Bear down, Chicago: Baseball's over

You mean the sox season is over don't you? The cubs still have a chance, even if sox fans don't like to admit it. Newspaper editors should at least try to take a balanced view, good ones do anyway.

Guess Kenny's big deals for Peavy and Rios just backfired on him didnt they? All that money down the drain. Oh well, at least the sox fans can follow the bears.

Go Cubs!

The Cubs went from being poised to step up and take over the division in early August to nowheresville by the end of the month. The 'soft' schedule didn't help. Losing 2 out of three at home to Washington, set the tone. This team was never that good this year. On paper, maybe. Not on the field. What are my thoughts about another also ran season for the Cubs? I'm disappointed, again, for the 49th season I've been a Cubs fan. It's time to clear out this underpeforming team with its overpaid superstars and start anew. As Ed Sullivan used to say after an act that bombed and before introducing the next one "It's time to clear the decks".

The Dodgers trading for Thome is puzzling, unless they plan to package him in a trade to an American League team for a player that would be more useful to them. I just don't see him getting many at bats in the NL, and I think that at his age it would be hard to come off the bench ice cold, to pinch hit. Especially if he has to sit for a week between appearances. Too bad he wasn't able to get a World Series ring with the Sox. Perhaps he'll strike gold in L.A.
Who knows?

Best of luck to both Jim and Carlos. I liked both of them.

Go Bears!

Good for Gentleman Jim. I hope he gets his ring, along with his 2,306 strikeouts.

I hope the Rockies have a translator for Grandpa Jose. The fact that someone wanted him is amazing.

I think Kenny made the trade for Peavy, and the Rios acquisition, knowing that the Sox were done in 09. Call me stupid but that's what I think.

The worst part for me is watching the Twins beat the Sox in that thing with the roof made out of a tampon wrapper. I hate the Twins, I hate them for all time, I hate them like I hate the Taliban, like Glenn Beck hates Obama. I hate them.

Well I've never eally been a Sox fan, although I did pull for them in 2005 mainly because at the time I lived in Niagara Falls surrounded by Yankee fans (the most obnoxiuos people in the world) and loved rubbing it in their face.
While I was up in the Chi-town area the last two weeks of August I did however hear a new twist on the Cubs 100+ years woes. A man called into WGN radio after one of the Cub games and and claimed that the site Wrigley Field is built on was once a seminary with a cemetary on the grounds and it's not the goat curse that plagues them but the ghosts of former Catholic priests, so it's apparently the hand of God raining down on the Cubs or a Catholic conspiracy involving the Pope himself. After having read "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels And Demons" I'm ready to buy into that theory. LMAO
In any case as Stu points out only 13 days 'til the Bears opener and I'll add only 60 'til the Bulls opener.

I'll admit, a 300 pound catcher,dismal inconsistency from
the offense, and a starting rotation of 3 inning guys makes it
harder for even an unwavering optimistic fan such as myself-to
spout our usual "there is always next year." However, in the grand
vision of it all, the Cubs demise really began when they couldn't
nail down the Brian Roberts trade so many moons ago. If that would
have occured, then there would have been no grandeur illusions about
Aaron Miles, and Mike Fontenot would still be thought of highly
as a pesky part time player. Also, there would have been absolutely
no salary room to sign Milton Bradley. Instead,emotions over ruled, and the Cubs kept Mark Derosa, who was gonna leave anyway.
In the end, the Cubs season is only going to be 3 games less than
the last two years. Is it really that much of a disappointment? Last
year was more concerning. Can't wait till next year. Just don't try to bring Kerry Wood back. Now.............GOOOOOOOOOOOO BEARSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

All hands on deck, all hands on deck!!! Tie the mast, button down the hatch, heave the weight, lower the lifeboats, women and children first........

Bummer!

I'm trying to return to the attitude I had a while back about this season being a transitional season for the Sox. If I could, I'd be fine with this 2009 Campaign. However, the way they did it leaves me with a ticked off feeling and maybe a little less excited about the future (I think that latter sentiment will change with time.)

It's truly a nice red carpet touch Kenny is giving Jim Thome. He has a legit chance to win a World Series and probably his last. Even though it's a head-scratcher that any National League team would want him on their roster, I wish Gentleman Jim all the best.

Just for kicks, I did a little research on the players that Kenny received. Rather ironically, we didn't receive much with Fuller for Thome, but Brandon Hynick? Surprisingly, he might be in the mix as a legit fifth starter next year! He even pitched a shortened seven-inning perfect game! Getting anybody for Contreras is a minor heist for the Sox.

I will not turn off the lights until the math plays itself out. Not over for the Cubs or Sox.

Bubba's Mom - I am dying laughing! You are absolutely right about Kenny. Rios and Peavy are about next year. But if we got hot, they would have helped and still can. But if not, its on to next year. I see this as the last kick in the pants. Kenny is wheeling and dealing and hoping this team will wake up at the same time. But as a GM his moves are all sound. He has to take what he can get for some of these guys while surging teams need them.

I will miss Big-HOMEY and HORSE-Say. But its time to trim down and become the team that Ozzie wants to coach. I know people will not like it, but its time to move Kornerko also. Time to move the middle of the order slow sluggers for speed on the basepaths. JD is the last one I move - because he is still mobile, but if a deal is out there for him - pull the trigger. Thome, PK, Dye were slumping and clogging up the bases and NOT hitting for the last 3 years. No dingers or clutch hits. These last two series have shown us all we need to know. Writing was on the wall for the older guys and they did not produce. And Kenny did what was best for the future of the organization. AJ is in that group also (slow and old), but he has actually managed to IMPROVE as a catcher with his defense.

NOTE to PAX/GAR and the Bulls: Thats how you get rid of a guy. You trade him to a good situation but away from your conference - (thanking him for being a professional). And you get something for him. You do not let him go to your rival for nothing and bad mouth him.

No surprise about the Cubs, I predicted before the season started they would finish with a .500 record (of course, I thought they would still win the NL Central with that record).

Hats off to the Cardinals, who played above their heads early in the season, got their pitching rotation back from the DL, made a few key trades and never looked back.

All I can say for the Cubs and White Sox is they are damn lucky the Bears look good, because if the Bears were sucking too, the sportswriters in this town would be writing articles with extra, extra sharp pencils. Of course, if the Bears start out their season with two losses, the vitriol heaped on all three teams could be substantial.

Dang Bubba's Mom! Now that was with feeling. But I like it!

The Cubs. What can one say without being negative. I won't touch it.

My beloved White Sox! Now this is where I am angry. Something happen with the pitching and I am not sure who to blame. I mean a guy pitches a perfect game and seem like all the stars were align to win the division. But for some odd reason even Buehrle stop being effective.

Culter better be all the hype he is getting, because after a summer of foolishness, the cold winter months can bring out the ugly side of a person.

Go Bears!

I have to admit, I’m pretty disappointed that the White Sox didn’t have more fight in them this season. I’m still not writing them off this season until they’re officially eliminated in the standings, but when Kenny made those deals to acquire Peavy and Rios, that should have been a catalyst for the team to play well down the stretch. I figured at least .500 ball on this current road trip, but it’s not even close. I don’t get it, what more do you want a GM to do? Couldn’t the players see that the GM was clearly trying to go for it all this season? What happened to Buehrle after his perfect game? He had maybe 2 decent starts, but he really got rocked in most of the other starts. And then the bats collectively went into a slump again. What’s gotten into Jermaine Dye? Got depressed over the Rios acquisition? And then Rios also… got traded to a team in the playoff race and then he’s playing like he doesn’t want to be here? I guess maybe Kenny might have miscalculated on this guy because Rios is not showing any heart to the game at all. Not good right now. Blame goes on the players with this one if they can’t catch the Tigers.

As for the Cubs, these guys pretty much packed it in weeks ago. Bottom line, the culture has to change from top to bottom, from players to coaches to the GM, the scouts, the farm system and even Wrigley Field itself with the renovation plans. With new ownership in place, if these guys had enough money to buy the team and Wrigley Field in the first place, then they should have enough money to persevere an overhaul and start anew with their own visions and plans of how they want to run this baseball team. Right now, everyone on the roster should be expendable, including the coaches. Even if some guys are under bad contracts, you know what, figure out a way to eat the loss and ship out guys like Soriano, Fukudome, Zambrano, Bradley, Fontenot etc. to the American League and start all over again building the roster again with the kids like Jake Fox, Sam Fuld, Randy Wells, Carlos Marmol and acquiring fresh veteran faces who aren’t just going through the motions in a typical baseball season. One of the BIGGEST disappointments for me on the team this season is Geovany Soto, but since this is basically his only 2nd season in the bigs, I’d give him one last chance to get his act together next year. I know Derrek Lee has rebounded from a poor start to a respectable season and Aramis Ramirez still posting good numbers, but they’ve gotta go too. Like I said, this team needs a complete facelift .

Good luck to gentleman Jim Thome and thanks for the memories.

Yes indeed... GO BEARS!!!!

I saw the Sox looking at their shoes after that 2nd lose in Boston. They looked like a team that was mentally beaten and I had the fork ready right then but I was hoping that they could turn it around.
Instead they drove right off the cliff.
What a total collapse.

Thome was not going to be here next year and I would to have liked to have seen him go to a team that was a contender and he could contribute but the Dodgers?
He will be nothing but a pinch hitter there.
The Rios and Peavy moves have nothing to do with them rolling over and if anything it shows just why Kenny made the deals in the first place.
They were not good enough and now they have 2 star players in place for next year.
That is the difference between the Cubs and the Sox.
The Cubs wait till next year while the Sox prepare for it.

The Cubs are done. They have been done for at least a couple of weeks now.
They are not going to catch the Cards and their are too many teams in front of them to make it as a wild card.
Anyone who believes that they will suddenly get hot while 4 or 5 other teams all get cold at the same time is dreaming and needs to face the truth.

It is time for football!

Edgar - awesome post! Fair and balanced.

Tim - Congrats while I am at it!

I would also like to bring up the production at the bottom of our line-up that provided such a lift for the Sox. Those guys were terrific and was truly the wind beneath our sails. Podsednick has made some errors, but due has been "intense". I hope the Sox find a spark from hear on out. Those guys have played their hearts out. Tip your hat to the Tigers and Twinkies. They as TEAMS, want it more.

Cubs still have the horses. I say try it again one more year. They have to find out which team they have: 08 team or the 09 team.

Thank goodness Bear football is about to start. Watching the Cub games is so depressing at times,one wonders if they will ever get into a World Series, let alone win one.I still have not given up hope for them, but must admit that that hope is hanging by a decidedly slim thread.The Bears, on the other hand, look pretty solid, but are in a tough division. Minnesota and Green bay both look pretty darned good. Unlike sports writers,I see Favre's addition as a hindrance, not a help. I suspect he will not last long and will decide to re-re-retire after about four or five games. Then the Vikings will be really hard to beat.
Good point by Keith about the Cubs still having enough talent to give it a solid hot again next year. As I said though, I still have not written off this year and I will certainly continue to watch the games, even though doing so is too often painful lately.
Stu responds: Paul, if the Cubs had swept the Mets like they should have and if they were playing solid baseball, I might say they still had a shot. But Zambrano still isn't right and the clutch hitting has been absent all season. If they were trailing just one team by six games, they might have slim hopes, but you can't expect both the Rockies and the Giants to blow a six-game advantage (not to mention the Braves and the Marlins, whom the Cubs also trail). Wait till next year...

The Cubs realistically are done for the year, there are to many teams with better records fighting for the wild card spot. I dont see all of them falling apart and the chubs finding some magic. The Sox have a slightly better chance, now IF they can only score more than 2-3 runs a game and the bullpen get better. Too bad they couldnt deal Linebrink. Thank goodness we have the Bears to look forward to..........
Stu responds: Yeah, you could argue that losing Thome doesn't necessarily lessen the Sox' chances because they have so many other guys who can DH. But the message sent by the move — and the fact the Sox were shopping their other veterans — is that this season is over (and the way they've been playing on this road trip, maybe that was obvious already).

Watching the White Sox these past three or four weeks has been like watching a spider struggle to get out of the toilet bowl. Every time you think they're close, they fall down again. As a Sox fan it is extremely frustrating. You turn on the game. You see runners at first and second with no outs. You get up to take a pee or get a beer, you come back just in time to see someone pop out to the infield with the runners not even moving up a base! I don't know what the record for most runners stranded in a season (or lowest team RISP batting average) but I'm sure the Sox will set the record this year.

The Cubs were beset by key injuries, and if they had avoided some of those they might be in better position for the postseason. However, going 3-3 against the Nationals and Mets tells you all you need to know about the Cubs, mainly that they (as they are currently constituted) cannot handle the pressure that comes when trying to erase a century of futility. Someone posted that it's time to start over with the Cubs and I fully agree.

BEARS TALK: The Bears will go 9-7 and finish second or third in the division, and everyone will stop dangling from Cutler's teabags. Face it: The D-line, secondary and wide receiving corps are not good enough, and the O-line is fading fast. Time to invest in the Blackhawks, people.

Thanks Keith, but I just have to disagree with you on the Cubs and trying again one more year. Hendry and the Cubs have already tried banking the payroll on high priced players and even an expensive and experienced manager and assistant in Piniella and Trammell in the last several years and it still didn't work getting the team out of the playoffs first round. Now is the perfect time to make changes all across the board while new ownership is in place. If you're going to change ownership, then change everything else along with it. It's stupid to try one more time. When will that slogan ever end with this team? Draw the line somewhere and stop the bleeding and the drama already. New ownership, new faces required. The fans will always come, so the profits will never turn into losses. NEVER, especially not with this cash cow of a sports franchise. I swear, if more than half of the personnel are still with this team by next season, then these new owners are no better than the previous guys.

I agree with what you are saying Edgar.
Yes they need to eat some of the contracts that have but they will have to get some young talent in return.
The players that you mentioned are not kids.
Marmol, Fox and Wells will all be 28 next year and Fuld will be 29.
You don’t start rebuilding a team from the bottom up with a bunch of players that are already pushing 30.
Soto will be 27 next year and he is the youngest player on the roster.
Not good.
The farm system is threadbare as well so they are going to have to really work out some deals for new blood because they have none right now.

The Cubs really need to purge this team and its way of doing things and that includes the fans.
They are going to have to change their mind set and the way they view this team and baseball in general. It is not supposed to be all about getting as intoxicated as possible, acting like a jerk and making parents think twice about taking their kids to a game and subjecting them to this stuff.
The Cubs should make it clear that those types are no longer welcome.
I would throw Wrigley Field in the mix as well because a renovation is just going to mask the problems that have existed for a long time and it is just prolonging the inevitable.
Why throw hundreds of millions of dollars into a full blow renovation when you are going to have to build a ballpark eventually?
It has to happen.
There is no valid reason for a professional baseball team to be playing in a 100-year-old stadium. The Red Sox owners know the writing is on the wall too but that is their problem to deal with.

This is a team that is best know for losing and 100 years of futility.
Why would anyone want to identify with that for even one more year?
Change the culture or milk it another 20 years while you laugh all the way to the bank.
I would hope that the real Cub fans would prefer an owner who finally rights this ship and builds a real contender instead of more smoke and mirrors and drunken sing-alongs.

I said it since day 1. Hendry made this team WORSE with his acquisitions. I never liked them and thought this team just needed a guy who would perform well in the playoffs(Manny), not these horrible moves. What in the world are we going to do with "Sorryano"? What are we going to do with Bradely? Fontenot? That horrible excuse of a closer? Hendry SHOULD NOT be able to keep his job any longer. Pinella wasn't what he was touted to be. Dusty brought a WS closer to the Cubs than Pinella has.

Man, I hope the Bears make it to the playoffs and possibly a SB this year. I need it.

To all my fellow Cubs/Sox fans, our baseball teams suck, so let's all scream:

GO BEARS!!!!!!

A sports franchise like the Cubs is built and maintained by die-hards who haven't enough sense to know when it's over. This foolishness only perpetuates the problem, and allows management the luxury of making the same mistakes year after year, millennium after millennium.

Management knows full well that the seats will be packed, and that the games will also be watched religiously on television, regardless of the product they put on the field.

Meanwhile ... except for Keith (who simply doesn't know any better and would rather play with his abacus) most logical Sox fans realize that the season is over with, and I'm sure that Kenny is prepared for a precipitous decline in attendance as a result. Sox fans are known to use their pocketbooks to voice their displeasure with an underperforming, inferior team.

And that is why the Sox will be back strong next year. They can't afford not to.

Cub fans should get a clue, and do likewise.

White Sox magic number: 2010
Cubs magic number: When Hell freezes over.

Jason says "Watching the White Sox these past three or four weeks has been like watching a spider struggle to get out of the toilet bowl. Every time you think they're close, they fall down again."

Jason, that's vintage! LOL! I like the rest of your post as well...nice insight and good writing. Please keep posting.

Phil, I'm not saying build around those kids as if they are future franchise players, but they gotta start over somewhere. Fox, Fuld and Wells certainly weren't the problems this season, but at least Fox gives you a power bat and Fuld speed and defense. They can be good pieces to rebuild with, that's all I'm saying. Why not just bring up Josh Vitters already and let him develop at the Major League level? Why continue to pamper him in the Minors? I already don't trust the Cubs' Farm system in developing their kids properly. What the heck happened to Tyler Colvin, Andrew Cashner, Brett Jackson, Mark Pawelek, Ryan Harvey... all busts still in Single A ball? When is the last time the Cubs have ever drafted a 1st Round player and brought him up to the Major League level in less than 2 years and made an immediate impact? For the life of me, I can't think of anyone off the top of my head and I've been following this team for over 30 years already. Shawon Dunston maybe? Mike Harkey? If someone brings up Jeff Samardzjia, well, you know what, he wasn't a 1st round draft pick and besides, he's still not ready and he was clearly rushed to the Majors. Try again. Oh wait, I almost forgot... of course, Mark Prior, but that's only ONE guy from all those high Cubs draft picks who have made an immediate impact on the team. That is a recipe for DISASTER if the high priced veterans don't come through and bingo, that's where we are with this team. Otherwise, these Cubs scouts and the development staff stinks. The Ricketts family have to clean this out. This is one example of what I was talking about. Eat half of the Soriano contract and trade him away for prospects or draft picks, something like that, but figure something out! It's not impossible. Soriano and Bradley might have some value back in the American League with the DH or whatever, but regardless, the Ricketts are going to have to eat a portion of their contracts for them to go away. For true trade value, that's where you go with Ramirez and Lee. As respected playes as they are, it's time to let it go. I'm telling you, if the Ricketts don't make big changes all across the board, it's going to get ugly first before it gets any better with the Cubs. Bring in "baseball" guys like what the Blackhawks did with the "hockey" guys like Scotty Bowman.

No I am agreeing with you Edgar.
I was only pointing out that even their "young" players are not so young and they are in trouble if they do not rethink the way they are running this team.
I also agree about Josh Vitters.
Are they going to wait till he is 28 years old too?
They have to purge this roster and remake the Cubs into a real baseball first organization.
Tell the fans that this is it and in the long run this is going to be what you really want if you are a fan of the game.

Bringing up the way the Blackhawks have turned their team around is the right thing.
That is how you change your culture and build a team and they were all but dead in this town.
If some Cub fans cry and scream about the new direction then they never cared about the baseball anyway and you don't need them.
Let them go play paintball or some other frat boy activity.
Their drunken obnoxious act have given them a black eye anyway and you can replace those fools with new young fans who do not have to feel scared to be at a ballgame.

The Rich Harden deal last year still looks bad. Zambrano losing all that weight screwed up his back, still if we had a place for him to bat more often, we could use a few more home runs. Money spent on Gregg...pffffft. Said before need a new pitching coach and get rid of Jim Hinderance..err...Hendry. We didn't keep a pitcher like Jason Marquis because the Cubs couldn't afford to buy more baseballs...giving up home runs in Wrigley...even Maddux used to once in awhile. Picked up pitching from the Pirates for WHY? So we couldn't rush A-Ball and AA-Ball players up to the Cubs because Felix Pie is loving it in Baltimore. Mark DeRosa, Theriot, Fontenot..the scrappy-ness is missing from this team, Milton Bradley just the scrappy mouth. This team needs to be loose and have some fun, and make a run at the wild card. Roy Halladay could have helped this team, but with new ownership and an always great place to get a tan; were we to believe this would be a miracle year with anything more than another teaser of a team early and the recyclable Marlins have a better record than the Cubs? Anybody got a breath mint?

Jim Thome...we could have used another lefty pinch hitter on the north side.

"Let them go play paintball or some other frat boy activity.
Their drunken obnoxious act have given them a black eye anyway and you can replace those fools with new young fans who do not have to feel scared to be at a ballgame."

Sorry Phil, but the pool of young, trust fund babies is shrinking faster than the Cubs chances of ever reaching a World Series in this century, and trust fund babies will be about the only ones able to afford tickets to a Major League game in the near future.

They'd better stick with the drunken frat boys. At least daddy can afford season tickets.

Go Bears!

Villano - last night I violently kicked my abacus over on the floor! Shattered into a million colorful pieces are my dreams of postseason fireworks and celebrations of black and white and silver. With every loss a peiece of hope dies in me. And I am tormented with fear by the thought of drawing inevitably closer to the cold of winter, the shortening of daylight and the frightening inevitability of the Bulls 2010 campaign. Let me eat tears for meat while my heart gathers its strength. And tonight as I search aimlessly across the floor and underneath my couch for the peices for what is left of my Sox season, remember me in my Spring. LOL!!!!!!!!

I agree with a lot of what's been said already. The Cubs have to start from scratch, gut the team and start building a winning organization. So it takes another 5 years? Get rid of all the deadwood that like an anchor has held this team down. Get hungry kids out there to join the 4 or 5 players who are currently on the roster and deserve to stay. Build a new stadium, get rid of the 7th inning 'Take Me Out To The Ballgame' crapola. They should be singing instead the hymn the band on the Titanic played as they went down with the ship. Get a new manager and GM. Give the pink slips to Miltie, Sorriano, Zambrano, Fukudome, and Gregg for a job not well done.

"Offensive FREEZE Enters Third Week; No RELIEF In Sight"

Peavy-Rios my dairy air!

Snake-eyes!

Ahhh, the Cubbies. Where does one start with this franchise of futility? Hmmmm... let's see... how about accountability... or lack of it?

No one held the Cubs accountable, individually or as a team, all season long.

No one stood up to Zambrano.
No one challenged Soriano or Fukudome or Bradley.

Why I remember back in May when the Cubs were struggling and D Lee said something along the lines of it being early in the season and with plenty of games to play, the Cubs would turn it around. I thought that comment said a lot about this team (and D. Lee).

Then I witnessed this ho-hum attitude first hand. I went to a game when Houston last visited Wrigley. C Lee hit a deep drive to left center that Fukudome caught before crashing into the ivy. It was a very good play.

Soriano, who was playing left, never moved. Not a single step. He stood there and watched.

At the end of the inning, I followed Soriano to the dugout. Not a single coach met him at the top step or appeared to say anything to him. Or any of his teammates.

For me, that said it all about the Cubs.

If you don't demand that your "stars" play hard, fundamentally sound baseball, the rest of the team is quick to follow.

Lou managed all season as if all he had to do was throw the balls out onto the field and "his boys" (including that left-handed bat that was so critical to success in 2009) would win.

Instead, the team left its sense of urgency and competitiveness at the top step of the dugout.

Sure the fans were all fired up for a Season That Could Have Been, but hey, it's Wrigley and the fun in the stands takes precedent over the play on the field.

Heck, even Zambrano practiced singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame, probably in hopes of one day being asked up to the booth with Len and Bob to handle the 7th Inning stretch.

No doubt, if this ever happens, Zambrano will consider it the highlight of his baseball career.

That is so Cub-like.

I think what's really sad is when a Cardinals fan talking so much trash and rehashing the same old Cubs rants over and over again as if most of us didn't already know what's going on with our own teams when their own hometown team haven't even won a playoff series yet. Seedy, your "invincible Cards" team haven't won jack yet this season and they've got their hands full against the Dodgers and Phillies in the NL Playoffs. I'd be more concerned about backing that up than before you continue the Cubs comedy act that no one laughs at.

Cardinal fans have plenty to back up their talk.
They are 2nd only to the Yankees in championships with the last coming in 2006.
They have gone to the World Series 17 times and won 10 of them.
They may not have won a playoff series yet but they sure ran away with the division and they did it with a payroll that is 57 million dollars less than the Cubs.
Better to think about who you will face in the post season then to be out of it at the end of August again.

Cub fans love to throw out attendance figures since they have not won a championship in 100 years.
The Cardinals are going to draw more fans than the Cubs this season.
Just like they did in 2008.
And 2007.
And 2006.
And 2005.
Moving to a new ballpark has not hurt their attendance figures because they go to see baseball in St. Louis.
It is all about the game and now they can watch it in a beautiful new stadium.
They do not rely on tourists to inflate their attendance and they do not buy a ticket to cheer for their stadium.
They don’t sell cute and they don’t keep their fans doped with promises, goat curses and beer.
What is there to bash about the Cardinals?
This is what you should want the Cubs to be.

Let’s be honest here.
Cub fans can only wish that they had half the history that the Cardinals have.
The only reason there is any rivalry between the two teams is because of location since there has never been any real on the field competition.
By the way… Harry Caray did the Cardinals games for 25 years.
He was born in St. Louis.
The Cubs had the washed up, drunken, not paying attention to the game version of Harry and that is why he fit in at Wrigley Field.
Stu responds: You make a good argument, Phil. I still marvel at the fact that the Cardinals already have won a World Series in their new ballpark (which opened in 2006), while the Cubs still have yet to win one while playing in Wrigley Field. That fact alone makes it mighty tough for Cubs fans to diss the Cardinals.

Yo Phil!

I think Edgar just wants to be alone with his sorrows. He doesn't believe in that old saw, "Misery loves company.".

What he fails to understand is that we don't really want to share his sorrow ... we just want to taunt him.

I know it's kinda sick, like pulling the wings off a fly; but hey ... it's all we've got.

At least the Cubs provide MLB with a little comic relief.

Edgar --

Those who ignore history are bound to repeat it. The Cubs have for 101 years -- soon to be 102.

Btw, in my lifetime, the Cards have won 4 World Series and played in 8.

They are the most successful franchise in the NL.

In your lifetime, Edgar, how many World Series have the Cubs won in your lifetime? Played in?

I will sit down and wait for my answer.

To answer your question, Seedy... NONE. Oviously. As for played in, I don't know and I'm not about to waste my time to google it or waste my time researching a baseball almanac like some baseball geek. I don't live in the past like obviously some of you guys apparently continue to relish in. Like I said earlier, your Cards team has NOT WON JACK YET THIS SEASON! No one in Chicago cares about the Cards in 2006 and I'm telling you right now, if your Cards team fails to win it all this year with that stacked lineup and the renewed pitching led by Carpenter, it will be a CHOKE job. We'll see who's laughing in the end.

Edgar - that took some heart man. LaRussa is a beast. As a Whitesox fan, I have a natural Cardinals connection. Its also the place that Beurle is from and wants to pitch for one day. Cubs have the 3rd highest payroll in the game and a lineup just as stacked. Cubs choked.

Better to have played and choked in October than to not have played at all.

Btw, the Cardinals have exceeded preseason expectations, so if they make the playoffs, that's just icing on the cake. When they make the WS, that will be another layer of icing.

I know you hate history, Edgar, but here's a little recent history... the Cardinals started the season with a crappy lineup and Carpenter on the DL. Somehow they kept hanging around the top of the Division. Once they got healthy and made some good acquisitions, they took off.

Don't hate the Cardinals for making good mid-season acquisitions (acquisitions who have produced).

That's just good baseball.

With all due respect, I disagree with you Seedy. I think it's better not to be in the playoffs at all than tearing out the hearts of every fan (without anasthesia) by choking every time they're in the post season. My quote on the Cubs would be "Never have so many, been paid so much, to accomplish so little". The Cardinals did everything right this year, the Cubs were the Bizarro version of them.

Seedy, that's the thing, I don't "hate" the Cardinals baseball team! I just don't go around different sports blogs from other cities trashing around their baseball teams acting like some know-it-all who thinks they know everything about what's going on with other struggling teams. You said before you only enjoy doing this to Cubs fans because it's crazy "fun" going back-and-forth with the rants to rival teams. Fine, have your "fun" then, but at least show some class. Maybe some idiot Cubs fans from other blogs or radio talk shows have heckled your Cards team all season long, but no one die hard Cubs fan here in FCP land called out Cards fans once this season. Maybe the classless GoCubsGo blogger to the White Sox folks, but not one to a Cardinals guy. For me, I've only responded to your posts. Now if you want a real sports cliche, here's one for you: "NO ONE EVER REMEMBERS WHO COMES IN SECOND PLACE." Moral victories don't count, Seedy. I'm sure you already know that. Good for you guys on the mid-season acquisitions, but that makes it all the higher expectations for your Cards team to win it all. If they don't, it's a choke job, simple as that.

And yes, Keith, Cubs choked this season. I never said they didn't and I've already suggested that they do a complete overhaul along with the new ownership transition. Those are my opinions which have nothing to do with feeling sad or making excuses. It is what it is. Spare me the drama when it comes to sports. You already know that I'm more about "business" than the sentimental side of sports discussions.

Wow, so I can't post anything about the Cubs unless I'm a true blue believer?

I just thought the Cubs would benefit from my witty repartee about how they could improve the team. And by drawing comparisons to the Cards, well, my banter showcased real-life examples of how another team has succeeded.

I guess that was wrong minded.

Oh well, I promise not to offer any more insights into the Cubs until next season. And should the Cards fall in the playoffs, consider this your "Have a Rant on Me" card (similar to a Get Out of Jail Free card). You can post to your heart's content about how the Cards' choked in the playoffs (even though they will have exceeded preseason expectations).

And just so you know, I'm not a "know it all", but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night.

;-)

Now you're just acting like a smart-a$$, Seedy. As usual, you're not getting it. No need to rant on your Cards should they fall in the playoffs because I don't even care if they win it all or if they choke in the playoffs. Ultimately, either way will speak for itself. All I said from the very beginning was if you're gonna talk trash or "poke fun" at a team, back it up. In this case, most Cubs fans have already acknowledged that the season was done weeks ago, yet you continued to rub it in with your winning Cards team like a sore winner, but hey, news flash!, the Cards haven't won anything yet! So please, stop the innocent act with the "oh, I can't post anything I want unless I'm true blue Cub?" crap and setting yourself up now about being satisfied with the season even if the Cards don't win it all. That's lame.

But whatever, man. At least you're not as annoying on the posts as the walking contradiction known as the Hitman on the Bears topics, I'll give you that much. I'm done talking about baseball until the Winter Meetings begin where I expect (or hope) some big changes/trades/new acquisitions made with the Cubs ballclub, so don't do me any favors and eat to your heart's content if you want to continue this silly barb on Cubs vs. Cards, Seedy.

Adios....

Garry Wilbur says that it is "better not to be in the playoffs at all than tearing out the hearts of every fan"

That is loser talk right there.
That is how guys end up 40 year old virgins.
That is how Eddie Murphy goes from being funny to incredibly boring.
That is how you pass on the Beatles so you can listen to Herman's Hermits.
That is how you end up supporting a team that has not won a championship in over 100 years and you actually like it that way.

“I love losing and being a door mat”
Sad.

Good day Philtration! There's nothing more I'd like to see before I croak than the Cubs winning the World Series. Except maybe peace on Earth and a cure for cancer and all diseases. And I love the Beatles. I was tortured by my Mets fan pals here in New York after the 1969 fiasco. I had a near nervous breakdown after the 1984 choke job. I lost 5 years of my life after they choked against the Marlins. I was being facetious with my comment. I don't like it that they haven't won in my lifetime or in the life time of anyone currently walking the Earth. Enjoy the Labor Day Weekend.

Gary sez: " I don't like it that they haven't won in my lifetime or in the life time of anyone currently walking the Earth. Enjoy the Labor Day Weekend."

But like lemmings drawn to a cliff, you keep coming back for more, paying money for the privelege of being abused.

There are plenty of Cub fans who embrace and actually love the losing.
They believe that it gives them character.
They believe that it is a lot like those "Revenge of the Nerds" movies.
That the world loves a loser and will root for you to come out on top... to get the girl... to take your rightful place in the sun....

No.
The world views you as a loser and that is all.
If the Cubs actually won a World Series then you would lose your identity.
You would be just a team that sucked for a century and finally won one.
The silly buzz would be gone and you would have nothing to cling to... nothing to moan about... nothing to wallow in your self pity over.
If the Cubs won the World Series what would set you apart from the San Francisco Giants?
Other than they had enough sense to build a great new ballpark that is.

Ok Garry...
Look at it this way.
If the Beatles had stayed together all these years but were recording crappy music that was just a shadow of what they did in the 60s (Rolling Stones) would you still buy it or would you say "I liked the old stuff but they really should have called it quits back in 1972"?

The Cubs are like the Rolling Stones Garry.
They grabbed your attention back in 1969 but they have sucked for decades ever since then and now it is embarrassing.