I just don’t even.
This is going to be filled with insightful writing such as that, because last night the Cubs won the World Series and my brain is still not working. So I’m just going to dump all of the W related things here. The next coherent thought I have will be the first one I’ve ever had with the Cubs as the reigning Major League Baseball champions. EVERYTHING I DO, SEE, SAY, OR EXPERIENCE, FROM HERE ON OUT, IS THE FIRST WITH THE CUBS AS THE REIGNING MAJOR (MUTHERBLEEPIN’) LEAGUE BASEBALL (MUTHERBLEEPIN’) CHAMPIONS.
- I’ve been waiting at least 35 years for today. Others waited much longer. Many waited their entire lives and never saw it. Yes, that makes me a little teary eyed, for reasons that can’t be fully explained. I’ll blame it on a slight lack of sleep.
- I was fully prepared for any outcome before last night’s game started and I came up with an analogy that, I think, would have worked, had the Cubs lost. It was like you were invited to take a trip into outer space, but right before you got to orbit you were told that something had happened and the trip would be cut short. You were high up enough to touch outer space, you felt some weightlessness, you saw the curve of the Earth, but, ultimately, you had to land before you got the full experience. It was still amazing and the most incredible thing you’d ever done in your life, but it’s only natural that you would be a little disappointed. I’m so happy I don’t have that feeling today. Because last night, my friends, we went to outer space.
- To put it another way, the Cubs losing last night would have been a trip on the Vomit Comet.
- With all of that preparedness, I was in full-on fan mode during the game last night. I was jumping up and down for every Cubs run and down on the floor for every Cleveland answer. I was even hypercritical of Joe Maddon. This is what I put on Facebook after Rajai Davis tied up the game in the eighth inning.
- That being said, I’m almost positive that, when I re-review his decisions, there will be a method to the madness. When plans don’t work, you look like an idiot. When they do, you look like a genius. But the actual important part is having a plan. Maddon clearly did, he stuck with it, and, today, no one cares about the parts that didn’t work.
- I guess what I’m saying is:
- I will be getting a Cubs jersey now, but I have no idea which player I will choose. There are just so many choices. Rizzo is up there. So is Bryant. I’m tempted to go with Russell or Baez. But, right now, I’m kind of thinking about the Professor, Kyle Hendricks.
- I know it’s a stupid stat, but part of the reason I was so upset that Maddon pulled Hendricks when he did was that I really wanted him to get the win. And, though it was mostly fair (as in, it sucked for both teams), the strike zones in this series were exhibit A, B, C, and D for robot umpires calling balls and strikes. Hendricks last walk should have been a strikeout. I know it, you know it, everyone knows it. I hope that today, Sam Holbrook knows it.
- OK, changing back to something positive; I knew as I watched that it was an amazing game, and reading my Facebook feed this morning verified that many others felt the same way. But, it’s just hitting me that this is going to go down as the greatest game ever.
- There were so many heroes last night and throughout this season, other than the names everyone knows. This write-up mentions a bunch of them. For now, I just want to type out their names: Jason Heyward (Yes, he’s a big name, but he had as disappointing of a year as possible, at least offensively. But he contributed in so many other ways, on and off the field). Albert Almora. Miguel Montero. Mike Montgomery.
- Also, I am so freaking happy that Chris Coghlan gets a ring. I can’t imagine how he must have felt when the Cubs re-signed Dexter Fowler and shipped Coghlan out to Oakland. Then to get him back. The guy must have felt as used and abused as any professional athlete could, but, as far as I can tell, he handled everything with grace and professionalism. I believe the phrase is, “a pro’s pro”.
- I’ll probably add more to this as the day goes on and my mind regroups, but for now I have to work. So I’m just going to leave this here.
