"Dr. Bartman or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Game"

So tomorrow, 10/14, is the 4th anniversary of Steve Bartman supposedly ruining the Cubs' shot at a World Series. And while I was among the majority that initially (foolishly) blamed Bartman for the whole thing I eventually came to my senses and realized that 99.7% of what happened to the Cubs wasn't his fault (like this guy).
For those who forget, this was Bartman.

The man was just an overanxious Cubs lover who did what 99.9999% of the population would have done given the same situation.
How do I know that??? Look at this:


I see at least 6 other hands/gloves (besides Alou's and Bartman's) reaching out for the ball! Some fans, huh?

And watching Alou's initial reaction makes me glad that the Cubs lost that game badly. Dusty Baker really didn't help much either by looking so beat and downtrodden in his post-game press conference.
I think I'm starting to come up with a baseball thesis along the lines of if your players or your fans are cry-babies, whiners or poor sports and piss off the Baseball Gods, then your team will be struck down miserably. Recent examples?
-Padres outfielder Milton Bradley, whiner extraordinaire, first takes out fellow outfielder Mike Cameron then gets taken out himself by Bud Black, his own coach, while arguing with the first base ump (granted, that ump was found to have egged Bradley on; still though you don't give in). Padres then lack the offensive power to beat the Brewers, which would have taken out the Rockies, and then again lack it to take out the Rockies in the wildcard sudden death.
-Phillies' firstbaseman, Ryan Howard, whines and curses at the homeplate ump in NLDS game 1 against the Rockies after being called out on a couple nasty Corpas strikes. Although he would hit a homer the next day in game 2 it was not enough and too late. He was incessantly booed by Rockies fans in game 3, was struck out miserably a couple more times and was basically a no-show at a time when the Phonies needed him most. It's a shame too because the the Phonies had some good Baseball Gods approval after helping out the Rockies ground crew.
-D-Bags fans in game 1 of NLCS after Upton threw himself at Kaz and made it an interference doubleplay. Fans embarrass themselves, throw trash on the field (ya, that really pisses off the Baseball Gods) and give the whole nation a reason to hate the D-Bags and root for the Rockies. Baseball Gods make it a point to embarrass the D-Bags even more by having that game end on Miguel Montero getting out by over-sliding what would have been a momentum-building double in the 9th.

The wife and I will be in the lower section near right field for tomorrow night's Game 3 (yes, another Game 3) at Coors and will be sure to not reach out for any balls nor throw any plastic bottles on the field plus we will be standing for 99% of the game (or until the people behind us tell us to sitdown) and will wave our 'Go Rockies' white towels for every Fogg/Affeldt/Hawkins/Buchholz/Fuentes/Corpas strike, every 2-strike count, every catch, every groundout and every Rockies hit/walk/steal or runner in scoring position.

Soon to be voiceless again,
Mendoza's 5280