During Game Two of the NLDS series between the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants, the camera turned to Theo Epstein as he stood watching the game from his box. While Bob Costas stood on his soapbox, and rambled on about something neither fan base was especially interested in (I mean what happened to Bob? He used to be so good), most fans directed their attention to a whiteboard behind the Cubs president of baseball operations.
Nice mustache! https://t.co/rS4966W5fM #LetsGo pic.twitter.com/tYjbWVOxqD
— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 9, 2016
When Cubs Twitter sees a Hashtag, they know what to do.
#FlyTheW #GoCubsGo #nicemustache #LetsGo
— Kody Lenhart (@k_lenhart) October 9, 2016
“Nice mustache #LetsGo” Theo’s whiteboard. Haha @Cubs
— MT Cubs Fan (@cfrelich24) October 9, 2016
Nice Mustache Theo #LetsGo #chickengate pic.twitter.com/JpnUVUUtPR
— Jeff Johnson (@Siefre) October 9, 2016
Nice Mustache?? Who’s that for or what’s the inside joke? #Cubs #LetsGo @Cubs @WaddleandSilvy @CarmenDeFalco @espnWD pic.twitter.com/29nfwU8jdl
— Frank Anthony (@frankiedanks) October 9, 2016
Hahaha LOVE what’s on the whiteboard in Theo’s suite: “Nice mustache!” … #LetsGo
— Andrew Linnehan (@andrewlinnehan) October 9, 2016
White board in Theo’s suite says “Nice Mustache! #LetsGo “
— je (@TheAttack5) October 9, 2016
But none of them really went on to answer just what the sign meant. Well until…
Yup, Theo’s whiteboard says “Nice Mustache!” #LetsGo #FlyTheW #cubs pic.twitter.com/XvRdGEP0Qm
— Jen Schaefer (@jenschaefer1) October 9, 2016
So we have a possible idea as to why this meant. We have read on how the Cubs front office is quick to tease each other, Theo has been known to play fashion police, and they had often joked with each other on conference calls about how ending a 100+ year championship drought.
While it seems like it makes sense, I still think there’s another meaning behind “nice mustache.” While sitting through the end of the game, and pondering how bad of a start Jeff Samardzija had, and how the Cubs have rocked him. That is when it clicked!
Perhaps this was a shot at Samardzija himself? After all Jeff was the lone player in the Cubs organization which spoke out about Theo’s and Jed Hoyer’s rebuilding plan. He mentioned how much of a joke it was and admittedly took the easy road instead of sticking with them.
“It was the easy thing to do,” Samardzija told Bob Nightengale of USA Today. “You can always sell the future, and people always buy it. It’s a great way to rebuild, and I understand that.
“But as a veteran guy, it was becoming a joke.”
Could Theo and the boys have been making fun of Jeff, during his Game Two start, as a way of saying – how much of a joke is it now?
After all, Jeff went to the Oakland A’s, and went to the playoffs, then spent a horrible year playing for the White Sox, and now is on the Giants. While San Francisco made it to the playoffs, he really isn’t in that much better of a spot than if he stayed on the North Side.
Now he is on the team that is down 0-2, and in large part because he himself couldn’t get Cubs hitters out. While I have no idea if the “nice mustache” belonged to Samardzija or not, this Cubs fan will believe that to be true.
* Quote used from USA Today.
* This is pure speculation, continue with your thoughts via social media.