Addison Russell meets young fan with Addison Russell haircut
Like most professional sports fanbases, Chicago Cubs fans have ways of letting players know whether they’ve been accepted. Ways that go well beyond simple cheering or booing.
When you attend a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, and sometimes even on the road, you’ll see about every other fan wearing a Cubs jersey. If a player’s name is on there and it hasn’t been altered in any way, he’s probably accepted.
[Elsewhere: Dallas Keuchel gets record $7.25MM in arbitration deal with Astros]
Perhaps the surest sign though is when they meet a fan, the fan turns around and the player comes face-to-face with his own likeness shaved into their heads or painted there.
It’s a new form of admiration that we’ve seen in several places recently, but Cubs fans seem to have the market cornered. We saw it previously during the postseason when a fan debuted his Jake Arrieta haircut. That was certainly a nod of appreciation for Arrieta’s remarkable season that ultimately netted his first Cy Young award.
Now it’s shortstop Addison Russell’s turn to feel the love from fans. And in his case it may be even more special since it’s a young fan sporting his likeness.
That’s some serious respect right there.
The downside, of course, is that everyone else gets to enjoy it more than the person sporting it does not. But the upside is pretty cool if your favorite player spots you.
He’s just living the dream, but he wasn’t alone in showing his enthusiasm for the Cubs.
We can say without any doubt that Cubs fans are as pumped up as we’ve ever seen them. And they’re also quite creative.
If this is the excitement level Cubs fans are idling at following a trip to the NLCS, just imagine where it’ll be if and when the Cubs win a World Series. It almost has to happen, just so we can experience Cubs’ fandom at its craziest.
BLS H/N: Cut 4
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
– – – – – – –
Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
