When does futility become relative? (re: Cards)

[wolf stansson]

1989 doesn't count?

I'm not a Cubs historian, which is why I put the question mark. I am aware of the basics as a fan of baseball history, but wasn't aware they went to the playoffs in '89.

 

Sorry, as a Cub fan I we need to include all years. I jumped the gun by overlooking the question mark.

 

If the Cubs would have defeated the Giants in 1989 to make it to the World Series, there would have been no live televised earthquake.

Because the world as we know it would have ended? :wink:

Well, the WS drought would have certainly ended because we all know Tony La Russa can't beat the Cubs.

[FergieJ31]

Not as long as the Cards win a pennant every once in a while. 1945 is a worse marker for futility than 1908, IMHO.

 

Yes, but one can argue that if that ultimate goal is to win the World Series, the difference between the pennant and last place isn't too big. I mean there is the "the team always sucks and never makes the postseason bad", and then there's the "Atlanta Braves always win the division but choke in the playoffs" bad. I don't know which woudl be more frustrating

 

Remember how glorious it felt the day the Cubs clinched the division in 03, the doubleheader against the Pirates? How bout Kerry Wood's game 5 vs Atlanta in '03? How bout when they beat the Giants in the WC playoff in '98? The parade around Wrigley in 89 after that clinching game? Those four clinching games are clearly etched in my mind among the rare highlights of my life as a Cub fan. Would I trade them away now, knowing they weren't going to win the WS? Hell no.

[mjohnson71]

One drought that not many people know about is the Giants who haven't won a World Series since 1954 and have never won a World Series in San Francisco. I was talking to one of my friends that is a Giants fan a couple years ago and he brought out the 1908 card but 50 years is a long time.

 

 

The Gaints gap is a biggie. Especially when they have to look across the bay and see the A's victories. Or down the coast to the Dodgers.

[gus_dog]

If a season isn't considered a success unless your team wins the world series, then you are taking things FAR too seriously.

 

I've heard people in this thread saying the Braves should be ashamed beacuse they've won one series out of their slew of playoff appeareances. Are you insane?

 

When your team makes the playoffs, it means you've been rooting for a good team for 6 months. It means you got to root for a winner way more often than a loser. It means that your team is better than the majority of other fan's teams.

 

I'm not saying this because I'm a Cardinals fan, I just think it is true. To compare 4 postseason appearances in more than half a decade ('03, 98, 84, 45?) to the over a dozen that Cardinals have had in that span including 3 championships, 5 pennants, and 7 division titles is apples and oranges.

 

I am of the mindset that I don't rip on Cubs fans for not seeing a championship because I haven't either, but I have seen a lot more good times.

 

I agree with the essence of your post, and I forgive you for missing 1989. :wink:

[indifferent]

I don't know, I'm of the opinion when you're talking about 25 (Cards), over 50 (Giants), or almost 100 (Cubs), no one should be shouting anything. How about we pull equal with the AL and then we might not be talking about these droughts.

[gus_dog]

I don't know, I'm of the opinion when you're talking about 25 (Cards), over 50 (Giants), or almost 100 (Cubs), no one should be shouting anything. How about we pull equal with the AL and then we might not be talking about these droughts.

 

You Cardinal fans get to enjoy a better game out of your team, most of the time. There is something to be said for that.

 

As a Cubs fans, I must say that it would be nice to contend for the pennant every year, even if they didn't win it.

[soccer10k]

One drought that not many people know about is the Giants who haven't won a World Series since 1954 and have never won a World Series in San Francisco. I was talking to one of my friends that is a Giants fan a couple years ago and he brought out the 1908 card but 50 years is a long time.

 

 

The Gaints gap is a biggie. Especially when they have to look across the bay and see the A's victories. Or down the coast to the Dodgers.

 

My dad (a Dodgers fan) loves that the Dodgers have won multiple WS titles while in LA but the Giants haven't won won since they moved to SF (considering they did move within a couple years within each other).

[Andy]

One drought that not many people know about is the Giants who haven't won a World Series since 1954 and have never won a World Series in San Francisco. I was talking to one of my friends that is a Giants fan a couple years ago and he brought out the 1908 card but 50 years is a long time.

 

 

The Gaints gap is a biggie. Especially when they have to look across the bay and see the A's victories. Or down the coast to the Dodgers.

 

My dad (a Dodgers fan) loves that the Dodgers have won multiple WS titles while in LA but the Giants haven't won won since they moved to SF (considering they did move within a couple years within each other).

Actually they both moved in the same offseason (first season = 1958)

[soccer10k]

One drought that not many people know about is the Giants who haven't won a World Series since 1954 and have never won a World Series in San Francisco. I was talking to one of my friends that is a Giants fan a couple years ago and he brought out the 1908 card but 50 years is a long time.

 

 

The Gaints gap is a biggie. Especially when they have to look across the bay and see the A's victories. Or down the coast to the Dodgers.

 

My dad (a Dodgers fan) loves that the Dodgers have won multiple WS titles while in LA but the Giants haven't won won since they moved to SF (considering they did move within a couple years within each other).

Actually they both moved in the same offseason (first season = 1958)

 

Thanks for the correction. I knew at most they moved within 2 years of each other but didn't know it was the same year.

[UMFan83]

Now things like saying Prior takes a liner in the head or making light of Kile's death are just going too far (unless it's about A.J. Pierzynski).

I just got sick to my stomach listening to Mike North go on about why AJ should be considered the AL MVP.

 

He's not the only one. Mike Murphy of all people has been doing the same.

[ManCrushOnNomar]

Now things like saying Prior takes a liner in the head or making light of Kile's death are just going too far (unless it's about A.J. Pierzynski).

I just got sick to my stomach listening to Mike North go on about why AJ should be considered the AL MVP.

 

He's not the only one. Mike Murphy of all people has been doing the same.

Isn't Murph supposed to be a Cubs fan?

[goonys evil twin]

I think if your team has never won a WS, or they've never won since moving to your city, you're in just as bad a situation as Cubs fans. I think 25 years is still relatively soon enough that you can't get too worked up about it, especially if you've had some success in the meantime. Once you get around the 40 year mark though it's pretty much the same thing as 80 or 90. Whenever fans could be born, grow up, have kids and have their kids become adults, you're talking about a long drought.