Making the band
A baseball blog dedicated to the Philadelphia Phillies had a shockingly well-thought out, almost indisputable post yesterday comparing each big league team to a rock-n-roll band. Not a transcendent concept perhaps, but in the case of the Cubs and the Reds, two of the biggest fans I know of each team happen to be big supporters also of their corresponding band. I thought the assessments for the Cubs, Reds, and Cardinals were all pretty much spot-on...Chicago Cubs are Jimmy Buffett: Millions of people like them for some reason, despite having done nothing worthwhile for a full century. The culture of drinking surrounding each probably explains this tolerance for failure. The fans are generally affable and friendly, but are single-mindedly dedicated to their hero(es). Fans will travel thousands of miles to see them play.
Cincinnati Reds are The Rolling Stones: The oldest still-working group out there, they nonetheless peaked decades ago but keep insistently plugging away. Nostalgic throwbacks for some, painfully anachronistic for others. Controversies of the past are now mostly in the background, but still pop up from time to time (Marge Schott, Pete Rose; drug abuse, yucky sex).
St. Louis Cardinals are The Beach Boys: The wholesome, family-friendly exterior conceals a deviant, tragic core (substance abuse, performance enhancing and otherwise; tragic deaths of key performers). Led by an authoritarian egomaniac (Tony LaRussa; Murry Wilson). One brilliant member surrounded by a rotating cast of a couple solid supporting players and a bunch of scrubs (Albert Pujols; Brian Wilson). Shocking, inexplicable late-career resurgence (2006 postseason; "Kokomo").
Again, I'd like to reiterate though that the 2006 Cards' postseason was not at all inexplicable. The team, with its nucleus still intact, had averaged 96 wins per season over the previous six seasons. A championship is not a shock when you have more post-season wins over the last decade than any team other than the Yankees. It's more of an eventuality than a shock. But I digress.
Also, the Mets are not "gargantuan and powerful." They are very much like Black Sabbath however, especially Mike Piazza.
And who on the Reds do you think is having "yucky sex"?
posted by CM @ 8:52 PM
2 Comments:
Maybe everything in parentheses for the Reds is about one event that was never leaked to the public (Marge Schott, Pete Rose, drug abuse, yucky sex). Sounds like it may have all been one bad night in a Vegas hotel. I say Vegas because anytime Pete is involved, there must be gambling nearby.
This is now the 2nd Cubs-related thing I have read in two days with a reference to Buffett. The other is here and is a decent description of what it is like to be a Cubs fan. The Cardinals will experience a little of that feeling this year (rooting for a team that you know won't win).
The Rolling Stones are regarded as the greatest rock band in the world. I won't argue that or the Reds comparison.
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