100

The misery has reached a full century for followers of the Chicago Cubs, as their team was swept out of the NLDS by the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-1, at Dodger Stadium last night.

So, there will be no Red Sox-Cubs World Series this year.

It's now a full 100 years since the Cubs last captured the crown in 1908. This year looked like the best chance the Cubs had to win it all since then, or at least make it to the World Series since they were last there in 1945. The Cubs have no one to blame but themselves, as they were outplayed by the Dodgers in every facet of the game: pitching, hitting, defense. They led only once in the three games, when they jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in Game 1. The Cubs had the best record in the National League, but now they go home with nothing.

And now Cubs fans will have to endure more endless nonsense about idiotic curses and jinxes. And it mostly comes from the know-nothing types in the media, who'll pile on them all that crap about billy goats and Steve Bartman all winter. My sympathies are with them, as Red Sox fans we know the feeling all too well (or we used to know).

As Colonel Sherman Potter (pictured) once said on the classic TV show, "M*A*S*H", and can be applied here: "No more talk about curses and jinxes. That stuff comes right off the stable floor." And we all know most of the writings of many a sportswriter belongs on the stable floor.

Hang in there Cubs fans. Get 'em next year.