Wednesday, October 15, 2003

2:53 PM Just heard on one of the sports talk radio stations: “If you’re going to be a Cubs fan, you have to suffer.” Phil Woodrow passed along George Will’s comment (via Paul Harvey today) that Cubs fans are “90% scar tissue.” When Martin Luther stood before the Diet of Worms to declare his commitment to the Reformation of the Church and to justification by faith alone, he said these famous words: “Here I stand. God help me. I can do no other.” Stirring words. I told a friend today that a modern version would be: “We are Cubs fans. Here we stand. God help us.”

1:13 PM Two more comments: From my brother Andy in Florence, AL: “They MAY be cursed.I’ve thought the team of destiny was Florida; they shouldn’t even be there. Andy” (My comment: The Marlins get to work on their suntan after tonight’s game.) From Kevin McCullough in New York City: “Cubs 6-5…Kerry goes at least 7 innings.” 12:14 PM Seth Grotelueschen offers this stock tip:

“The “stock pick of the day"………ELI LILLY company. If Cubs lose, buy ELI LILLY stock big right away. Their sales of PROZAC in Chicago alone will mean huge profits for them over the next few months."

11:48 AM Michael Fields is going supply me with a bat, a ball and a used glove for my Billy Sunday presentation this Sunday. BTW, Billy played professionally for the Chicago White Stockings, the forerunners of the present-day Chicago Cubs (not the White Sox as most people assume). 11:45 AM Just finishing chatting with Steve Meyer who is about as big a Cubs fan as anyone I know. He flew to Atlanta for the first two games of the divisional series and plans to go to Wrigley Field tonight and see if he can buy a ticket. He thinks Kerry Wood will take care of business tonight.

11:42 AM More response: “I love those signs about believing!! It was so much fun last year when the Angels made it so hang in there coach and I’ll be believing. Joanne” From my friend Phil Woodrow in the Albany, New York area:

I was going to e-mail you immediately after the game last night but decided against it. Even though we’re not life-long Cubs fans, Katie and I have been following the series and rooting for them to get into the World Series … yes against the Red Sox. I’ve been a Bosox fan since just after the Civil War and know what it’s like to experience the frustration of the “sure thing.” We were irate over the fan interference and highly recommend that one of the leaders within your church try to get ahold of the “poor” fellow since he is undoubtedly on suicide watch today. Once the Cubs take it all, the team should send him a autographed ball to remind him of what a jerk he really was for knocking the ball out of Moise’s glove.

8:46 AM “Pastor Ray, I like the conclusion to the “With God on Our Side” article you linked to: “What’s your Jericho?” It’s more than the outcome of the ball games today! (Go Cubs – Go Red Sox) Regards, James R. Warner” 8:25 AM From Joanne Hale (a longtime friend from our first church in Downey, CA):

You folks have the dumbest fans in the world. Maybe you should go to the game and explain to all the fans that when the Cubbies are up to bat, that is the ONLY time you try to catch a foul ball NOT when the marlins are up to bat!!! I couldn’t believe it. Your own fans interfered for a $2.00 ball! UNBELIEVEABLE The Angel fans know when to get in the way and when not to! Hang in there. Joanne.

6:59 AM In the spirit of everyone doing their part, if you have your own predictions for the game tonight, send me an e-mail with your thoughts and I will post it on this page. 6:46 AM This just in: Cubs 4, Marlins 2. Cubs win the series 4-3 and advance to the World Series. You heard it here first. 6:10 AM After last night’s debacle at Wrigley Field, I offer the following sermons to lift your spirits in preparation for Game 7 tonight: Living the Miracle by Robert Ball. The very aptly-named Somebody Ought to Do Something from Preacher’s Magazine. I even found a sermon that mentions Sammy Sosa. It’s called With God on Our Side. You can draw your own conclusions. Go Cubs!