It's been nearly 4 years to the infamous day that many Cubs fans believe Steve Bartman derailed their course of destiny. Just in case you forgot, the year was 2003 and Steve Bartman leaned over the railing to snag a foul ball like any normal fan would do based on instinct. The problem being Moises Alou and his urine soaked hands were also going for that baseball. Well, the rest as they say is history. The Cubs imploded, destiny was in the rear view and the doom of agony set in for the past 3 plus seasons. And not a day seemed to go by where Bartman wasn't hung in infamy in the lore of the famous "curse" of the Cubs franchise.
It was just another urban legend or myth that fans loved to pile on the poor guy. And I'm not afraid to admit, I was chiming along in the background. How could he have done such a heinous act? Well, we were all fooled into believing and blaming poor Steve as the scapegoat. Bartman obviously went into hiding and no doubt carries emotional scars far greater than any one person should have to bare. And for what? Loving the Chicago Cubs and wanting it just as much as every other Cubs fan that has ever breathed on this earth?
What would you have done in that situation?
In the years since the Bartman incident, the backlash has thankfully seemed to die down to an extent. A few years back, in an attempt to alter the course of history, the infamous Bartman ball was blown up and decimated. Finicky fans really think this somehow absolves the Cubs from disaster. Yet, have they really gone ahead and forgiven the man. I'm not so sure they have, but I certainly have.
The Cubs are now back in the post-season for the first time since the agony of 2003. And the first name/story mentioned on the "WWL" last night was Steve Bartman. Talk about digging up a story that we'd all just as soon forget. Yet, it's hard not to talk about the Cubs in the post-season without mentioning the demons of 2003. However, do we continually have to blame Bartman for what happened? He certainly didn't leave Mark Prior in too long and it wasn't his fault Alex Gonzalez couldn't field a routine grounder or that Kyle Farnsworth couldn't get a friggin' out.
It's been convenient to forget there was a Game 7 played the next night. Yet, as goes with the Cubs, it's always somebody else's fault. So, somewhere quietly Steve Bartman is watching the Chicago Cubs this post-season. And not to get himself off the "hook" as the "WWL" would like to suggest. No sir, Steve is watching the team he's always watched and loved, because he wants them to win the World Series just as much as you or I.
And so, as the Cubs begin another quest to bury the demons of the past 100 years, let's watch with our hearts about Steve Bartman. It wasn't his fault and lord knows he's felt the pain. I'm already building up my own anticipations and expectations. And as I sink into the first Cubs post-season game in nearly 4 years...I'd gladly invite Steve Bartman to have a beer with me. So, cheers to finally letting it go and cheers to Steve Bartman for still believing in "hope" and the Chicago Cubs.
1 comments:
Watch the replay: The ball was slicing away from Alou. There was no guarantee he would have caught it. In fact, it could be argued he probably WOULDN'T have caught it ... a possibility conveniently overlooked by Cubs fans always looking for a scapegoat.
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