Year One

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Because I was born and raised in the Chicago area, I still peruse the online suburban newspaper; I guess it’s to get my news “fix” because let’s face it – good news is boring.  The more serious or tragic the news, the more interesting it is, and my local daily newspaper just doesn’t do it for me – I mean, local news is interesting, but not in the same way.  So lately as I’ve been reading Chicago news, I couldn’t help but notice these all over the place:

So what is the deal?  What is Year 1?  It’s no secret that the Chicago Cubs are under the new management team of the Ricketts family this year, so I’m sure it has something to  do with that.  And it’s an unfortunate reality that the Chicago Cubs are also the team in baseball to have been without a World Series title the longest…  so I guess management figures that maybe if they just reset time altogether and start from the beginning, the Cubs might have a shot this year.  Two or three months from now, we will have a clearer outlook as to how the “new” team can really play.  But what if the Cubs go nowhere this year, and we fans find ourselves chanting our infamous October mantra, “Maybe next year…” – what then?  Will 2011 be Year 2?  Let’s hope we don’t have to find out.  GO CUBBIES!

16 thoughts on “Year One”

  1. Yes, that briefly entered my mind too, but I “missed” that one also. It starred Jack Black (not a big fan of his) and Michael Cera, and surprisingly, it was directed by Harold Ramis, who I thought had a bit more integrity than to be involved with such a disaster – 5.1 on imdb
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045778/

  2. Not knowing a thing about baseball makes me think this: Think about your son’s first year….He was brand new, needed lots of attention, and he had to learn a lot. He learned how to walk, but be was a little awkward at it at first….not the best. I would look at it as though the Cubs are a newborn. They’re not going to be very good at first because they are learning….you, the fans, have to be the patient parents. As your infant grows, they become stronger and better at what they do. I like it. Kinda makes me want to (gulp) watch a game. OR, maybe I just woke up and feeling all wishy washy inside and have no clue what I’m talking about….. 😉

  3. @ Taylhis… I see the movie’s screenplay was co-written by one of the scribes on The Office… not one of his better offerings, I’m sure.

  4. @mary911 – It was VERY interesting to read your perspective coming from an admitted non-fan of baseball, however, I have to admit that your comment confused me… are you saying that the “Year One” marketing slogan is management telling fans to expect an inexperienced team? Or are you referencing the fact that (and I’m admitting this to my chagrin) us Cubs fans have been patient with our “newborn” for 101 years, so hey, let’s start the count over and liken it to a baby… I don’t know, my brain is fried – I just spent over 2 hrs trying to decipher lightning-quick profanity to try to understand what the heck was going on in the movie, The Departed – and for nothing, it stunk.
    But either way, as always, I’m very excited to see what the team has in store for us this season, especially with the new family-style (vs. the former corporate) management team.
    And hey, if you want to watch a game, you know where they’ll be on!! Though it’s rare that I ever actually get to sit and watch a game from start to finish with all the kiddies around… can’t wait to try!!

  5. I meant, just be patient.

    I like the slogan. I guess I can relate. For instance….the last several years our theatre group has been going downhill. Quality of shows have stunk, a board that just really didn’t care, unorganized (Lord, I could write a book!), and noone has wanted to come see our shows anymore….

    This year is what I consider our “Year One.” We have a new enthusiastic board, we are rebuilding and “starting from scratch.” It’s going to take some time, but I know we’ll get to a place where we are doing well, and people will start coming back to us. We have some of the same people as before, just a different attitude.

    And really, if you’ve stuck by their side for a 101 years, what’s another 101???? 😉

    I don’t know if I made things any clearer or not, but I liked it. 😉

    I think if I ever started liking baseball….I’d probably like the Indians. I try to cheer on Ohio teams first. I think it’s a rule to do that…..or not. 😉

  6. @Mary911 – that DOES make more sense, although I don’t really have 101 years to be patient 😉
    Good luck to your theater group!!

  7. Well, I hope your theatre group thrives again soon, Mary911.

    Year One- is that anything like that horrible 10,000 BC movie?

    And as for the topic, you’ve always been far more of a Cubs fan than moi, so even if you’re in Ohio now you still know more than I could about any Cubs topic. In short (too late) if you don’t know, I certainly don’t. 😉

  8. @derek – Year One (the movie) is a comedic parody, whereas 10,000 BC was more of an action movie. I saw the latter and not the former, so I can’t really compare… although I wasn’t crazy about the one I saw and have no desire to see Year One.
    I have been a die-hard Cubs fan for as long as I can remember (had my choice of birthday cakes as a kid and I chose a Cubs cake for my 7th), so I wouldn’t dream of switching teams at this juncture or ever. When we moved to OH, I adopted Detroit as my backup team, just so I can still follow baseball in the years when the Cubs get knocked out of the post-season. I don’t really follow the philosophy of rooting for an Ohio team, not a big fan of the Reds nor the Indians, and when considering mileage, they’re both about as far away as Chicago anyway… GO CUBS!!! (all this commenting and that hasn’t been said for awhile -CAN’T WAIT!!!)

  9. @ Mare… I think The VPs are EXTRAORDINARY! The minute I introduced myself at St. Louis, I knew that I had found another great group! And the TREMENDOUS thing is that it only got better. And we got at least 2 new game night friends in the bargain. I think the new board will only make it more extraordinary 😉

  10. And I don’t ever remember the “Home State” rule. I only cheer for the Buckeyes! and my professional teams are not Ohio based but I’ll try to limit those to my own blog 😀

  11. Year 1 and go Cubs. I’m not sure what it is all about, except for the change in ownership. Not knowing their history, how long were they owned by the previous management?

    @jamiahsh — I’m thinking a Tiger’s/Cubs Series myself, but you know me, I’ll take anybody but the Yankees… 😉

  12. jamiahsh, the Yanks now have a decent Center Fielder. I think his hitting may improve when he isn’t considered the sparkplug of the team.

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