The Poster Boy

Okay - so yesterday didn't go exactly as we Chicagoans hoped.  That said, it's only one game and anything can happen over the next six.  On the plus side, at least Andrew Miller seemed human and was forced to throw a lot of pitches.  Also, Kyle Scwarber looked dialed in at the plate with a double and a walk, while working deep counts every time up.  Plus, we all won a free taco; so, that's pretty cool too.

Anyway, in the lead-up to this historic match-up,  it seems like everyone in the Chicago area wanted a piece of the action.  Chipotle offered buy one get one free burrito bowls to anyone wearing Cubs gear, businesses across Chicagoland have flown the W in their storefront windows and, heck, my hometown even set up Harry Caray and Ryan Sandberg scarecrows in the new community garden.  In the words of Mugatu from Zoolander, the Cubs are so hot right now.

Even the newspapers want a cut of the action:

Here we have your standard, normal Sunday edition of the Post Tribune, the Northwest Indiana affiliate of the Chicago Tribune.  While it might be a different state, the NW portion of Indiana identifies heavily with Chicago.  Over the weekend, after recovering from the pennant-winning celebration, my family held an impromptu get-together at my aunt and uncle's house in Crown Point and this newspaper was handed to me as a gift.

Why?  Well, let's take a closer look at the top of the cover page:

Ooooooooooooo... a poster of Kris Bryant, you say?  Color me intrigued.

Apparently, this is part of a continuous series that the publication has been publishing throughout the playoffs, as a away of attaching their name to the big blue hype train.  However, since I do not have a newspaper subscription (and honestly, if I did, it would be for the Sun Times), I had no idea that this was currently ongoing.  Oh well.

But enough of my yakking, let's take a looksie at the goodie:

Okay - it's nothing all that special, to be completely honest.  It's just a big, color picture pullout printed on newspaper stock; although, while it's tough to see here, they do get some bonus points for including his 2016 slash line right under his name.  As our favorite journalistic blogger, Night Owl, has mentioned before, printing newspaper inserts on special stock isn't usually a cheap process, so it really comes as no surprise that this poster is on the same stock as the latest Jerry Davich column or Peanuts cartoon.  Nevertheless, it still makes for a neat, unexpected oddball find.

Furthermore, isn't it appropriate that the Cubs poster boy should appear on a poster?

I haven't yet decided whether I should treat this "poster" as a true collectible or use it to make my workstation feel a little bit more homey.  After all, anything Kris Bryant is gold around these parts; but, then again, I've never been in collecting for the money or investment angle either and I doubt that this would truly hold any value on the secondary market.  What would you do, loyal readers?

Outside of my W flag, my work space is awfully bland.

After also finding a full set of Cubs/White Sox trading cards in a recent edition of the Chicago Tribune and their ongoing Fathead promotion with the Chicago Bears, newspapers have been a surprisingly stout source for card-like collectibles this year.  This is a trend that I sure wouldn't mind continuing on into 2017 and beyond, that's for sure.

But, first thing's first - fingers crossed that the Cubs can right the ship tonight in game two of the 2016 World Series against Cleveland.  I think this pitching match-up, Jake "the Snake" Arrieta vs. Trevor "the amateur drone wrecker" Bauer, so I am cautiously optimistic.

Here's hoping that "the poster boy" can re-jump start this potent Cubs offense.