I’m certain that I’m not alone when I say that I am thrilled that baseball is back. March Madness this year drove me nearly mad. So, the return of America’s pastime marks a keen interest in sports, and I tend to watch a lot more ESPN this time of year.

I am more than likely alone, however, when I say that it is not the beloved Redbirds that I’m gung ho about, it is the good old Chicago Cubbies. Saying something like this, especially in St. Louis, may be considered a little risqué, but I am willing to suffer the consequences.

The Cubs organization is one of the greatest franchises in all of sports. Sure, we have not been to a World Series since 1945, but the club as an organization is the embodiment of baseball. Here are some reasons why:

Dedication
This used to be a title the Cubs shared with the Boston Red Sox, but winning two World Series in the last five years and dominating recently has led to the BoSox being easier to support than the Yankees. I know plenty of loyal Cardinals fans, but I also know a lot who cannot name any players whose names aren’t Pujols or Rolen.

There are no Cubs fans who can remember the last time we won a World Series, but we stick by them all the same. Cubs games almost always sell out, while teams that have had much more success (see the Florida Marlins) have trouble filling up the stadium even a third of the way. The Cubs can go 40-122 and still fill the seats.

Harry Caray
Yeah, I know that he commentated for both the Cards and the White Sox before he was a Cubs broadcaster, but he’ll forever be known as the face of the Cubs. Who didn’t love an inebriated Caray mispronouncing names like ‘Mark Grudzielanek’ or ‘Hector Villanueva’ and talking more about hot dogs and beer than the actual game?

Throw in Steve Stone as the counterbalance and you have a winning combination. Throw in hundreds of impersonations, including Will Ferrell’s that asks the bold question, “If the moon were made of spare ribs, would ya eat it?”, and you have a legend. Cubs win! Cubs win!

Wrigley Field
Also known as one of the oldest and greatest stadiums in all of sports. ‘The Friendly Confines’ has been the Cubs’ stomping ground since 1914. How many parts are located smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood, and have an entire culture around it? ‘Wrigleyville,’ meaning all the bars and restaurants around the stadium, make the Wrigley experience a unique one.

Curses and failures
Even I am willing to admit that the Cubs, generally speaking, have been completely terrible for a better part of the last century, so what is not to love? If you are a fan of the other teams, make room in your hearts for the Cubbies because (obviously) we haven’t done much to hurt any other teams lately.

I honestly hope and think it could change this season, but who knows. Any team that has more curses than World Series wins is worthy of being called ‘lovable losers’. From the Billy Goat to Bartman and everything in-between, we will blame anything for our lack of success.

Bleacher bums, old style beer, ivy-covered walls, day games and seventh innning stretch (especially when sung by Ditka). If all the reasons I’ve talked about or listed don’t make you want to attend a Cubs game even once or twice you shouldn’t be considered a baseball fan.

Landon Burris is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.