Chicago Cubs Fan Game 6

johnSandlin · #1 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 16, 2003, 02:08pm

I wonder what people are thinking right now about the fan that interfeared with the Alou catch effort in Game 6 of the NLCS?

Fox annoucers said last night during Game 7, that the fan's phone has already been disconnected indefinitely and that he was securely escorted out of Wrigley Field Tuesday night after Game 6 had ended?

I would sure enjoy being a "fly" on some of the Cubs fans office walls in Chicago today.

However, give credit where credit is rightly due to the Florida Marlins who continued to believe in themselves and came back from being 3-1 in the series.

Any thoughts or comments?

mo99 · #2 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 16, 2003, 02:23pm

I think the reaction of so called "fans" is ridiculous.Any person that says they would not have reached for a ball WITHIN the confines of the stands is a boldfaced liar.Do you mean to tell me,as a fan,as you are watching a ball coming directly at you,you are going to take a glance as to the position of the fielder and make your decision whether to attempt to catch the ball?? Give me a freaking break!!!The Cubs did not lose the series because of the gentleman that touched the ball.The shortstop that booted the next ground ball that a little leaguer would have made,contributed to the loss more than a ball touched in the stands.Besides that,who are the Chicago fans going to blame for the Game 7 loss? Face it Chicago,the Cubs blew it again and it has NOTHING to do with that unfortunate fan doing what ALL of us would have done!!!!

Jeff

[Edited by mo99 on Oct 16th, 2003 at 03:06 PM]

MD Longhorn · #3 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 16, 2003, 02:40pm

I agree, and would add that I seriously doubt Alou would have caught the ball anyway. His wrist had already come down on the top of the wall and his glove was already snapping back toward the field when that ball hit the fan.

johnSandlin · #4 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 16, 2003, 02:55pm

You guys are hitting the point I was trying to make right on the head of the nail. I found it very funny when Alou reacted the he did when the fan caught the ball.

Yes, unfortunatley it must be admitted that the Cubs did it blow it again.

mo99 · #5 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 16, 2003, 03:05pm

Mbcrowder: I thought I was the only one that saw it that way! I saw a slow motion angle on one of the news networks and to me it looked like he would not have made the catch.At the height of his jump and reach,it looked like the ball was a foot or so behind his glove.By the way,it was a great no call by the umpire as the ball was clearly over the stands.

Jeff

mo99 · #6 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 16, 2003, 03:12pm

Yes,give the Florida Marlins the credit that are due.I am a die hard Philadelphia Phillies fan and watched the tenacious play of the Marlins exhibited by their comeback after comeback.That fan did not lose the series for the Cubs,they were beaten by a team that wanted it just a little more.

Jeff

greymule · #7 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 16, 2003, 04:24pm

Not only did that fan interfere with a foul pop in the stands, he also caused the Cubs to give up 17 runs in the last 2 games of the series. I think he shut them out in game 5, too.

MD Longhorn · #8 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 16, 2003, 04:27pm

A Holiday Inn in Pompano has offered to let that kid stay free in it's hotel for 3 months, and Gov. Bush has added in free food and drink while he's there. Called it an offer of Amnesty.

Not a fan of the other Bush, but I thought this was funny.

dwillis · #9 (**permalink**) Thu Oct 16, 2003, 11:45pm

I agree also. I have been thinking about who should hold the blame for the Cubs not getting it done. I am not a fan for either the Cubs or Marlins. I wanted the Cubs to win to see them finally get there. And... My wife is huge Cubbie fan. so couldn't exactly go against her. We were making arrangements to be in Wrigley next week at WS game 4. Only I guess the Wrigley box officedid not " believe" because they were apparently waiting till the CLINCHER before they put out WS tickets to sell. Maybe we should blame the front office for not "believing".
And you know,as far as the fans go, Instead of hunkering down in their seats, why did the "fans" not get off of their a** and start cheering their hearts out like they did when Wood and Alou landed their yarders? I think that this action by the fans might could have picked the players up. Heck, if they would have spent as much energy trying to pick the team up as they have in hassling "THE FAN". It would have been enough. It would have at least kept them warm for 11 more outs. So, it seems as though it was possibly as much the fans' fault as the fan's fault.Maybe we can blame the fans for not really supporting the team when it counted.
Realize that SBartman was at a great place(7th game NLCS row 1 1st base line Wrigley field), in a terrific time (8th inning 1out Cubs-3 Marlins-0) trying to obtain a souvenir of the greatest moment in his life ( the game that put his BELOVED Cubbies into the World Series for the first time since 1945).Think about it!!! Tell me none of us would not have been doing the same thing if we were there. He could not help it because a player was trying to be in that same place in that same time attempting to make it 1 out closer.
Also IMHO, The players did not act like they wanted it,almost through the whole LCS. Half-a**ed running to first. Hardly any aggessive base running at all. The sticks were hot and cold depending who was starting pitcher that day. Was God going to drop it in their lap? That is what it looked like the attitude was to me from at least game 5 on. It looked like the attitude was if it happens, it happens and that is TERRIFIC. If it does not happen, Well....
"There's always NEXT YEAR."

So, who to blame? whether it be the players making multi-millions of dollars a year letting their heads get taken out of the game, or the fans getting taken out of the game. The last person to blame is "The Fan" who paid, who knows how much, to be in that seat at that time. Supporting his team in trying to get to the biggest thing in Wrigley in 58 years. And getting a souvenir to boot. Call it fate, destiny, or just plain bad luck. He is now part of the biggest thing in baseball since baseball was born.
I pray that for this man in baseball history, that all of this bad attention right now, will somehow turn out ok for him.

People will say if it had not been for him the Cubs would be facing the Yanks in the WS. We don't really know that.They might say "If it had not been for him, there would have been no 7th Game." Well I say, if the Cubs would have won game 5,
game 6 would not have been played and "THE FAN" would still have his life. So we can just as easily blame the team for not winning game 5, heck... they should have blanked the fish in the first four.the fish should have been caught,cleaned, cooked, and eatin by the 5th game. No, it's just to easy to point fingers at some other person, rather than the true culprit... ourselves.

ok i'm done. only my observation.

[Edited by dwillis on Oct 17th, 2003 at 10:16 AM]

tornado · #10 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 17, 2003, 07:24am

Your first name wouldn't be Dontrelle, would it?

gsf23 · #11 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 17, 2003, 08:18am

How come no one is talking about the sunday hop double play ball that Gonzalez booted when the score was 3-1? That would have got them into the ninth with the lead.

dwillis · #12 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 17, 2003, 08:28am

no, tornado, it's plain Don with no trelle

promise. besides i'm the wrong color.

GSF, that is exactly right, if he had not booted it. they would have been home scott-free.

[Edited by dwillis on Oct 17th, 2003 at 08:30 AM]

Steve Emerson · #13 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 17, 2003, 08:35am

If you will remember in game 1 at Wrigley I believe it was the top of the 2nd on a popup behind the plate and to the first base side of the screen Damien Miller had a play he was reaching into the stands for the catch and it would have been an easy catch too. Chicago fans got their hands on that one too and this one would have been hard for the fans not to see the player coming. Even the announcers had something to say about that one, "Why would these fans that have waited so long for this not try and help their team instead of hindering them". So the blame goes around, I agree that S. Bartman was doing what everyone else in the area was doing reaching for a sovenir, his hand was the one that touched the ball. I hear that Florida has offered him a vacation all expenses paid. I believe I would take them up on it and get out of town for a few days. I am a fan on neither of these teams but you got to agree that the Marlins never gave up the were busting their butts down the line on easy ground outs and just kept on keeping on.

Rich Ives · #14 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 17, 2003, 09:38am

Quote:

Originally posted by mbcrowder
I agree, and would add that I seriously doubt Alou would have caught the ball anyway. His wrist had already come down on the top of the wall and his glove was already snapping back toward the field when that ball hit the fan.

You need to watch the replay again.

TriggerMN · #15 (**permalink**) Fri Oct 17, 2003, 10:10am

I agree with everyone who says that 99.9% of average fans would have done the exact same thing, going for that pop foul. However, perhaps because I am an umpire, perhaps because I am a novice historian, perhaps because I live and breathe baseball, my view is different. If it was my team, harboring 95 years of frustration, as soon as fans' hands started to go up, I would have been tackling everyone I could get my hands on to get them the hell out of the way of that ball to allow my guy the opportunity to catch it.

It's not all his fault, but in my opinion, he's gotta share the blame. Cubs fans have nobody but themselves to blame for this one though, because they can't keep their hands to themselves. Wake up, pay attention, and know the freaking situation.

The second that guy touched the ball, I turned to my wife and said the Marlins have just won the series. Anyone who thought otherwise would have been foolish.