I am not disputing that Barrett/Lou's tirade effected the Cubs, but every Cub player I heard interviewed said those two things had nothing to do with it. Or maybe they just don't want to admit it because they are professional athletes who can do it themselves. Yep, I heard all the players' comments about it not having an effect at all. Call me crazy, but I think it did have some effect. Not that I think it was the only thing, far from it. But a fight like that, it can affect the emotional state of the team. Some guys get real serious about it, some just sort of laugh, some might be relieved at the release of tension -- and some might just get more angry. Change the emotional state of guys, eh -- maybe you affect what happens on the field a little bit. It's not something I think can be predicted, nor do I think it would ever be the sole reason for anything, or even the biggest factor, ever.