Today, the Cubs DNA team shares some favorite memories of the Joe Maddon era
James:
All the themed road trips. I had never quite seen anything like that in baseball before, and I sure will miss it. My favorites were the onesies (well-timed with Jake Arrieta's no hitter) and the "dress up like Jon Lester" trip, where Rizzo had a case of beer and a bucket of fried chicken.
Brooke:
I love Joe for all the reasons everyone else has mentioned, but I think my favorite was his BFF friendship with Munenori Kawasaki. They bonded immediately in Spring Training and put on a few themed shenanigans together. And when Joe had to demote Mune they did it over a bottle of wine and Joe said it was his favorite demotion ever. They just clicked and I found it all so fun.
Tina:
The themed road trips, his chill demeanor with the press, his approachability with players, his positivity and creativity. We did not suck!
Matt:
My favorite memories from Joe come from him letting the guys be themselves. From Strop's meatball-enraging hat, to Javy being Javy, to Bullpen Chicken. What made Joe and this team special is perfectly encapsulated by the July 31st, 2016 game against the Mariners. I'll let the gif do the talking. Thanks Joe!
Staci:
Honestly, Joe is just my kind of guy in general (I'm always in for a petting zoo), but I think the thing I'll most remember about his tenure in Chicago was his ability to relate to the players. "I love him like a dad," is what Anthony Rizzo said after the announcement of Joe's release, and you could always see that sort of relationship both on and off the field between Maddon and those core guys that have been there through his tenure. This video kind of says it all, and I hope the next man up can find that kind of kinship with our boys while righting the ship.
Steve:
My favorite memory of Joe is... dang, it's just so hard to choose. Like everyone else, Joe is more than just a great manager. He is a great guy and we saw that countless times during his tenure as Cubs manager. He did many charity events and always encouraged people to be themselves. I'm going to cheat and say my favorite memory of Joe was whenever the Cubs were blowing a team out or were getting blown out. Seeing position players like Rizzo and Zobrist pitch, Travis Wood in the outfield, or letting Javy bat lefty is just what makes baseball the best sport. You never see LeBron do something he doesn't already do, you never see Toews grab the goalie pads, and you never see Trubisky kick a field goal. Baseball can give us some many things that we never knew we wanted to see and Joe is the reason we saw many of those great moments. Kick-ass with which ever team you lead next, Joe (Angels).