Hey Marlins fans,

 

I'm just dropping you a line to let you know we Sox fans here in Chicago are still appreciative of your team's beating the Cubs in the playoffs last year. And the interaction between us and the Fish fans during last year's playoff run was nothing short of awesome. COngratulations again on winning the World Series last year, and proving to the world that it takes a good TEAM, not super-idiotic and cocky fans and the world's largest payroll to win in October.

 

Just from casual observation, I know your team has lost a few players, including 1st baseman Derrek Lee to the Cubs. Pudge is in Detroit, and Mark Redmond is in Oakland. However, it looks like the majority of your team is still in tact unlike the year after you won your first Series crown. So even though you guys didn't sign A-Rod or Greg Maddux, I expect the Florida Marlins to be a competitve club this year. So many "experts" are saying the Yankees lost last year's series instead of the Marlins won it. Such crap. Give a team the credit their due. That's why in my opinion your Fish beat the Cubs in the NLCS last year...overconfidence by the Cubs fans and Cubs lovers in the media not giving the Marlins the credit they deserved for making it as far as they did.

 

Ozzie Guillen is the obvious fan favorite for us Sox fans, and even though many of us are concerned about his lack of managerial experience, we're glad he's back in a White Sox uniform. In case you haven't heard, when Ozzie was first introduced as Sox manager, he had a press conference talking about what he expects from the team. He "called out" slugger Frank Thomas and said he'll have to play Ozzie's way to make it, and the local press ran with it...trying to create a feud between the two. Thomas didn't interact much with the team during the off-season, and local writers and such were waiting with bated breath over the possible heat between the star slugger and the rookie manager. When the two met in Arizona for spring training, they had no animosity towards one another. In fact, a lot of reporters were surprized at the good attitude Frank had going into the spring. In years' past, he'd go in and be mad at former manager Jerry Manuel, or say something negative that would run in the papers for weeks. Ozzie and Frank said they feel good about this season, and that makes Sox fans happy.

 

I'm sure you've seen that stupid "Bartman Ball" destruction somewhere in your local news. Well, take it from someone who's from Chicago that not everyone...not even every Cubs fan, was impressed with all the hype surrounding that ball. A restaurant manager bought the auctioned ball for over $113,000, and set it up to be destroyed as part of some annual party held at a Chicago restaurant (Harry Caray's). Granted, the party was a fundraiser for a legitimate charity (Juvenile Diabetes), but the hoopla over that ball was something to throw up at. When the ball was first bought, the manager, Grant DePorter, solicited ideas on how to destroy that ball. He said he got e-mails from every corner of the globe offering suggestions on how to put that ball out of its misery, and rid the Cubs of the dreaded curse that has kept them from winning a pennant. I'm sure you know what happened next, so I won't rehash. Bottom line...the whole production in destroying a baseball that supposedly was the symbol of a team's loss in the playoffs what nothing short of a sham. It seems like there are some people who refuse to acknowledge the Marlins were simply better against the Cubs. Granted, maybe that fan interference may have given your team a break, but the Cubs had more than enough chances to "redeem" themselves afterwards, and were just not good enough to do it.

 

Feel free to post on WhiteSoxInteractive.com if you wish. Keep in touch. I know the Sox and Marlins play each other this season in Miami...that ought to be a fun series. One more thing...if Cubs fans really want to "get rid of symbols" of last year's loss...they ought to look to Pro Player Stadium...where your Marlins will display the 2003 World Series Championship trophy and banner. I dare some rich Cub fan to try to buy and destroy that stuff.

Those wimpy, drunk Cubs fans can have all the fun they want throwing back balls, drinking, losing, and watching exploding baseballs, but we'll be hanging up a certain banner soon.

I may go to a game at the Cell this summer and I'll wear some Champion stuff so see you guys then.

It still pisses me off that a Cubs fan poured beer all over Conine while he was making a play in the outfield.

What do you expect there classless fans.

thanks for all the kind words hsntrprize. I'm almost as excited for the Sox season to start as I am for the Fish. Should be a great year for both clubs.

Excellent. May the Marlins-White Sox Alliance become stronger, so that we may both defeat the evil Cubs Empire. :thumbup

Conine must look back at that fan and laugh. He must be saying...HAHAHAHA look who won the WS and look who stayed home.

Having grown up in Chicago as a Sox fan, I love the interation between the Sox and Marlin fans! GO SOX! GO FISH!

Thanks Fish fans. I appreciate your kindness, and I'm wishing both the Sox and Marlins a great 2004 season. If our teams meet in the World Series...then all bets are off. But, once everything is done, we can lift a glass and celebrate that our 2 teams are the best in baseball...even though only one them won the series.

 

Anyway, I found a cartoon that pretty much describes the whole Bartman Ball crap, and the attitudes of thsoe who supported/opposed the whole thing. Here's the link...

 

You know what...this picture isn't too far away from what actually happened that night. Just no Billy Corgan singing an anti-Sox song before the "sacrifice".

 

If the link doesn't work, then log onto www.desmoinesregister.com . Once the screen appears, scroll down the screen until you see "opinion" on the left hand column. Once you see that, click on "Duffy". When you get to that screen, you'll see a couple of scroll-down menus on the right side under "Duffy's Drawers." On top of a box labelled "View Week", choose the week of "2/22/2004". The first cartoon will depict a group of Cubs fans in a "sacrifice-style" ceremony destroying the infamous baseball.

 

Enjoy the cartoon, and once again...thanks for letting us Sox fans share in your team's victory over both the Cubs and Yankees. Keep the Sock Flying in Chicago and South Beach.

It was posted earlier on the site as Funny Cubs Picture.

 

 

Be sure to sweep the Yanks for us this year!