ROOTING FOR PERSONALITY

I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy, but it's definitely dirty. But, dogs got personality, personality goes a long way.

Pulp Fiction

Andrew,

Players have personality. Personality in a player is often whittled down to "antics" (anger, arrogance, stupidity, etc...) but these are not traits I root for. My favorite personality traits in a player are confidence, consistency, and heart. You show me these elements and I will follow you anywhere. In fact, in 1993 the Cubs offered Greg Maddux a ridiculous amount of money to stay (I believe he would have been the highest paid player in baseball at the time) but he turned it down and moved to the Braves. More than money, he wanted to win. He wanted a team that would give him the chance to go all the way. And though his departure left my team weaker, my respect for him grew fantastically, and I continued to root for him despite the Atlanta uniform.

But teams can have personality too. And despite an incredible amount of manginess (or maybe because of it), the Cubs ooze personality. A personality that, for better or for worse, tends to trump the personalities of individual players wearing its uniform.

The obvious personality trait of the Cubs is heartbreak. This is not a good thing, but it certainly leaves a mark. In fact, think back to the first time a cruel (or maybe simply oblivious) lover ripped your heart to pieces. Has the scar ever gone away? If you're not a sadist you moved on, and it faded. But gone forever? Probably not.

But then why don't I at least move on from the Cubs? Well, there's the incredible vibe of Wrigley and Wrigleyville. There's the bond I share with my dad. There's also broadcasting that makes listening to the game enjoyable even when the Cubs lose. Harry Caray is of course legend in this department, but the team of Pat Hughes and Ron Santo strike me in the same way. There's also the feeling of being "part of something" when I can follow the Cubs to any park in the country and know that there will be enough fans in attendance that we're likely to equal (and sometimes out number) the home-team audience.

And of course, last, but certainly not least, there's always hope.