After the Super Bowl, I can't lie and say I wasn't so ready for it to be over and it's not because my beloved Bears never seem to get close to playoffs, or that I hate Tom Brady, or that I hate football in general. You see, the end of football season means one thing, baseball.
Since I can remember, my family has had this mad passion for following the men in blue, the Chicago Cubs. I remember watching games with my dad, keeping up with the scores, stats, and players, the excitement of keeping up with something that is bigger than you. Still to this day, my dad and I bond over the Cubs. Cheer them on every game together, whether it's on the tv, on the radio, or at Wrigley. We get excited at the wins and disappointed at the losses. When I was away at school during post-season, he would call me after the game, or FaceTime me during the last inning so we can celebrate together. I remember asking for my Carlos Zambrano jersey and how stoked I was when he got it for me for Christmas or even this year when I got Anthony Rizzo spirit wear. The feeling of being able to rep your team and watch them play is indescribable especially when you're actually there.
Sunshine, fresh cut grass, and a stands full of people. There is nothing like being at a Ball Park. The smells, the sounds, the atmosphere, it all sets the mood to cheer on your best team. You get emotionally invested with the wins and the losses become as if you're apart of the team because you FEEL apart of the team. One of the greatest feelings is celebrating a win with people who share the love for the same team as you. The cheering and high giving of complete strangers around you will have you amped up for the whole day. The disappointment of when the people you put so much passion into lose, is a pretty indescribable feeling as well. You feel let down, you feel sad, failed, but at the end of the day it doesn't matter because they will make it up to you, the next game or even next season.
They baseball is America's past-time, and it's also mine. From being a Cub fan as a child, to now I have had several up and downs with the team from the Windy City. Regardless of the record, baseball season has always represented unity and family to me. Family trips to games, pool parties with family friends on game days, watching post-season games with people who have the same faith in the team as you, has always created some of the best memories for me. So let's speed through spring training, take me to opening day, and with pride I say, Go Cubs Go.
