Don’t You Dare Call the New Pope a Chicago Cubs Fan

Despite being born and raised in Western Massachusetts, I’m a Texas Rangers fan. My family moved around quite a bit when I was young, and during a year-long stint in Galveston, Texas, I saw Nolan Ryan pitch for the Rangers against their rival, the Houston Astros. My fandom was born that day, and I’ve embraced it ever since. Even though I was back in Massachusetts when the Red Sox won their first World Series in over 80 years, I never swayed. I watched my beloved Rangers lose back-to-back World Series and did not falter! You stick to your team, even if they’re embarrassing and there are potentially greener pastures. I believe that, and so does the new Pope.

There was a notable lack of Ralph Fiennes in Rome these last few days. Regardless, a conclave was held and a new Pope was chosen. His Name is Robert Prevost, though he will now go by Pope Leo XIV (Leos I-XIII could not be reached for comment). Pope Leo is the first American-born Pope to ever be chosen. At first, normal folks marveled at how his selection seemed to piss off all the worst people on the internet. The new pope is no fan of JD Vance (because of Vance’s s***ty politics and probably because he doesn’t want to be near the VP). Then, a new wrinkle emerged: the new Pope allegedly likes the Chicago Cubs.

Rumors began circulating that Leo XIV was a fan of the team Ferris Bueller once skipped school to see play. That isn’t the worst thing in the world (unless you’re from Chicago, as I’ve been told). The Cubs are less than a decade removed from their historic World Series win. They currently sit atop their division, thanks to some surprising players and a (relatively) new manager who is shaking things up for the men who call Wrigley Field home. Depending on who you ask, cheering for the Cubs could be a “better” move than cheering for their crosstown rivals, the White Sox.

It’s been a bit longer since the Sox won a championship. They claimed the trophy in 2005, and it’s been all downhill since then. The White Sox are currently one of the worst teams in baseball … ever. As of two weeks ago, the Sox were on pace to win 33 games this season (out of 162). 33! This is after only 41 wins last season. It would be the worst back-to-back seasons by a professional baseball team in decades. People threw in the towel for the team within a month. No one wants what they’re seeing, except for the newest Pope.

The new Pope is a White Sox fan. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. When asked by a Washington Post reporter who he liked, he gave a one-word answer: Sox. The dude loves Jesus (I presume), pointy, fanciful hats, and black pinstripes on a white jersey. There’s a chance he had a Goose Gossage poster on his wall when he attended Villanova. There is even a photo, found by the Chicago Sun Times, which shows the new Pope attending a White Sox vs Houston Astros World Series game in 2005 (the Sox would go on to win that series).

Owning his White Sox fandom while the White Sox are playing very bad baseball is something I have immense respect for. I’ve been there, and it can be hard! But he’s taking it on, showing us what a real leader can look like. You stick by your team, even if they’re doing poorly. It’s the same mentality, I assume, he used when he was allegedly ignoring child abuse claims against the clergy he was presented with in the early 2000s (which would line up with that World Series win and is… not respectable).