Three Reasons Cubs Fans Should Cheer For The White Sox This Post-Season

What a game.

I just watched Game 2 of the ALCS between the Angels and the White Sox.  An exciting ending, but certainly one of the most blown calls in recent playoff history.  While replays of the disputed "out" are inconclusive, it seems that the umps simply didn't have control of the game and didn't make decisions when decisions were needed.  As a result they let A. J. Pierzynski dictate the outcome of a "dropped third strike" and with it, the ballgame.  I'll direct you over to my friend Mike, who is actually a White Sox fan, to give you the details and a few predictions. 

But let me explain why I'm even bothering with this White Sox game, series and post-season in general.  There are three reasons why, as a Cubs fan, I am going to grudgingly cheer for the White Sox this year:

1. The Boston Red Sox won their first World Series after a short 86 year dry spell last year.  They had the third longest championship drought in the major league, dating back to 1918.  The second longest championship gap belongs to the White Sox, who haven't won a title since 1917.  And of course, the longest period of championship impotence belongs to my Cubs, losers since 1908.  Now, if the White Sox were to break their "curse" after the Red Sox broke their "curse" last year, surely next year would be the year that the Cubs would break The Curse.  The two data point trend line would suggest as much. 
2. The White Sox franchise is based around institutionalized resentment of everything and anything Cubs.  When you go to a White Sox game it's hard to find a vendor outside the park who sells any pro-Sox gear.  Instead every vendor tries to hawk you a shirt with slogans like "Wrigley Field: World's Largest Gay Bar" or "Cubs Suck."  The White Sox fan base is so focused on resenting the popularity of the Cubs that they forget to give their team its own identity.  Perhaps that's why "The Cell" never sells out except when there is a Cubs-White Sox series or when the Yankees come to town.  My point though, is this: just imagine the apopolectic outrage that will result when, after the White Sox win their first title in 88 years, their rivals to the north are still the most popular ticket in town and the upper deck of "The Cell" remains sparsely inhabited on most nights.  For years the White Sox identity has been rooted in hating the Cubs for getting all of Chicago's attention while losing, while the Sox come close to the playoffs nearly every year and can't muster a decent fan base.  So as a Cubs fan, I'm rooting for a White Sox title just so I can see the gasps of "What do we gotta do around here to get some attention?!?" from White Sox fans.
3. Perhaps this is the most plausible reason to cheer on the White Sox even if you're a Cubs fan: the World Series could very well be a White Sox/Cardinals finale.  What a nightmare for Cubs fans.  When it comes down to it though, a Cardinals title would be just about the worst thing that could happen.  We'd have to hear about it every time the National League Central division was mentioned.  "The defending champion St. Louis Cardinals..." just has an awful ring to it if you're a true Cubs fan.  Plus, in combination with items #1 and #2, the lesser of two evils has to be the White Sox.

So... uh, I guess, um... go White Sox?

Comments

[DF]

"When it comes down to it though, a Cardinals title would be just about the worst thing that could happen. We'd have to hear about it every time the National League Central division was mentioned. 'The defending champion St. Louis Cardinals...' just has an awful ring to it if you're a true Cubs fan."

Well, thanks to my boys you don't have to worry about that scenario.

But, while the ChiSox are certainly favored, the National League Central just might host the champion after all... (they all said the Cards would kill us again, after all)