Chicago Cubs: Optimism reigns supreme at this year’s Cubs Convention

Chicago Cubs: Y’all got any more of them David Bote vouchers?

On Saturday, the panels seemed to steal the show. Well, that and an incredible number of folks lining stairwells and escalators with signs signaling they were willing to trade pretty much any autograph voucher to land a David Bote. (Never mind the fact you could buy a Bote-signed bat for $100 or, like me, purchase a signed 8×10 for less than $40).

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That night, my personal favorite part of the weekend, Cubs Bingo, took place. And, per usual, it was a hodge-podge of Wayne Mesmer referencing ‘historic Wrigley Field’ and a sea of red, white and blue-clad Cubs fans with a spattering of beer can towers on the tables in the ballroom.

I didn’t come away with a win (although my brother-in-law did last year in his first crack at the event) – but it was a good time filled with a lot of laughs and anxiety as you told yourself you didn’t care if you won or not (despite knowing you most certainly did want to win).

Really, though, one feeling permeated the entire weekend – optimism. From early Friday afternoon through Sunday, as the lobby was packed with folks carrying their recent purchases to the car (I can tell you that between myself and my two companions, the car ride home was incredibly uncomfortable. So, a tip – remember – you need space to transport what you buy), the mood was light and people seemingly bought into what Theo Epstein and the players themselves were selling: This is a team ready to return to the top of the baseball world – even without Bryce Harper.

So, if just for one lone weekend in what’s been a quiet, yet disappointing offseason for many fans, optimism reigned supreme.