CHICAGO -- Greg Maddux was the Opening Day starter in his Braves debut when he beat his former team in Chicago in April of 1993. Cubs fan Dan Lepse remembers it well.Cubs lost 1-0, he said. Coldest I have ever been in my life.Lepse also recalls it was the day he proposed under the Wrigley Field marquee to his future wife Tricia, who immediately ran for the bathroom because it was the only place that had heat.The first person she told we were engaged was the bathroom attendant, he said.Ah, the Cub fan. Much has been said, mocked and dissected in regard to this unique species. Motivated by a deep, often familial and civic loyalty, energized by unbridled and childlike optimism and distinguished by a gnawing and perpetual state of angst, Cubs fans may resemble those from other cities and towns, but its the rare combination of these traits that sets them apart.Psychiatrist and lifelong Cubs devotee Neal Spira would not go so far as to mix business and pleasure and say Cubs fans are a textbook example of any particular psychosis.No, no, not textbook, Spira said. Maybe a paper, though. You could definitely write a paper about the psychology of the Cubs fan.Dr. Leo Weinstein, Spiras colleague at the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis, goes back to a central theme of psychotherapy in probing Cubs fans, and the theory that unconscious childhood feelings get expressed in adulthood.It taps into this feeling a lot of us have that things should be fair, that people should take turns and its our turn to win, he said. It also taps into the idea a lot of us believe subconsciously that if you suffer enough, youll be rewarded.Cubs fans have suffered for 108 years, so it only makes sense well be rewarded -- not because our team is good or that Theo Epstein and the front office have assembled a winning team, but because its right. And when [that] turns out not to be true, were upset. People have a hard time giving up that feeling ... but its a problematic way to live your life.Dan Lepse laughs at the prognosis but doesnt altogether dispute it.Lepse is a resident of Seattle, and he became a Cubs fan for life at age 8, when his father took him on a Midwestern baseball swing after their hometown Pilots moved to Milwaukee. On their trip to Wrigley, Seattle native Ron Santo hit a home run, Fergie Jenkins earned the win and a little boy fell in love.This year, Dan and Tricia celebrated their Sandberg anniversary, or in laymens terms, their 23rd. (Ryne Sandberg played as a second baseman for the Cubs and wore No. 23.)In addition to remembering the 40-degree temperatures and the wind whipping off the lake on that day in April 93, Dan also remembers his wife being none too happy with the amount of time she had to wait [for the proposal].But I guess that was the Cubs fan in me, he said. Always leave em wanting more.The couple have three daughters: Sammy (after Sosa), Kerry (after Wood) and Addison (after the street bordering Wrigley). Dan has a Wrigley Field turnstile in his house.And when Lepse interviewed for his current job of sports information director at Seattle Pacific University eight years ago, he told them if the Cubs made the World Series, he would need to take that week off.Lepse would buy a ticket and go see the Cubs by himself during summer visits to his brother in Chicago.I have seen so many things in that ballpark that should have driven me away, things major leaguers should never do, the bad baseball you encountered seeing the Cubs at Wrigley for any number of years, Lepse said. Ive left the park really frustrated. But theres something about going to see a win, even if your team [is] in last place. Thats uplifting. Its not a lost cause.Psychologist and happiness researcher Stephen Schueller likened the addiction and devotion Cubs fans have to their team to learned helplessness.As things replay over and over, its easy to rationalize away a one-year thing, said Schueller, assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern. You fail so often, you feel theres nothing you can do.Youre doomed to fail because youre a Cubs fan. Its a little sad. But Im an optimistic person, so I hope they win and break the curse.Of course, they already have broken the one that extends 71 years, the last time the team reached the World Series, which comes into some conflict with Schuellers study of happiness.Happiness is based on low expectations, he explained. When you have high expectations, a lot has to be delivered to get emotional. The Cubs were always that team you didnt expect to make it. ... But this year, they were a team of destiny and started out the season on such a historic pace, so fans had really high expectations, and thats really dangerous as far as ones emotional impact.A World Series loss could be very tough to take.It will be really hard on people, depending on how it goes, Spira said. If they really fold, I think people will be destroyed. If they go for it, people could feel good about it.Its inconceivable to some that the Cubs traditional cry of Wait til next year would take on a whole new meaning if they win the World Series. In the meantime, that long lost child in every Cubs fan can do little but wait.It has been 108 years [since the Cubs last won the World Series], so its long overdue, Weinstein said. For that reason, the thinking goes, we will win. The worlds magical forces will make the world just.Every year, were just waiting for justice to occur. Manu Ginobili Spurs Jersey . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. 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A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. Jakob Poeltl Jersey . Ashley Youngs cross was inadvertently headed by Chester into his own net in the 66th minute, allowing United to claim a third straight league win. "We had to dig deep with our fighting spirit and weve done that," United striker Wayne Rooney said. PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Steelers nose tackle Javon Hargrave may be quietly putting together a noteworthy start to his rookie season.Hargrave was listed as the starting nose tackle when the Steelers released their first depth chart of the regular season. Hargrave is currently dealing with a quad injury, but if hes able to play in the opener Monday at Washington, he will be on track to become the third rookie to start on the defense in 15 years.Its a blessing, but at the same time, I still havent played yet, Hargrave said Wednesday. Its not really official yet. Im just taking it day by day, still getting better and trying to help the team.Hargrave, who beat out third-year defensive lineman Daniel McCullers for the starting spot, injured his quad in practice Monday, the same day he was promoted. Hargrave said the injury wasnt serious.I was a little nervous, Hargrave said. It couldve been worse, but Im blessed that it wasnt. Its a blessing anytime you can avoid an injury like that.Hargrave is trying to become the second rookie in three years to start on the Steelers defense. Linebacker Ryan Shazier started as a rookie in 2014 and Kendrell Bell did the same as an inside linebacker in 2011.I just feel like I come out and work hard to try and get better every day, Hargrave said. Im just doing things to help the team and take advantage of opportunities.The Steelers drafted the 6-foot-2, 305-pound Hargrave in the third round out of South Carolina State. Hargrave was dominant at the FCS level, where he was a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 and 15. He amassed 37 sacks in 47 games at South Carolina State, including 10 or more in each of his last two seasons.Defensive line coach John Mitchell called Hargrave a sself-made man when the Steelers drafted him and was impressed by his power and quick first step.dddddddddddd The Steelers initially planned to use Hargrave in sub packages and as part of a line rotation, giving ends Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt a much-needed rest.But now it appears the rookie will be starting alongside the veteran defensive ends.Hes not a finished product, but hes growing, Heyward said. I think he understands his first skill is listening. If he can continue to grow and get better the sky is the limit for him.Heyward is most impressed by Hargraves resilience.He keeps bouncing back, Heyward said. He hasnt hit that wall where it seems like too much for him. Hes trying to grow every day and thats not easy, but you appreciate that. As a rookie, it can be very overwhelming at times, and it probably will be later down the road, but as of now, hes done a good job.Tuitt, in his third season, started just four games as a rookie. He realizes the difficulties of learning the Steelers defense.Every day at practice he wants to get better and he doesnt make the same mistake twice, Tuitt said. Hes just a hard worker and he bought into what we do on the defensive line.For the coaches to make the decision they made, they saw something in him that he was doing well.Game notes Heyward is progressing from a high-ankle sprain suffered in the preseason and said he `doesnt see any reason he cant be ready for Monday. . The Steelers signed former Tennessee Titans running back David Cobb to the practice squad and released running back Cameron Stingily.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '