hsnterprize
11-10-2005, 08:51 PM
I was on the Orange Line going to LaSalle Street for a job interview this afternoon. When I got on the train at Midway Airport, I saw a group of high school students racing to get the train. I helped them all get on board since they had a lot of travel items with them. Turned out they were travelling in from Seattle heading to the Loop for some kind of journalism conference. I talked with one of the people in their group, and I happened to say to him, "Welcome to Chicago, home of the 2005 World Series Champion White Sox." He chuckled and said he'd expect to hear that a lot while he and his group were in town.
As we were heading towards the Loop, we engaged in some good conversation. He and his group were enjoying the views of the skyline and such. I even told him about the Cubs/Sox divide here, and he seemed to get it right away. He was wearing a Washington State Cougars cap, and I asked him "...if Washington were playing for a national championship, would you root for them just because they were in the same state?" He said, "I'd root for them to lose." I said, "That's the way we are here when it comes to the Cubs and White Sox. Rule here is you DON'T root for both teams...you're either a Cubs fan OR a Sox fan." He was pretty impressed with that. I along with another local even pointed out U.S. Cellular Field in the distance as we were getting close to the Roosevelt stop. I even said I'd like to see a Mariners game at Safeco Field someday, and he said it's a beautiful place, but attendance is down since the M's aren't winning. I told him the novelty of the new place is wearing off, and he said people in Seattle are getting idea that winning is what counts, not a fancy ballpark with a retractable umbrella-style roof. He also said the best place to sit is in the upper deck in right field.
Eventually, the guy and his group got off, and went to my interview. When I talked with the man interviewing me, I noticed he had a Sox championship banner thumbtacked on the back wall of his cubicle. I asked him if he was a Sox fan, and he really let loose. He said he was from Iowa, and because of the Cub love constantly around him while in college, as well as his dad's love for the Kansas City Royals, somehow he decided to follow the Sox. He obviously took a lot of heat from the Cub fans he was constantly around, but now he, like the rest of us, is on top of the world. His office is within sight of the parade route, and he said people had to walk so far out of the way to get inside because of the crowds.
Then on the way home, a group from Minneapolis/St. Paul was on the train with me. They were on a 6 hour layover from Midway flying home, so they decided to go into downtown for some sightseeing. As we were getting closer to the airport, I asked them some questions about the stadium issues for the Twins and Vikings. One of the people said with recent events, the vote for the Vikes to get their new stadium has turned for the worst. Nothing about the Twins new proposed stadium. I also told them the Xcel Energy Center was a lot like the old Chicago Stadium in how the upper levels were steep so Wild fans were right on top of the ice. It was a good conversation...especially since one of the people noticed my Sox cap, and commented about the team's success. They had fun celebrating the 1987 and 1991 Series wins, and they "avoided" the Sox parade when they arrived in town that day.
BTW...the interview went well, and I could be getting a new job really soon. In the meantime, I told him about WSI, and I hope he checks it out soon. He can see just how much we love the Sox, and why he did the right thing by following our team instead of that "other" team in town.
As we were heading towards the Loop, we engaged in some good conversation. He and his group were enjoying the views of the skyline and such. I even told him about the Cubs/Sox divide here, and he seemed to get it right away. He was wearing a Washington State Cougars cap, and I asked him "...if Washington were playing for a national championship, would you root for them just because they were in the same state?" He said, "I'd root for them to lose." I said, "That's the way we are here when it comes to the Cubs and White Sox. Rule here is you DON'T root for both teams...you're either a Cubs fan OR a Sox fan." He was pretty impressed with that. I along with another local even pointed out U.S. Cellular Field in the distance as we were getting close to the Roosevelt stop. I even said I'd like to see a Mariners game at Safeco Field someday, and he said it's a beautiful place, but attendance is down since the M's aren't winning. I told him the novelty of the new place is wearing off, and he said people in Seattle are getting idea that winning is what counts, not a fancy ballpark with a retractable umbrella-style roof. He also said the best place to sit is in the upper deck in right field.
Eventually, the guy and his group got off, and went to my interview. When I talked with the man interviewing me, I noticed he had a Sox championship banner thumbtacked on the back wall of his cubicle. I asked him if he was a Sox fan, and he really let loose. He said he was from Iowa, and because of the Cub love constantly around him while in college, as well as his dad's love for the Kansas City Royals, somehow he decided to follow the Sox. He obviously took a lot of heat from the Cub fans he was constantly around, but now he, like the rest of us, is on top of the world. His office is within sight of the parade route, and he said people had to walk so far out of the way to get inside because of the crowds.
Then on the way home, a group from Minneapolis/St. Paul was on the train with me. They were on a 6 hour layover from Midway flying home, so they decided to go into downtown for some sightseeing. As we were getting closer to the airport, I asked them some questions about the stadium issues for the Twins and Vikings. One of the people said with recent events, the vote for the Vikes to get their new stadium has turned for the worst. Nothing about the Twins new proposed stadium. I also told them the Xcel Energy Center was a lot like the old Chicago Stadium in how the upper levels were steep so Wild fans were right on top of the ice. It was a good conversation...especially since one of the people noticed my Sox cap, and commented about the team's success. They had fun celebrating the 1987 and 1991 Series wins, and they "avoided" the Sox parade when they arrived in town that day.
BTW...the interview went well, and I could be getting a new job really soon. In the meantime, I told him about WSI, and I hope he checks it out soon. He can see just how much we love the Sox, and why he did the right thing by following our team instead of that "other" team in town.