Keeping your personal politics out of sports
In a couple of hours, the Chicago Cubs will play the New York Mets in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.The winner of this series will play the American League champion in the World Series. So the Cubs are now eight wins away from their first championship in 107 years. OY!
I've been a Cubs fan since age eight and I can't imagine what this would be like. The feelings and emotions would be overwhelming.
The other night I posed a question on my Facebook page. "Do I need to support the Ricketts political candidates if the Cubs win the World Series?"
If you aren't familiar with the Ricketts family, in addition to owning the Cubs, they founded T.D. Ameritrade and support and fund many Republican right-wing candidates and issues. By fund, I mean they give a ton of money. One of the Ricketts is even the Governor of Nebraska.
Now I never talk about my political views here but they're pretty simple: . pro-choice . pro-affordable housing, healthcare and college education . pro-Israel . anti-guns . anti-sending our kids to war Like I said pretty simple.
I guess you could tell my question was facetious. It's pretty obvious I'm not on the same wavelength politically with Cubs ownership...except sister Laura, who is a liberal. (How did that happen?)
But we do have one commonality. They want to see the Cubs win and make money. I want to see the Cubs win and well....I want to see the Cubs win.
I have this saying....never let politics affect your sports and musical interests. If I did, I'd never be able to watch Golf and don't get me started on Roger Waters, Elvis Costello and others who boycott Israel. I also tell my Tea Party friends, and I do have a few, that they'd only be able to listen to Kid Rock and Ted Nugent...and really, who could deal with that?
Besides, we've been through this in Chicago before. Remember Michael Jordan saying "Republicans buy sneakers, too"? It didn't stop us from cheering on the Bulls to their six titles.
Plus the previous Cubs owner, The Tribune Company, is not exactly any more liberal than the Ricketts (eyeroll). Like I said above, it didn't stop us from cheering before and for sure isn't going to stop us now.
Maybe in three weeks, when all the celebrations are over, we can sit down with the Ricketts and bond over some baseball...and some politics? Well maybe with sister Laura.
Talking about baseball, here's a little Cubs-White Sox trash talk.
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