No Love For Slogan Creator

As I mentioned last week, the slogan that has seemed to stick during the Cubs' exciting drive for the playoffs is "It's Gonna Happen". I mentioned at the time that the "It" was ambiguous, and the original Sports Illustrated article makes this very clear as it was originally trademarked with Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics in mind.

If you've been watching the Cubs all summer and you haven't really noticed this slogan, you're not alone. In an article today in the Tribune about our friend Brent Kowalowski, the writer mentions that the Cubs have kindly asked CSN and WGN to not show these signs during broadcasts of Cubs games. Are the Cubs just trying to keep the fans watching at home from getting their hopes up? Not exactly. This policy is due to the slogan creator's similar past to Kowalowski's.

In 1995, a Cubs fan named John Murray attacked reliever Randy Myers on the mound and was taken down by Myers. Murray was banned from Wrigley Field for one year, but now is trying to get publicity for his Cubs slogan, "It's Gonna Happen," which is printed on T-shirts, signs and wristbands.

The Cubs are aware of Murray's history and have asked Comcast SportsNet and WGN-Ch. 9 not to show Murray's signs during telecasts, according to team sources.

Now I know that incident happened 12 years ago and you're supposed to forgive and forget, but I don't really appreciate someone like that trying to profit off of the success of this team. So from this moment on I am shunning the use of the phrase "It's Gonna Happen" and I am calling upon you, the readers, to come up with something better. Leave any and all ideas in the comments, and maybe I can use my limited internet influence to make it stick.

UPDATE: The Sun-Times had a more in depth article on the topic about a week ago that I missed at the time. The article makes it seem like there's nothing wrong with the guy trying to make a quick buck, but I respectfully disagree. And here is a picture of what happened to Mr. Murray when he was dumb enough to charge a Major League baseball player 12 years ago.

Apparently umpiring has come a long way in the last 12 years. Back then you stopped a fight by sticking a baseball and a radio near the pitchers head.

Photo Courtesy of: Out of Right Field

Updates are in Order

Well it's been awhile since I've updated here, but I have an extremely solid excuse.

I'm lazy.

Well actually, it's because I've been working all day every day, which makes me tired at the end of the day. This translates into laziness.

Anyways, since the last time I popped my head in here, the Cubs have been tearing it up. People are finally starting to notice that we've got a real good team here, and the Brewers have been sweating like crazy as we inch closer to that elusive division lead.

There was an article in the most recent Sports Illustrated that I can't seem to find online about the slogan that has been attached to this team recently: "It's Gonna Happen".

People seem to assume that "it" is winning the World Series, but no one knows for sure what the original holder of the sign meant. Perhaps someone on the other side of the stadium called him and asked if it was going to rain anytime soon. And then the person's cell phone died. So maybe this "it" is actually rain, and not a World Series win. Far fetched, yes, but I'd be a little more comfortable if people didn't start making postseason declarations this early in the game. We've had enough jinxes over the years as it is.



I'm leaving for the cold, desolate plains of Minnesota tomorrow, for the sole reason that I know people there who are related to me. Seeing as my grandparents live on a farm, updates will be unlikely unless I can find a Panera somewhere. At least this time I'll have a good excuse. Normal operations will hopefully resume on Wednesday.

EDIT: Found the slogan article.