but kerry wood just ensured tonight that this will be tonypierce.com + cubsblog for at least one more week. and all signs point to it lasting a little longer than even that.

the cubs beat the atlanta braves tonight, euros. i know you dont understand what that means. lots of my readers dont. and on a deeper level, im not sure what it means.

i think it has something to do with dreams coming true. with paradises being found. with the longest drought in professional sports ending.

the right way.

not with hundred million dollar contracts to free agents, or fancy dancy trick plays, or intimidation, but with good draft picks who turn into superstars, established stars gotten from trades, and beginning and midseason pick-ups that have fit their roles perfectly.

led by a manager who was so close to victory last year im sure he could taste it.

and then it floated away with the angels.

whats going on in america and specifically in chicago is something thats so special that i cant even believe it. i dont even know what day it is im so blown away. after the game today i looked at the clock and i saw numbers but it took a minute for them to be relevant to anything. i didnt know if it was day time or night time. summer winter or spring.

what does eight three zero mean to you in a vaccum?

67. moxie

the cubs went down to georgia and won the first round of the playoffs just like they were supposed to do: with strong pitching, solid hitting, and so-so relief.

it was business as usual, textbook, according to plan.

nothing bad happened that shouldnt have happened to derail the party train to victory.

not even the miscalled force out that was really a triple-play.

whatev, the cubs werent going to be distracted by their date with dontrelle. cool heads prevailed, they got out of the inning within seconds, and all was good thanks to wood.

but still it feels trippy.

i imagine its the same feeling that a caged bird gets when its released for the first time. hes probably saying, well everything still looks the same, but im sure somethings different.

whats different is the perennial losers of baseball are winning and winning and winning. they won in april and may. they won alot of the summer and they won in the fall.

they won the games they needed to win during the last month of the season, and now they just won three games in the playoffs meaning now they only have to beat the florida marlins in a best of seven game series and they will get to go to the world series.

not only are they the most loveable losers in sport, but they are my favorite team, the baseball club of my youth, and the love of my life.

last week i was asked by a big time editor of a website that if i told you the name of youd recognize immediately. she said that since i didnt get my dream job, that she would like to talk with me about a few things. she said, via email that wednesday of last week after work would be a good time to meet.

i wrote her back and politely told her no thank you because the cubs were playing in the playoffs on wednesday and the people who i work with gasped because the xbi isnt fun, and its very dangerous, and this website would be a great fit for me if the correct job was going to be offered.

and i had to explain to my friends that the cubs just arent any team, and i didnt just have a passing relationship with them. and then i told them the priorities of my life.

1. God

2. my mother

3. the health and safety of my penis

4. the chicago cubs

after 95 years of losing, even after the cubs won tonight, i was very calm, because as a cubfan you just dont get your hopes up. something terrible is sure to happen.

and euros, this cub team isnt a perfect one. it has its weaknesses. the relief pitchers are pretty bad, the catchers sorta suck, the third baseman fucks up a lot, and the hero of the team hasnt done all that much heroic in a little while.

so we walk into the next round of the playoffs with respect and measured excitement poisoned with pessimism.

it’s like discovering that the prettiest girl at school thinks youre cute. it doesnt make any sense. you think to yourself, any minute shes going to snap out of it, so when she lets you kiss her you try to soak in every second. if she lets you take a picture you ask her if you can take a hundred. you dont want to ever forget this improbable dream coming true.

especially to undeserving you.

especially now when you were least expecting it.

its eleven thirty pm and im exausted. due in part to not being able to go to sleep last night till 6am wondering if kerry wood really could shut down the braves, a team that won 105 games in the regular season including 6 of 8 against the cubs. the television just goes blahblahblah. everythings background noise. to the miracle thats taking place right under our very noses.

i cant imagine a more wonderful picture than the one accompanying todays post.

if i could be anywhere today it would be on the corner of clark and addison

telling you all about it.

but what id probably be saying is

fuck