The Chicago Tradition Continues…

Last night I sat stunned with disbelief and disappointment as I watched the Cubs get swept in the first round of the playoffs. We thought this year was different. It was magical and it seemed like this October we’d see our boys in blue go all the way. The team I watched in this series was a different team. They made errors, hardly hit, and when they did, they didn’t make use of those opportunities to score. At times they looked like bumbling idiots.

What happened? Was it the curse kicking in once again, or did they just choke from all the pressure? Maybe standing on that field was equivalent to the pressure of the deep sea, only in this case, the Chicago fans were like the water, pressing hard on the psyches of each player, realizing it’s up to them to change history and fulfill the dreams of every fan. The pressure of the baseball responsibility they had to carry was enormous. It must’ve been too much for them.

After the game last night, I sat with my 48 year old husband and watched him replay the TV version of the Eddie Vedder video tribute to the Cubs over and over and over. He sat there sobbing and singing through his tears. Once again, he suffered a miserable disappointment. Like thousands of others, ever since he was a kid, he’s loved and rooted for the Cubs. I married him 24 years ago and he turned me into a Cubs fan after being devoid of baseball my entire childhood. They are my team, too, and I also shed some tears. If you’re not from Chicago, I guess you just don’t understand. It’s a tough pill to swallow year in and year out. They’ve never looked so good as they did this year. We are all just sitting in silence, speechless and wondering why.

Eddie Vedder is the lead singer from Pearl Jam and he is a Chicagoan and a lifelong fan of the Cubs. He loves them so much, he wrote and recorded a beautiful song that has all kinds of imagry about being a devoted Chicago Cubs Fan. I wanted to share this video with you and the song that goes with it.

The Cubs have been affectionately known as “The Lovable Losers.” But you know what? In my mind they’re not losers. They just haven’t won yet. Maybe next year. Miracles do happen. 😦

Don’t let anyone say that it’s just a game

For I’ve seen other teams and it’s never the same

When you’re born in Chicago you’re blessed and you’re heeled

The first time you walk into Wrigley Field

Our heroes wear pinstripes

Heroes in blue

Give us the chance to feel like heroes too

Whether we’ll win and if we should lose

Someday we’ll go all the way

Yeah

Someday we’ll go all the way

We are one with the Cubs

With the Cubs we’re in love

Yeah, hold our head high as the underdogs

We are not fair weather but far weather fans

We are like brothers in arms in the streets and the stands

There’s magic in the ivy and the old scoreboard

The same one I stared at as a kid keeping score

A world full of greed, I could never want more

Someday well go all the way

Yeah

Someday we’ll go all the way

Someday we’ll go all the way

Yeah

Someday we’ll go all the way

Someday we’ll go all the way

And here’s to the men and legends we’ve known

Teaching us faith and giving us hope

United we stand and united we’ll fall

Down to our knees the day we win it

Ernie Banks said “Oh, let’s play two”

Or did he mean 200 years?

In the same ball park

Our diamond, our jewel

The home of our joy and our tears

Keeping traditions and wishes made new

Place where our grandfathers, fathers they grew

Spiritual feeling if I ever knew

And if you aint been I am sorry for you

When the day comes with that last winning run

And I’m crying and covered in beer

I’ll look to the sky and know I was right

That Someday we’ll go all the way

Yeah

Someday we’ll go all the way

Someday we’ll go all the way

Yeah

Someday we’ll go all the way

Someday we’ll go all the way

Yeah

Someday we’ll go all the way

Someday we’ll go all the way

Yeah

Someday we’ll go all the way

Someday we’ll go all the way