Cubs can learn a lesson from the 2004 Red Sox and their dreamer of a boss
Of course, this had to go seven.
We've spent the last week marveling at this intriguing matchup of popular franchises desperate to end decades-long misery and, here they are, unable to get out of each other's way. Back and forth, wonderfully tangled, and the only way to settle this score is a date on Wednesday night.
SEE MORE: Cubs topple Indians in Game 6, force deciding showdown
Game. Seven. The two best words in the English language – especially when something ultra-special can happen. We're looking at you, Cubbies, you Lovable Losers, who can shed that bizarre moniker and become one of the few baseball teams to recover from a 3-1 deficit in the World Series. Dig deeper, though, and you'll see they could actually learn a valuable lesson from the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who just so happened to have the same dreamer of a boss.
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Those Sox, who are the only team in baseball history to hurdle a 3-0 series deficit, were led by a 30-year-old named Theo Epstein, now the President of Operations for these Cubs, who tinkered with the culture, brought in winning ballplayers and ultimately took a sledgehammer to the Curse of the Bambino.
That team called themselves "Idiots." They took shots of Jack Daniels before games (really). They loved each other. They always believed, no matter the odds. They were clutch; they were daring. More than anything, they didn't pay attention to history, even when they had their backs to the wall against the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series. They were completely dismissed -- only to win four straight and orchestrate the most dramatic comeback story in the history of sports.
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Sounds very familiar. These Cubs were remade, rebranded and rebuilt thanks to a wealth of young talent over Epstein's four/five-year plan.
They were left for dead, too, just 72 hours ago.
That damned curse will go on forever, many thought. It wasn't a 3-0 series, but most times 3-1 feels just as hopeless. Fresh off a deflating 7-2 loss in Game 4, Joe Maddon's club stared a daunting two-game deficit and full knowledge the last two contests would be on the road in Cleveland.
Rather than panic, however, the Cubs played more relaxed baseball than ever -– even when the tension reached unbearable levels in the nail-biting 3-2 win in Game 5 at Wrigley Field.
One down, two to go.
"Three one-game win streaks," Maddon said. Whatever works, right?
That's what Epstein's boys did in '04. They chilled. They laughed. They said, 'Don't let us win this game..."
Remember that Game 5? It was a similar one-run stomach spoiler. In the bottom of the 14th inning, Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez walked, bringing up David Ortiz with two outs. The previous night's hero did his job again, singling to center on the 10th pitch of the at-bat to set off another celebration at Fenway. Magical. Well, so was Aroldis Chapman's eight-out save on Sunday evening.
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Next up, Game 6. Boston jumped out to a four-run lead early and never relinquished, thanks to Curt Schilling and his bloody sock. Fast-forward 12 years later Tuesday night and these Cubs bounced starter Josh Tomlin in the third inning by forging a commanding 7-0 lead, which was protected by Jake Arrieta, and then closed out a 9-3 win.
And now we're at the end of the road. We saw what happened with those Red Sox in their Game 7 against the Yankees. Two in the first, four in the second and there was never a doubt. Forget history; forget the odds.
Anything can happen now.
Ready?
By: Brian Fitzsimmons
