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The best comment, the one that cut to the core of what the news conference was all about, came from Todd Ricketts, a member of the family that was introduced Friday as the new owner of the Cubs.

The question was how he came to be a Cubs fan, and it was asked with enough knowing sympathy the question might as well have been how he came to have that permanent tire-tread impression across his face.

"You get sucked in, and there's no getting out," he said. "You're a Cubs fan forever."