The 2016 Chicago Cubs aren't just defending champions, they're hometown gods
Dear Cubs fans,
When your beloved Cubbies take the field this Sunday in St. Louis, they will do so as the defending MLB champions. That hasn't been the case for 108 years, so we get it if is this feels odd.
We know that generations of Northsiders have lived and died in that time. You were born, you fell in love with a cursed baseball team, you had your hearts broken time and time again, and that some of you have died never to see Bill Murray openly weep on live television.
It's been a long, hard road. We feel you.
We've noticed that some Cubs fans have yet to let it all sink in. If that's you, you can relax. You won. The curse is broken. No one will talk about billy goats or black cats on Friday the 13th or he who must not be named* anymore.
You may have noticed that the vibe at your spring training facility in Mesa, Arizona, has been looser than usual. There is a lot of smiling, and laughter and none of it 'put on.' This is normal.
No, Joe Maddon did not provide every player with personalized Glo Worms, nor did he install a permanent puppy zone at the ballpark. It's just the natural result of exorcising all those ghosts from Wrigley Field.
Also, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Jake Arrieta and Jason Heyward are no longer carrying the weight of unrealistic expectations. They won. From now on, all expectations are realistic. Actually, that's not necessarily better but hey, you won the World Series!
Added bonus: commentators will no longer be able bring up your eleven decades of bad luck every time you take a one-run lead into the 8th inning. You could set your watch to those not-so-subtle reminders, but those days are gone.
Have you seen those Chicago Cubs World Series champion hats and t-shirts? They're not ironic. They're real. You should buy one. Actually, you should buy two. One to rock and one to stock.
We hope this helps but we also know our advice can only go so far. We're not from Chicago. We've never been cursed or waited decades for our ball team to win the big one. That said, we know who has, so we asked some of our friends from the 2004 World Series champion Red Sox to weigh in.
Mike Timlin on appreciating the fans
"My advice to those guys is to absorb — as much as you possibly can — the good feeling of what you've accomplished. And treat people accordingly. What I mean by that is reciprocate the love that they want to give you."
"Every baseball player that steps on the field loves to play the game. We'd probably rather play baseball than eat. So when people love it as much as we do, even if they don't play, you want to reciprocate that love and continue to work hard and continue to do what they want you to do."
He also says get ready for free beer and lots of handshakes.
"I got off a plane in Anaheim and one of the people on the plane was a guy with a Boston Red Sox hat on. He walked off the place and walked straight up to be and said thank you for the 2004 World Series. That was just five days ago."
"We've heard many many times that we'll never have to buy another beer and we'll never have to buy another meal in Boston."
Dave McCarty on the wisdom of reflection
"Having bounced around a lot in my career — I played for seven different teams in the major leagues — I got to see a spectrum. So when you get to a place like Boston, you realize they're not like fans from other places. It's an inter-generational thing and it's a way of life."
"Countless people have stopped me on the street and relayed their stories about how it means so much to their family or how sad they were that their parent or grandparent didn't get to experience it after so many years of losing."
Like Timlin, McCarty has noticed the perks of ending Boston's 86-year championship drought.
"If it's a beer it's usually a yes, but a meal ... no ... no," he says of fans' generosity. "Yeah, that happens a lot."
"These young Cubs, they're going to have targets on their backs. Everyone's going to be out to dethrone them. They're not going to sneak up on anybody, that's for sure."
"You can't get caught up in the limelight of what occurred from last year. You've got to remember the hard work that you put in and the dedication that got you the first one."
"Remember it. Savour it. It's something you were lucky enough to be a part of and it's something you really need to appreciate, especially as you get older. Right now they're in the moment, they're worried about this year, but I think as they get older and as they retire they're going to realize how lucky they were to be a part of something so special."
*Steve Bartman (Sorry. Last time. We promise.)
To hear Mike Timlin and Dave McCarty download our podcast or click the 'Listen' button at the top of this page.