I watched the Cubs’ dream die quietly – almost.

They said Saturday night in Wrigley Field was a do or die game for the Cubbies, who were behind two games to one to Cleveland in the World Series. Not many teams have ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in any best of seven match-up.

I was in Chicago and watched the highly underrated Indians sap the energy out of Wrigley by breaking open Game 4 and taking a late 7-1 lead. The jacked-up home crowd got quiet, but a distinct air acceptance filled the old ballpark instead of frustration and anger.

Guess the Cubs have been lovable losers for so long they ultimately have to prove something to their loyal following. You would think that getting to the World Series for the first time in 71 years wasn’t enough, having not won one since 1908. But it sure didn’t seem that way late Saturday as the crowd outside partied on into night. After all, Cubs fans have had a lot more practice losing.

They may have been resigned that the Indians were the better team or just playing and pitching better. Compare the two lineups and it’s hard to argue the point. Cleveland doesn’t get the same publicity as, say, Chicago and Boston, and one of its teams has to win something before it does – like the basketball Cavaliers. And now the Indians are on the brink despite the Game 5 loss Sunday night and the Cubs’ second and third starters lined up for the last two games.

The Cubs sluggers who led the team to 103 wins in the regular season don’t seem so lethal right now, getting shut out twice and struggling to score runs. Any team with Ben Zobrist, a good hitter but not a great hitter, batting clean-up can’t win the world championship. And the Cubs have been shaky in the field with errors and mental mistakes.

It’s okay, the fans seemed to be saying. We are a young team that will be back in the hunt next year. And GM Theo Epstein came close with the Red Sox before he got them over the hump and broke the Curse of the Bambino. The Cubs will have to raise their game considerably or the Billy Goat blasphemy will keep on going on.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Related Stories
‹
Chansky's Notebook: Long Night Home
The Dodgers won the third game of the World Series Monday night in 18 innings, tying for the longest game in post-season history.
Chansky's Notebook: Never Count Them Out
The Astros are at it again, throwing in a no-hitter to boot. Despite the wild card Phillies becoming America’s darlings by wiping out the Cardinals, Braves and Padres in the playoffs, Houston had the best record in the American League for many reasons. The Astros’ pitching is the best kept secret in baseball and their […]
This Just In: When You're #1
This Just In – It’s great to be #1, but WHEN you’re on top does matter a little. Coach Davis would probably tell you straight up that he might have preferred that Carolina be ranked somewhere in the top 10, but not the very top in the pre-season. Being featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated …okay, […]
Chansky's Notebook: The Games We Need
Sports are more important than ever right now. The juxtaposition of Election Night in America and the deciding game of the World Series showed why there may be only one true common denominator left. Atlanta is a blue city that swung elections in red Georgia’s favor in 2020 and ’21. Houston is in the middle […]
Chansky's Notebook: Slanted Series
There is a reason why the Astros and Braves won their divisions easily. Both league championship series have had wild swings and one dramatic comeback, but it sure looks like the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves are headed for the World Series. The Astros seemed in trouble after Boston won the second and third games […]
Fitting Finale: Dodgers Win Title, Turner Tests Positive
No large dogpile, no champagne and a mask on nearly every face — the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their first World Series title since 1988 in a manner no one could have imagined prior to the coronavirus pandemic. They started the party without Justin Turner, too, after their red-headed star received word of a positive […]
Nationals Top Astros in Game 7 to Win 1st World Series Title
Stephen Strasburg paraded the MVP trophy for delirious fans packed behind the dugout. Max Scherzer tearfully hugged his teammates. Gerardo Parra did the Baby Shark chop, Sean Doolittle flapped snow angels next to the mound. Almost out of contention in May, champs in October. Howie Kendrick, Anthony Rendon and the Washington Nationals completed their amazing comeback […]
Chansky's Notebook: If They Could See 'Em Now
I still wonder if my parents have been watching the last 15 years. The Boston Red Sox have now won four World Series since 2003, posting a record of 16-3 in those titles. They swept the Cardinals in 2004 and the Colorado Rockies in 2007, beat the Cards four games to two in 2013 and just polished […]
Chansky's Notebook: Resiliency Rewarded  
The Cubs ended the curse and years of heartache the hard way. The Chicago Cubs won their first World Series since 1908 after years of facing elimination every step of the playoffs. Their resiliency marked their title run far more than even their talent. They opened the post-season by eliminating the San Francisco Giants in the […]
Former UNC Star Andrew Miller Leads Cleveland Into World Series
Throughout the history of UNC’s esteemed baseball program, only three players have ever had their jersey number retired. The most recent man to join Dave Lemonds and B.J. Surhoff was Andrew Miller, the 6-foot-6 lefty who saw his No. 33 added to the list after winning the National Player of the Year award in 2006. […]
›