TM 202 - If life's a game who do you think is winning?
The Boston Goddamned Red Sox.
2007 World Champions. 2007 Eastern Division Champions. 2004 World Champions. Only team to win the Fall Classic twice in the current decade.
And you know what, good for them. This is not the rant of some bitter New York baseball fan who is painfully aware that the Yankees haven't cracked the top two since losing to the Sox back in fall of ought-four. This is not even going to be a screed against the institutional incompetence of the Steinbrenner organization, which has managed to squander a phenomenal amount of talent -- not to mention the largest payroll in the league -- and come up with jack-squat for the past seven years.
I am, clearly, capable of such a rant. But now isn't the time and place. Now is the time and place to say:
Congratulations, Red Sox fans.
Now -- shut up. You've got a good organization. Terry Francona runs a tight ship. You've also got first-rate talent, and the second biggest payroll in baseball. You are not now, and have not, for some time, by any reasonable definition of the term, been lovable underdogs. You're a juggernaut, a dynasty. After two World Series sweeps in four years, you have officially arrived, and you are no longer allowed to bitch and moan about how the universe hates you.
The bullseye is on your backs now.
See how you like it.
All right, maybe there's a little bit of disgruntled Yankee fan rant in there.
Wait 'til next year.
2007 World Champions. 2007 Eastern Division Champions. 2004 World Champions. Only team to win the Fall Classic twice in the current decade.
And you know what, good for them. This is not the rant of some bitter New York baseball fan who is painfully aware that the Yankees haven't cracked the top two since losing to the Sox back in fall of ought-four. This is not even going to be a screed against the institutional incompetence of the Steinbrenner organization, which has managed to squander a phenomenal amount of talent -- not to mention the largest payroll in the league -- and come up with jack-squat for the past seven years.
I am, clearly, capable of such a rant. But now isn't the time and place. Now is the time and place to say:
Congratulations, Red Sox fans.
Now -- shut up. You've got a good organization. Terry Francona runs a tight ship. You've also got first-rate talent, and the second biggest payroll in baseball. You are not now, and have not, for some time, by any reasonable definition of the term, been lovable underdogs. You're a juggernaut, a dynasty. After two World Series sweeps in four years, you have officially arrived, and you are no longer allowed to bitch and moan about how the universe hates you.
The bullseye is on your backs now.
See how you like it.
All right, maybe there's a little bit of disgruntled Yankee fan rant in there.
Wait 'til next year.