GT World Headquarters enjoyed a great season by the Philadelphia Phillies. As has been well-documented by the exuberant Kim Krol, the Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays to win the 2008 World Series. Meanwhile, GT‘s Chicago office felt the bitter sting of another disappointing season by the Chicago Cubs.
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Why do Cubs’ fans keep cheering? Would I support any other company if the product was so continually substandard? I have a high degree of tolerance, but two bad meals at a restaurant pretty much takes that place off of my list. So why do millions of fans support bad teams?
I dismiss the argument that you should cheer for your hometown team. Why? Wrigley gum, Wilson Sporting Goods and RC Cola are all Chicago companies. Yet, when I go to the softball diamond, I chew Bubble Yum gum (Hershey, PA), swing a Mizuno bat (Osaka, Japan) and drink Coke (Atlanta, GA). The choices from Chicago companies are all solid, but I like the others better. Should I accept a less enjoyable product just because it is from Chicago?
I also dismiss the argument that these are “our guys.” They aren’t our guys. There are no local Chicagoans on the Cubs. Only two regulars and one pitcher even came up through the Cubs’ system. In other words, these are mostly out-of-town guys who relocated temporarily for their job.
What would happen if the entire Phillies roster was traded for the entire Cubs roster? I say nothing. The Riot (Ryan Theriot) would replace the Flyin’ Hawaiian (Shane Victorino) in the hearts of Phillies fans and vice versa. As Jerry Seinfeld asked, “Are we just cheering for laundry [aka the jersey]?”
I am not a bitter, fair-weather fan. I like baseball, and that baseball should be good. When I am thirsty, I reach for a Coke, my favorite beverage. So when I watch baseball, why should I continually watch and support a team which hasn’t been to a World Series in 100 years? If there is room on that Phillies bandwagon in 2009, I just might be jumping on it. If anyone wants to send me a Phillies cap to seal the deal, I’m in for sure.
-John Wroblewski, distribution specialist
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