Perception is reality and it’s GOT to be creeping into all of those Cub players minds at this point.

That is, until about right now. I’ve always said the curse is real simply because so many people believe in it. One of my best friends is a cubs season ticket holder (would have come in nice had the Cards won the wild card and played the cubs in the NLDS…..but I digress) and he was at the last two games. Now I have to say, he is a huge cynic, so he gets his hopes up but is never surprised when things hit the fan.

Anyway, we were talking today about the difference between cub fans and White Sox fans and how they are pretty much the same with a different outlook. If you look at the two teams right before the playoffs started, you see two different mindsets. With the Sox, they’re confident as hell, but will jump ship at the first sign of trouble. It’s like “win, or F you!”. With the cub fans it’s a little different. They’re for the most part excited in a “trying to fool themselves” kind of way. They expect something to go wrong. While Sox fans seem offended and surprised by it…..cub fans know its coming and get nervous even before there’s a sign of trouble.

And that’s what happens in that ballpark. I said it last night. That park is a giant, clinched sphincter and all of that angst is felt by the players. If you don’t think energy (positive or negative) in your home stadium that’s packed to the gills doesn’t have an effect on you then you’re crazy. Then when one thing goes wrong, it starts to pile up the angst until it actually affects the play on the field.

Can you imagine being a cub and dealing with the ups and downs of that stadium? It would take it’s toll on you. Cliff Floyd (who’s from Gary, IN) said they’re the toughest home fans he’s ever played in front of. And he played in New York.

So, in a long winded response to your question HC, yeah it does get into their head. They get distracted because that place is a pressure cooker. And getting as far away from Wrigley is the absolute best thing for the cubs right now. Unfortunately, the Dodgers have scouted them PERFECTLY. They’re going to continue to work counts and drive up Harden’s pitch count tomorrow night and will probably get him out of the game no later than the 6th inning. Plus, Kuroda’s been a much better pitcher at home and he’s going to be following the same game plan Lowe and Billingsley followed the last two games. Plus, Lou decided he wanted to make his outfield worse by benching Fukudome in a much bigger outfield compared to Wrigley.

I think the cubs will play better, but will only go as far as Harden will take them. If he can’t get into the 7th with a 3 or 4 run lead minimum, the cubs are in trouble.

getting run over by a tarp that was traveling at about a half of a mile an hour.

in the bag? the best big-game manager in baseball?

they (the W Sox) have some major OBP issues on offense. But those Rays pitchers are legit. Their top 4 starters all had FIPs at 4.37 or lower in the tougher league. The REd Sox lineup can be really tough w/ their patient hitters, and they might really get a chance to test the Rays bullpen, but they won the toughest division in baseball — by far. They’re no fluke.