Steve Bartman

[Band of Brothers]

I keep watching this ESPN show on Steve Bartman and what he went through and still is no where to be seen . The dude was lost listenin to the Cubs broadcast on the radio and never even looked siideways to see if Alou could catch the ball. He just wanted a foul ball like the 5 or 6 other Cubs fans there but everyone came down on this dude and made him a scapegoat. It is one of the strangest stories in baseball and he has never come out of hiding and can't even use a credit card with his name on it. It's just real bad vibes for the Cubs. They booted the dude with the goat and then they booted a dude who just wanted a Cub game foul ball and said he was sorry and there is no way that guy meant to do it. They have to find a way to bring him back . The guy loved the Cubs and baseball and now he lives somewhere..who knows? Just some strange stuff. Bad vibes for the Cubs.

 

[Stokes1931]

It is a little sad. But if the guy were a real fan, he would have wanted the Chubs to win more than he wanted a foul ball. If you interfere with play, you care more for yourself than the team. And to what end? So you can show off a foul ball you caught to your friends? Yup, five seconds of glory, in exchange for a lifetime of abuse. He will be forgiven when the Chubs win something.

 

[Band of Brothers]

It is a little sad. But if the guy were a real fan, he would have wanted the Chubs to win more than he wanted a foul ball. If you interfere with play, you care more for yourself than the team. And to what end? So you can show off a foul ball you caught to your friends? Yup, five seconds of glory, in exchange for a lifetime of abuse. He will be forgiven when the Chubs win something.

Dude you don't get it. Watch the ESPN show and really watch it. He had his headphones on listening to the Cubs play by play men. He was looking straight up. Look the guy loves the Cubs he coached kids playing ball so ya know he loves the game. He was so concentrating on the ball he never saw Alou. He got booed out of town. How would you feel? They should try to get him back. It would be a happy ending for the Cubs. Maybe it might switch their mojo around.

 

[Smart]

You try being the fan of a team that hasn't won a title in 107 years, and a fan whose only jobs are to cheer and avoid preventing Cubs catches screws up his one task. It's not like he is the only guy who has gotten blame...Dusty has a ton of it for leaving Prior in and A-Gon has more than anyone for the screwed-up double play. But Bartman is a huge reason the Cubs lost that game and that series, and I hope he knows the misery he has caused for millions of Cubs fans who spent billions of hours over the years waiting for the chance to reach the World Series.

He should have noticed that the ball was within reach of a player and should have known Mr. Piss Hands could have covered that much space. Fandom isn't an excuse to cost your team a game.

 

[Band of Brothers]

You try being the fan of a team that hasn't won a title in 107 years, and a fan whose only jobs are to cheer and avoid preventing Cubs catches screws up his one task. It's not like he is the only guy who has gotten blame...Dusty has a ton of it for leaving Prior in and A-Gon has more than anyone for the screwed-up double play. But Bartman is a huge reason the Cubs lost that game and that series, and I hope he knows the misery he has caused for millions of Cubs fans who spent billions of hours over the years waiting for the chance to reach the World Series.

He should have noticed that the ball was within reach of a player and should have known Mr. Piss Hands could have covered that much space. Fandom isn't an excuse to cost your team a game.

I can understand you being upset about not winning a Championship but to blame Bartman is wrong. A lot of things went wrong in that inning. I hope you watch it again and form a unbiased opinion this time. I know it's been tough for Cubs fans but to blame the guy is wrong. Hey I hope the Cubs turn it around. They got a good manager. I like Maddon he will get the best out of his team and he is a loose manager. To blame Bartman is wrong though. Good luck a lot of people are picking the Cubs this year. I usually root for the Cubs if the Giants are out of it. Dusty was a good manager here in SF and he was good in CHI. Maddon will help them.

 

[Stokes1931]

Dude you don't get it. Watch the ESPN show and really watch it. He had his headphones on listening to the Cubs play by play men. He was looking straight up. Look the guy loves the Cubs he coached kids playing ball so ya know he loves the game. He was so concentrating on the ball he never saw Alou. He got booed out of town. How would you feel? They should try to get him back. It would be a happy ending for the Cubs. Maybe it might switch their mojo around.

I get it fine. We just disagree.

 

[Band of Brothers]

I get it fine. We just disagree.

It's cool Stokes. I think you should watch it again and think about the points I made. He was in his own world with his headphones on. I have been there. When you are listening to something like that your imagination takes over. There is no way he meant to mess with that ball on purpose. He was just lost in the moment.

 

[Stokes1931]

It's cool Stokes. I think you should watch it again and think about the points I made. He was in his own world with his headphones on. I have been there. When you are listening to something like that your imagination takes over. There is no way he meant to mess with that ball on purpose. He was just lost in the moment.

See, that's exactly the point. He wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, he was in his own world. It was all about him. As a fan, of course we ought to enjoy the game, the surroundings, the moment. But the moment is bigger than just me. To be lost in the moment is the ultimate in narcissism, especially for a fan of a team. You suggest he is a victim here. I suggest that he is accountable for his behavior.

The Chubs failure is not all Bartman's fault, obviously. But his inattention cost them, and thus he became the scapegoat for the season. The punishment does not fit the crime, but that's the way it is with the 24/7 media cycle.

I wish the young man well, and he seems to have gotten past the offense. But no way can he show himself at Wrigley until the Cubs win something significant.

 

[Band of Brothers]

See, that's exactly the point. He wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, he was in his own world. It was all about him. As a fan, of course we ought to enjoy the game, the surroundings, the moment. But the moment is bigger than just me. To be lost in the moment is the ultimate in narcissism, especially for a fan of a team. You suggest he is a victim here. I suggest that he is accountable for his behavior.

The Chubs failure is not all Bartman's fault, obviously. But his inattention cost them, and thus he became the scapegoat for the season. The punishment does not fit the crime, but that's the way it is with the 24/7 media cycle.

I wish the young man well, and he seems to have gotten past the offense. But no way can he show himself at Wrigley until the Cubs win something significant.

Dude you don't get it. He loves the Cubs and the play by play men. He is a huge Ron Santo fan. He strikes me as a fan that likes to informed of the game as it is going on. Oh yeah one more thing. I thought baseball was supposed to be fun. Thats his way of enjoying the game. Different strokes for different folks....Stokes.

Later.

 

[Chewbaccer]

The Bartman deal is just one of the reasons why I hope the Cubs World Series drought lasts until the end of time.

ANYONE's natural reaction when a foul ball is hit their way is to try and catch it, just like every fan sitting around Bartman was trying to do. An it was a FOUL ball, not a home run, but a foul ball, and a foul ball that Alou wouldn't have caught if nobody had touched the ball.

Now the guy's life is ruined because he tried to catch a foul ball that was in the stands. Let's not forget that the Cubs completely choked away that game, they had a fairly big lead late in the game and blew it.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Basically 0% chance Alou makes the catch even if not interfered with. He admitted it 10 years later, but he's still a scumbag in my eyes for letting the guy's life get ruined in the first place by not admitting much sooner, like immediately after the game ended.

 

[Band of Brothers]

Basically 0% chance Alou makes the catch even if not interfered with. He admitted it 10 years later, but he's still a scumbag in my eyes for letting the guy's life get ruined in the first place by not admitting much sooner, like immediately after the game ended.

Alou is not a scumbag. He was just upset. I think he had a shot at the ball. Still to blame Bartman and make him a scapegoat is flat wrong.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Alou is not a scumbag. He was just upset. I think he had a shot at the ball. Still to blame Bartman and make him a scapegoat is flat wrong.

I can understand being upset in the heat of the moment, but watch the video, and the ball would have landed about a foot out of his reach, and then wait so many years to admit that you probably wouldn't have made the catch after the damage is too far gone to be fixed?

I'm not a fan.

 

[Chewbaccer]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3324343

 

[Band of Brothers]

You know Bartman is not a bad dude..Alou is not a bad dude..just a crazy play in baseball history to debate about. That's baseball. But shit..at least make a effort to bring the guy back and ease his pain. I think it would be cool to see him back in that seat rooting on his Cubs again. The dude loved the Cubs..I can't see how he can stay away for the rest of his life. I don't know ..I feel for this guy. To see him ushered out under a beer shower with people yelling at him when he was just lost in a moment bugs me. That was a ugly scene.

The Cubs should give him that seat for life to make up for the B.S. he got thrown down on him.

 

[Stokes1931]

You know Bartman is not a bad dude..Alou is not a bad dude..just a crazy play in baseball history to debate about. That's baseball. But shit..at least make a effort to bring the guy back and ease his pain. I think it would be cool to see him back in that seat rooting on his Cubs again. The dude loved the Cubs..I can't see how he can stay away for the rest of his life. I don't know ..I feel for this guy. To see him ushered out under a beer shower with people yelling at him when he was just lost in a moment bugs me. That was a ugly scene.

The Cubs should give him that seat for life to make up for the B.S. he got thrown down on him.

As far as I know, the Cubs have not banned Bartman from attending games. The only exile for Bartman has been self-imposed.

 

[Irish7478]

Every losing team needs a scapegoat. The Cubs had Bartman. They had many chances to win that game after the foul ball, but they didn't do it. Rather than taking the blame, they found it easier to blame a fan trying to catch a foul ball. If they weren't willing to "man up" about blowing all the other chances they had to win, they didn't deserve to win. I like the Cubs, but the way they responded to the Bartman deal was an embarrassment to the team and the city.

 

[Band of Brothers]

As far as I know, the Cubs have not banned Bartman from attending games. The only exile for Bartman has been self-imposed.

Dude like I said before ..those fans beat him up mentally pretty bad. It's up to the Cubs and the fans to welcome him back.

 

[Mistaken4193]

Alous unneccesary overreaction is the reason Bartman is hated, if he doesnt react like he does that is just 1 of a million other foul balls we have seen.

 

[Band of Brothers]

Alous unneccesary overreaction is the reason Bartman is hated, if he doesnt react like he does that is just 1 of a million other foul balls we have seen.

Whatever ..the fact is the dude got beaten up pretty bad mentally by Cubs fans. To blame it all on Alou is wrong. I think I have stated my opinion on the Bartman thing. I am done with this thread.