August 4, 2014: The Hate Files VII

After winning the series in Los Angeles this weekend, I’m in a good mood.  Winning always makes me happy, especially against a team that I have hate for.  The 7th installation of the Hate Files brings to us the Los Angeles Dodgers.  It wasn’t always like this…

I played baseball every summer for at least 10 years.  I played for the Boys Club and played at Harrison Park.  The name of our team: the Dodgers.  So I had plenty of LA hats growing up, and wore them proudly around Harrison Park, because everyone knew who the Dodgers were.  We were a very good team.  Thinking of this brings back a lot of good memories.  The Dodgers have a place in my heart because of this; why did the Los Angeles Dodgers have to ruin it?

In grammar school, I even wrote a paper about one of the most famous Dodgers: Jackie Robinson.  My first feelings of dislike for this team came in 1989.  I was rooting for the Oakland A’s in the World Series.  We were sitting in my family’s front room watching Game 1 of this World Series, when Kirk Gibson came to the plate in the bottom of the 9th.  As he hit one of the most historic home runs of all-time, I threw the TV guide across the room… and then got yelled at by my Dad.  It wasn’t an act against one of my teams, so this is NOT where the hate started, but I was pretty upset that night.  You would think I would have been rooting FOR the Dodgers since I played on that team growing up.  I’m not really sure why I wasn’t…

The true hate started in 2008.  This was my last full year living out in Los Angeles.  As I did every year, I followed the Cubs closely as they finished the season with the best record in baseball.  As the playoff matchups came out, I was super excited.  They were playing the Dodgers, a team that I knew we would beat.  I immediately bought tickets for Game 3 & Game 4 which were to be held at Dodger Stadium.  Since I wore my Cubs hat frequently, people knew, and they started throwing jabs as the playoffs were about to begin.  They kept telling me the Cubs would choke, and I kept replying that YOUR season will be over very soon.

The anticipation of Game 1 in Chicago brought an anticipation I had not felt since 2003.  Even the prior year, when we got swept against Arizona, I didn’t have this feeling.  I just knew that the Cubs would make a deep run, and hopefully end the 100 year drought.  I remember things about Game 1… I remember NOT liking some decisions Piniella made.  I would have started Zambrano and NOT Dempster in Game 1.  Secondly, I was surprised when I saw the Cubs starting lineup… he made changes to it.  We were the best team in baseball, why are we changing OUR lineup?  It didn’t matter, because we WERE the best team in baseball.  Let’s just get it done.  Watching the game, I remember that the crowd wasn’t as in to it as they usually were that year.  It was probably all those corporate people with the money that filled a lot of those seats.  Regardless, I still remember DeRosa hitting that HR to right field.  Here we go… we were on our way.

Then came the 5th inning… the Dodgers loaded the bases.  As James Loney stepped to the plate, the crowd was especially tense.  As the ball sailed into the bleachers, the wind was let out of Wrigley Field.  It was that moment that reminded all of us what the Cubs are capable of doing to us.  Why couldn’t we come back from that 4-2 deficit?  Why did that moment feel like a punch in the gut, and seemed like the early turning point of this series?  After the Game 1 loss, I was far from throwing in the towel.  Yes, it was a disappointing defeat, but WE WERE THE BEST TEAM IN BASEBALL, and we were sure to win Game 2.
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Game 2 wasn’t much better.  This time the infield failed Big Z.  I remember error after error being committed, as the Dodgers jumped to a 5-0 lead.  They were crumbling before our eyes… again.  This stuff always happened when Big Z was on the mound, but never to this extent.  You know he never did well when that stuff happened.  I was surprised that he kept his composure in this spot.  It didn’t matter though… a 10-2 Cubs loss certainly felt like a step closer to the end.  No fear though… they’re coming out to LA, and I’ll be there.  They can win 3 straight… they’ll at least win 1 game out in LA.

Game 3 brought my brother out to LA too.  He shared my disappointment about the first 2 games.  I had 4 tickets to the next 2 games in LA.  My future wife, my Raider buddy (and Reds fan) from LA, me and my brother were in attendance.  Before the game started we got liquored up at this Mexican restaurant walking distance from Dodger Stadium:  El Compadre was our spot out there.  Tons of Cub fans flocked with us to this game in Dodger Stadium.  Feeling good, I knew the Cubs wouldn’t get swept.  They couldn’t get swept.

Well, 2 first inning runs seemed to mark the beginning of the end.  Why did 2 runs feel like 12?  It was James Loney again with a big hit against our awesome mid-season pickup Rich Harden.  The Cubs didn’t even put up a fight.  Yeah, they finally got on the board in the 8th inning, but a 3-1 loss was the outcome.  This game officially became the worst game I ever attended.  The best team in baseball just got swept out of the playoffs for the 2nd straight year.  The Cubs officially choked…again.  And as we walked out of Dodger Stadium, I remember Bill Murray walking past us… looking just as dejected as we were.  Thankfully, we avoided fights in the stadium, and in the parking lot, and headed home.

What a brutal feeling.  This time the Dodgers were to thank for it.  Man did I hate them, and still do to this day.  That was supposed to be our year, and they took out our hearts.  The worst thing about it I think is their “fans”.  Here I sit with my entire existence hanging on this series, and here’s the bandwagon LA fans that I see celebrating.  I think, they don’t really care… they don’t care like I do.  Why are the true Cub fans subjected to this punishment time and time again?  Why do these fake ass fans get to celebrate?  I was happy to get out of there without incident, because it sure would have felt good to kick some Dodger fan’s ass.

The mix of bitter disappointment and anger lead to this entry in the Hate Files.  The fact that I was in attendance for that series ending loss made it even worse.  As I got my money back for the Game 4 tickets, and headed to the Bears bar in Burbank the next day with my brother to watch the Bears beat the Lions, I felt an ounce of happiness… but nothing could help me overcome that defeat except time.  Time passed and I felt better… eventually.  As for my feelings for the Dodgers, I’m still holding a grudge.  I still hate them, and not sure when I’ll stop… after all, it’s only been 6 years.