[section9]

Firstly, as a Marlins' fan here in South Florida, I want to tell you folks how little the front-running phony fans down here deserve this.

The Marlins team, on the other hand, could have given up but didn't. I really expected them to lose last night before the Idiot Savant turned the entire game around for them. The Marlins took every advantage of the opportunities given to them and are going to play in the World Series because of it.

Watching Wrigley Field after this game was like viewing a wake. Did you notice how people didn't want to leave? That's what one idiot fan and a complete collapse of the Cubs organization in the Eighth Inning of Game Six did to that town.

They are still in shock. I knew they would be if this happened. I went to school in Chicago back in the late Seventies. The Legend of the Billygoat was alive even then. Joining that legend will be the tale of the Idiot Savant and the Eighth Inning of Game Six.

It lives on, at least for one more season. Cubs fans will teach their children of that game thirty years from now. They will tell their kids of the Idiot Savant, the Error, and then the Eight Run Nightmare by some sandlot team of journeymen from Florida. But at least the Cubbies have a heritage and history to fall back on. The Marlins? South Florida? South Florida fans? Surely you jest.

The true measure of a fan is how they support the team in Hard Times. The Cubbies and the Red Sox will always have their loyal fans, packing in Wrigley and Fenway every game. Not here. Back in May, before McKeon got hired, you could have held a drive-by shooting in the stands down at the Stadium Formerly Known As Joe Robbie. I mean, it was dead. Turnstiles would show 15,000 people in a stadium built for 75,000. In reality, perhaps seven or eight thousand showed up. Southeast Florida, like the rest of the state, is football country. The Miami Dolphins own this town, and have been a winning team year in and year out. No one wastes their time on you down here if you aren't playing for the Super Bowl or the World Series. South Florida fans do not deserve this series. The Cubs fans have deserved a trip to the Promised Land for decades, and truly deserve this journey, except for one Cubs fan, of course.

The Marlins are a young achieving team. They deserve this trip to the Series as much as the Cubs would have had Fate and Cub History not intervened. Maybe they can actually go toe-to-toe with the Yankees. One thing I can say, however. The Chicago Cubs will not come this close again for some time.

Yeah, I'm happy for my Marlins. They're my home-town team. And they'll be playing for the World Series title. But I cannot help but ache for the City of Chicago.

Be Seeing You,

Chris

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

The Cubbies and the Red Sox will always have their loyal fans, packing in Wrigley and Fenway every game.

And they go to all the Cubs (Alumni) conventions, etc. etc. My dad and mom have been tuning into the Cubs games on WGN Superstation ever since they moved to FLA to retire 20 years ago. And you'd better believe that my dad, in particular, will be rooting for the Marlins, now, against the Yankees!

[clintonh8r]

Hey, Chris, I'm in south FL too and your comments are spot on. Here's my prediction (and the reason I'm not so sure that I want to see World Champion Marlins): If they win, ownership will be using the "move the team" threat to try to blackmail local govt into paying for a new stadium, and as you know, the politicians down here are stupid enough, corrupt enough and star-struck enough to go along with it.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Excellent analysis. Good for you. We'll be pulling for the Marlins now that the Cubs (sob, sob) are out of the running!

[Paradox]

Yeah, I'm happy for my Marlins. They're my home-town team. And they'll be playing for the World Series title. But I cannot help but ache for the City of Chicago.

I Posted much the same, but not nearly as eloquently. You are right about the front running phonies down here (All Dolphins and Canes, nothing else really matters until playoff time, IF the other teams make it there..). They dont deserve this team, whereas Cubs fans are TRUE fans. Just a shame. Had the Cubs won, I was gonna root for them in the World series...

I am glad for the Marlins, but I feel badly for the Cubs fans, oh well, what can ya do.

[Burkeman1]

The Cubbies and the Red Sox will always have their loyal fans, packing in Wrigley and Fenway every game.

As a Boston fan you are right- but in a way that hurts these two franchises. Going to a Cubs or Red Sox game- no matter how they are doing- is a religion. Management knows they can make money without making the big trades or big deals for big stars. They know we will come like idiots every season. I have attended at least 3 games a year since I was ten and the worst attendance I saw was about 2/3 filled. What was done to the Marlins after their first series win must have been a real blow to the fans of a young team. More of a baseball fan myself. I like the patriots but don't follow them like I do Boston College. ACC admittance! Good news for BC. Go Eagles and Go Sox!

[David1]

You attack the Marlin fan too much. After what Wayne did to this team and the constant threat to move or contract this team, what did you expect??? You just could not feel that this would be your team much longer. You can't blame the fan too much. I certainly was extremely hurt by what stinkin Wayne did in 97. Additionally, with the continued talk that they would move or be contracted, I just could not feel like this was my team. I tried but I just couldn't. I became very afraid to fall in love back with the Marlins to only have them taken away from me by contraction or moving to nothern virginia. And I am sure I am not the only fan that felt that way. I feel now that this team is here to stay and it ain't going anywhere in a while. I also believe a new ballpark will eventually be built. You also talk about the Marlins having no tradition. Well, they finally put a team here in 93. How in the world can the Marlins match tradition with a team that is more than 100 years old??? Good for the Cubs!!! But they were also an expansion team once. Hopefully, Marlins tradition will continue to be built.