Oct. 7, 2004
By Dan Tomlin
Sports Editor

I am an enormous Chicago Cubs fan. That’s my first problem. It would be much easier to be a Yankees fan.

After this season by the Cubs I have accepted the fact that as a Cubs fan I have subjected myself and any offspring I have to a life of disappointment.

I feel better though. From what I hear, it’s a little like dying. Once you accept the fact that you are in fact going to die it’s much easier to deal with.

I know now that no matter what my feelings are during the season, or what any “experts” say that I should take every Cubs win as a bonus.

We were all tricked last year into thinking that maybe the Cubs really could win something. Just maybe if these guys came back and we had a little more pitching we would in fact compete to be the Wold Champions.

This thought was all that sustained me during the cold months of the winter when baseball seems buried under the snow.

Shame on me.

Do I forget? I was there in 1997 when the Cubs dropped their first 14 games before mercifully beating the Mets 4-3.

This latest collapse will be the one my generation gets to talk about. The last generation has the 1984 Cubs who dropped three straight to the Padres after winning the first two games of a best of five series, needing to win only one of those last three to get to the baseball promised land.

Our grandparents have the 1969 Cubs, a team that will not be mentioned, due to emotional stress.

The Cubs transcend us. They are bigger then baseball. they represent the struggles that go with life. By being a Cubs fan a person could be considered a stronger person with more moral fiber.

Of course the flip side of that is that a Cubs fan could be viewed upon as an unsuccessful, bitter person.

I’d like to believe that by going through the trials and tribulations that accompany Cubs fans that in fact we are better people. We’ve accepted the fact that in life not everything works out the way it’s supposed to and that you can live 100 years and still want more.

Not to mention when that day does come that the Cubs are crowned World Champions the years of turmoil and frustration will be converted into jubilation and hysteria.

After all if it wasn’t for losing, winning wouldn’t feel nearly as good as it does.

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