Was the 1984 celebration too mean to Cubs fans?

by Dex on May 28, 2009 1:42 PM PDT

This Paul Sullivan Q&A got passed along to me via Twitter. Here's the relevant bit:

Q: I listened to the sad results of the San Diego Padres- Cubs series over Memorial Day Weekend over XM radio in Tampa and learned that Saturday night in San Diego was their 25th anniversary celebration of their 1984 Championship over the Cubs. I thought it was an in-your-face gesture by the Padres, and I so wish that the Cubs would have been able to shut them up. The San Diego announcers were commenting Sunday that the Cubs fans in the crowd were booing them on Saturday during the presentation, and they had a "Hey, get over it! It happened!" kind of an attitude. They seemed incredulous that the Cubs fans could feel that way. I went through two weeks of deep depression in 1984 after the Cubs lost to the Padres. Did Chicago people think that the Padres were showing bad form and being in your face, or am I the only person still deeply scarred by that loss? --Marty Millburg, Tampa, Fla.

OK. So here's what I know:

FACT: It definitely was an "in your face" gesture. I'd go so far as to say questionable, but let's be honest, when else were we supposed to have a game that commemorated the 1984 team? The Cubs game obviously made the most sense.

FACT: I don't fault Cubs fans for booing during the presentation. Totally understandable. It was a tough loss. Should've been your year. Cest la vie.

FACT: I do think it's kinda funny that Cubs fan went into "two weeks of deep depression". I don't feel so bad laughing at that.

FACT: If the Padres had lost that game or the series, we would have never heard the end of it. Ballsy move by the Padres.

Here's Sullivan's response, emphasis mine:

A: You can’t remove a scar like a tattoo, but you can certainly boo the ’84 Padres if you want, since it was classless to plan it around the Cubs’ weekend when the ballpark was half-filled with Cubs fans. I made an obscene gesture from the press box when Steve Garvey was announced. It was a small and futile gesture, but I felt much better afterwards.

FACT: Plenty of Padres fans and baby mamas made that same gesture.

Here's also my opinion about it being "classless". When the Padres play their games in San Diego, they have every right to cater to Padres fans while sticking it to out of town fans a little bit. As it is, San Diego is already one of the more welcoming organizations to out of town baseball fans. What are we supposed to shoot fireworks when your team does something good? Oh wait. We did that.

So, yes. Get over it Cubs fan. Feel free to boo, but take the ribbing once a season and recognize that when you're a visitor in our house, we might ask your opinion, but we'll be deciding what's for dinner.

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Comments

Every time I start to think I can't stand Boston fan the most...

…things like this remind me that it will always be Cub fan I hate the most. The entire country has to suffer through their lovable loser crap every single year when there’s just even the most remote chance that they might be good. And then when they gag it away, we have to hear how unfair it all is and how the suffering is just miserable and blah blah blah. The franchise and their fans invite this stuff on themselves. Grow the f___ up.

And if you wanna give the finger to someone, how about Leon Durham?

Drama is an a-hole.

by Winfield's Ghost on May 28, 2009 1:53 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs

Seriously.

They think they want to win it all….but they don’t really want to win it all. What would they do with themselves if they actually won one? Who would care about them anymore? Who would sympathize with them? Who would feel bad for them? They would lose their entire identity.

by Drama on May 28, 2009 3:00 PM PDT up reply actions

thats what i thought about the Sawks

and boy was i wrong…

"I suggest more bike" ~KSK

www.wellbelowthemendozaline.blogspot.com

by justdave on May 28, 2009 3:02 PM PDT up reply actions

"Should've been your year"

Yes, absolutely. Because they clearly have proprietary rights on winning every single year. Just ask them. 1984 should’ve been their year, as should’ve the 24 yrs that followed.

Drama is an a-hole.

by Winfield's Ghost on May 28, 2009 2:06 PM PDT reply actions

Seriously

they are mad b/c they thought 1984 was their year. This manifest destiny bs needs to stop with the Cubs.

What in the Keith Law is going on here.

"Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"

by Ron Mexico on May 28, 2009 2:07 PM PDT reply actions

I'll just leave this here

Isn't it enough to know that I ruined a pony making a gift for you? ◔ヮ◔
Uncommon Sportsman :: Absurdity in play

by Axion on May 28, 2009 2:13 PM PDT reply actions

Before the season when the Padres promotions staff

picked the Cubs series to celebrate that promotion they really couldn’t have thought that we’d sweep them.

by SDPads_1 on May 28, 2009 2:23 PM PDT reply actions

The Cubs are the most emo team in sports

This is a terrible thing for the Padres. - Jerry Coleman

by Padres_Hobo on May 28, 2009 2:44 PM PDT reply actions

Where is Smooth Jazz Man?

"Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"

by Ron Mexico on May 28, 2009 2:51 PM PDT reply actions

FACT

If SJM hasn’t been banleted yet, I’ll do it myself.

"When the going gets tough... TheGrandHatching pops in later." -- WG

by TheGrandHatching on May 28, 2009 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions

Cubs fans need to get over themselves.

Seriously. If the Rockies decided to commemorate their playoff run of 07 (which started with game 163) on a day that they played the Padres, I honestly would not give a crap. It happened, it’s over, they had their chance and they blew it. It’s fair to boo the ceremony i guess, but it’s stupid to think that saying “get over it” is insensitive. Really, get over it.

"If I wasn't Bob Dylan, I'd probably think that Bob Dylan has a lot of answers myself." - Bob Dylan

by JollyWaffle on May 28, 2009 2:52 PM PDT reply actions

loving the fact that you still have my picture as your avatar...

c_ckface.jpg??

ahh good times.

"I suggest more bike" ~KSK

www.wellbelowthemendozaline.blogspot.com

by justdave on May 28, 2009 3:04 PM PDT up reply actions

"Should've been your year."?

The Tigers would have swept them.

by Drama on May 28, 2009 2:57 PM PDT reply actions

What do you expect from a demographic

that blames livestock and their own fans for their team’s misfortunes?

Unapologetic Trevor Hoffman apologist.

by sdgaucho on May 28, 2009 3:00 PM PDT reply actions

What a baby

Against what team were the Padres suppose to celebrate the 1984 team? The Rockies? Phillies?

Cubs fans are pretentious. They think they have the market cornered on being baseball fans. When in fact, it’s the opposite. Cubs fans go to games to see Wrigley Field and to be seen at Wrigley Field. They wouldn’t know big time if they stepped in it.

If Paul Sullivan really made an obscene gesture from the press box, maybe he should have been kicked out. That’s unprofessional, and I’ve covered my share of games.

I guess the Padres celebrating the last Cubs pennant-winning team would have pleased Mr. Super Fan more, but no one is alive from that team, I’m guessing. When you go to someone else’s party, you don’t complain about the food. In fact, I don’t even think you boo. It’s their right. But that don’t make it right.

by brewer090 on May 28, 2009 4:06 PM PDT reply actions

spot on

So, yes. Get over it Cubs fan. Feel free to boo, but take the ribbing once a season and recognize that when you’re a visitor in our house, we might ask your opinion, but we’ll be deciding what’s for dinner

552

by wrveres on May 28, 2009 4:34 PM PDT reply actions

Cubs come back in August for a rare 3 series season

I say we really show some balls and celebrate it again.

by 'Eaters on May 28, 2009 4:36 PM PDT reply actions

I like this idea.

"If I wasn't Bob Dylan, I'd probably think that Bob Dylan has a lot of answers myself." - Bob Dylan

by JollyWaffle on May 28, 2009 7:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Wasn't it Chicago columnist Mike Royko

who ridiculed San Diego as a sports town in 1984? We were just a bunch of sushi-eating beach bums who couldn’t understand baseball to the likes of real teams…suck it!

Hmm...a financial panther?

by friarinchicago on May 28, 2009 8:48 PM PDT reply actions

Gonna try to find this article online somewhere.

Or does anyone out there know where it’s at already?

Fy fan! (That means damn in Swedish).

by Pad Fan in Sweden on May 28, 2009 10:32 PM PDT up reply actions

Another EuroPadre!

by sixpakfrombelgium on May 29, 2009 2:32 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Oh my Sweet Lord

moistens

Hello PFIS, would you like to join our extraordinarily cool and exclusive EuroPads club?

I am working on a T-shirt and a secret handshake and errythin!

by london_balling on May 29, 2009 2:38 AM PDT up reply actions

Sheesh...

Here’s an excerpt

Hmm...a financial panther?

by friarinchicago on May 29, 2009 5:19 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

That's a good read, thanks

Wow, imagine how little would be spent on champage if we make it this year…

by london_balling on May 29, 2009 5:46 AM PDT up reply actions

That was a good article.

I’d like to read the rest of that jackass’s article. But the Bob Chandler thing was great as well. Brought back a lot of great memories of my childhood. I remember having a stuffed cub hanging by a noose from our tree throughout the whole series, and once the Pads clinched, we jumped into our neighbor’s Econoline van, opened the back two doors, swung that cub by the rope around, while holding a sign that said “Rick SUCKcliffe!”, honking the horn like maniacs. My suburb went nuts. I remember there was a little girl from Chicago in my 3rd grade class. She kept taunting us, saying we were gonna get killed, while wearing Cubs t-shirts throughout the series. She’d say that her dad said that San Diego has no tradition, and we are losers. We never ever let her hear the end of it when we clinched. We actually made her cry a few times. Our teacher had to intevene, threatened us with a trip to the principal’s. To this day, I don’t feel the least bit bad about making that little brat cry.

In some ways, beating the pompous Cubs was a lot more satisfying than if we had won the whole thing. To another 100 years. Cent’Anni!

Fy fan! (That means damn in Swedish).

by Pad Fan in Sweden on May 29, 2009 5:16 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

I say this as a boy who worshipped the ground Sandberg walked on:

Cubs fans take stuff too personally.

dv + mbr

by keirdubois on May 28, 2009 9:22 PM PDT reply actions

1984

Anyone who was in SD in 1984 clearly remembers the obnoxious rants of Cubs fans in both San Diego and Chicago. Even heading into game 5 all the rage among Cub fans was that Sutcliffe was never going to lose to the Padres. Nothing was sweeter than watching the Cubs go down in flames and I rub Cub fan noses in it every chance I get.

It is tough in SD because obnoxious transplanted fans are always around. Who cares if they are offended? Their mere existence on the planet is an offense to all mankind and I hope the rememberance makes them puke.

by thesdog on May 28, 2009 10:08 PM PDT reply actions

Seriously!

I was watching the dodgers cubs game tonight and I was rooting for the cubbies; I was, I really was…

They are 2-1 down in the bottom of the 9th. Uncle milty beats one out, lee gets a hit and then a sacrifice leaves a man on 2nd and 3rd, one out.
The cameras cut to the friendly confines and omg you would think it was the world series decider with lives and first borns on the line! Frenzied nail biting, furrowed brows holding back tears, hands pressed together in prayer, resting on upper lips…
I mean really, I get into my game an all but really….?

While I was pondering the effect it might have at the pearly gates if I switched sides right now (we were 8 games back afterall), mlb and vista had one of their routine nightly spats and my computer shut down.

Needless to say I was able to re-boot but the rest, the ballgame is history!

Shame.

"What in the name of Randy Jones is going on over there..."

by ABY on May 28, 2009 10:19 PM PDT reply actions

Intensity at Wrigley

I really like it, and I’m jealous of it. I think we’ve argued about this before though…

"When the going gets tough... TheGrandHatching pops in later." -- WG

by TheGrandHatching on May 29, 2009 7:05 AM PDT up reply actions

Cubs suck

I once said i needed to be drunk during an opent hrread. i will do tht one day but im drunk now so i justy want to say vubs suk. cubs suck i mean. go padres.

DODGERS, RED SOX, YANKEES, BRONCOS, PATRIOTS and RAIDERS all suck. Especially the Dodgers.

by LJbumfool on May 28, 2009 11:04 PM PDT reply actions