Oct. 18--Chicago's loss to the New York Mets in Game 1 of National League Championship Series could not defeat Cubs devotees who believe this is finally the year.
Fans in Wrigleyville showed signs of frustration throughout Saturday night's game: Boos when Cubs leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler struck out. Groans as the game dragged on and Cubs hitters struggled to score runs. Some barstool-managers were upset Joe Maddon didn't pull Jon Lester because he wasn't quite as sharp as Mets ace Matt Harvey, who one fan said was "on point."
But Cubs fans said they believed the pennant would come to the North Siders in the end.
"Why not this year?" said 39-year old Andy Tarnoff, who noted that it's the Year of the Goat, and the 1989 "Back to the Future II" movie predicted the Cubs' victory.
Others at Sluggers, a popular bar in Wrigleyville, echoed the optimism.
"It's first to (win) four," said Alex Collar, 27. "There's six other games."
Even in the eighth, when the Cubs were down 4-2, 27-year old Francesca Saldivar said she expected a 6-4 victory Saturday.
That didn't happen. But Cubs fans seemed OK with the end result.
After all, they said, the Cubs lost the first game of the National League Division Series to the archrival St Louis Cardinals.
"If we can split in New York," said 23-year old Pete Colon, "we'll be in good shape."
Even before the game began, Cub fever was high in Wrigleyville. Cars could be heard blasting "Go Cubs Go" and one man in a "We Are Good" shirt walked down Clark chanting "Let's Go Cubs!"
The team's partisans projected confidence about their team's outlook, with some expressing a particular swagger unusual on the city's North Side.
Cub fan Lauren Riley, 26, and her Metropolitans aficionado boyfriend Mark Dreshaj, 36, were walking outside Wrigley when she made a bold declaration.
"We're gonna crush them and he's gonna be like, 'Oh it's fine,'" said Riley, with a laugh.
He took the teasing with good humor and said he holds no ill will toward the Cubs.
"I love the Cubs but I gotta go with my home team," said Dreshaj, who is from Queens. "Any other time I'd be wearing a Cubs shirt."
As they waited in front of a bar, John Tatlock, 22, and Kyle Molskow, 23, said they felt good about the team's chances.
"The Cubs are hot and the hottest team wins," Molskow said.
Tatlock said this year's squad has "more momentum" and works better as a team than the 2008 and 2003 squads that lost in the postseason.
Near the end of the game, Jimmy Cook, 23, said he's usually pessimistic about the Cubs. Not this year.
"It's the vibe, it's the aura," Cook said.
gpratt@tribpub.com
