Final Score: Cubs 6, Marlins 9 [Live Thread, NLCS Game 7]

Fox Sports ^ | October 15, 2003 | Section9

[Bikers4Bush]

I think the only pathetic little angry guy is you. You just hate that anyone would differ in opinion from anything you'd say because you're so enlightened and smart.

Get back to your fruit smoothy stand, you have customers.

[Barnacle]

Personally I think it's a shame that he's in the spot he's in but he has only himself to blame for it.

Yeah. A real shame. And, I bet you’d be happy to accost him on the street…

As long as you had you friends to back you up.

[Bikers4Bush]

Actually no, I have better things to do with my time.

Besides he'll beat himself up for the rest of his life over it. Nothing anyone does or doesn't do to him will change that.

Nice picture, safe to say it's from your last family reunion?

[discostu]

Now that's a baseball team. I don't think those bats are regulation though.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

No of course you don't, because you're too self absorbed and interested in demonizing anyone who says anything about this to see the big picture.

Who's the big victim here all of a sudden? Everyone is totally feeling sorry for you being demonized.

Selfabsorbed? Talk about the Pot calling the Kettle black. I think Steve Bartman is suffering a whole lot more than you today. You are the one who not only can't deal with class and dignity about a fan's error, but can't deal with class and dignity WHEN CALLED OUT for going overboard on the poor kid.

I'm a 4th generation Cubs fan. My Great Grandfather lived on the Northside when they still toasted Tinker to Evers to Chance being the World Champs, for the 2nd year in a row. His son spent his entire life following the Cubs not long after that, only to see them never win it all during his entire lifetime, but never stopped loving them.

Outsiders making Cubs fans look hateful are embarassing.

If you are some sports gambler and that explains your bitterness...don't bet on the Cubs!

[Bikers4Bush]

And just where did I go overboard? Did I call for his head or for his house to be burned to the ground?

Nope, all I did was point out the facts and the fact that you, a supposed Cubs fan, can't see the reality of the situation is not my fault.

"Outsiders" and there we have it. The me, me, me I'm a Cubs fan and nobody else has suffered as much as my family blah blah blah BS. Get over yourself. Takes balls to call someone an outsider when you know nothing about them.

I'm not a sports gambler slick. I've never bet on sports and never intend to. I like my money in my own pocket not someone elses.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

"Outsiders" and there we have it. The me, me, me I'm a Cubs fan and nobody else has suffered as much as my family

Well to clarify...I never said you were not a Cubs fan, I said that as a Cubs fan, hatefilled jerks like you are an embarassment and a shame to people who love the Cubbies. That makes you an outsider because you just don't get it.

I'm not a sports gambler slick.

Good for you! That leaves that you are just an a$$hole.

What an honor. Should have stuck with being a wronged gambler.

[Bikers4Bush]

Testy aren't we? Sales must be down at the Smoothy stand.

Please point out for me where I was "hate filled". Is it because I hold the guy accountable for doing something he shouldn't have done especially in light of his baseball experience? If it is you should read his apology statement.

Or is it because I don't agree with you? Because at this point that's all you have left.

[Bikers4Bush]

Read it yourself. Pay specific attention to the second sentence.

"There are few words to describe how awful I feel and what I have experienced within these last 24 hours. I've been a Cubs fan all my life and fully understand the relationship between my actions and the outcome of the game. I had my eyes glued on the approaching ball the entire time and was so caught up in the moment that I did not even see Moises Alou, much less that he may have had a play. Had I thought for one second that the ball was playable or had I seen Alou approaching, I would have done whatever I could to get out of the way and give Alou a chance to make the catch. To Moises Alou, the Chicago Cubs organization, Ron Santo, Ernie Banks and Cubs fans everywhere, I am so truly sorry from the bottom of this Cubs fan's broken heart. I ask that Cubs fans everywhere redirect the negative energy that has been vented toward my family, my friends and myself into the usual positive support for our beloved team on their way to being National League champs."

[Mr. Mulliner]

Hey, lighten up. Cubs fans are looking for a scapegoat. If people are getting serious about wanting to kill him or make him pay, of course I'm not in favor of that. It's just frustrating because a responsible fan wouldn't do what he did. Before EVERY major league ball game, they make the announcement that you are NOT supposed to do what he did. Yeah, maybe there are people who would do it, but it's not right and you certainly can't say everyone or most people would do it.

And by the way, where do you get off calling me BOZO? You don't even know me and I don't appreciate you getting so riled up about it and calling me names like that.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

I think its all from me being confused that you were the one I was talking to that was wanting to break this poor guys legs etc...I looked it up and that was somebody else.

My fault.

Sorry to come down on you as being a hatemonger, I'm sure you are just very frustrated by the whole thing, but don't want to hurt the guy anymore than what fate already has. I just get irritated with some of the other people on here who think its funny to want to hurt the guy when it is certainly it not, and got confused that you were one of them.

Hopefully the Cubs can make the series next year after being a year wiser (like their manager not overusing pitchers) and that Steve Bartman and Ron Santo are still alive to see them make the Series.

[Heyworth]

You do realize that some major gambling interests lost serious money thanks to the Cubs loss and they'll be looking to hold someone accountable don't you?

Are you joking? That collapse was the greatest thing that ever happened to bookies in Chicago. How many people do you think had money on the Cubs, especially after they were up 3-1 in the series? Man, the bookies should pay for Bartman's relocation expenses.

[Bikers4Bush]

No blood, no foul. My bad for the Smoothy thing. It's something my buddies and I do to bust each others chops.

I remember seeing the broken legs thing so I know what post you're talking about.

I'm not interested in hurting the guy but I know full well that somebody will be, that's all I was trying to point out with the whole moving thing. Hell his own brother might have whooped him (aka playground justice)for what he did if the whole city wasn't already against him.

Eventually it'll all die down and as long as he doesn't go around yelling "I'm the guy" he'll be allright other than what this will do to him as a person. If he's as big a fan as they've said I doubt he'll ever forgive himself.

I'm definately frustrated, the Cubs have always been my NL team and I hate the Marlins almost as much as I hate the Yankees and Red Sox. I was looking forward to the Cubs winning it all, breaking the curse and watching those others suffer.

I blame Baker for the loss of the series anyway. His old habits are just biting different butts in a new city.

Maybe they can get Grady Little when the Red Sox don't re-hire him.

Truth be told, initially (as in during the game and shortly after) I did think the guy deserved a crack in the jaw for being a bonehead, nothing more and certainly not anything he couldn't shake off after a few minutes. However, knowing what I know about him now I can't help but feel sorry for him.

[Bikers4Bush]

The bookies weren't who I was referring to.

[section9]

The offended "gamblers" are going to be mighty upset with this kid:

"Mi Padrone, I am in need of a service....."

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[Major_Risktaker]

I posted a Cubs article from a Sport page when the Cubs beat Montreal in 1980.

from:

http://www.mob.net/~razor/cubs/pix/Cubs!.JPG

I have know idea why this is a problem.

CUBS WIN NL EAST
Chicago 1st team
to land playoff spot.

Why don't you post what the problem was and get to the point instead of posting more questions. I would like to understand what bothered you. Go private if you must but get to the point.

[Heyworth]

You said "major gambling interests." That doesn't mean rank and file bettors.

[Bikers4Bush]

It means big buck bettors. If you took it as something else ,as in bookies and organized crime, that's not who I meant.

You've got the hard core big money gamblers who lost big bucks to bookies or vegas. Guys that have problems not only with gambling but with their tempers.

[Bikers4Bush]

However if you want to look at it from that end there will be some very unhappy bookies in Fla.

[SamAdams76]

Precisely. Both Cubs and Red Sox fans would be utterly miserable if either of their myths were shattered (and they actually won). After a (very) brief euphoria, they'd quickly be sent into a severe depression. ....thinking/feeling......."what now?"

I'm not sure about that. Take the New England Patriots for instance. A franchise that was also jinked and was one of the jokes of the NFL for many years from their crappy stadium to their coaches getting electrocuted with a microphones to fans electrocuting themselves after dragging goal posts down Route 1 after one of their rare playoff victories. Made it to the Super Bowl twice only to get creamed (Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers) both times. Despite being around for barely 40 years, they developed a folklore and a penchant for losing in the most pathetic ways almost as rich as the Red Sox. I mean, we're talking about a team that was so pathetic that during two of their most successful seasons, the head coach spent the playoffs interviewing for a new job (Chuck Fairbanks in 1976 and Bill Parcells twenty years after that).

I could go on and on.

But when the Patriots finally took the Super Bowl Championship a couple of years ago, this town went wild. And none of their fans sat around afterwards depressed that the "charm" of being perpertual losers was finally lifted. Instead, expectations were raised and now when the Patriots don't make the playoffs, they are calling for somebody's head. If the Patriots don't make the playoffs this year, Belichick will be gone. Count on it.

This year's Red Sox team reminds me much of the New England Patriots of two years ago. An upstart team that came much further then they were expected. But they just have that magic about them and they find a way to win the games that they usually ended up blowing in years past.

Regardless of how the Red Sox do tonight, this season has already been a huge success and they have the ingredients in place to build a powerful team in the years ahead that will give the Yankees much trouble. In fact, don't be surprised if the Red Sox outperform the Yankees over the next decade or two. They have a young, energetic GM (Theo Epstein) who appears to have his act together. This kid (and he's still practically a kid) is experienced far beyond his years and he'll be around for a very long time. I wouldn't be surprised if he started out-Steinbrenning Steinbrenner before too long. The owners of the Red Sox are great people and really dedicated to the success of the team. I think the days of the Red Sox playing second fiddle to the Yankees are just about over.

That's not meant as a prediction of tonight's game. I think tonight's game is up for grabs. But this could well be remembered as the season that the Red Sox achieved parity with the Yankees and I get the feeling they will pull ahead next year and not look back for a long while.