Congratulations World Series champs!

It's the day before I leave on vacation. Twenty-four hours before I jump on a plane and remove myself from this humdrum existence and insert myself into the fun, sun and party that is Australia.

But I'm not quite excited yet. Not in "vacation mode." It took a while, but today I finally figured out why I've been distracted.

Usually, my thoughts of baseball are long gone by late October thanks to my Cubs' habit of fading fast. But not this year. Chicago hasn't let go of its summertime distraction...long after the leaves have changed and t-shirts have been replaced by sweatshirts.

The Chicago White Sox have won the 2005 World Series! For the first time in 88 years, Chicago has a baseball champion and today was the official celebration in the Loop.

No, I haven't changed allegiances. I am still a true, blue Cub fan.

But I am also a baseball fan and can completely respect and appreciate what the White Sox have accomplished. The Sox played ball with passion (if not always intellect) and with the blue-collar, never-give-up attitude that the South Side of Chicago is known for.

During the baseball season, I've had an ongoing discussion/argument of baseball fandom with one of our management team, a fella who claims to be a diehard Sox fan. It's usually a bit of bickering of "my team is better" and "I can't believe what your team did last night." That type of thing. This guy grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and periodically wears a gray and black tie with the Sox logo on it.

Did he wear the tie and/or a Sox hat the day after his team captured the World Series title?

No.

Did he wear a Sox jersey, hat or even a black shirt (for cryin' out loud!) today for the celebration?

No.

Did he join the thousands of Chicagoans in attending the wild, ticker-tape parade that rolled through downtown within 2 blocks of our office?

No.

The baseball fan that I am, I attended the rally that was held at the end of the parade route and then shuffled through ankle-deep ticker-tape to get back to work. I even grabbed a handful of shredded paper to keep as a souvenir along with World Series stories in the local newspapers. I know history when I see it.

I asked him why he didn't go to the celebration. Why he didn't wear a Sox jersey to work (on a casual Friday like today). He claimed that it was all band wagon stuff and that he's a true fan.

"But I've really held back. I've backed off. I really could've gone off on you. There's so much I could've said," he said. And then I realized it.

For him, being a true White Sox fan would have been to rip the Cubs for not winning anything (again!) and rip me for being a fan of a team that hasn't won a World Series since1908. For him, showing his Sox loyalty would have meant tearing down me and my team.

Wow! How sad. I wonder how many Sox fans feel that way. Or how many Cub fans feel that way about the Sox for that matter?

I am a Cub fan and I'm proud of my loyalty. But I've never said a word against the White Sox team or any other team that plays the game the way it SHOULD be played. I'm happy for the White Sox and proud that they could bring this kind of excitement to Chicago.

I don't think a fan is any less loyal to his or her team if they respect their opponent. On the contrary, isn't that a big part of the game? Respect for yourself, your team and your opponent. Wasn't that what they taught young boys in Little League?

Guys! Help me out here. Am I right or am I being naive to think that a fan can be a true baseball fan without belittling the other team?

Belittling the fans of the other team? Okay, that's another story.