The Art of Chicago Cubs Losing

What Cubs fans have lovingly grown accustomed to.

The Chicago Cubs have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory for over 100 years now. If you never have experienced it before, go to a Cubs game. Not at Wrigley, mind you. Your favorite team's home park. I dare you.

First of all, let me recommend you not pay very much for the ticket. The possibility that the Cubs actually win the game does exist, and if that possibility is realized, you may end up needing money to bail yourself out of jail. The arrogance and gloating that ensues is often enough to make the most level-headed individuals blow their tops.

I was at Turner Field for the National League Division Series against the Cubs in 2003. I wish I had read an article such as this before I went, for I knew not what I was about to walk into. Lo and behold Kerry Wood threw a dominating Game one and the Cubs were victorious. The streets of Atlanta were flooded with blue and white pinstripes, marching around, chanting as if they had just won their first World Series since 1908. It was simply game one of the first round of the playoffs. Those Cubs' fans created a couple of firsts for me. One particularly over the top female pushed my buttons so that I took a swing at her boyfriend, or brother, whatever male companion happened to be beside her. I also got into a verbal altercation with a foreign man that could not have been over four feet tall. It was definitely a man though, as a cigarette was hanging from his bearded mouth.

 Atlanta came back the next night to win Game two and even the series. There was no parade. No seventh grade girl chants. A simple round of applause after the final out was the only noticeable noise. Perhaps there would have been opportunity for Braves fans to return the jackassedness, but most of the Chicago Cubs fans had left by the eighth inning. Probably better for me and my clean criminal record.

I suppose what floors me more than anything is that these people have never seen a their team win a World Championship. I could understand Yankees fans being arrogant and rude, winning 26 titles over the last century or so almost justifies such behavior. The Cubs have won nothing. Wouldn't it seem like they might fear throwing overzealous celebrations since there has been an inevitable let down for 100 consecutive years?

 Even the most prominent nouns associated with the Cubs losing are rather pathetic. A billy goat and Steve Bartman. At least the Red Sox' curse surrounded the most famous baseball player to ever play the game. Chicago blames a farm animal and a guy in a black sweatshirt down the left field line.

Maybe the Cubs will win a World Series one day. You wont have see the series clinching game or read about it in the sports section the next day. Cub Nation will eventually march through your own backyard making sure everyone knows that they finally overcame the four eyed fan and a goat.