Hey, this is B.C. from the discussion boards. You know, the really pessimistic guy who talks about stuff nobody else wants to.

Where that puts me in terms of comparing to the likes of Andy Dolan, I don’t know. But I know I can whip Karry Ling’s butt with a dictionary any day. So there.

Briefly, let me describe myself. My hometown is in what 99 percent of the whole universe considers Southern Illinois. However, we prefer to use the term “East-Central Illinois” because it makes us feel better.

As a sophomore now at the University of Illinois, I spend most of my time in Champaign. I even have a part-time job as a newspaper sports writer. Don’t worry though, I’m not leaving that gig for this place. Oh, ouch.

My hometown is in the middle of Illinois’ Cardinal country, which means I was basically ridiculed for at least the last nine or ten years of my early life. Sure, there were a couple other Cubs fans, but most of the other people simply didn’t like the Cubs.

Then there was the fact I also decided to cheer for the Bears when I was a young child. Again, with most of the other people in the area being Colts or (eventually) Rams fans, this was a cause for much displeasure.

But I’ve gotten over all of that. See, I know that whenever either of these teams win the big one, I will be able to, finally, celebrate their achievements and put it back in all those other people’s faces. Granted, there are some good Cardinal fans and good Colts fans (Although it is illegal to call any supporter of the Rams a “fan” because they weren’t even in St. Louis in the 1980’s, but I digress.) But I’m still waiting for that day.

I also have the good fortune of being a Fighting Illini fan, which means I get the chance to see teams slip into mediocrity (Oops, rise to greatness) as coaches don’t have a clue (That’s you Ron Turner) or players don’t have heart (That’s you 2003-04 Illinois basketball team).

Yep, I am a pessimist. But, see, it really is a defense mechanism. I can’t get hurt by my teams, I have to protect myself from failure. That’s why I knew that once Game 5 of the NLCS was lost, I knew the series was over. The Cubs practically laid down in that game for the supposed “security blanket” that was Mark Prior and Kerry Wood in Wrigley for Games 6 and 7.

Maybe, if Bartman hadn’t reached over or Gonzalez hadn’t made the error or Baker hadn’t let Prior go too long in Game 2 or Baker had gone out to calm the players down, things would have been different. But that will make 2004 better. We’ll all get ready for the year everything turns right, the Year of the Cub, 2004.

Of course, there is always that little voice in the back of my head that says three elbows will blow out in the first month and we’ll finish in fourth place. I have to protect myself from the disappointment.

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Other quick tidbits:

Grimm is a joke. Lovie Smith isn’t much better. Unfortunately, Norv Turner won’t be coming to coach the Bears. (Yes, that’s a joke) Or maybe we should get Blache just to kill everybody’s hope of getting a coach worth a darn.

Roger Clemens signs a deal with the Astros. Roger, I hope you are ready for the head-hunting you will get from the first start on. I must say I wouldn’t be too surprised to see him on the DL by June due to being hit by too many pitches.

In college basketball, Northwestern won at Iowa. I don’t know who should be more ashamed of themselves. The Iowa fans, or the Iowa players who made it obvious they were point-shaving.

Sorry Jake, Quin Snyder plain sucks. As an Illini fan, it will be sad to see him leave the Mizzou program before next year. (Now, if you want some fans I can’t stand, it’s Missouri fans. Indiana’s fans are the only ones worse.)

Christian Laettner got suspended by the NBA for breaking its drug policies. The sad thing is, Kentucky fans will now complain about him stepping and stomping all over the drugs and not getting thrown out of the game.

Dan Marino is back with the Dolphins. Man, he must hate Jim Nantz.

And, finally, there is the matter of Britney’s wedding. 55 hours? Come on, I double dared her to make it 110.

That’s all I have. Now, for me, more of the life of being a college student on Winter Break.