FanNation - The Republic of Sport

I've seen a lot of things in my 29 years happen that I never thought I'd see. But the one thing that I've never seen and never expected to see is the Cubs winning the World Series. But you only get to have a 100th anniversary once and everyone knows it. The Cubs players and management know it, the fans know it, other teams know it, analysts know it. You know who else knows it? Bud Selig and network executives and advertisers know it. Other than the fans of the other team, I think a lot of America would root for the Cubs.

Then there's this other team. A team that had it's own long drought and recently broke it. They did what the Cubs still wish they could do. If the Cubs opponent was the White Sox, the spotlight of the baseball universe and all of sports would be on Chicago. The city would clinch a world championship before the first pitch of the World Series was thrown out. It would be an epic battle along the lines of the Trojan War, a story that would be told for thousands of years.

I don't really know how to describe my personal baseball affiliation. I grew up on the North side, and my Dad and Grandfather grew up on the South side and were Sox fans. But they weren't anti-Cub either, they were pro-Chicago. I was elated when the Sox won the World Series and did it before the Cubs, but in the 100th year I would want to see the Cubs win and I think they would win because they need to more, but if the Sox won I'd be just as happy for them because they were worthy champions and no fluke. But for the Cubs to come that far and still lose would mean that Wrigley Field needed to be torn down. I wonder if the hardcore Cubs fans would bet the field for a championship this year. That building needs to go and be replaced by a modern one, but if they clinch the championship there in the 100th year it will stand until it falls down on its own.

I also wonder how the city would handle such a heavyweight fight? Most Chicago baseball fans are staunchly divided and there would be a city wide rift, we'd see brother against brother, husband against wife, father against son, and drunk Cubs fan against drunk White Sox fan. It could turn into complete chaos, an event of cataclysmic proportions. If the 2nd city series actually happens, I'm stayin at home! When it starts to get ugly I'm going to flee the city and hide in Vegas until it's over! What do you think the odds are of the Cubs beating the White Sox in the World Series in game 7 @ Wrigley Field?