New Legends Are Born

As soon as the final out was made and I’d hugged and kissed my wife. Still in disbelief, I looked at her and strangely said, “Those guys will never have to buy another meal as long as they live!” I know it’s the strangest thing to say, but they won’t. Their names will go down in the annals of history with names like Tinkers to Evers to Chance, Ernie Banks, Three Finger Mordecai Brown, Orval Overall, Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins, Ron Santo, Sammy Sosa, and Derek Lee, to name a just a few Cubs.

But these Cubs, Rizzo, Bryant, Russell, Contreras, Baez, Fowler, etc., are going to be even more special. They are the new Cubs legends whose names will be hallowed through the ages and synonymous with winning a World Series Championship in 2016.

That still seems so surreal to type.

As I began writing this post at 6:15 in the morning, I’m both extremely excited, and exhausted. I got about 4 1/2 hours of sleep and it was foggy outside on my 12 mile drive through the corn fields. I’m hoping I can stay awake today while I teach. I think all it will take to get me going is to think of that last little dribbler to Bryant and that should wake me up pretty quick.

There were many times throughout the night that I talked to my father. I wish he could have lived on Earth to see this. I can still see his smile as if it really happened. Although, the intense nature of the game might have been his undoing. I will stop off at his grave on Saturday and leave him a little present.

I don’t know where to begin talking today about the legendary game last night. I thought the Cubs had it in hand with Kyle Hendricks pitching with a 5 to 1 lead. And then things started to slowly unravel a bit, but they hung on. It was 6-3 before a disastrous eighth inning. A rain delay followed after the ninth and then the spectacular tenth inning comeback was just astounding as the Cubs then held on for the win and the championship. What a roller coaster ride it was! How I did not have a heart attack, I don’t know.

Right now, I’m a bit sad that I’m not going to get to watch them play baseball for five more months.

I can’t wait to see the parade, whenever it is, and love that the energy is going to be stupendous. It’s hard to know what I think right now. I feel like I’m just rambling, and I probably am, but this just feels so good as I think back about the game, It is still one of the greatest games of all time despite the eighth inning meltdown. And, maybe, that meltdown is what made the 10th inning so great!

This next year is going to be so awesome! From the convention to spring training to raising the World Series banner in April to defending the title. Putting on a T-shirt, sweatshirt, or hat will harken back to the series knowing these Cubs got it done they are World Series champions! That just sounds so strange and so freaking unbelievably amazing.

I can’t wait to do it all again.