Red Sox World Series Flavored Bliss!

A-FREAKIN’-GAIN!

First in 1986 they were down 3-1 and beat the California Angels to get to the World Series.  Then in 2004 they were down 3-0 to the Evil Empire New York Yankees and took four in a row to get to the World Series where they beat St Louis in a four game sweep to end their 86 year World Series Championship drought.

Well it’s 2007 now and there’s none of this curse of the bambino horse-shit to deal with anymore, but the Sox managed to win three straight against the Cleveland Indians and now they are going to face the Colorado Rockies in the World Freakin’ Series!

There will be no prognosticating from me this time.  I am way too close to the story.  I am not going to get overly excited about the Sox winning it all, the way I did in 1978, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1995, and 2003, only to get my heart broken each time.  As I did in 2004 I am practicing the art of “Cautious Optimism.” 

The Rockies might be the hottest team ever right now.  On September 15th they were something like 4.5 games out of the wild card.  Then they won 21 out of 22 games, including sweeps in each of the first two rounds of the playoffs, and now find themselves representing the National League in the World Series.  They are on fire.  If the Sox weren’t their opponent I would be 100% in their corner.

But the Sox ARE their opponent and I am picking them.  My team is in the World Series again!  I expect this to be a long one, maybe even seven games, but I am totally hoping for a Red Sox sweep.  My heart just can’t handle the stress of a long series.  Besides, if they lose even one game there will be so many people jumping off the Tobin Bridge in despair that traffic could be clogged up for days.

Win it in Four Boston, win it in four.  Please!  I don’t want you to give me a heart attack like you almost did last night.

Did I mention Jen and I went to game six against Cleveland?

We thought we were sooo cool by going to game 1 against the Angels… and it was cool.  In fact at that point in time it was by far the best Fenway experience of my Fenway life.  Beckett was amazing.  Ortiz hit a monster home run.  The Sox won 4-0.  It was perfect.  Untill…

Jen managed to score two bleacher seats to game six on Saturday.  If the Sox won they got to play game seven.  If they lost they got to spend the next few months playing golf.  J.D. Drew hit a grand slam in the first inning… Curt Schilling held the Indians offense at bay and the Sox got their game seven.

We watched game seven at Jen’s house in a state of constant panic.  The final score was 11-2, but it was 3-2 in the seventh, and 5-2 with the tying run at the plate in the top of the eighth.  It was major stress.  Major stress.  But the Red Sox rallied huge in the bottom of the eighth and put it away.  It was all over except for the Paplebon and Youkilis dances. 

Now we get the Rockies in a winner takes all best of seven series starting Wednesday night.  I can’t freakin’ wait.  Another World Series appearence by my home town team.  This could be the cap to the best summer of my adult life. 

I am cautiously optimistic.

Here’s a slide show of game 6 pictures.

https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

Go Red Sox!