OK for now to cheer for Cubs and Sox

We really must unite on this issue, or it will overwhelm us.

It's pitting neighbor against neighbor. Family members, in some cases, are at each others' throats.

You can't pick up a newspaper, turn on the TV or log on without being overwhelmed by it all.

We're losing sleep over it and find ourselves glued to any news source available for updates.

Such bitter division is certainly not doing anything for our collective mental health.

All this bickering and name calling should stop.

Until such time as the Cubs and Sox both make it to the World Series, of course.

Oh, did you think we were talking about the financial bailout plan?

The Daily Herald's editorial board, which we have structured to be a microcosm of the suburbs, is pretty evenly split between rabid Cubs fans and rabid Sox fans (so much so that we're merely listing the teams here in alphabetical order.) The topic is so sensitive that we've chosen a fair-weather fan who enjoys both teams' successes and rarely cries in his beer at their failures to write this editorial.

The one thing we can all agree on, though, is that it is counterproductive to bad-mouth the other guys, unless those other guys happen to be the Dodgers, Rays, Red Sox, Angels, Brewers or Phillies. (Notice, that list took no pains to be in alphabetical order.)

Don't cannibalize what could be a shining moment in Chicago sporting history - something we haven't seen in 102 years - by putting the mojo on your least favorite Chicago baseball team. Not now. If the Sox can keep playing the way they did this week and the Cubs live up to the favorites' role in the NL, we just might see the first Chicago Subway Series since the advent of the subway.

We know it's foolhardy to think we could change the minds of rabid anti-Cubs fans or rabid anti-Sox fans. We as an editorial board could never agree on which way to try to sway you anyway.

But what we can find consensus on is that the best thing we can do is simply push for each other's continued success in the playoffs.

How long has it been since both teams were in the playoffs at the same time? Yep, that same 102 years.

At a time when we can barely cast a glance at your 401(k) statement and are worried about drowning in red ink, can't we all immerse ourselves in the bliss of having both teams in the playoffs? It's good for the collective psyche of the Chicago area.

And the prospect of them meeting in the Series is the penultimate chance for bragging rights.

Finally, we have an opportunity for all in baseballdom to divert their attention to our fair city.

Something that Chicago can feel good about, especially when the news we're facing otherwise is just too depressing to think about all day.

So cheer for the Sox, cheer for the Cubs. Until such time they take the field as opponents.

When that happens, it's every fan for himself.