SPORTS NON-FICTION
Great Until It Wasn’t
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The 2003 Cubs entered the season with low expectations. Even with a new manager, Dusty Baker, emerging stars in Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, and one of the greatest sluggers of all time, Sammy Sosa, the Cubs were picked to finish fourth in their own division.
But sometimes everything falls into place, and the Cubs found themselves in the heat of a pennant race.
The Cubs were brash, fun and best of all, good. Everything was great as they rolled to within one win of their first National League pennant in 58 years.
They bore little resemblance to the Cubs teams of the past who disappointed when it mattered most.
Until it was all batted away in an instant.
They returned in 2004 with even more talent, and every hole filled.
This time, it would be different.
It was great until it wasn’t.
“My name’s Dusty, not messiah.”
– Dusty Baker
“WE HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND KILL THE CARDINALS.”
– Carlos Zambrano
“who the fuck is kent mercker?”
– Steve Stone
“ouch.”
– Mark Prior
“Honesty compels me to say.”
– Chip Caray
“–static–”
– Sammy Sosa’s boombox
but wait, there’s more
The Immortals
andy dolan
Andy Dolan has written about the Cubs and sports for nearly 30 years and has the scars to prove it. From his own website desipio.com which he founded in 1997 (what a great Cubs’ season to start with) to other sites like On Hoops, Rotoball, Rotowire, SB Nation and more. From 2016 to 2020 he was a Cubs’ columnist at The Athletic. In 2020 he started his own subscription newsletter, PointlessExercise.com, and has hosted the Pointless Exercise podcast since 2009. He lives in Rockford, Illinois with his wife Beri and as many rescue dogs as allowed by law. (Currently four: Elsie, Lucas, George and Quinn.)
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