Thursday, October 30, 2008

Reason 1 Why We'll Never Win:

Cub fans care more about the announcer than the team

Can you blame us? After 1o1 years of getting excited about trades and signings that didn't make a bit of difference, we have developed a curious attention to who talks us off the ledge.

Currently, the giddy excitement of Ron Santo's triumphant shouts and dejected sighs in place of Bob Brenly has The Cub Fan more excited to hear This Old Cub triumph over objectivity on television than worried at the prospect of a World Series-winning manager moving over to coach the division-upstart Brewers.

And somehow this makes perfect sense.

Haray Carey had a crazy drunken passion that made me want to raise a glass, somehow making me feel like things were ok even in the darkest years. That happy/positive drunk that only comes from Hamms-in-the-can or a day game at Wrigley.

Steve Stone was great too. His negativity was spared on no one and he said what we were all thinking. He would rain down stinging rebukes from the booth and question every decision the way every Cub Fan does from the barstool, but deep down, we knew he really loved the Cubs - in a tough-love sort of way.

Brenly is fine. He announces a good analytical game without letting his emotions for the Cubs get the better of him and that's why The Cub Fan was so excited to hear he could be leaving - even if it was to the Brewers.

Santo would have been another in a long line of speak-your-mind, wear your love on your sleeve, cheer when we win Cub announcers that make 201 years not seem that long.