The last time "Da Bears" won a championship was 1985 and Chicago still hails Mike Ditka as one of greatest in Chicago sports history. The last time the Bulls won a championship was 1998 and the United Center has a dedicated statue of Michael Jordan right in front. The last time the White Sox won a championship was in 2005 and fans regard Paul Konerko as one of the most dedicated players. The last time the Hawks won a championship was 2015 and the WGN building continues to display Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews's faces throughout the season. The last time the Cubs won...well, the fans know and I won't say it, but it's been a while. 2016 seems like a good year for a chance to complete the "Chicago cycle."
Yes, a Sox fan actually would like to see the Cubs go all the way. You're reading this correctly.
Now, let me clarify my stance. I'm not jumping on the Cubs bandwagon and will not start buying jerseys or other gear. I won't be singing "Go Cubs Go" anytime soon. I'll still be wholeheartedly cheering for the Sox in the Crosstown Classic. I won't be attending a playoff game this season (mainly because I'm not cleared by Donate Life America to sell an organ on the black market to pay for a ticket). All I'm doing is supporting another Chicago team because the time is here to do so.
When I was younger, I used to buy into the whole mentality of bragging to Cubs fans that we were better because we have a World Series ring and they didn't and wouldn't for a long time. As I got older, I started to realize the potential and development the Cubs underwent to get to where they are today. I shook away the immature stance and started watching sports from a holistic perspective. The Cubs went through a rough time — a VERY rough time. However, they not only proved to their fan base, but also to themselves, that they can and will become better. They most certainly are exemplifying that these last couple of seasons with two trips to the NLCS, where they faced extremely tough opponents. I, as a passionate sports fan, can appreciate that, and it's outstanding to see the progress they've made over the years.
One of the running taglines the Cubs have is #wearegood as imposed by Miguel Montero, one of the catchers on the team. It's safe to say that that tagline is definitely an understatement. The amount of dedication that these players and the clubhouse exert into practices and games is astounding. All of the incredible hard work into their offense and defensive strategies is paying off in unique ways. In this series between the Dodgers alone, these games have been nail-biting all the way through with pitcher battles, an explosive offense in game 4 between Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell's hits, and a little bit of questionable umpiring (just my humble opinion). As a sports fan, you can't ask for anything better — except for more fair umpiring and broadcasting (cough cough Joe Buck).
The Cubs have basically climbed up a mountain of rough times to fly the W and land in the spot where they stand today. They have seen their fair share of managers and players go through a rotation or clearing to improve their reputation. Despite all of the challenges, the players and fans have stood strong and remain proud. All of these years of struggle have brought this team to taste a little bit of sweet success that the other Chicago teams have enjoyed. It's only fair for the Cubs to take it in as much as they can, too.
Sox and Cubs fans may not agree about a lot of things regarding Chicago baseball. However, as sports fans it's hard to discredit the amount of talent the Cubs have this year — Kris Bryant, Kyle Hendricks, Ben Zobrist, Javier Baez, Dexter Fowler, Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester and the roster goes on. This team has strong depth with Joe Maddon driving the lineup, and it is surely doing well this postseason. Whether you have South Side pride or have stood by the North Side for so long, I think we can all agree that this has been some of most exciting playoff baseball Chicago's recently been playing. That, and the TV needs to stay on mute whenever Joe Buck broadcasts.
Congratulations for the tremendous and incredibly exciting win against L.A! It was some of the best baseball I have ever had the privilege of watching. Now the final test is against Cleveland, and I wish you nothing but the absolute best of luck! No matter the outcome, you should be extremely proud of all the effort you've exerted this postseason. You literally made Wrigley shake with excitement and pride game after game. You've brought nervousness to dedicated fans (especially my mother and her family, so for the sake of their sanity, please win) with heart-wrenching moments. You've surpassed records in history that none previously thought of breaking. Thank you for bringing back so much passion to the Friendly Confines and reignited the love of baseball in Chicago after a long time coming. Good luck again, and go Cubs.
Sincerely,
A Sox fan
