Viewpoint: Cubs destined to disappoint
I wasn’t always the cynical shell of a man who some of you know today.
The Cubs did this.
The Cubs taught me always to expect disappointment.
And, as primary proof of that singular reality, the Cubs never have failed to produce
Which is to say the Cubs always have failed, always have disappointed and too frequently have supplied epic moments of spectacularly disappointing failure.
Because I am a Cubs fan of some significant years, I know I my golf ball will hook when a slice is called for.
Because of the Cubs, I know my dog will come less than a quarter of the time when I call.
Because of the Cubs, I know the office coffee pot will be empty when I go to pour a cup.
Because of the Cubs, I know I am just one of perhaps a million miserable SOBs walking around in a state of angry apoplexy today.
And I know that, like me, hundreds of thousands of those miserable SOBs knew this day was coming virtually from the first pitch in April, yet ultimately were powerless to avoid it.
I know that in this, I am the Cubs fan my father was, a battle-scarred Cubs fan wisened — at least wisened as much as a Cubs fan can be wise — by the Cubs’ ongoing history of failure.
Cubs fans of my particular age became vaguely aware that the Cubs existed in 1969. And while we didn’t know then that season’s stretch-run implosion was the epitome of the epic ways the Cubs are capable of disappointing, we read about it long and often enough, endured so many indifferent years of abject failure in 1969’s wake, we learned as we grew.
Learned, at least, as much as Cubs fans are capable of learning.
There are stages of Cubs fandom, just like there are stages of grief.
The first stage is one of denial. You know the Cubs’ history, but you always think the pattern of failure can change.
I believed this in 1984 right up until that moment when the baseball went through Leon Durham’s legs.
This was a lesson that took me to a second stage — the creeping doubt phase.
So I was slightly less a believer in 1989, and creeping doubt proved appropriate when Will Clark slammed Greg Maddux and Andre Dawson couldn’t hit a Chihuahua’s weight.
Next came bitter certainty, so I never doubted Sammy Sosa’s Cubs were going nowhere in ’98.
Then came the maybe-now phase, as I slipped badly and drank the kool-aid in 2003, when Maddux was brought back home and Kerry Wood graced the cover of Sports Illustrated’s season preview edition.
“Hell freezes over,” read the headline and “How cool is it to be a Cubs fan now?” I remember thinking then.
Of course, those Cubs did in fact march into the playoffs and — gasp! — won a playoff series. But I don’t have to remind you how thoroughly karma slapped all of Cubdom upside the head that fall, do I?
A year ago, karma had another laugh as the Cubs were snake-bitten in a quick three games, but that only served as a prelude to the crushing blow that came via last week’s laydown vs. the Dodgers.
How Cubs was it to win 97 games in the regular season and nary a one in the playoffs?
And what experienced Cubs fan couldn’t have seen it coming?
Look. I don’t for a moment believe in Cubs curses — although I certainly believe in cursing where the Cubs are concerned.
What I believe is that the Cubs are a team of destiny.
That is to say they are destined to disappoint.
And Cubs fans, fools that we are, simply are destined, perhaps even determined, to be disappointed.
Craig DeVrieze can be contacted at (563) 333-2610 or cdevrieze@qctimes.com.