No Love Lost

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hat does it mean to truly believe in something? To know that no matter what your eyes see, your ears hear, your instincts insist, you implore yourself to never, ever give in. Even when that belief has led to disappointment and heartache time and time and time again. When do you quit? When do you cave? When do you decide you've finally had enough?

These are the questions that have faced fans of the Chicago Cubs for more than a century. Indeed, when do you decide you've finally had enough? Eight years ago, on the 100th anniversary of the Cubs' last World Series championship, ESPN profiled 11 such fans -- one from every decade going back to 1908 -- to reveal both the optimism and torture these die-hards have endured. At the same time, they've tried to understand why they keep coming back for more. And when -- if ever -- the hope ends.

With the Cubs playing in their first World Series since 1945, we're revisiting our cast to see how their love for the Cubs has evolved and what the ride has been like with this 2016 team.

Sadly, three members -- Richard Savage, Helen Keiling and Betty Maute -- have since died. Savage made it to 105 but died in 2013. Keiling was 95 when she passed in 2010. And Maute was 90 when she died in 2014. But their love for the Cubs is still alive in the form of their families. As each member of our cast said in 2008: We'll wait. We'll wait for our parents, their parents and anyone else who has ever cheered for the Cubbies. And when our time here runs out, our kids will wait for us.

Here are the stories of these 11 Cubs fans. Some who swear they never lost hope, others who have had their hearts trampled enough that they refuse to believe even this team will be the one to win the World Series.

After 107 seasons and more than 15,000 games there is no fan base that has ever been more tortured. The question is whether or not this is the year it finally comes to an end. Far less for the hyper teenagers or always believing die-hards in their 20s and 30s and more so for their parents, grandparents and great parents. For loving the Cubs is something that is passed down from one generation to the next, with the promise to never give up. Because someday, it will happen.