MLB Playoffs: White Sox Fans are Better Than Cubs Fans
by Jerod Morris
Dick Stockton just confirmed what I’ve known since the day I started following baseball: White Sox fans are better than Cubs fans.
Stockton was on the South Side last night for the one-game playoff between the White Sox and Twins. Today, he is up in Wrigleyville for Game 1 of the Cubs-Dodgers Divisional Series. I just got home and flipped on the game (the Cubs are currently leading 2-0 thanks to a Mark DeRose homer) and one of the first things I heard was an observation by Dick Stockton about the differences between the two parks.
To paraphrase, Stockton basically said that Comiskey Park was rocking and rolling from the first pitch to the final pitch last night. The fans were all dressed in black, they were on their feet every time a count go to two strikes, and there was a consistent electricity in the air throughout the game. Wrigley Field, however, was pretty much silent as the game started. Dick Stockton described the crowd as “apprehensive” and whoever the other color announcer besides Tony Gwynn is said it’s because the Cubs are in a “World Series or bust” situation. I guess he was trying to rationalize the reticence of the fans at Wrigley, or apologize for them.
They should have stopped beating around the bush and just said the truth: White Sox fans are better than Cubs fans.
White Sox fans are blue collar people from the South Side who pay a greater proportion of their income for tickets than the yuppies in Wrigleyville. White Sox fans weren’t disheartened when they learned about the post-7th inning alcohol ban because they actually care about the baseball, not just the alcohol and “the scene.” That’s why U.S. Cellular (I guess I’ll refer to it as that at least once) was rocking and rolling, and why I have to keep looking up to make sure there is actually a baseball game on TV as I type this. If the announcers weren’t talking, there wouldn’t be any noise coming from the TV at all.
IT’S THE FREAKING PLAYOFFS! For goodness sakes, your team hasn’t won a World Series in 100 years and you can’t be bothered to show some excitement for a playoff game? Give me a break. There is absolutely no excuse and no valid reason for a stadium to sound this dead during a playoff game. If I was a Cubs player, I would be a douchebag pissed! Maybe it will turn around as the game goes on, but there should be no On/Off switch for fans in the playoffs. You’re on. The whole game.
Anyway, that’s my rant for the evening. I just get so annoyed at the holier-than-thou attitude that permeates from the North Side when the fact is their team’s history isn’t as good, their fans aren’t as good, and their team usually isn’t as good as the White Sox. The Cubs are beloved worldwide because people feel sorry for them for sucking so badly, and because their games are on WGN; not because of some history of merit that has earned the Cubs such a following.
Wow. Ryan Dempster just got a strike out to end an inning with the bases loaded. A quick, loud cheer and that was it. Way to support your team Cubs “fans.” Your pitcher just preserved the lead and handed the game back over to the offense and the majority of you can’t even be bothered to get of your asses and cheer.
I can’t wait for this weekend when I get watch the White Sox play at home again, and see fans who understand what it’s like to win a World Series and will do anything to will their team as far as possible towards another one. The White Sox fans helped to power John Danks to a great outing, helped push Jim Thome’s home run out of the park, and gave Ken Griffey Jr and AJ Pierzynski the extra boost they needed to connect on the play of the game at home place against Michael Cuddyer. Can I prove this? No. But I believe it. As big a role as John Danks, Jim Thome, Ken Griffey, AJ, Bobby Jenks and the rest of the White Sox players played in last night’s victory, the White Sox fans were just as big.
Are Cubs fans capable of rising to the occasion in such a manner? History proves just the opposite, Cubs fans rise, but not to the occasion. Unfortunately, Cubs fans have a greater history of helping their team lose big games than willing them to victory like the White Sox fans did last night.
Or did you forget?
[tags]chicago white sox, chicago cubs, mlb playoffs[/tags]
Tags: chicago cubs, Chicago White Sox, fans, MLB, mlb playoffs
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I’ve been saying this for years and Wednesday and Thursday makes you a believer. I do believe the fans and the park helped click Jenks’ fastball a few more MPH in the 9th. While I think you were watching a bunch of sCrub fans in Wrigleyville watching Dempster walk 7 and the nervousness fell from the stands and onto the field.
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No, I’ve always known it. Hell, I hated the Cubs before I even really because a White Sox fan. Yesterday was just more shocking than anything. How can you not be more excited for a PLAYOFF game!?! You’re going to be “apprehensive” as they described it? Give me a break. For a franchise as sorry as the Cubs, you’d think there fans would be savoring every minute of playoff baseball and going nuts – seeing as how they are so few and far between. White Sox fans understand this. Luckily, we have a great GM and manager so playoff baseball should and will be a more common occurrence.
Maybe all the Cubs fans took to drinking early because of the post-7th inning ban. Perhaps they were all passed out in their seats since drinking and being part of the “Wrigley scene” is their primary objective anyway. Not sure what else explains such a pathetic display of fan apathy.
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As a Die-Hard RED SOX FAN for 22years,
and a guy who actually HATES the white sox,I just wanot to say CUBS fans are far,far SUPERIOR to you bandwagon jumping white sox fans.Many
of you root for the white sox or the
white sux now because of ‘05 but it’s
no question who is still the better
franchise,who deserves it more, and
who has the best and most knowledgable
fans of the two,that of course being
the CUB FANS!!!.
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I was at the blackout game and I watched the cu bs games as well. I agree 100 percent. Also I remember talking to chris widger in 05 and he told me that if it wasn’t for the fans they would not have been as good as they were. And let’s not forget a little less then 40 years ago this was a sox town from the begining. Really up until they signed on with wgn it was a sox town. For the 40 percent of cubs fans who were actually born here in illinois I give you credit for all your heart ache. For the other 60 percent who only go to cubs games to be seen in the hip part of town. If your going to be all high and mighty about the cubbies, then at least do what it takes to be a fan and help energize your team. Any winning ball club will always give it up to the 26th man on the roster. THE FANS.
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