I love baseball. I love the Chicago White Sox. I love to watch the Chicago Cubs lose.
Saturday morning I hopped a puddle jumper from John Wayne Airport to Phoenix Sky Harbor for my annual White Sox vs Cubs Spring Training trip in Mesa and Glendale, AZ. In years past this trip has traditonally been a bender for me and my friends. We’ve done it up good under the nose of Sheriff Joe, and one year we almost landed ourselves in jail. Its true. We took it too far last year.
This was the weekend both teams hosted each other at their respective home- away- from- homes. These two are the hardest games to find tickets for. I see the same kind of people every year at both games: Chicagoans. There must be an unwritten rule that you have to be living in, or at one time have lived in Chicago to be get into the ballpark. No one can just show up. Everyone has the nasal Midwestern tone to their voice. Plus, after two beers everyone is a Super Fan, including me.
Super Fan wannabes.
The atomosphere at spring training is loose and fun. Before the game everyone tailgates in the parking lots. With BBQ’s smoking and games of Bags in progress you quickly forget you’re in the desert and begin to feel at home. There are the traditional one-liners fans exchange throughout the game, but it’s light banter. After all it’s spring training – we’re getting in shape for the regular season too. Mostly the Bears, Bulls and Blackhawks is what keeps Cubs and Sox fans from killing each other. It’s what binds us together, and this weekend we talked a lot about DA Bears.
Open Check Book Season for the Bears
As the Sox were hitting five homers against the Cubs on Saturday (2 by Carlo Quentin) I strolled around the stadium shaking hands, taking pictures and kissing babies. It felt great to be around people from Chicago, especially my family. Every year we meet in PHX for this game. We Sox fans out number the Cubs fans – in my family. Rest assured the Cubbies have their grip on the rest of Chicago – for now. The tide is turning and the South Side is rising again.
2005 World Series Champions
However, the day was tame compared to years past. Mainly because I bought a bad Italian sausage from one of the Cubs food stands. I should’ve known better. It was luke warm. My friend Dale bought a brat from the same exact stand and vendor just before me. We both got queezy. After the game we went out to dinner with the rest of the family, but had no appetite and became nausious. When the party moved back to Mary Beth’s, Dale decided to let it pass. Not this lumberjack. I stuck my finger down the old hatch and pulled that bacteria infested sausage out of my stomach and flushed it down the toilet. That piece of cased meat was produced by the Chicago Cubs. Having said that, I wanted it out of my body ASAP!
Normally a very tasty treat.
I’m now convinced Cubs purposely poisoned Dale and me. We are both White Sox fans in Cubs territory. That guy probably was jealous we experienced the joy of our team winning a World Series in our own lifetime. Something he will not experience with the Cubs in his life time, like the person below.
Desperate Cubs Fan.
So anyways…. The Sox destroyed the Cubs 15-3 on warm Saturday afternoon in sunny Mesa, AZ.
It’s clear the Cubs are going to have another looooonnggg season in 2010. The Sox looked sharp and should be the favorite. I won’t bore you talking in circles about how awesome the Sox are. But watch out Twins. I’m gunning for YOU.
On Sunday, the game was cancled before 11:00am due to rain. It rained all day. So what did we do? We went to the Saddle Ranch in Glendale before going to the airport. Beers, Bloody Mary’s, and ribs make for a spicy combo.
