“Winners take time to relish their work, knowing that scaling the mountain is what makes the view from the top so exhilarating.” - Dennis Waitley

Here we are again. After three straight years with playoff hopes, the Cubs have returned to their cellar dwelling ways. The Cubs are struggling, despite the recent returns of the injured superstars that the Cubs needed during the first couple of months. There is hardly an excuse to be found, other than the plain and simple fact that these are the Chicago Cubs. The last three years were nice, and for most Cubs fans it was the first time that they got to see back-to-back meaningful seasons (’03 and ‘04).

Now we head back into the cellar in hopes of rebuilding for the future. Derrek Lee will take over Sammy Sosa’s role as fan favorite, Ron Santo will be playing the part of the fun loving announcer that Harry vacated in 1998, and Kerry Wood will reprise his role as the injured hurler. The Cubs will lose bad games, they’ll go days without scoring and the beer will still be overpriced. These are still the Chicago Cubs.

The brightside to this losing season is that it will remind Cubs fans of the humility of losing and the graciousness of winning. When the Cubs were losing in the 90’s fans still enjoyed the game because they didnt expect to win. Fans went to the ballpark for a good time, to enjoy a frosty adult beverage (or malt cup) and watch the game of baseball. If the Cubs won it was a bonus, but it was not the hingepoint of the entire trip to the ballpark.

It was this fanbase that I was born into. I was not born into the “win-at-all-costs” fanbase of the Yankees nor the “we-win-every-year” fanbase of the braves. Instead I joined the Wrigley Faithful in the bleachers to enjoy the game as it should be played. I was taught to respect the tradition, hope for the future, and enjoy the present. When I first set foot in Wrigley Field I couldnt tell you who won, how many runs were scored or who pitched. I can tell you that I was hooked because of the laidback atmosphere and the Chicago Cubs.

The brightside to this losing season is that it will remind Cubs fans of the humility of losing and the graciousness of winning. When the Cubs were losing in the 90’s fans still enjoyed the game because they didnt expect to win. Fans went to the ballpark for a good time, to enjoy a frosty adult beverage (or malt cup) and watch the game of baseball. If the Cubs won it was a bonus, but it was not the hingepoint of the entire trip to the ballpark.

It was this fanbase that I was born into. I was not born into the “win-at-all-costs” fanbase of the Yankees nor the “we-win-every-year” fanbase of the braves. Instead I joined the Wrigley Faithful in the bleachers to enjoy the game as it should be played. I was taught to respect the tradition, hope for the future, and enjoy the present. When I first set foot in Wrigley Field I couldnt tell you who won, how many runs were scored or who pitched. I can tell you that I was hooked because of the laidback atmosphere and the Chicago Cubs.

The Cubs are slowly working their way back down the mountain, but they’ll be back. They’ll return to the peak of the mountain someday, and Cubs fans across the world will relish it because they know just how hard the climb to the top was.