| I've actually been watching this year's World Series between the White Sox and Astros. From the sounds of the ratings numbers, I'm about the only one. Nonetheless, I've managed to miss the best parts, including Sunday night's walk-off home run. I'm actually glad that I missed the end of last night's 5-hour, 41-minute, 14-inning marathon. Going to bed at 1:20 Central Time wouldn't have been any fun. I've had people ask me who I'm rooting for, being a Cubs fan. Do I cheer on my beloved Cubs' cross-town rivals, or the team that always seems to have the Cubs' number year-after-year? Hard to say, really. After finding themselves in a 4-0 hole last night, I found myself rooting for the ?Stros. I generally like the players from Houston better, but in general, I would enjoy seeing Chicago's 88-year World Series Championship drought come to end, regardless of the team that ends it, rather than seeing the Astros get their first World Series Championship on their first chance. The city of Chicago hasn't won a major sports championship since Michael Jordan's last season with the Bulls ended in 1998. Before that dynasty started in '91, the Super Bowl-shufflin' Bears won Super Bowl XX in January of 1986. Before that, you have to go back to the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup in 1961. That's pretty sad. Not counting the 6 that the Bulls won, Chicago's other major sports franchises have won exactly 3 championships since Kennedy took office. Wow. To be honest, I'm generally a fan of all Chicago sports, even with knowing all that I just detailed. I find myself rooting for the White Sox more simply because it's like watching a younger sibling succeed. I mean, the White Sox rank up there with the Mets and Clippers as being some of the least-respected "second" teams from their respective cities. That's some long-standing adversity to overcome. Seeing as how the White Sox are up 3 games to none, I'll jinx them and prematurely declare them winners. Assuming that turns out to be the case, it will leave the Cubs very alone at the bottom of the longest-World-Series-Championship-drought list. They haven't won since 1908; White Sox since 1917; Indians since 1948; Giants since 1954. You can look at the rest yourself. The Cubs will have a 40-year head start on the Indians. So, Go Sox! I'll be hoping for either an all-Chicago World Series, or a Cubs/Yankees series. Those Cubs/Red Sox games messed with me. Why can't they both win, damn it!? |
