One month later: still brings tears to my eyes

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Being a fan of the Chicago Cubs has always been an act of faith. Choosing to root for a team that had not won a championship since 1908 was not something a person undertook lightly. There were so many other credible teams available to cheer for, followers of Chicago’s Northsiders were signing themselves for years of misery and futility. It required both a thick skin and an extremely long term view of the world.

This is not say that there were not moments of glory and excitement. 1984, 2003 and 2008 were all years that took the Cubs to within a few games of the World Series. Unfortunately, in every case Chicago came up short and fans were forced to mutter the all-too-familiar phrase, “there’s always next year.”

Cubs Fandom: not for the weak of heart

In time Chicago fans turned decrepitude into something of an art form. Songs like Steve Goodman’s “A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request” and Eddie Vedder’s “(Someday We’ll Go) All the Way” captured the unique blend of fatalism, apocalyptic hopefulness, and undying loyalty that made Cubs fandom such a delightfully exhausting endeavor. Folklore like the curse of the goat simply added to the mystique. To outsiders, Cubs fans were equally worthy of respect and pity. Only true believers could have the stomach to endure such a hopeless existence.

(Youtube Video: CubbyMark)

2015: the start of a new era

All of that has now changed. Under the ownership of Tom Ricketts and the front office stewardship of Theo Epstein the Cubs have been making steady progress. Last year they brought on manager Joe Maddon. Together they put together an extremely deep roster of talented young players led by a cadre of veterans. In his first year Maddon took the team all the way to the NLCS where they lost to an outstanding New York Mets team. 2015 was an exciting ride, and the most fun I had ever had as a Cubs fan up to that point. It was made even better because it was so utterly unexpected.

2016: Just keeps getting better

As fun as last year was, nothing will compare to the 2016 season. Maddon and Epstein made some great trades and acquisitions during the off-season. An already deep roster became even more impressive with new pitching talent and some capable batters added to the lineup. Las Vegas odds makers weighed in and Chicago was favored to win it all before Opening Day had even arrived. That was simply unfamiliar territory for Cubs fans, and I will admit that I did not quite know how to handle the situation.

Fortunately, Chicago lived up to the hype and this turned out to be the best year for Cubs baseball in over a century. There were momentary slumps that scared me, but the depth of the bullpen and an incredible defense always seemed to make up for any challenges that appeared along the way. They clinched the division earlier than anyone thought possible and were already headed to the postseason by the time my wife and I got a chance see the last Cubs-Cardinal series of the season in Wrigley. It was thrilling to them play so relaxed and carefree already knowing that they were going to be playing in October.

Of course, being the Cubs, the postseason was anything but uneventful. The Giants pitching and Dodgers offense both gave them a run for their money. When Cleveland got ahead three games to one in the World Series I will admit that my confidence was pretty shaken. Getting to a game seven seemed utterly impossible. When that game finally happened, it turned out to be the craziest baseball roller coaster I have ever been on. The Cubs blew an early lead and looked to be out of it for good. Like every Cub fan in the bar, I was completely crestfallen.

However, I should not have given up. A rain delay in the tenth inning changed everything. They came back from the twenty minute break looking like a different team and Chicago ended up winning their first World Series in 108 years. The bar went nuts and I wept like a baby. Social media confirmed that I was not alone in my sappiness. There was crying in baseball. What a great night. What an amazing season.

One month later: the joy continues

One month later a lot has transpired since the Cubs’ century long drought came to an end. An extremely ugly election season wrapped up and we chose a new president. Advent preparations kept me busy at church and family activities filled the calendar. It has been easy to get swept along with the swift-moving tide, but whenever I have felt a little overwhelmed I have found infinite joy and encouragement by going back to watch special 2016 versions of “Someday We’ll Go All the Way.”

(Youtube Video: Crankstrap)

It still brings tears to my eyes. 2016 was the year that everything changed for Cubs fans. No more, “there’s always next year.” This was the year. No more, “it’s gonna happen.” It did happen. They went all the way!

Thanks to Budweiser and some creative editing we even got to hear Harry Caray make the final call.