Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Lovable Losers: Cubs Again Not Going to World Series

Aired October 16, 2003 - 06:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Maybe we can now call it the "Curse of the Scapegoat." Why not blame the poor fan who snatched an out from Moises Alou. Yes, the Cubs lost. Fans are sobbing, and I'm not exaggerating.
Let's head live to Chicago and Keith Oppenheim.

Fans were sobbing. It was incredible to see.

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Yes, let's be nice to that poor guy, by the way, Carol. I'm in Wrigleyville, which is one of the great neighborhoods of baseball. And what a sad place it is this morning because folks are finally realizing that the Chicago Cubs season is over and the long lousy streak is still with us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cubs fans sauntered out of their baseball cathedral realizing once again they have to carry the burden of history.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a little bit sad, but you know what, we can do it next year, you know.

OPPENHEIM: Chicagoans have been waiting until next year for 95 years, the last time the Cubs won a championship. Local legend has it in 1945 a Chicago tavern owner, whose mascot goat was denied entry to the ballpark, put a curse on the Cubs. And since then, the Cubs haven't made a World Series appearance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolute, a little sad that we got -- we made it this far but we couldn't get anywhere further.

OPPENHEIM: But frustration and superstition have never seemed to stop devotion. Cubs manager Dusty Baker was optimistic.

DUSTY BAKER, CHICAGO CUBS MANAGER: In my mind, this is just the beginning of, you know, good things to come for us for many years.

OPPENHEIM: Still, the Florida Marlins stunning come-from-behind victory in the series will be a painful memory for the Cubs faithful, especially in game six. A key moment with just five outs to go, a fan interferes with a Moises Alou's attempt to catch a foul pop, and that kept the inning, as well as the Marlins' chances alive. No one said losing was easy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to be very hard, a long night ahead. Got a long ride home. Very slow, very disappointing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OPPENHEIM: Now, Carol, since superstition seems to be the currency of the day, I think it's worth pointing out that the score for the American League series and National League series games were the same last night. You had the Marlins beating the Cubs 9 to 6. You had the Red Sox beating the Yankees 9 to 6. And now the Marlins will find out who they will face tonight.

COSTELLO: You know, I don't know, I'm a -- I'm a Tigers fan, so it's hard for me to feel sorry for Chicago fans, but I do.

Let's talk about the fan who caught that foul ball or didn't catch it and almost did. I understand there is security around his house. He felt he had to come out and offer a public apology. Can you tell us more about that?

OPPENHEIM: Yes, he made that statement through his brother-in- law yesterday, which was probably a proactive attempt to explain to the public that he meant no harm to the Cubs chances. That he is a Cubs fan. Turns out that this guy is a youth baseball coach. And I think he is trying to stop this publicity that he is getting. I don't know if that will happen, but he is obviously concerned for his safety. He did not show up to work yesterday. So we'll see what happens. The idea was that if the Cubs had won, that story would have been forgotten, but they have lost, so now people might call him the scapegoat. We'll see what happens.

COSTELLO: The curse of the scapegoat. And Moises Alou, by the way, came out and said that he hoped the Cubs win so that this guy wouldn't have to live with it for the rest of his life.

OPPENHEIM: Yes.

COSTELLO: Thanks very much. Keith Oppenheim reporting live from Chicago.

OPPENHEIM: Right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 16, 2003 - 06:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Maybe we can now call it the "Curse of the Scapegoat." Why not blame the poor fan who snatched an out from Moises Alou. Yes, the Cubs lost. Fans are sobbing, and I'm not exaggerating.
Let's head live to Chicago and Keith Oppenheim.

Fans were sobbing. It was incredible to see.

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Yes, let's be nice to that poor guy, by the way, Carol. I'm in Wrigleyville, which is one of the great neighborhoods of baseball. And what a sad place it is this morning because folks are finally realizing that the Chicago Cubs season is over and the long lousy streak is still with us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cubs fans sauntered out of their baseball cathedral realizing once again they have to carry the burden of history.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a little bit sad, but you know what, we can do it next year, you know.

OPPENHEIM: Chicagoans have been waiting until next year for 95 years, the last time the Cubs won a championship. Local legend has it in 1945 a Chicago tavern owner, whose mascot goat was denied entry to the ballpark, put a curse on the Cubs. And since then, the Cubs haven't made a World Series appearance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolute, a little sad that we got -- we made it this far but we couldn't get anywhere further.

OPPENHEIM: But frustration and superstition have never seemed to stop devotion. Cubs manager Dusty Baker was optimistic.

DUSTY BAKER, CHICAGO CUBS MANAGER: In my mind, this is just the beginning of, you know, good things to come for us for many years.

OPPENHEIM: Still, the Florida Marlins stunning come-from-behind victory in the series will be a painful memory for the Cubs faithful, especially in game six. A key moment with just five outs to go, a fan interferes with a Moises Alou's attempt to catch a foul pop, and that kept the inning, as well as the Marlins' chances alive. No one said losing was easy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to be very hard, a long night ahead. Got a long ride home. Very slow, very disappointing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OPPENHEIM: Now, Carol, since superstition seems to be the currency of the day, I think it's worth pointing out that the score for the American League series and National League series games were the same last night. You had the Marlins beating the Cubs 9 to 6. You had the Red Sox beating the Yankees 9 to 6. And now the Marlins will find out who they will face tonight.

COSTELLO: You know, I don't know, I'm a -- I'm a Tigers fan, so it's hard for me to feel sorry for Chicago fans, but I do.

Let's talk about the fan who caught that foul ball or didn't catch it and almost did. I understand there is security around his house. He felt he had to come out and offer a public apology. Can you tell us more about that?

OPPENHEIM: Yes, he made that statement through his brother-in- law yesterday, which was probably a proactive attempt to explain to the public that he meant no harm to the Cubs chances. That he is a Cubs fan. Turns out that this guy is a youth baseball coach. And I think he is trying to stop this publicity that he is getting. I don't know if that will happen, but he is obviously concerned for his safety. He did not show up to work yesterday. So we'll see what happens. The idea was that if the Cubs had won, that story would have been forgotten, but they have lost, so now people might call him the scapegoat. We'll see what happens.

COSTELLO: The curse of the scapegoat. And Moises Alou, by the way, came out and said that he hoped the Cubs win so that this guy wouldn't have to live with it for the rest of his life.

OPPENHEIM: Yes.

COSTELLO: Thanks very much. Keith Oppenheim reporting live from Chicago.

OPPENHEIM: Right.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com