I figure this is about as good of a time as any to write this, with our baseball squads nearing the start of their seasons in the Windy City. Over the years, I have developed a strong dislike to the ignorant comments from both White Sox and Cubs fans that has resulted in arguments that bring mankind back to the Stone Age. It has come time for me to express my distaste of everything that is stupid with our "rivalry".
Unhappy with me putting the word "rivalry" in quotes? I don't look at the two teams as true rivals--the Sox and Cubs are rivals 6 times a year in my eyes. Otherwise, as a White Sox fan, I couldn't care less what the Cubs do. In fact, in their other interleague games, I am rooting for the Cubs. This applies more now with the extra Wild Card in play - the more losses our divisional opponents and other AL squads lose, the better for the Sox. Most prognosticators have the Sox nowhere near the playoffs, so rooting for the Cubs in those situations may seem pointless, but I'll take my chances with the North Siders whooping up on our AL brethren.
There's a few bullet points that strike me at the heart of my annoyance with Cubs & Sox fans - on both sides - that I will address below.
- World Series - This is always the topic that gets brought up in Windy City baseball arguments stemming from the past seven offseasons. Yes - the White Sox took home the city's first baseball title in almost 90 years as they rode through October 2005 with relative ease. But to keep bringing it up in arguments with Cubs fans makes it sound like we won several titles in a 4-5 year period when we have only won a single playoff game since then. The titleless drought since then leaves Chicago with one title in the past 95 years. Almost 200 seasons worth of baseball (combining the two teams) and only one title to show for it. When it comes to the title argument, I say to Sox fans: Let It Go.
The devil on the shoulders says, "Well, we did win a World Series in our lifetimes, so you can't hold it against us for being proud of that." True - that is something we have that Cubs fans cannot say at this point. For the North Side fans who say that our title was seven years ago - you are correct, and I applaud you for your math skills. But it did happen.
I saw a Facebook post from one Cubs fan to another that seemed awfully touchy to an ad made by Comcast SportsNet that mocked a video game commercial about a Cubs fan who was happy he led his team to a World Series title. For those who haven't seen the parody video, you can check it out here. Sox fan or not, I find it to be an efficient parody of the commercial, which itself was well-designed. I don't understand why you can't enjoy both ads without being sensitive about either end of it (no matter your fandom).
We need to find a way to balance all of this - where White Sox fans can be proud of their title from the recent past without (a) being annoying about it, (b) tossing it into an argument to prove that the White Sox are somehow better and (c) Cubs fans being pissy about the mere mention of it when it comes up. - Gay vs. White Trash Bashing - If you go to a Cubs/Sox game, you're bound to see your share of a-hole wearing "Wrigley Field: The World's Biggest Gay Bar" or "Ozzie Mows My Lawn". Odds are high that the people wearing these shirts are the ones who eventually get kicked out of the park for excessive drunkeness that leads to fights where Cubs fans' sexuality & White Sox White Trash status become the main arguing points.
Yes - I'm sure there's plenty of White Trash fans in the South Side fan base, just as I'm sure there's gays and lesbians who consider themselves Cubs fans. Perhaps I am over-analyzing this and giving the general public not enough credit, but why do we need to resort to attacking fan base's perceived social standing or sexuality preference, as if they have anything to do with baseball? If we're going to argue Cubs versus Sox, let's argue stats and head-to-head matchups instead. - Parks: Half Empty/Half Falling Apart - I love when I hear Cubs fans comment on the attendance of both teams, as if that really plays a role in making your team better. I admit that it can be disappointing to see the stadium half empty in the thick of summer, especially when the team is still in a pennant race. However, for fans like myself, what a half-empty stadium really means is a much better chance to attend games in person for face-value or close to it. I don't think the Cubs drew as many fans last year as they have in past years, but in the past 20 years, a bad Cubs season will easily outdraw a bad (sometimes even a good or really good) Sox season. Good for them, but that's not a point to argue to make your team sound better.
On the other hand, even though the stadium is in dire need of a remodeling, Wrigley Field stands as the beacon of Chicago Baseball parks. The White Sox blew a great chance when designing the new stadium, which opened in 1991. It was the last of stadiums built that was by most standards, a fairly average-looking stadium. Every stadium since the designing of our park, starting with Camden Yards in Baltimore, has been an outstanding park worthy of sellouts and bringing your family to (at least the ones I've visited). We have nothing to brag about with US Cellular Field - anyone who has visited at least one of the new stadiums (new being newer than the Cell) knows what I am talking about. Wrigley has the better atmosphere outside the stadium and the better stadium when it comes to historical significance.
I do not have any envy relating to them either. I don't care that they sell out their games, that people like to go to their games more than the Cell. In my eyes, they have nothing I really envy - with the exception of Theo Epstein, who I believe will turn the team around, starting with the building of their minor league system. I do think the Cubs will win a World Series in our lifetimes, and the parade for it will probably dwarf the crowd that the White Sox championship brought to the streets.
I wish the Cubs well in 2012 and beyond and want to express this so that maybe, just maybe, some of these pointless, inane arguments about an opponent who really only affects your team's season 6 times out of 162 can die down somewhat.
If we are going to have arguments, let's make them fact-based and not attacking stupid things like one's sexuality, social class or stadium. Also, White Sox fans - no Cubs Suck chants when walking down the ramp WHEN WE AREN'T PLAYING THE CUBS!
I won't be holding my breath for peaceful relations between White Sox and Cubs fans, but all I can do is hope. And share these words. I hope you got this far and see what I'm getting at.
Enjoy the 2012 season everyone.
Sincerely,
A White Sox Fan
