26 Hope. It grows in fans every spring, just like the grass on their favorite diamond. Cubs fans cultivate it annually, fighting off poisonous thoughts of curses, jinxes and a World Series drought. If Chicago fans began Thursday night with expectations clipped a bit by a loss in Game 1, they remained capable of fighting off hopeless statements such as "This century is starting to look a lot like the last one, eh Cubs fans?" posted by "Gremlins":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Gremlins. We pick up the implosion of hope from the conversation before the game and follow it through the lights going out at Wrigley. *Pregame, Dodgers lead series 1-0* _As a Cubs fan since 1967, I am nervous after last night's showing, I'll be honest, because I have seen them implode so many times over the years._ - "gm12440":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/gm12440 *Dodgers lead 3-0 (Cubs fans see error of their ways)* _I didn't believe in the curse until tonight. This is not the Cubs that played in the regular season. What the hell happened?_ - "xXRazorback5Xx":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/xXRazorback5Xx *Dodgers lead 5-0 (Faithful Cubs fans blindly hope for miracle)* _Every year the Cubs make the playoffs people get beside themselves thinking this is the year._ _But this year is (was?) supposed to be the year. This team is unlike any team I've ever seen. I just don't understand how we can collapse when it matters most._ _Forget the Billy Goat, black cat and Bartman - the real curse is time. It weighs down the minds of the Cubs players._ _Do "I believe?" I don't know._ _I'm 22. Do I think I'm going to see a Cubs championship in my lifetime?_ _I don't know._ - "dan for the win":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/dan%20for%20the%20win *Dodgers lead 6-0 (Only Cubs fans able to handle worst insults remain)* _You can blame this on the Cubs fans. They already had the Cubs winning the World Series, before the season even started. Way too much pressure on these guys, and to be honest it looks like the Cubs need another left-handed bat or two._ - "WhiteSox2005Cubs1908":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/WhiteSox2005Cubs1908 _I'd rather be the Mets and not be in the playoffs and getting crushed like the Cubs are now. This is painful._ - "OlPally":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/OlPally _I know the new curse: Bill Murray is a fan and is living the same losing day over and over again like in his movie "Groundhog Day." It's Bill's fault._ - "DaBoyz4life11":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/DaBoyz4life11 _Well no person alive has seen the Texas Rangers in a World Series so look at the bright side._ - "poytor1":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/poytor1 _Sorry, but has their ever been such a fan base that just flat out expects their team to lose? Do any Cub fans think the curse has more to do with the underlying belief that their team is just destined for failure?_ - "ktmhanson758":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/ktmhanson758 *Dodgers lead 7-0 (Anger)* _They're booing in Wrigley._ - "datzMRDorsey":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/datzMRDorsey *Dodgers lead 7-1 (Dismissal)* _Just cruel. Giving Cubbies hopes of some sort of miracle._ - "sdeharo79":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/sdeharo79 *Dodgers lead 8-1 (Grief)* _There's no crying in baseball._ - "Dodgersal55":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Dodgersal55 *Dodgers lead 9-1 (Disbelief)* _What's the Major League mercy rule?_ - "UBQB19":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/UBQB19 *Dodgers lead 10-1 (Resignation)* _Well the Cubbies are done. Maybe 101 is a better number for them._ - "sneller01":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/sneller01 *Dodgers lead 10-3 (Hunger)* _The fat lady is eating Twinkies in the tunnel._ - "Thomas341":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Thomas341 *Dodgers lead series 2-0 and will host Cubs in L.A.* _It's like a bad car wreck, you don't want to watch, but you just can't believe what you just saw._ - "Spc.BoatUnit22":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Spc.BoatUnit22 _Manny being Manny + Cubs being Cubs = SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!_ - "MrRams805":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/MrRams805 _Looks like Wrigley Field is closed for the season folks._ - "tofili30":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/tofili30 _I'm actually crying right now. You guys can give me all the crap you want, but I'm still gonna say this. I've never had a real girlfriend, but I've had my heart broken three times._ - "ChiBulls26":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/ChiBulls26 *Cubs lose blogs* _And this year, wow. I believed that we could. Never said we would aloud or to myself. But here we are, down 2-0, and it hurts the same as last year._ - "Blaze9497":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Blaze9497/blog/posts/69056 _I've seen funerals that were less depressing than your act at Wrigley._ - "Gremlins":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Gremlins/blog/posts/69066 _Always looking for a championship has kept me glued to my team. I will always stick to them no matter what happens._ - "Junior5230":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/Junior5230/blog/posts/69033 _Gone is the magical year. Gone is the feeling that this could be it. With the exception of extreme optimists, most of us realize that this isn't the year._ - "therealacevenom":http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/therealacevenom/blog/posts/68997 true 2008-10-03T00:38:15Z 68991 1 2008-10-04T14:29:00Z