July 3, 2018: Slammin Sammy

posted in: Cubs | 2

I don’t know about you, but I still read physical books; well, when I have time.  I still have a subscription to Sports Illustrated thanks to a Christmas Gift from my parents.  I know mostly everything is online, but I still like reading the magazine itself, especially now that I’m back on the train to and from work.  I don’t read it cover to cover, but I will read what interests me.

In this latest magazine, there were a few.  I read about Run TMC.  Yeah, I remember them.  Tim Hardaway from Chicago, who I eventually met in person, Mitch Richmond, and Chris Mullin.  Sad to read how they were broken up too soon, although they weren’t going to win anything with MJ running things anyways.  I read about the making of Karate Kid, which is timely considering we’re halfway through the Cobra Kai series on YouTube Red, which picks up the story all these years later.  And then I read about the guy on the cover, Sammy Sosa.

Slammin Sammy was one of the greatest Cubs of all time, period.  He should still be worshipped in Wrigley, but instead, remains in exile.  We know the story.

Steroids off the bat.  He still claims his innocence, but come on; between him and Bonds combined they put on about 300 pounds of muscle.  I remember when he was on trial, and he forgot how to speak English.  Whether it was steroid A, B, or C, he was on some shit.  But you know what, I don’t hate him because of that.  I know just because “everybody was doing it” is no excuse, or the fact that the commissioner knew and didn’t do anything about it (yet he’s in the HOF).  He was part of it, one of the best to do it.  The 98 home run battle, the 20 home runs in June, the final number 66…it was an awesome time to be a Cubs fan.

Then there came the cork.  So the steroids is even more believable, now that this guy was trying another way to cheat.  Yet he claimed he grabbed the wrong bat; he took the bat he used in BP.  We didn’t believe that either.  Still, I stayed his fan.  That home run he hit in 2003 against the Marlins…man, we were going nuts.  The running out to his position, the great arm; yeah, I still loved him.

Finally, the third strike if you may, was him walking out on his teammates.  It was the last game of the year, a year that was in the tank by the way.  I don’t think he was even playing.  But when reports started coming in that he left Wrigley, and the game was still going on…that made me mad.  Only then, did I say F Sammy.  All that other crap, the good and the bad, whatever, but don’t walk out on your team.
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Maybe all that selfish stuff about him was true.  Maybe all these stats was all he cared about. Maybe we helped build this ego by worshipping him.   Maybe he really was a cheating jerk.  Maybe if the Cubs won in 2003 none of that would matter.  Maybe if he’d swallow his pride we’d still take him back.

But no, he’s not going to.  Instead he gripes about it, mentioning the Banks statue.   Really?

If he came clean even part of the way… if he offered some sort of apology, acknowledging that he hurt his fans by some or all of the above…he’d be back in Wrigley, where the Sammy Sosa that we know was made.  That would be good enough for the owners supposedly.  It would be good enough for me.  It should be good enough for you.

But maybe you never let Pippen off the hook from his migraines, or sitting out the final play of that game because the play wasn’t drawn up for him.  Maybe you still hate Cutler for standing on the sidelines in the GB NFC championship game; I still do.  Maybe you still despise Rose for all his injuries and stupid stuff he said.  Pippen won…six times; that usually does the trick.  Cutler never made it back to the postseason.  Rose didn’t finish the job.  Sosa didn’t either; the Cubs have though…

We love our sports heroes until we don’t.  It’s different for all of us.  But if Sosa met the Cubs organization halfway, he’d be back.  I don’t think he feels he has to, although I think deep down he wants to be back.  Give a little Sammy and that third strike becomes a passed ball, and you’re back on first.  Although you probably want the home run, gotta start somewhere.  Hope to see you again one day Sammy in those pinstripes, running out to right field, giving us the fingers to the lips and chest salute.  Until then Sammy…

2 Responses

  1. Mo

    Sammy is one of the guys that brought back baseball for me. After the strike of ’98 or ’99 we were all sour on baseball. Not necessary the CUBS, but baseball in general. Watching bitching millionaires vs. billionaires was not good for the game. However, Sammy and Big Mac brought back baseball. During that HR battle everyone came back to baseball and the sport was back like nothing had happened. Mangers, owners, trainers, and the comish knew about it but did not say a thing, b/c the $$ was rolling in. Every player from the ROID Rage era deserves to be in the HOF, whether that used or not. Baseball owes them and they know why. As for Sammy, just keep your mouth shut and the CUBS will welcome you back in with open arms, but the only way to do that is to KEEP QUIET!

    GO CUBS!

  2. MK

    Sammy Sosa should be revered in Wrigley like he was in the late 90s. The steroid era happened. The corked bat happened. The dumb comments and leaving early happened. At what point is Sosa going to admit to any of it and be a man about it. The continued lies prolong his ban from the Cubs, and I am fine with it. All he has to do is apologize and admit to what he did. He was a cheater and continues to be a liar…not a good combination like his bat and arm were for the Cubs. Regardless of his corking and steroids, the guy did help bring baseball back with that epic summer vs big mac! Everybody in baseball knew what was going on and hold some accountability. Do they deserve to be let in the HOF? Sure, why not…put an asterisk next to their name or set aside a whole wing for the “steroid era.” Should Sosa be let back into the Cubs family? Sure, why not, but not until he comes clean and stops lying. Man up and you could find yourself back in Wrigley!

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