The Cubs are in the World Series: Eight more day of stress
I hear that sports are supposed to fun. You know, a way to forget about the your every day first world problems. Money, work, health issues, family, elections...you can forget about them for a few hours by turning on a game and just chilling out for a few hours.
YEAH, RIGHT!!
I swear this entire city is stressed to the max over the Cubs...well maybe, not White Sox fans, but they have an entire set of different issues with their team.
It's not just the winning or losing but the games themselves have been so intense.
Cubs-Giants: 1-0 opening game decided in 8th inning. A 13 inning game three. A game four rally in the final inning to win the series. Phew.
After that, at least you had a few days to relax before the next series. YEAH, RIGHT!!
Here come the Dodgers...Game One decided by the grand slam in the 8th. Game Two-Kershaw! Game Three- Rich Hill shutout. YIKES!! Game 4 & 5 are Cub blowouts but are close affairs until the late innings. More sweat and intense stress.
That brought us to Game 6. At least we'd have a day off on Friday to relax and not think about baseball....YEAH, RIGHT!!
I'm pretty sure everyone in Cub Nation could think of nothing else but baseball. It led to conversations like this: L: C'mon Cubs get it done! H: Relax, you still have a day to go. L: I'm totally stressed... H: I'm handling it like an adult. I'm still in bed at 11:15. And that was just on Friday. What would Saturday bring?
On Saturday, with hours to kill before the game, I decided to make a field trip to Walgreens. As I walked in I heard these words over the intercom: "Help needed the antacid section." I was laughing but totally understood...totally!!
It turned out the Saturday game was the easiest of them all. Even though it was that damn Clayton Kershaw pitching, he didn't turn into the reincarnation of Sandy Koufax and it became a night of celebration at Wrigley.
But that brings us to tonight.
It's World Series time.
I don't feel as apprehensive about this one. I feel like everything from now on is a bonus. Don't get me wrong, I really want the Cubs to win the World Series....I really, really, really, REALLY do...but just getting there is a great accomplishment and winning it is the cherry on top of the sundae.
But....I know that feeling is going to change sometime tonight. Maybe it'll be when Corey Kluber strikes out the side in the first inning or when Jason Kipnis starts dancing around first base daring Jon Lester to throw over to Anthony Rizzo. I can't pinpoint that exact time but it'll be there....and will be there until next week.
At least by then baseball will be over and we can get back to normal worries, like the election.
Oh man....the election....I think I need a trip to Walgreens antacid section.
It's pretty amazing the Cubs are in the World Series because just three years ago I wrote about them getting there before I check out. Long live Theo and Joe!