Catching Hell
I’ve been pretty vocal regarding my feelings about the Cubs making it to the NLCS. Let’s just say it doesn’t make me happy.
A fair amount of people have asked me how I could possibly root against a team that hasn’t won a championship in over 100 years. Many are adamant that I’m just spiteful and have no good reason to dislike the Cubs. They bring up the Red Sox drought and how I should feel a companionship with the Cubs fans because as a Red Sox fan I know their pain. This is all too true.
In the 2003 post-season, I was much too involved with the Red Sox/Yankees ALCS to pay much attention to what was going on with the Cubs and Marlins. I probably had the NLCS on but I honestly don’t remember one game of it. So I have no memory of my own of the October 14th “Bartman” game at Wrigley Field. All my memories of it come after, from the news, the Internet and the documentary “Catching Hell” that ESPN produced for their 30 for 30 series.
Which means I didn’t immediately hold the treatment of Steve Bartman against the Cubs fans. In my mind, initially, it was just fans giving another fan grief because he interfered with a ball in play and it seemed to affect the outcome of the game. The fans acted like jerks, but all fans act like jerks at one time or another (even you St Louis Cardinals fans) so let’s note they acted crummy and move on with our lives.
Then in 2011 I watched “Catching Hell” on-demand and it changed my view of Cubs fans forever. What they did went beyond giving a fan grief. They tormented Steve Bartman and ruined his life. Ruined it, genuinely, all over a baseball game. (I should note that “Catching Hell” doesn’t just cover Bartman but Bill Buckner as well.)
The argument from many is that ANY fans (maybe, especially Red Sox fans) would have reacted the way the Cubs fans did. I reject this false premise. I will always reject this because we haven’t seen it happen. There have been plenty of goats in Major League Baseball over the last 12 years and where is the next Bartman?
ESPN has been kind enough to post the documentary in its entirety. I’ll save you a click and share it below. I implore you to watch it if for no other reason than to understand how some people. such as yours truly, will have a very difficult time ever forgiving the Cubs fans.
October 15, 2015 - Posted by Cyn | 2015 | 2003 NLCS, 30 for 30, Chicago Cubs, ESPN, Steve Bartman
1 Comment »
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
About
This is where I house the archives to my “Red Sox Chick” and “Toeing the Rubber” blogs (Posts from July 2005 through February 2012 so far).
Because I never intended this all to go on as long as it has, many of the posts here don’t have the original pictures with them. In some entries I’ve deleted the dead photo links altogether, some you’ll get the notice that the picture is no longer available and some I actually inserted new pictures. But, really, you’re not going to get photos with the majority of the Red Sox Chick posts and a good chunk of the Toeing the Rubber posts that were written during my time at WEEI.com.
Thanks, as always, for stopping by!
Toeing the Rubber
- Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage April 12, 2016
- THIS is Opening Day April 11, 2016
- Sox Opening Day Postponed April 4, 2016
- Opening Day – 2016: Mother Nature’s Revenge April 4, 2016
- It was a winter weekend January 26, 2016
- Remembering Hell October 15, 2015
- Catching Hell October 15, 2015
- We should NOT be okay with a broken leg October 11, 2015
- NESN Drops the Ball August 26, 2015
- I’m NOT Sorry May 5, 2015
Archives
- April 2016 (4)
- January 2016 (1)
- October 2015 (3)
- August 2015 (1)
- May 2015 (1)
- April 2015 (3)
- January 2015 (1)
- October 2014 (4)
- August 2014 (3)
- July 2014 (1)
- June 2014 (1)
- May 2014 (1)
- April 2014 (6)
- March 2014 (2)
- January 2014 (1)
- December 2013 (1)
- November 2013 (2)
- October 2013 (6)
- September 2013 (3)
- August 2013 (3)
- February 2012 (6)
- January 2012 (5)
- December 2011 (4)
- November 2011 (9)
- October 2011 (19)
- September 2011 (32)
- August 2011 (20)
- July 2011 (18)
- June 2011 (19)
- May 2011 (35)
- April 2011 (44)
- March 2011 (31)
- February 2011 (13)
- January 2011 (10)
- December 2010 (14)
- November 2010 (19)
- October 2010 (28)
- September 2010 (29)
- August 2010 (26)
- July 2010 (28)
- June 2010 (29)
- May 2010 (42)
- April 2010 (32)
- March 2010 (27)
- February 2010 (7)
- January 2010 (8)
- December 2009 (8)
- November 2009 (14)
- October 2009 (29)
- September 2009 (27)
- August 2009 (31)
- July 2009 (38)
- June 2009 (38)
- May 2009 (34)
- April 2009 (36)
- March 2009 (34)
- February 2009 (29)
- January 2009 (30)
- December 2008 (24)
- November 2008 (34)
- October 2008 (53)
- September 2008 (71)
- August 2008 (62)
- July 2008 (87)
- June 2008 (58)
- May 2008 (62)
- April 2008 (78)
- March 2008 (61)
- February 2008 (32)
- January 2008 (31)
- December 2007 (20)
- November 2007 (26)
- October 2007 (52)
- September 2007 (40)
- August 2007 (40)
- July 2007 (31)
- June 2007 (41)
- May 2007 (31)
- April 2007 (41)
- March 2007 (37)
- February 2007 (24)
- January 2007 (27)
- December 2006 (20)
- November 2006 (24)
- October 2006 (58)
- September 2006 (44)
- August 2006 (76)
- July 2006 (153)
- June 2006 (102)
- May 2006 (106)
- April 2006 (113)
- March 2006 (67)
- February 2006 (68)
- January 2006 (48)
- December 2005 (13)
- November 2005 (12)
- October 2005 (78)
- September 2005 (32)
- August 2005 (26)
- July 2005 (4)
-
2008 ALCS Alex Rodriguez All Star Game Amalie Benjamin Anaheim Angels Assholiness Baltimore Orioles Blog Suggestions Boston Red Sox Brad Penny Bronson Arroyo Charlie Zink Clay Buchholz Cliff Lee Curt Schilling Daisuke Matsuzaka Daniel Bard David Ortiz Derek Lowe Detroit Tigers Dustin Pedroia ESPN Fenway Park Heidi Watney Interleague Jacoby Ellsbury Japan Jason Bay Jason Varitek Javier Lopez JD Drew Jed Lowrie Jerry Remy Joba Chamberlain Joe Girardi John Lackey Johnny Damon Jonathan Papelbon Jon Lester Josh Beckett Justin Masterson Kelly O'Connor Kevin Millar Kevin Youkilis Kyle Snyder Live Blog Live Chat Lowell Spinners Manny Delcarmen Manny Ramirez MFY Michael Bowden Mike Lowell Mike Timlin MLB MLB Network NESN New York Mets New York Yankees Nomar Garciaparra Opening Day Paul Byrd PawSox Pawtucket Red Sox Pedro Martinez Philadelphia Phillies Rob Bradford Tales from Tru Tampa Bay Rays Terry Francona Texas Rangers Theo Epstein Tim Wakefield Toronto Blue Jays Tru
Unknown Feed
- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
Good points. I cannot support the Cubs either.