CHICAGO -- Grown men didnt weep.Maybe because anyone old enough to actually remember the last time the Chicago Cubs made it to the World Series would be at least 71 and know enough to stay home instead of parking himself in the middle of the pandemonium that engulfed Wrigley Field late Saturday.Not so 78-year-old Billy Williams, a Hall of Famer and Cubs mainstay through the 1960s and `70s. This was a moment he had to see for himself.I think about the guys I played with who never got to see this, Williams began. Especially Ernie Banks and (Ron) Santo. Man, we tried so hard for so many years and now theyre gone. ... And I cant tell you how long these fans stuck with us or how many times I heard stuff like, `This is the year.But this, he said with a sweep of his arm toward the still-rocking grandstand, is finally the year.After believing their team was cursed by a goat, crossed by a black cat and undone by one of their own, after checking their sanity at the turnstiles for seven decades and counting, fans of the team on the North Side of town no longer needed any excuses . None needed reminding, either, that there was one hill still left to climb, starting Tuesday night in Cleveland.But at the moment, a white flag with a single blue W fluttered in the night sky atop the huge, manually operated scoreboard in center field -- a tradition begun in the 1930s so that riders on the nearby elevated train line would know when the Cubs won -- and their fans basked in its possibilities.They win 100-plus games (in the regular season), they really have no weaknesses, theyve got youth, veteran starting pitching ... they catch the baseball, they can slug, they get on base, and theyre relentless, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said afterward, by way of a scouting report.Thats a very good club over there.You couldnt have said that just seven years ago, when owner Tom Ricketts forked over $875 million of the familys fortune to buy the ballclub and that faith was tested mightily. Normally a level-headed sort, he fell in love with the Cubs soon after moving to the city as an 18-year-old to attend the University of Chicago. The Cubs went 83-78 in Ricketts first year, then posted five losing seasons in a row.In 2011, he shelled out good money to hire onetime Red Sox boy wonder Theo Epstein to rebuild the roster as president of baseball operations; the next year, the Cubs lost 101 games. But with Epstein pulling the strings, they also began collecting youngsters like Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Kris Bryant, occasionally mixing in high-priced veteran pitchers like Jon Lester and John Lackey and turning around Jake Arrietas career.In 2015, Ricketts shelled out good money again to hire manager Joe Maddon; last season, they were swept by the Mets in the NLCS. The cornerstone of Maddons baseball philosophy is focus on the short term; try to win each at-bat, each inning, each game. He pulls stunts to make it fun -- bringing in zoo animals, wearing pajamas on the flight home from road trips and breaking up the monotony of a long season.But even he struggled on this night not to look back.You stand out on that platform afterwards and youre looking at the ballpark and the fans and the W flags everywhere, and truthfully you think about everybody, Maddon said. I think about the fans and their parents and their grandparents and great-grandparents and everything thats been going on here for a while. I think about my wife, Jaye, my kids, my mom back in Pennsylvania, my dad who wasnt here.Its overwhelming, he added finally, and its awesome.The Cubs last won it all in 1908, which means theyve been without a championship 40 years longer than the Indians, holders of the second-longest run without a championship in major North American pro sports. They may be the sentimental favorites, but theyre also savvy, ruthless and blessed with short memories -- basically, anything but your fathers Cubbies.Ditto for the owner. Asked what it would feel like to see that same flag fly at the end of the World Series, Ricketts admitted he already had his eye on a souvenir. It was likely to be more painful than expensive.I may make the `W a tattoo, he said.He wont be alone.---Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org and https://Twitter.com/JimLitke . <a href="http://www.cheapdodgersjerseys.com/">Wholesale Dodgers Jerseys</a>. Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. <a href="http://www.cheapdodgersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-kirk-gibson-jersey">Cheap Kirk Gibson Jersey</a>. -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. <a href="http://www.cheapdodgersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-sandy-koufax-jersey">http://www.cheapdodgersjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-sandy-koufax-jersey</a>.com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they host the struggling New York Islanders in tonights clash at the Bell Centre. <a href="http://www.cheapdodgersjerseys.com/">Cheap Los Angeles Dodgers Jerseys</a>. John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead. <a href="http://www.cheapdodgersjerseys.com/">Cheap MLB Jerseys</a>. -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. MARSEILLE, France -- Portugal is facing Poland in a European Championship quarterfinal on Thursday. Here are five Portugal players to watch:---CRISTIANO RONALDOWho else? Cristiano Ronaldo arrived at the European Championship as its undisputed star. However, he has hit both highs and lows so far. Some unflattering comments on fan-favorite Iceland were followed by him grabbing a TV journalists microphone and apparently throwing it into a nearby lake. But he refused to let Portugal be eliminated at the group phase, scoring two goals and setting up another to secure a 3-3 draw with Hungary that sent his team through. He failed to score in the other three matches, and missed a penalty. But the Real Madrid forward did make up for a quiet match against Croatia by setting up the stoppage-time winner in the round-of-16. Against Poland, he will be aiming to equal Michel Platinis all-time scoring record of nine goals at European Championships.---PEPEPortugal doesnt have the tightest of defenses, but the player who most often rescues his teammates at the last second is Pepe. The centerback is the heart of Portugals defense and a steady hand in comparison to Ricardo Carvalho, who was dropped for the last match against Croatia. Along with Ronaldo and goalkeeper Rui Patricio, Pepe is the only other Portugal player to have played every minute of the competition for coach Fernando Santos. He will be charged with making sure Poland striker Robert Lewandowski doesnt fiinally rediscover his scoring touch in Marseille.dddddddddddd---NANIAlways in Ronaldos shadow, Nani has been Portugals most consistent attacking player in France. The winger scored Portugals first goal of the competition in a 1-1 draw with Iceland, and he started its fightback against Hungary with another goal. He celebrated his 100th appearance with the national side by launching the move that led to Ricardo Quaresmas winner to oust Croatia in the round of 16.---WILLIAM CARVALHOPortuguese teenager Renato Sanches got all the attention following the 18-year-olds move to Bayern Munich last month. And while Sanches has provided glimpses of promise coming off the bench, William Carvalho has quietly impressed as a serious, disciplined defensive midfielder. After not playing a minute in Portugals opener, Carvalho has been the focal point of Portugals midfield. 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