The Chicago Cubs pulled off a shocker back in November of 2023 when they announced that they had hired Craig Counsell as the 56th manager in team history.
The news came out of the blue and it was a shocker for just about everyone– Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers fans alike.
The Craig Councell-To-Chicago Cubs Shocker
Counsell had managed the Brewers for nine years prior, leading them to five postseason appearances and becoming the winningest manager in franchise history. He was also a beloved figure in Milwaukee and, despite his Brewers contract having expired, there was little doubt that he’d be back with the team.
Except, not.
Less than one full week after his Brewers contract expired, the announcement was made that Counsell had signed a 5-year, $40 million contract– the richest managerial contract ever— with NL Central Division rivals, the Chicago Cubs.
“It’s Time To Be A Cub”
“You walk into Wrigley today, the first day as a Cub and it already starts to mean something,” Counsell told the assembled media during his introductory press conference. “You walk into the history. You walk into the energy. You walk into a place that you already know it demands your best…
“It’s time to be a Cub. There is momentum happening here, and it feels close. And that means there’s a really exciting future ahead of us. And now it’s my job to be part of taking us to the next level. And that’s the plan.”
Wisconsin Hates Counsell, Proven
Predictably, Milwaukee went nuts. Overnight, Counsell, who just happens to be a Wisconsin native, went from beloved underdog manager to evil turncoat traitor. And the Brewers let him know their feelings when the Cubs came to town for their first series against the Brewers.
And now they’re letting the world know their discontent once again
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is conducting a poll to name the “Wisconsin Sports Villain of 2024” and, predictably, Counsell currently sits at the top of the list.
As of this writing, the former Brewers manager has 57.28% percent of the vote, more than every other candidate (Jesse Winker, Pete Alonso, Tyrese Haliburton, Kerby Joseph, and “other”) combined. And, actually, after seeing some of the angry, bitter reactions from Brewers fans back then, one might’ve expected even more of a landslide in such a vote.
Now, just imagine if Counsell and the Cubs were able to win a World Series?
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