People enjoy sports for a variety of reasons.
For some, it's being able to kick back on a Sunday afternoon and watch some football with their friends, or place bets on which school is winning the March Madness tournament. Some people enjoy the competitiveness of it all, the ambiguity of who is going to come out on top of a tight contest, regardless of who is favorited to win. But for others, watching sports comes down to a passion that has burned within their souls for as long as they can remember. That favorite childhood player, that one special game, or that team we love so much that we rejoice in victory and mourn in defeat. I've said it once and I'll say it again: baseball epitomizes the emotion in sports.
As October approaches its end, it's inevitable that people all across the country will be talking about the World Series. Baseball fans everywhere are filled with excitement, disbelief, bitterness, and anxiety, as we see the relentless Cleveland Indians take on the Cinderella men of the Chicago Cubs. Two teams with fan bases that have yet to witness a World Series championship in decades, now loaded with talent on the field and charisma off of the field. Although you could argue for either side to be considered the favorite to win, it is also arguable that either side is the underdog in this approaching series.
To put it lightly, the city of Cleveland, Ohio, is just now starting to know what it feels like to win. Many would say that I'm "spoiled" as a Boston sports fan but with only three major sports teams in their city (let's NOT talk about the Browns) it has been very unlikely for years that Cleveland would see a major championship without something, or someone, special. The Cavaliers finally accomplished this feat earlier this year with an NBA Championship run led by a powerhouse athlete known as LeBron James. But now we have this Indians team. Full of poise and determination, locker room guys like Trevor Bauer and Mike Napoli represent a team that enjoys their laughs in the clubhouse but are no-nonsense on the field. I speak for many of my fellow Boston fans when I say that I am no stranger to Manager Terry Francona's knowledge of the game, and with a 4-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS, Cleveland has made themselves out to be both likable and suited for a victory.
For the Chicago Cubs, this World Series is an absolute must-win. Almost every promising Cubs team in the past 50 years came crashing down in what usually would be in an absurd fashion. The image of Steve Bartman's catch, the most recent World Series win being in 1908 and, above all, the seven appearances by the Cubs in the World Series that followed 1908 all resulting in losses. It is safe to say that Cubs fans will never take anything for granted, and that includes this 2016 postseason run. But, superstars like Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, along with a veteran presence in Davis Ross and ace pitching in Aroldis Chapman and Jon Lester make a pretty strong argument for a big celebration in Chicago come November.
With all of this in mind, it's important to take a step back from the statistical aspect of the World Series and immerse yourself in the overall atmosphere of it. October baseball brings a brand new sense of urgency, heart, and love to the game that there is a lack thereof during the regular season. As sports fans, it's important for us to recognize this feeling. We never know that we are witnessing history until we look to what we love most about the game, and you can't statistically measure the passion of two diehard fanbases who have had to wait for generations to see a World Series championship for the teams they love. To the casual fan, the raw talent and display of skill alone can make this World Series an unforgettable one. To the lifelong fan, this World Series will forever change the face of whichever storied American franchise wins the seven game series.
