Normally, I’m a local media girl. I like to stay up-to-date on the developments from around the leagues, but given the choice I’d rather listen to a local reporter who eats, breathes and sleeps my team and can therefore discuss them in excruciating detail.
However, with work having banished me to the road for the last few days, I’ve had little choice but to rely upon the national media for most of my sports information, outside of the few times I’ve been able to hop online and get a look at the Trib. I am left both amused and somewhat alarmed by how taken the national media is with the Cubs these days. Every episode of SportsCenter I’ve seen, every column I’ve read, every talking head I’ve heard—nearly all have led off with the Cubs.
I’ll grant that the 100-year angle gives new life to the always popular stories about curses and futility. I’ll grant that the crosstown series against the White Sox, also a first place team, adds a little luster. I’ll grant that homers, both of the walk-off and of the four-in-one-inning variety, make for especially flashy headlines. But at the same time, I still find myself somewhat dumbfounded by how far-reaching the insanity has become, given that we’re not even out of June yet. I am amazed by the way that every sports wonk in the country appears to be positively drooling over the prospect of the Cubs in the playoffs.
Come on, people. I’m as wheeeeee!! about this season so far as anyone else is, perhaps more. But perspective is a virtue. Let’s not forget that just a few days ago we got swept by the Rays (though, in all fairness, anyone could tell that series was coming at us like a Mack Truck with “disaster” written on the grill—for quite a few reasons). Let’s not forget that we’re still four games sub-.500 on the road. Let’s not forget that Carlos Zambrano and Alfonso Soriano are both on the DL with injuries that could quite easily linger even after they return to the lineup. Let’s not forget we’re still weeks shy of the all-star break.
Patience, people. Let’s pace ourselves with the hysteria, shall we?
August 29, 2008 at 1:31 pm |
[...] 1969 team. And, in some cases, even further back than the 1908 set that last won it all. And the hysteria has been raised accordingly. For several weeks now, it’s been common for those in my age [...]