January 16, 2006
Plight of a north side fan
Next year just has to be coming right over that next hill, or maybe around that bend up there. I mean, it’s got to be on this road doesn’t it? I know I’ve been going this same direction for quite a while, I’d hate to think it’s been the wrong way. Nope, it’s the only road I know so it’s got to be right. I’ll get moving again once I get this flat tire fixed once more.
This is what Chicago’s north side sports fans feel several times throughout the year, and always with the sharpest bites of pain when our teams tantalize just so. Sure, the Bulls gave this city quite a run in the 90s, but among the major teams, they’re the little brother born after his siblings had long since left for college. Their victories were just catching up with the storied histories of the Cubs, White Sox Blackhawks and Bears.
While the city has always been divided civil war style over baseball, the whole town comes together in the winter to rally around the Bears and the Hawks. Unfortunately the poorest ownership in all of spectator entertainment has ruined the Hawks and for years the Bears have been sluggish and only occasionally more fearsome than that fabric softener spokes teddy. So yesterday watching the Bears underperform their way out of the playoffs wasn’t much fun for Chicago. This was a team that convinced people they were good. They seemed poised to challenge for a title, but instead everyone is left clutching at mights and shouldhavebeens.
Except this year it was a little different. See, those annoying White Sox had to go and ruin our communal misery by winning the World Series thing I keep hearing so much about. Now their fans (who knew they had fans before this) are all proud. The thought of defending their title must be keeping them warm all winter, and the notion of spring training just a month away sure must be a great cushion to soften the blow from the thumping the Bears took yesterday.
But up north we have no cushion. The Cubs had their shot a couple of years ago. But they blew their huge lead and have folded up shop early the last few years to watch their partners in epic futility change their fortunes and win it all. Now, with the Bears ending in disappointment, I have nothing else to do, but start on down the road, hoping that next year is just past that next ridge, or at least maybe their’s an interesting detour over there.