins castoff David Ortiz was dead on. He brought in unheralded Mark Bellhorn, Kevin Millar and Bill Mueller, and they helped him win a championship. He imported the highly touted (and exorbitant) Daisuke Matsuzaka and Crawford, and they were colossal disappointments.

Chicago Trib - David Haugh

So let's chill on the idea that Epstein's mere presence will automatically raise World Series banners and banish goat curses.  Let's use a little perspective for once as Cubs fans.  (As a side note, what the hell has Haugh been drinking this week?  First the Tuesday article painting Cutler in Brett Farve-like images after a single game of playing until the end without his little sideline temper tantrums, and then his pandering puff piece on the "Theocracy" - which I stole for this headline by the way - anointing him as the new Christ of Clark and Addison.  Get a grip David.  Don't forget you trashed me for questioning the undying devotion to Obama in 2009 in one of your pieces.)

3. What's Thinkable With Theo?  Definitely good things.  Even my bitterness of Quade's false gold 2010 win streak can't purge all of the optimism from my ever-lovin-Cubbie-heart.  When Boston owner talks about HOW Boston built a perennial baseball powerhouse in this UK Guardian article - just look at this through Theo-thinking glasses:

Henry's concise explanation on the philosophy that made the Red Sox great in the last 10 years:"We'll look at stats no one else will look at, employ scouting in a way that has a compelling organisational context, question everything and everyone and ensure we have the best player development curriculum and protocols. In short, we are determined to outwork everyone else and hopefully be smarter every year."

4. Sandberg?  Yes Epstein offered Sandberg the Red Sox AAA job last year.  Yes the Ricketts have made it clear they want Sandberg back in the friendly confines of the Cub fan family.  But do they want him as the commander of  their remade club?  God I hope so.  In winning the first division title for the Phillies organization I believe Sandberg has done nothing but made is viability stronger.  But clearly with the Theo Epstein move the Ricketts are broadcasting that homey ain't playin' in setting the leadership and management right.  If Sandberg isn't the best candidate, or Epstein has other designs of how to build the management and culture, we will have to subject our hearts to their collective head.  But it IS encouraging with sources reporting that Sandberg might accept a bench or batting coach position with a major league club showing some change from last year's all or nothing stance.  DeMarlo Hale (Red Sox Bench Coach and Chicago native) is likely also in the running but with Sandberg's possible flexibility, getting him in the clubhouse would not be a bad step to a future Cubs head coach commission.

So thank you Tom Ricketts for the balm of Cubs baseball hope to "keep hope alive" in the heart of Cubs fans everywhere.  It is deeply appreciated.  And I can put the razor blades and rat poison away until next season.

---

UPDATE:  Bleacher Nation is reporting the following:

A non-Cubs front office source tells me that, in addition to the Boston Globe’s report that compensation talks between the Red Sox and Cubs were proceeding in a “civil” and “business-like” manner, the talks actually advanced considerably late yesterday. Indeed, they advanced to the point where things look good for an early week announcement, before the Wednesday start of the World Series. The source doesn’t have a perfect read on what the compensation will be (few do), but the names he’s been hearing are Matt Szczur, Jay Jackson, and Ryan Flaherty. …Moreover, it looks like Josh Byrnes, currently the VP of Baseball Operations with the Padres, will be joining Epstein in the Cubs’ front office.

Please read the full Bleacher Nation report (and subscribe to their blog) here.

Read More

Life Lessons of a Cub Fan ver 103.0

The Sun-Times ran a story a couple of weeks ago called: They’ll be blue if Cubs bid adieu.  Gordon Wittenmyer is a great Chicago writer (and the reason I originally joined Twitter by the way).  His piece is primarily about the prospect of losing Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano, but one line stuck out to me above all others:

It would be the end of a five-year run for Soriano, eight-plus years for Ramirez — the only position player left from the 2003 autumn of Bartman.

In some ways it seems more like 80 years.


For those of you who don't follow my Cubbies, here's some quick things to know (in addition to the fact we haven't won a World Series in 103 years or appeared there in 66 years).  Cub fans can skip straight pass the bullets unless you are heavily anesthetized.

• In 2003 the Cubs were 5 outs away from going to the World Series
• The (then) Cub owners (Chicago Tribune) went on a New York Yankee like spending spree, and hired former World Series Champion coach Lou Pinella
• In 2007, Sweet Lou finally got the Cubs back to a playoff appearance not even winning a single game in the first division series.
• In 2008, the Cubs couldn't loose.  Literally.  Well almost literally. They won a MLB best 92 games and won 67% of the time at home.  And they couldn't win a single game in the first round of the playoffs.  Again.
• The Tribune decided to sell the team and it seemed to take 20 years to get the Ricketts of AmeriTrade fame.  92% of Cub fans wanted them as owners because Tom first met his wife Cecelia in the Wrigley bleachers.  Cub fans, by and large, are mostly emotionally romantic saps.
• When Sweet Lou left before the end of last season to tend to his ailing mother, assistant manager Mike Quade took over and went 24-13.  Too much too late but enough to bump beloved Cub AAA Minor League Coach and Cub All Star Ryne Sandburg from his dream job of managing the Cubs.
• This year the Cubs only had a winning record against the lowly Houston Astros and Quade went 16-25 in his last games.

Caught up now?  Good.  Most of you are saying to me, "So Jim.  I get it.  The Cubs suck.  Why are you a Cub fan?"


I'll tell you why.  It's a metaphor for life.  It's hope.


In just 8 years we Cub fans have gone from utter emotional devastation to soaring hope and now are kind of lost in the wilderness.


But wise men tell us faith is believing in what you do NOT see.  If you could see it and expect it, it wouldn't be faith.


And without faith.  It's impossible to please God.  It's why all Christian Cub fans don't just go to heaven, we get VIP passes from Abraham who will say, "Dang!  I only had to wait 25 years for Isaac!".


In the documentary, "We Believe," a priest says that developing the character of loyalty best happens by believing in a lost cause.  I don't believe that.  I didn't choose the Cubs as my baseball team because they were winning.  (Or because I wanted to develop character.) We don't like "Rocky" because he won, we like Rocky because it seemed hopeless and he won.


It's why I could never be a Yankee fan.  And why I bleed Cubbie blue.


I love the underdog because I am one.  Ask a Boston fan if the wait was worth it.  Ask them if they cherish their 2004 win more than the 666 (or whatever the Yankees have won and if they don't share a closer camaraderie with other Sox fans.  The kids I grew up with who had everything, were also the first to give up when things didn't go as planned.  The ones that had to overcome DID enjoy victory more, but they also learned how to hang in there longer to see it happen.


I love where I come from.  My whole family came from all over Chicago including Crown Point (IN) and Calumet City and other places in Cook and Kane County.  I was a Cub Scout when I saw my first Cub game.  I had my first bratwurst at Wrigley and spent hours listening to Jack Brickhouse and Lou Boudreau in my backyard while cutting grass and throwing my only baseball into the net.


There is something about the character thing and the Cubs.  We are loyal.  We are romantic. And we are damn tough.  In many ways the Cubs define a lot of the qualities of Mid-Westerners.


But from the kindness, grace and dignity of Ernie Banks to the wild, uncensored enthusiasm and unabashed love of Ron Santo, it is the people who have represented the Cubs that gives us identity.


They not only demonstrated and gave permission for us to believe - they showed us it was noble to die trying.  We feel the pain of reproach of Ryne Sandburg almost like we would a sibling our parents shunned.  We see the conflict in Mark Grace when we play Arizona and could swear its the same look our childhood sweetheart gives although married to another.


Another Cub season as come and gone.  Not a chance in Elgin to make the playoffs from June on.  Yeah, it's a lot more fun winning 90 games than losing them.  But when they do win a World Series, and they will...I will share something with fellow Cubs fans who have waited their whole lives than no one else will understand.  Maybe something in the far suburbs of what veterans acknowledge one to another with a slight nod or a Ranger button on their lapel.  Maybe like mothers who did Lamaze or celebrities who found out the effort to fame was more rigor and responsibility than a reward. 

Though we bury our disappointment through various ways (I simply tuned out WGN the past 2 months and pretended baseball season was over), we learn that like life, the pain will pass, the hope of a new season will dawn.  And maybe, just maybe someday we can share the joy of overcoming with other Cub fans.


We never gave up,
We always kept hope,
We refused to be ashamed,


...knowing it will have been worth it.


Just like winning physical challenges.  Seeing our kids mature. And seeing hope realized.  


Just like life.


Just like family.


This is a clip from the movie, "We Believe."  I wish I could find the one I originally saw in 2009 where Bill Murray and others talk about what it will be like the day the Cubs win the World Series.  Again.

GREAT SEASON ENDING ANGST CARTOON ON CUBBIEDOM from BleedCubbieBlue

Read More