To Root or Not To Root, That Is The Question

by AustinBOB on Sep 23, 2007 5:28 PM EDT

Well, although I desperately hope I'm wrong, it's looking more each day like the Cubs are going to be the lone Central Division representative in the NL playoffs this year. In a word: "Yuk!". However, I have found myself pondering a personal dillema -- is it reasonable or even possible for a diehard Cardinal fan to pull for the Cubs in the playoffs under ANY circumstance?

First and foremost, my allegiance is and always will be for the Cardinals. Next, in the absence of an outright Cardinals representation in the playoffs, I've always felt I owed allegiance to the Central Division representative (despite the intense Astros-Cards rivalry, I was pulling hard for the Astros against the ChiSox in 2005). Lastly, I am a fan of the NL over the AL as a matter of principle involving (a) the DH, and (b) the distortional amount of money thrown around by the Yankees and the Red Sox.

Honestly, I never gave much thought to my "rooting scheme" ever running into a conflict involving the Cubs. I mean, hey, they ARE the Cubs afterall, and although past performance is no indication of future performance as the investment funds say, it's hard to argue with the power of the goat. The aberration of 2003 notwithstanding, I figured that the Cubs going a long way in the NL playoffs or (God forbid) getting to the World Series was about as likely as finding a $20 bill tree growing in my backyard.

Call me crazy, but I am afraid that the Cubs (who seem to be getting both hot and lucky at the right time) might somehow get to the WS. I don't know how to resolve my dilemma under such a scenario (I really am committed to the Cards-->Central Divsion-->N.L. allegiance), and not watching the playoffs or the WS is not an option.

I was wondering what other thoughtful VEB'ers plan to do in the event of the "apocalypse".

0 recs | Comment 25 comments

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I rooted for them in 2003

Until Moises Alou started barking at Bartman and the team fell apart.

They ceased being worthy of representing the NLC after that.

by liam on Sep 23, 2007 5:21 PM EDT 0 recs

Can you arrange to give Steve Bartman tickets

to all Cubs playoff games?

by Valatan on Sep 23, 2007 5:23 PM EDT 0 recs

Interesting thought

but this approach probably constitutes a "conflict of interest" considering the power of the Bartman.

"This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains."

by AustinBOB on Sep 23, 2007 5:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'm hoping the Phillies

make the playoffs, only because they are the one team in the NL (that has a shot at the playoffs) that can outscore the Cubs in a slugfest.

The Mets might be able to beat the Cubs but their pitching has become really shakey as of late, so I really don't see the Mets as a favorite going into the playoffs.

If the Phillies don't get in, then the Cubs can go far as long as Soriano/Lee/Ramirez stay hot.
Unless they are paired up against Arizona or San Diego and their pitchers shut them down which is possible as well.

by KYCards on Sep 23, 2007 5:49 PM EDT 0 recs

But....

to answer my question, do you root for the Cubs (as the NLC representative)or not?

"This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains."

by AustinBOB on Sep 23, 2007 6:01 PM EDT up 0 recs

No I won't

I would have back in the days of Ryne Sandberg/Andre Dawson/Mark Grace, because they were a very likeable team back then.

But not now. Ever since Sandberg retired and Harry died, the Cubs have seemed to turn into a more thugish, arrogant team. Alot of that was due to Dusty Baker coming in, but that "arrogance" still lingers at Wrigley at least for me, and I just can't force myself to like guys like Soriano, Derek Lee & Ramierez.

by KYCards on Sep 23, 2007 6:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

Definitely rooting for the Phillies

After all, I may be moving to Philadelphia in January. But I think any of the NL teams could beat the Cubs. You really can't script October (thanks, Dane Cook). The Padres have excellent pitching. The Diamondbacks have that never-quit attitude. The Phillies can out-slug them. The Mets should be better than this (not unlike our 2006 Cardinals). Suffice it to say, it's wide open.

I don't understand people's allegiances to the NL Central. Seeing that the Cubs, Astros, and (for me) Reds are three of my least favorite teams, and the Pirates aren't going anywhere any time soon, the only NLC team I would root for would be the Brewers. I just don't get the same feeling as I do watching SEC teams in bowl games.

Moral of the story: I will pull for whomever the Cubs are playing, regardless. But that's just me...do whatever you want.

Re-acquire Edgar Renteria

by Mr Redbird on Sep 23, 2007 6:04 PM EDT 0 recs

It's more complex than just an allegiance

to the NL Central, it's also a longer standing and possibly deeper allegiance to the NL over the AL as the matter of principle I detailed. So I still find myself on the horns of a dillema if the small bears actually do manage to get to the WS.

"This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains."

by AustinBOB on Sep 23, 2007 6:18 PM EDT up 0 recs

As a coincidental aside,

I have been rooting for the Phils to make it as well although I think their weaker pitching doesn't make it in the post season.

"This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains."

by AustinBOB on Sep 23, 2007 6:20 PM EDT up 0 recs

No

No, No, No , No, No!

"Show me a guy who takes his time on the mound and I'll show you a damned loser." - Leo Durocher

by mattyfrommo on Sep 23, 2007 6:04 PM EDT 0 recs

I'll be with you

though I'll hate every minute of it, imho it's the classy thing to do. I expect the cubs to lose early, and badly--in 3 games if they play SD--but regardless I'll root for them.

"but the rain is so real, lord; and the rainbows pretend..."

by SleepyCA on Sep 23, 2007 6:09 PM EDT 0 recs

I will

root for even the damn Yankees or Red Sox before the Cubs. I feel no real allegiance to anything in baseball but the Cardinals. If they're out, I don't give a damn who wins what, as long as the Cubs go home empty-handed AGAIN. Which they will--we've seen this movie before. Besides, I'll never forget how quickly the sea of Cub hats around here turned into a sea of Red Sox hats in '04. In fact, if they do make it to the WS--I hope it is the Red Sox that crushes them. That would make me very happy, and I'm sure I'd never see another Red Sox hat again in these parts.

by rockin redbird on Sep 23, 2007 6:33 PM EDT 0 recs

They can win the WS

as many times as they want to after they reach their centennial. But I desperately want them to reach that centennial. . .

Future Redbirds

by azruavatar on Sep 23, 2007 6:44 PM EDT 0 recs

I will root for the Cubs

if for no other reason so we can stop hearing about how they haven't won a WS in over 100 years.

Yes we know. You haven't been very good.

We get it.

What are they going to say.

Ahhhhhh we won the world series. You haven't won it in almost a year. Ahhhhhhh you suck.

ok maybe they would say that...but still. I am done with the curses.

by Harknights on Sep 23, 2007 7:06 PM EDT 0 recs

No

There is no way. I'd root for the frickin' Yankees over the Cubs.

by Jhusk on Sep 23, 2007 8:50 PM EDT 0 recs

Me

My bachelor party is next Saturday. I think I've mentioned this before around here, but I am the only Cardinals fan from my entire group of grade school/high school friends. All the guys going to my bachelor party -- 15 or so -- are Cubs fans. So if on Saturday afternoon, the Cubbies somehow blow the division lead (seems pretty darn possible right now), I will probably have the most depressing bachelor party of all time. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if my best man ups and leaves.

For the first time in my adult life, I am cheering for the Cubs, just so my bachelor party doesn't suck ass.

Come the postseason, I'll root for the Cubs -- not too hard of course -- just so my friends can finally have themselves a championship. However, if the Cubs do win it all, I fear the obnoxious media storm will make Boston's in '04 look tame.

Well, let's go to the old mill anyway -- get some cider!

by Alxfritz on Sep 23, 2007 11:54 PM EDT 0 recs

The media storm

would surely focus on how messed up it is that the worst division in baseball could produce two consecutive world series winners. I hope they don't win just for that reason.

Spantalones

by spants on Sep 24, 2007 12:48 AM EDT up 0 recs

Worst division?

If the AL East had sent a team to the World Series each of the last 3 years and won it last year, and had the team with the best record in baseball in 04 and 05, and had 5 of the 6 representatives in the championship series over the past 3 years along with MVP's and Cy Youngs...do you think they would label that division as the worst in baseball???

The NL Central has been the BEST division in baseball over the past 3 years by many standards.

But I agree with you, that is how it will be portrayed on ALEASTPN

How about handin' me another helpin' of those mashed taters...thank you very much!

by Elvis on Sep 24, 2007 9:39 AM EDT up 0 recs

NL

I will root for the NL team and I usually would root for the NLC team but this year I find myself in the following order for playoff rooting based on if the teams still able to make it make the playoffs:

Brewers, Padres, Rockies, DBacks, Phillies, Braves, Cubs, Mets, AL

I would only root for the AL if the team was the Orioles or maybe the Tigers and during the playoffs I will root for the better Movie Squads to kick butt on the East, Personally I think the Angels in the Outfield has the edge over the Major Leaguers but I am not sold on that just yet, so long as they beat up on The Scouted ones and the Feverish Pitches.
(If you haven't seen all 4 of those movies I pity you, oh well I haven't seen Fever Pitch so I pity myself even though as a Card Fan I shouldn't want to watch it but for some reason I do, go figure)

by StLHugo on Sep 24, 2007 8:22 AM EDT 0 recs

How about??????

Will you root for the Cards during their season ending series against the Brewers if the Brewers can get into the playoffs instead of the Cubs???
I am torn, I like to see the Birds win, but I also want the Brew Crew to beat out the Cubs for the division.

I will only root for the Cubs against the Mets, Red Sox and Yankees.

How about handin' me another helpin' of those mashed taters...thank you very much!

by Elvis on Sep 24, 2007 9:31 AM EDT 0 recs

Won't root

FOR the Cubs under any circumstances. I was rooting for the Brewers and would not have been TOO sad if the Birds lost to them this week, particularly if it helped the Brew Crew dethrone the Cubbies from first place in the Central. But since the Brewers lost yesterday, I think they are no longer worthy and the Cardinals should just worry about their own business and beat the Crew. I will root for the NL over the AL in the WS, unless the Cubs make it. Then I would root for the AL to win it all (or for both teams to lose, but that wouldn't be possible).

by cardsgirl95 on Sep 24, 2007 11:04 AM EDT up 0 recs

I agree

I was all set to root against my beloved Birds (something that happens only once or twice a decade) just to help out the Crew. But they don't seem to want it enough. Thus, I'm back in the fold. If the only thing we can do now is assure the Crew has no chance, then do it. The Mets or Phillies or Friars will take care of the Blueboys. And if they don't, the Red Sox or Yanks or Indians will. I don't see another mediocre NL team winning the whole shebang again so soon. What happened with us last year was an anamoly. I loved every second of it, but it won't happen two years in a row.

by rockin redbird on Sep 24, 2007 12:15 PM EDT up 0 recs

no rooting for the cubs

As if the No, No, No, No, No wasnt enough of a hint. I wouldnt root for the Cubs if a gun was put to my head.

"Show me a guy who takes his time on the mound and I'll show you a damned loser." - Leo Durocher

by mattyfrommo on Sep 25, 2007 8:06 PM EDT up 0 recs

Under normal circumstances,

I would root for the division and the league, but the Cubs are so unlikeable now, I just can't do it. Fighting in the dugout, yelling/gesturing to the crowd, etc. It's the same reason I was not happy about Bonds' accomplishments - I'm not going to put an a-hole on a pedestal.

by hit and run on Sep 24, 2007 12:57 PM EDT 0 recs

Oh how I tried

to cheer for the Cubs in 2003. I told myself that it was right to support the NL Central team, and to support the (adopted) hometown team. I told myself that it was the neighborly thing to do. (Kenny Lofton lived in my building that year.) I even told myself to root for the Cubs in honor of my late sister who, for all of her good qualities, was a misguided Cub fan. All to no avail. In my heart, I could not wish a win for the Cubs in any of those game.

This year, I'm not even going to kid myself. I can't even like any of the players on this team. Used to want to like Mr. Lee as a person, but I can't even respect him anymore. My respectfulness for a fellow division team will go this far, however: I will abstain from actively cheering AGAINST the Cubs. (Unless they encounter the Rockies, whom I would like to see do well in this post-season. They are a fun bunch to watch.)

by ChiTown CardFan on Sep 24, 2007 2:37 PM EDT 0 recs