Howdy,
Okay, I don’t know that I could ever actually do this. Since it’s such a part of my routine; what I do, something I pay attention to, since I’ve always had an interest in sports.
Also, since, let’s face it … Since it’s such a habit.
But I’ll write as if it were true.
Pretend.
I’m done with checking in with ESPN for news with “expert” opinions on sporting events.
I’ll tell you why.
The headlines are terrible.
Thinking of the World Series, article titles and general sentiment have been something like …
The Chicago Cubs are destined to win! Besides, they’re just too good for the Cleveland Indians. The Cubbies ARE GOING to win their first World Series since 1908. IT’S HAPPENING!!! YAY!!!
Then Cleveland won All Important Game 1. Shutting out Chicago 6-0. And then the headlines were about the Cubbies being in serious trouble. I saw one that declared Chicago in a hole deeper than it even appeared. Like the ball club would never score another run ever again. Plus, their pitching would stink and Steve Bartman would show. Since he’s the easy one to blame.
Game 1 is all important … until House Money Game 2. After — a day later — the Chicago Cubs won Game 2 by the solid score of 5-1 to even the Series, the Cleveland Indians were declared as good as dead, since going back to Chicago for the three middle games meant the Cubs had an unstoppable momentum rolling. I mean, look how dominant they are.
In Pivotal Game 3 Cleveland beat the Cubs’ unbeatable pitcher, since the big bats got shutout. Again. This time tantalizingly. 1-0. But, as I’ve heard, you’ve got to score to win.
All the sudden it was hopeless for Chicago since it’d be facing Cleveland’s All Important Game 1 pitcher Corey Kluber, the ace who shut them out the first time. Countering with their No. 4 pitcher, Chicago’s sure championship title looked more like a three games to one deficit. In the headlines. Before it even started. The seven-game series basically over.
Finishing this piece, the Indians did defeat the Cubs 7-2 for that 3-1 lead.
Now what can ESPN (and other similar outlets) do in the headlines to swing the momentum, stir the drama? Outwit themselves? All for show, until the next show. In the 24-hour news cycle.
The mostly-ignored and little-known 2016 Cleveland Indians have convincingly pushed the National Darlings into a do-or-die elimination scenario for Must Win Game 5. Cleveland’s hoping to rain on a parade 108 years in the making, and, already, Cubs fans can be caught sneaking arms out with palms up instinctively checking for sprinkles.
Yet now it’d seem a bad time for Cubs to bet on any fair weather.
Oh, by the way, outspoken and unapologetic New York Yankees fan in the past, LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers is now openly rocking Indians gear and being loud about it, hashtagging it.
Outspoken, but now previous.
Go, Team-That’s-Winning!
—Billy
Reading. Writing. Living.
#RallyTogether #TribeTown #BandWagon
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