Chicago Cubs fans are a tricky group to please, but we still love them

After a hot start last season, Chicago Cubs fans were quick to switch to negativity when the team struggled for a month. This year with a 6-4 start, it’s just ten games, and we’re worrying too much. As writers, it’s a tough place to be. But it’s where we have to be, so don’t kill the messenger.

In all fairness, this is the life of all die-hard sports fans, not just the Chicago Cubs. But things also changed for fans when the Cubs won the World Series. Whereas before many of us would be looking for things to fall apart, now it’s become just the opposite. The season’s just started, and anything negative written about the Cubs is “silly” or “stupid.” Even as writers when we give our thoughts on a game, there tends to be some backlash from the occasional fan.

It’s not that we think that the Cubs are going to be “failures” this season. We understand the bar was set higher by winning the World Series, and we also know that just because they aren’t 26-4 the season isn’t over. But when Kyle Hendricks gives up seven runs in his first four games? We question it. Kris Bryant doesn’t take advantage of a RBI chance to tie or win a game? We point it out.

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But I also understand that going one out of three can win the batting title, and three runs over six innings is a “quality start.” 10 games is such a small sample. If we were to use this, the Cincinnati Reds could win the NL Central. But we know that’s not true, even if they are playing better baseball than expected. And the Cardinals won’t be this bad either. I’ve learned to never count them out–even with my dislike for them.

We’re just the little guy

We aren’t the “big” networks. We’re simply fans like you. Fans that have the outlet to write about the team that they love. We don’t have insider information or get the juicy tidbits from the players themselves. But we do get to chat with the players and announcers that call the Cubs’ games to pick their brains. Think of us like Yelp, but for the Cubs and not a restaurant. Today it might be good, tomorrow..not so much. But you have to take things as a whole instead of looking at just one day.

When we write an opinion piece or analysis, we don’t expect everyone to love it. On the contrary, we HOPE that it stirs your inner fan and gets you talking about the Cubs. They aren’t always going to be good, and they most certainly won’t always be bad. But they are always OUR Cubs. We’re just a group of fans from different places that see the team differently. They’re different perspectives we want our readers to enjoy, not degrade.

So don’t shoot the messenger. We’re fans, just like you. We see what we see and then write about it. Tomorrow could be a different story. And that’s part of the joy of being a fan. You just never know. I mean, down 3-1 and headed to Cleveland? Who would have thought?