Cubby-Blue

Should the Cubs become the "Quade Squad"?

Hi guys.

I got that thing that's going around and I'm staying in bed today.

This illustration is in the newest issue of VINE LINE, done a couple days after he took over.

And it reminds me that including today there are only 4 days left to enter the "Guess The New Cub Manager and his Press Conference Quote" contest. 

If you haven't entered, here are the rules, and here are the entries so far.

Ryno's in the lead with 6 guesses, Girardi with 3, and Quade, Torre, and Brenly with one apiece.

Nobody's even guessed Bob Melvin.

Right now, if Quade gets the nod then Bud wins with no competition, and that would be BORING (not your entry, Bud, the competition would be boring because I want to compare the quotes, dammit!).

So right now, guess a manager and what he'll say at his introductory press conference and put it in comments or email me AND YOU MIGHT WIN AN ORIGINAL PAINTING!

Cubs lost to the Pads last night 0-3.

 

Chicago Bears: I Believe!

Okay, so I said I'd do a valentine to Lovie and write a love song to Jerry Angelo if the Bears beat the Packers.

They did.

My jaw is still dropped like a hockey puck.

Just a fabulous game - so many big plays they sort of blurred together. It helped a ton that the Packers just flipped out and got called for penalty after penalty - none of them really controversial but rather, they just committed them.

Anyway, I believe now.

Okay?

There's definitely something there.

Also: Detroit MUST be better than anybody thinks, if the Bears came THIS close to losing to them.

Or something.

Anyway, here's my valentine, Lovie:

 

And to Jerry Angelo, this song based on "Bear Down, Chicago Bears":

Never try to beat "You're the pride and joy of Illinois."
It is perhaps the greatest line ever written.

Meanwhile in San Diego...
The Cubs have twice beaten the once runaway 1st place Padres and knocked them to two games behind the San Francisco Giants. First Carlos Zambrano got his 10th win, shutting them out 1 - zip on Monday, and last night Ryan Dempster got his 15th W, 5-2, with a couple dingers from Alfonso Soriano.

Tonight will be Randy Wells starting in the Cubs 5th to last game of 2010.

 

 

Cardinals 8 Cubs 7. Pujols crushes Samardzija.

Well, that sure wasn't any good there, young Jeff Samardzija.

Before the first out was recorded in the last game of 2010 at Wrigley Field, the Cardinals had exposed Jeff Sam as a minor league pitcher in every way possible: 3 walks, a wild pitch, a stolen base, a single, and the 3-run homer that Albert Pujols hit made such a noise I believe my surround sound has a crack in it somewhere.

Then finally, somebody made an out, and at the end of the top of the first it was Cards 4 Cubs nothin'.

Then in the middle of the 5th, the Cards had added 4 more.

The Cubs though, they didn't quit.

I would imagine you all have had your hopes dashed enough this season to not have gotten TOO excited as this one progressed.
The Cubs got 2 in the 5th, 3 in the 6th, and 2 more in the 7th and well... wouldn't it be awesome if... but that's how it ended: Cards 8 Cubs 7.

Now they're on the road for a 4 gamer in San Diego, and the end of the season happens in Houston.

That's seven games.

You think Mike Quade gives Samardzija another start?

It would be great if he did something spectacular and got to ride off in the Winter Sunset with something positive to build on rather than having yesterday's train-wreck burned into our collective retinas.

Ahh welll, nobody's gonna remember yesterday's game anyway.
Not after tonight's Monday Night Football game.

You all know I can't stand Lovie Smith or Jerry Angelo.
Lovie should be an assistant somewhere, and Jerry should just be a fugitive afraid to show his face anywhere in our city.

But if the Bears beat the Packers tonight, I will paint a valentine to Lovie and write a love song to Angelo.

Go Bears.

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DON'T FORGET TO ENTER TO WIN AN ORIGINAL CUBBY BLUE PAINTING. 

 

Cubs 7 Cardinals 3, animated .gif

There I was, up in our seats for my last game.

The wind had picked up and it was kinda cold, and it was right about when all the Cardinal fans around me started with the, "Lets go Cardinals, lets go cardinals..." that I got the text from Olson.

"There's a bunch of empty seats down here, wanna come down?"

Suddenly, I was right behind that dude with the pink hat you see right behind home plate all the time.

I got this shot off of Cubs.com.

Unbelievable seats.

Tony LaRussa had just been ejected, and right after I sat down Card pitcher Blake Hawksworth caught the Sam Fuld line drive to the mouth.

So, that was pretty scary. 

But just as a set of words to say out loud, this is pretty hilarious: CASEY COLEMAN OUT-DUELS CHRIS CARPTENTER!

What?

Yeah, that's right. And the Cubs beat the Cards 7-3.

Little Sam Fuld went 2 for 4, scoring once and driving in 2.

Awesome W for my last Wrigley Field Trip.

Olson & co., thanks for the invite down.

I've said this before, once you get down in the Incredible Section (pretty much anywhere in the first 20 rows), you can be a Pro Sports Photographer.

This is my fav shot from yesterday:

Yes, Sam Fuld was the bigger player.
Yesterday at least.

Okay... Bob Brenly drops out of the Cubs Managerial Race only to be replaced by Ozzie Guillen.
NOBODY guessed him in the painting competition yet...
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DON'T FORGET TO ENTER TO WIN AN ORIGINAL CUBBY BLUE PAINTING. 

 

 

Gammons talks about Joe Girardi coming to the Cubs.

Probably I'm the last guy to write about this, but if you get a chance go listen to Mully and Hanley talk to Peter Gammons about Joe Girardi managing the Cubs. It's about 8 minutes into the interview (you can use that orange slider bar to skip ahead if you want).
Peter Gammons isn't just some dude talkin' rumors.
He hints that there's "something going on in New York".
He feels there's a distinct possibility the Yankees will get knocked out of the playoffs (by the Twins), which will be Jim Hendry's opportunity of course.
And at the end he says, "If it comes down to money, the Cubs will beat the Yankees on paying the manager."

I find that last part very interesting.

And as of right now, NOBODY'S PICKED JOE IN THE PAINTING CONTEST (see below).  

 Okay I gotta run.

It's my last visit to Wrigley til next April, which will seem like about 4 or 5 years from now especially if the Bears lose to the Packers badly.

Looks a tad chilly out, but it's sunny at least.

I'll tell you about it tomorrow.

____________________________________________________________________
DON'T FORGET TO ENTER TO WIN AN ORIGINAL CUBBY BLUE PAINTING.