back to make an unlikely run for the championship - even as the endura

CHICAGO -- There was no rush to celebrate on the mound. No dramatic walk-off moment to send the Wrigley faithful into a clinching frenzy. The players didnt even stick around to see if they would end the night as division champions or have to come back to cut that final 1 off the magic number themselves Friday afternoon.Sure, its anticlimactic to back into the playoffs, but when you do it on Sept. 15 -- or is it 16 -- it hardly takes away from the sentiment. The Chicago Cubs lost their clinching game to the Milwaukee Brewers?5-4 on Thursday night, but when the St. Louis Cardinals fell in San Francisco later in the evening the Cubs could still call themselves NL Central champions.It was only a couple of days ago, while the Cubs were in the midst of taking two of three from those Cardinals, that outfielder Dexter Fowler declared it was inevitable his team would clinch soon enough.It was an easy statement to make considering its September and the Cubs held a 17-game lead at the time, but he could have made the same declaration on Aug. 15, July 7 or even all the way back on June 1. The Cubs first division title since 2008 was months in the making and has felt inevitable since their incredible 25-6 start.Its a lot different scenario than last year, pitcher Jake Arrieta said Thursday. Not knowing where we were playing [in October]. Trying to catch the Cardinals. They had a lead and held onto it. Knowing where were going to go [this year] and having a brief period of off time to prepare, it just gives us a lot of options.Last year the Cubs made the postseason quite easily but fought hard to capture the division, eventually failing by three games to St. Louis. That push took its toll as Arrieta, the eventual Cy Young winner, hit a wall by the time the Cubs got to the NLCS. He wasnt the only one as manager Joe Maddon exacted all he could out of his young team -- but this year things can be different.Overall ... treat it like a spring training, Maddon said regarding the rest of the regular season. The kind of work you do before the game and the lineups. Make it more spring training-like.To truly understand how this season came about, and where it goes from here, we need to go back to the end of last year and the beginning of this one.The Cubs were just figuring out who they could be in the second half of 2015 and rode a wave of youthful talent all the way to the NLCS. Those four games -- all losses to the New York Mets?-- did nothing to diminish the excitement created by the previous months. Remember, the youngest team in the league had won its final eight regular-season games, shut out Pittsburgh in the wild-card game and steamrollered the Cardinals in the divisional round. Bowing out quietly to the Mets wasnt viewed as the end of anything, just the beginning.Fast forward to this spring. A short offseason brought one of the more memorable quotes from reigning Rookie of the Year -- and current MVP candidate --?Kris Bryant. He was asked how he viewed 2016 coming off of 2015.Its just a continuation, Bryant said back in February. With a three-month break. Thats what it feels like in here. Were just going to pick up where we left off but hopefully play a little longer this year.Picking up where they left off is exactly what the Cubs did, partly because of Bryants mindset and partly because Maddon made sure of it. With offseason expectations through the roof, he took advantage of it all instead of running away. He instructed his team to embrace the target and in doing so the players were locked in by the time April arrived.This teams greatest moments came early when other teams -- including contending ones -- were still feeling their way. Meanwhile, the Cubs were firing on all cylinders right from Game 1, a 9-0 drubbing of the Los Angeles Angels.Even then there was a feeling it could be a special season as Angel Stadium was full of Cubs fans. That scene would play out over and over again on the road as chants of M-V-P were directed toward Kris Bryant at Dodger Stadium, and Ryan Braun was booed at his home park in Milwaukee. Those are only two examples of when the Cubs had an extremely vocal crowd cheering for them on the road.The fans have been incredible, Fowler said. All year long, wherever we go. Ive never seen anything like it.Even well before clinching late Thursday, players were thinking about a longer postseason run then they had the year before. The Cubs have followed the path of many teams before them. First came learning how to win, then actually doing it and now comes finishing the job. Even though Maddon often reminds people he doesnt have fully developed players at many key positions, the Cubs simply dont have a glaring weakness this year. All areas of their game are better than last season.As a team, it was our first goal, but the focus of this group has been far beyond that, Cy Young candidate Kyle Hendricks said. We know where we have to go, so its a small stepping stone.That has been the theme since returning to the playoffs became a sure thing -- so basically since spring training. As far as the Cubs are concerned, Thursday was just the beginning of whats to come.They might have backed into the title but in reality they took it from day one.NBA Jerseys China . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Cheap Nike Basketball Jerseys . Woodson said during a radio interview Thursday that the Knicks Carmelo Anthony doesnt get the same calls as other superstars. https://www.nbachinajerseys.us/ .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner. Nike NBA Jerseys China . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Cheap NBA Jerseys Authentic . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision.Chaz Mostert will be among the many Supercars drivers doing anti-rain dances to end Melbournes mini-monsoon in time for the Sandown 500.The Victorian capital will host the 500km classic at the end of one of its wettest weeks of the year.Rain and Supercars dont mix well - as this years Clipsal 500 showed - meaning team owners will be hoping for fine conditions during Saturdays qualifying sessions and Sundays race.If not, Mostert said everyone could expect a wild ride.Hopefully it dries out by the weekend or we get some dry segments. If not its going to be a pretty hard weekend, he said.Youve got to learn to drive around it. Sandown does get pretty slippery in the wet ... theres not much grip.The season-opening Clipsal 500 saw a thunderstorm on the brink of the green light, leading to calamitous scenes and a stunning race win by local Nick Percat.Even if it doesnt rain, new rules that dictate soft tyres must be used in dry weather will make for dramatic racing.Were going to be quicker and the degradation will be higher ... that will bring in a lot more strategy, Mostert said.The way (the tyres) tear up and marble across the race is pretty crazy.ddddddddddddIf you run off line youre able to scoot off on marbles ... with 500 kilometres worth of marbles on the track, passing is going to be very, very hard.Steve Owen will partner the in-form Mostert through the Enduro Cup.The 24-year-old has five top-five finishes from his last six races but says hes too far back to make an unlikely run for the championship - even as the endurance races double the amount of points on offer each weekend.Trying for the championship is unrealistic with six guys in front of me and 300 points or so up the road, he said.When youve got the consistency of (Jamie) Whincup and (Shane) van Gisbergen, whose bad days might be a fifth, its pretty hard.And (Craig) Lowndesy whos more consistent than ever and Frosty (Mark Winterbottom) who makes sure he finishes every race.But were still chipping away. Our goal is top five.If we surprise ourselves by going up further its been a great weekend. ' ' '