It's Gonna Happen

For fear that the Curse of the Billy Goat has not yet been broken, I've been reluctant to say publicly what I've been wanting to say for a few months now, but John Kass's column yesterday in the Chicago Tribune has served as a kick in the pants for me. Titled "Note to Cubs fans: Go all in or pack it in", it begins thusly:

All right Cubs fans. It's time to decide. Are you all in? Or are you out?

It's the last week of the season. The Cubs are fighting to get into the playoffs. No more hiding. No more wussification in the Cubs nation.

Are you in? Or not?

I ask this not as a White Sox fan who, like my Sox brothers and sisters, has been where you are now. I ask as Mr. Predictor, co-founder of the proposed Chumbolone Museum of Grant Park and dean of the new University of Chumbolone.

Don't be a chumbolone, Cubs fans. Believe in these Cubs.

Remember June? Cubs fans were in the fetal position, cursing Jacque Jones, damning Carlos Zambrano, giving Lou Piniella the finger for not knowing anything about baseball.

It was mass hysteria, and I could have fanned the flames of self loathing. Instead, I channeled Mr. Predictor. And what did Mr. Predictor tell you back in June?

That the Cubs would win this thing. They'd win it, they'd win it, they'd win it.

Now, in the last week of the season, don't take a turn to negativity town. You can still get on the bus, but the door closes Sunday afternoon.

I was able to get on the bus yesterday afternoon before the door closed. I'm all in.

Why not? After all, my "other team" (the team I've rooted for since childhood, the team that played its home games mere miles from the house I grew up in -- the Minnesota Twins) has been in a free fall for the better part of two months now, and will now be lucky to finish above .500.

So I now add my voice to the chorus of voices that have been proclaiming since late July, seemingly against all odds: It's gonna happen.