All hail the Chicago Cubs, loveable losers no more.
In fact, they're probably on their way to becoming insufferable winners.
Their first World Series victory in 108 years will undoubtedly lead to a high media profile. Cubs players will be as ubiquitous on commercials as Peyton Manning.
There will be a slew of Cubs books, too, fueled by their national following and the irresistible story of how they finally won.
Theo Epstein is the architect of this turnaround, working the same magic he did in Boston. Under his guidance, the Red Sox also ended a long drought and won a couple of Series with teams that Epstein assembled.
There is no question he's a smart operator. Proof of his intelligence is the way he chooses places that have an open checkbook for him to use when shopping for players.
The Cubs have an enviable core to their regular lineup: Kris Bryant is 24, Addison Russell is 22 and Kyle Schwarber is 23. (They're all younger than Gregory Polanco).
Anthony Rizzo is a comparative old man at 27, a year younger than Starling Marte.
Epstein has assembled a formidable group, and he knows he will have the resources to keep it together. While some teams would have to decide on which two of the four to keep, Epstein will have the luxury of signing all of them.
Need pitching? Epstein is the guy who gave Jon Lester a $155 million contract.
Money alone doesn't win. Look at the Detroit Tigers, who had a payroll of $206 million and missed the postseason.
Being smart only goes so far. Then the players climb the pay scale, and some of them have to be replaced. That's not easy.
When you can back a smart plan with about $200 million per year, you have the kind of monster the Cubs are becoming.
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--MADDON'S MOVES
In the frenzy that followed the World Series, here's hoping Cubs manager Joe Maddon found time to offer a moment of silent thanks for the way his players got him off the hook.
Maddon had a series of questionable decisions including, but not limited to, his quick hook for starting pitchers, the overuse of closer Aroldis Chapman and his decision to have Javier Baez bunt with two strikes.
Maddon wound up holding the trophy. He could have just as easily been trying to justify his strategy.
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--UNLIKELY HERO
One of the oddest aspects of the Cubs' season was the elevation of career backup catcher David Ross to folk hero.
Teammates loved him, which is fine. For some reason, fans also embraced a 39-year old career .229 hitter who was playing for his seventh team. That includes 40 games with the 2005 Pirates.
All's well that ends well, and Ross will inexplicably be a Cubs legend for the next century.
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--TOUGH ENOUGH
Seems pretty ridiculous that Ben Roethlisberger's toughness is being challenged with accusations that he embellishes injuries and is some sort of diva or drama king.
He once finished a game with a broken nose, struggling to breathe through the packing material that was inserted to provide temporary support.
Some of his critics wouldn't be able to operate their TV remote if they had a paper cut.
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--INTERESTING MATCH-UP
Early season hockey is usually ho-hum, but there's a potentially compelling match-up Tuesday at PPG Paints Arena.
Edmonton visits, led by Connor McDavid, who is widely touted as the next Sidney Crosby. He'll be going up against the existing Sidney Crosby, who has shown he isn't quite done with that role.
One possible caveat: The Penguins will be playing their first game after returning from the west coast, and those dates sometimes suffer from the travel hangover.
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