Has any other team made it as difficult to be a fan as the Chicago Cubs?

The Cubs haven’t won the World Series since 1908 and haven’t appeared in one since 1945. Cubs’ fans have dealt with bad luck, from the Curse of the Billy Goat to Steve Bartman potentially robbing Moises Alou of a catch in game six of the 2003 National League Championship series.

Yet, through all the difficulties, fans have still arrived in droves to watch their beloved North Siders play at Wrigley Field, setting a franchise record for attendance with 3,252,462 people in 2007. On Wednesday, the Cubs will get another playoff run, as they play at Arizona at 9 p.m. in their first playoff game since 2003.

The Cubs have a large contingent of fans on the ISU campus. For some, such as Tanner Twetten, freshman in hotel, restaurant and institution management, the obsession is not obtained but rather passed down through the generations.

“Ever since birth, I have been a Cubs fan. In my family, the past four generations have all have liked the Cubs. I don’t think I would be allowed to go home if I liked someone else,” Twetten said.

The Cubs, baseball’s “lovable losers,” have transformed into a legitimate title contender due in large part to their off-season spending splurge. In the winter, the Tribune Company doled out considerable amounts of money to help improve the consistently floundering franchise, including $136 million on outfielder Alfonso Soriano.

The signings of players such as Soriano and pitcher Ted Lilly initially received scrutiny from the media, yet proved to be wise investments, as Soriano hit .299 with 33 home runs to lead the team, while Lilly had a record of 15-8 with a 3.83 ERA. One off-season signing for the Cubs, however, will never play in a game for the team – manager Lou Piniella, who took over for former manager Dusty Baker after a 66-96 record in 2006.

“I definitely think the key to the Cubs’ success has been hiring manager Lou Piniella. Last year, we had Dusty Baker and he was not so good. This year, every move that Piniella decides to make has turned out well so far,” said Matt Frazier, senior in elementary education.

Since there is no dominant team, the Cubs will have as much of a chance as anyone else in the National League. David Ramirez, junior in criminal justice and sociology, sees the league’s parity as the opportunity the Cubs need to succeed well into the playoffs.

“I think this is the year the Cubs will finally make the World Series. If they make it, I will do whatever it takes to get tickets. Even if I don’t, I will still skip class and go watch the games from Waveland Avenue,” Ramirez said.

On the other hand, David Taylor, junior in chemical engineering, will remain realistic as his favorite team enters the postseason. For him, the history of the Cubs sticks out no matter how weak the rest of the league is.

“I’m going to set my goals low. As a Cubs fan, I’ve set the bar too high only to see them collapse right in front of my eyes many times,” Taylor said. “Once you get to the playoffs, anything can happen. If not, then there’s always next year.”