period just once this season, and have been ahead after two just twice -- both NHL lows.STREAKINGThe Columbus Blue Jackets are 7-1-2 in their past 10 games, following a 3-2 overtime loss

CHICAGO -- Greg Maddux was the Opening Day starter in his Braves debut when he beat his former team in Chicago in April of 1993. Cubs fan Dan Lepse remembers it well.Cubs lost 1-0, he said. Coldest I have ever been in my life.Lepse also recalls it was the day he proposed under the Wrigley Field marquee to his future wife Tricia, who immediately ran for the bathroom because it was the only place that had heat.The first person she told we were engaged was the bathroom attendant, he said.Ah, the Cub fan. Much has been said, mocked and dissected in regard to this unique species. Motivated by a deep, often familial and civic loyalty, energized by unbridled and childlike optimism and distinguished by a gnawing and perpetual state of angst, Cubs fans may resemble those from other cities and towns, but its the rare combination of these traits that sets them apart.Psychiatrist and lifelong Cubs devotee Neal Spira would not go so far as to mix business and pleasure and say Cubs fans are a textbook example of any particular psychosis.No, no, not textbook, Spira said. Maybe a paper, though. You could definitely write a paper about the psychology of the Cubs fan.Dr. Leo Weinstein, Spiras colleague at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis, goes back to a central theme of psychotherapy in probing Cubs fans, and the theory that unconscious childhood feelings get expressed in adulthood.It taps into this feeling a lot of us have that things should be fair, that people should take turns and its our turn to win, he said. It also taps into the idea a lot of us believe subconsciously that if you suffer enough, youll be rewarded.Cubs fans have suffered for 108 years, so it only makes sense well be rewarded -- not because our team is good or that Theo Epstein and the front office have assembled a winning team, but because its right. And when [that] turns out not to be true, were upset. People have a hard time giving up that feeling ... but its a problematic way to live your life.Dan Lepse laughs at the prognosis but doesnt altogether dispute it.Lepse is a resident of Seattle, and he became a Cubs fan for life at age 8, when his father took him on a Midwestern baseball swing after their hometown Pilots moved to Milwaukee. On their trip to Wrigley, Seattle native Ron Santo hit a home run, Fergie Jenkins earned the win and a little boy fell in love.This year, Dan and Tricia celebrated their Sandberg anniversary, or in laymens terms, their 23rd. (Ryne Sandberg played as a second baseman for the Cubs and wore No. 23.)In addition to remembering the 40-degree temperatures and the wind whipping off the lake on that day in April 93, Dan also remembers his wife being none too happy with the amount of time she had to wait [for the proposal].But I guess that was the Cubs fan in me, he said. Always leave em wanting more.The couple have three daughters: Sammy (after Sosa), Kerry (after Wood) and Addison (after the street bordering Wrigley). Dan has a Wrigley Field turnstile in his house.And when Lepse interviewed for his current job of sports information director at Seattle Pacific University eight years ago, he told them if the Cubs made the World Series, he would need to take that week off.Lepse would buy a ticket and go see the Cubs by himself during summer visits to his brother in Chicago.I have seen so many things in that ballpark that should have driven me away, things major leaguers should never do, the bad baseball you encountered seeing the Cubs at Wrigley for any number of years, Lepse said. Ive left the park really frustrated. But theres something about going to see a win, even if your team [is] in last place. Thats uplifting. Its not a lost cause.Psychologist and happiness researcher Stephen Schueller likened the addiction and devotion Cubs fans have to their team to learned helplessness.As things replay over and over, its easy to rationalize away a one-year thing, said Schueller, assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern. You fail so often, you feel theres nothing you can do.Youre doomed to fail because youre a Cubs fan. Its a little sad. But Im an optimistic person, so I hope they win and break the curse.Of course, they already have broken the one that extends 71 years, the last time the team reached the World Series, which comes into some conflict with Schuellers study of happiness.Happiness is based on low expectations, he explained. When you have high expectations, a lot has to be delivered to get emotional. The Cubs were always that team you didnt expect to make it. ... But this year, they were a team of destiny and started out the season on such a historic pace, so fans had really high expectations, and thats really dangerous as far as ones emotional impact.A World Series loss could be very tough to take.It will be really hard on people, depending on how it goes, Spira said. If they really fold, I think people will be destroyed. If they go for it, people could feel good about it.Its inconceivable to some that the Cubs traditional cry of Wait til next year would take on a whole new meaning if they win the World Series. In the meantime, that long lost child in every Cubs fan can do little but wait.It has been 108 years [since the Cubs last won the World Series], so its long overdue, Weinstein said. For that reason, the thinking goes, we will win. The worlds magical forces will make the world just.Every year, were just waiting for justice to occur.Dustin Pedroia Red Sox Jersey . The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. Matt Barnes Red Sox Jersey . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. https://www.cheapredsox.com/941z-j-d-martinez-jersey-red-sox.html . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. Custom Boston Red Sox Jerseys . Rousey will put her perfect 8-0 record and hardware on the line against another undefeated fighter, 7-0 Sara McMann in the main event of UFC 170, which will be held at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas Nevada on February 22nd. Allen Craig Jersey . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency.Steven Stamkos, Taylor Hall, Johnny Gaudreau and Jonathan Quick: The NHLs injured-reserve list could ice its own all-star lineup.If it seems the leagues top talent is sidelined a quarter into the season, youre not mistaken. No more is that aching trend apparent than in Buffalo, where five key Sabres players are out, including top centers Jack Eichel and Ryan OReilly.I think the more injuries you have, obviously the harder its going to be, said Sabres forward Evander Kane, who recently returned after missing 11 games with broken ribs. But theres no excuse. Nobodys going to feel sorry for you.Lightning players had a similar lament upon learning Stamkos was expected to miss four months with a torn ligament in his right knee.You cant sit here and sulk, forward Tyler Johnson said. Were just going to keep doing what were doing.While the Lightning have the experienced depth to potentially overcome an injury to their captain, other young and rebuilding teams dont have that luxury.One concern raised is whether the NHLs condensed schedule might be contributing to the rash of injuries. Players have less downtime in a season that began a week later because of the World Cup of Hockey, and also has the league squeezing in its All-Star Game and a five-day bye week that teams cannot enjoy until the second half of the season.Some teams could use that breather now.I think we have to look at the schedule, said Flames coach Glen Gulutzan, assessing the growing number of injuries. As a coach, youre not sure what day it is half the time, if its a game day or a non-game day. But its a lot of games back to back. And its a lot of games for the players.The Flames, who will be without Gaudreau (broken finger) for six weeks, are in the midst of a six-game road swing covering nine days. Its hardly any easier in the East. The Devils, minus Hall (left knee) are playing 14 games -- including 10 on the road -- in 27 days this month.NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly disputed the notion that the leagues tightened schedule is leading to an increase in injuries.I certainly dont think there is sufficient evidence that would suggest, much less demonstrate, that there has been a larger number of injuries this year than in the average year, or, more importantly, that any of the injuries that have been suffered to this point in the season had anything to do with the schedule, Daly wrote in an email to The Associated Press.In some cases thats true. Eichel sprained his left ankle in practice a day before Buffalos season opener. Quick, the Kings goalie, hurt his groin in Los Angeles season opener.Without providing totals, Daly said, the number of man-games lost through Nov. 8 was up by a little more than 8 percent over last year.However, he noted,, this years total is either roughly the same or significantly less than five of the previous nine seasons.dddddddddddd And this years total is higher by more than 10 percent than only two of the past nine seasons.NHL Players Association spokesman Jonathan Weatherdon told the AP it is too early to be drawing conclusions with respect to the number of injuries through this point of the season.Daly cautioned against using man-game lost figures published in most teams game notes because he called the numbers unreliable.Based on the game notes alone, the Oilers lead the NHL with 100 man-games lost, followed by Dallas with 93.Stars GM Jim Nill believes the competitive playoff races and the tightened schedule are factors.I think were all going to be within three and five wins of each other, the whole league, and thats going to be the difference between making the playoffs, Nill said. The competitiveness, and then you add in the condensed schedule, the speed of the game -- the game has never been faster -- and I think all those are a combination for these injuries.---THEY SAID ITGulutzan shared a story regarding the first time Calgary forward Michael Frolik landed on his radar. It happened in 2012-13 season when he was an assistant in Dallas during Jaromir Jagrs only season with the Stars, and Frolik was in Chicago.Gulutzan was unhappy following a lopsided loss to the Blackhawks, when he encountered Jagr in the weight room.Jags goes, `Coach, youre down about last nights game? Gulutzan recalled. And he goes, `Ah, Chicagos just better than us so I wouldnt worry about that. And he goes: `Michael Froliks playing on the fourth line in Chicago, and he could play on our first line here.Gulutzan rolled his eyes and broke into a laugh, saying: Yeah, it was nice to hear from Jags, `Oh, dont worry about it coach. Theyre just better than us. I was dying on the vine.SLUMPINGThe Vancouver Canucks have led after one period just once this season, and have been ahead after two just twice -- both NHL lows.STREAKINGThe Columbus Blue Jackets are 7-1-2 in their past 10 games, following a 3-2 overtime loss to Colorado on Monday.LEADERSGoals, Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh), Patrik Laine (Winnipeg) and Michael Grabner (Rangers), 12; Game-winning goals Jeff Carter (Los Angeles), 5; Goals by defensemen, Shea Weber (Montreal), 8; Goals-against average (minimum 10 games played), Tuukka Rask (Boston), 1.57.GAME OF THE WEEKOn Wednesday, the Penguins travel to New York to face the Rangers two days after a 5-2 home loss to their Metropolitan Division rivals.---AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report. ' ' '