NLCS

[swamp]

CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! HOLY COW!

[CoachT]

Since the Braves lost I am now a Cubs fan for the rest of this year, anyway.

[Illini]

CUBS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited October 6, 2003 by Illini

[Lionman]

Hated to see the Braves lose, but am glad for the Cubs, especially since they haven't been there in "95 years". The Braves have some problems they need to get fixed, such as their pitching. I just hate to see them do so well in the regular season only to get eleminated early in the postseason. What do y'all think, is their problems in the pitching, managing, or do you think it falls in the "players desire to win" column? They could take some lessons from the Florida Marlins. They have really pulled together as a team and played well so far in the playoffs.

[goldenboy]

No Bobby Cox and no Barry Bonds, I'm happy.

[Catalyst]

Man I can't believe you would say that about Barry. He has had a tough year off the field, I was pulling for him.

[swamp]

is their problems in the pitching, managing, or do you think it falls in the "players desire to win" column?

Managing. Cox was there 2 or 3 times with the Jays before all the division titles with the Braves and has only won 1 world series. Definitely managing.

[gobigred]

I expected the Braves to lose in the NLDS. They do a great job of building teams for winning pennants, but seldom produce post season success. It has happened for several years. Here's why.

 

Almost every year the Braves are in command early in the pennant race. Shortly after the All Star break they consistently go on cruise control for thr remainder of the season. There is an obvious lack of emotion, almost to the level of boredom, and the "hustle" level appears to drop dramatically. I thought they were especially lethargic during September this year.

 

The Cubs (and Marlins) on the other hand, were battling for their playoff lives during the same period. They came into the series playing inspired baseball and expecting to win.

 

I agree with Swamp to some degree. Bobby Cox has had great success winning pennants, but he does a poor job of keeping an edge on his teams. The NBA Lakers and the Braves have proved once again this year that you can't just "turn it on" when you feel like it in pro sports.

 

To add to the problem this year, the Braves bullpen was atrocious, and we all know pitching usually wins out in a short series. It may be too late for Cox to learn from yet another hard lesson in the playoffs. His retirement is rumored, and it looks like Time-Warner is going to cinch up the purse strings, which means there will be an exodus of talent from Turner Field in the near future.

[swamp]

Red, let's also not forget that the Braves aren't really getting younger. Smoltz and Maddux are really getting long in the tooth.

[goldenboy]

While I feel sorry for Bonds' with his father dieing I still don't like him and love to see him lose. Did ya'll see Smoltz making excuses the other day and then say he wasn't making excuses? lol I thought it was funny.

[Lionman]

I have been a Braves fan for a long time. But I get tired of their lackluster effort at times. They need a new coach/manager to come in and get these players fired up.

Sometimes I think they try to be too classy. GOBIGRED's post pretty much summed it up. The Braves felt like they had it won and just tried to coast thru September. I don't think they thought they were going to lose that last game, but HELLO!, after the ninth inning was over reality hit. Or maybe they really don't care, and they're happy with having just a good regular season, the moneys good, and they can take off early and go do what they want. But the fan attendance is down at Turner Field, and after this it will probably be worse next year.

[addictedtosports.com]

I think Cubs over Braves is not even close the upset Marlins over Giants was.