Crosstown Showdown: Who Cares?
Annual series losing its spark
By MARCUS RILEY
Updated 8:00 AM CST, Sat, Jun 27, 2009
The Cubs and the Sox are playing this weekend in their second interleague showdown this season. But of course you knew that, right? Right?
There's been a distinct lack of buzz over this series this season. Was it only a few years ago that the punch heard around the world punctuated just how fiery this showdown had become when then-Cub Michael Barrett went after A.J. Pierzynski? This year, Ozzie's half-hearted attempts to degrade Wrigley Field barely register a blip on the radar.
The Sun-Times blames it on the fact that we're talking about two teams playing below the Mendoza line and a fan base that realizes there's much bigger fish to fry.
Especially for you Cubs fans, who have faithfully drunk the Kool-Aid for your underachieving, lovable losers over the years, but now expect more after management actually spent money on a decent squad and a couple of years of playoff flameouts.
So has the novelty of this rivalry finally run its course? After all, the only fireworks from Friday's 5-4 Cubs win happened internally, after Lou Pinella and Milton Bradley had it out.
Don't count on it. The reason sports keeps us locked in is because the unexpected could happen at any time.
Which means we're one Jack Fox/Gordon Beckham brawl from inspiring a whole new generation of cross-town hateration.
First Published: Jun 27, 2009 7:46 AM CST
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