Wait 'til next season.

I have a sense of foreboding. Doom. Yes. Those are the vibrations I'm getting from my favorite baseball team. The Chicago Cubs. Only the baseball gods can save 'em. And I don't expect the gods to intervene. This team has been drained of its confidence. No good vibes. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe things will turn around this weekend. When the Cubs play 4 games against the first-place St. Louis Cardinals. I have a feeling that the Cardinals will sweep the 4 games. And send the Cubs reeling for the rest of the season. This is the make-or-break series for the Cubs. For the Cardinals, too. And all the good vibes are with the Cardinals. Sad. Sad. Sad. For Chicago Cubs fans. Especially ardent ones like me. Maybe not as ardent as I should be. Because I'm losing faith in this team. I don't like to be associated with bad vibes. With baseball players that emanate bad vibes. Because those bad vibes become contagious. Overwhelmingly so. It's like living with someone in a constant state of depression. I can escape the bad vibes to some significant degree by diverting my attention this weekend to other things. Away from the Cubs. I'll do some gardening. Some physical exercising. I'll read an upbeat book. I'll listen to good music. I'll tidy up the house. But I'll vow to stay away from the Cubs games. After all, maybe I'm the one exuding the bad vibes. And that's what the Cubs are catching. My bad vibes. Maybe I'm the one putting the whammy on my team. Maybe I'm the one that lacks the confidence. Maybe if I were more optimistic, more positive, the Cubs would come out of their funk. And play good baseball. Winning baseball. But I doubt it. I don't believe it. The hex is on the Chicago Cubs. I'm resigned to the Cubs usual fate. And I'll just have to cry, wait 'til next season. --Jim Broede