Nate Scott

USA TODAY Sports

I am very glad the Chicago has forgiven Steve Bartman, now that the Cubs have won their first World Series in 108 years.

You could argue that the city had already forgiven the diehard Cubs fan, the one who made the mistake of reaching out for a fly ball - something a dozen other fans around him did - during the 2003 NLCS. But now with the Cubs finally having the money off their back, the redemption is complete.

Chicago wants Bartman back. They've already forgiven him, but more importantly, they want to be forgiven by him. They want him to say "Hey gang, it's OK that you made my life a living hell for a decade plus, forced me into obscurity and made it impossible for me to attend games of the one team I've truly loved. Let's move on!"

Bartman doesn't owe them that. Bartman doesn't owe Chicago or the Cubs anything. The most surprising thing about this whole week, for me at least, more surprising than the Cubs' stunning extra-innings win, the rain delay that came at the perfect moment, the drama, everything … the most surprising thing for me was Bartman's statement, issued through his attorney, after the Game 7 win.

Bartman's attorney Frank Murtha said that Bartman was "overjoyed" with the Cubs win. He continued: "We don't intend to crash the parade,'' Murtha said. "The one thing that Steve and I did talk about was if the Cubs were to win, he did not want to be a distraction to the accomplishments of the players and the organization.''

Bartman was overjoyed. Even through it all, he had remained a Cubs fan. And in a moment when he could have taken attention for himself, showed up at that Cubs parade and forgiven the city, making him a cult hero, he declined to even do so. He didn't want to take away from Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist. He couldn't handle stealing Jon Lester's thunder.

Can you imagine how decent a person you have to be to do that? To deny the invitation, not because you hate the team now, not because you feel contempt or righteous anger, but because you don't want to detract from the team that is still, somehow, your team?

Steve Bartman has earned the right to celebrate this World Series however he wants. He's been unfailingly decent, and however desperate Chicago is for his forgiveness, to be absolved of the fact that they were truly awful to a man over a random occurrence, he doesn't owe them anything.

Chicago, don't force this man to forgive you. Let him celebrate this World Series however he wants.