You know, there's no need to talk about that last (what was it anyway? 57 to 4 or something?) drubbing by the Braves.
But maybe a little about Lou Piniella...
If you saw his last post-game conference, you saw an emotional guy walking away from a game he's been part of for longer than most of us have been alive. Not easy.
Remember when he first came here? The way he put that team together? Just picked Theriot and made him the starting shortstop before the season even started. And a couple months later they were his team, his Cubs.
And everybody loved him. Straight shooter. Winner. The honest to god real thing.
A Cub.
2008 was the dream year - the Cubs were the best team in the National League.
Til the playoffs.
But that season, we all got to feel like big shots. Like we belonged in the same room with the Yankees and the Red Sox.
For that, I will forever be grateful to Lou Piniella.
It went to hell after that, sure, but you and I and everybody who's a fan of this team is different because of this man.
Because losing isn't acceptable any more, and it just didn't used to be like that.
Here are a couple drawings from over the years.
The beginning, in '07:
The Rivalry was (and is) as awesome as ever.
Going to the playoffs in '07. This is my favorite Lou painting.
And after the Cubs failed vs. the Diamondbacks, I liked him even more.
Hilarity in '08, when Lou and Matt Sinatro almost missed a game in Cincinnati.
Lou's Playoff Portrait:
In '09 thru today, guys who were supposed to perform just... didn't. This quote, unfortunately, sort of sums up the end of Lou's career here in Chicago.
And this last one is the last drawing from '08.
Seems appropriate.
