Cubs fans, unite!

[TarHeelHawk]

You think selling out a stadium means that they are better fans? It's a small stadium in one of the largest cities in America. The fratboys need something to do over Summer Break, and the executives need off days from the Country Club..

Wrigley isn't small, it's actually pretty typical as far as ballparks in the majors go. Even most of the newer, "bigger" parks with 3 decks and luxury suites hold between 40-45K, and Wrigley's capacity is right around 42K.

If your argument is that Wrigley's dimensions make it a small ballpark, that argument is uqually false, as Wrigley is longer down the lines than any other park in the majors.

 

[Al_4_State]

I have to agree with this. It became trendy to root for the team that hadn't won it. When I was a kid, the popularity of the Cubs wasn't as large as it is now, and that was a team that hadn't won in 80 years lol.

IMO here's what happened: Sammy Sosa, Kerry Wood, and Mark Prior. The HR race, combined with the Cubs getting good increased popularity since they were on a channel widely available. Then over the past few years, they've gone Yankee-style trying to straight up buy talent to try to capitalize.

The Cubs "fans" I've come across generally know little about their team history. Many of them have told me they are only Cubs fans when they're in it, otherwise they don't watch baseball. Obviously those aren't the fans on this site, as if you're a member of this site, you're probably a big sports fan.

I've been to Wrigley. It was a good time, but the ticket prices are crazy. The Cubs have priced out real fans and substituted them with executives, tourists, and frat boys. If I lived in Chicago, I'd be more Cubs than ChiSox, but I'd only be able to afford to go to 1 or 2 games a year max.

For some reason that only works in major league baseball. If college football was that way, Jack Trice would dwarf Neyland, Happy Valley, and the Big House.

Why the hell is major league baseball the only level of any sport in America where it's cool to root for the team that keeps getting kicked in the balls?

I don't even like baseball, but it blows my mind how loyal Cubs fans are. Don't get me wrong, I respect the hell out of Cubs fans. As a Cyclone/Viking, I feel their pain. What I don't understand is how you see people who jump on the bandwagon for other sports (ie majority of Hawk fans) but cheer for the Cubs in baseball. It just seems counterintuitive. I can totally see why a Clone fan would be a Cubby. Kindred spirits, ya know. You're used to the nut kicks, and you know (via the pain you've dealt with) that the day the pain ends is going to be glorious at a level most sports fans will never understand. I just think it's weird how people who are bandwagon jumpers for every other sport cheer for the Cubs.

 

[acrozier22]

Nice to see you add something to the discussion. Now, how about we actually try to stay on topic this time? Right now, you're pretty much proving CrossCyed's point that it's the fans that cause all the hate for the Cubs.

WTF? So you can rip on a cubs fan but I can't see anything about a cardinals fan?

 

[mplscyclone]

For some reason that only works in major league baseball. If college football was that way, Jack Trice would dwarf Neyland, Happy Valley, and the Big House.

Yeah, because with baseball make up curses, and blame fans for not getting to the WS...

 

[acrozier22]

Check this also: July 2008

http://www.cyclonefanatic.com/forum/pro-sports/32139-when-cubs-win-world-series.html

Checked them both, didn't post in either one of them.

 

[guitarchitect7]

I suppose I need to add my two cents. Not because you want to hear it, but because as a Cubs fan I guess there is an obligation.

First off, the ranting is justified. This team holds one of the highest payrolls in baseball, but yet continuely fails at everything. So they went to the playoffs, but no one seemed to care to show up and play (in both years). The free agent moves, trades, etc. are rediculous and tiresome. It's like a qualification to be some idiot to take the GM job.

Yes I get tired of having to "stick" up for something that has no reason to be stuck up for, but there's also some part of me that wouldn't mind just joining in.

You ask me, the only person in that organization that is an All-Star is Jim Hendry for some how blinding everyone and figuring out how to get a contract extension and continue to hold a job.

 

[CrossCyed]

Please. Right now I'd give Wells or Lilly a better chance than Dempster. Z has just as good a chance on any given day.

You really can't handle some joking around, I guess.

Like I said, Dempster's my favorite Cub.

 

[mplscyclone]

Wrigley isn't small, it's actually pretty typical as far as ballparks in the majors go. Even most of the newer, "bigger" parks with 3 decks and luxury suites hold between 40-45K, and Wrigley's capacity is right around 42K.

If your argument is that Wrigley's dimensions make it a small ballpark, that argument is uqually false, as Wrigley is longer down the lines than any other park in the majors.

Wrigley is the 8th smallest ball park capacity-wise.. IIRC. I believe it's at about 41,100 or so.

 

[mplscyclone]

Checked them both, didn't post in either one of them.

Congrats. But when people are starting to talk WS in July, they set themselves up. Hopefully those threads have shown you why non Cub fans get annoyed.

 

[Seth]

WTF? So you can rip on a cubs fan but I can't see anything about a cardinals fan?

Not what I was getting at. Let me try again by setting up the scenario:

You're at a Cubs game, they're playing Milwaukee in Chicago. Some guy is decked out from head to toe in Cards or White Sox gear, and he's spouting off about how much the Cubs suck and this year his team is going to win it all. You mean to tell me you wouldn't think he was a d-bag???

I told a little story about one such guy. At that game, there were at least a dozen other Cub fans I saw walking around that were just like him. My story was just about the one who was sitting right in front of me. Your picture didn't add to the conversation at all.

I wouldn't be surprised if there were Cubs fans on this board who smiled when they read my story. In fact, I bet there are guys on here who think that guy was just representing his team. That, to me, is just sad. I think it's that a lot of Cubs fans I've run into over the years just don't have any respect for any other fanbase. It's hard to be respected when you don't respect another team, especially in their house.

 

[TarHeelHawk]

Yeah, because with baseball make up curses, and blame fans for not getting to the WS...

What in the hell are you talking about? The media-created and driven Curse of the Billy Goat, or Steve Bartman?

You know what you could talk about, and is the real reason the Cubs lost game 6 in 2003? Alex Gonzalaz, who booted a sure double play ball after the Bartman play.

But I guess it's a whole lot easier to run smack about so called curses and other such nonsense. You should work for the Sun-Times.

 

[michaelrr1]

Please prove to me that I celebrated anything more than a central division championship. Look back through the post and find one.

Not you specifically, but many Cubs fans were annoying as hell last year during the regular season. And then the playoffs came and made the whole season worth putting up with it.

 

[TarHeelHawk]

Not you specifically, but many Cubs fans were annoying as hell last year during the regular season. And then the playoffs came and made the whole season worth putting up with it.

They were the best team in the league last year, the optimism was warranted.

I'll bet optimism is running pretty high in LA right now. I wonder why?

 

[mplscyclone]

What in the hell are you talking about? The media-created and driven Curse of the Billy Goat, or Steve Bartman?

You know what you could talk about, and is the real reason the Cubs lost game 6 in 2003? Alex Gonzalaz, who booted a sure double play ball after the Bartman play.

But I guess it's a whole lot easier to run smack about so called curses and other such nonsense. You should work for the Sun-Times.

I don't believe those things. But when Bartman can't show his face in public for years, then it's pretty clear many Cubs fans buy into it.

My point is that in College Football we blame players and coaches for losing. With a team like the Cubs, there is a large part of the fanbase that buys into the media BS.

 

[Bobber]

Not you specifically, but many Cubs fans were annoying as hell last year during the regular season. And then the playoffs came and made the whole season worth putting up with it.

I suspect the Big Red Machine's fans were that way back in the 70's. Those were some pretty fun teams. Pete Rose was a lot of fun to watch.

 

[TarHeelHawk]

I don't believe those things. But when Bartman can't show his face in public for years, then it's pretty clear many Cubs fans buy into it.

My point is that in College Football we blame players and coaches for losing. With a team like the Cubs, there is a large part of the fanbase that buys into the media BS.

No there isn't. Most of the baseball fans on this board are Cubs fans, and I can't recall one time in my time here that I've seen any mention of this curse. It's a crutch that's used by lazy members of the media and uneducated baseball fans.

 

[michaelrr1]

I suspect the Big Red Machine's fans were that way back in the 70's. Those were some pretty fun teams. Pete Rose was a lot of fun to watch.

In the case of that team, fans could be confident when the team backed it up on the field when games counted the most. I'm too young to remember those teams, so I didn't get to enjoy the dynasty. Started following the Reds in '84 when Pete returned as the player/manager.

 

[Bobber]

In the case of that team, fans could be confident when the team backed it up on the field when games counted the most. I'm too young to remember those teams, so I didn't get to enjoy the dynasty. Started following the Reds in '84 when Pete returned as the player/manager.

No no. They were most certainly prematurly celebrating.

 

[acrozier22]

Not what I was getting at. Let me try again by setting up the scenario:

You're at a Cubs game, they're playing Milwaukee in Chicago. Some guy is decked out from head to toe in Cards or White Sox gear, and he's spouting off about how much the Cubs suck and this year his team is going to win it all. You mean to tell me you wouldn't think he was a d-bag???

I told a little story about one such guy. At that game, there were at least a dozen other Cub fans I saw walking around that were just like him. My story was just about the one who was sitting right in front of me. Your picture didn't add to the conversation at all.

I wouldn't be surprised if there were Cubs fans on this board who smiled when they read my story. In fact, I bet there are guys on here who think that guy was just representing his team. That, to me, is just sad. I think it's that a lot of Cubs fans I've run into over the years just don't have any respect for any other fanbase. It's hard to be respected when you don't respect another team, especially in their house.

I have seen cardinal fans at Wrigley when the cubs are not playing them too. It's pretty common. I do think they are d-bags mostly because they are cardinal fans. Actually I have seen cub fans pelt one cardinal fan with ice during a game. I thought that was pretty cruel but I have seen worse done to opposing fans in other ballparks.

I have ran into a lot cardinal fans that can't spell St. Louis, yet I don't stereotype their whole fan base as ********. Wait...yes I do. :biglaugh:

 

[superdorf]

I was 8 or 9, I can't remember. I'm sure my dad does. My brother and I were both decked out in our white pinstripe full Cub uniforms for our trip to Wrigley for a Saturday afternoon game (before lights, obviously), I was wandering the stadium before the game when the national anthem was sung.

I stopped as I knew I should to salute our country, and as I stood there WGN cut to a scene of me, being respectful to the USA, standing at attention, with my Cubs at still atop my head... Whoops.

I will never forget that. I don't remember who we played, or if we won or lost.

I just know that watching the Cubs in Wrigley field on a sunny day is one of my favorite things to do.