How I learned to stop caring about the Cubs

"Cubs suck!" "Expletive!" "Cubs expletiving suck!" Homophobic t-shirts! Veiled racist t-shirts! Drunken fights in the stands! Oh, and baseball.

I've seen a lot of memorable moments in person since the Crosstown Classic began in 1997. I saw Frank Thomas blast a home run at Wrigley Field. I saw Ray Durham's 14th-inning walk-off single from the last row of the upper deck at pre-renovation Comiskey Park. I saw the fight and both of Tadahito Iguchi's home runs. I saw A.J. Pierzynski hit a grand slam at Wrigley Field the next year. I saw Ryan Theriot perfectly execute a squeeze to lead the Cubs to a win. I saw Nick Swisher hit a grand slam. And last year, I had a perfect view into the Cubs' dugout to see Carlos Zambrano go postal on Derrek Lee.

Those are what I think about when I think of Cubs-Sox. Unfortunately, off the field, my memories aren't as positive.

"Wrigley Field: World's Largest Gay Bar" t-shirts everywhere. "Carlos Zambrano mows my lawn" or "Ozzie Guillen mows my lawn." People inserting "Cubs" or "White Sox" into George Carlin's seven words you can't say on TV bit. Fights starting because I'm drunk and angry that you think your baseball team is better than my baseball team. All in the atmosphere of a Cubs-Sox game, I guess.

I'm not one who is easily offended, and I can hardly say I'm offended by what goes on at Cubs-Sox games. Annoyed is a better way to put it.

Don't get me wrong, the atmosphere at Cubs-Sox is great as long as you're away from the lowbrow fans—which, for the record, exist on both sides of town. I want the Sox to beat the Cubs more than any other National League team. But I'd rather the Sox beat the Twins, Tigers, Indians, Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, Orioles Rangers, Mariners, Athletics or Angels (note: the Royals are exempt, but I'll get to that later).

I'm totally cool with wanting to beat the snot out of the Cubs. But, at the end of the day, feeling satisfied with four out of six wins from the North Siders is mindless.

Take this year, for example. If the Sox win the coveted BP Crosstown Cup, they'll have taken the season series from a fifth-place team in the National League. In a vacuum, that's really not much of an accomplishment. It'd be like celebrating a series victory over San Diego with fireworks and an awkward trophy presentation.

Or the Cubs, in 2007, when they thoroughly dominated the White Sox. The White Sox were a terrible team that year, evidenced by the fact Andy Gonzalez hit second on numerous occasions. For the Cubs, the White Sox were of no concern as they stormed to a division title.

But I'm not stupid, and even the most cynical commentator on Cubs-Sox has to admit there's added enjoyment to beating your crosstown rival. The fact that so many people put an emphasis on beating the Cubs or beating the Sox is what makes these games fun—again, as long as you're at a safe distance from the people who go so far to wear offensive t-shirts or start fights.

I'm still pretty young—for the record, Dayan Viciedo was born about two months after me—and not too long ago, I was part of the group that really hated the Cubs. It probably was because I was in such close proximity to immature Cubs fans, being an immature high school student in Oak Park. Getting away from that for four years—and gaining some maturity—put a half to my loathing of the Cubs.*

*Of course, it made me kind of dislike the Cardinals and gain an odd soft spot for the Royals. 

Being away from the Cubs, along with growing up, cured me of any hatred of the North Side club. I don't obsessively check Cubs scores anymore to gain a little bit of pleasure from another team's loss. I don't dismiss the Cubs in any way. I thoroughly enjoy going to games at Wrigley Field and overpaying for Old Style (which, I was surprised to find out, isn't all that bad anymore). When I do go to Cubs games, I'm not that jerk who wears Sox stuff there. Neutrality. The Cubs are like Switzerland.

It's really not that hard to stop caring about the Cubs. You don't have to live in another state to do it. Just concentrate your fandom on the White Sox and the AL Central instead of reserving some of it toward a disdain of the Cubs.

This isn't a plea, either. If you want to go on hating the Cubs, go on hating the Cubs. I suppose there has to be enough hatred on both sides to make this thing worthwhile to play.

Just don't count me in as one of the haters.

Comments

[EdRad]

Well said ... what did it for me was watching my team win a World Series in 2005. I realized how much better that feels. The games against the Cubs are just another 6 games on the schedule that I would like to see the Sox win. A win against the Twins or Tigers at this point would be much more satisfying.

[Cherann23]

<3 this! I'd much rather spew "hate" and "venom" at the teams that block the way to getting to the division championship than at a team the sox only see 6 times (too much imo) a year anyway.

[KW]

I second EdRad. JJ, if I had a son, I would wish for him to be a White Sox fan who doesn't hate the Cubs, just like you.

[e_gus]

I tried it your way. I did. Like you I was out of state, it was 2003. I tried to root for the home town team in the playoffs. But when Bartman happened, when they botched a routine grounder, when Alou scowled into the stands- I was overcome with elation. I literally jumped up and down laughing. It was an epiphany- I really do hate the Cubs. Passionately.

This season has been terrible so far for the Sox, I need something more from them. I need them to beat the last place club of the inferior league, so I can keep the little hope I have that the Sox can turn it around and win the AL Central. FTC.

[JRFegan]

Great work, JJ.

It is my attempt--especially in my own work--to instill the principles you outlined here.

But deep down I'm still the South Side kid who took a bus and train for an hour to go to high school at Payton in the Gold Coast, and got reminded where I belonged every day.

Bitterness dies hard.

[JJ -- White Sox Beerleaguer]

Yeah, if I'm going to be a jerk, it's going to be because the Twins or Tigers are in town. But even then, I don't want to be that guy. I guess the only two teams I'll ever spew hate and venom about are kansas basketball and Nebraska football.

E-Gus -- Even then, your main motive is hopeful regarding the Sox, even if it's fueled by a hatred of the Cubs.

James -- That's an understandable situation. Also because, as a high schooler, I presume you weren't able to waltz over to the Goose Island Brewpub for a post-school beer that would've smoothed things over.

[JRFegan]

BUT I CAN NOW!