The Flashback, The Vision, The Prediction

I've had a few days to think about what happened Monday night and a few days to articulate what I need to write for this "note" to make sense. So here goes nothing.First, the Monday Night Miracle. Bears down 20 with 15:02 to go in the game the Bears score 0 offensive touchdowns and STILL comeback to win 24-23. I'll note this because in The Heckler, a comedic sports paper, wrote that the NFL would spot the Cardinals 23 points in that MNF game as a joke. They were instead spotted 20 by the Bears. That's the first part. But after Devin Hester returned that punt for the game winning TD and Neil Rackers (last year's Mr. Automatic) missed a game winning FG I had this numbing feeling in my body, followed by a tingling sensation.

This leads to THE FLASHBACK. The flashback was a conversation I had between myself and my roommate. Here's an excerpt from my blog last year: "Yeah, we still like the same girl and we were talkin about it. We were talking about the prospects of them and all of the other guys that like her. We eliminated them for one reason or another, then I basically eliminated myself. There's the self reflection. Here's exactly how I eliminted myself:"Me (chuckling) in my wildest dreams that include a year in which the bears, bulls, cubs and SIU win championships..." And then it hit me. The Bears are a contender and will probably win the NFC North title and in my eyes are serious contenders for the conference title and (dare I say it?) the Super Bowl. According to basketball experts, the Bulls are one of the top 5 teams in the Eastern Conference and could contend with Miami if everything breaks their way. SIU is one of the favorites to win the MVC title, again. And the Cubs, with the hiring of Lou Piniella, are making their way to becoming contenders again for the first time since 2003 and 2004. So it hit me, and it hit me hard. Could I be next? Could this be the way the chips fall? I'm not gonna say that the stars are aligned, but I WILL say that there is movement among them.

This leads to THE VISION. More of a dream. Long story short it's me at Wrigley Field on Opening Day and the Cubs win. I can't tell you who played or who I was with, all I know is that there was a conversation with someone saying that this was the year and it was only us two among the whole crowd that believed. So I'll put it out there now Cub fans. 2007 is ours. Accept nothing less than a championship. Yes, start small with division aspirations because the NL Central with 88 wins is winnable. But don't accept choke jobs in the LDS or LCS. World Series or bust. Dusty Baker had one good quality and that was bringing the attitude of "you're either with us or you're against us." So Cub fans, you're either with me or against me. 2007: The Year The Cubs Strike Back.

As for THE PREDICTION: 2007 will be my year. No doubt about it. Shaking off curses, jinxes, hexes and all of the past that has plagued me. Cheering on SIU to a MVC title and hopefully a deep run into the NCAA tournament. Cheering on the Bears, hopefully to a Super Bowl Shuffle Remix. Cheering on the Bulls, hoping to knock off the big bad Heat. And then the Cubs, you know how I feel about 2007.

FINAL THOUGHT: To enforce my vision, my mother and I spoke today. I told her the following: "I was all about Joe Girardi coming to manage the Cubs. I thought that it'd be perfect that the local product, life-long Cub fan and former Cub leads this team out of a 98 year drought. But I thought about Piniella signing and I think it'd be more fitting that a guy named 'LOU' did the job." In response, my mother said "You know, I was thinking the EXACT SAME THING!"

Why Not Us? Why Not Now? Why Not Lu? All questions that will be put to rest in 2007, I'm SURE of it!