Ahhh, I should have a bunch of Bob Brenly quotes, but I don't.
I can tell you, however, that during this season of sometimes good/sometimes bad/sometimes really really bad, Bob Brenly has gained my respect by telling me what I really saw.
It's been awesome.
I'm not sure that Cub's ownership can comprehend this, but Brenly's honesty has helped me ENORMOUSLY through this difficult season.
Honesty works, plain and simple.
The other night when Alfonso dropped the fly ball?
Olson told me that Brenly said something like what I have in the drawing, "It's a baseball. Catch it."
Maybe even with a little disgust, like we were all thinking.
Brenly didn't say, "Well, he really had a long way to go so...man, good try."
And because he didn't say anything like that, I believe in the company more.
You know?
I have a story that's so old nobody here will remember it.
I was watching a football game with my dad.
Ohio State vs. Clemson.
And something bad happened for Ohio State - an interception or a punt return, and somebody ran out of bounds or something (I'm not googling so feel free to correct me).
A Clemson guy runs near the Ohio State bench and legendary Ohio State coach Woody Hayes punches the player in the neck.
Right on tv, you couldn't believe it.
The refs threw a flag because, well, it's a penalty when the head coach punches a player from the other team.
But the guys who were calling the game?
They said something like, "I don't...I'm not sure what this penalty could be about."
They even showed a replay, and the announcers still acted like Woody Hayes hadn't actually just punched a kid.
And it changed me.
Suddenly, I realized that what people say on tv isn't necessarily true.
And after that, I had no respect for any announcers anywhere.
In the case of the Chicago Cubs, it was Steve Stone who changed it back the right way for me.
He was the first guy who, if a Cub was a bonehead?
He said that that Cub was a bonehead, and it was SUCH a breath of fresh air.
Like, Moises Alou on the base path.
You'd watch him and think, "What a freaking IDIOT."
And Steve Stone would immediately say, "What a freaking IDIOT."
When that happened, you trusted Steve Stone, and by extension you also trusted the Cubs.
Not really sure how to put into words how that logic works, but it does.
I guess I felt like the Cubs were really, truly trying to get better rather than gloss over their failings with bullshit (and of course when they got rid of Stoney, the whole organization - Dusty included - took a big hit).
Long story short, I've really come to love Bob Brenly and his honest, fearless take on the team.
I would hope that even the Cubs he calls out would respect that, because Bob's not making stuff up.
So I really didn't watch or listen and still don't know anything about the last two games the Cubs played against the Phillies.
Ladies and gentlemen, I was Tee-o'd about that first Phillie game after I got myself all psyched up for the Cubs to make a statement.
Which they did, only not the one I was hoping for.
During my days off I decided something.
I figure...I'd really rather have fun this summer.
If the Cubs just turn out to be the Cubs, well, I won't be shocked.
And if something better happens, I get to drop my jaw.
So that's my new goal for this season.
Fun.
Go Cubs.
ps: of course, well...don't expect me to not be like Brenly.
That's part of the fun.
