Dreamin' About the Cubbies

I had to start thinking about it. I had to start dreaming about the Chicago Cubs winning the National League East.

On Monday, the Cubbies were 8-2 and riding a seven-game winning streak. Monday night, I had this vision: Andre Dawson hitting a homer in the bottom of the ninth against the Mets to clinch the pennant. Then, Mark Grace would homer to defeat the Texas Rangers to win the World Series. Yes, 1989, the year of the Cubbie. Players such as Mitch Webster, Mitch Williams, Paul Kilgus and Shawon Duston would become Cub legends.

But it was just a dream. Going into last night's game against the Expos, the Cubs had lost two games in a row.

Can the magic be over so soon? I am not going to think about it.

The top 10 things I would rather be doing right now:

10. Courtside, Madison Square Garden, Jackson alley-oop pass to Ewing. Slam City.

9. Escaping to any Club Med in the Caribbean.

8. Figuring out the first 50 picks of the NFL draft.

7. Going to dinner with Bob Costas. My treat, eating as he talks.

6. Watching Mike Greenwell practice his hitting, three hours before game time in an empty Fenway Park.

5. Not writing my junior paper, which is due in less than two weeks. (No, wait, I am doing that.)

4. Straightening out Don King's hair.

3. Listening to Vin Scully announce a baseball game.

2. Hanging out at Wrigley Field for the rest of my life.

1. Sleeping.

Check the standings of the American League East today. Looks a lot like the AFC West.

The Detroit Pistons, the Bad Boys of Midtown, are in the latest issue of Rolling Stone. Give me a break. Come on, Bill "Who me?" Laimbeer and Rick "That's not Charles Barkley's left hip, that's my elbow in your face" Mahorn dressed as bikers? Is this the NBA or Easy Rider?

Speaking about those hip Bad Boys of Midtown, looks like the Celtics will be playing them in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Can the stage be set for Larry's return?

Here's another one from the NCAA files: Reports in yesterday's Globe say that the NCAA might be investigating a "special benefit" violation involving Rumeal Robinson, the Cambridge native who iced the 1989 NCAA baketball title for the Michigan Wolverines. Louis Ford, Robinson's father, went to watch his son play in Seattle, Wash., thanks to a group of local business leaders, who funded his trip. Yeah, real serious stuff, here.

Dallas Cowboy president Tex Schramm is no longer the Cowboy president. He has been named to head the experimental International Football League (IFL), which will field teams from both the United States and Europe. Can you imagine this matchup: Jacksonville vs. Rome? It's very likely.

The Yankees are winning again. But the Mets are still losing. Life is good for now.

Call him old, call him washed-up, but Boston's Dwight Evans is baseball's most consistent star and its most underrated player.

Here's a scary thought: Last time the Texas Rangers were this good, Billy Martin was the team's manager.

I wonder which NFL team will pick Heisman-winner Barry Sanders.

The NHL playoffs without Wayne Gretzky? Good thing the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Edmonton Oilers. The Calgary Flames? Now that's another story. But any team that has the Great One has a great chance to win.