Sox Populi Podcast 155 — Crosstown mixed marriages, Vol. 1

Past Crosstown podcasts have mostly just consisted of getting together and trashing the Cubs. Not that there isn’t plenty of garbage to talk about on the north side, but buried almost 20 games south of .500 is not a circumstance for healthy trash talk. So it’s part humility, part curiosity that drove Brett Ballantini to invite the first of several (OK, at least two) “mixed marriages” on the podcast to talk Crosstown fandom. Melissa Sage-Bollenbach and her husband, Shaun, take the plunge as we unveil this new, odd podcast feature.

• The origin story of both Melissa and Shaun, and given their hometowns, both make good sense
• What do each think about the others’ favorite team?
• The ways that winning the World Series changed any angst felt about the other side of town
• How does their star-crossed fandom play out in terms of raising their two kids as baseball fans? And how does that play out in terms of the makeup of the baseball “family cave” in the basement?
• What is easiest to tolerate about the other fan base — and the one thing they most hate about the Crosstown club
• Addressing a disappointing 2023 on both sides of town, with additional thoughts on Grandpa Rossy
• Impressions of Truist Park in Atlanta, the latest ballpark adventure for the couple
• And finally, the ultimate challenge: The Newlywed Game, Crosstown Edition!

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