The 2005 World Series Rant

With the Chicago White Sox sitting as the reigning World Series champs, I couldn't help but be depressed by the thoughts that started creeping into my brain. The AL Central hasn't had a World Series champ in a very long time. In fact, after checking to be sure, you have to go back to 1991 when the Minnesota Twins beat the Braves, to find another AL Central World Series Champ.

Why?

Because the most dominant team of the AL Central in the 90's, the Cleveland Indians, couldn't put themselves and this city's baseball fans over the top. Sandwiched in between Chicago's championship this year and Minnesota's championship in 1991 are two World Series defeats for the Tribe in 1995 and 1997.

And you know what? I am sick and tired of hearing about how teams haven't won since 1917. I don't care that it has been since 1917, or 1918, or whatever. All I care about is that there have been no championships in the City of Cleveland for any sports team this side of indoor soccer since 1985 when I was 6 years old and started watching Cleveland Sports.

And quite honestly, that is all I should care about. The Indians haven't won since 1948. That doesn't mean I have had 57 years of suffering. I have had 26 years of non-championship life in Cleveland, so at the most that means 20 years of suffering because I didn't watch sports before I could comprehend them at the age of 6. And neither did you.

If you are my age or younger, you can't take on the cursed feeling of twenty-seven generations of sports fans. I used to get this all the time when I lived in Boston. Yankees fans chanting 1918 at Red Sox fans and Red Sox fans talking about their team and how they "deserve" something after 86 years of pain.

I finally just started deriding people in bars.

Me: "What year were you born?"

Kid: "1979"

Me: "Yeah. Me too. Have the Red Sox won a world series since you were born?"

Kid: "No. And that's what I'm tryin to...."

Me: "Quiet. Have the Indians won a World Series since we were born?"

Kid: "No."

Me: "So how is it any different that your team hasn't won since 1918 and mine hasn't won since 1948 if we were both born in 1979? It sure sounds like the same experience to me. Two guys, same age, same number of championships between them. Oh wait, didn't you have a guy named Larry Bird who won some championships for the Celtics? Yeah, I know it isn't baseball, but I would take it. So, maybe you should just sit there and feel lucky."

At this point, the kid sees that seething look in my eye that says I might pop an aneurism and spill blood in his beer, so he pretends to watch the television.

So, congrats to the White Sox on their victory. Congrats to all the White Sox fans who are at least 88 years old on waiting one hell of a long lifetime to win. YOU have earned it.

And I will be sitting here counting the years. Hopefully I don't have to wait until the year 2067.