Okay, so this was really just an excuse to exploit my daughter for personal “aawwwww” effect. Besides, the starting eight that took the field today, while technically a division winner, is more likely to win a division that rewards its champions with 7 cases of Schlitz and a year’s subscription to a magazine.

The truth is, the Cubs were out celebrating a division championship on Saturday and neither Kerm nor I were around to post up anything about it.

Thank god for the ShoutBox. I’ve heard that’s the only reason most of you come here anyway.

Anyway, Kerm and I made up for our weekend absence by personally congregating Sunday–along with Loyal Sons of Jim Essian Section 242 and Oleg– after this 94th win, to toast our own general stupidity, among other things.

By capturing their 94th win, this year’s Cubs have passed the ’89 Cubs and have now won more games than any other Cubs team since 1984, when they won 96. And while the 1984 season seems clear and vivid to yours truly, it was still a quarter century ago, so another cheers for the this year’s Cubs.

Going back to that division clincher…upon reflection, my favorite “subtle” thing about it was that former Cardinal hero Jim Edmonds caught the last out, in front of, approximately, 6,000 of the weird, clannish St. Louisians who simultaneously express disdain for Chicago while enjoying everything our city has to offer–including a career and a place to live that doesn’t smell like used socks.