The Call to the Hall

Ah - the MLB offseason, where the news is slow, the rumors are swirling and the hot takes don't matter.  While the Cubs' offseason is now considerably shorter than it ever has been, thanks to that ever-so-amazing World Series Championship run, I still find myself constantly refreshing my Twitter feed and trolling MLBTradeRumors.com hourly in a desperate attempt to find diamond-related news.

Thus far, hot stove season is simmering, but the bombshells won't truly be dropped until the winter GM meetings kick off and some roster jenga'ing took place in preparation for next month's Rule 5 draft.  However, the biggest news during this portion of the dead time was and always is the announcement of the yearly National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, which dropped yesterday.  After all, we baseball fans love to debate who belongs and who doesn't.

This year's Cubby-connected contenders feature a pair of familiar faces who have been on the yearly BBWA ballot for a little while now and a few "fresh-faced" newcomers too.  Shall we take a look?

Both Lee Smith and Sammy Sosa are major players in the history of the Chicago National League Ballclub.  However, unfortunately both men come with their fair share of baggage, as well.

Lee Smith is in "do or die" mode.  If the closer doesn't make it past the 75% mark this time around, he will drop off the ballot and won't be up for induction again until he's eligible for the Eras Committees (more on that later).  Smith was once the all-time, career leader in saves with 478, but has since slipped down to third, behind Mariano Rivera and ballot-mate Trevor Hoffman.  Furthermore, the true merit of closers in the HOF continues to be debated, especially true specialists such as Smith.

However, ranking third all-time behind two sure-fire HOF'ers certainly speaks and since "lesser" closers (i.e. Bruce Sutter, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley, etc.) have passed the test, Smith's exclusion feels like a glaring oversight.

Meanwhile, on the surface level, Slammin' Sammy Sosa's eye-popping numbers scream first ballot inductee - 609 homers, 9x an All Star, an MVP award and his role in the famous 1998 assault on Roger Maris' record should seal the deal quite easily.  Of course, as with any slugger from the 90's/00's, the legitimacy of his marks are murky, at best.

Sammy is now on his fourth attempt and barely garnered enough votes last year (6.6%) to stay eligible.  There's no doubt that this has everything to do with steroid allegations and I doubt his corked bat incident helps the cause.  That's not to mention his well-documented clubhouse problems.

Those are the cases for the two returners; now, let's take a look at the first-timers up for vote:

The trio just so happen to all be former Cubs first basemen.  However, both have severely different levels of importance in the history of the Northside franchise.

Derrek Lee was with the Cubs from 2004 through the 2010 seasons as the regular first baseman.  Always a steady presence with a potent bat and stellar defense, Lee had a career year during the 2005 campaign, where he burst out with a starting All-Star nod, 46 long balls, the batting title, a Gold Glove award, Silver Slugger and finished third in the MVP voting. Furthermore, he was in contention for the coveted Triple Crown all along the way.

Unfortunately, a broken wrist the next seasons zapped him off his power and his production entered a steady decline.  Though he remained a fan favorite, D-Lee never approached those sort of numbers again. 

McGriff is the most interesting case among the three newbies.  In any other era, I think "Crimedog" would have been a near-lock for Cooperstown.  The five-time All-Star garnered MVP votes in seven different seasons and, most importantly, he finished his career just short of the 500 HR club with 493.  Unfortunately for him, he was a 30+ home run threat in a time of 60+ home run threats and rampant steroid use, which has largely left him buried and criminally forgotten.

His Cubs career is nothing more than a blip.  In a year and a half with Chicago, he produced well enough (.276 avg with 42 homers), but did so for teams that ultimately went nowhere.

Finally, Matt Stairs was the textbook definition of a journeyman player, suiting up for 12 teams in his 19 year career.  Only one of those years was spent in Chicago - in 2001, he was signed as a free agent to man first base as a stopgap measure in between the departure of franchise favorite Mark Grace and the promotion of prospect Hee-Seop Choi.

While Stairs never led the league in any offensive categories or made the All-Star team, etc., he did provide a 20+ homer, above average offensive presence, a career 14.3 WAR, and a World Series ring with the 2008 Phillies.  Plus, he certainly had a Hall of Fame nickname - "Wonder Hamster."

With a name like that, he would have fit right in with this team too.

All told, of the five Cubs on the general ballot in 2016, there are really only two who will likely merit serious thought - Smith and Sosa.  McGriff is sort of stuck in the middle and seems destined to stay caught in the informal black hole known as the "Hall of Very Good."  Meanwhile Derrek Lee and Matt Stairs both had long, productive careers, neither produced HOF caliber numbers along the way. 

However, if I had a voice, I'd definitely cast a vote for both Smith and Sosa.  Lee Smith was undoubtedly the top closer of his generation and the only two people with more career saves will make Cooperstown.  In addition, while I was initially against allowing any of the "steroid era" sluggers in, we'll never know for sure who did and didn't and/or when they started.  Plus, it's a crime to ignore an entire generation of players based on such hazy circumstances.

That said, both men face uphill battles, with names on the BBWA ballot like Rock Raines, Trevor Hoffman, Vladimir Guerrero and Jeff Bagwell sure to garner most of the attention.  I guess we'll see how it goes.

But hold on, Sosa and Smith aren't Cubs fans only hopes for representation at the 2017 Cooperstown induction ceremony.  While they are the only two real contenders on the writer's ballot, we haven't even taken a look at the "Today's Game Era" ballot.

There are five former MLB players, three executives and two managers which comprise the 10-name ballot, which is to be voted upon at the Winter Meetings.  Formerly known as the Veterans Committee, the newly established Eras Committees consider candidates from four different eras on a rotating basis. The Today's Game portion features those who made an impact from 1988 to 2016.

None of the players or executive have any ties to my favorite baseball team; however, two of the managers certainly do:

Davey Johnson had an All-Star caliber playing career at second base, spent mostly with the Orioles and Braves.  Notably, at least to me anyway, he wrapped up his 13-year tenure in the MLB with a brief and forgettable, 24-game stint with the 1978 Cubs.  Seeing as his election is based upon his post-playing career as a manger for the Mets (including the famed '86 WS Champs), Reds, Orioles, Dodgers and Nationals, his Cubs connections will have no bearing on the decision.

On the other hand, while "Sweet Lou" Piniella's twilight years at the helm of the Cubs weren't the focal point of his career, they certainly won't hurt his case.  Guiding the infamously hapless franchise to back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time in 100 years looks pretty good on the resume.  Add in a World Series title with the 1990 Reds, his guidance of the 116-win '01 Mariners and a career .537 winning percentage and Piniella appears to have a serious chance.

Unfortunately, Lou didn't make the RnR HOF ballot though.

So, there you have it - a complete look in at the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot with a Cubbie blue lens.  Will any of the above Cubs make it into the hallowed halls of Cooperstown?  If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on Lou Piniella having the best chance of any of the Cubs-contingent, with Lee Smith having an outside chance of sneaking in as well.  

What are your opinions on the Hall of Fame ballot for this year?  Who should be in?  Who should be left out?  I encourage you to leave your opinions in the comment section below.

Winter is... Already Here

Dammit, Stark - where was your warning?

Over this past weekend, winter bowled into the Chicagoland area like Pete Rose into Ray Fosse - surprisingly and with great force.  On Thursday, Chicago's temperatures were in the 70's... by Saturday morning, we already had wind chill readings in the teens.  To re-purpose a popular quote from a certain comedic classic, "...and summer gave autumn a miss and went straight on into winter."


On the bright side, maybe I can finally get back into Blackhawks hockey now that the weather matches the sporting season.  The Cubs hangover has been quite real and it's tough to get into the ice hockey sort of mood when it's warm enough to wear shorts.  That clearly hasn't affected the Hawks themselves though, seeing as they've shot out of the gate to a 13-4-2 record.

While the Blackhawks were extinguishing the Calgary Frames this past Friday, I popped into my LCS to buy some four-pocket pages.  In order to flesh out my purchase a little bit, I decided to peruse the vintage hockey selection in search of new additions for my Blackhawks All-Time Roster Collection.  Luckily, I was not disappointed:

We start off with a pair of 1975-76's from Topps.

Grant Mulvey was one of the biggest names in franchise history that I hadn't yet acquired.  "Granny" played all but twelve games of his 586-game career with Chicago and holds the franchise record for most goals in a game (five, plus two assists).  Unfortunately, his career was cut short in 1984 by a spate of injuries.  Meanwhile, teammate and fellow winger Germain Gagnon was more of a journeyman, seeing time with Montreal, Chicago, Kansas City and New York during his career.

On the latter card, I love the dichotomy in safety equipment between Germain and the skater he is guarding - old school vs. new school.

Now we jump a year ahead with this set of 1976-77 Topps singles, both of which feature some on the terrible airbrushing jobs that Topps was known for at this time.

This Bobby Sheehan is not the same one that played bass for Blues Traveler, though you might say he gave the NHL and WHA a "Runaround," having played for an eye-popping 12 different teams during his playing days.  No wonder they had to airbrush him, he never stayed in one place long enough to get photographed!  On the other hand, Gilles Villemure only played with two different clubs, New York and Chicago, including only 21 games with the latter as a backup to the legendary Tony Esposito.

Remember that phase where jam bands were all the rage?

Moving on, this time we hop two seasons into the future with a pair of 1977-78 Topps:

Jim Harrison spent three seasons with the Blackhawks towards the end of his 17 year career in the NHL/WHA.  The center's time with the team wasn't particularly notable and, excepting a three game cameo with Edmonton during the 79-80 season, would mark the end of his time in the pros.

Randy Holt was known as one of the toughest players in the game when he was active - the defenceman still holds the NHL single-game record for penalty minutes (67).  Holt was drafted by the Hawks in 1973 and rode the shuttle between the minors and the NHL for the next several years, never finding a regular role until he was traded to the Cleveland Barons, just as the 77-78 season was getting underway.

The brawl that helped lead to Holt's infamous record

With that, we've come to the end of my latest vintage hockey splurge and, all told, I spent about a quarter per card.  While Chicago may be just beginning a long and harsh winter, at least it provided me the motivation to add these aged gems to my collection and to start paying attention to the best of the winter sports.

I guess it's not all bad.

Although, I severely doubt my disposition will remain as sunny the first day it snows or the temperature dips below zero.  I guess the only solution is to search out more cheap vintage hockey cards to keep my mood above the freezing mark.  I think that plan is just crazy enough to work.

Run Forrest, Run!

Baseball may be my favorite sport to watch (by far); however, it is certainly not my preferred athletic competition to partake in.

Going into high school. I was given an ultimatum by my mother - I had to get involved in at least one sport, so as to get me out of the house and out of her hair.  My father played golf when he walked the halls of our local high school, so I was naturally nudged down that path.  But, I kinda, sorta, accidentally on purpose missed the bus for tryouts and, thus, the fairway wasn't to be the way for me. Still, I wasn't out of the woods and had to make a selection.  That's when I remembered I always did pretty decently with the gym class mile in middle school, so cross country seemed like an okay fit.

13 years later, I still run on an almost daily basis and I'm a track coach for the school I work for.

In fact, I competed in a local 5k (5,000 meters/3.1 miles) race to benefit Big Brothers/Big Sisters, just this morning.  Running is my emotional outlet, my hobby and satiates my competitive tendencies,  Of course, I never have been and never will be anywhere near as good as an Olympian, like Edward Cheserek or Kara Goucher here, but there will always be races to run and personal goals to attain.

However, competitive running is not exactly a mainstream sport and the only time it ever gets any significant, national attention is during the summer Olympics or the Boston Marathon.  As such, it's always saddened me that collecting my favorite competitive sport via trading cards is darn near impossible.  There just aren't many options, except for stray SI for Kids singles (like above) or...

...Olympic-centric sets, runners don't get immortalized on cardboard rectangles often enough.

Even still, last night I decided to finally go ahead and declare an official collection of runners and running-based cards.  Luckily, I already had a few strays strewn about my miscellaneous, odds and ends box in order to provide a quick jump-start.  My only rules are that the cards have to depict the athlete competing in a running event and it doesn't matter which one - marathons, sprints (like Wilma Rudolph above), steeplechases, etc.  That said, I am not seeking out cards that show track competitors high jumping, pole-vaulting or any other field event.  This collection is running only.

It doesn't matter what level the competitor is either.  Olympians and professionals are all well and good; but, amateurs and collegians, like Notre Dame's cross country star Molly Seidel are equally welcomed.

As an aside, I had the good fortune to compete against the Fightin' Irish CC squad on their home turf when I was in college.  Although, I used the term "compete" quite loosely, seeing as they ran circles around small-school me.  Still, getting to run an 8k around the Notre Dame campus was an exhilarating experience.

Touchdown Jesus!

I have always been a distance runner since the first day I threw on some short shorts and bandied about the town (much to the horror of the locals).  In other words, my focus has always been in distances longer than 400 meters, aka one lap around your standard track.  I've dabbled in sprints and was threatened with hurdles once, but I mostly stayed in that training regimen.  So, naturally, I'm drawn to cards which feature marathoners, cross country competitors and the like.

With that being noted, since running cards are so very limited, I'm not about to discriminate against sprinters though:

Especially when the cards are as awesome as this die-cut insert of three-time Olympic gold medalist Tyson Gay from the 2011 edition of UD's Goodwin Champions.  While SI for Kids sets dominate this post, multi-sport releases sometimes produce a few "hits" as well.  Anyway, sprinters are runners too - the only difference is that they run much faster (well... and shorter too).

Oh and hurdlers totally make the cut too:

Athletes like Arizona State's Lynda Tolbert have always amazed me.  I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time without ending up in a tangled heap and these people can run at a dead sprint while striding over waist-high barriers smoother than silk.  A good hurdle race is truly a sight to behold.

Of course, I'll always go back to distance running as my favorite sub-division of the sport.  I mean, I suppose it's no different than a Little League second baseman feeling compelled to hoard cards of Hall of Famers like Ryne Sandberg or Robby Alomar.

On that note, Roger Bannister is a comparable figure.  After all, the British runner was the first man to complete a timed mile quicker than four minutes, a mark often considered humanly impossible. Nevertheless, on May 6th, 1954, Bannister blazed through the distance and into the history books with a time of 3:59.4  at a track meet at Oxford University.

If running had a Hall of Fame, Roger would be a first-ballot honoree.

While Roger will always be the first, since that time, several upper echelon competitors have broken the hallowed four minute mark.  A small, select handful have upped the ante by doing so when they were still in high school.

American Alan Webb was only the fourth person ever to break the four minute mark while still having to navigate cliques and remember a locker combination.  I bet he was never late to class though!

As a senior in 2001, Webb shattered the 36-year-old national high school record by running a 3:53.43 mile and went on to set the current American record for the distance a few years later with an eye-popping 3:46.91 mark.  These days, Webb is still competing at a top level in triathlons.

Seeing as my swimming abilities are limited to doggy paddling and drowning, my respect for triathletes is through the roof.

So, there you have it - my blossoming new collection is off the line cleanly and running.  Obviously, I don't have too many right now, but it's a decent start.  Surprisingly, there are several big names out there to obtain who have appeared in stray sets here and there that I'll be chasing - Usain Bolt, Jim Ryun, Bernie Lagat, Jesse Owens, Lasse Viren and running demi-god Steve Prefontaine.

  

Some of my targets

Once acquired, this will be the only chance to say that I've chased down Bolt!

Meanwhile, I absolutely exhausted from running straight into what felt like hurricane force winds, so I'm going to call it a post here and go lay down.  If anyone out there reading this has a few runners clogging up their trade box, I'd be happy to take them off your hands; I can't imagine there's a lot of competition for those kind of cards.

Then again, I do love competition - I mean, after all, that's why I run.

Your 2016 NL MVP

Last night, without much suspense or competition, Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant was named the MVP of the National League.  When you slug 39 home runs with a .292/.385/.554 line with plus defense and versatility for a historically good club, it's pretty much a forgone conclusion.  The hardware just continues to role in for the blossoming superstar.

Since 2013, Bryant has taken home the trophies for MVP, Rookie of the Year, Minor League Player of the Year and the Golden Spikes Award (given to the best player in the collegiate ranks) in consecutive years.  Oh and he's got a World Series ring to boot too and he's only 24.  This is something that has never been done in the immensely long history of baseball and the guy is just getting started.  Cubs fans - just think, we could have been stuck with Mark Appel instead.

To commemorate the Cubs' first MVP since Sammy Sosa's 66 homers in 1998, I've created this custom card of the young slugger in the mold of the "MVP" subset found in 1989 Donruss.  As a kid who grew up in the junk wax era, this design is what instantly pops into my head whenever I hear about that award.

I feel like this is a fitting tribute to someone who is well on their way to becoming an all-time great.  Tell me what you think in the comments - did I capture the spirit of the design?

Here's hoping that I'll be creating a few more of these in the years to come!

Ain't That a Shane

For many decades, the Red Sox and the Cubs had an awful lot in common (emphasis on awful) as franchises stuck in the insurmountable rut of futility.  You had the Curse of the Bambino/Curse of the Billy Goat, through Buckner's legs/through Durham's legs, scenic Fenway/scenic Wrigley and decades and generations of fans who never saw a World Series triumph.  Of course, that all changed when the Sawx broke through and became a dynasty, starting in 2004.  That said, the Cubs look primed to join them in that territory now...

Anyway, with all of those parallels between the AL and NL clubs, I guess it shouldn't be a surprise that Red Sox fans and Cubs rooters should understand each other.  With that in mind, the trade package I received from loyal Boston booster Shane, of Off the Wall fame, was so on point with my collecting habits that it could have been assembled by myself.

We've been conversing back and forth since Shane's return to the blogosphere and we've found quite a bit of common ground, even besides our favorite franchises' similarities.  We both enjoy custom card-creating, we both have a thing for oddballs and he has an All-Time Red Sox Collection like I do for the Cubs.  So, when he offered up a trade for some needed names to help beef up my equivocal Cubs collection, I jumped at the chance.

Both needs came from the immense 1990 Target Dodgers checklist, a promotional giveaway set, which purported to include a card of every from the team's then 100-year history.  Luckily for my collecting habits, there has been plenty of overlap between the Trolley Dodgers and the Cubbies.

Bob Barrett was a spare outfielder for Chicago and Brooklyn throughout the 1920's after being taken by the Cubs in the Rule 5 draft and later being traded to the Dodgers for Tommy Griffith.  Meanwhile, Duke Farrell, pictured in what appears to be an old-timers game, came into the league with the Cubs for two seasons starting way, way back in 1888 and stuck around the Majors through 1905 with the Red Sox.

The Red Sox - how appropriate.

Speaking of Red Sox, here's a guy who had a pretty notable tenure with the Boston ballclub.

The only other card I was expecting from Shane's uber-generous trade package was this Manny Heritage Minor League single from a couple years back.  I've pined for this card since the day it was released, so it was extremely gratifying to cross this off my want list.

It's too bad that Manny didn't get a call-up during his time as a Cubs minor leaguer; however, he played a vital role in grooming the young guys who powered the 2016 World Series Champions.  Thus, he had a bigger impact on the club as a coach than he likely ever would have as a player.

 

Along with the ManRam bush league card, Shane also included a hefty handful of minor league singles of guys who did make the Majors in the Windy City, represented by the four you see above.  I have a binder full of such cards, so these new additions were exceptionally welcome sights.

Also, I'd entirely forgotten about Arismendy Alcantara... I think he's the only prospect who's bombed out of Chicago in the last 2-3 years.  What a farm-system we have!

Sticking with the faux-vintage theme of those Minor League Heritage singles, Shane also stashed a few welcome pieces of the Topps All-Time Fan Favorites and Panini Cooperstown sets.    Here's a couple of brands that I sure wouldn't mind seeing resurrected at some point in the future.

While many of those previous cards ape vintage, Shane also included a significant amount of the real deal.  The knuckleballer Joe Niekro is one of my favorite short-term stops/"unfamiliar uniforms" in Cubs history.  Meanwhile, I don't have nearly enough 1963 Topps in my collections and this Bob Buhl will help correct that.

Along with these two examples, there was plenty more vintage to be had, including several 1959 singles, my favorite vintage set, which I forgot to photograph.  Furthermore...

 

...there was this beautiful 1956 Bob Rush nestled at the bottom of the box.  It's not often you received a card this old unannounced in a trade package, so I was stopped in my tracks with it's inclusion.  It's in excellent shape too, with crisp corners and bold colors.  Simply wow.

You might say, it gave me quite the "rush" when I saw it.  ba dum tiss.


 

There were also a whole bunch of more mainstream, non-vintage base cards and inserts included within Shane's offering.  I could easily build a whole post off of this content alone; however, I'll allow my two favorites to do the talking here.

Cole Liniak may have been a total bust as a prospect, but his 2000 Fleer Ultra base card is All-Star material.  There aren't nearly enough cards that use "The Friendly Confines" as a backdrop, let alone with it's iconic, hand-operated scoreboard prominently featured.  Meanwhile, that Wilson "Record Breakers" insert hails from 2003 Topps Flagship and highlights Hack's likely unbreakable record of 191 RBI's in one season.  For lack of a better term, I think it's just a sharp looking design... and not just because of the shards of glass either.

Now, this is the point where the package became a bit odd:

Odd as in oddball, that is!  In our conversations, I mentioned to Shane that I have an affinity for oddities and, lo and behold, Shane went "Off the Wall" for the rest of the glorious content.

On the left, we have one of those ubiquitous, unauthorized Broders from the late-80's, this one featuring another player who spent time in both Chicago and Boston.  Speaking of unauthorized, while that may look like your standard-fare '67 Topps Billy Williams, it's definitely some sort of unlicensed reprint - while you can't tell from the image here, the surface is far too glossy and the stock is too thin.  I'll still give it safe-haven in my collection though.

Next up on the oddball circuit, we have a Cooperstown Collection card featuring HOF second baseman Billy Herman, which was produced by Hillshire Farms and made available through sending in via their Kahn's Wieners products in 1989.  They're printed on wafer-thin card stock, but sure do look nice in hand with their simulated HOF plaque design.

Along with Herman, we have an umpire card of Mal Eason from Conlon Collection, possibly the most helpful set for my CATRC ever to hit the market.  Eason may be more known for his umpiring career; but, "Kid" was a hard-luck pitcher for the Cubs before he went behind the dish.

Sportflics always catch my eye, especially when they feature players from baseball's by-gone days.  It's a tad jarring to see an old school player like Ernie Banks depicted with such "futuristic" technology and I kind of love that dichotomy.  Besides, anytime I can add a new card of "Mr. Cub," I get a big, ol' Banks-like smile.

Here's a first for my collection - I've never seen these Topps tattoos in person before, let alone possessed one.   I don't think I'll be applying should-be-HOF'er Lee Smith's mug to my arm anytime soon, even though my inner-child is so very tempted.

As cool at this is, there's more than what meets the eye with this panel:

Ah - ha, we have the full sheet!   Temporary tattoos for everyone!

On a related note, here's another almost universally-beloved, Topps produced oddball variety that I have never been so fortunate as to have in my possession:

In 1981, Topps released a set of cards used to play a scratch-off baseball game.  These three-card panels were distributed in packs of 18 total cards.  I've seen these pop up on the blogosphere many times, but this is the first such example to find it's way into my grubby hands.  Now, I've just got to fight the urge to separate Ivan DeJesus from his lottery ticket-like brethren.

And now for something completely different:

This item here is entirely new to me - I've never even seen or heard it of before:  1986 Dorman's Cheese cards.  Apparently this Wisconsin-based, regional dairy distributor released a ten card set with two players each on perforated panels.  "Ryno" shares some real estate with Don Mattingly here and the only other Cub in the small set is Rick Sutcliffe.

Whenever I get something I never even knew existed, that package is definitely a winner.  I miss when baseball cards came with cheese, weiners, batteries, soda pop, breakfast cereal, etc.

That did it for the baseball card content; however, Shane "rebounded" with some more unexpected additions to my collections:

Also, there were an awful lot of perforated, panel-based cards in this box, huh?

As I mentioned in a recent post, my Bulls All-Time Roster Collection is not one I spend a lot of money on and rely heavily on trades when it comes to adding to it.  Shane must have read that post, as he threw in these two 1980-81 Topps basketball cards featuring Artis Gilmore and Reggie Theus, as an added bonus.  Both were needed for that aforementioned Bulls Roster Collection.

 No bull!

So many puns...

As you can plainly see, Shane really nailed it with this trade package.  All told, I ended up with two new players for my Cubs All-Time Roster Collection, several Cubs for my minor league binder, a slew of new vintage and oddball gems and some bonus Bulls for that collection. 

Shane, thanks again for the amazing trade and I can only hope that what I sent your way is at least half as productive and entertaining for you.  Here's to many more!

See?  We Red Sox and Cubs fans definitely get each other.