The Phenomenon known as "Cubs Fans"

Losing is a part of sports. Every team loses now and then, except the 1972 Miami Dolphins. But losing to the Chicago Cubs, now that blows. And then losing a shut-out to the Chicago Cubs, that just makes me want to take my own life on my own birthday.

Rich Hill isn't that good, but the Braves were having a definite off-night with their bats. I could've fucking hit his overblown 12-6 curveball, because I was correctly predicting every time he was going to use it 90% of the time. For once, Mark Redman had a quality start, but the Braves offense just could not get anything going to generate any run support.

I love Bobby Cox, and I will firmly go with the notion that along with Tony LaRussa, they are two of the best baseball managers to have ever lived. But a disturbing trend I've noticed this season thus far is that Bobby is allowing his starters to consistently go one more inning too long in their starts. And each time he does, the fatigued starter gives up a crucial hit or two, and sometimes a threatening run. It's cold still, and it's early in the season. There's no adrenaline, and there's still a lack of stamina built up. Smoltz the other night went one inning too many and almost had his decision blown against the Nationals. Davies went an inning too long last night, and Villarreal gladly blew the save and took the decision for himself. Tonight, Mark Redman, despite being down two runs, went an inning too long himself, and before he was pulled, the deficit was three runs. With the way the Braves' bats were performing it might as well have been going from an eight to a ten run deficit.

Despite Mike Gonzalez's elbow woes, Villarreal, Yates, Soriano and even Coyler have pitched well recently, to be able to handle the construction of the bridges to Wickman. It's too early to push starters to the limit. Even King Felix in Seattle has been in some pain lately, because the Mariners have been riding his arm so heavily already.

But the main reason I decided to sit down and write is because of the aberration I witnessed tonight...

It's pretty well known. All baseball fans know it. The Chicago Cubs, they have fans, no matter where they go. It could be the Cubs vs. like the fucking San Francisco Giants, and there would be spots of blue all over the entire stadium of sporadic Cubs fans. If the Cubs ever had interleague with the Red Sox in Boston, even they would find a way to infiltrate Fenway to disrupt the seas of red and green. The bottom line is that Cubs fans are absolutely everywhere, regardless of if they're from Chicago, have any affiliation with Chicago, family in Chicago, or not.

Yet, it still baffles me when I see it, and I'm afraid I must also say that it makes me absolutely sick. Yes, Atlanta is a very fair-weathered city, and the fans only have a tendency to come out for the most popular games, and even if the World Series came to Atlanta, tickets would be available at the gate, prior to the first pitch. Turner Field rarely sells out, and even if they do, not all the tickets actually make it back to be redeemed. They have more seats than what they know what to do with, but I can't knock it, it's my absolute favorite park to watch baseball in.

But to see my own home field, smothered with this blue cancer of Chicago Cubs fans, spread few and far between like chicken pox almost makes my skin crawl. To see a fifth-grader named Ronny Cedeno bloop a single, and then to hear an approving eruption in Atlanta disgusts me. These Cubs fans are all belligerent, loud, obnoxious, and most of them are really, really fat. Most are old, and many are young and ignorant, and don't even know why they're cheering for them. They drink way excessively, and now I have this opinion that they really do search to pick out fights. It's fine to cheer for your team, no matter the lack thereof justification, but do it with some class.

Why Cubs fans are so enamored with the Cubs is completely beyond me. They have sucked for like ever, and they seek out excuses like Steve Bartman when Piss-Hands couldn't catch a pop foul. The reasons why Mark Prior and Kerry Wood will never recover is because deep down, Cubs fans don't want them to - because if they were ever healthy and the Cubs continued to skid, they would no longer have that excuse.

My co-writer has said it best, and briefly - Cubs fans obviously have a martyr complex.

Cubs fans are the same people who argue tooth and nail that Clay Aiken was the true American Idol that one year it had William Hung in it. Why that is my prime example is something i should be ashamed of, but it was the first thing that popped into my head. The analogy is that Cubs fans cheer for losers, and dispute things that will never be changed. (Like Bartman)

Even as it stands now, the injury to Alfonso Soriano, the financial situation with Zambrano, the changing of the leagues for Lilly, and the impending sale of the fucking team are all being used as excuses to why the Cubs are still below-average, and are continuously losing to the Reds.

But I digress - mostly I'm just fuming because the Braves lost, and even this early in the season, I treat every loss as if it really sucks - because there ain't nothing good about losing, ever. But I do mean everything I've said - seeing Cubs fans outweigh Braves fans in Atlanta is something that really bothers me.