Leave it to the city to throw a huge bucket of cold water on the Cubs first back-to-back division titles ever. They're asking bars and restaurants around Wrigley Field to observe a voluntary cutoff of alcohol sales after the seventh-inning stretch to keep post-playoff game celebrations from turning into... well, the 81 regular season post-game celebrations that preceded them.
The boundaries for the cutoff zone are Sheffield between Irving and Newport, Clark between Irving and Newport, and Addison from Wilton to Racine. Natch, the bars ain't having it. Both John Barleycorn and Murphy's Bleachers cited the obvious loss of revenue if they decided to observe the moratorium (not to mention the tax revenue the city would lose from the ban). The city counters by saying that cutting off alcohol sales for even one hour will help reduce alcohol-related incidents.
Office of Emergency Management and Communications Executive Director Ray Orozco said that they'll ask bar owners around Sox Park to honor a similar moratorium, should the Good Guys make the playoffs. But that'll affect... what? Jimbo's and First Base? (Sun-Times)
Photo via Joesportsfan.com.