Baseball’s Civil War in Chicago

For as long as there has been two professional baseball teams playing in Chicago the two sides have despised each other that would make the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s proud.

As the City of broad shoulders prepares for another Civil War between the Cubs and Sox, I have already grown tired of the sophomoric and ignorant stereotypes that both fan bases throw back and forth at each other.

I have often found it humorous for one to be a fan of both teams, and I have yet to wrap my brain around having two favorite teams in any sports. However, is it possible to be a Cubs or Sox fan and not have the urge to throw the same tired insults at the other team, their fans, and their ballpark?

Denigrating one team does not make your team superior, it makes you look foolish.

I am a Cubs fan and support them through good times and bad. In many ways it is a marriage and as many times as I get disappointed or angry with the team, I always come back to them and believe that next year is right around the corner.

I am as loyal as they come concerning the supporting of my team. This is something that many Chicagoans pride themselves on. This trait is what makes Chicago fans the greatest in the world. This is not a biased opinion.

This fact is backed by my viewing Yankee fans boo Derek Jeter, Philadelphia fans boo Santa Claus, Los Angeles fans lose a football franchise on more than one occasion, and countless other cities struggle to fill their stadiums and arenas. Have you seen the empty seats in Miami during Heat games and the thousands of empty seats in Atlanta during the Braves decade of dominance in the ‘90’s?

This series brings out the worst in Chicago fans and a sample of what you will hear in any bar this weekend will go like this:

Cub fan: “The White Sox fans don’t care about their team and that’s why they can’t sell out their stadium.”

Sox fan: “Sox fans are just smarter and we don’t support a bad team unlike Cub fans who just go to Wrigley to get drunk. They don’t even pay attention to the game.”

Cubs fan: “At least our park is a historical monument and full of history and beauty unlike that monstrosity named after a phone company.”

Sox fan: “Well our park is clean and you don’t have to worry about concrete falling on your head or walking a mile to use the bathroom.”

Cubs fan: “No but the umpires and first base coaches need to worry about being assaulted.”

Sox fan: “Well your announcers are awful. All Ron Santo did was moan and groan. He was just a fan in the booth.”

Cubs fan: “Have you heard Hawk Harrelson?!”

Sox fan: “At least we won a World Series.”

Cubs fan: “That’s right; you have now won as many as you’ve thrown in the last 100 years.”

Tell me how many times you have heard this exact conversation?

I am willing to bet the answer is far too many.

My plea for Cubs and Sox fans this weekend is that we all get along. I pray no fights break in or around the stadium. The past few years have seen an increase in hostility, aggression, and drunken belligerence. Let us remember this is the city that brought us affable and players who personified class in guys like Ernie Banks, Luke Appling, Ron Santo, Minnie Minoso, Ryne Sandberg, and the man in the White Sox dugout this weekend, Robin Ventura among many others.

For three days I urge the fans of both sides to represent the best the city has to offer and not act like Albert Belle and Milton Bradley.

I am rooting for three well played competitive games and if the Cubs lose Friday afternoon, you better believe I will have my Cubs gear on for Saturday night’s game under the lights.

You will not see me bashing the White Sox if they beat the Cubs in every game this year, sure I will be disappointed, but more than if the Cardinals came into town and swept the series. That is the team’s real rival. I would think the best White Sox fans would agree in the same vein agree that they are more concerned with gaining ground on Detroit and Cleveland in the standings.

I am concerned about the fans on both allegiances that do not recognize this fact and have a distorted sense of reality. These are the fans that participate in conversations like the one I wrote about earlier and get tossed out of games and bars for engaging in buffoonery.

Both have great fans but it is the clowns to the left and jokers to the right who ruin it for the true fans.

Follow me on Twitter @PatrickASchmidt

Patrick is a diehard sports fan and former football player from Chicago. Patrick has been a fan of the Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks from birth and is an avid college football fan, particularly the SEC. Patrick is the host of “The Wake Up Call,” a weekly sports show on Sportstownchicago.com every Wednesday morning from 8-10. View his show’s website here.

Chicago’s Rookie Managers

After the season both Chicago baseball teams experienced last season a change at the managerial position was a must as the teams hope for a breath of fresh air and a new direction for the 2012 season.

The White Sox traded Ozzie Guillen to the Miami Marlins saying adios to the manager that led the team to its first World Series since 1918.  The outspoken manager wore his welcome out in Chicago after butting heads with General Manager Kenny Williams for the better part of the last three years.

When management declined to offer Ozzie an extension, the two sides agreed to the split that netted the Sox two minor league prospects from the Marlins, the Guillen once served as third base coach during the team’s 2003 World Series winning season.

The White Sox surprised many when they hired former Sox third baseman Robin Ventura who had zero experience coaching or managing on any level in baseball.

The decision to part with the manager and coaching staff from last season’s staff was made for different reasons as the team’s record under Mike Quade sealed the fate of the first year manager.

Finishing with the 6^th worst record in Major League Baseball the affable Quade often appeared to be outmatched and in over his head as he struggled to manage the team’s roster.

Quade was particularly stubborn in his refusal to play the younger talent on the roster in favor of struggling veterans conceivably to give him a better record and a higher chance of returning for his sophomore season in the dugout.

The move backfired as Quade was told he would not return after the hiring of new President Theo Epstein who hired Dale Sveum, whom he had as the third base coach in Boston.  Sveum was most recently the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Many Cub fans had clamored for the hiring of former Cub icon and Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg who had climbed the ranks in the Cubs minor league system, having success at every stop.

The hiring of Sveum turned off a plethora of fans fantasizing about seeing “Ryno” in a Cubs uniform again and leading the team to the first World Series win since 1908.  Alas, Cubs fans were urged to believe in Theo and trust his decision making, after all he was the boy genius that ended the Red Sox curse with two titles in a four year span as General Manager of the Boston club.

Two teams in the third largest market in America hiring rookie managers.  Both fan bases surprised and perhaps even a little confused by the hiring of the two men put in charge of leading the teams back to the playoffs.

Ventura fills the shoes of Chicago’s last manager to bring a championship to the city, and will operate without the off the field distractions Guillen brought with him.

Sveum doesn’t have to do too much for Cubs fans to forget the Mike Quade era.  However, the pressure to win for Sveum is immense as the fan base is trying to remain patient under new management albeit with a clenched jaw and pursed lips.

The two managers will face each other in this weekend’s Cross-town classic where they will get a taste of the rivalry from the steps of the dugout.

Follow me on Twitter @PatrickASchmidt

Patrick is a diehard sports fan and former football player from Chicago, the greatest city in the world. The home of deep dish pizza, the greatest skyline in the world, and the best sports fans in America.  Patrick has been a fan of the Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks from birth and is an avid college football fan, particularly the SEC.  Patrick is the host of “The Wake Up Call,” a weekly sports show on Sportstownchicago.com every Wednesday morning from 8-10.  View his show’s website here.  To read more of Patrick’s blogs click here.