Before my post, I wanted to congratulate the Cubs fans. No one should have to wait 108 years for a World Series title and no team should have to be the target of so many jokes because of that drought and some of your near misses in the past. If anyone had to beat the Indians I am glad it was your team and, in fact, I am glad that your team had such fight to come back from the Indians 8th inning rally when I am sure some fans were saying 'Oh no, here we go again.' So enjoy this moment and to the Cleveland Indians and their manager and their GM, I say thanks for the ride it was great. Now on to the post I crafted before Game 6.
As I said in my previous post I had this post already written before knowing what was going to happen in Game 6 of the World Series. So, by now, the Indians could be celebrating and I could be hitting send. Or I might have to wait until tomorrow night, win or lose, to hit send.
In any case, you learn a lot from your kids but one thing I never would have learned from them came from the world of professional wrestling. You know, that sport has come a long way from the days I watched it growing up in Cleveland, watching Bobo Brazil, Bulldog Brower and others wrestle on TV, when there were only 3 channels.
Now my kids are interested in it and one of them was watching an old Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson match where he said, "you can take that ____, turn it sideways, and shove it up your candy a**".
So, as I hit send, knowing whether we won or lost this series, here are my final thoughts on it:
First, to the Cleveland Indians, players, manager, organization and management, AND ownership, congratulations on a memorable season. In the end, the curse has been lifted, whether we won or not.
Second, to the Cleveland fans, congratulations. Hopefully, win or lose, you acted respectfully and in good sportsmanship. Next year it would be great if the fans could show up all year and not just on opening day and in October. I know there are lots of people out there who love the Indians and some of us would love the ability to go to Cleveland and see them all the time, although we can't. So please be there for us and we will support them in spirit and when they come to or close to our town or when we make it to Cleveland.
Third, to the Cubs fans, and I know a number of you, congratulations on a great season. Part of me hopes your curse was broken but most of me hopes our drought was broken. I think all of you are great, almost 100% of you are without pretense, smugness or a superiority complex. Way to go. Your future is bright. You have great players and great management and ownership and one of the best ballparks to watch a game at in the major leagues.
Fourth, to the media, especially those of you who are clearly not even close to unbiased, including the TBS people who made up and supported the burning river promo, those MLB network people who spent about 80% of your time talking about the Cubs in this series and even one of the Fox announcers (I have had harsh things to say about how biased this guy has been in the past against the Indians, almost like he was the hometown announcer for whoever their opponent was) well, to paraphrase The Rock, why don't you take that microphone (or graphics computer, if appropriate), turn it sideways, and stick it up your candy a**.
Finally, to the Cubs players, and I am sure there must be a good number of you, who honestly are just putting in a good effort without pretense, smugness or air of superiority, and trying to win the championship for the long suffering Cubs fans, congratulations on a great season. To those of you (and I can think of at least 3 of you) who are thinking 'hey, we are so much better than the Indians they shouldn't even be allowed in the World Series against us and if they win it doesn't make them the better team', you can take your 36 inch, 36 ounce bat, turn it sideways, and stick it up your candy a** because, win or lose, the undermanned Indians played this entire post-season with more heart, more intensity, more love of the game and more love for the city of Cleveland than you ever will have in your life. And, if you do happen to win the series, don't cheapen it with crying and saying how you did it for Cubs fans, don't lie. You few did it for yourself. You know it and I know it, because it is written all over your faces, in your words and in your expressions. I'll tell you what. Let's look a few years down the road and see if you stick with the Cubs or if you go to another team who gives you a few more bucks. That will tell a lot.
I hope when I press "SEND" tomorrow night it will be when I am watching the Indians celebrating their first WS title since 1948. But if I am watching the Cubs celebrate their first championship since 1908, then I will say "way to go, Cubbies" when I hit that SEND button. But my thoughts above won't have changed in any way because you are what you are, regardless of whether 'your team' wins or loses.
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