I haven’t written anything since last year (technically true), but there hasn’t been much going on regarding the Cubs anyway aside from a few anticipated DFAs to allow the reported signings to become official. In the meanwhile, like many of us who are bored out of their minds, I’ve been reading the slow drips of news that have come out during the holidays and I’ve also been playing an unreasonable amount of Angry Birds.
While destroying tens of thousands of cartoon pigs with excessive animated violence, because I have the free version of Angry Birds 2, I’ve had to sit through countless ads every few levels that are begging me to download other games or buy a new car, and of course the in-game popups that ask me to spend actual cash on extra add-ons for my birds. Since I’m not a huge fan of parting with my money unless it’s for necessities or LEGO, I pass on the microtransactions, but the ads are really infuriating. For the most part, the ads are portraying gameplay of these other games they want you to download and play, except they’re being played by someone with a negative IQ because they’re almost deliberately inept with their strategies. This is obviously on purpose because they want you to get so exasperated that you say, “You know what, I’m going to get this because I know how to do it so much better!” Out of general principle, I won’t download those games because 1) I don’t have time for another addiction and 2) they’ve pissed me off and don’t deserve my support, but I can see how such an advertising campaign could work very effectively.
This isn’t a smooth transition, but like when I get sucked into a Wikipedia wormhole, my train of thought shifted to the Cubs and how they’ve taken the shell of their former championship caliber club and started building up again. Synergizing the hopes and positive energies and narrative from the team itself, its beat writers, and the various denizens of the fan community, we are being sold on a window that is hopefully opening, although the early projections and my own not-so-empirical perception is that this team is probably going to be in third place absent some extra creative moves (free agency isn’t it anymore at this time) and disproportionately good fortune. The realistic hope is that the Cubs are going to be at least competitive in 2023 with a real move toward 2024 as a true contender, but just like we shouldn’t accept playing mobile games with the experience level of a lemur, I don’t think we should accept “third place on paper” just because they’re on the way up and building for 2024. I won’t rehash that since we’ve talked about it before, but we’ll blame Angry Birds for me even talking about it in passing.
We are a few days from the first Cubs Convention in years, and I hope the superfans and reporters attending ask some tough questions that elicit some responses that we can use to continue holding the team leadership accountable for a product we actually want to spend on. For now, especially since the Giants aren’t signing Carlos Correa anyway, I probably won’t spend more than the one Cubs @ SF game I go to each season since I came back to California. I hope for some cool trades or other indications that the Cubs are serious about not wasting 2023.
Comments
Here’s hoping Liam Hendriks fights that lymphoma in the face as he would on the field against hapless batters
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/01/liam-hendriks-to-undergo-treatment-for-non-hodgkins-lymphoma.html
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Say what you want about the Packers, that Detroit trainer had it coming.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
The videos aren’t very long but…the trainer didn’t seem to do anything? Unless he said something untoward about the player’s mom while allegedly performing his duties
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Nah, I was being ironic. Crazy stuff.
andcountingQuote Reply
andcounting,
On the plus side, Damar Hamlin got to see his team win while in recovery
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Ads for that stupid fucking zombie game are the worst.
uncle daveQuote Reply
Owned up to it at least
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Scoring runs would be nice too, but I guess making sure the other team can’t score as many runs helps a lot
https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/the-cubs-path-to-success-in-2023-is-clear/
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Good luck PJ
Rice CubeQuote Reply
If the Packers season was going to end to another NFC North team, I’m glad it was the Lions. Love what Dan Campbell is building there and it’s a bummer for their fans that they didn’t squeak into the playoffs after all.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I’d also like to thank the Lions for ensuring that I do not have to watch Shanahan scheme up McCaffrey to get ~250 yards against this Packers run defense next week (dying laughing).
berseliusQuote Reply
So this happened:
https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/01/mlb-reinstates-former-braves-gm-john-coppolella-lifts-lifetime-ban.html
As with He Who Must Not Be Named, thinking Coppolella will have some challenges getting an “on the books” position with a team right now…
Rice CubeQuote Reply
berselius,
I wanted to see the Lions make the playoffs, but it was pretty difficult to get too amped up rooting against Seattle and Geno Smith.
andcountingQuote Reply
Cheers to modern medicine and the healing power of the human spirit
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Slightly newer poop, mostly to keep myself organized before a hopeful flurry of trades and intriguing minor league deals –> http://www.obstructedview.net/eat-at-arbys-or-just-a-quick-look-at-the-cubs-arbitration-guys/
Rice CubeQuote Reply