Dec. 11--Perhaps it's in the nature of Cubs fans to cling to any omen -- good or ominous. So it's understandable that with the signing of free-agent ace Jon Lester, some foresee the kind of Hollywood ending that has been scripted many times over.
"Back to the Future II" (1989)
Marty McFly sees a "sports flash" on a holographic billboard: Cubs sweep Miami to win the 2015 World Series. Set aside the fact that two National League teams can't meet in the World Series, it still would be incredible if the real Cubs made good on the prediction. Director and Chicago native Robert Zemeckis would be hailed as a modern-day Nostradamus.
"Rookie of the Year" (1993)
A freak accident gifts a 12-year-old boy with a fastball that cracks 100 mph. Of course, the Cubs sign him on the spot and he leads them all the way, flashing a blue World Series ring at the end.
"MLB12: The Show" (2012)
Gridlock on Upper Wacker Drive. Pandemonium at the Wiener's Circle. An elderly Cubs fan cuts off his gray beard as if exorcising a decades-old demon. PlayStation gives us a glimpse of what a World Series celebration might look like in its video game commercial.
"Revolution" (2012)
A trailer for NBC's post-apocalyptic series "Revolution" showed a decayed Wrigley Field marquee that saluted the "2012 World Series Champions." But the words were removed when the episode aired.
