I’m sitting in the bar of Michael Jordan’s SteakHouse (in our Historic Hotel of America, the Intercontinental) watching Chicago vs. the LA Dodgers with dozens of passionate Cubs fans. Stores and offices throughout the cities are hanging the iconic “W” flag in their windows.  Hell, even the University Club has a decorated bear in Cubs attire. I am texting with my Dodger daughter Claire in Southern California. Life is good.

Except…this isn’t my normal life.

I want to live in a real sports town. After spending portions of my life in Atlanta and Washington (neither of which is a real sports town), I am tired of the wimpy sports culture that comes from people who think that policy debates tell you more about life than arguments over baseball. I’ve been in Chicago, Boston, New York, and Philly in the past two weeks.  All great sports towns. Cleveland – another passionate sports town – is in the World Series and has suddenly become the city of champions.

D.C. needs some of that passion. But people leave games in the 7th inning.  Bars show the miserable Washington football club owned by the only man who might give Donald Trump a run for his money when it comes to mismanagement, while the Nats are in a playoff series.  We can’t get our Metro to stay open past midnight to take passionate fans home.  Don’t talk to me about a world-class city if mass transit closes at midnight.

I really don’t care who wins these games, but I love the passion!

Cubs Fever at the University Club in Chicago

Go Cubs/Indians/Dodgers!

More to come…

DJB