Because we’re not just Cubs fans, we’re Chicago sports fans, we’ve got two things going for us. Our day is made or destroyed by the actions of 25 (now almost 40) guys who probably aren’t bright enough to fill out a W-2 form. Our day is also made or partially destroyed by what happens to the White Sox, Cardinals and Astros.

Yesterday was a good day, indeed.

Kerry Wood shakes off a bum back and completely pantses the f@#$ing Mets to finish up a 5-1 home stand and a three game sweep.

Old Cubbie friend Brooks Kieschnick takes Jason Isringhausen deep and the Brewers rally for three in the ninth and a huge fork is sticking out of St. Louis right now. It’s right next to that stupid croquet target they put up next to the river.

Then, in Denver, old Cubbie friend Justin Speier subdued two Astros rallies in the last two innings and the Cubs’ deficit is one half of one game.

If the Sox season was a foot, it’d have a big self-inflicted gunshot wound in it right now.

The biggest thing is that this season has been fun. Pure, unadulterated (hell, maybe a little adulterated) fun. It all started in March with an opening day romp of the Mets, and our first Gamecast of the year. In May we dropped by for a Cubs-Cards extra innings affair. Almost five months later, they’re still chugging along. We don’t want it to end.

Strange things. Glorious things have happened to the Cubs so far.

– The emergence and disappearance of Corey Patterson. Just how many games would the Cubs be in front had their most consistent offensive player not suffered a freak knee injury?

– Sammy’s Solomon Torres-delivered Easter “bonnet” to the head.

– Joe Borowski. Closer.

– Mark Grudzielanek, competent table setter.

– The Franchise, better than advertised. If that was possible.

– The villianization of Sammy Sosa because of a little cork.

– Sammy’s torrid July that put the Cubs back in the race.

– Carlos Zambrano’s emergence as one of the game’s best pitchers…at 22 years old.

– Me being attacked by an albino at US Cellular Trailer Park.

– July trades for guys who can actually play like E-ramis Ramirez and Kenny Lofton.

– July and August trades for guys who can’t play, but have helped anyway like Doug Glanville and Tony Womack.

– Those four glorious days to open September with the Cardinals. Being a Cubs fan never felt quite so good.

– The new Jim Tocco “100 game” evaluation standard.

– What’s next? What do these last 11 regular season games have in store for us? Nobody knows. But it’ll be weird. It’ll alternate between ripping out your heart and putting it back in.

But it’s going to be fun. And really, isn’t that the point?

As far as the Desipio GameCast schedule, it’s still up in the air. But rest assured, the Cubs won’t make the playoffs and not take us with them. In the event of any one-game play-ins, we’ll be there for that, too. What, you thought we were going to leave it up to the bozos at ChicagoSports.com or the overanalytical hand-wringers at BaseballPrimer.com? Nah.

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If there ever was a night for DirecTVs MLB Extra Innings Package it was last night. And it’ll get a workout next week, too. The Cardinals were coughing it up in grand style to the Brewers and the look on Al Hrabosky’s face after the game was a thing of beauty. Al knows that the Cardinals’ season died…for good…on September 3 in Wrigley Field. Shawn Estes beat them that day, and really you don’t need to hold a mirror under their nose after that. They were gone.

Then, the Astros and Rockies were playing in the rain, in 40 degree temperatures in Denver. Ron Villone was tossing yet another mediocre “gem” and getting beat. In the eighth, the Astros rallied, cut the lead to 5-2 and had the bases loaded with Jeff Bagwell up and two outs. Former Cub Justin Speier (traded for the immortal Felix Heredia) was trying to wiggle out of the jam and things looked bleak. But Bagwell popped up a 0-2 pitch behind home plate. Charles Johnson tripped on his catcher’s mask and the ball fell to the ground in foul territory. Things looked really bleak. But Bagwell grounded harmlessly to former Cub Chris Stynes. Charles Johnson led off the bottom of the eighth with a homer to give a little extra pad to the lead (Speier would need it) and the Astros went down.

This weekend in St. Louis we’ll likely see Roy Oswalt’s groin fall off again, and even if it holds up (or he holds it up) the Astros won’t lose because of Oswalt or Wade Miller. They’ll lose the NL Central because of Ron Villone, Jeriome Robertson and whatever other starter they run out there. Hee hee.

The Sox hardly put up a fight in getting blanked for six innings by Kenny Rogers. The same Kenny Rogers they tried to low-ball in March only to see him sign with the Twins for more money. The Twins outbid them! Even if Bart Colon outdueles former Cub Kyle Lohse tonight the Sox playoff chances are unlikely. If they lose, you can cue up the funeral dirge.

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Kerry was stiff, but he was mostly hard on the Mets. (There’s a Piazza joke in there somplace.)

Dusty says there ain’t nothing lovable about losing.

Mike Downey needs more Cubs home games. Don’t we all.

Rick Morrissey ponders why the Sox are going down so quietly.

Phil Rogers says that Jerry Manuel’s days are more than numbered.

Phil Daniels wants to blame the bad Bears run defense on the only guy who ever tries to do anything about it. Shut up, Phil.

If Carlyle Holiday can see the future, he’ll see that he’s not in it.

Brian Urlacher has torn ligaments in his thumb. Something Phil Daniels doesn’t have to worry about because he protects his thumb by playing with it up his keister.

Mariotti puts down the doughnut to blame it all on Frank Thomas. Only a prick like Mariotti could unintentionally make you feel sorry for a prick like Frank.

The Wizard of Roz is still bitching and moaning about the new Soldier Field.

I also watched the Giants clinch the NL West last night. That was cool. They beat the Padres and the players hung out on the field to watch the end of the Diamondbacks-Dodgers game on the scoreboard. Buckle it up, we’ll be rolling into town on October 1.

A fan died at Pac Bell Park during the game. Let’s see how Skip Bayless figures out a way to blame this on Barry Bonds or Dusty Baker. Maybe it’s Steve Mariucci’s fault.

Hideki Matt Suhey wants to remind us that in Japan they call them typhoons. Well, I hope a typhoon rolls your Lexus then, Hideki.

Spanish-yes.com says that the Clippers are stable now. Huh?

Because you need to know. The lowdown on Ben and J. Lo’s breakup.

John Mayer may be “heavier” now, but he’s still overrated.

What, it’s not right to get paid $140 million to run the New York Stock Exchange? Really?

Doesn’t anybody realize that people don’t like Hillary? She’ll go down in flames Hindenburg style.

That guy is hung like a Great Dane. Wait…it is a Great Dane.

Wait, a youth pastor who has sex with one of his students? Really, the only shock here is that the student wasn’t a boy.

Kate Beckinsale (who is about 1,500 kinds of hot) says having her boobs artifically enhanced on a movie poster was the wrong thing to do. “They gave me such big ones I had them shaved,” she said. Shaved? Were they furry?

The world’s greatest newspaper with a report that a British scientist says that mankind was destroyed 30 million years ago by a nuclear war. Really? That’s interesting.