Working on The Morning V.I.P, I have had the chance to encounter a lot of different sporting fans and followers. Because of this, I have come to the realization that sports fans and followers are beginning to bandwagon certain players instead of jumping on the bandwagon of different teams. In the current situation of the MLB, I would have figured to have seen a lot more fans jump on the Tampa Bay Rays bandwagon, but atleast where I live, I haven't seen it very much at all. Instead, everybody has jumped on the bandwagon of the Manny Ramirez train. Not only are fans guilty of this, but the media is as well. It's almost like everybody has simply forgot or is ignoring what ManRam did to the Boston Red Sox. Do you remember that one time when ManRam refused to bat against the Yankees? Or that one time that ManRam shoved a co-worker of the Red Sox to the ground? Or that one time he pissed off his entire team - the same team that he won two World Series rings with? My question is, because I seriously do not know, is why are we (the fans and media) treating him like he is a God and has turned around the entire Dodger team by himself? Don't get me wrong, he has come thru and put up great numbers and has HELPED the Dodgers get where they are, but let us be honest - had ManRam not been aquired by the Dodgers, the Dodgers would still be in the same spot they are now. Yes? No? I think yes. Media is making it out that the Dodgers have gone on a heavenly run to get where they are and defied all odds because of ManRam. Look at the division the Dodgers are in. The National League West contains the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Padres, and Giants. Not exactly the toughest in division play for L.A. Also, the Diamondbacks slumped. Ever since the acquired Adam Dunn, they begin a down fall. The pitching took a turn for the worst and the men left on numbers each game were unbearable. The chances of the Dodgers losing this division was not very good. So let's get off the ManRam bandwagon, shall we? The Dodgers are a great team, and honestly as I explain below I don't think they are getting the credit they quite deserve. But their success cannot be put on ManRam alone, something we all are doing.
That brings us to the Chicago Cubs. Oh, those Chicago Cubs. Every team has a bad century, right? Again, the media and fans are to blame in certain situations regarding the Cubs. Why can't the Cubs win? Is there that much pressure on each member of the team to win that is nearly impossible to do so in the post season? I personally don't know. The Chicago Cubs brought in a Catholic Priest to bless every inch of the field. Alcohol venders in north Chicago all agreed to stop selling alcohol after the seventh inning. As soon as the Cubs lost game three, the entire media and a majority of Cubs fans instantly pointed fingers to the curse. They haven't won a World Series in 100 years! "Surely there is a curse. There has to be!" OR maybe the Dodgers just came in and played better baseball. Has anyone ever considered this? Sure, when all of your infielders commit errors it's not going to favor your team. We are all looking at how the Cubs lost, and we are hardly looking at the fact the Dodgers won. Maybe the Cubs were so focused on not losing and pleasing their fans that they forgot the fundamentals. Maybe the Dodgers are just a better team. Everybody knows that the Cubs rarely have a good September and unfortunatly for them, the Dodgers did and they kept that momentum going. And baseball players have all said that when you're hot, you know you're hot. They say when the pitcher let's go of the ball, the batter sees the baseball as the same size of a basketball. So let's sum this up. Cubs and Cubs fans - you had bad timing with the team you played. At the time they were better than you. There is no curse. It doesn't mean you are never going to win a World Series, it just means you weren't the better team, despite what your regular season record was.
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Ross Dillon is the co-host of The Morning V.I.P (www.morningv ip.com) on Fox Sports Radio WBGN. He is also the Producer for several shows on FSR WBGN. You can also catch him doing Color Commentary for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers men's basketball and football teams. On the side of sports radio, Ross is a recognizable stand-up comedian. He performs, and raises money for, several charities and organizations . For more information on Ross, check out www.morningvi p.com or www.myspace.c om/rossdillon .
Or that one time he pissed off his entire team - the same team that he won two World Series rings with? My question is, because I seriously do not know, is why are we (the fans and media) treating him like he is a God and has turned around the entire Dodger team by himself? Don't get me wrong, he has come thru and put up great numbers and has HELPED the Dodgers get where they are, but let us be honest - had ManRam not been aquired by the Dodgers, the Dodgers would still be in the same spot they are now. Yes? No? I think yes. Media is making it out that the Dodgers have gone on a heavenly run to get where they are and defied all odds because of ManRam. Look at the division the Dodgers are in. The National League West contains the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Padres, and Giants. Not exactly the toughest in division play for L.A. Also, the Diamondbacks slumped. Ever since the acquired Adam Dunn, they begin a down fall. The pitching took a turn for the worst and the men left on numbers each game were unbearable. The chances of the Dodgers losing this division was not very good. So let's get off the ManRam bandwagon, shall we? The Dodgers are a great team, and honestly as I explain below I don't think they are getting the credit they quite deserve. But their success cannot be put on ManRam alone, something we all are doing.
Why can't the Cubs win? Is there that much pressure on each member of the team to win that is nearly impossible to do so in the post season? I personally don't know. The Chicago Cubs brought in a Catholic Priest to bless every inch of the field. Alcohol venders in north Chicago all agreed to stop selling alcohol after the seventh inning. As soon as the Cubs lost game three, the entire media and a majority of Cubs fans instantly pointed fingers to the curse. They haven't won a World Series in 100 years! "Surely there is a curse. There has to be!" OR maybe the Dodgers just came in and played better baseball. Has anyone ever considered this? Sure, when all of your infielders commit errors it's not going to favor your team. We are all looking at how the Cubs lost, and we are hardly looking at the fact the Dodgers won. Maybe the Cubs were so focused on not losing and pleasing their fans that they forgot the fundamentals. Maybe the Dodgers are just a better team. Everybody knows that the Cubs rarely have a good September and unfortunatly for them, the Dodgers did and they kept that momentum going. And baseball players have all said that when you're hot, you know you're hot. They say when the pitcher let's go of the ball, the batter sees the baseball as the same size of a basketball. So let's sum this up. Cubs and Cubs fans - you had bad timing with the team you played. At the time they were better than you. There is no curse. It doesn't mean you are never going to win a World Series, it just means you weren't the better team, despite what your regular season record was. 
