Irrational Exuberance

I'm happy that the Cubs beat Atlanta but was a bit disturbed at the 
celebrations going on.  This was only a divisional playoff, the real 
playoffs start Tuesday.  Although the Cub players (especially Kerry Wood 
and Mark Prior) should be happy and deserve congratulations, they 
shouldn't be drinking champaign, the real games start Tuesday.

If anyone remembers 1984, the first time the Cubs won their division 
since 1945, the city went totally nuts, as it should have.  I have it all 
on tape if anyone's interested.  Back then there was still a lot of time 
for Cub players to get over their hangovers before the playoffs and if 
anyone remembers, the hungover Cubs lost the next regular season game to 
Pittsburgh that year.  In 1984 there weren't two levels of playoffs 
before you go to the World Series.  Winning the division put the Cubs in 
a 5 game pennant series, the winner representing the National League in 
the World Series.  The Cubs were up 2-0 and ultimately lost 3 heart 
wrenching games in a row to San Diego in which they should have won any 
one of those 3.

All of these celebrations are very premature at this point and all these 
bullshit stats of the Cubs not winning a post season series in 95 years 
is also misleading.  Before 1969, the winner of the division went 
directly to the World Series, that was the only post season play.  And we 
all know the Cubs never fared so well there either.  Comparing beating 
Atlanta to losing to the Yankees or Red Sox eons ago in the World Series 
is comparing apples to oranges.

That said, although the Cubs pitching was better in 1984, I'm starting to  
think they may have a good chance and hopefully they'll have some day 
games at Wrigley to showcase the ivy turning color in October like it 
looked in the 1984 postseason games when the Cubs clobbered San Diego.  
Unfortunately this year the ivy looks real green and it may not start 
turning color unless they make the World Series.

I just had to get that off my chest.  

BTW: RCN still sucks.  I still have to get that off my chest too.