Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

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Win or Lose the Cubs are Awesome

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On October 16, 2017

In General Cogitation

the Cubs are AwesomeI know a lot of Cubs fans are really frustrated right now as they are down 2 games in the NLCS against the Dodgers. Since the middle of the regular season it was clear that the Dodgers are going to be a tough team to beat. I do want to see the Cubs rally again and eliminate the Dodgers again; but I don’t think LA is going to let that happen twice in a row. The Dodgers are just too tough of a team, even when Kershaw was injured. I think, as Cubs fans, we are all going to have to prepare to accept an inevitable fate; the 2017 season will end in elimination. Regardless of the outcome, the fact still remains, the Cubs are awesome.

Avoid History Repeating Itself

To be honest, it’s probably better this way. The last time the Cubs won back-to-back championships, it was 108 years before we won again. Perhaps it would behoove us to avoid history repeating itself. We are no longer that “Cinderella team”. While I know Chicago wants another championship, I think there are others that want it more this time. Don’t get me wrong, I am not abandoning hope or my Cubbies. I just want to maintain some perspective. The Cubs have proved to the MLB and the world that they are a tough team. Three years in a row they won 90+ games and made it to the NLCS. Their aspirations of becoming a dynasty are fulfilled.

We have come a long way Cubs fans. We have endured a lot. Now is not the time to get greedy; otherwise we start looking like Cardinals fans. There are no more goats, black cats and curses.  We love our Cubbies and, win or lose, the Cubs are awesome!

minions_icon

I could accomplish so much more if I only had minions!

 

Florence Freedom Legends Game

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On August 24, 2017

In General Cogitation

The Florence Freedom are an independent baseball team in Florence, Kentucky (obviously). If you live around Cincinnati or Florence and you have not been to the UC Health Stadium, you should check it out some day. It is an extraordinary stadium, especially for independent baseball. On August 19th I was there for the first ever Florence Freedom Legends Game. This particular Legends Game brought back players from the Reds and the Chicago Cubs. There were autograph sessions and a 7 inning baseball game. If you timed everything right you could get all of the players autographs. It was also really cool to see some of those guys get back in the batters box but the crowd was pretty small, and that is very unfortunate.

The Legends In Attendance

As I said, there were former players there from both teams; obviously I was there more for the former Cubs players than the Reds. The players that were in attendance are:

Kyle Farnswoth at Florence Freedom Legends Game

Me with one of my favorite players from the 2003 season, Kyle Farnsworth

I was lucky enough to get to see Farnsworth and Patterson play when the Cubs almost made it to the World Series back in 2003. However, I have never seen the other guys swing a bat. I think, of all the guys there, the most surprising was Lenny Harris. He still has some quick moves and he can still make the throw from 3rd to 1st.

Something else that made the game entertaining was watching these former players give each other a hard time. Lenny Harris and Bill Madlock were especially entertaining. Madlock would take up the position of 3rd base coach and give meaningless signals to the batter and Harris would try to stall the base runner until the ball was thrown to him.

Take Me Out to the …. Crowd?

The total capacity of UC Health Stadium is approximately 4,500 seats; however it seemed as though there were barely 500 people there. I was surprised by this considering the caliber of the former Reds players as well as the free autograph session. During the game, someone who works for the Florence Freedom came down by our seats and sat across the aisle from us. He commented about how they “were expecting twice as many people”. They thought that by bringing together two teams with a long rivalry would attract more fans. I certainly understand his conundrum.

On the other hand, I feel like this event lacked sufficient advertising. I only heard about it because I have a friend on Facebook that “liked” the Florence Freedom page which was advertising the game. I never saw anything about it on the local stations nor on the radio. I was even more surprised by the latter since they had two radio DJs as pitch hitters for the Reds. One of them is a DJ for a station I listen to every day, thus my confusion as to why the game was never mentioned on the air.

Granted this was the “first ever” Florence Freedom Legends Game so perhaps one of their lessons learned was to advertise more. I hope there will be a “second ever” Legends Game. I’m even considering attending a couple of Florence Freedom games as well. They are in first place in the Frontier division and UC Health Stadium really is a beautiful ball park. I highly recommend getting out there for a game and keep your eyes and ears open for next years Florence Freedom Legends Game.

(Coming Soon: A gallery of pictures from the game)

minions_icon

I could accomplish so much more if I only had minions!

 

Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win!

By

On November 3, 2016

In General Cogitation

cubs-marquee-ws

I cannot believe this day has arrived. My heart has been beating out of my chest since they beat the Dodgers. It’s still beating out of my chest. I cannot imagine what its like in Chicago right now, outside Wrigley Field. It’s surreal to finally say:

The Chicago Cubs are World Series Champions!

ErnieBanksCartoon_iru49ivi_rfrqjfgjI wish Harry, Ronnie, Ernie, my grandfather and all the other players and fans that have gone before me were here to see this. I know they were watching down from above (after they beat the shit out of that billy goat).

They won it in true dramatic fashion. They came back from a 3-1 series deficit, in extra innings, after a 15 minute rain delay. It was as if God was preparing the Cubs and the fans for what was about to happen. God bless the players, the coaches and the fans. God bless the Indians and their coaches and their fans. I know they are heartbroken right now and they have my full sympathy. I hope their drought is the next one to break.

Now that I have finally given my mind some time to wind down and my heart rate to return to normal, I should try to get some sleep.

#LetsGo #FlyTheW

2016 World Series: I Don’t Believe in Curses

By

On November 2, 2016

In Biggs On, General Cogitation

I Don't Believe in Curses“This one’s for the whole Magilla!For the whole kitten caboodle! For the whole bowl of wax! THIS is for ALLLL the marbles!!!” – John Candy from Rookie of the Year. This quote was never more appropriate. I’m going to start by saying, very simply, I don’t believe in curses.

I am writing this post prior to the outcome of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series. I have not been very shy on social media and my blog about the baseball season this year. My apologies for that, I cannot help being just a little excited for the Cubs. You will not be regaled with anymore childhood tales as to why I root for the “lovable losers”; by now I’m sure you all know the reasons. Actually I’m going to talk about the historical significance of this game.

Curses! Foiled Again!

I swear every team that has a long drought of World Series wins and/or appearances seems to have some “alleged curse”. It’s a billy goat, the Bambino, Rocky Colavito or Black Sox; someone associated a string of bad performances to some bizarre or unpopular decision. It’s human nature to try to explain what cannot be explained. Granted superstition in sports is not that uncommon. There are literally thousands of stories out there of players and fans that perform certain pre-game rituals. It doesn’t matter if it’s a superstition, voodoo or luck, the purpose is to prepare mentally for the task that lies ahead.

Just as its human nature to explain the unexplained, we also try to control what cannot be controlled. Even as I sit here talking about the futility of curses and superstition, I am still guilty of practicing it (it’s no hypocritical, its cognitive dissonance). It’s a very powerful force within our nature to try to will something to happen when we have no influence on the outcome. A botched play or fan interference is not inflicted by a curse because it’s also human nature to make mistakes, but our psyche is very fragile.

For the Indians, it’s Pride

The historical significance of this game is the fact that the two teams with the longest period of time since a World Series Championship, are playing each other. One of these teams will finally end the drought. One of these teams will “end the curse”. 1948 was the last time the Cleveland Indians won the World Series. They are second only to the Cubs (at 108 – which I’m sure you all know by now). So, for the Indians, losing this game means they become the team that has gone the longest without winning a World Series. If I were an Indians fan, that is what would be weighing on my mind.

The Indians are a very tough team. They have very skilled pitchers. If you have been watching any of the games, Corey Kluber is a phenomenal pitcher to watch. I had no idea the Indians had that kind of power in their pitching staff. Andrew Miller is no slouch either. These guys are in it to win it and I’m very proud to be playing against such a fantastic team.

For the Cubs, it’s Principal

lgo_mlb_chicago_cubsSo 1908, as you probably heard a thousand times, is the last year the Cubs won a World Series. 1945 is the last time the Cubs were even in the World Series. It is also the fateful year when Billy Sianis inflicted his famous curse. So the 71 year drought has ended. The Cubs made it to the World Series. Unfortunately they now have the HUGE responsibility of 100 years of “cursed” history to overcome (not to mention all the Cubs fans watching and judging their every move). We have to be ready to accept the fact that we can lose tonight. “New Girl” actor, and long time Cubs fan, Jake Johnson once wrote “We can not be little children scared of a curse. We can not gasp when a player makes an error.“(that’s a great article by the way). 

This is going to be an epic end to an epic World Series. Whatever the outcome, it’s going to be hard on the losing team and the fans. We all have so much emotion riding on this game. We all need to be good sports to each other whether you’re the winner or the loser. The winning team should sympathize for the other team and fans and the losing team, and fans, should reciprocate with congratulatory remarks. A sore winner can be just as awful as a sore loser. So forget about the past and look toward the future because, as we Cubs fans always say, “there’s always next year”.

#LetsGo

minions_iconI could accomplish so much more if I only had minions!

Biggs On: 2016 Fall Classic Remarks

By

On October 28, 2016

In Biggs On

2016 Fall Classic

The “Lets Go Cubs” (“Eamus Catuli”) sign behind right field

Ten years ago if you told me that I would be watching the Cubs in the World Series, I may not have believed you. Well the 2016 Fall Classic is here and to say I’m excited is an understatement. The really strange thing is, it’s actually kind of stressing me out. We have all been waiting our whole lives to make it to the World Series that I can’t bear the thought of losing. I am trying to talk myself off the ledge in preparation for the worst case. I almost wish they didn’t make it so I wouldn’t be feeling all this angst.

I keep telling myself that regardless of the outcome, celebrate the end of the 71 year drought. If we end the 108 year “alleged curse” then there will be a cacophony of rejoicing and thousands of grown men crying. The “Anno Catuli” sign, in right field, will finally read all zeros for the first time. Year after year the Cubs have left us all feeling disappointed. Losing this year would be the ultimate disappointment, which scares me. Will the “lovable losers” still be lovable? On the other hand, Facebook is full of wonderful and endearing stories by some of the Cubs oldest fans.

#LetsGo for Styrlund and Bell

Two of the most extraordinary stories are about two of the oldest, known Chicago Cubs fans. Raymond Styrlund is 105 years old and Mavis Bell is 107 years old. Mavis was born the year after the Cubs last won the World Series. Looking at the faces of these people and reading their stories you want the Cubs to win more for them than for yourself. Many of them are relishing that the Cubs are even in the World Series. The look of pure delight on their faces is what makes it all worth it, regardless of the outcome.

Styrlund and Bell don’t have too many more years left on this earth. Witnessing their Cubs win the World Series would be fulling a 100-year-old life ambition. As much as I would be devastated if the Cubs were to lose, I would feel more sorrow for folks like Raymond and Mavis that have, literally, waited over a century.

A Sports Story for the Ages

We have two teams with the longest World Series drought in baseball. The players of both teams are playing to erase the past. The fans of both teams are hoping to see a championship for the first time in their lives. Regardless of who you are rooting for; regardless of who wins, this is an epic event it sports history. I’m glad to be here talking about it and witnessing it. It’s a story for the ages.

#FlyTheW

minions_iconI could accomplish so much more if I only had minions!

“The Whole Shootin Match”

By

On October 16, 2015

In General Cogitation

Remember this classic moment (from the movie Rookie of the Year)?

Coincidentally that scene was a game between the Cubs and Mets for the NLCS and that was that late John Candy, a loyal Cubs fan, playing the role of the Cubs commentator. I’ve been sitting here trying to work and trying not to think about the Cubs just four wins away from a World Series (which has never happened in my lifetime). I haven’t been very successful. I blame Twitter.

lgo_mlb_chicago_cubsThe Mets are 0-7 against the Cubs during the regular season, but this is the post-season and your regular season record doesn’t matter anymore (remember the Cardinals had won over 100 games and had the best record in all of baseball). It’s going to be a tough contest for both teams (and probably quite lively as the mudslinging has already begun between the fans). The Cubs have earned their spot here from incredible plays and young, focused players. Some of the plays I’ve seen during the NLDS are World Series plays. The Cubs look like a championship team. They have a real shot this year but I’m trying to remain humble.

If they don’t go all the way, even if they are eliminated in the NLCS, I will still be very proud of how well the team played this year. There will be no lamenting or sorrow. They, not only, eliminated the St. Louis Cardinals for the first time, Joe Madden even made good on his promise. The Cubs were, originally, expected to make the playoffs next year but Madden, at a press conference, promised that the team would make the playoffs this year. They have shown all of baseball that the Cubs are real contenders. They are a team that will not let any other team write them off as an “easy win”.

Goat or no goat, Back to the Future prognostications or not, win or lose, this was our year. We have been saying it for as long as I’ve been alive, “this will be the year”, and whether we are world champions or not, I think 2015 was definitely our year.

Go Cubs! #FlyTheW

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