Fan sorry from 'bottom of broken heart'

[Paragon]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2003/news/story?id=1638975

A Chicago Cubs fan who last night reached out and deflected a foul ball that seemed destined for Moises Alou's glove is apologizing for his actions.

Steve Bartman issued a statement today saying he is truly sorry from the bottom of his broken heart. He says he had his eyes glued on the approaching ball the entire time and did not see that Alou had a play.

Bartman says had he known the ball was playable, he would have gotten out of the way.

Bartman angered his fellow Cubs fans when he deflected the ball just as Alou appeared to be about to catch it. The Cubs had a meltdown afterwards, and the Florida Marlins won the Game Six of the National League Championship.

[joeybee12]

1. Leave him Alone!

And even if he's a Republican, still leave him alone!

[Dookus]

2. agreed...

99% of people would've done exactly what he did. It was a foul ball, and he tried to catch it, as did all the people around him.

The poor bastard's life is being ruined over this silly incident. Gonzales hasn't received one TENTH the approbation Bartman got, and deserves it ten times more.

[Paragon]

3. Wrong.

If you've ever sat in the first four or five rows at a ballpark, anyone with half a brain KNOWS that a ball is, in fact, playable. Get the hell out of the way.

[joeybee12]

4. Phooey on you--he was caught up in the moment!

It's just a friggin' game!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Paragon]

7. Sorry, but...

...you don't build stadiums at large taxpayer expense if "it's just a game". Ask the local businesses surrounding the parks if "it's just a game". Tell the legions of fans that their civic pride is a joke, that "it's just a game".

YOU may not care, but a lot more people obviously do. Have some respect.

[HEyHEY]

9. Amen

If you dislike sports don't get mad at those who would threaten someone's life for screwing up a game> You wouldn't understand!

[ScreamingMeemie]

17. I do love (certain) sports, and I do think the ire directed at this fan

is out of hand. I really think a large majority of the people who love baseball would have done the same thing in the same position. Look at the pictures of how many hands were outstretched. It is a sad outcome for the Cubs to be sure, but it is (supposed to be) just a game. I get irritated at really bad football calls, which are just as damaging-if not more so-to the outcome of a game. I then get over it. Bad calls deserve my scorn for a day...then it's Monday.

No harm intended here, just my opinion.

[stickdog]

21. The majority of IDIOT fans would have done the same thing. Any DECENT

fan would have known the Cubs NEEDED that out and would have gotten the hell out the way.

[ScreamingMeemie]

22. Call me an idiot then, I think-caught in the moment-I just may have

done the same thing. Just trying to shed a little perspective.

[vi5]

10. THat's the problem...

Maybe taxpayer money shouldn't go to building giant playgrounds for grown men to play games on. Maybe the billionaire owners should foot that bill.

And if civic pride is so tied up in the outcome of a silly game then perhaps some perspective is needed.

[mbartko]

29. Exactly!! :)

[joeybee12]

16. Respect? Give me a break!

It is just a game!

People are dying all over the world.

Put it in perspective.

It's just a game.

I am a die-hard Red Sox fan, so I know heartbreak all too well.

But it's just a game!

Yeah, I'd be pissed if I was a Cubs fan, but that's no reason to threaten the guy's life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fishnfla]

20. wow!

Dude, I really hope your team wins tonight. Doesn't seem to me you can be a good sport at all.

Its.Only.A.Game.

[stickdog]

23. Spoken like the fan of an expansion team that has already won a WS. (NT)

[fishnfla]

25. LOL-I got insulted with that one last night

By Cubs fans, for sticking up for this guy, Steve Bartman, another Cubs fan.

[Dookus]

5. then why

was everybody around him scrambling for the ball, too?

[Paragon]

12. Look again

[vi5]

13. Uh....looking again....and I see a lot of other hands reaching...

Not sure what I'm missing.

[stickdog]

24. What you are missing is EVERY OTHER FAN getting out of Alou's way!

How much clearer do the pictures have to be?

[VermontDem2004]

28. I count about 5 hands

Plus from the replays it looks like we was focusing on the ball and yes the ball was up in the air and he was looking up. It is dumb as hell to blame this fan for costing the Cubs the game.

[Susang]

34. You are correct

I posted the picture in the other thread. There are about four people that I can see trying for the ball. There are two people on the far right of the picture who are just standing there. I have seen the picture from every conceivable angle, as many times as is humanly possible (I live in Chicago, you see). The only people who backed away were the white couple visible on the fan's right hand side.

[Southsideirish]

31. Amen - right on the cover of the Tribune - fan shrinking away.

I heard a Chgo. fireman sitting near him who said if he knew what he was going to do he would have grabbed him and tried to restrain him.

[Susang]

35. Did you hear what else he said?

He said that none of them could see Alou and that there was no way the fan would have done that if he could have seen it. The full interview was on the news last night.

[DS1]

19. that's because players can leap over a fence and five rows back

eh?

[VermontDem2004]

30. half a brain?

Nice insult, do you even know the guy?

[MaineDem]

6. I agree, too.

Blame Gonzalez, if blame is to be placed; not this guy.

I can imagine he feels just awful.

[bluestateguy]

8. Whatever happens to him is "chickens come home to roost"

My sympathy is with the millions of Cubs fans out there, minus him.

[Pithlet]

11. I hope you're joking

If you're not, that is terrible.

[Mikimouse]

14. I agree that we should leave him alone, and further

I would question why in bloody H*** we build those huge stadia at taxpayers expense, as some of you put it. I am just as much a sports fan as anyone, but have never understood why we constantly MUST spend that much money on an arena, where we are only going to get shafted for tickets, and later, for anything we might purchase in the park. It simply makes no sense to me. In the long run, it IS a game, and should be put in proper perspective.:hippie:

[ShaneGR]

15. Hey Miki, there's only one problem with what you're saying

Wrigley Field is about 100 years old.

[Mikimouse]

33. I know about Wrigley field and I think its very cool

That part of my response was directed to another poster that seemed to be highlighting tha importance of the game based on the taxpayers' outlay for new stadia. Hey, where I come from they may bronze the green monster (grew up in Boston), so I understand the love for Wrigley-many friends in Chi-town. Thanks for the response.

[Gman]

18. He should have got the hell out of the way

what the hell was he thinking?

I want to see a replay to see if Alou was yelling for them to get back. If Alou had been yelling that makes it all the worse because he had those damn headphones on. I can't imagine why Alou would not have been yelling for them to get back.

But, the guy's punishment will be with him for the rest of his life if the Cubs don't make it to the World Series.

[fishnfla]

26. Word=Death threats

His days are numbered

[HEyHEY]

32. I really do hope...seriously that there isn't some crazy fuck already...

Planning this guy's death.

[VermontDem2004]

27. THis is what he was thinking

"I had my eyes glued on the approaching ball the entire time and was so caught up in the moment that I did not even see Moises Alou, much less that he may have had a play," Bartman said in a statement.

"Had I thought for one second that the ball was playable or had I seen Alou approaching, I would have done whatever I could to get out of the way and give Alou a chance to make the catch."

Punishment? :wtf: IT IS ONLY A GAME.