Alert the media: I am officialy "concerned"

[soapy]

It's august 8th, friends, let's be happy that we're contending at all -- this doesn't happen every year.

 

Hooray mediocrity!!

 

I'm surprised by the reaction to my comments. Why are we even Cubs fans, guys? Why even follow a team if you can't get caught up in the (positive) excitement of a pennant chase?

 

I'm frustrated because I think they can and should be better. It doesn't mean I'm not caught up in the race. I don't think that makes me any less of a fan, as you are insinuating. I am not satisfied with being in a "pennet chase" when I think they could/should be doing better.

 

You seem to be suggesting we should only be a fan of the team if we just accept that they're "in it" and just be satisfied.

[C.C.]

we would enjoy the season if we embraced that Okay-ness, IMO.

 

 

Sorry, I can't embrace okay ness. I want the Cubs to be great.

 

Who doesn't? I think what he's saying is at least we are "in it" this year as opposed to the past 2-3 years.

[Electron Blue]

we would enjoy the season if we embraced that Okay-ness, IMO.

 

 

Sorry, I can't embrace okay ness. I want the Cubs to be great.

 

You know what I wanted for lunch today? A steak. All we had around here were hot pockets. I guess I'll just go hungry? No, I ate a hot pocket. And I'd be a fool to restrain my enjoyment of it just because it wasn't "great."

[GlassCow]

It's august 8th, friends, let's be happy that we're contending at all -- this doesn't happen every year.

 

Hooray mediocrity!!

 

I'm surprised by the reaction to my comments. Why are we even Cubs fans, guys? Why even follow a team if you can't get caught up in the (positive) excitement of a pennant chase?

 

I got your back Blue, and I'm the type of person that sees every season that doesn't result in a world championship as an utter failure. For those keeping score, I have experienced 20 utter failures in my life and counting ...

 

If someone had told me at the beginning of the season that this team would be a game back on August 8th, I would have wanted to kiss them and punch them at the same time.

[Electron Blue]

It's august 8th, friends, let's be happy that we're contending at all -- this doesn't happen every year.

 

Hooray mediocrity!!

 

I'm surprised by the reaction to my comments. Why are we even Cubs fans, guys? Why even follow a team if you can't get caught up in the (positive) excitement of a pennant chase?

 

I'm frustrated because I think they can and should be better. It doesn't mean I'm not caught up in the race. I don't think that makes me any less of a fan, as you are insinuating. I am not satisfied with being in a "pennet chase" when I think they could/should be doing better.

 

You seem to be suggesting we should only be a fan of the team if we just accept that they're "in it" and just be satisfied.

 

First, I really didn't mean to insinuate that ANYBODY here wasn't a fan. I just genuinely wanted an explanation as to how one could follow a team that is succesful (goal=make playoffs; cubs=contending), yet dismiss their chances simply because the chances aren't higher. (italicized for emphasis - that's probably thes best way I can describe my confusion).

 

again, no disrespect meant. I hate the "you're not a fan" crap that some fans like to throw around.

[jersey cubs fan]

It's august 8th, friends, let's be happy that we're contending at all -- this doesn't happen every year.

 

Hooray mediocrity!!

 

I'm surprised by the reaction to my comments. Why are we even Cubs fans, guys? Why even follow a team if you can't get caught up in the (positive) excitement of a pennant chase?

 

I didn't choose to be a Cubs fan, it just happened, so I can't answer why I am one. However, it's one thing to be excited about being in a race for the title, and embracing the okayness. The Cubs are in a great position to win the division, because they are lucky to be in the Central. But they aren't a very good team and that bothers me. I want to be a fan of a very good, preferabbly excellent, baseball team. Since I can't just start being a fan of another team, I need the Cubs to be that excellent team. And they aren't. It's annoying. I don't take solace in the fact that it's better than what they've done in most years. If I'm a slave who works for a jerk of a master who beats me daily, I'm not going to be thankful if he starts cutting back to once a week.

[Burtonbell]

It's august 8th, friends, let's be happy that we're contending at all -- this doesn't happen every year.

 

Hooray mediocrity!!

 

I'm surprised by the reaction to my comments. Why are we even Cubs fans, guys? Why even follow a team if you can't get caught up in the (positive) excitement of a pennant chase?

 

I didn't choose to be a Cubs fan, it just happened, so I can't answer why I am one. However, it's one thing to be excited about being in a race for the title, and embracing the okayness. The Cubs are in a great position to win the division, because they are lucky to be in the Central. But they aren't a very good team and that bothers me. I want to be a fan of a very good, preferabbly excellent, baseball team. Since I can't just start being a fan of another team, I need the Cubs to be that excellent team. And they aren't. It's annoying. I don't take solace in the fact that it's better than what they've done in most years. If I'm a slave who works for a jerk of a master who beats me daily, I'm not going to be thankful if he starts cutting back to once a week.

 

 

LMAO! :lol:

 

Sad but true... :cry:

Edited August 8, 2007 by Burtonbell

[Electron Blue]

It's august 8th, friends, let's be happy that we're contending at all -- this doesn't happen every year.

 

Hooray mediocrity!!

 

I'm surprised by the reaction to my comments. Why are we even Cubs fans, guys? Why even follow a team if you can't get caught up in the (positive) excitement of a pennant chase?

 

I got your back Blue, and I'm the type of person that sees every season that doesn't result in a world championship as an utter failure. For those keeping score, I have experienced 20 utter failures in my life and counting ...

 

If someone had told me at the beginning of the season that this team would be a game back on August 8th, I would have wanted to kiss them and punch them at the same time.

 

Thanks cow-made-of-glass, us Nebraskans gotta stick together ;)

 

Earlier I wanted people to imagine hearing our current situation during last season... But imagine hearing about it in June 2 this year. That's the better case for being happy with where we are :)

[jersey cubs fan]

we would enjoy the season if we embraced that Okay-ness, IMO.

 

 

Sorry, I can't embrace okay ness. I want the Cubs to be great.

 

You know what I wanted for lunch today? A steak. All we had around here were hot pockets. I guess I'll just go hungry? No, I ate a hot pocket. And I'd be a fool to restrain my enjoyment of it just because it wasn't "great."

 

Presumably you've eaten steak once in your life though, as opposed to the zero times you've seen a truly great Cubs team.

[Electron Blue]

It's august 8th, friends, let's be happy that we're contending at all -- this doesn't happen every year.

 

Hooray mediocrity!!

 

I'm surprised by the reaction to my comments. Why are we even Cubs fans, guys? Why even follow a team if you can't get caught up in the (positive) excitement of a pennant chase?

 

I didn't choose to be a Cubs fan, it just happened, so I can't answer why I am one. However, it's one thing to be excited about being in a race for the title, and embracing the okayness. The Cubs are in a great position to win the division, because they are lucky to be in the Central. But they aren't a very good team and that bothers me. I want to be a fan of a very good, preferabbly excellent, baseball team. Since I can't just start being a fan of another team, I need the Cubs to be that excellent team. And they aren't. It's annoying. I don't take solace in the fact that it's better than what they've done in most years. If I'm a slave who works for a jerk of a master who beats me daily, I'm not going to be thankful if he starts cutting back to once a week.

 

I know it's an over-the-top metaphor . . . but seriously, this may be the crux of our disagreement.

 

If I'm in that situation, I consider two realities: the one who gets beaten daily (past), the one who gets beaten weekly (present). I sure as hell am thankful to be in the present. Last year, Neifi whipped us daily; this year, Marquis whips us weekly. Maybe that'll resonate. :)

[Electron Blue]

we would enjoy the season if we embraced that Okay-ness, IMO.

 

 

Sorry, I can't embrace okay ness. I want the Cubs to be great.

 

You know what I wanted for lunch today? A steak. All we had around here were hot pockets. I guess I'll just go hungry? No, I ate a hot pocket. And I'd be a fool to restrain my enjoyment of it just because it wasn't "great."

 

Presumably you've eaten steak once in your life though, as opposed to the zero times you've seen a truly great Cubs team.

 

I have, and I enjoyed the steak well enough to want it again. The 2003 team (greatness aside, since that's ambiguous) was very succesful and incredibly fun to watch, thus I know what I'm missing during the Cubs less-than-average years. Was that your point?

 

by the way, the hot pocket was quite good.

[GlassCow]

It's august 8th, friends, let's be happy that we're contending at all -- this doesn't happen every year.

 

Hooray mediocrity!!

 

I'm surprised by the reaction to my comments. Why are we even Cubs fans, guys? Why even follow a team if you can't get caught up in the (positive) excitement of a pennant chase?

 

I got your back Blue, and I'm the type of person that sees every season that doesn't result in a world championship as an utter failure. For those keeping score, I have experienced 20 utter failures in my life and counting ...

 

If someone had told me at the beginning of the season that this team would be a game back on August 8th, I would have wanted to kiss them and punch them at the same time.

 

Thanks cow-made-of-glass, us Nebraskans gotta stick together ;)

 

Earlier I wanted people to imagine hearing our current situation during last season... But imagine hearing about it in June 2 this year. That's the better case for being happy with where we are :)

 

I didn't even notice until now that you were from Lincoln sir. I hope our Huskers have a break-out season this year. Callahan needs to put up a winner to keep his job IMHO.

 

Anyway, back to the Cubs. Yes jersey, they are lousy year in and year out. I keep telling myself that this will not always be the case. The 2003 team was certainly not great, but they came within 5 outs of reaching a world series. Maybe this team that is riddled with holes can man up and be great for a post-season we all hope is coming. Will we be lamenting the fact that the team looked awful for a reasonable portion of the season, or celebrating the fact that they looked awesome when they needed to? Few championship teams are great from bell to bell. There are examples of flawed teams winning championships in every professional and collegiate sport.

[jersey cubs fan]

It's august 8th, friends, let's be happy that we're contending at all -- this doesn't happen every year.

 

Hooray mediocrity!!

 

I'm surprised by the reaction to my comments. Why are we even Cubs fans, guys? Why even follow a team if you can't get caught up in the (positive) excitement of a pennant chase?

 

I didn't choose to be a Cubs fan, it just happened, so I can't answer why I am one. However, it's one thing to be excited about being in a race for the title, and embracing the okayness. The Cubs are in a great position to win the division, because they are lucky to be in the Central. But they aren't a very good team and that bothers me. I want to be a fan of a very good, preferabbly excellent, baseball team. Since I can't just start being a fan of another team, I need the Cubs to be that excellent team. And they aren't. It's annoying. I don't take solace in the fact that it's better than what they've done in most years. If I'm a slave who works for a jerk of a master who beats me daily, I'm not going to be thankful if he starts cutting back to once a week.

 

I know it's an over-the-top metaphor . . . but seriously, this may be the crux of our disagreement.

 

If I'm in that situation, I consider two realities: the one who gets beaten daily (past), the one who gets beaten weekly (present). I sure as hell am thankful to be in the present. Last year, Neifi whipped us daily; this year, Marquis whips us weekly. Maybe that'll resonate. :)

 

I never have, and hopefully never will, embrace the okay-ness. Sorry, none of this resonates.

 

I'm glad they are still in the race, but I'm still very disappointed at what a poor job the front office has done over the past several years, when they had every opportunity to construct a truly great team and chose to blow it on crappy veterans who don't fit the profile of player they actually needed.

 

When I go to the game, I can enjoy myself. When I sit back and think about the season as a whole, I have a little hope they can make the playoffs and get lucky. But I'm still disappointed I have to hope for luck.

[jersey cubs fan]

we would enjoy the season if we embraced that Okay-ness, IMO.

 

 

Sorry, I can't embrace okay ness. I want the Cubs to be great.

 

You know what I wanted for lunch today? A steak. All we had around here were hot pockets. I guess I'll just go hungry? No, I ate a hot pocket. And I'd be a fool to restrain my enjoyment of it just because it wasn't "great."

 

Presumably you've eaten steak once in your life though, as opposed to the zero times you've seen a truly great Cubs team.

 

I have, and I enjoyed the steak well enough to want it again. The 2003 team (greatness aside, since that's ambiguous) was very succesful and incredibly fun to watch, thus I know what I'm missing during the Cubs less-than-average years. Was that your point?

 

by the way, the hot pocket was quite good.

 

2003 was an above average team that had a nice run. Great teams win 90+ games and contend year-in year-out. The Cubs have never been great in your lifetime.

[Electron Blue]

we would enjoy the season if we embraced that Okay-ness, IMO.

 

 

Sorry, I can't embrace okay ness. I want the Cubs to be great.

 

You know what I wanted for lunch today? A steak. All we had around here were hot pockets. I guess I'll just go hungry? No, I ate a hot pocket. And I'd be a fool to restrain my enjoyment of it just because it wasn't "great."

 

Presumably you've eaten steak once in your life though, as opposed to the zero times you've seen a truly great Cubs team.

 

I have, and I enjoyed the steak well enough to want it again. The 2003 team (greatness aside, since that's ambiguous) was very succesful and incredibly fun to watch, thus I know what I'm missing during the Cubs less-than-average years. Was that your point?

 

by the way, the hot pocket was quite good.

 

2003 was an above average team that had a nice run. Great teams win 90+ games and contend year-in year-out. The Cubs have never been great in your lifetime.

 

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I still don't get it. The game is very different from decades ago (really this applies to all major sports). We can't define great the way you did -- it's too high of a standard for modern sports. It's especially unfair for me to apply that standard to my favorite team who hasn't lived up to it in my lifetime (thanks for assuming I'm not in my 70s by the way ;)). I understand you Want greatness, and so do I. But I don't expect it, the way you define it.

 

I expect contention for the playoffs. Hell, as a whole 2004 was somewhat of a success. I am, in fact, quite critical of Hendry/Lou/Baker/anyone . . . but when the team is out there playing, I love the team, and I see every win as a step in the right direction: first place in august

[3Dog]

I'm treating this year as I did in 1998 -- hoping for luck that the Cubs squeak into the playoffs. The rest of '07 will depend on the Brewers hitting an extended patch of ice, and unfortunately that kind of thing is completely out of the Cub players' and fans' control.

 

Lately this team has been so frustrating for me to watch that I'll tune into the game midway through just to check the score, then do the same for the Brewers game. Then I'll check the final scores later that evening. I hope this doesn't mean I'm a bandwagoner. The way I rationalize it, I'm saving my sanity by avoiding all the runners left in scoring position, the bullpen walks, bobbled balls in the outfield, etc..

 

I know I'll enjoy actually watching an entire game a lot more if/when the Cubs have a roster with better talent, an offensive mindset thoroughly grounded in OBP, and prospects that are both ready-to-go and given an honest chance.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I still don't get it. The game is very different from decades ago (really this applies to all major sports). We can't define great the way you did -- it's too high of a standard for modern sports. It's especially unfair for me to apply that standard to my favorite team who hasn't lived up to it in my lifetime (thanks for assuming I'm not in my 70s by the way ;)). I understand you Want greatness, and so do I. But I don't expect it, the way you define it.

 

This makes no sense to me.

 

Sports are different now? We can't expect our favorite teams to win a lot of games in order to be defined as great?

[C.C.]

we would enjoy the season if we embraced that Okay-ness, IMO.

 

 

Sorry, I can't embrace okay ness. I want the Cubs to be great.

 

You know what I wanted for lunch today? A steak. All we had around here were hot pockets. I guess I'll just go hungry? No, I ate a hot pocket. And I'd be a fool to restrain my enjoyment of it just because it wasn't "great."

 

Presumably you've eaten steak once in your life though, as opposed to the zero times you've seen a truly great Cubs team.

 

I have, and I enjoyed the steak well enough to want it again. The 2003 team (greatness aside, since that's ambiguous) was very succesful and incredibly fun to watch, thus I know what I'm missing during the Cubs less-than-average years. Was that your point?

 

by the way, the hot pocket was quite good.

 

2003 was an above average team that had a nice run. Great teams win 90+ games and contend year-in year-out. The Cubs have never been great in your lifetime.

 

So the 2003 team was more of a Prime USDA Steak. We need a more of a Angus or Kobe type of steak to get to the WS.

[Electron Blue]

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I still don't get it. The game is very different from decades ago (really this applies to all major sports). We can't define great the way you did -- it's too high of a standard for modern sports. It's especially unfair for me to apply that standard to my favorite team who hasn't lived up to it in my lifetime (thanks for assuming I'm not in my 70s by the way ;)). I understand you Want greatness, and so do I. But I don't expect it, the way you define it.

 

This makes no sense to me.

 

Sports are different now? We can't expect our favorite teams to win a lot of games in order to be defined as great?

 

I mean that dynasties are on the way out. You defined great as winning 90+ games and contending year-in, year-out. Parity is on the rise and dynasties are a more-or-less a thing of the past. Not even dynasties are the issue, though, teams don't too frequently fit your description. It happens, sure, but not often enough to be the standard for accepting the results.

[jersey cubs fan]

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I still don't get it. The game is very different from decades ago (really this applies to all major sports). We can't define great the way you did -- it's too high of a standard for modern sports. It's especially unfair for me to apply that standard to my favorite team who hasn't lived up to it in my lifetime (thanks for assuming I'm not in my 70s by the way ;)). I understand you Want greatness, and so do I. But I don't expect it, the way you define it.

 

This makes no sense to me.

 

Sports are different now? We can't expect our favorite teams to win a lot of games in order to be defined as great?

 

I mean that dynasties are on the way out. You defined great as winning 90+ games and contending year-in, year-out. Parity is on the rise and dynasties are a more-or-less a thing of the past. Not even dynasties are the issue, though, teams don't too frequently fit your description. It happens, sure, but not often enough to be the standard for accepting the results.

 

I'm not asking the Cubs to win the WS every year. Oakland, NYY, BOS, ATL have all shown it's possible to win a ton of games and contend every year. You are right, as far as the NFL is concerned. But NBA is still dominated by the same teams over and over. MLB too.

 

Regardless, there's no reason why the 2003-2007 Cubs couldn't have ammassed 3-4 90+ win seasons and been in the playoffs multiple times.

 

Hell, just one 95 win season should have been attainable. But no, the "contend within the division" strategy has left us in a cycle of mediocrity highlighted by occasional brilliant failure.

 

Win 95 games and the division two years in a row, and you'll have accomplished something worthy of praise. That would be great.

 

This okayness nonsense is a joke.

[davearm]

I never have, and hopefully never will, embrace the okay-ness. Sorry, none of this resonates.

 

I'm glad they are still in the race, but I'm still very disappointed at what a poor job the front office has done over the past several years, when they had every opportunity to construct a truly great team and chose to blow it on crappy veterans who don't fit the profile of player they actually needed.

 

When I go to the game, I can enjoy myself. When I sit back and think about the season as a whole, I have a little hope they can make the playoffs and get lucky. But I'm still disappointed I have to hope for luck.

Having read this post, I can't help but wonder how you would've viewed the 2006 season if you were a Cardinal fan.

 

That Cards team was every bit as flawed and disappointing as this year's Cubs, and probably moreso (as 2007 is proving): overpaid, underachieving players; questionable managerial choices; finger-pointing at the GM; infighting; and horrific play late in the year that nearly led to a historic collapse.

 

I wonder if, as a fan, their October success would have been enough to overcome all of that suffering and disappointment, or whether you would've remained miserable to the very end, frustrated that a run of good luck, and not dynastic superiority, was the key to success.

[jersey cubs fan]

I never have, and hopefully never will, embrace the okay-ness. Sorry, none of this resonates.

 

I'm glad they are still in the race, but I'm still very disappointed at what a poor job the front office has done over the past several years, when they had every opportunity to construct a truly great team and chose to blow it on crappy veterans who don't fit the profile of player they actually needed.

 

When I go to the game, I can enjoy myself. When I sit back and think about the season as a whole, I have a little hope they can make the playoffs and get lucky. But I'm still disappointed I have to hope for luck.

Having read this post, I can't help but wonder how you would've viewed the 2006 season if you were a Cardinal fan.

 

That Cards team was every bit as flawed and disappointing as this year's Cubs, and probably moreso (as 2007 is proving): overpaid, underachieving players; questionable managerial choices; finger-pointing at the GM; infighting; and horrific play late in the year that nearly led to a historic collapse.

 

I wonder if, as a fan, their October success would have been enough to overcome all of that suffering and disappointment, or whether you would've remained miserable to the very end, frustrated that a run of good luck, and not dynastic superiority, was the key to success.

 

You don't seriously want to compare them do you?

 

The Cardinals regularly fielded great teams that came up short in the playoffs. Then they got lucky with a mediocre team that finally won. I'd have been happy as hell if the Cubs went on the kind of run STL went on from 2000-2006.

 

If the Cubs won 95+ games 4 out of 6 years (93 and 85 the other two), I wouldn't be in anywhere close to the same frame of mind about the Cubs.

 

You can't seriously be trying to compare the situations. My lord, how ridiculous.

[Electron Blue]

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I still don't get it. The game is very different from decades ago (really this applies to all major sports). We can't define great the way you did -- it's too high of a standard for modern sports. It's especially unfair for me to apply that standard to my favorite team who hasn't lived up to it in my lifetime (thanks for assuming I'm not in my 70s by the way ;)). I understand you Want greatness, and so do I. But I don't expect it, the way you define it.

 

This makes no sense to me.

 

Sports are different now? We can't expect our favorite teams to win a lot of games in order to be defined as great?

 

I mean that dynasties are on the way out. You defined great as winning 90+ games and contending year-in, year-out. Parity is on the rise and dynasties are a more-or-less a thing of the past. Not even dynasties are the issue, though, teams don't too frequently fit your description. It happens, sure, but not often enough to be the standard for accepting the results.

 

I'm not asking the Cubs to win the WS every year. Oakland, NYY, BOS, ATL have all shown it's possible to win a ton of games and contend every year. You are right, as far as the NFL is concerned. But NBA is still dominated by the same teams over and over. MLB too.

 

Regardless, there's no reason why the 2003-2007 Cubs couldn't have ammassed 3-4 90+ win seasons and been in the playoffs multiple times.

 

Hell, just one 95 win season should have been attainable. But no, the "contend within the division" strategy has left us in a cycle of mediocrity highlighted by occasional brilliant failure.

 

Win 95 games and the division two years in a row, and you'll have accomplished something worthy of praise. That would be great.

 

This okayness nonsense is a joke.

 

I'll concede that the MLB is different from the NFL in this respect, but we're drifting from the point of the argument: satisfaction with this year's team. I think that's the point, no?

 

I wouldn't be pleased with the last ten years of Cubs baseball, with an historical perspective. Maybe we could/should have been great earlier this decade. Maybe we should be better right now. But how does this historical perspective affect your view of this 2007 team day-in, day-out?

 

Especially considering the player turnover season to season, it seems odd to temper your satisfaction with this year's team based on how other players have historically done in similar uniforms, in the same stadium.

 

The ownership and front office, granted, has been considerably more constant over the years. I'm with you there -- the moves have not been made to turn this into an elite team. But do we root for front office? Do people buy suits with MacPhail's name stitched on the back? They put together the team, but it's the team I'm a fan of. And the team is on track to contend the rest of the year. Heck, if we can go 32-18 the rest of the year and make it to the playoffs, the 2007 Cubs will be great.

 

You can be frustrated about the direction of the team and disappointed by the past, but why does that keep you from embracing a pennant run this year? (notice I substituted "okayness" with "a pennant run this year." Same point being made, but you may like the wordage better...)

[jersey cubs fan]

Especially considering the player turnover season to season, it seems odd to temper your satisfaction with this year's team based on how other players have historically done in similar uniforms, in the same stadium.

 

I'm not tempering anything. This team isn't very good and it annoys me. What you are doing is saying we should embrace it because it's the best we've seen in a while.

 

You can be frustrated about the direction of the team and disappointed by the past, but why does that keep you from embracing a pennant run this year? (notice I substituted "okayness" with "a pennant run this year." Same point being made, but you may like the wordage better...)

 

Pennant run? A pennant run is a thing of the past. A pennant run was contending to have the best record in the league. Now the Cubs are just trying to win a bad division.

 

I can be excited about that while not being fooled by the marketing department trying to get me to embrace the okayness.

 

I'm glad the Cubs have a chance. That doesn't change the fact I'm disappointed that they aren't very good and haven't been very good in a very long time.

 

The blew a great opportunity from 2003-2006, and Hendry didn't do enough to make up for it this year.

 

Sorry, I'm not going to embrace the okayness and I don't see why any fan every would.

[Electron Blue]

I'm not tempering anything. This team isn't very good and it annoys me. What you are doing is saying we should embrace it because it's the best we've seen in a while.

 

You're changing my main point around. The fact that this is better than we've seen in a while is a bonus -- not the main reason to enjoy it. Like I said, that reason works for some, but not others.

 

Pennant run? A pennant run is a thing of the past. A pennant run was contending to have the best record in the league. Now the Cubs are just trying to win a bad division.

 

I can be excited about that while not being fooled by the marketing department trying to get me to embrace the okayness.

 

The term is a semantic, I suppose. I'm talking about a playoff run -- that's what I'll call it henceforth. And on the year-to-year scale, that's the point of playing out the season: For six month to be in contention, and to be on top on the last day. That's why it's worth being excited about -- it's the whole point of the sport, and the Cubs are right in the thick of it. Throw out the bad division talk, that's beside the point. What "marketing department" is telling you to be excited by our current situation? Once again, forget okayness, and think "involved in a playoff run in August."

 

I'm glad the Cubs have a chance. That doesn't change the fact I'm disappointed that they aren't very good and haven't been very good in a very long time.

 

The blew a great opportunity from 2003-2006, and Hendry didn't do enough to make up for it this year.

 

Agreed, but when the game comes on tonight -- and every day the rest of 2007 -- this fact means jacksquat, so I treat it as such.

 

 

I gotta go to work for now, though. (just so you know I'm not dodging future responses ;))