I admit it...

[Chuck to Chuck]

Would have also loved to have Costas and Joe Buck in the booth, with Thom doing some sideline work.

Get the sentiment, but I heard on the twitters that was the first clinch that Len called for the Cubs

It was? I guess they clinched in 2016/2015 on opponent losses, didn't they? And I was at the clincher in 08 and I distinctly remember it was a Fox game. What was the deal in 2007?

Didn't they lose to the Reds on that Friday night but the Brewers' loss backed them in?

They won that night 6-0 (I was at a work boondoggle at Smith and Wollensky's, it was Eldest Murton's 8th bday, I brought him home a huge slice of cake and charged it to the bank). They may have clinched before the game ended as the Brewers lost to San Diego. Not sure which game ended first.

I think this is what happened--the magic number going into Friday night's action was 2 and the Cubs whittled it down to 1 and it didn't reach 0 for another hour when the Brewers lost.

Oh wait I actually think I do remember all of the Cubs sitting in the clubhouse in Cincy, watching the end of the Brewers game and then celebrating. So Len wouldn't have made the call, it was probably Kaplan doing extended postgame shit.

The memory that stands out to me was the stupid "Man in the Bar" interviews and somebody shoved a microphone in some older guy's face and this guy, presumably a graduate of The Ron Santo School Of Overreacting bellowed, "I have waited so long for this" and I was all like "What the fuck you talkin' about, shitfuck--this is the 5th time they've made the playoffs in the last 23 years", and I cited this guy the following year here at Insipio when I made my infamous "let's not start flipping cars when we win a measly division title" line which led to me getting meme-stamped as the guy whose bicycle gets flipped in both celebration and rage.  

I'll tell you what, though--that guy still pisses me off more making such a stupid and nonsensical comment.

I remember thinking the 2007 Cubs were gonna get their shit stomped in the playoffs and not being surprised when it happened. It was fun, but it was kind of like 98, just making the playoffs was the real accomplishment. Nothing compared to my rage/depression after 2003/2008.

I remember nothing about the division clincher because I was in a wedding in Fort Wayne and too busy drinking away my sorrows of being toasting the bride and groom in Fort Wayne that Friday night at the rehearsal dinner.  (Sadly there were few Cubs fans there, so following the game was tricky). But the season was fun as Barrett was traded, the Cubs got hotter than shit, the Ramirez home run vs Milwaukee, Soriano's three or four stretches where he carried the team for short periods of time, Piniella's ejection and suspension, and so forth.

I thought they would beat Arizona in the NLDS and have their hands full with the Phils in the NLCS. As it turned out, the Rockies never cooled off until the World Series.

2007: Had no real hopes for the playoffs, but went to Game 3. Mitch Hill shit the bed on pitch 1. We were on the upper deck patio by inning 5. Wasn't upset.

2008: Had higher hopes, but felt that team played over its head. Went to game 1. Dempster. Loney. No 2003 disappointment, but just depressing. Two biggest takeaways from that game were how quiet the park was before DeRosa's homer and the nice round of applause Maddux got in the 9th as we left.

[SKO]

Would have also loved to have Costas and Joe Buck in the booth, with Thom doing some sideline work.

Get the sentiment, but I heard on the twitters that was the first clinch that Len called for the Cubs

It was? I guess they clinched in 2016/2015 on opponent losses, didn't they? And I was at the clincher in 08 and I distinctly remember it was a Fox game. What was the deal in 2007?

Didn't they lose to the Reds on that Friday night but the Brewers' loss backed them in?

They won that night 6-0 (I was at a work boondoggle at Smith and Wollensky's, it was Eldest Murton's 8th bday, I brought him home a huge slice of cake and charged it to the bank). They may have clinched before the game ended as the Brewers lost to San Diego. Not sure which game ended first.

I think this is what happened--the magic number going into Friday night's action was 2 and the Cubs whittled it down to 1 and it didn't reach 0 for another hour when the Brewers lost.

Oh wait I actually think I do remember all of the Cubs sitting in the clubhouse in Cincy, watching the end of the Brewers game and then celebrating. So Len wouldn't have made the call, it was probably Kaplan doing extended postgame shit.

The memory that stands out to me was the stupid "Man in the Bar" interviews and somebody shoved a microphone in some older guy's face and this guy, presumably a graduate of The Ron Santo School Of Overreacting bellowed, "I have waited so long for this" and I was all like "What the fuck you talkin' about, shitfuck--this is the 5th time they've made the playoffs in the last 23 years", and I cited this guy the following year here at Insipio when I made my infamous "let's not start flipping cars when we win a measly division title" line which led to me getting meme-stamped as the guy whose bicycle gets flipped in both celebration and rage.  

I'll tell you what, though--that guy still pisses me off more making such a stupid and nonsensical comment.

I remember thinking the 2007 Cubs were gonna get their shit stomped in the playoffs and not being surprised when it happened. It was fun, but it was kind of like 98, just making the playoffs was the real accomplishment. Nothing compared to my rage/depression after 2003/2008.

I remember nothing about the division clincher because I was in a wedding in Fort Wayne and too busy drinking away my sorrows of being toasting the bride and groom in Fort Wayne that Friday night at the rehearsal dinner.  (Sadly there were few Cubs fans there, so following the game was tricky). But the season was fun as Barrett was traded, the Cubs got hotter than shit, the Ramirez home run vs Milwaukee, Soriano's three or four stretches where he carried the team for short periods of time, Piniella's ejection and suspension, and so forth.

I thought they would beat Arizona in the NLDS and have their hands full with the Phils in the NLCS. As it turned out, the Rockies never cooled off until the World Series.

Okay yeah that one I remember. I was in the car and could still point out the exact spot on good ol' Highway 67 where I was when he hit that car and I nearly veered off the road going apeshit. I believe it was the last Cubs walkoff homer with the team trailing with 2 outs in the 9th until Bryant did it to the Rockies in 2015 and turned that season around.

[Canadouche]

I just learned that the 2016 playoffs are available on iTunes. Guess I know what I'm getting with my stack of iTunes gift cards that I'll almost certainly get from my students for Christmas this year.

[D. Doluntap]

I just learned that the 2016 playoffs are available on iTunes. Guess I know what I'm getting with my stack of iTunes gift cards that I'll almost certainly get from my students for Christmas this year.

iTunes rocks.

[Oleg]

I just learned that the 2016 playoffs are available on iTunes. Guess I know what I'm getting with my stack of iTunes gift cards that I'll almost certainly get from my students for Christmas this year.

Have you not seen it before? Also, should you be bribing them to keep their mouths shut?

[Quality Start Machine]

I just learned that the 2016 playoffs are available on iTunes. Guess I know what I'm getting with my stack of iTunes gift cards that I'll almost certainly get from my students for Christmas this year.

Have you not seen it before? Also, should you be bribing them to keep their mouths shut?

A stack of iTunes cards is the least they can do after a year of daily "KICK ME" signs.

[Canadouche]

I just learned that the 2016 playoffs are available on iTunes. Guess I know what I'm getting with my stack of iTunes gift cards that I'll almost certainly get from my students for Christmas this year.

Have you not seen it before? Also, should you be bribing them to keep their mouths shut?

I like being able to rewatch those games. And why would I need to bribe them?

[flannj]

I just learned that the 2016 playoffs are available on iTunes. Guess I know what I'm getting with my stack of iTunes gift cards that I'll almost certainly get from my students for Christmas this year.

Have you not seen it before? Also, should you be bribing them to keep their mouths shut?

I like being able to rewatch those games. And why would I need to bribe them?

To keep their mouths shut.
Unless you just outright threaten them.

[Canadouche]

I just learned that the 2016 playoffs are available on iTunes. Guess I know what I'm getting with my stack of iTunes gift cards that I'll almost certainly get from my students for Christmas this year.

Have you not seen it before? Also, should you be bribing them to keep their mouths shut?

I like being able to rewatch those games. And why would I need to bribe them?

To keep their mouths shut.
Unless you just outright threaten them.

Yeah, I'm not following.

[Oleg]

I just learned that the 2016 playoffs are available on iTunes. Guess I know what I'm getting with my stack of iTunes gift cards that I'll almost certainly get from my students for Christmas this year.

Have you not seen it before? Also, should you be bribing them to keep their mouths shut?

I like being able to rewatch those games. And why would I need to bribe them?

To keep their mouths shut.
Unless you just outright threaten them.

Yeah, I'm not following.

Do we really need to relive the allegations of you being the Jimmy Savile of Canada?

[Canadouche]

I just learned that the 2016 playoffs are available on iTunes. Guess I know what I'm getting with my stack of iTunes gift cards that I'll almost certainly get from my students for Christmas this year.

Have you not seen it before? Also, should you be bribing them to keep their mouths shut?

I like being able to rewatch those games. And why would I need to bribe them?

To keep their mouths shut.
Unless you just outright threaten them.

Yeah, I'm not following.

Do we really need to relive the allegations of you being the Jimmy Savile of Canada?

Apparently you do.

[Bort]

I just learned that the 2016 playoffs are available on iTunes. Guess I know what I'm getting with my stack of iTunes gift cards that I'll almost certainly get from my students for Christmas this year.

Have you not seen it before? Also, should you be bribing them to keep their mouths shut?

I like being able to rewatch those games. And why would I need to bribe them?

To keep their mouths shut.
Unless you just outright threaten them.

Yeah, I'm not following.

Do we really need to relive the allegations of you being the Jimmy Savile of Canada?

Apparently you do.

You're not going to like that.

[Quality Start Machine]

Every Jake Arrieta start is potentially his last one as a Cub, and it makes me a little sad.

[Canadouche]

Every Jake Arrieta start is potentially his last one as a Cub, and it makes me a little sad.

Others may have been better overall for longer, but he was, for a time, bar-none the best pitcher I've ever seen in a Cubs uniform. Or any other.

[SKO]

Every Jake Arrieta start is potentially his last one as a Cub, and it makes me a little sad.

Others may have been better overall for longer, but he was, for a time, bar-none the best pitcher I've ever seen in a Cubs uniform. Or any other.

Since the start of the Liveball Era in 1920 no qualified Cubs starting pitcher has as a lower ERA than Jake (2.73). Damn right he was the best. Kyle's not far behind though at 2.98