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Something I didn't expect from the White Sox early season success has been just how little fans seem to care about the success of that team on the other side of town.

A habit, that I'd be lying if I said I have never partaken in, has been rooting against the Cubs, outside of Crosstown Classic, BP Cup, or whatever they call those games. 

This is certainly not specific to White Sox fans, as you'll see Cubs fans reciprocate the hate, but if there's one thing the hot early starts on both sides of town have shown me, it's this: Sox fans care far less about the Cubs when their team is good. 

Up until about a month ago, I had been off of Twitter for about four years. That means the last time I was an active tweeter (tweeter, Sam, how old are you?), the Cubs did a pretty big thing that year, and you'll never know how much that factored in my decision to take a break from the site. 

I remember back in 2016, White Sox fans were a whole lot more publicly vocal about their disdain for the Cubs, and it made sense. The Cubs were great, and if you think Cubs fans are less than pleasurable in losing seasons ... yeah, you get it. 

I've followed hundreds of White Sox fans in my most recent Twitter stint. Part of why I did this was to keep track of the fans, what they are thinking, and how they are feeling. 

The 2020 Cubs are red-hot, off to a 9-2 start, but you wouldn't know that from Sox Twitter, and let me tell you something: That is incredibly refreshing. 

Growing up as a stringent Sox fan/Cub hater, it was always a whole lot more attractive to root against the Cubs when the White Sox were any number of games under .500. 

In other words, if I couldn't get excited about watching a Sox game, I needed something to keep my interest throughout the baseball season. And for a very long time, that was paying lots of attention to the Cubs, which as I sit here today, is unfortunate. 

Not because all of the sudden my allegiances changed, because if you know my dad, Craig Sherman, you know that no matter how good the Sox are, I will never not have at least a small part of me that feels some kind of joy when the Cubs suffer a heartbreaking walk-off loss. 

I'm not saying that's right or wrong, it's just, well maybe someday you'll grow up watching baseball with Craig Sherman, and you'll understand.

One thing is for sure: It's a lot more enjoyable rooting for your team to win, than for another team to lose. (and to my sicko Sox fan cousins, Scott and Gordy, please don't strangle me at the next family get-together for anything I've written above)

My dad and I are lucky to be very close. I cherish my relationship with him, and so many of my passions in life derive from what he introduced me to from a young age. 

I can't say that we have a better relationship when the Sox are good, but I also can't say that we don't. 

My dad claims that getting older, and being a Sox fan for his whole life, has granted him calm in the face of bad White Sox teams. It kind of has, actually, but only kind of.

One thing that this season has shown me however, is that advanced age has NOT lessened his joy when he gets to watch a fun and exiting Sox team, and that has made me unbelievably happy. 

He has lots of passions in life, and I've always been happy he was never just "sports fan dad," but whether he likes it or not, the outcome of White Sox games will always have some kind of effect on his mood. Because of that, it is a welcome change that he gets to root for a good team every 15 years or so, and it looks like this team is even more than one of those. 

Love ya, pops.