2016 World Series – Pop Culture Showdown
GM Theo Epstein and Manager Terry Francona are two of the main people behind the 2004 Boston Red Sox team that broke the curse. Together, they guided the Red Sox to another World Series in 2007. This year, Theo has architected a Chicago Cubs team that won the NL Pennant, while Terry guided the Cleveland Indians to the AL Pennant. Next week, these two friends and former comrades face off against one another in the 2016 World Series.
We take a look at which team, the Cleveland Indians or the Chicago Cubs, will win using a very scientific approach of a Pop-Culture Showdown.
Game 1 – Basketball:
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Chicago Bulls, current team: Cleveland
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Chicago Bulls, historical teams: Chicago
Best Cavs players ever (LeBron) versus best Bulls player ever (Jordan): Chicago
>>Chicago wins 2-to-1. Chicago leads World Series, 1-0.
Game 2 – Football:
Cleveland Browns vs Chicago Bears, current team: neither are worthy
Cleveland Browns vs Chicago Bears, historical teams: Chicago (behind the strength of the 1985 Bears)
Best Browns players ever (Jim Brown) vs best Bears player ever (Walter Payton): Cleveland
»»» Game tied 1-to-1 after 9 innings «««
Historical head-to-head records: Cleveland (9 wins versus 6 wins)
>>Cleveland wins 2-to-1 in extra innings. Series tied at 1-1.
Game 3 – Higher Education:
University of Chicago versus Case Western Reserve: Chicago (#3 nationally in 2016)
>>Chicago wins 1-to-0. Chicago leads World Series, 2-1.
Game 4 – Movies Featuring the Teams:
>>Cleveland wins 1-to-0. Series tied at 2-2.
Game 5 – Music Scene:
Cleveland (Bones Thug-n-Harmony, Nine-Inch Nails, plus the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame) vs Chicago (Chicago, Smashing Pumpkins, Styx, Earth, Wind, & Fire, and Survivor): Cleveland (all bands end up in Cleveland if they’re worthy of HoF induction)
>>Cleveland wins 1-to-0. Cleveland leads World Series, 3-2.
Game 6 – Election Year:
Cleveland (8 Presidents born in Ohio, plus one named Cleveland) vs Chicago (4 Presidents from Illinois): Cleveland
>>Cleveland wins 9-to-4. Cleveland wins the 2016 World Series, 4-2.
Do you agree or disagree? Two of our writers argue why their team will, and will not, win the World Series.
Can the Cleveland Indians Win the 2016 World Series?
The confetti has been cleared, the dust has settled and the city of Cleveland is ready to do it all over again. You need no explanation unless you were living under a rock all summer. The city finally got a championship in the form of LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers. It hasn’t been forgotten, but the dust has settled and the city wants more.
Can the Chicago Cubs win the 2016 World Series?
The Cubs booked their spot in the playoffs with the best season for the 2016 MLB season, and Vegas has them as the most likely team to win the 2016 World Series, which would break a drought lasting 107 years. Is this the Cubs season or will bad luck strike again? Here are reasons that the Chicago Cubs will/won’t win the 2016 World Series.