Or what about the Boston Red Sox, oh so similar to the beloved Cubbies in so many ways, win two World Series crowns in four years after going almost a century -- just like the Cubs this season -- with nothing but tears and broken hearts.
And what about the St. Louis Cardinals, our most bitter rival over the decades, winning a World Series in many senses just to rub our faces in it.
Do not get me started on the Houston Astros, slipping into the World Series, only to be swept by the Chicago White Sox -- yet another team us Cubs fans just love oh so much......VoMiT!!!
So you see why I am bitter and so many of my brothers and sisters are fed up with all this nonsense. It is time to bring the World Series home to the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.
Enough with black cats. Enough with the darn billy goat. And enough with Steve Bart....well, you get my point.
It is time! And it looks like it might have shifted into a higher gear Sunday, September 14, 2008.
Sunday, pitching in Milwaukee instead of Hurricane-ravaged Houston, Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano threw the first no-hitter of his career.
The ace of the Cubs' staff, was returning from a sore rotator cuff in his right throwing shoulder to shut down Central Division rival Houston Astros, 5-0.
It was the first no-hitter thrown by a Cubs pitcher since Milt Pappas hurled a gem against San Diego in 1972. It was the 13th no-no in Chicago Cubs history, which includes five back-in-the-day in the late 1800s.
Zambrano shouted after the game, "I guess I'm back!"
From the looks of it, the Cubs chances for getting to their first World Series since 1945 skyrocketed with the strong return of Baby Bull.
Things looked bleak one week ago when Zambrano -- the ace of the staff and a 2008 National League All-Star -- and newcomer Rich Harden -- who has been as advertised ever since coming over in a trade with Oakland last month -- both were sidelined with key injuries.
Now things might be looking up for the lovable Cubs. Zambrano looked like a potential Cy Young Award winner against Houston Sunday, with Harden waiting in the wings for his return possibly this week. With the one-two punch of Zambrano and Harden healthy, the Cubs should be able to hold on to the Central Division title.
Throw Ted Lilly -- who has thrown great over the last two to three months -- and Ryan Dempster -- a 2008 National League All-Star who is also being seriously considered for the Cy Young Award -- and the Cubs have the National League's best starting rotation. Even the bullpen is strong with Carlos Marmol, Kerry Wood and Jeff Sjmarjda
It was Zambrano's first complete game since June 16, 2007, when he won at home against the San Diego Padres. He had not tossed a complete game since April 7, 2004, when he hurled a two-hitter against the Colorado Rockies at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.
It was Zambrano's first visit to the mound since September 2, when he had to leave the game with soreness in his shoulder. After an examination, the doctors felt he would be fine with a little rest. Fine, as in throwing a no-hitter fine!
If coming back from a sore shoulder did not have enough drama for the average fan, toss in Hurricane Ike which did considerable damage to Houston's infrastructure, including the Astros' Minute Maid Park and the NFL Houston Texans' Reliant Stadium.
Since the devastation was so bad in the Houston area, the NFL game between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens -- which was originally moved from Sunday to tonight at 8 p.m. -- had to be postponed to November.
The damage to Minute Maid Park was not as bad, but officials with the club and Major League Baseball felt, for safety reasons for fans and players, that the series would be moved to Milwaukee's Miller Park, setting up the Zambrano fireworks.
With Milwaukee just a short drive from Chicago, thousands of Cubs fans helped fill the lower level. The upper deck was not avalible because a lack of security to guard the second level.
Hurricane Ike forced the move of two games to Miller Park and the Astros, still fighting for an unlikely Wild Card berth into the National League Playoffs, did not arrive until just hours before the first pitch.
The Cubs just needed a comfortable and short bus ride up to Milwaukee with dozens of Cubs fans joining the convoy up I-94 en route to what has been called in recent years, "Wrigley North."
Another weird note, the Elias Sports Bureau said Zambrano's gem was the first no-hitter thrown at a neutral site in Major League Baseball history.
Chicago skipper Lou Pinella had Zambrano on a strict pitch count, planning to limit him to just 100 pitches Sunday. After getting an anti-inflammatory shot in his shoulder this week, Pinella watched as Zambrano went just over the pitch count, throwing 110 pitches, in which 73 were strikes.
In what could be a sign of good things to come for weary Cubs fans, who have had 100 years of World Series frustration, the Cubs get a no-hitter win on the same day that the second-place Milwaukee Brewers dropped a doubleheader to the Philadelphia Phillies, giving Chicago a 7 1/2-game lead in the Central.
Now it is time for Soriano, Ramirez, Lee, DeRosa, Theroit, Fonteneau, Soto, Dempster, Harden, Wood, Marmol, Edmunds, Johnson, Blanco, Samardzija, Lilly, and last but not least -- unless you count amount of hits allowed!!! -- Carlos Zambrano to kick the last two weeks of the season into overdrive and close the division race out. Then we switch concentration on to the Dodgers, Mets, Brewers and whoever else might slip in -- Phillies, Astros, Cardinals or Marlins, although these four teams would need a historic collapse to make the postseason.
So Cubs fans, sit back, drink an icy cold one, grab a seat in the bleachers and get ready for October.
It is going to be a postseason we will never forget! And a party that is not going to stop!
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