This is from an email I just sent to my mom. I’m posting it in its entirety, but some of it might not make sense because of that.
Took me a second to realize that you meant “neighborhood” and not “neighbor”. Now it’s much clearer.
I think it’s just a feeling of validation. I was trying to explain to a (non-Chicago) friend of mine last night how I can be a lukewarm baseball fan, but a hardcore Cubs fan. She didn’t understand why I could love watching the Cubs, and get invested in the Cubs, but not really care much about the rest of the game.
My answer was that I’ve spent my life as a Cubs fan. I remember being excited watching the Cubs face off against the Padres at a Cub Scout meeting in our living room. I remember my Rick Sutcliffe and Ryne Sandburg baseball cards. I remember liking the fireworks at Comiskey, but otherwise being upset at having to watch the Sox play instead of the Cubs.
I think being a Cubs fan makes you feel special. You’re the opposite of a fair-weather fan (although I suppose that’s generally true of being a Chicago sports fan at all). Sure, it’s easy to root for the Yankees, because they win all the time. But living and dying by the Friendly Confines shows heart.
Either that or the inability to get out of a destructive relationship. If the Cubs were a person, nobody would have stuck with them for as long as we have, after all the pain and grief they’ve caused us. But we keep going back for more. And now, finally, they’ve come out of therapy and are going to make it all better by buying us a nice gift.
OK, that’s way too many metaphors. I have to get back to work :)
m.
_>—– Original Message —–
From: PBynard@**.com
To: “Matt Stratton”
Sent: Thu, 25 Sep 2003 09:24:40 -0500
Subject: Re: baseball
What’s the problem? Was the neighbor too quiet when the Cubbies were just
the lovable losers?
I remember many years ago (when Leo Durocher managed and they actually did
well for a short time) reading an article about how Wrigley Field had
changed. No longer could you take your picnic basket there, have your
choice of seats, spend a nice, quiet afternoon in a lovely place…
_