Althouse: Some midwestern trolling.

October 12, 2025

Some midwestern trolling.

The Brewers broke out the L flag 🤣 pic.twitter.com/KnNsi3GxBd
— MLB (@MLB) October 12, 2025

HEY CHICAGO, WHADAYA SAY?#MagicBrew pic.twitter.com/3OFCtsgz9R
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 12, 2025

50 comments:

Dave Begley said...: Brewers shouldn't be so cocky. The Dodgers - with Freddy, Mookie, Ohtani and Kershaw - are next.; 10/12/25, 8:28 AM
Dave Begley said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/12/25, 8:32 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "The Dodgers exceed the Brewers in star power and outspend the Brewers by the GDP of a developing nation, but Milwaukee owned the regular-season series, sweeping three-game sets that straddled the All-Star break while the club was in the midst of an 11-game winning streak.... The Brewers had never before swept their season series against the Dodgers. And no team had swept a season series of five or more games against the Dodgers since the 2006 Cardinals (seven games). Before that, it hadn’t happened since the 1994 Braves (six games)."

https://www.mlb.com/news/brewers-set-for-nlcs-matchup-with-dodgers; 10/12/25, 8:38 AM
Peachy said...: what does the L mean?
Congratulations Brewers and Brewers fans.
Well done!; 10/12/25, 8:42 AM
Ann Althouse said...: "what does the L mean?"

The Cubs fans have a thing of waving squares of cloth with a "W" whenever the team wins, so the "L" is taunting the Cubs over their loss.; 10/12/25, 8:48 AM
Wilbur said...: I got no problem with the W flag - the Cubs have been flying it after a win for many years, but as a Cub fan I hate the stupid song Go Cubs Go sung after every win. I shut the TV or video off so I don't have to hear it.

Hate it, hate it, hate it.

I hate Clark the mascot, too.

Old man shakes fist at cloud.; 10/12/25, 8:51 AM
Iman said...: “The Cubs fans have a thing of waving squares of cloth with a "W" whenever the team wins, so the "L" is taunting the Cubs over their loss.”

I’d be careful doing that. Given it IS Chicago, one could get shot to death.; 10/12/25, 8:51 AM
BudBrown said...: I was a Willie Mays fan so I hated the Dodgers. Marichal maybe went too far but he wasn't running for governor. I haven't watched much playoff baseball after the Rays Zenith Nadar season but I'll watch the Brewers beat the Dodgers.; 10/12/25, 8:53 AM
Iman said...: Unfortunately for teh Brewers, the Dodgers are gonna whup up on ‘em. And I’m no Dodgers fan.; 10/12/25, 8:54 AM
Wilbur said...: The Cubs started flying the W flag on top of the scoreboard after a win by Phil Wrigley's edict, so the L riders going by would know if the Cubs won or not.; 10/12/25, 8:54 AM
Wilbur said...: The 7th inning stretch singing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame is fine, but I hate having "guest conductors", usually some C list celeb or pol looking for some free media time.

Just play the song on the organ or a video of Harry Caray going it.; 10/12/25, 8:57 AM
Mr. Majestyk said...: Flying a W flag is celebrating a win. It isn't taunting the opponent. Displaying an L flag is most definitely taunting the Cubs. You stay classy, Milwaukee!; 10/12/25, 9:04 AM
Dave Begley said...: Ann:

Reversion to the mean. Dodgers will win the series.; 10/12/25, 9:08 AM
Peachy said...: a taunt - thanks.
Eat some taunt, cubs.; 10/12/25, 9:09 AM
Original Mike said...: Why do the Cubs fly a Wisconsin flag after a win?; 10/12/25, 9:11 AM
EAB said...: Please, please, please play like you did when you swept the Dodgers in the regular season.; 10/12/25, 9:13 AM
Leland said...: Wow, the hate... ;); 10/12/25, 9:14 AM
Jaq said...: Can't wait for this series to start. My baseball watching buddy is a Yankees fan, and it was all I could do to contain my glee during the Toronto series, so hopefully he gets over his hurt and we can watch this series together.; 10/12/25, 9:26 AM
Canadian Bumblepuppy said...: Four really good teams left. Lots of great baseball ahead!; 10/12/25, 9:34 AM
mezzrow said...: Wrigley North. So there.
Good luck against the Dodgers. Brewers story is a good one this year. For informational purposes, the L flag (blue with a white L) is flown after a loss at Wrigley. "Go Cubs Go" was thrown off by Steve Goodman on a whim, and is thereby beyond criticism by anyone who loved Steve Goodman, which includes me. Eamus Catuli.; 10/12/25, 9:45 AM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: The Dodgers would have to beat two teams in the North to win the World Series. Can the Southern Californians handle the chilly night games? I bet not.

The most motivated team will be the Blue Jays. Canada has taken it on the chin from America under Trump, and beating the Yankees 3-1 demonstrates their capacity for payback.

Note: If Canada is forced to become the 51st state, it will no longer be the World Series.

Home field is a 2 to 1 advantage unless it goes to Game 7, so I predict it will be the Blue Jays over the Brewers 4-3.; 10/12/25, 9:45 AM
StoughtonSconnie said...: My prediction for Game 1. Craig Counsell grabs a mic pregame, says “I’m sorry Milwaukee, I never should have left, this is a better town and better organization, screw the Cubs!”, throws out the first pitch, the crowd goes wild, Churio takes the first pitch 458 feet off the scoreboard, and PCA tries to jump up and catch it from his living room couch.; 10/12/25, 9:57 AM
planetgeo said...: I love baseball. And I love the Brewers' story. But the Dodgers during the season are not the same as the Dodgers in the playoffs. They are literally purpose-built for the playoffs.; 10/12/25, 10:01 AM
Josephbleau said...: I am surprised pritzger didn’t call out the natural guard to take the flag off the bean.; 10/12/25, 10:06 AM
rehajm said...: …making your pitches take at bats was barbaric. Still barbarians you are…; 10/12/25, 10:07 AM
AndrewV said...: Note: If Canada is forced to become the 51st state, it will no longer be the World Series.

Baseballs championship series is named after its original sponsor, the New York World newspaper.; 10/12/25, 10:08 AM
Jaq said...: "Canada has taken it on the chin from America under Trump, and beating the Yankees 3-1 demonstrates their capacity for payback."

LOL! You owe me a new keyboard!

Toronto was the better team, just like the Panthers were -barely- the better team in the NHL playoffs. But I guess, by your logic, when Edmonton lost in the Cup finals, that proved something too!; 10/12/25, 10:08 AM
Josephbleau said...: The L flag stunt seems very small, Wisconsin should have more respect for themselves.; 10/12/25, 10:09 AM
Jaq said...: Don't get me wrong, I was rooting for a Maple Leafs - Edmonton Cup finals.; 10/12/25, 10:09 AM
AndrewV said...: For the American League, I'm not a fan, but I guess I'll have to root for the Mariners because I live in their market. For the National League, I'm rooting for the Brewers. I'm a Giants fan, so I'll root for any team playing against the Dodgers.; 10/12/25, 10:15 AM
Iman said...: Multiple choice question for Monsieur Left Banke:

Q: Who took it to the chin most often?

a. Pete Rose
b. Canada
c. Rock Hudson
d. Ted Williams; 10/12/25, 11:06 AM
Skeptical Voter said...: Television broadcast executives are crying in their beer over the prospect of a Toronto Milwaukee world series. The ratings will be in the toilet.; 10/12/25, 11:17 AM
Amadeus 48 said...: Low rent taunting from a city with an inferiority complex. Milwaukee, give your inadequacy a rest.; 10/12/25, 11:20 AM
rehajm said...: ...for you cheese curds new to victory in the playoffs, some advice- the taunting is for before your victory, then you show appreciation and respect for the dooshbags you just humiliated...; 10/12/25, 11:43 AM
Mr. D said...: Amadeus 48 said...
Low rent taunting from a city with an inferiority complex. Milwaukee, give your inadequacy a rest.

My dad was an avid Cubs fan. This was in the period where the Cubs were a big-city team with a mom-and-pop operation. The Cubs didn't install lights at Wrigley until the late 1980s. Over time the Cubs went from being charming to a typical moneybags outfit. The charm is long gone from the l'il bears.

For the initial part of their history, the Cubs and the Brewers were in different leagues and never played except for exhibitions, but when the Brewers moved to the National League in the 1990s the rivalry grew quickly. These days Brewers/Cubs is much like Packers/Bears, with all the animosity that comes from the always fraught relationship between Wisconsin and Illinois. I grew up in Wisconsin and even though I haven't lived there in over 30 years, in my experience the mutual contempt is always near the surface.

Is the "L" flag thing a taunt? Of course it is. Chicago is the big hulking city of the Midwest and Milwaukee is hardly the only city that feels the animosity - I live in Minneapolis now and I have spent significant time in St. Louis and Chicagoans are not loved in either place.

I would also add this - I lived in Chicago for five years and the inferiority complex Chicago has concerning New York is even more pronounced.

We all are provincial in one way or another. Taunting Milwaukee for having an inferiority complex is just another form of taunting. And that's okay. My dad never got to see his beloved Cubs win. I am hoping I get to see my beloved Brewers win this season. In the greater scheme of things none of it matters, but we take our joy where we can find it, even if it's swaddled in an "L" flag.; 10/12/25, 11:50 AM
Wilbur said...: "Baseballs championship series is named after its original sponsor, the New York World newspaper."

Untrue.; 10/12/25, 11:54 AM
Maynard said...: As a former Northsider, I grew up a Cubs fan. However, I stopped following baseball about 50 years ago.

I liked the Cubbies when they were lovable losers and when Wrigley Field was the best baseball stadium in the world.; 10/12/25, 11:55 AM
WhoKnew said...: Of course the L is taunting and I'm all for it. I saw enough of it from Cubs fans on the internet all the summer. And the rivalry's intensity has only been increased by Craig Counsell's move south. Before that I would have said Milwaukee's biggest rtival was the St. Louis Cardinals. I wish the Cubs had adopted Goodman's "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request" instead of "Go Cubs GO". I always loved the line about Keith Moreland dropping a routine fly ball.; 10/12/25, 12:13 PM
Curious George said...: "Left Bank of the Charles said...
The Dodgers would have to beat two teams in the North to win the World Series. Can the Southern Californians handle the chilly night games? I bet not."

You will lose that bet. It's always warm in LA, and the other three teams play in domed stadiums so cold won't be a problem.

"Maynard said...
I liked the Cubbies when they were lovable losers and when Wrigley Field was the best baseball stadium in the world."

Wrigley Field remains the best baseball stadium. Unless you're sitting right behind a column.; 10/12/25, 12:49 PM
boatbuilder said...: Toronto Blue Jays coach--"Start Spreading the News, Bitches"
https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/video/start-spreading-the-news-schneider-delivers-speech-after-alds-win/; 10/12/25, 12:52 PM
hanuman_prodigious_leaper said...: I liked Old Milwaukee beer ! is it made anymore?; 10/12/25, 1:04 PM
Curious George said...: "Mr. D said...

For the initial part of their history, the Cubs and the Brewers were in different leagues and never played except for exhibitions, but when the Brewers moved to the National League in the 1990s the rivalry grew quickly. These days Brewers/Cubs is much like Packers/Bears, with all the animosity that comes from the always fraught relationship between Wisconsin and Illinois. I grew up in Wisconsin and even though I haven't lived there in over 30 years, in my experience the mutual contempt is always near the surface."

No. I'm 68 and lived in the Chicago area until my late 30's, and lived in Milwaukee or Madison area since then. The Bears/Packers rivalry is much more real than Cubs and Brewers. I wear my Cubs hat all the time and can't remember even a handful of times where someone gave me crap. I've only had pleasant experiences at Miller Park, even when the Brewers beat the Cubs. And there are a lot of Cub fans in Milwaukee, not just Chicago transplants. Milwaukee was without a ball team for four years and a lot of fans converted to the Cubs, because they could watch on WGN TV and drive or take a train to see the Cubs play. Also, neither the Cubs or Brewers have a huge history of success.; 10/12/25, 1:20 PM
Curious George said...: "hanuman_prodigious_leaper said...
I liked Old Milwaukee beer ! is it made anymore?"

Yep. Pabst Beer owns and makes it.; 10/12/25, 1:23 PM
Curious George said...: WhoKnew said...
I wish the Cubs had adopted Goodman's "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request" instead of "Go Cubs GO".

The lyrics for "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request" are too difficult (and not really celebratory) for a post game sing along after a win. Go Cubs Go lyrics are simple, as is the melody.; 10/12/25, 1:33 PM
Joe Bar said...: "Do they still play the blues in Chicago
When baseball season rolls around?
When the snow melts away, do the Cubbies still play
In their ivy-covered burial ground?
When I was a boy, they were my pride and joy
But now they only bring fatigue
To the home of the brave, the land of the free
And the doormat of the National League"; 10/12/25, 1:48 PM
Jim at said...: The most motivated team will be the Blue Jays. Canada has taken it on the chin from America under Trump, and beating the Yankees 3-1 demonstrates their capacity for payback.

Yeah. A team consisting of American players is determined to make a political statement on behalf of Canada.; 10/12/25, 3:30 PM
DINKY DAU 45 said...: The Cubs' pitching staff was a major weakness throughout the NLDS, with starters allowing ten runs in just 3.1 innings across the series. Key pitchers like Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd, who excelled during the regular season, faltered in the playoffs, forcing heavy reliance on the bullpen. The lack of rotation depth was further exposed by injuries and uneven performances, contributing significantly to their elimination.
Kyle Tucker, acquired to be a postseason difference-maker, struggled throughout the NLDS, slashing .259/.375/.370 and failing in critical moments. His inability to deliver, particularly in Game 5's key scoring opportunities, epitomized the Cubs' broader offensive issues. NEXT I still find this sport totally boring and bad calls causing bad outcomes/ I like the 15 second clock and maybe with robots calling balls and strikes it wil gain some interest but give me golf,football,horse racing, anyday over this 3 hours of boredom/ I guess the people making millions like it though/ As a kid taking PAL bus to YANKEE STADIUM(POPS A COP ,DETECTIVE,JUDGE CLERK) Was about best I could remember baseball,smoking under the bleachers at 10 years old and free snacks yeah baby but it got silly.; 10/12/25, 4:26 PM
Mr. D said...: No. I'm 68 and lived in the Chicago area until my late 30's, and lived in Milwaukee or Madison area since then. The Bears/Packers rivalry is much more real than Cubs and Brewers.

As I said, "in my experience." Yours is different. I see the level of animosity rising, greater than it ever was when the Brewers and White Sox were AL rivals.; 10/12/25, 7:18 PM
Wilbur said...: Before moving to South Florida 40 years ago, I grew up and lived in east-central Illinois. The only real rivalry the Cubs had was with the St. Louis Cardinals, because the fan base in that area was split 49% for both the Cubs and the Cardinals. The other 2% was roughly 1% for the White Sox and 1% for other teams.

My hometown had a Brewers farm team from 1971 to 1974, and several of the Brewers players of the 1970s played there, including Darrell Porter, Sixto Lezcano, Gorman Thomas and Cecil Cooper, so there was a bit of an affinity for the Brewers.

The Brewers moved to the National League after I left, but I can't imagine the rivalry approaches Cubs/Cardinals level, but I could be wrong.; 10/13/25, 3:00 AM
Jessica said...: Cubs fan here who was all set to root for the Brewers in the NLCS until I saw that L flag - ha! But it is funny to note that the Brewers haven’t won a game since they flew it! Is it the Curse of the L Flag?!?; 10/15/25, 12:23 AM

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