Condolences to the Cubbies

It was sad news to me: The Cubs lost out to the Marlins in the National League Championship Series. I've been pulling for the Cubbies...it's been way too long since they had a shot at the World Series, but their fans have stuck by them each year. It was their turn this year. Unfortunately, it looks like they'll have to wait until next fall.

I feel even worse for the fan who tried to nab a foul ball last night in Game 6, which might have been caught by the Cubs for an out. The Cubs managed to foul up that 3-0 lead themselves, but that fan is going to bear the blame forever, just because baseball fans are like that. And the Chicago Sun-Times was cruel enough to publish his name and place of employment, so that the poor man has become a minor celebrity. Apparently he watched the Cubs lose tonight at home, with a police office standing guard. A huge Cubs fan himself, he'll always be hated as "The Guy Who Cost Us The Championship" now. That's not only unfair, it's darn near tragic.

So, my condolences to Cubs fans everywhere, but also this: Please be kind to the guy who grabbed. He only did what anyone else caught up in the excitement of a big game would do: He tried for a souvenir. You would have done it. I would have done it.

And the Cubbies lost this series fair and square, without any help from The Fan. It wasn't his fault. Please don't make him pay for it the rest of his life.