it was a beautiful night. instead of sitting in my seat in the upper deck i roamed around taking in the views from everywhere.

outside people wore their AC/DC Giants jerseys

and inside they wore giraffe hats for some reason

i had never been to the new AT&T Park before, but the smells of the garlic fries brought back memories of when i sold hot dogs and beers at The Stick back in ’97. Could it really have been 20 years ago?

TIME FLIES LIKE A MOTHER

there were Cub fans in the house but not many. Giants fans dont sell their tickets. they use them and I appreciate them for that.

but as i roamed around nothing felt right. if i stood somewhere and the cubs got a hit, i stayed there, but nothing worked. they couldnt get anything going.

if you remember, back in 2006 when i drove around the country i went to the Bears – Cards game in Arizona. the Bears were losing by 20 points in the 4th quarter. i left a little early and the Bears made an incredible comeback that made Dennis Green freak out in the post game interview.

THE BEARS WERE WHO WE THOUGHT THEY WERE! AND WE LET THEM OFF THE HOOK.

the lesson i thought i learned that night was never leave a game because anything can happen. but when i was at the Giants game i thought to myself, maybe i can help the Cubs make a similar comeback if i just sacrificed my own personal joy for a bigger personal joy and leave.

so i left.

i walked down the street. i tweeted what i was doing. i told everyone i was doing it to give the Cubs luck.

it didnt look good for them, they were down by 3 in the 7th when i left. some dope was 2-hitting them. as i walked through the streets of San Fran i bought an It’s It ice cream.

the plan was to do anything that i didn’t do the night before when the Cubs lost.

so i walked to the parking lot and got in the car and drove across the beautiful Bay Bridge.

nothing.

they were still losing.

i drove south down the East Bay. i was going fast thanks to the lack of traffic.

i had the game on the radio in the car.

i drove and drove.

nothing.

then when i got on the 5 freeway things got better.

we got a hit. then Rizzo walked.

then there were some pitching changes. Contrareous or however you spell his name, our rookie catcher hit a screamer up the middle. two runs scored.

then Javy Baez tied it up. then Jason Heyward gave us the lead.

i was screaming in my car because i knew.

i knew it wasnt the Frisco Bullpen who had blown so many games, who was blowing this one, the most important one.

i knew that it was me. tony pierce. biggest cub fan alive. i had done it.

i was the missing ingrediant and i had to get out of the kitchen and drive all night like springsteen.

and then our flamethrowing closer came in and flamethrew and south of Tracy i pulled over to a truck stop and screamed and honked my horn and danced around my car and thanked the Lord Above because the Cubs had won.

the Cubs Beat the Giants.

In an Even Year.

At thier House.

and Cub fans jumped into the Bay and commandeered sail boats and raised the W flag.

and on the field the Cubs celebrated.

and in the Benz, hoarse, i called my mom and she was all, they did what?

THEY DID IT ALL MA!

which was good because i was a space cadet

i couldnt eat, i couldnt work well.

when i got home i took off my clothes, laid in my bed, then put new clothes on

and then walked around my neighborhood.

just walked and listened to Fall Out Boy

i bought a burrito somewhere i never ate before

i just walked.

i was afraid to go home, i was afraid to drive anywhere, i was afraid.

then my man Todd texted me from Wrigley

basically saying he was scared too,

so i turned my phone on, tuned in the radio broadcast and listening to WGN

the station i grew up on,

while i sat on a bench in Los Feliz

it soothed me.

so i walked home.

pitchers duel.

8th inning, i tweeted that Javy Baez has power

and right on cue he bashed one right into the mouth of the wind

he stared at it like it was soaring to Wisconsin

but that old, cold, mean mean wind blew it back

but then the ghost of Harry Caray distracted the wind, just for a scootch

and the ball landed in the Left Field basket.

“nothing but net” tweeted the Cubs

and that’s all it took to win the game

thanks to a beautiful 9th inning of flamethrowing by the closer Chapman

the rest of the night was watching Donald Trump fallout

and me not believing how good all of it could feel

ALL OF IT

in a few hours the Cubs begin their march through the playoffs.

their lineup makes me nervous.

their two big boppers are batting 2nd and 3rd. then you have two infielders in the power positions.  (yes Z is playing left but thats because Baez is in the game).

Z had 18 dingers in the regular season which is below average AND he was hitless against Cueto, who is on the mound for the Giants.

so why is he batting cleanup? who knows? that’s why we pay Joe Maddon the big bucks.

that is why he wears the glasses and i write the tweets.

that is why the Cubs had the best record in baseball and i am eyeing the clock seeing when i can go home to watch.

me personally my lineup would be Dexter / Javy / Bryant /Rizz / Russ / Hey / Zob / Ross. You might get Rizzo one less AB than having him bat 3rd but at least theres some pop in the middle of the lineup.

DONT YOU SEE WHY I AM LOSING MY MIND IN ANTICIPATION?

I need a drink.

I need two drinks.

How am I still at home?

Where is my mind?

Will the Cubs win by 8 or just 1?

Will Ditka be there?

Will Ditka pitch?

How did the Native Americans handle the emotions of the playoffs? Ahhhhhh!!!!

yesterday the Giants beat the Mets in extra innings which gives them the right to play the Cubs in the first round of the actual playoffs.

thats good news and bad for the Cubs because the Giants have this weird thing going where they have won the World Series in each of the last three even-years.

eerily, this is 2016.

so not only do we have to break the Curse of the Billy Goat, the Sports Illustrated cover curse, but we also have to be the first team to beat the Giants in an even year.

no problemo.

so tomorrow and Saturday the two teams square off at the Friendly Confines, kicking off the best-of-five League Division Series.

on Sunday they fly to San Fran where they play two games at AT&T Park on Monday and Tuesday.

A mere 5 hour drive from where I blog to you today.

I have some vacation days coming my way but i was hoping to save those for the World Series. However.

Frisco.

Half a day to get up there. See the game. Tickets are only $80.

Sleep beneath the Golden Gate with a good book?

Wake, head over to the Squat and Gobble? Stumble over to the Zeitgeist for a couple of beers with some bikers? Chow down on some Chinese at the House of Nan King. Head over to the bleachers for another game. Tickets are only $90. Don’t drink. Drive back down to LA?

If one gets too tired, maybe sleep half way there around Bakersfield?

Thank the Lord for this matchup?

And hope the Dodgers are successful in their round versus the Nats so I can see the Cubbies at Chavez Ravine.

Weirder things have happened.