How the Cubs Ruined/Enhanced Sports On A Young Billy

Well Spring is here which means, Fourth of July, BBQ's, and sadly baseball in Chicago. The normal daily grind of waking up and finding out how the Cubs managed to lose the night before. Granted, I love the Cubs and going to Wrigley Field, but sadly, I am not a 8-16 year old kid who loved baseball more than anything in life. I remember listening to Cubs games during my Spanish class, probably why I still struggle in that language. But somewhere along the way, (2008) I decided I would never get excited about the Cubs. As Steve Goodman once said about the Cubs, "They stole my youth from me and thats the truth" Freshman year in college (when the Cubs were expected to go far in the post-season) I decided not to get my hopes up for the Cubs. Yet, I cannot help it.

This is not about the Cubs though, this is about what I learned/experienced from them. The Cubs are known for 'choking' or 'blowing it' but that taught me something about sports, its unpredictable and its wonderful. The Cubs taught me to appreciate sports. Here is a short list of what I never do, because of the Cubs

5. Never boo your own players.
4. Get to the game early
3. Get excited
2. Wear your colors with pride
1. Never leave a game early


What the Cubs really taught me is that it is awesome and terrible to be a part of something you have no control over. When the Cubs lost in '03 I was heart-broken and I couldn't stop crying, I was 13. When they bowed out in '08. I expected it, but couldn't accept it. Despite this, I have some magical memories of the Cubs and other sports because literally, anything can happen and thanks to the failures of the Cubs, every success is magnified by 1,000,000

Blackhawks v Calgary Flames- October 12th 2009
Blackhawks look pathetic and go down 5-0. Late in the first period and a few fans start to filter out..... Big mistake. Me and my friends obviously stuck it out for one of the greatest comebacks I have seen.

USA v Costa Rica March- World Cup Qualifier - March 22nd 2013

USA in a must win game during a blizzard. Unforgettable. Leading up to the game, I was openly wishing it would snow. Not only did it snow, it was in the middle of a blizzard that crippled the city the next day. Although it was wet, cold, and windy, it was one of the greatest experiences in my life. Thousands of fellow USA fans flocking to the parking lot hours before the game all united for one team. Not knowing if the USA was gonna succumb to another embarrassing defeat or rise to the occasion and win a vital game. See for yourself what happened.



For me, the Cubs taught me that sports is something beautiful. You cannot control the outcome no matter how badly you want to. Defeats make you appreciate victory. They have the ability to stop wars (World Cup 06) Fans support their team because they cannot get enough of the drug that is winning and being crowned a Champion. What I sadly learned from the Cubs that every little victory is worth something, since the Cubs rarely win, you gotta cherish the moments that make you feel like a winner. This can obviously be applied to life. If you find twenty dollars on the ground, spend it on some friends and enjoy the simple victory, little stuff like that makes the difference. The Cubs may never win in my life time, but that doesn't mean I can't go to any sporting game and throw as much passion out there as I possibly can and maybe, just maybe, the team will win and all the problems in the world melt away for a couple of hours. I realized that sporting events are the only place where you can have a laugh, scream, and cry without being looked up as crazy or be thrown in jail.

Thank you Chicago Cubs, but dammit, win a fucking World Series so Chicago can lose its mind for a few days.