Bleeding Cubbie Blue

Being married to a Cubs fan has its ups and downs. Mainly downs, the last week or so. My wife, who spent her wasted youth in the stands at Chicago’s Comiskey Park, for reasons I don’t completely understand turned her back on her Sox-loving mom and dad and became a Cubs fan. My sketchy knowledge of her formative years leads me to believe that she may have been a fan of BOTH teams. I can hear my other Chicago sports-following friends (with names like “Soglin” and “Zweifel“) groaning.

I’m a true-blue Brewers fan. I grew up the 50’s and attended the Braves World Series games in ’57 and ’58 in Milwaukee with my dad. I’ve been able to follow the Cubbies since the 70’s, because of the ubiquitous “Super Station” (WGN) that carries their games. When I lived in places like Los Angeles and New Orleans, I couldn’t get the Brewers games, but WGN was on the cable.

Last year was ecstasy and agony for my bride. We went to that late-July series between the Brewers and Cubs, and the fourth and final game of the set…July 31st…was one of her highest highs and my lowest lows. The Cubs prevailed, 11-4, and the outcome was never in doubt. By the middle of the 6th inning, surrounded by Cubs fans at Miller Park, I said to my wife “I can’t take any more of this. Meet me in the bar at Friday’s when you Cubs fans are done thrashing us”.

We all know how last year turned out for the Cubs.

Now, with the recent acquisition of her iPod Touch (a birthday present from the dog and me) she can follow her Cubbies even if they’re not on TV. She has some “app” downloaded that lets her “watch” the game through our in-house wireless internet setup. It’s some sort of hi-tech play-by-play representation she sees.

Last night was torture for her. As we were laying in bed with the 9 o’clock news on, she had her iPod going. She was cussing out Carlos Marmol. He hit a Phillies player with a pitch, to load the bases in the 8th. Then he walked in a run. At that point, her disgust with Marmol became disgust with Cubs skipper Lou Piniella for putting Marmol in and LEAVING him in.

Her pals at the famous “Bleed Cubbie Blue” website concur with her analysis. Ever since my friend Barry Orton pointed me to the website in January, it’s where I get the Cubs news not reported to me by my wife. This morning, she was still fuming about Lou putting in Marmol, who’s let the Cubs down so many times this season.

I will not predict if it will be agony or ecstasy for Cubs fans this year. As of this morning, since the Cubs, Brewers, and Cards all lost last night, the Cubs are 3 games back of the Cards and the Brewers are 6 and a half games back. Both the Brewers and Cubs are 4-6 in their last ten games.

We have great seats for the Brewers-Cardinals game at Miller Park on Labor Day - right behind home plate. I’m thinking by then, there’ll be a lot less at stake for Brewers fans, than Cubs fans. The Cubs will be in Pittsburgh that day. I’m hoping the Cards will be distracted, keeping an eye on the Cubs score.

You see, I bleed BREWERS blue.