Super Bowl Bound

Wow, another Super Bowl for the Bears. It seems just yesterday that the Monsters of the Midway were dominating the league on their way to winning Super Bowl XX.

Well, not really -- but 21 years isn't that long a time! (not when you're in your 40's) :-)




Chicago is a great sports town with winning traditions and lots of championships. It was just 2 years ago that the mighty White Sox swept through the playoffs and brought home the World Series trophy. Boy, that was a lot of fun that fall. First the Sox went through the Red Sox like a knife through warm butter. Then, they man-handled the Angels in the ALCS, losing only one game. Then they swept the Astros in the World Series. Wow!





But as far as domination, who could forget Michael Jordan and the Bulls -- 6 world championships. Three in a row two different times. That's two three-peats.

The Bulls were so good and Michael Jordan so dominated the NBA that you could take it for granted that the Bulls were going to win it all year in and year out. Well, not really. But it made for some pretty exciting times.






But don't forget, in Chicago we have two baseball teams -- the White Sox and the Cubs. The Cubs have a long tradition too. Except, well, it's not a tradition of winning.

It's been a few years since the Cubs have won a championship. Uh, in fact it's been more than a few years. The Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908; they haven't even been to the World Series in more than half a century!

To give you some perspective, I came across this blog post from The Sporting News listing some significant events which have occurred since the last time the Cubs won the World Series:

Twenty major events that have occurred since the Chicago Cubs last laid claim to a World Series championship:

1. Radio was invented; Cubs fans got to hear their team lose.

2. TV was invented; Cubs fans got to see their team lose.

3. Baseball added 14 teams; Cubs fans get to see and hear their team lose to more
clubs.

4. George Burns celebrated his 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th, 90th
and 100th birthdays.

5. Haley's comet passed Earth twice.

6. Harry Caray was born .... and died. Incredible, but true.

7. The NBA, NHL and NFL were formed, and ALL Chicago teams won championships in
each league.

8. Man landed on the moon, as have several home runs given up by Cubs pitchers.

9. Sixteen U.S. Presidents were elected.

10. There were 11 amendments added to the Constitution.

11. Prohibition was created and repealed.

12. The Titanic was built, set sail , sank, was discovered and became the subject of
major motion pictures, the latest giving Cubs fans hope that something that
finishes on the bottom can come out on top.

13. Wrigley Field was built and becomes the oldest park in the National League.

14. Flag poles were erected on Wrigley Field roof to hold all of the team's future World
Series pennants. Those flag poles have since rusted and been taken down.

15. A combination of 40 Summer and Winter Olympics have been held.

16. Thirteen baseball players have won the Triple Crown; several thanked Cubs
pitchers.

17. Bell-bottoms came in style, went out of style and came back in.

18. The Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox and the Florida Marlins have all won the World Series.

19. The Cubs played 14,153 regular-season games; they lost the majority of them.

20. Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Oklahoma and New Mexico were added to the Union.