At what point will Cubs fans revolt?

Nobody in the sports world can explain Cubs fans' loyalty. It's the exception to almost every rule. They won't ever go into a full-blown revolt. They might lose interest at the end of a bad year but they will always be back. Once you have the curse of being a Cubs fan it's almost impossible to get rid of too.

Sox fans are different. Right now, even though the team is struggling, they're still in contention and there's some recent success to point to. Most, except the bandwagon fans that are still around, would probably stick through a brief rebuilding phase too. But a good number of Sox fans, like most fans of MLB teams, would never put up with such a prolonged streak of bad teams. Cubs fans look down on those Sox fans and thumb their noses at them. Sox fans don't care. Their attitude is like "if the team is losing and doing nothing in the meantime to start winning, why waste my money?"

A real fan of any kind is loyal, but Cubs have more to fall back on than just baseball. The extra is a good time at the park. And then there is the legions of fans the Cubs have. When one makes a true stand to not pay for that, another simply steps in his seat.

Question:

[b]At what point will Cubs fans revolt?[/b]

Answer:

[b]When they realize that there's a game on the field.[/b]

=P

Roman obviously I can't speak for all Cubs fans but over the years expectations at the beginning of the season are hopeful and in some of those years that hope lingered on past the all-star break and even into september but anymore aside from when I am back in the Chicago area and the Cubs are at home and I can enjoy the "Friendly Confines" I follow the Cubs in print and the occasional game on the tube to see what kind of new way they can come up with to blow a late game lead and go down in flames. regarding the Cubs never ask what else can go wrong because sure as the sun rises in the east one or two batters later you'll get an answer to that question.

Roman, asking when Cubs fans will wise up and stop going to the ball park is like asking when the sun will stop rising. It's not going to happen. Why should management care when they draw so well regardless, win or lose. I know its an old argument, but it's still holds true. Cub fans will call it loyalty, but I call it being numb to getting punched in the face. I used to be the loyal Cub fan that just blame the manager, saying it's all his fault. But after seeing countless Cub managers come and go, and seeing them all fail in the same ways, I'm starting to look at it differently. Teams like St. Louis and Atlanta continue to do well despite having similar payrolls. Hopefully, whoever buys the Cubs out will light a fire under this franchise so that's its known for more then having a really nice beer garden.

At what point will they revolt? Never... Cub Fans are slow. As long as the beer is flowing who cares but I wonder if Dusty was still around what would the Cub fans be saying.

Roman responds: That's a good point. He was blamed for everything that went wrong over the last two years. I'm not hearing any blame at all directed Lou's way. I like Lou, but I do remember something about stressing fundamentals. Barrett must not have gotten that memo.

I never understand why people are so in love with Wrigley Field. Wrigley is only enjoyable when you are in your seat, provided it isn't behind a post. The field is beautiful, although I'm not a big fan of the new "Under Armour" ads smack in the middle of the ivy. Otherwise, Wrigley is a pit. It's practically unbearable. The food is gross, the beer is warm, the bathrooms are disgusting - all three of them. There's no room to walk in the concourse area, and by the 6th inning most people have achieved their goal of getting wasted. The "fans" are mostly there just for the frat party. But the worst part is the product on the field. Year after year, it's the same thing. The Cubs are just notoriously bad - they always find a way to lose. Actually, I'm beginning to understand the amount of drinking necessary to be a Cubs fan.

Can someone explain to me what Barrett was doing last night repeatedly calling for a high fast ball? Not only the fact that he was (or Lou/Larry were) calling for it time after time, but the way he did it....the target was so obvious, I can't help but think that the Marlins batters were tipped off or could see for themselves that he was asking for a letter-high pitch.

Julie B., I see why so many of the bloggers like you. Pure honest assessments. Priceless.

What's missing is accountability. You know who can be very helpful in this process? The TV guys-- Len and Bob. Last night, around the 8th inning, they started to approach the line of criticizing the team...talking about how the batters never wait for their pitches, how they never walk....Even though you can tell that they're kind of sheepish about it, it was good to finally hear. Remember the rub on these guys, when they replaced Steve Stone and Chip Carry? Everyone said that they were going to toe the (Trib) Company line. Once THESE TWO start to stray off the reservation, I think it will send the signal that it's "OK" to criticize this team. At the very least, it makes watching the games more enjoyable/less frustrating because you feel that someone's on the fans' side.

I would hate for us to become Philadelphia....but, I was very glad to hear Weurtz booed off the field last night. I took that as a good sign that fans aren't going to sit back and just watch the bullpen implode.

Barrett is the symbol of the Cubs' disrespect for its fans and for the game. He is a very poor defender, a colander of a fielder, a danger throwing, a mindless runner, a .250 hitter; yet, we are forced to endure him as that other Hendry mistake, Todd Walker. Worse, why does Barrett appoint himself or anyone in Cubs management tolerate him in the role of Mr. Cub with the media? The Cubs have an excellent defensive replacement with a not so good bat in Henry Blanco...But, Blanco plays baseball not Rush Street celebrity. Why not use him and end this embarrasing and irritating choice by Hendry? Can Lou respect the game enough to put real baseball players in place of AA wannabees? Blanco is at least an honest choice.

In general Roman: never

It is a sickness and I have it.

I suppose you could describe it as love Roman, Come to think of it only women and the Cubs have given me that same wretched feeling in my gut. Whenever I hear Lou Reeds Heroin I think of my love for the Cubs.

I have not lost hope yet this year. I usually don't until they are mathematically out of it. And then I cheer for them as spoilers.

And I am upset with Sweet Lou. I thought he was tough. He is treating this like a joke. Positive reinforcement. Whatever. Maybe Lou has gone sweet on us. If so he should stay home, bounce his grand kids on his knee and laugh all the time. Enjoy life, he deserves it. He could still manage. I am sure the local little league team would enjoy a different lineup each day, that way everyone gets to play.

What a depressing blog, owner must be a sadistic Sox fan! ;)

GO CUBS

Roman responds: Lou talking about how his team shouldn't throw in the towel yet is a huge red flag. On a brighter note, what do you think the odds are of Kobe landing in Chicago? Don't answer in this thread, I'll start a new one.

Why should the fans revolt? The players themselves don't show any passion...so, why should we? The last time I saw a player get excited was about a month ago when Felix Pie (can I count someone playing in Iowa?) pumped his fists after hitting a HR. OK-- Zambranno throws his mitt once a game in the dugout, but I'm used to thay by now. What I didn't see last night was Barrett or Derosa getting angry at themselves for getting picked off....I didn't see Wuertz seem all that upset about giving up four runs in the 8th....I didn't see Ramirez upset that he let three ground balls (base hits, yes-- but not exactly scorching line drives) get passed him in two innings. Maybe Derrick Lee is a clubhouse leader, but we don't see the inside of the clubhouse; we only see what happens on the field. In short-- why should we care what happens to the Cubs if they themselves don't seem to care?

Roman responds: I guess I was talking about a passive revolt, as in not attending games.

I don't drink much and I'm too cheap to gamble my money away, but this is my addiction. Year after year I keep hoping the changes they make will be the ones that get them to the World Series and every year I am disappointed. Regardless of what Cubs Bashers/White Sox fans have to say, I was not one of the fair weather fans who loved Sammy's selfish show to hit for statistics. He was an average right fielder who was rarely a clutch hitter. I don't express blind love for a ballpark with a lot of character.
I love baseball. I know players strengths and weaknesses. I understand the strategy of the game. I watch/listen to/observe every Cubs game. What I cannot take anymore is the lack of power on a power team. I can't stand the lack of basic fundamentals by most of these veterans and a few rookies. Right now there are only a few players on the team that I consider baseball men because of their hard work practicing and knowledge of playing the game. Greg Maddux you were smart to leave both times. Baseball has stopped being about learning all facets of the game and too easily become who can swing the bat for a home run. These are the best players the Cubs have to offer? (Mis)management is just as much to blame.

The first step to getting healthy is admitting you have a problem.

Hi. My name's Todd and I'm a Cubs fan.

Roman responds: Hi Todd.

Roman-- Passive revolts (i.e., fans not attending games) won't happen. The Cubs have seen to that by promoting the "Replay" program (basically-- sanctioned ticket scalping). Why do you think the Cubs are involved?; why do you think they promote it on Ch.9 telecasts? What do they care if ticket holders can't make it to the game?...After all, they get their money either way....The reason is to avoid the images of empty seats at Wrigley. They know that this would start the ball rolling to the point where people think it's ok to stop buying tickets in the first place and-- even worse!!-- that's when Bud., Under Armor, and La Salle Bank stop buying ad space. The fix is in, Roman. The stadium will stay full until Labor Day, at least, no matter how upset we get with this mediocre collection of overpaid and passionless players, led by a coaching staff that doesn't know how to produce runs or prevent opponents from posting big innings.

Yes, it's true that beer garden and ballpark get conflated at Wrigley Field. But let's not forget that a significant percentage of "fans" and ticket sales for the game are actually tourists from out-of-town visiting a historic baseball site. In that regard, the money will continue to come in.

For my part, I think there's a line between fandom and letting yourself be fleeced by a baseball franchise just because ivy looks nice in the summer. Since 2004 I've gone to far fewer games: I follow the team as a fan, but that team has to earn me spending money to go to the ballpark. Prices for bleacher seats have more than doubled in the last five years -- it's outrageous.

I've seen equal helpings of hype and mediocrity for far too long with the Cubs, and don't harbor foolish optimism. A perfect example is Soriano: 160 strike outs/year is too much for a leadoff guy; he only hits around .217 with runners in scoring position. Too much sizzle with the Cubs, not enough steak.

A big reason why Cub fans just keep on a-comin' despite continuing deplorable play is because alot of them aren't "fans" in the true sense of the word. I was a Cubs season-ticket holder for several years in the late '90's-early 2000's. They were eventually given up due to price increases every year save one despite losing seasons every year except one ('98). Anyway, many of the seats in our section were owned by corporations who doled them out to clients or employees, most of whom only knew one thing about the team at the time - Sammy Sosa. There was one clod who showed up a few times in his White Sox hat and jersey and deliberately rooted against the Cubs no matter who they were playing. I woulda whacked him with one of those foam claws but didn't have the inclination to pay 15 bucks for something that probably cost two bits to make. But I digress. The bottom line is, for alot of folks, going to a game is an event and they are there just to have fun and throw back a few and don't get too concerned about the outcome.

Young Sergio sat in front of his locker, clearly dejected and emotionally drained. His angry Cubs manager had just taken him out of the game after giving up back to back home runs to Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles and Sergio knew he needed a miracle. Well, that miracle came when he was told he was traded. Now he could be on a team that knows what the word team means. Now he would have a pitching coach that would work with him and help him improve and now he could come back and face the team that traded him. Sergio brought his 1.76 era into Wrigley field tonight, struck out 7 Cubs in 4 innings of work and held the Cubs scoreless. Too bad Ricky Nolasco is hurt or he would have beat the Cubs, too, completing the trifecta of pitchers that were not good enough to be held to the Cubs' high standard (how funny is that??!) but were good enough to help their team sweep the series. The sad part of this story, Cub fans, is that you can insert any of a number of names in place of Segio's because the quickest way to stardom is to be traded by the Cubs. Hurry Lou........grab the binoculars and look straight up.....you might catch a glimpse of .500 before it completely disappears into the atmosphere not to be seen again around Wrigleyville until opening day of the 2008 baseball season. I didn't think it was possible but this team is worse than last years. When I look at, say, the Arizona Diamondbacks who are currently 10 games over .500 with a payroll nearly half (52 million as opposed to 100 million) that of the Cubs, I can only shake my head in disbelief. The D-Backs have been in the league for 10 years now, won a World Series in 2001 and built their current team mostly with players developed in their farm system. Gee, are their people that much smarter than those making the decisions for the Cubs? The answer to that, of course, is yes. Yep, lots of fire in those Cubs......DeRosa took a pitch in the wallet tonight, got up and whimpered his way to first base instead of charging the mound like a man.....well, that leads me to my final observation......why are Gerald Perry and Larry Rotschild still working for the Cubs?

Cub fans will never come out of their coma unless the team mentions getting rid of Wrigley because that is why they are there anyway.
They love their shrine to really bad baseball and that is all they need.
Let the other teams worry about trying to win a World Series while they dance and sing over a cartoon image of some long dead announcer.
No other team in the history of sports has embraced losing like the Cubs.

Whaaaa, whaaaa, whaaa! "Oh beer man". I was at a Cubs game this year and all I did was pass beer and money back and forth. I mean it was literally 50% of the 3 hours passing beers. Cubs fans are too drunk to know the final score - that's why they don't revolt. Take away all the bars and beer - there might be 10 true fans in the park. Ane who ever gave it the name of "the beautiful confines". It is dark and dank and smelly. If it wasn't for the lake it would be know as the LOSERS LOUNGE.

hERE'S WHAT WENT WRONG THIS YEAR- THEY ONLY SPENT 300 MILLION - NEXT YEAR BUCK UP WITH THE 700 MILLION, AND THEN YOUR TALKING!

As a few others have stated, the "fans" are not there to see the pathetic product called a team on the Field. They are there to party. The Cubs could go winless and still fill Wrigley.Christine C. Another great post!

Burn down Wrigley Field! The Cubs have a curse alright, and isn't a flea bag goat or a nerd wearing headphones in the left field stands. Tradition, my foot. Nothing good ever happened there. It is little more than an overpriced tourist attraction.

You self professed die hards who shell out $50 plus a seat for this crap are midless sheep. Your disease isn't Cubfandom, it is stupidity. If it wasn't for you morons the Cubs might actually have to earn their fan base with performance like most teams.

Find something important in this life to care about before it is too late, wastoids. Read books. Talk to your children. Walk in the park. Go fishing. Go to a Minor league game. Heck, go to a little league game. Something; anything. Where's the sanity in caring so much about a team and its players who wouldn't blink if you died tomorrow...

Burn down Wrigley Field! The Cubs have a curse alright, and isn't a flea bag goat or a nerd wearing headphones in the left field stands. Tradition, my foot. Nothing good ever happened there. It is little more than an overpriced tourist attraction.

You self professed die hards who shell out $50 plus a seat for this crap are midless sheep. Your disease isn't Cubfandom, it is stupidity. If it wasn't for you morons the Cubs might actually have to earn their fan base with performance like most teams.

Find something important in this life to care about before it is too late, wastoids. Read books. Talk to your children. Walk in the park. Go fishing. Go to a Minor league game. Heck, go to a little league game. Something; anything. Where's the sanity in caring so much about a team and its players who wouldn't blink if you died tomorrow...

Cubs will always break your heart.You could pay these losers 300 mill a year each & they'll never get it through the thick heads they've got!Continued poor fundamentals. Speaking of mental? Barrett the catcher who is best known for cheap shot on AJ ,can't field his position, runs the bases like he's playing in a neighborhood wiffle ball game & not exactly a great hitter. Jacque Jones another missing in action ball player. One dinger & its june, can't field a lick either!The bullpen ? Its just a good thing a fire house is close by the bullpen with all the gas can acts coming out of it! Eyre the biggest inferno of all! Cubs need to rid themselves of the players who don't play smart or produce at all. Jones,Barrett & Eyre must go now with others soon to follow. Hendry & Rothschild two leftovers who aren't doing job either . Sox are a bad club too , but the cubs are just a lazy dumb ball club period!You can see how they go about things on field! Never seen a team play so dumb . But they have brass in front office who pay them big bucks for stupid baseball. Doesn't say much about front office either.

As mentioned in prior posts, the time has come when any hope that in the lousy division the Cubs are in they can maybe win, is gone. Watching Lou Pinella every day is like waiting for Mt. St. Helen's to blow. I wonder what's worse as a manager type, the toothpick chewing dolt who managed the last few years, or a stressed out, ready to blow, unhappy, disgusted (for good reason), tense, walking time bomb. The team is awful. Like they've been the last few years. Chronic sputtering or nonexistent offense (Soriano where are you?), mediocre starting pitching and a horrendous relief staff. 300 million dollars hasn't done the job. Lou Pinella is not Moses. Frankly, I don't know what the answer is. It's time to boo the team off the field. Lovable losers they ain't.

Don't lament your Cubbies. As a lifetime Sox fan, we have been the ugly stepchild to the Cubs for as long as I can remember. Imagine playing years of quality ball only to host a modest amount of fans. Imagine actually winning a championship and still not being the top draw in your city. Imagine being a second fiddle to a Drunken Disney machine. But I still love the Sox. Nothing wrong with loving your team. Its a matter of taste. Some folks like the color blue and some like black. I am actually a Sox fan that doesn't mind if the Cubs win. I root for all things Chicago. But Sox first when it comes to baseball. The only exception I could possible take with Cubs fans, is those who love BASEBALL first. Those guys should be Sox fans.

They said Steve Stone and Chip Caray were wrong in their assesment of the Cubs. Were they??? They got rid of Baker because he did not work on fundamentals. In truth the spoiled players are to blame, you can take a horse to water but you can't make him drink. Same with the Cub players, they come to the park but they don't want to play. Get rid of all of them and bring in a minor league team, at least they would be fun to watch and they would work their butts out. Oh yes their fundamentals would be better. Barret would be a hit on Friday night fights.

As to the fans on the North side, that is the only form of entertainment they have. Every other sport is on the South Side, that is South of Madison. As a Sox and baseball fan, my heart goes out to the Cub fans.

Last night was tough. As a never-say-die Cub fan, even I had trouble watching to the bitter end.In answer to the question, I'll still watch, but if things don't get better by all-star break, i'll give up on the play-offs.Zero runs with wind howling out to center! Shish!

I don't think being a Cubs fan has anything to do with Wrigley. I have been a fan for 39 years and 26 of that was in the military stationed outside of Illinois. I still love to watch them play and catch every game I can on WGN. Even after stinkers like last night's 9-0 loss and sweep by the Marlins.
I don't know why I am so loyal to them because I sure am disgusted after watching them the last three weeks. But nope, even after two first inning homers by Florida, I sat there last night hoping the bums would come back. Of course they didn't and couldn't because every single one of them is always swinging for the bleachers (Ramirez especially).
Yet, here I am thinking that they still have a decent chance and am going to hang onto that faint hope until after the All Star Break.
I guess I still believe that having proven baseball guys like Lou Pinnella and Allen Trammel will make the difference in the long run.

OK....NOW(?!) can we bring back Felix Pie from Iowa?! (i.e., the only "Cub" with a pulse.)

by the 6th inning most people have achieved their goal of getting wasted. The "fans" are mostly there just for the frat party. But the worst part is the product on the field. Year after year, it's the same thing. The Cubs are just notoriously bad - they always find a way to lose. Actually, I'm beginning to understand the amount of drinking necessary to be a Cubs fan.

Posted by: Julie B. | May 30, 2007 10:51 AM

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The above comment deserves repeating!
Ain't a darn thing I can add to it!
High Fives & Daps to Julie B.
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A bonafide "Cub Fan Revolt" is difficult to ascertain given the unique factors revolving around Cubdom. Attendance will never be an accurate barometer due to the whitewash job by marketing maven McDonaugh,attracting legions of out of town families & the 18-35 Beer guzzlers who buy into the hype of Wrigley field.

As a former season ticket holder who hasn't been back to Wrigley since they let Maddux and his Cy Young talent escape to Atlanta, I can say that I was just as guilty when it came to having a good time at the Friendly Confines.

However I also played organised ball through college & my friends & I always went to games for the joy of watching true professionals play the game. Of course that actually included some rare Cub players like Banks,Williams,Santo,Jenkins,Reuschel,Sutter,Sandberg etc. who were unfortunately surrounded by typical Cub mediocrity.

Today's average paying Wrigley fan "Appears" to lack any true ability to judge what's good and/or bad about the current crop of underachivers. As long as the feel-good buzz of "Beautiful Wrigley Field" holds sway the overpriced seats will continue to be packed and the lukewarm liquid that passes for beer will flow, much to the delight of McDonaugh & Co.

Wasn't it ironic that Bill Peterson from CSI was in attendance last night. Maybe Lou can persuade him to delve into the 100 year mystery of Cubs ineptitude.Of course his character's hard of hearing so.....

Being a Cub fan is like being addicted to a drug that will kill you ! We keep coming back for more even though its bad for us ! I've been a Cub fan for 45 years.Took numerous busses and the "L" from the southwest side to Wrigley.I live out of state and still follow them through satellite tv,internet and newspaper subscription.
The problem with this team is its culture.Its the Good Ship Lollipop.Nobody gets mad,nobody gets their uni dirty and heaven forbid a pitcher throws at at a batters head ! These guys come to the Cubs and play day games and they get home in time to watch the news and eat supper with their family.Or the flip side is that they get to Rush St. in time for Happy Hour ! Until they implode the whole thing and start all over from the top,the Good Ship Lollipop will remain the same ! the new owners need to gut the whole thing and bring in the Triple A team and start all over.Then they can do like the Sox with Disco Demolition Night.they can blow up the Good Ship Lollipop and bring in some hungry young kids ! I'd start with that DeRosa.He's another bum !

Bob

Why would we revolt? We are not a bunch of bandwagonjumping,can't post in their ownblog,whiny a** sox fans. WE ARE CUB FANS ........GO CUBBIES!! GREAT YEAR SO FAR!! THANKS FOR BEING IN CHICAGO!!! I don't drink,so up yours Julie B..

I don't see the Cubs ever fielding a strong team at Wrigley. The culture is beer, girls, people waving at the camera with cell phones glued to their ear, and "Take Me Out To The Ball Game". Until you get an owner who puts winning above the so-called Wrigley Field experience, what happens on the field will always be secondary. Lou Pinella was a huge mistake. Joe Giradi would not be wearing beads, and he would not be saying, "What can you do?"

ya'll need to look on the bright side, cubs didn't lose today! They have a one day no losing streak. That Marketing man and interim president ought to put up a sign, except he's already got writing on most everything that don't move.

Me and my cousins were talkin on the porch and decided we might as well givem a full hundred years before revolting or anything. That gives them another year or so to figure it out. If they can't win anything in a full century no sense giving them another. Look how long it took the white sox to win and they already forgot how they did it!

Besides after not winning for so long, how are they supposed to know how? The tribune only put money back in the team when they decided to sell it. Can't expect Mcdonna or henry to know how to turn things around on a dime when they don't have any idea how to do it. Henry makes bad signings after bad signings, he pays players like wood and miller millions not to play and saddles the cubs with contracts for overpaid players like jones (3yrs???), de rosa?, Soriano (eight years? Guess hendry forgot how the last few years of sosa's contract went, course the fact that soriano strikes out like sosa, don't want to move down in batting order like sosa, and is even from the same town as sosa didn't ring any bells for ol' jim.) All that tribune money must have been burning a hole in his pocket.

But he also gave Ramirez that big contract. Seemed like he overpaid for a power hitter who can't hit in the clutch with men on base, or when the pressure is on him. Now he says he wants to bat fifth, more comfortable there. Well, maybe he'd rather just sit in a comfy chair in the dugout, at least there he wouldn't make any terrible throws to first base or have to run or anything. If Dlee wasn't over there snaggin all his bad throws ramirez would have more errors than any third baseman.

Now barrett is another of henry's project players, one of them he's a hopin he'll be good type of guys he keeps signing, like de rossa, jones, floyd, murton, izturis. You know the type of player he likes, the ones he keeps overpaying for too many years. Barrett is just too big to ever be a catcher. I think he causes the cubs pitchers to lose out on strike calls because of his high stance behind the plate. He can't even frame the pitches right because he has to reach down and move his whole arm, instead of just moving his wrist and forearm a little like most catchers who play lower. He just looks like he is out of position back there and doesn't seem to have his head in the game either. Course, it could be that he just aint the sharpest tool in the shed.

Poor ol lou, he can't even rely on howry and eyre since dusty fried their arms. Well, you can bet that if lou lasts for all 3 years of his contract, then the current roster of cubs players will be mostly gone by the end of lou's time here. Henry and Mcdonna will be gone too before long, especially if the cubs keep losing and wrigley empties out. That could wind up lowering the sale price of the cubs and wrigely field by more than the tribune will want to bear. It will be harder and harder to get some buyer to overpay for the current mess of cubness unless henry buys the team...

Some Cub fans have revolted. I have not purchased tickets for 2 years and I have been a fan since the mid-1960's. One of the reasons you don't see many empty seats is the fact that since so many games sell out, you generally have to buy your tickets before the season starts - before you know how bad the team will be. Once you have paid for the tickets, you are inclined to go to the game. Before this season started, on paper, this looked like it had the potential to be a good team. (On paper, it still does.)

As a Cubs fan since 1963, it's time to "cross-over" and get rid of Wrigley Field and build a new stadium (hopefully at Clark & Addison) and start a New Era. It is time. Make it a Centennial project (100 yrs. since.. and into a new home) and bring a championship with it! The very poor home record... makes one believe in the curse.