The Chicago Cubs began their 100th year of futility…well, futilely. After holding the Milwaukee Brewers scoreless for 8 innings the Cubs brought in new closer and 2003 futility poster boy Kerry Wood. He promptly gave up a Cub-like 3 runs. The Cubs came back in the bottom of the inning with three of their own on a 3 run homer by new right fielder Kosuke Fukudome. The game was tied with nobody out but alas, the forlorn Northsiders couldn’t feed off of the momentum or the excitement of the hometown crowd and instead went down quietly in the remainder of the inning. It was just enough to get me excited because I am stupid and don’t learn from history. I allowed these guys to suck me in like a kid with a crack pipe and $20 in his pocket.

I then was treated to another frequent event, one I have seen so many times. Another Cubs reliever, Bob Howry came in for the top of the 10th to immediately surrender the game winning run. The Cubs went down quietly in the 10th as the top of the order didn’t even come close to threatening. Is there any team in the history of baseball that has more 9th inning comebacks followed by extra inning collapses? Has any franchise equaled they playoff inability to close things out when needing to win only one out of three games to move to the World Series? This is not a curse, it is typical bad baseball from teams who accept this type of performance from themselves and fans who accept it by continuously selling the joint out. I won’t give them my money by buying a ticket until they justify our faith by actually playing smart and winning ballgames but I somehow get hooked into watching them or listening on the radio. It is an addiction worse than most and one that has no 12 step program to help her victims.

Please, someone start a support group. My head hurts and it is only opening day.