I was catching up some reading this morning and came across a poll at South Side Sox in which Sox fans could vote for what their minimum expectations would be to make 2008 season successful.

The choices went from "Win the World Series" on the high end to "Acquire and Develop Players who will be developed to help improve in 2009-2011."  The leader in the clubhouse as I write this is "Meaningfully Contend for the Playoffs."
What is wrong with you people?  Have you become Cub fans?  Are you satisfied with "I'm just happy to be here."?  Or do you believe that  short of getting to the playoffs, the season is 162 games of wasted time?

Look the idea is to get in the playoffs.  You can't dance if you don't get invited to the ball.  Competing for the playoffs is not being in the playoffs.  And you can't compete for a championship if you aren't in the playoffs. To be happy just competing for the playoffs is accepting mediocrity.  It's that "oh well, we'll get them next year.  Rah team" attitude that leads to things like cheering for a team that hasn't won a championship since Teddy Roosevelt was President.  We're Sox fans.  We demand more. We don't accept mediocrity.  At least I never have. And if we did, we'd be blogging how Ozzie should be fired and Terry Bevington should be given a second chance. 

If your idea is to merely compete every year for a shot at the playoffs and not getting to the playoffs themselves, please check your Sox gear at the door and take up with a team who has lower expectations.  Might I suggest the Royals.  Or the Cubs.