History one foe that can T-up Cubs

Some might say a three-game losing streak fits the Cubs to a T.

So if they thought they could frolic through this season without being tested by tradition, they have another think coming.

The Cubs are competing against Milwaukee in the National League Central. A couple of other teams will be ready to challenge them in the playoffs.

But the Cubs' biggest opponent in September and October will be their own history.

Maybe you heard that the Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908. If their current players haven't, they sure will the next couple of months.

Disaster sells, folks. In the Gulf Coast they're probably selling merchandise these days commemorating the latest dangerous hurricane.

Maybe like, "Gustav and Katrina - a marriage made in hell."

The Cubs' bad 100 years isn't anywhere near that serious, of course, which means entrepreneurs can have even more fun at their expense.

Like, a fellow named Darrell Horwitz is peddling T-shirts that read, "Century Peat" (www.centurypeat.com), to celebrate "the Cubs' 100-year quest to win the World Series."

Some celebration.

Then there's Elliot Fineman, who came up with T-shirts heralding the "1200-Month Fan" (fan@1200monthfan.com). Do the math on a calendar.

Fineman insists he's selling an antidote, as in "the force to shift the energy to the positive."

The Cubs could have used something Monday, when a 3-0 loss to Houston stretched their losing streak to three games.

"It was not a good day for us," left fielder Alfonso Soriano said.

Uh-oh, suddenly the league's highest-scoring team isn't hitting good pitching. They aren't beating good teams. Carlos Zambrano and Rich Harden are requiring more rest between starts.

Is the ball beginning to bounce the wrong way for the Cubs? Miguel Tejada's drive off the left-field wall caromed past Soriano and nearly back to the infield, resulting in an odd triple.

"I've seen that before in batting practice," Soriano said, "but not in a game."

With stuff like that starting to happen, it's never too early for Cubs fans to begin experiencing grief, panic and angst.

None of it makes sense. The Cubs are 32 games over .500, have the N.L.'s best record, and would have to suffer something strange to miss the playoffs.

Like a curse or a jinx or a hex.

"I like our position," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "I also recognize that all we have done is gotten ourselves into position. Now we have to close the deal."

Making the playoffs really isn't the issue. The Cubs will, probably easily, most likely as division champs.

But that's when the anxiety will reach stressful proportions. My goodness, how will the T-shirts read then? Some cruel businessman will print up "100 and counting" and "I survived the great Cubs' collapse of '08."

To this point, Piniella has had a calm approach to the Cubs' bad century. He smiles while referring to something going wrong as a "Cubbie occurrence."

Piniella notes that opponents "try to beat you a little more" when you have the best record and "in the postseason everything starts anew."

Just think what the great T-shirt philosophers of our time will be rolling out by then.

mimrem@dailyherald.com