"It's Only a Game" and other Lines of Bullshit

The Cubs have lost five games in a row and have started the new season 1-5. I am currently beside myself with anger.

I realize I have much bigger things going on in my life than baseball. I can’t tell if it’s a sign of strength or psychosis that I get more stressed out about the Cubs bullpen then I do about going in for radiation. My sister Valerie has accused me of being more emotional about the Cubs losing than I am about major family events.

She’s not wrong.

Whenever I get upset about the Cubs people like to tell me that it’s just a game. But it’s not just a game. It’s time. Following the Cubs is how I’ve spent my summers since I was seven years old. They’ve been the sound track of my summer for my whole life. It’s how I connect with friends. It’s how I spend my time running or sitting by the pool. Also baseball is not just once a week- it’s every day. So when they suck it’s unavoidable. And sure “there’s always next year” but that is not true. We're mortal creatures. Our next day isn't guaranteed much less next year. That's why every game, every season counts.

So last night after we dropped our fifth in a row, after our bullpen had once again imploded, I went went in search of other angry fans. I found myself on twitter. After my seventh #cubs tweet, I came to a realization. I love the Cubs more than the players do. What do they care if they lose five in a row? I mean sure, they "care"- but they also get to be soothed by their bank accounts. That would make me feel a lot better. “Sure I went 0-4 and committed two errors. But I’ve got 4.7 million in my Bank of America account, so forget that game.”

What does the average fan have? We’re the ones who get taunted by our friends for our teams sucking. We’re the ones who have to get up and go to our lame ass jobs making barely above a livable wage. We’re the ones who have to sit in traffic thinking hell, I could have gone 0-4 and committed two errors so why the hell am I the one fighting rush hour while they’re the ones fighting over who picks up the bill at Smith and Wollenskys?

Not that this realization is going to change anything. Much like a genetic disease, I’ve got the Cubs for life. Where I used to simply suffer in silence, at least now I have the solace of Twitter, with other Cubs fans and their several hundred followers. Our voices might get us a new relief pitcher, but it will give us the satisfaction of not yelling into a vacuum. Carl Edwards, Jr might not be there for me, but @CubsFanatic112 is.

Any port in the storm.