The reason why the Cubs are on the brink of elimination...

[Sleepy Jean]

Good point, but not in my book. To me they're just... chokers.

Well of course they're chokers. They're the chokers in blue. I'm just curious as to why anyone thought this year would be different.

 

[Cy/MiG]

Well of course they're chokers. They're the chokers in blue. I'm just curious as to why anyone thought this year would be different.

Yeah I know... I don't know why.

Once I remembered that Lou P couldn't lead his great Mariners teams to the WS I realized that the Cubbies were doomed.

I think maybe because the Cubs played so consistent throughout the season, combined with some solid signings/player developments (Harden, Fukodome, Soto) and both Sox recently breaking their 'curses' fans thought that it was time.

Plus this was the '100 year anniversary', so I think some people liked that rounded out number.

I wasn't surprised or shocked, just reminded.

 

[Goodieluver]

Yeah I know... I don't know why.

Once I remembered that Lou P couldn't lead his great Mariners teams to the WS I realized that the Cubbies were doomed.

I think maybe because the Cubs played so consistent throughout the season, combined with some solid signings/player developments (Harden, Fukodome, Soto) and both Sox recently breaking their 'curses' fans thought that it was time.

Plus this was the '100 year anniversary', so I think some people liked that rounded out number.

I wasn't surprised or shocked, just reminded.

What white sox curse are you implying to?
Anyone who believes in curses, hexes and magic doohikies need to get out of the middle ages

Boston's drought was simple, they always loaded their team with power guys who dominate at fenway but were worthless elsewhere

The cub "curse" is mainstream because wgn and tribute made it so and because they can sell it

Montreal\washington hasnt been to the post season since 1981, does this mean they are hexed? Pirates last pennant in 79, voodoo? Nope.

Curses and mystical reasons are made up to deflect from the real reason a team loses

 

[Goodieluver]

And you can't admit that there are forces you don't understand. Baseball is as much psychological and physical at strategic. The Cubs choke because history gets in the way of all the good work they do during a 162-game season. Simple as that.

Were the Dodgers the better team? For three games in October, yes. Goodieluver must think the Indians were better than the Yankees in '07. Better teams over the long haul are not necessarily the better teams in a short series.

I don't believe in curses. I believe in history. I believe in Leo Durocher and Leon Durham and Jim Frey and Mitch Williams and Steve Bartman and, how many errors was it?

Why is alex gonzales not in that list and Bartman is? You are trying to tell me that if the cubs would be able to sign arod or name any other top tier player in baseball, he will suddenly and mystically fail because he is with the cubs? Thats as stupid as ken williams(gm of sox) saying he is signing players who are "chicago tough" as if such a thing even exists

The "mystical forces" and history shit is just as foolish as Dusty Baker's claim that the cubs lose because they have too many day games

Point of fact: The cubs clinched too early and relaxed while the dodgers played hot baseball the second half of the year. Dempster had a good year and everyone felt he was cy young but forgot he has not gone an extended season since his early marlin years. Zambrano has also shown he cannot stay healthy\too much emotion and ive already stated about harden and i am an avid harden fan, Harden and Cotts were to be the next hudson\zito in oakland.

 

[Sleepy Jean]

You obviously were never a psychology major in college. Or a history major.

It matters not who the Cubs sign (A-Rod????? I pity ANY team that signs a clubhouse poison like him). The odds of the Cubs winning a WS, even being iin one, are as long as the odds of the Nationals winning the WS next year. They can load up with as many superstars as they want. The mountain will still be too high and steep. A hundred years of frustration has made it so. I guarantee that.

Peace, my young brother

 

[Cy/MiG]

'Curse' is a loose term.

Do I actually think there's a 'hex' on the Cubs, or there was one on the White/Red Sox?

No.

But I just use the term to describe a long history of pressure, losing, choking, and collapsing in weird and baffling fashion for decades.

The fact that their 'ruts' commenced after significant historic moments (the 1919 world series, trading Babe Ruth) just adds to the legend.

And if gives the teams an excuse to their losing.

Basically, there's no 'curse' persey, just a HUGE monkey on their backs, one that's in everybody's head and it's hard as $h!t to get it off.

 

[milagros317]

To the extent that the players on a team, not the fans, believe that they are cursed, it will harm their play. They will sit back and expect something unlucky and harmful to happen, which is not a winning manner of play.

 

[Cy/MiG]

To the extent that the players on a team, not the fans, believe that they are cursed, it will harm their play. They will sit back and expect something unlucky and harmful to happen, which is not a winning manner of play.

Yup. Total psyche-out/monkey on the back... or in the Cubs case a two-ton gorilla.